#Ramadan2024 - Day-26
What Do You Fear?
People fear many things in life: hunger, poverty, loneliness, bullying, illness, failure.
To be worried about one’s wellbeing is a natural part of the human condition.
When we look at our simple bodies, all the support and “lucky-breaks” we’ve received in life, it’s clear to us to see that something bigger than ourselves has been protecting us in life.
In our helplessness as simple humans, we acknowledge our relative ineptitude and we fear that we may be abandoned to fend for ourselves.
God tells us in the Qur’an there is a way for people to be completely free from fear.
To be happy with God’s will, through good or bad to accept His plan. This is a form of clear vision into the true nature of reality. Things that don’t seem clear at the time, only years later will we see the wisdom.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَقَـٰمُوا۟ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ١٣
“Surely those who say, “Our Lord is Allah,” and then remain steadfast—there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve.” — Qur’an 46:13
In these final days of Ramadan let us be patient with God’s will. Let us trust in His plan, and cling steadfastly to His commandments. Now is the time to establish good habits that we can continue not just through Ramadan but to make us better people.
اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو فَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَا أَنْتَ
O Allah, it is Your mercy that I hope for, so do not leave me in charge of my affairs even for a blink of an eye, and rectify for me all of my affairs. None has the right to be worshiped except You.
Allahumma rahmataka arju fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata 'aynin wa aslih li sha'ni kullahu la ilaha ila anta
#Ramadan2024 - Day-27
Do You Ever Forget Things?
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ ٥٦
"I did not create jinn and humans except to worship Me." — Qur’an 51:56
We may know a bit about the world and our purpose. We may know what God wants from us and how to be a good person.
It is in our nature however to be forgetful.
How often do we hear about something we want to change in our lives? A way we think would be better for us and our self-improvement but after a few days we forget about it and we never make the permanent change.
وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ تَنفَعُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٥٥
"Remind. For certainly reminders benefit the believers." — Qur’an 51:55
Islamic reminders are a way for us to keep up our faith. A way to reinforce all the good we know we should be doing.
Ramadan comes every year as a reminder of our capacity. When we really try our hardest Ramadan shows us how much we are capable of fasting, praying and worshipping God for a whole month.
Outside of Ramadan we can help remind ourselves and reinforce our faith through regular classes, or event just listening to reminders online, podcasts, videos and books…
There are countless ways of refreshing our memory and brushing up on the things we once knew.
One of the best ways is even just by reading and reflecting on the Quran ourselves.
Let us always strive to worship God in full. To read and reflect on his noble book, regularly and in a way that meaningfully affects our lives.
Let us fulfil the purpose God created us for — and in doing so we will find a relief for our soul and tranquility in our spirit.
#Ramadan2024 - Day-28
Does Everything Circumambulate for God?
سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ١
"Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah. For He is the Almighty, All-Wise."— Qur’an 59:1
When we look at all the variety of intricate and beautiful creatures that God has put on the earth this is a sign of His majesty.
The animals and how they go about their daily work, operating only on instinct and their innate understanding of the world — some intrinsic nature bestowed on them by God.
Likewise the intricate systems we see in nature — the complex biomes that exist in perfect balance all run according to God’s wisdom and power.
Nature runs according to His command — every passing second, every change of season is a sign of His divine will.
The constant turning of the cosmos, is a sign of God’s power at the most grand and minute of scales.
Electrons circle the nucleus of an atom, just as the moon orbits the earth, the earth orbits the sun and our entire solar-system orbits the centre of our galaxy.
As we look at the cosmos on a grand or minute scale, we see the natural world in orbit. Worshipping God through circumambulation; just as Muslims do in Mecca when we circle the Kabbah, God’s sacred house, only to worship Him.
Let us take time to reflect on the wider cosmos, take a step back from our daily busyness and see the beauty of nature as it worships God and is subservient to his decree.
#Ramadan2024 - Day-29
Could You Be Better Than an Angel?
Angels have no ability to disobey God. Angels always obey God and worship Him in His majesty.
تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ ١
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًۭا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٢
"Blessed is the One in Whose Hands rests all authority and He is Most Capable of everything. ˹He is the One˺ Who created death and life in order to test which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Almighty, All-Forgiving." — Qur’an 67:1-2
Human beings have a choice. We can disobey God in our belief and our actions OR we can choose to obey God and worship Him as our creator and sustainer.
أَمَّنۡ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِی یَرۡزُقُكُمۡ إِنۡ أَمۡسَكَ رِزۡقَهُۥۚ بَل لَّجُّوا۟ فِی عُتُوࣲّ وَنُفُورٍ
"Or who is it that will provide for you if He withholds His provision? In fact, they persist in arrogance and aversion ˹to the truth˺." — Qur’an 67:21
With Ramadan coming to a close, most of us will have eaten good meals every day to break our fast, feeling the joy of sustenance after a day without food.
Let us thank God for guidance and sustenance. At the end of the day it is only God that guides, provides and to Him we return.
أَفَمَن یَمۡشِی مُكِبًّا عَلىٰ وَجۡهِهِۦۤ أَهۡدَىٰۤ أَمَّن یَمۡشِی سَوِیًّا عَلَىٰ صِرَ ٰطࣲ مُّسۡتَقِیمࣲ﴿ ٢٢ ﴾ قُلۡ هُوَ ٱلَّذِیۤ أَنشَأَكُمۡ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرَ وَٱلۡأَفۡـِٔدَةَۚ قَلِیلࣰا مَّا تَشۡكُرُونَ
"Who is ˹rightly˺ guided: the one who crawls facedown or the one who walks upright on the Straight Path?
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “He is the One Who brought you into being and gave you hearing, sight, and intellect. ˹Yet˺ you hardly give any thanks.”" — Qur’an 67:22-23
Let us continue to acknowledge God wherever we see Him and His signs. Let us appreciate His blessings on us every day. Let us search for Him and His beautiful names in every moment.
In doing so we use our free-will to worship God, with even more fervour than the angels.
قُلۡ هُوَ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ وَعَلَیۡهِ تَوَكَّلۡنَاۖ فَسَتَعۡلَمُونَ مَنۡ هُوَ فِی ضَلَـٰلࣲ مُّبِینࣲ
"Say, “He is the Most Compassionate—in Him ˹alone˺ we believe, and in Him ˹alone˺ we trust. You will soon know who is clearly astray.”" — Qur’an 67:29