Ramadan Reflection #3

"Don't let this Ramadan be just a holiday of rituals. Don't finish reading the Qur'aan without it transforming you. Don't feed your body at Suhoor, but starve your heart of Qiyam. Don't reduce this downpour of mercy to just a month of sweets and lavish iftars. Seek Him, you will find. Take a sincere step towards change, transformation, redemption. If you do, you will find Him in front of you. Find Him this month. He's been there all along. Closer than your jugular vein. Look, and you'll find. Walk, and you'll arrive."

--Yasmin Mogahed

Such inspiring words subhanAllaah. InshaAllaah lets all strive to make sincere changes (be it in the tiniest possible way) this Ramadan. May Allaah give us the tawfiq and hidayah to make sincere changes in our lives and bring us closer to that which He loves.*Ameen*

Ramadan Reflection #1

So I haven't updates this blog in months *cries*. I've been thinking about doing so for a while now. Considering that it is Ramadan, I figured what better time to hop back on that bandwagon than now inshaAllaah? Seeing that this blessed month is the perfect time for renewal and to start afresh, here's me 'seizing the opportunity' inshaAllaah.

Ammar Ibn Yasir (radhiAllaahu anhu) said, "I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) say, 'Indeed  a man will walk away from his as-Salaah (Prayer) and there will not be anything written for him of reward except a tenth of his prayers, or an eighth, or a seventh, or a sixth, or a fifth, or fourth, or a third, or half.'"  

[Abu Dawud, An-Nasaaii, Ibn Maajah, Ahmad]

"A man will have recorded for him of his prayers only when he is mindfully focused." 

-Sufyan ath-Thawri (rahimullaah)

SubhaanAllaah. How many times do we find ourselves actually focused on either our own recitation or the Imaam's? Allaah being so Merciful has enjoined 5 daily prayers on us to worship. That's 5 down from 50. Are we so easily distracted that we cannot take a few minutes out of our day to SOLELY focus on worshipping Him? Why is it that we can focus our attention on anything else if need be, but when it comes time for Salaah, we have a million things besides the ONE that matters, racing through our minds?

May Allaah give increase our khusoo' (focus) and grant us the ability to better our Salaah. *Ameen*.

The Night of Power..

There is a night in the month of Ramadhan which is better than a thousand months (83 years, 4 months). This night is called Laylatul-Qadr. The Revelation of the Qur'aan started in the month of Ramadhan and specifically on Laylatul-Qadr. The Night of Power is a night of blessings that has been blessed by Allaah.


The Prophet (peace be upon him) described the morning after Laylatul-Qadr so that the Muslim may know which day it is. He (peace be upon him) also advised what is most appropriate to recite during this blessed night.


'Aisha (radhiAllaahu anha) reported that she asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), "O Messenger of Allaah! If I knew which night is the night of power (Laylatul-Qadr), what should I say during it?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) advised her to recite: Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhhibul 'afwa fa' fu 'annee."

O Allaah! You are forgiving, and You love forgiveness. So forgive me.

--Reported as Saheeh in Tirmidhi, hadith no.3513. Also recorded in Ahmad and Ibn Majah.

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Ubayy (radhiAllaahu anhu) said, that he (peace be upon him) said:

"On the morning following Laylatul-Qadr, the sun rises not having any rays as if it were a brass dish, until it rises up."

--Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah

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Ibn 'Abbas (radhiAllaahu anhu) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

"Laylatul-Qadr is calm and pleasant, neither hot nor cold. The sun rises on its morning being feeble and red."

--Ibn Khuzaimah and al-Bazzaar with a Hasan Isnad.

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Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu anhu) said:

"We were discussing Laylatul-Qadr in the presence of Allaah's Messenger (peace be upon him) so he said, 'Which of you remembers (the night) when the moon arose and was like half a plate?'."

--Muslim

Baby Steps..

Since this is the month of mercy and forgiveness, dhikr (remembrance) of Allaah should be made in abaundance. Not to say we shouldn't in the remaining months, but that we should increase in it especially during Ramadhan for its great and many rewards. Keeping that in mind, here's a nice place to start inshaaAllaah..

سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ 

SubhaanAllaahi wa Bihamdihi

(Glory be to Allaah and Praise Him)

Whoever says the above 100 times during the day, his sins are wiped away even if they are like the foam of the sea.

 --Sahih Bukhari

SubhaanAllaah. So heavy on the scales, and yet so easy to implement. It's the small steps we take, and make a habit out of that make the biggest difference in the long run. Let's make the intention to act on those baby steps starting this Ramadhan.. starting today, this second inshaaAllaah.

It's That Time of Year Again.. *Alhamdulillah*

Abu Hurairah(radhiAllaahu anhu) related that the Prophet (peace be upon him) quoted Allaah as saying, "Every act of Adam's descendants is for themselves, except fasting. It is meant for me Alone, and I alone will give the reward for it." --Sahih Muslim  

"You who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you – so that perhaps you will be godfearing."

--Qur'aan (2:183)

Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu Anhu) related that the Prophet(peace and blessings be upon him) said,"If anyone omits his fast even for one day in Ramadan without a concession or without being ill, then if he were to fast for the rest of his life he would not be able to make up for it."

--Bukhari

Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever fasts during Ramadhn with faith and seeking his reward from Allaah, will have his past sins forgiven. Whoever prays during the nights in Ramadhan with faith and seeking his reward from Allaah, will have his past sins forgiven. And he who passes Laylat al-Qadr in prayer with faith and seking his reward from Allaah, will have his past sins forgiven."

--Bukhari & Muslim

May Allaah t'Aala accept our fasting and our prayers in this beautiful month of Ramadhan. May He also shower us with His infinite blessings and mercy.

*Ameen*

Ramadhan Mubarak Everyone!