This is chapter out of a book I am busy with and today, I am experimenting its outreach. It will be published, inshallah, next year. It is based on lessons of faith that we should internalise in the holy month of Ramadaan and use it as a propulsion to draw greatly from Allah’s infinite treasures for the rest of the year. In the passage from the one Ramadaan to the next, there lies the auspicious days of Hajj which should be like a spiritual stopover to reboot. Again, the lessons of faith should give us the desire to work harder at our refinement of character embellished with spritual power.
You are one in a million heard by Allah, the Creator of billions and HE alone listens to you more attentively. Are you talking to Allah?
You will wonder as you read the article that it bespeaks the month of Ramadaan which has passed and why should it be a discussion now. The answer lies in the fact that it was a preparation of the glorious month of Dhul Hija that unveils the day of Hajj. It is a time that of great awakening of the soul again. If the month of Ramadaan did not wake you from your spiritual slumber, the month of Dhul Hija should be the alarm to get you on the move. Hence, the dive into the recent past is to collect the spiritual gems to use in the month of Dhul Hija and make the difference to our lives. The alchemy of guidance is how you use the moment to influence you action. However, your thought process comes from what you stored in your memory but did not apply it at the time. Now its the time to act.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab relates that he heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, say, “Verily actions are by intentions, and for every person is what he intended. So the one whose hijrah was to Allah and His Messenger, then his hijrah was to Allah and His Messenger. And the one whose hijrah was for the world to gain from it, or a woman to marry her, then his hijrah was to what he made hijrah for.” [Agreed upon]
Your days are finite! One day, they will run out.- Tod Henry. Die Empty
The alchemy of guidance lies in innately in the hearts of the each person and therein rests an intention for every action requiring a stimulus to bring it forth into the realm of the conscious world. The intention will not be known to all and sundry but, it does come apparent to the world when things get done or when results are seen. Regardless of how it appears to humanity, Allah (swt) knows the heart of every living thing and is closer to man than his own life vein therefore, Allah (swt) cannot be fooled or deceived. That is the quintessence of faith. To believe this is a testimony of faith and a mark of a person who does not associate partners with Allah (swt). The chemistry then is between faith (taqwaa) and actions which gives us the product of deeds. The deeds, very much like seeds put in the ground to grow and nurtured with water after the soil is prepared, are the foundation blocks for the refinement of the soul’s connection with Allah, the High the Great.
In the realm of intentions and action lies the values of excellence and sincerity which again become manifest when the deed is been done and when it is accomplished. Excellence is to the action with the best possible refinement of character to make the deed a real thing that is tangible and the sincerity of the deed will be determined upon the praise or criticism received. To illustrate the point; assuming to build this fully-fledged, beautiful and fee-free creche the destitute attracts immense glorious praise and; if the heart praises itself and attributes all achievements to itself then the deed lacks the sincerity that would crown it as a bounty for the hereafter. Therefore, to look after each deed, we have to revise our intention before, during and after the action. Inshallah, the soul will become more repentant and reflective so much so that it will become the voice of reason all the time establishing a more sound connection with Allah, the High, the Great.
Every person desires to do good and to be accepted in the eyes of Allah, the High, the Great and wants spiritual elevation but, its a road less traveled as it demands a kind of subservience of self-negation in front of the scholar and the saint that holds the key to unlocking the vistas of the heart to new horizons of understanding Allah, the High, the Great. There must be a deep yearning to achieve something too and this yearning must be a force unparalleled by all that you know and perceive. Therefore, prepare the ground work.
The ground work should be done at least a month before the start of Ramadan or at the least a week before for an accomplished Alim. If this is not possible then a day before you do the work. It is imperative that you use an authentic tafseer source. I have chosen Ma’riful Quran and Ibn Kathir abridged version. The point made is that you have to be prepared and know what is the number of Juz will be read and which surahs will be covered so that you have a broad general idea of main ideas that can be developed into a crisp, succinct talk. You need to keep abreast of news too so that effective examples and relevant anecdotes can punctuate the talk and; do not use anecdotes that are from only one cultural or ethnic group. Diversify the anecdotes and don’t let it override the crux of the talk because your story is never equal or more important than Allah (swt)’s word. Please keep this in mind all the time because the love of the pulpit of the microphone can lead to problems.
TALKING POINTS:
The special month of Ramadan has again come and gone. It was like a guest from afar and starting three months before its arrival we made the of prayer:
Allahumma baa-rik-lanaa fee-rajaba wa sha’baan wa bal-lig-naa-ra ramadhaan.’
‘O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Shabaan blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadhan.’
This month must have a special place in our hearts and no one can do that for us, but ourselves through acts of ibaadah (worship). Inshallah tonight the Imam will recite سورة البقرة (The Cow). The Surah has 286 ayahs (evidences) and it has many blessings. We begin to inform you that سورة الفاتحة The Opening, that is the first Surah in the Holy Quran is a summary of the whole Quran and can you believe that 286 ayahs have a place in سورة الفاتحة? Alhamdulillah it has and in Ma’riful Quran, Vol 1we are informed that the whole is an elaboration of سورة الفاتحة. In سورة الفاتحة we are taught how to make dua by recognising Allah first with the words: ﴿١﴾ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ1. In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. This is particular to the Holy Quran only and so it is like an instruction to us to begin everything in the name of Allah. In this Surah we learn how to praise Allah (swt) and then Allah (swt) teaches us how to ask from HIM:
﴿٦﴾ اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
6. Guide us along the straight path.
﴿٧﴾ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
7. The path of those You have blessed, not of those with anger on them, nor of the misguided.
This tells us that our faith is in Allah (swt) who we must believe in without any partners. Therefore, when we are introduced to the second Surah of the Holy Quran which is سورة البقرة (The Cow) we already have the understanding that what we asked for in سورة الفاتحة is now being answered. Now that we have what we asked for Allah (swt) opens the Surah with
﴿١﴾ الم. Alif. Lam. Meem.
﴿٢﴾ ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
2. This is the Book in which there is no doubt, guidance for the righteous.
﴿٣﴾ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ
3. Those who believe in the Unseen, and perform the prayers, and donate from what We have provided for them.
In سورة الفاتحة there were three types of divine guidances :
- One for the whole of mankind.
- Guidance particular to mankind and jinn
- Guidance to those who are close to Allah (swt)
Allah (swt) is informing us in these ayahs that making and jinn who keep their hearts open for guidance will, inshallah, be lifted to be God fearing and those who are already God fearing i.e. # 3 above will receive more blessings and limitless guidance through the Holy Quran. So when you listen to the Holy Quran, listen with the heart of those who are already God Fearing so that by the will of Allah (swt) you will make the heart strong enough to be like the God fearing and you will be gifted by Allah (swt) to be guided by the Holy Quran.
The anecdote:
Further in سورة البقرة (The Cow) Allah (swt) tells the story of Musa (as). He completed 40 days of fasting and devotion on Mt.Sinai and when he came back to his people he found out that their worshipping of the calf was the action of a man called Samiriyy. He made a calf out of silver or gold. He put into it some dust into it. What dust was this? When Pharaoh and his people were been drowned, Jibra’il (as) was galloping with his horse and Samiriyy noticed that where ever the hooves touched, plant life miraculously grew. So he took some of that dust kept it. When he put the dust into the sculpture of the calf, acquired life. The ignorant were taken aback and began worshipping the calf.
Beloved brothers and sisters we are living in very great times and you will witness strange events that will seem magical and if you are not going to ask Allah (swt) for guidance you will be swallowed by this world into a state of disbelief. Allah (swt) save us all. Remember Your days are numbered, one day the number will end. Engage the present and make your heart open to the days of Hajj.
- Abdullah Sujee
