Google

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Preparation for Ramadhan

Special talk - Thursday: 30 June 2011
Preparation for Ramadhan
By: Ustazah Nagheba Hayel


Ustazah begins by reciting the intention of Imam Al-Haddad.
Intention = very important
Small action with great intention is much better than big action with small intention
Ta’lam wa ta’leem: We are all teachers as mothers, wife, sister, friend and through any knowledge we gain from Quran & Sunnah, what is good & disseminate it.
The story of miskina: A lady called miskina (not even her real name as she was really insignificant that people didn’t even know her name. She carries water to the people and at the night when she passed away, a scholar in the town dreamed of her. He saw her in green silk and looking glorious. He called ‘Miskina’ and she replied ‘hayhata, hayhata’ (things of the past). She said that at night time, she listened to dars and daytime she brought water to people with the intention of disseminating knowledge.
Tazdkir: to remind each other as we are insaan. Root of 'Insan' - nasia --- means forget that's why we remind each other
Ibtigha’ wajhiLlah: hope to reach the countenance of Allah.

"Infinite is the native land from whence Allah has created the soul"
The saying above, from a scholar, jannah =the infinite land where our soul is created, created to worship Allah.
Jannah is surrounded by what human usually dislike; like not to do or say or see or hear bad things, not to backbite, to perform solah on time, read the Qur'an etc... It is a "forever land" and the soul will feel tranquil because it is where it actually belongs to. Therefore, we must work and focus to reach Jannah
Always concentrate on the main goal, the world is like a bridge to pass through to reach the real world = Jannah
World is just a passing place

Man is created to worship Allah - az Zariyyat verse 56 (And I did not create the Jin or mankind except to worship Me) = mankind is the slave to Allah
What is the good in worship? It's not just a routine but connection between you & the divine
Eg: surah al Fatihah, we say 'iyya ka na'budu..." = direct communication with Allah
With citing "bismillah" - it is accompanied with goodness & barakah (fr Hadith)
"there is no good in worship that is not understood" by Imam Ali
We must understand the significance of prayer, fasting / Ramadhan

How do we prepare ourselves for Ramadhan?

"May Allah bless us in Rejab & Syaaban and allows us to reach Ramadhan" - Musnad Imam Ahmad

"Rajab is the month of Allah, Shaaban is my month & Ramadhan is the month of my nation " narrated by Imam Al-Suyuti in Al-Jami
Rajab is the month of repentance and cleanser for our hearts.
During Syaaban, send as much salutation to the prophet Muhammad saw

Ramadhan - is a special month coz - based on the wisdom of the following sayings:

The scholars said that:

Rajab : the Month of repentance (cleansing your soul... And your heart. To glorify Allah so your heart is glossed and cleansed. Getting ones heart ready for Ramadhan

Repentance is cleansing yourself with istighfar - with determination not to repeat the same sin. If it is repeated, repent again! Also by doing loads of zikir

To clean ones heart so it is cleansed & the shine & nur from Allah will shine

Syaaban : the month of sending salutation upon the prophet

Believing in your heart - persevere with the thought of love to Rasulullah

It is also said that those who send Salawat to rasulullah Allah will send the same to that person

To get the barakah & follow the sunnah. We are indebt to Rasool ‘alayhi salatu wassalam.

Connecting the sunnah acts (not just the fard) with the Prophet

Remind ourselves as much as possible to practice sunnah deeds

Ramadhan : the month of Al-Quran. Sayidina Jibril Alayhi Salaam came and read the Qur’an with Rasool ‘alayhi salatu wassalam

Imam Abu Bakra al-Warraq : Rajab is d month of planting seeds, Syaaban is the month of irrigating the crop & Ramadhan is the month for harvesting

‘Rajab is like the wind, Syaaban is like a cloud, Ramadhan is like the rain’

According to Imam Ghazali, there are three different type of mu’min anticipating the month 1) prepared a hugh tank so that they can collect water to be used for the whole year 2) prepared a bucket and it lasted a few months 3) those who are busy and he forgets, when the rain came, they took a cup to get the water. Ramadhan is like the rain - mercy and blessings. Preparation should be way before Ramadhan.

Surah al baqarah: 183 - "fasting had been prescribed for you, as it was prescribed upon those before you, so that you may become God conscious" . Fasting was prescribed to every nation. Taqwa - fear of Allah, Feeling the presence of Allah

"All of the deeds of man are for himself except for fasting which is for Me & I shall reward it Myself" - Bukhari. Unknown amount of rewards.

"In paradise there is a gate called al-Rayyan through which those who fast will enter and no one will enter it except them, when they have entered it will be locked and no one else will enter through it ... " - Bukhari

The du'a of d fasting one will not be refused - al Bayhaqi

My du'a is the witness of my slave state

Musnad Imam Ahmad: "ones fast will intercede for one on the Day of Judgment saying 'O Lord I prevented him from his food & physical desires during the day so let me intercede for him"

Everyone will pass on the bridge and they will cross it according to the way they walk in this dunya. Five different type of crossings 1) faster than lightning 2) riding upon a beast 3) running 4) walking 5) crawling

So that is why Muslims are allowed to cry for the prophet - rasulullah may intercede for his nation

Crossing the 'sirat' to jannah - this is helped with all our deeds & all our prayers, Salawat

Luqman once said to his son: "oh my son, when the stomach is full then the intellect sleeps, wisdom is silenced & d limbs are too lazy to perform any act of worship "

Ibrahim al-Adham: those that came before us were ruined because of 3 things- their excessive talking, excessive sleeping & excessive eating "

(all he needs is simplicity - look out for his story)

Hadith from Muslim: the smell of mouth of the fasting one is better with Allah than scent of musk

When the month of Ramadhan enters, the gates of heaven opened, the gates of hell are closed, the devils are chained (Bukhari) - this is more metaphorical because what must be 'chained' is our nafs

Jannah beautifies itself in Ramadhan (more beautiful, more sweet smelling)

On the first night of Ramadhan, a very light wind under the Throne, touching every single leaves. Angels said ‘tonight is the first night of Ramadhan

Bukhari: whoever fast during Ramadhan out of faith will have all his previous sins forgiven

Saying of d Salaf:[during the month of] ramadhan, 1st part is mercy, middle of it is forgiveness, the last of it is freedom from the fire

(forgiveness - seeking Allah's forgiveness to cleanse all the previous sins)

Degrees of the fast

1. Layman - Awwam

2. Elite - to abstain from sin by guarding the hearing, eye, sight, Tongue & limbs from evil acts

3. Elect from the Elite - awlia , to abstain

Ibn ata'illah - kitab al Hikam: actions are erect forms & their soul is the existence of sincerity within them

Many of those take nothing from their fasting except hunger & thirst - by Ahmad & Ibn Majah

The wisdom of fasting

- protect the senses from all that is haram from saying bad things, sight, hearing

- teaches one patienc / fortitude

- Increase generosity - zakah & Sadaqah
- Increase gratitude
- helps one to experience poverty
- increase your humility
- teaches you about yourself - ones ability to submit
- ability to conquer / discipline nafs - ones carnal desire

5 things that breaks fast - lying, backbiting, slander, lying under oath, covertness & lustful eyes - related by Anas bin Malik (break the reward of fasting)

Guarding the senses & limbs

Tongue
Eyes

Ramadhan an increase of good deeds
- recite Quran, make du'a
Iktikaf
Umrah in the last 10 days
Priority in 5 pillars in Ramadhan especially solat

Recommended (fasting) / sunnah
Yearly : 1st & 10th Muharram, Day of Arafat, 1st Rajab, 15 Syaaban, 6 days in shawwal, 9th Zulhijjah, 1 to 9 th Zulhijjah

Monthly
White days-13 14 15,
Black 28 29 30
Weekly -Thursday & Mondays

Al-hikam 24, 25, 26

  Ramai boleh dakwa tetapi tiada bukti ‘Bukti pd yang mendakwa, sumpah pd yang mengingkari’ hadith Pengakuan perlu ada bukti.. Muslim, apa b...