Ramadan Reflections - Juz 7-11
Ramadan 2022 - Juz 7
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تُحَرِّمُوا۟ طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَآ أَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ ٨٧
وَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ حَلَـٰلًۭا طَيِّبًۭا ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنتُم بِهِۦ مُؤْمِنُونَ ٨٨
“O believers! Do not forbid the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, and do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors.
Eat of the good, lawful things provided to you by Allah. And be mindful of Allah in Whom you believe.” — Quran 5:87-88
Most things in life are Halal and permissible for us; most types of food, in abundance; travelling to the corners of the earth and even into space; spending time with friends, family and loved ones; so many types of business and luxuries; outdoor hobbies and exercise; reading and relaxing; the vast list goes on.
It’s easy for young people to focus on the few things that are not permissible, such as smoking, or intoxicants, gambling or interest; but in reality these are a tiny minority of activities that make up the human experience. When we look at the things that are haram, they are mostly demerit goods that are bad for us even in a worldly sense.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْخَمْرُ وَٱلْمَيْسِرُ وَٱلْأَنصَابُ وَٱلْأَزْلَـٰمُ رِجْسٌۭ مِّنْ عَمَلِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ فَٱجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ٩٠
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةَ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءَ فِى ٱلْخَمْرِ وَٱلْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَعَنِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۖ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ ٩١
“O believers! Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and drawing lots for decisions are all evil of Satan’s handiwork. So shun them so you may be successful.
Satan’s plan is to stir up hostility and hatred between you with intoxicants and gambling and to prevent you from remembering Allah and praying. Will you not then abstain?”
— Quran 5:90-91
Gambling, alcohol, headiness are all a form of escapism. Leading our souls to escape from what we really need, which is nearness to Allah. Anything that is Haram, is only made haram for us as it is bad for our souls; taking us further from Allah.
As our souls were near to Him before this life so we yearn to be near to Him again. Only nearness to Him will fill the call of our souls, the call to witness something bigger. To feel at peace knowing who is looking out for us; the one that has always helped us, and allowed things to work out for the best in our lives, through thick and thin, always landing us on our feet.
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ ٢٨
“Those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort.” — Quran 13:28
Ramadan 2022 - Juz 8
فَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا ذُكِرَ ٱسْمُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ إِن كُنتُم بِـَٔايَـٰتِهِۦ مُؤْمِنِينَ ١١٨
“So eat only of what is slaughtered in God’s Name if you truly believe in His revelations.” — Quran 6:118
Belief in God goes beyond just testifying on the tongue, but also brings with it necessity of action.
لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله (lā ʾilāha ʾillallāh, Muḥammad rasūlu-llāh) There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.
The testimony of faith and belief in God negates that anything else is worthy of worship apart from God. In acknowledging this we testify to the magnificence of God before all else, and implicitly our worship of him.
In acknowledging God, His truth and His existence this also means we acknowledge His messengers and the truth that they brought. Namely by affirming God we also affirm our belief in Muhammad, his trustworthiness and the integrity of the Quran.
Belief in God therefore is not an abstract belief but also brings with it actions as we see in the aforementioned verse. If we truly believe and accept this message then we also believe in the importance of its commandments and the necessity of establishing prayer, eating halal meat, fasting in Ramadan and the other actions we are commanded todo.
وَهَـٰذَا صِرَٰطُ رَبِّكَ مُسْتَقِيمًۭا ۗ قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍۢ يَذَّكَّرُونَ ١٢٦
۞ لَهُمْ دَارُ ٱلسَّلَـٰمِ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ وَهُوَ وَلِيُّهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ١٢٧
“That is your Lord’s Path—perfectly straight. We have already made the signs clear to those who are mindful. They will have the Home of Peace with their Lord, Who will be their Guardian because of what they used to do.” — Quran 6:126-127
Ramadan 2022 - Juz 9
أَفَأَمِنُوا۟ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ ٩٩
“Did they feel secure against Allah’s planning? None would feel secure from Allah’s planning except the losers.” — Quran 7:99
It‘s important not to become complacent or, worse yet, self-righteous in our devotions.
At the end of the day we never truly know if our good deeds will be accepted. Did we even do them with a sincere intention or was the intention to show off to other people?
“قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " رُبَّ صَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ صِيَامِهِ إِلاَّ الْجُوعُ. وَرُبَّ قَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ قِيَامِهِ إِلاَّ السَّهَرُ
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: “There are people who fast and get nothing from their fast except hunger, and there are those who pray and get nothing from their prayer but a sleepless night.”
And the Prophet ﷺ said: “whoever does a deed of the Hereafter for the sake of the world, then he will have no portion of it in the Hereafter”
However we try our best, and seek Allah’s mercy and acceptance. We make our best efforts to do what we can and we pray he accepts it from us.
As described by Ibn Al-Qayyim the believer operates like a bird balancing on two wings, balancing between hope and fear.
تَتَجَافَىٰ جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًۭا وَطَمَعًۭا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ١٦
“They abandon their beds, invoking their Lord with hope and fear, and donate from what We have provided for them.”
— Quran 32:16
We know our actions aren’t perfect and we fear they may not be enough. In equal proportions however we also retain hope in Allah’s mercy.
We have a good opinion of Him and assume the best, hoping that Allah will forgive us any shortcomings and grant us success in this life and the next insha’Allah.
In this way we fear that we could have done better, and we should never become haughty or conceited in our actions — but likewise, out of hope, we should not become despondent and hopeless in our actions.
We strive to live a balanced life, the middle way.
Ramadan 2022 - Juz 10
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ حَسْبُكَ ٱللَّهُ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٦٤
“O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for you and for the believers who follow you.”—Quran 8:64
When in doubt or hardship, it is important to remember the simple prayer:
حَسْبُنَا ٱللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ ٱلْوَكِيلُ
“Allah ˹alone˺ is sufficient ˹as an aid˺ for us and ˹He˺ is the best of Protectors.” — Quran 3:173
In hardship we rely on Him, acknowledging how all success and strength comes from Him alone. We would be truly broken without Him. Whether we acknowledge it or not it is always Him guiding us through and helping us.
There are times when we’ve been blessed and everything has worked out for us, even though we were very under-prepared and not in a position that it seemed things would work out. He alone plans success, and on His terms and schedule. Not ours. We are given things when we need them, even if it isn’t always when we want them.
It’s important to remember to be grateful when times are easier and calmer too. It’s easy to become complacent and believe that we’re entitled to a comfortable life. But ultimately it is only Him providing for us, protecting us and taking care of us. It is important to acknowledge our gratitude and be grateful for the protection and ease we have, especially in a world where so many others have things harder than us.
We are always in His care, our lives may have ups and downs but we always land on our feet and we thank God for His guidance, support and protection, through thick and thin.
We rely on nothing and no one else. All goodness and power is granted through Him. Likewise when things are tough, we know He will protect us and show us a way. Even if it’s not the way we initially envisioned.
حَسْبُنَا ٱللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ ٱلْوَكِيلُ
“Allah ˹alone˺ is sufficient ˹as an aid˺ for us and ˹He˺ is the best of Protectors.” — Quran 3:173
Ramadan 2022 - Juz 11
وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَـٰنٍۢ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍۢ تَجْرِى تَحْتَهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًۭا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ١٠٠
As for the foremost—the first of the Emigrants and the Helpers—and those who follow them in goodness, Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. And He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow, to stay there for ever and ever. That is the ultimate triumph. — Quran 9:100
Allah is pleased with us when we do good deeds — praying on time, being respectful, honouring our duties to others. But what does it mean for us to be pleased with Allah?
يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي، وَأَنَا مَعَهُ إِذَا ذَكَرَنِي، فَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي نَفْسِهِ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي نَفْسِي، وَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي مَلأٍ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي مَلأٍ خَيْرٍ مِنْهُمْ، وَإِنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ بِشِبْرٍ تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ ذِرَاعًا، وَإِنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ ذِرَاعًا تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ بَاعًا، وَإِنْ أَتَانِي يَمْشِي أَتَيْتُهُ هَرْوَلَةً
Allah says: 'I am just as My slave thinks I am, (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I can do for him) and I am with him if He remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too, remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in a group that is better than they; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.' "
To be pleased with Allah means that we are happy with His decree for us; happy with his creation; and happy with the lives and sustenance He has provided us with.
As Allah tells us He is as we think of Him. He is of course infinite and unchanging, but if we limit Allah in our minds, then we will only achieve our limited goals.
Allah is of course infinite, so why do we limit our dreams? If we want to aim high we should! We should never think it’s outside of possibility, as Allah’s possibilities are endless. We simply pray for the best and we have faith in Allah that from His unlimited mercy and power He is able to provides for us. He is able to provide openings that we couldn’t even have dreamed of, we simply have to have a good opinion of Allah and pray for the best.
Being pleased with Allah likewise means, Not saying “if only this has happened” or “maybe I could have it if such and such had happened”. Rather, being pleased with Allah means we are happy with what we receive, when we receive. We are grateful for whatever Allah gives us, big or small and we accept, acknowledge and are grateful that it is whatever is best for us.
Even if it doesn’t look exactly like what we envisioned. He provides us with what we need and what is best for us at a given time.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ یُحۡیِۦ وَیُمِیتُۚ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِیࣲّ وَلَا نَصِیرࣲ ١١٦
“Indeed, to Allah ˹alone˺ belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and causes death. And besides Allah you have no guardian or helper.” — Quran 9:116
Further reading:
An excellent resource from Yaqeen mentioning many ahadith around sincerity: https://yaqeeninstitute.org/read/paper/the-guiding-principles-of-faith-sincerity-honesty-and-good-will-in-islam