In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful
We Extol You O Lord, give Thanks to You and Praise You for bestowing
Your favours upon us, for Your unceasing successive blessings that
keep on multiplying. You do not cut off Your bounties from Your
bondsman, rather you increase them, despite Your bondsman’s
preoccupation from You (being occupied) with his family, his food and
drink. (And) peace and blessings of Allah be upon our beloved, our
ideal, Muhammad- peace and blessings be on him and upon his family who
lead us to him, related him to us and ignited in us the longing of
following the path (that leads )to him and reproached us from falling
into pursuits that will alienate us from him.
My beloved ones, we have entered these ten blessed days which are an
opportunity to make good transactions with Allah, an opportunity to
renew our repentance, a chance to be penitent to Allah, an opportunity
to rectify our conduct with Allah, a chance to get close to Allah, a
chance to perceive (the sweetness) of the love of Allah, to experience
the bliss of nearness to Allah, an opportunity to attain the pleasure
of Allah.
My brothers, (these) days will pass us while amongst us there will
remain those who have neither tasted the sweetness of Tasbih [saying
Subhanallah], nor Tahmeed [Alhamdulillah] nor Takbeer [Allahu Akbar]
nor Istighfar nor of sending salutations upon the beloved- peace be on
him!
These days are a grant and gift to us- a bounty. May Allah open [for
us] the doors of repentance, [attaining His] pleasure, love and
bounties in these days. Whosever desires to heed the call and responds
to it then indeed Allah accepts him, guides him, receives him and
assists him.
Have you responded to the call of your Lord?
Do you not long for Allah?
Do you wish to retreat to Allah?
Then welcome these [blessed] days!
The beloved, peace be on him, exalted these ten days saying, “There
are no days greater in the sight of Allah”
So, for example charity is more beloved to Allah in these ten days
than any other day, to invoke the name of God [perform dhikr] is
permissible at all times but to perform dhikr in these ten days is
greater in the sight of Allah.
Why are (righteous) deeds greater in the sight of Allah (in these ten
days)?
The scholars have narrated that in these ten days Allah manifests His
manifestations to the creation.
This means that in these ten days, especially on the day of ‘Arafah,
Allah likes to bestow His bounties upon His slave such as His
forgiveness, liberating him from the fire of hell, (bestowing) His
love, pleasure and His splendour and Allah likes to see the effect of
these favours on His slave.
This is a privilege not found in other days – except those stated by
Allah and His Messenger.
These days are distinguished, by the Grace of Allah.
What is required of us to do (in these ten days)?
Two things are required of us:
1. Increasing our righteous deeds
2. Perfecting our good deeds.
Today, in this age, we have two groups of people:
1- Those that possess the ability to increase their virtuous deeds and
vary them such as fasting, charity and prayer.
2- And there are those who cannot- they are busy with social and
material issues. They cannot fast or stand (for worship)
What is required of you is that when you perform (your deeds) perfect
them.
The people of knowledge have said that Allah will accept His slave’s
most excellently performed action on the Day of Judgement.
Such are they from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and
pass by their ill deeds: (They shall be) among the Companions of the
Garden: a promise! of truth, which was made to them (in this life)
46:16.
The point is not the magnitude of the action but what is due to Allah!
It could be (as small as) removing an obstacle from the road.
Therefore I say to him who says he is busy: One action- fasting,
standing [in worship], invoking the Name of God [dhikr] or charity –
perform it with perseverance, be steadfast on it even though it may be
little. Assign a time for it, try and perform it with excellence, with
presence of heart. Don’t occupy yourself with anything else (at that
time), keep away from all distractions- switch off your mobile phone
for the time you have assigned to it.
I am in seclusion with Allah
I want to do dhikr of Allah.
Perform ablution [wudu’], pray two raka’ats, bow down in prostration
and perceive the bliss of prostration – especially in these days. Whom
are you prostrating to? He is closer to you than your own self!
Experience the delight of nearness to Allah and drown yourself in His
love..
What is required of us in these ten day?
I will divide the requirements into three categories - Actions:
1) Between you and Allah
2) Between you and the people.
3) Between you and your self [nafs]
The aim is not these ten nights only- and that we become negligent (in
the remaining days). Rather these days (can be taken) as an example of
a fuel station where we have to stop and fill our hearts with the fuel
of iman so that it lasts us the remainder of our life time.
What Action Should I Start With?
We find in the Quran and in the speeches of the Prophet - peace be on
him, that there is a specific deed which is required of you to
increase its quantity [in these days].
It is easy…you can perform it at any time, any hour, any moment, any
state- while standing, lying or sitting. Despite its ease in
performance and its lightness upon the tongue it weighs heavy upon the
scales.
I suppose you know it??
Yes….it is remembrance [dhikr] of Allah
It is one of the most mentioned deeds.
Allah, the Exalted says: “And remember God during certain days
numbered.” [2:203]
And take a look at the words of the beloved-peace be upon him, “So,
during this time, recite a great deal of tahlil , takbir and tahmeed.”
Try and occupy your time in these ten days with only these actions.
You are not required to perform ablution nor be in a particular state.
(You can perform them) at any time!
That is why the people who will regret most on the day of judgment
will be those who did not increase in dhikr [remembrance] of Allah
since it is an action easy to perform.
So you increase in doing tahmeed [saying Alhamdulillah] and in
performing dhikr for if the former is not accepted then the latter
will be. Acceptance is mighty, don’t consider it insignificant.
Wherever you may be, engage your tongue in the dhikr of Allah until it
becomes moist with it.
Oh how insufficient we are in performing the dhikr of Allah! Despite
the fact that each one of us is immersed in the blessings of Allah, we
do not perform dhikr except for a little!!
Let’s be honest…most of us don’t do dhikr of Allah except a little.
And if we do perform dhikr with our tongues, our heart and spirit is
not present. Where are they? It is not supposed to be a mere utterance
of the tongue. Allah says, “Know, therefore, that there is no god but
Allah” [47:19]
He did not say “Say!” What is needed is to say and know. Therefore let
us return to these days of Allah, and there will be great rewards for
you from Allah - for if you remember Him, He remembers you!!
2- Qiyaam –ul -Layl [Standing the night in worship]:
The one who gets up in the night [for worship] has an inner longing.
He is obstructed from his sleep, his rest; he detaches himself from
all the permissible pleasures even though he is inclined to sleep,
despite his body needing that rest! His nafs [evil-commanding self]
tells him, “Go back to sleep! You have work tomorrow.” His desire
tells him not to tire himself but he repels all these thoughts.
He rubs off the sleep from his eyes, cleans his mouth using the
siwaak, remembers Allah [(by reciting the dua of waking up) –All
praise is to Allah who granted us life after he caused us to die, and
to Him is the return], then looks to the sky and recites the verse,
“Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the
alternation of night and day, - there are indeed Signs for men of
understanding.” [3:190]
He then performs ablution and washes away the impurity of his sins
with the water of ablution. He stands infront of Allah in his prayer
niche with complete servitude, faces the direction of the qiblah,
scented, in a state of purity, and he exalts his Lord. He enters
another sphere and By God, it has its pleasure!
Have you experienced the joy of bowing between the hands of Allah?
Have your eyes flowed with tears as you felt an inclination towards
Allah?
Tell me how many tears have you shed ? How old are you?
The days are folding in and the [life of this] world will go by - and
what is it but an hour after another
Have your eyes not wept, yearning for your Lord?
When a human being is away from his family or children, their
remembrance causes his eyes to water and he misses them.
What about your Lord and your Prophet-peace be on him?
Where are those days when you long for them?
3- Reciting the Quran: With reflection and presence of heart. Each and
every verse of the Quran encloses a hidden meaning, enlightenment,
sciences, healing [power], mercy and guidance.
2)The conduct between you and the people.
Exchange visits, reunite ties of kinship, be dutiful to parents,
forgiveness, give up your rights that are due from the people. Those
who do not visit you, go to them, humble yourself for Allah. If
someone does not talk to you, communicate with him for the sake of
Allah. Cut off the barrier.
Why?
For the sunnah of the Prophet- peace be upon him.
Let’s hasten to improve our ties with people. It may be dfficult but
we can endeavour.
3) The transaction between you and your nafs
Wait here…evaluate your nafs and address it: “O evil commanding self,
what path are you heading to? Woe unto you! There have come before you
many proofs - of deaths at old age, problems, earthquakes, floods,
sudden death- points you should beware of. Is Allah pleased with you?
Then fear Allah with regard to your eyes and your heart….. when will
you give up your offences and sins?
Pause here….Do you not know that Allah is aware of what is in your
heart and your innermost?
Do you not know that nothing is hidden from Allah?
Soar high with your heart….make your heart know its Lord.
Similarly, address your nafs.
Who from among the creation do you love most?
You will say the Messenger of Allah – peace be upon him.
What are the signs for this?
How many a night has sleep escaped your eyes because of your
remembrance of the Messenger of Allah – peace be on him?
Tell me honestly- how many times have you laid your head on the pillow
while contemplating upon the Messenger of Allah?
And you became sleepless…has this happened to you? Not even once? What
is your age? Thirty? Forty? What path are you treading?
Start from now.
For Allah is watching you and He is protecting you and will help you.
I ask Allah to make us firm, to make these days bountiful. And submit
to Allah and rejoice and have a good opinion of Allah.
And know that Allah is much more Generous than what you perceive
Don’t let Shaytaan delude you by telling you that you are distant.
That you are wretched and there is no good in you.
Nay! Tell him that Allah will make me righteous.
Allah is my Lord and my Prophet is Muhammad – peace be on him.
He will graciously bestow upon me, grant me favours and accept me.
For He has accepted those before me with greater sins than mine.
I ask Allah to grant us the taste of His love and make us among His
special and beloved ones.
By Habib Hussein Al-Saggaf
To watch the lecture: http://hemmah.net/Lecture.aspx?SectionID=5&RefID=658&do=Stream
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