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Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Fasting Ramadan

Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani

25 July 2014 Burton, Michigan

Jumu`at al-Widaa at As-Siddiq Mosque

As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh.

O Muslims, Believers! Allah (swt) has honored us by saying:

كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ

Kuntum khayra ummatin ukhrijat li’n-naas taamuroona bi’l-ma`roofi wa tanhawna `ani’l-munkari wa tu’minoona billaah.

You were the best of Nations evolved for Mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong and believing in Allah. (Surat Aali-`Imraan, 3:110)

Allah (swt) has described Ummat an-Nabi (s) as ummatun marhooma maghfooratun laha, an ummah that has been forgiven, “mercied ummah,” and instead of thanking Him we are trying to make problems between Muslims, fighting and shedding blood between Muslim and Muslim. O Muslims! O Mu’mins! Allah (swt) does not like that.

Allah (swt) revealed to Sayyidina Muhammad, `alayhi afdus-salaatu wa-salaam:

Afdalu 'l-jihad kalimatu `adlin `inda sultaanin jaa'ir (in another version, aw kalimat al-haqq).

The best jihad is a word of justice (or a word of truth) before a tyrannical king.

( Related by Abi Sa`eed al-Khudree)

Today, if they think jihad is to fight and kill Muslims because they don’t agree with their `aqeedah, there are different `aqeedahs, everyone is free to choose what he likes and you cannot force your `aqeedah on someone else. They want to make jihad by coming against Muslims, by declaring their `aqeedah baatil, and this is not jihad. The Prophet (s) said, “That the best jihad, the most honorable jihad is a word of Truth in front of a tyrant, to stand up and say, ‘That is not correct.’” The best jihad, the best of struggles is to stand up and say the Truth” or, kalimatu `adil in another narration, a word of justice in front of someone who wants to disturb your life, a tyrant. From this hadith we can understand that there are physical tyrants and inner tyrants. About physical tyrants, the Prophet (s) said:

من رأى منكم منكرا فليغيره بيده ، فإن لم يستطع فبلسانه ، فإن لم يستطع فبقلبه ، وذلك أضعف الإيمان . رواه مسلم

[The Prophet (s) said], Whoever sees something wrong, should try to change it with his hand, and if he cannot then with his tongue and if he cannot then with his heart and that is the weakest level of faith.

(Muslim)

If someone sees something wrong, he should change it with his hand, which means try to write, not to kill, but to educate and enlighten people, try to tell them, “That is not true, that is not justice.” Prophet (s) said, “If the sultan is a tyrant, pray to Allah (swt) that He will change his heart,” not to go after the sultan and create fitna in a peaceful country.

Today we are seeing such things and we are in Ramadan. We are seeing things that are not acceptable Islamically. People are trying to ruin everything that reminds us about the previous time in history, the relics of prophets, and about what they have done, they have their mashaahid that remind us of them. Yesterday they blew up an innocent masjid because it contained a grave on the side, and it was the masjid of Sayyidina Yunus (a). What kind of people are they to blow up a masjid? That is great. Allah will not be happy.

وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ

The mosques are for Allah. (Surat al-Jinn, 72:18)

Today they are trying to remove all the relics of ancient times and they are destroying them to remove all our history. Yesterday they blew up the mashhad of Sayyidina Yunus, Jonah (a). They blew up the masjid and Allah is not happy with that. They blew up the masjid where the Light of Allah comes down.

Masajid are for Allah (swt), they are the homes and houses where Noorullah, the Light of Allah comes down. Allah is giving us good tidings, He is making us happy through many ahadeeth of Prophet (s) and what are we doing every time to thank Him? We are not thanking Him but we are blowing up His prophets. It is enough to have one frame or one page that says, "Allah" or "Muhammad (s)." That brings Allah’s Mercy on us and what do they do? They come and blow it up. A masjid reminds us of Allah (swt) and and they come and blow up masajid around the world for no reason except that their `aqeedah is different. MBlowing them up because they disagree with their `aqeedah.

Allah wants ummat an-Nabi (s) to be saved.

Allah said, “You were and are the best ummah sent forth to humanity. You call for what is good and prevent munkar,” and Allah says, “My servants are fasting and I am going to reward them.”

الصوم لي وانا اُجزي به

Fasting is for Me and I will reward it. (Hadith Qudsi)

“Fasting is for Me and I will reward it.” Even though it is an obligation, He does not have to reward us. So teach your children to fast, not to play, but train them when they are young to fast or they will never fast. Instead what are we doing? We are blowing up the masaajid.

للصائم فرحتان فرحة يفرحهما : إذا افطر فرح وإذا لقي ربه فرح بصومه

The Prophet (s) said, “There are two moments in the life of the fasting person when he is so happy. 1) When he breaks his fast, `inda iftaarihi.” The summer is so hot and you might be fasting for 18 hours. In some places you fast for 12 hours a day and it is the same length all year long. Are those who fast for 12 hours going to get the same rewards as those who fast 18 hours? No, those who fast longer get more rewards.

وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا

And those who strive in Our (Cause), We will certainly guide them to our Paths.

(Surat al-`Ankaboot, 29:69)

“Those who struggle in Our Ways, We guide them to Our Ways,” and there are too many ways, such as education and teaching.

There are two moments of happiness for the fasting mu’min: at the time of iftaar, and for that reason the Prophet (s) taught us to break the fast quickly and not delay. That is something to rejoice about and be happy with Allah (swt). That is something you cannot see but it is something that happens, a happening and manifestation from Allah (swt) is on the people who are fasting. When you die, you will be informed that Allah was happy with you because you were fasting in Ramadan.

Muslim related that every `amal you do, Allah will multiply it more and more. If you do one, Allah multiplies it by ten from His side, and which side is better, ours or His? There is no comparison. If you do something good, then Allah will give you ten times from heavenly goodness, completely different from our side. Allah gives ten from His side and there is no limitation to His generosity. He gives to whom He likes without calculation or counting. He will give. His Iraada comes, kun fayakoon. You don't know, a small thing you did in dunya might be heavier in scale than all the Earth and heavens.

What then do you think of fasting the whole day? Fasting always reminds you to say, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah.” You are doing an obligation and that makes you happy. If you break your fast intentionally in Ramadan you have to fast 60 days consecutively and that is not easy. Except for travel or sickness, (you cannot break your fast).

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " كُلُّ عَمَلِ ابْنِ آدَمَ يُضَاعَفُ ، الْحَسَنَةُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا إِلَى سَبْعِ مِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ ، قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى : إِلا الصَّوْمَ ، فَإِنَّهُ لِي وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ ، يَدَعُ طَعَامَهُ وَشَهْوَتَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِي ،

Young ones, don't lose a day. Allah will multiply good deeds by ten times, up to 700 times. If you fast one day Allah gives you reward for 700 days, although it is an obligation, it is a duty on us, like someone who said, “You have to pay tax.” Allah said, “I created you.” He said, “Am I not Your Lord?” And we said, "Yes, yaa Rabbee!" We have signed a contract with Allah that we cannot breach. We said, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah;” that is a contract. If you breach it you are responsible. With all that, you have no right to breach it. Allah said:

وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ

We have honored the Children of Adam. (Surat al-Israa’, 17:70)

“I have honored the Children of Adam.” There is a tax to pay and that is the five obligations. So you pay tax, and in most countries if you pay tax they try to take even more, but instead Allah (swt) is giving a reward. For Hajj, Zakaat, salaat or anything we do, He rewards us even though it is a duty on us.

عن الزهري قال أخبرني حميد بن عبد الرحمن أن أبا هريرة قال سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول من أنفق زوجين من شيء من الأشياء في سبيل الله دعي من أبواب الجنة يا عبد الله هذا خير لك وللجنة أبواب فمن كان من أهل الصلاة دعي من باب الصلاة ومن كان من أهل الجهاد دعي من باب الجهاد ومن كان من أهل الصدقة دعي من باب الصدقة ومن كان من أهل الصيام دعي من باب الريان قال أبو بكر هل على من يدعى من تلك الأبواب من ضرورة فهل يدعى منها كلها أحد يا رسول الله قال نعم وإني أرجو أن تكون منهم يعني أبا بكر

The Prophet (s) said: “Anyone who gives two in things the way of Allah (swt) will be called from the doors of heavens, ‘Welcome!’”

What is the meaning of “two” here? It means any good deed you do: feeding the homeless, teaching Holy Qur'an, tafseer or hadith. Allah will call you from the door of heavens when people are burning under the sun when it comes down, burning without dying.

Allah says, “O My servant! That is a good deed.” Those who prayed come from the Door of Prayers. If you prayed you enter from that door. The Prophet (s) is Saadiq al-Masdooqeen, the most truthful of truthful people. Whoever has been in jihad will be called from the Door of Jihad and whoever has been fasting, will be called from the door called Rayyaan, the Juicey Door. Whoever gives a lot of donations will be called from the Door of Donations.

Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r) said to the Prophet (s), bi-abee anta ummee, “Let my father and mother be sacrificed for you, is there anyone who will be called from all these doors together: baab as-salaat, baab as-siyaam, baab as-sadaqa, baab al-jihad?” The Prophet (s) said, “Yes, there are those who are called from all of them and I do hope you would be one of them, yaa Aba Bakr.”

Allah is Most Generous for His believers but in this month Allah is far more generous. He said:

الصوم لي وانا اُجزي به

Fasting is for Me and I will reward it. (Hadith Qudsiyy)

“You fast and I will reward you Myself. You have to pray but I will reward the fasting.”

عن سهل رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال إن في الجنة بابا يقال له الريان يدخل منه الصائمون يوم القيامة لا يدخل منه أحد غيرهم يقال أين الصائمون فيقومون لا يدخل منه أحد غيرهم فإذا دخلوا أغلق فلم يدخل منه أحد

`An Sahl ibn Sa`d ... there is a door in Paradise that is called the Juicey door it quenches your thirst. (Bukhari)

Those who fasted in their lives will enter into Paradise and no one will enter that door except those who are fasting. If you were fasting you will enter from that door to Paradise with no account. If you want to be asked, don't fast. If you don't want to be asked, fast.

The door will call out, ayn as-saa’imoon, fa yaqoomoon, “Where are the people who fasted?” And they will stand up or they will come from their graves standing up and those who were fasting will enter. After all have entered then it will be locked up.

May Allah guide us to that door to Paradise with no account. That is Allah's generosity with His servants. May He always be generous with us.

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