Nabi Kareem sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has narrated in regards to this great, merciful, blessed month ,
إذا سَلِمَ رمضانُ سَلِمَتِ السَّنَةُ
This is a massive glad tidings and this hadith displays the blessings and mercy of this month.
Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam's message is that however you can, try your best, with all your strength that in these 30 days,
إذا سَلِمَ
What does it mean by سَلِمَ? That you will attain Salaamat. You will be prosperous, safe. SubhaanAllah. How does a person receive Salaamat, safety? How does he attain safety and protection?
When Allah is pleased. When Allah is pleased with someone then that person is bestowed with Salaamat. How? He receives the glad tidings of Paradise and the freedom from Hellfire. رضي الله عنه - Allah becomes pleased with that person.
This is what Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is narrating. That try with all your strength. Allah has granted a massive blessing and one is unaware if he will receive it again in his life. Recognise and understand it. Make this month a month of Salaamah. Meaning, engage in those deeds and actions through which Allah ta'ala's pleasure is earnt. This is why it is mentioned that in this month one should minimise his pre-occupations. There are 30 days, but don't look at the 30 days. Allah is giving a guarantee for the entire life. Death is inevitable. Allah has granted us such a thing. Its like when a person is told to go to a bank for 3 hours and it is said to him, "take however much wealth you want." In those 3 hours this man will become extremely wealthy. Because he is given permission for 3 or 2 hours and he knows it is money, he is gaining wealth. Similarly, those who appreciate and understand the Hereafter, they understand the punishment, they understand the rewards and they understand their own weaknesses. It is very difficult for us. So Allah has granted a great opportunity for us weak people, that those things you cannot do during the entire year, that in these 30 days, at least do this much. How many days? Look at Allah's Mercy, that in these 30 days somehow, perform those deeds and actions through which Allah's pleasure is earnt.
We stick to only one thing in Ramadan. We eat in the morning and break our fast in the evenings. No. This is just one action. Allah ta'ala has given us worship through which all actions come under it. So we should direct our focus to implementing those deeds through which we can attain Allah's pleasure. Focus on those deeds through which we can attain His pleasure. What things is Allah pleased through? To implement those commands which He has enjoined upon us and refrain from committing those actions which He has prohibited upon us.
Like Allah has ordered us to pray 5 times Salaah. So we must fulfil these 5 salaah no matter what happens and even moreso we should strive to obey this order in Ramadan.
Don't say to yourself, "oh but I didn't used to pray before." Leave the matters of the past. We are receiving great news here that just start doing the great work. Hasten towards the congregation. Whatever is the high grade practice, engage in that. And for that, reduce your worldly necessities because these 30 days will pass, but what you will receive from it will have an impact upon the rest of your life.
Allah says, Pray salaah. The second thing He commands is to stay away from wrongdoing, control your tongue, protect your gaze, safe yourself from backbiting, protect yourself from fighting and arguing, suppress your anger, stay away from all the haraam things. Become a completely different person in Ramadan. Try and at least try to implement these things in Ramadan, forget what will be the case afterwards.
So it is narrated إذا سَلِمَ رمضانُ , that whoever implements those deeds through which Allah's pleasure is attained, SubhaanAllah. What reward is given? What a great piece of news is given to that person! Allah says he will pass through Ramadan safely and peacefully and Allah will make his entire year be passed in the same way. SubhaanAllah. For the actions that we adopt in Ramadan, Allah will pass us through the rest of the year as it was in Ramadan and our entire year will be spent like this. Mujjaddid Alf Thani Rahmatullahi Alayh has written in his Maktubaat with regards to this hadtih, that a great point Allah has taught us here that the actions and deeds we performed in Ramadan, Allah will enable us to fulfil these deeds for the rest of the year also. The good and the bad deeds. Example, you started praying Tahajjud in Ramadan and you intended to pray it for the duration of Ramadan, then inshaaAllah, in light of this hadith Allah ta'ala will continue to grant you the enjoyment of Tahajjud for the rest of the year aswell.
So don't abandon it. How many days are there of Ramadan? 15 days have gone already. We still have an opportunity now to build a habit. It is mentioned that whichever habit you adopt in this month of Ramadan, Allah will help you to stay firm on this habit for one year. One year. In reality, after one year, Ramadan will arrive again and then you repeat this again next year. In other words, it's a guarantee of a lifetime that Allah will transform your life and such a person will spend the rest of his life in safety and prosperity. This is the Targhib. The method. What are we going to do this Ramadan? We're going to perform such good deeds this Ramadan that Allah will enable us to continue with them. Infact one should make a list that we are going to do such and such. Even if it's not many deeds, a little amount. A little bit of Quran recitation, a bit of this, a bit of that, a small amout nafil. In other words, whichever actions you adopt now, then Allah promises that He will grant us the ability to continue with this habit for the rest of the year. Bad deeds. How does one leave the sins? If someone wants to leave his sins and bad habit, example, he swears and curses from his mouth. There are many people like this, with every sentence they are cursing and swearing. If they don't understand urdu, they say it in English. It's the second nature of their tongue. The second nature of their children too. So if we control our tongue in this month, then inshaaAllah through its blessing, Allah will safeguard us from this bad habit for the rest of the year. Immoral gaze and one cannot control himself? But here Allah is promising. It is the promise of Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam inshaaAllah that if you control your eyes in this month, you abstain from looking at evil and vice, looking at your phones, abstain from looking at such things and pictures and if you don't abstain from this then the blessing of Ramadan is removed. Its such a fantastic opportunity for one to abstain from everything, keep everything at bay. If you don't have the strength and the courage to implement the Sunnah, then at least attempt to spend this month following the ways of the Sunnah. Keep the beard. Say, "I have kept the beard for Ramadan." At least have the intention to keep the beard for Ramadan. Because according to the Shariah, what should the length of the beard be? One fist. That is what is referred to as a "beard." And whatever is shorter in length, it is not classed as a beard, you can name it whatever you want, 'fashion', 'artifical', call it whatever you want. But what is actually classed as a beard in reality is how much? One fist. From the bottom of the chin until here. One fist. This is the length of the beard. Beyond this you can cut if you wish and if you don't wish to, it is fine.
But the ones who have kept a beard below this limit of the fist, that is not classed as a beard, and there is a punishment for this. There is a severe punishment for this. Because it is a sin isn't it? For sins there are punishments. But for this sin there is a very great punishment. The severe punishment is that Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam will not intercede for such a person. Tell me. It's in hadith. We are going to go in our graves aren't we. Will we not be questioned? That "who is your Rasul?" In some places it is stated that Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam appears himself and visits the person in the grave. Tell me. So whoever hasn't kept a beard, how can he even be asked regarding this question. They will say, "what is there to ask this person?" He hasn't got the appearance or the intellect! Directly send him onwards. What an amazing opportunity Allah ta'ala is giving us now to be safeguarded from this sin. We don't eat in the morning, we dont eat in the evening, but we are trimming or shaving the beard. In the hadith it is stated regarding this person, that he is only keeping himself hungry. He is merely keeping himself thirsty. What is he benefitting from the fast? Because he is disobeying Allah. There are such Mustanid, repetitive variety of Hadith where Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has said that this is a sin. This is the punishment. He has instructed himself. But one doesn't follow this instruction. That is when he is obeying his desires. Somebody keeps a beard and he will keep it a millimetre or a few millimetres or a little bit. Keep it as long as the miniminum requirement. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has given us the command. The Shariah order is minimum one fist length of beard. So those who find it hard to keep the beard during the year, attempt to practice this and keep the beard during these days of Ramadan. Your sins will be eliminated. And if your sins are removed then your fasting will also be correct. So keep a beard with this intention at least that, "I want to correct my fast." If he practices this for 30 days then, "at least my fasts will be completed if I keep the beard." Then measure it. Measure it. Look. With Allah subhaanahu wa ta'ala when a person is practicing the deen then you have to do weights and checks and take measures. Not that "oh Zakat I will give less." The percentage of Zakah which has been stipulated, that is the amount we are required to give in Zakah. We cant give less than that. So you can't keep the beard length the way you desire. You must keep your beard length according to the instruction of the Quran and Hadith. And this sin. If a person is sinning, how can he keep the fast? There are so many Hadith on this subject. That some people they partake in Suhoor, they don't eat during the day, they are just staying hungry and thirsty. There's no benefit of this fast if they're going to do this sin. So crush your desires. Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has instructed us.
إذا سَلِمَ رمضانُ
If you want to pass Ramadan according to Allah's desire and happiness, if there are sisters without purdah, no modesty, music, singing and we say we are fasting!? There is the fast of the nose, the eyes, the hand, the body, every organ, part, every limb of the body must fast correctly. So this month that Allah ta'ala has given to us is a month of abandoning sins and bad habits. It's not the changes in eating times. Allah ta'ala doesn't want to give us pain and distress from not eating. The greatest worship of Ramadan let me tell you, is that action through which we earn Allah's pleasure. That's the best deed isn't it? The best deed is that through which we can attain Allah's pleasure. And Allah is most pleased with the one who obeys Him and abandons sins. So if we don't implement this worship, but run after other worships, then what is the benefit of this? Tell me. What is the benefit? These are all traps of Shaytan, recognise this, understand it and take heed of it. Be intellectual. Think rationally with wisdom. That what are we doing and what is the command Allah is giving us. We take the concept of fasting according to our own desires. Regarding fasting, first and foremost Allah has said,
Like it was prescribed to those before you.مِن قَبْلِكُمْ Why? I prescribed fasting to those before you and to you there is a purpose for this. I want you to fulfil a certain worship. Which one? لعلكم تتقون That you leave the disobedience of Allah. This is why I have stipulated the command of fasting because when you keep the fast, it is from amongst the conditions of fasting that one must abstain from lying, backbiting, cutting the beard, wrongdoing, immoral gaze, all these combined is what makes the concept of fasting. When you do adopt all of these things, then this is classed as "fasting." Merely one thing is not classed as "fasting." Only when you adopt all of those things can you claim to be a true fasting person. Isnt it brothers? So Allah says, the reason I have given fasting is so that when you begin fasting, obviously you dont lie, you dont commit sins, you'll be praying, performing Taraweeh, reciting Quran, of course you will be doing all these things becaue you are fasting. So it is mentioned, that if you adopt all of these with all the conditions that I have set, then all of this combined makes a great form of worship for you. Thats why I have given it to you. And when you practice it in Ramadan, then what is it? Then Allah grants you the ability to do these same deeds throughout the entire year. So if we want to refrain from a sin and we are finding it difficult to refrain, then we should try to refrain from it in Ramadan at least. Stop it now for Ramadan's sake at least, even if you're not going to abandon the sin after Ramadan. If you begin with this intention, at least you are making your fast correct. So brothers don't waste your fast, otherwise your Ramadan will go to a waste. There is a great hadith that, the person who is most deprived, the biggest loser is he who attained Ramadan but wasn't able to protect himself from the Hellfire. He is still the same. All his did was endure hunger and thirst and then celebrated Eid after Ramadan. A person should be a changed person after Ramadan. There should be a celebration of achieving Ramadan alhamdulillah! These are the types of actions we should perform. Beautiful deeds. Beautiful actions. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam informed us of an action himself and he has praised that action. It is such an action in Ramadan, Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has told us, that it is an action which consists of many qualities. Shall I tell you? I didn't receive a response? Do you want me to share the action? What is that action? What is the definition of that action? Firstly Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is recommending this deed in Ramadan himself. Lengthy hadith and at the end he recommended that, "be careful. Be caution. Whatever you need you will receive through implementing this deed" because what is in this action? First and foremost is that we commit sins all year long and our soul is dead in this moment of time. Totally weak and frail. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "if you do this action then your inner soul will become refreshed and alive." When it becomes alive then you will continue doing different actions and then your soul will become strong and then your soul gives you the strength to practice. You will have so much strength that your soul will have a solid contest with nafs and Shaytaan. And as a result of this contest, is that you won't the commit sins. Nafs won't drag you towards sin and nor will Shaytaan drag you towards sin. Shaytaan and Naafs won't make you commit sins easily because your soul will be strong. The reason we find it difficult to refrain from sin is because our soul is weak so this action so this action increases the strength of the soul. It makes you capable to stand up and fight because when you sit down and give up and say, "it's too hard, I can't leave the alcohol, we cannot leave such and such, we end up arguing, we end up becoming involved in corruption."
This is the weakness because the soul is weak. So Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is giving us the tonic that the action I am about to tell you, if you engage in it in Ramadan, you will be steadfast on it for the entire year. What is this deed? The ruh will take strength and the strength of the ruh is so brilliant my brothers. What are nafs and shaytaan in comparison to this? If you don't have strength, then Shaytaan will attack you. From all directions but you will become strong and he won't be able to attack you. And with this same deed, when you become stronger, the the objective of the human being which is his connection with Allah, and relationship with that person will become stronger. SubhaanAllah.
لعلكم تتقون.
He will become a Muttaqi. One action. And Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, most definitely ensure that you observe this action during Ramadan, what is this action? I dont know if we have started it or not. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "take hold this action and don't waste it." Because this action is extremely great. What is this action? Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Dhikrullah, The Remembrance of Allah." SubhaanAllah. Pick up the books and read the hadith of Ramadan, this has been mentioned. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, if you want to attain لعلكم تتقون if you want to attain Taqwa, the end part of this hadith, that if you want to fulfil the objective of Ramadan which Allah has given you and make it the true Ramadan then what should you do? "Engage in Dhikrullah abundantly."
Hadhrat Umar Radiyallahu Anhu narrates in a hadith, what a great statement. That the people who engage in dhikr, they are such that they are forgiven beyond forgiven in Ramadan. They won't be questioned or taken account. They are forgiven. SubhaanAllah. That's how great Dhikrullah is! And then Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam recommends this deed to us so we can continue with it for the rest of the year. So we can become habitual. In Ramadan you become accustomed to it isn't it?
However, today if you are pushed or forced or due to some reason you begin doing dhikr, look at how unfortunate it is that we have this gathering right now through the Grace of Allah, His mercy and with the prayers of our pious predecessors. We have this gathering everyday!
Everyday Allah hosts this Gathering. Every day such a great treasure Allah presents to us and we not part of that gathering. So weak is our Imaan, tell me. We have kept a fast. That action which Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is informing us is such a great action.
A companion came once to Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and said, "Oh Rasulullah," He said, "yes." He said, "inform me of such a deed which is,"
Look at the noble companions style of questioning because whatever they asked for, they were granted it because they had certainty that they would receive it. This hadith has been mentioned in Jaami Rasul. It is narrated, "inform me of such a deed which is extremely great and virtuous in the sight of Allah." What a great thing he has said that, "inform me of an action which is most virtuous in the sight of Allah and there's no greater deed than that." He further said, we are going to die aren't we, so prescribe me that action which will grant me the highest status compared to all other deeds on the day of judgement. This is a hadith in Jami Rasul, pick it up and read it. Here a Sahabi questioning, but in reality, he was questioning for us people today.
SubhaanAllah. What did he ask? That it is most virtuous and greatest in the eyes of Allah and have you done it in the day? Allah subhaanahu wa ta'ala will say, this is greatest deed, closest to me. If you do it everyday then everyday you will receive that reward. The greatest deed in the eyes of your Lord. Yes. And when we arrive on the day of judgement what will be my condition oh Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that due to me performing that deed, I will receive the highest status Ibaadah. If its such a great deed then imagine what the reward of that deed must be. Tell me. So he said, "Oh Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, "I just want this deed." Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "fine, do you want both things?" He said, "yes." He said, "Engage in the Remembrance of Allah." SubhaanAllah. Do we do this action? Everyday we have this gathering, morning and evening adhikr and we don't do dhikr. Shaytan doesn't allow us to come and sit. Tell me. How much is a person wasting his life? Just engaging in one action, dhikr, and there is no conditions attached to this deed, are there any conditions? It has only been stated to "engage in the Remembrance of Allah." Dhikr is such a thing like I mentioned that everything else that you want, you will attain via Dhikrullah! Because the Remembrance of Allah revives your soul. Your soul will become strengthened and alive. Your sins will be eliminated. You will attain Allah's Qurb, His nearness. Close proximity. Tell me what else do you need in life? Like we're sat here now and alhamdulillah all these things we will receive. All our sins will be washed. And then in Ramadan where it has been specifically mentioned that if you want to attain Ramadan then don't abandon this action of Dhikrullah.
A companion came, and he had a similar question. This hadith is in Tirmidhi Shareef. He said, "Oh Prophet of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam" and he also asked this question in a unique way. He made it so easy for us by asking this question. It seems like this companion is from this day and age! That the way he is asking it seems as though he is a man from this era and not from that blessed generation. When you read the Hadith that's what it seems like. Extremely weak. Just like today we are weak, extremely weak. And the Sahabah, their era, you are aware of how great they were. So Allah ta'ala created such a man from the companions so that he could ask for us so that we can succeed. He said, "Oh Prophet of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam." First he explained his situation. What was that? He said, "firstly I am extremely weak. And you have given us such great actions do this, do that, do this, but straight forward, honestly, I dont have the strength to do this." He said. "I'm very busy, I can't do these things." Say SubhaanAllah. Yes we are all like this aren't we? No no its too hard , I can't do this. No I can't do these things. I can't do this action." So he also said, "oh Prophet of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, there's such great actions you have commanded us to do but I don't have the capacity. I dont have the strength to do all these things but at the same time I dont want to abdanon these actions. I want to engage in them." The second thing he said, "I am weak and I forget things." SubhaanAllah. He is explaining his entire situation, that I am weak, I am sick, I am elderly perhaps or other issues like he cannot remember things. So don't tell me lengthy kalimat, I won't be able to do that.
I dont have the courage I dont have the strength and nor can I remember lengthy recitation or kalimaat, I can't remember." Aren't we like this today or not, tell me? Look how busy we are in our lives, we are so occupied with things. But here Allah says "no problem, I will just give you the blanks, you fill them in. I'll tell you how to fill them in." Such a great request that despite all of these things he said, "I can't practice it, and I'm weak, I can't remember, I can't do big things, but there is one thing, I am a strong worker. I make effort. I will be steadfast upon that action." SubhaanAllah. So three things he said, "fine im physically weak, I can't do alot of action, I dont have the strength, my brain is weak, I can't remember." But one condition is that whatever you do you will do it regularly. Even though it will be less but you'll do it regularly. It won't be difficult. He said, "Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, i'll do it regularly, so what did he do?" He asked for such an action that all the actions Allah has given, Tahajjud, this, that, he is asking for the reward of all of these actions but through a simple deed. SubhaanAllah. So what do you think that Rasulullah said to him, "it is just for you?" He was a Mercy for Mankind. SubhaanAllah. He said "whatever I state from my blessed tongue then the Muslims who will come until Qiyaamah it will be easy for them aswell.
So what happens is that when a person implements this prescripton then Allah will grants him the reward of all the actions. SubhaanAllah. What a great thing he asked for.
So when you engage in such an action then be a million times grateful to Allah for it. "Allah you have given us great rewards through this one action." Then don't be ungrateful at that time. Don't be ungrateful. So in other words, that action this sahabi asked for, whoever acts upon it, like us in our era, then all the actions which are too weak for, he is requesting here that, "oh Rasulullah I want the same reward, the reward of Tahajjud, the reward of giving in charity, the reward of Awwaabeen, Hajj and Umrah, other people are doing those actions but I am weak and cannot perform those actions. But with that one deed I want the rewards for all these actions." Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam smiled and said, "Okay, will receive it through Dhikrullah."
If knowing then we still do not implement, then what is wrong with us? What is wrong with our minds? Will angels descend to inform us of this deed, show us Jannah and beg us, saying, "brothers, for the sake of God, act upon this deed." Our hearts have become hard like stone my friends. We don't desire to abandon sins, nor engage in righteous actions. We are enveloped in sins and in this state we are keeping fast upon fast. But we are not abandoning sins. The sins aren't being stopped. We dont abstain from evil gazes, music and singing, nor do we make our appearances in line with the Sunnah, nor do we engage in those actions through which Allah is pleased. "Oh I'm fasting, I'm fasting." What kind of fasting is this? The definition of fasting is that you abstain from wrongdoing and sins and engaging in good deeds. Do you understand? So this is what we need to do. The guarantee, how great is it? Allahu akbar. سَلِمَتِ
Your fast and Ramadan will pass by with security and safety. Whoever has abandoned sins and performed good deeds and then Allah says, "you have made me pleased, now inshaaAllah for the rest of your lifetime, Allah will grant you the ability to do those deeds."
So my brothers, Dhikrullah, grab hold of it. Engage in dhikr. Such an easy action. It is mentioned in a hadith in Sahih Bukhari shareef, that it is light upon the tongue and amongst all the deeds, it weights heaviest upon the scales! What a great thing it is! It is light and easy upon the tongue and weighs heaviest, it is the easiest. What is that action? Dhikrullah. SubhaanAllah. Recite, "Allah." Recite it louder, "Allah." Recite, "Allah." Tell me how long did it take. Recite, "SubhaanAllah." Recite, "SubhaanAllah." A tree has been planted for you in Paradise. SubhaanAllah. I swear by Allah. This is in hadith that a tree has been planted for you in paradise. SubhaanAllah. So whoever has been given a tree in paradise, will he then not enter Paradise? Obviously you will. So he has become a Jannati. Just by saying one word, you praised Allah, you recited "SubhaanAllah" and then Allah says, "A tree has been planted for you! Enter. Paradise is yours. Tell me. This is the dhikr of Allah. So if you go properly and learn dhikr from a Sheikh, Allah has placed his doctors around the world, of you find a Sheikh, a doctor, then request him to teach you Dhikr. And he will teach you such a dhikr that your heart will automatically continue reciting, "Allah, Allah, Allah." If you have earnt a tree just by saying it once then if you heart is continously reciting Allah Allah, then imagine what you will attain? This is why it is stated that the one who will have the highest ranks in paradise, will be who? Those who engaged in Dhikr of Allah, they will have the highest rank in Jannah. Why? Because their Jannah was being manufactured on earth and from their hearts they were saying, "Allah Allah." But a person becomes lazy. Look at that Sahabi, his words where he said, " I will do this action with steadfastness." SubhaanAllah. Ponder over this yourself. How easy and simple it is to attain Jannah and you receive such a high status. Just by reciting one "SubhaanAllah," what happens? Your scale of good deeds becomes full. You recite, "SubhaanAllah", and one tree is planted for you. Tell me. You recite, "Allah!' And Allah says you are calling out to me. You are remembering me and I am remembering you.
فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ
The Quran is giving a guarantee. When you call someone you address them by their name. "Oj so and so." It means I am calling out to you. I am calling you. It is up to you if you wish to listen to me or not. Here Allah is saying that even if you are in the caves of the mountains, or the crust of the earth, didn't Hadhrat Yunus alayhis salaam call out to Allah in the ocean? In the darkness? In the depths on the ocean, in the stomach of the whale, the fish, he was in there and he recited,
لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك
"Oh Allah save me I have committed wrongdoing."
As soon as he said this, "Allah said, I'm here, im close to you, i'll save you. SubhaanAllah. So wherever you go. Even if you go to the darkest of places on the earth and you say, "Allah"
فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ
Allah will say I'm also remembering you. If you remember me on the earth, I will remember you in the heavens. SubhaanAllah. Is there a reward which can compare to the reward of dhikr? Tell me. If we can't do dhikr then at least can't you do this, that close your eyes and go sit next to a Sheikh, a friend of Allah and do the dhikr of Allah? Can't you adopt this? Can't I do this? So reflect for yourself that where will we go such an easy formula Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is giving to us, then in our destiny, have we written and guaranteed Jahannam for ourselves!? That we want to celebrate Ramadan with sins. We want to fast but alongside sinning? Without even asking someone, "is there reward for this or a sin?" Practicing upon the deen according to your own desires? How is this considered to be practicing upon the deen? At least, at least, if there is something knocking in your mind, then when Ramadan comes then go and asks
someone "is this right or wrong what I am doing?" We don't even ask this out of fear that If I ask, I might be told to stop it and I can't stop." We are afraid. In other words, "let Jahannam come even if it's Ramadan, but let me go into Jahannam." Maybe after Ramadan I will pass away, Janazah will be raised and where will we go then? The angels will be hitting you, "oh foolish man, you were given Ramadan, you didn't have the Tawfeeq to leave the sins!? At least to improve your face, your appearance. Correct it. At least you could've corrected your tongue. You could've protected your gaze." Fighting and arguing even during Ramadan. We are spending these days like they are normal days. We are taking it easy. We are taking Ramadan so lightly. Are we humans or what? We are in an extremely important phase of Ramadan now. So we should try our utmost best to take hold of the Dhikr of Allah in abundance, reject the thoughts from our nafs, just close your eyes and say Allah." We should be thousands times grateful to Allah. Tell me which other Masjid has Muraaqabah in the morning and evening? SubhaanAllah. I can guarantee this much. We are in an era very close to Qiyamah. We won't find dhikr. If we find dhikr in a masjid, then soon after some days we won't even get that. It's written and recorded on the computer. Look at the computer to search how many Masaajid are there that engage in Dhikrullah morning and evening? Search. Tell me the quantity. But we are so wretched and unfortunate. That how much reward is there for one gathering and imagine how much reward there must be in Ramadan? Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said himself, "do dhikrullah." Halaqah. Whenever you sit to do dhikr, then sit in a halaqah. Someone is in that corner, someone is in that corner. Don't you have intellect. How many times have I explained this to you? Do you not have manner? I dont understand. You look at each others faces thinking, "shall we get up or not?" The one who is sitting here is looking at the other one at the back. Are we foolish and stupid? So much disrespect? Learn that much manners that when you come for the gathering of dhikr, there are manners and etiquettes. Do you understand how much enjoyment there is sitting in dhikr now? Someone is in that corner, someone is in that corner. You have been doing dhikr with me for 10 years now. Whenever you sit with me in dhikr, then dont leave gaps In between. Remember that. Sit together and glue yourselves together. So the love and the mercy comes inside you for each other and so you can receive the fayz of your Sheikh, it can be transferred to you. Halqah Dhikr. This is a gathering of dhikr and in the hadith the word حلقة is used. Not that there is one at the back, and there is a speech going on and one is in that corner and Mawlana sahib is doing the lecture and someone is reciting Quran. Beware. How dare you. Stop everything when dhikr begins. Al faiz will stop if you do this.
That is why it is announced that Dhikr of Allah is taking place. Focus and pay attention becaue Allah is paying attention to you. Leave the nafil, leave all other actions and come to the gathering of dhikr and include yourself in the gathering in which Allah's mercy is descending. But our Takabbur , our pride is so much, our nafs is so great, I speak honest my friends, I am a faqeer, I speak honestly. Our nafs is so big that we don't want to leave our station, our place, even if we are being deprived of Allah's let us be deprived we say. Allah's mercy will dissappear. We dont care. Let the time go. Let the reward go. When a human being, when he sits in the gathering, the angels from all 4 sides surround that gathering. Allah's mercy descends on that gathering. Sakeenah descends on that gathering. And the one sitting far away from the gathering he doesn't care. So much pride. And your dirty intellect that despite dhikr taking place infront of you, you're not sitting in the Halaqah. I often see this happening in the mornings aswell. Some sitting in one corner, others in another corner. Some leaning against the wall. Dont do this or I will remove you from the dhikr gathering. This is the final warning im giving you. Whoever does not sit in the Halaqah, I will request for you to be prevented from this gathering. How many times have I explained this brothers? Never do this. A person who is disrespectful doesn't receive anything. Sit close together without gaps, do you understand? Leave a gap for where your sheikh is sitting and don't sit too close to him either. But all of you should sit close together. And for those of you who fill in the gaps, alhamdulillah he will receive more. He has certainty that He will receive the Mercy and fadl of Allah. If you're on a chair sit at the side, so you can get faiz, but sit infront of your Sheikh. The more closer you sit with one another and close to your Sheikh, alhamdulillah you will find enjoyment in his words and Mercy and forgiveness will descend upon you and you will be included in the Halaqah. Is there such thing as having pride against Allah? So my brothers, we should be very respectful towards dhikr and display good manners. The one who has good manners, gets good destiny and the one who has bad manners he has no destiny. He is wretched. When you come to the gathering of Allah, come as a beggar. Whoever comes.
Mujjaddid Alf Thani Rahmatullahi Alayh, the King of his time, Hadhrat Janghir would come to meet him. Because he did great work. He was the king of his times not like the kings of today. He had pomp and glory, elephants and horses with him. Thousands of people walking with him. That was the king, the status of that time. When he came to meet, because he knew Hadhrat Mujaddid Alif Thanwi Rahmatullahi Alayh, that dhikr is happening there. 2 miles in advance he would begin walking towards this gathering of dhikr and get off his transport and his horse. He said I'm going to the Wali Allahs court and where the Mercy of Allah descends. Only the one who has manners will succeed and achieve so I must go with manners. That's how we should approach this gathering. There is a way of sitting. So this is the deed, Dhikrullah which Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has prescribed for us in Ramadan and if we implement this deed in Ramadan, then we will continue to do this great action for the rest of the year inshaaAllah. So with the Fadl of Allah we are about to do this deed done. The Dhikrullah and between Asr and Magrib which is the greatest time for Allah's Dhikr. Greatest time. So this is also Allah's Mercy and Grace that He has allowed us to do dhikr. So let's recite durood shareef.
Nabi Kareem sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has narrated in regards to this great, merciful, blessed month ,
إذا سَلِمَ رمضانُ سَلِمَتِ السَّنَةُ
This is a massive glad tidings and this hadith displays the blessings and mercy of this month.
Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam's message is that however you can, try your best, with all your strength that in these 30 days,
إذا سَلِمَ
What does it mean by سَلِمَ? That you will attain Salaamat. You will be prosperous, safe. SubhaanAllah. How does a person receive Salaamat, safety? How does he attain safety and protection?
When Allah is pleased. When Allah is pleased with someone then that person is bestowed with Salaamat. How? He receives the glad tidings of Paradise and the freedom from Hellfire. رضي الله عنه - Allah becomes pleased with that person.
This is what Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is narrating. That try with all your strength. Allah has granted a massive blessing and one is unaware if he will receive it again in his life. Recognise and understand it. Make this month a month of Salaamah. Meaning, engage in those deeds and actions through which Allah ta'ala's pleasure is earnt. This is why it is mentioned that in this month one should minimise his pre-occupations. There are 30 days, but don't look at the 30 days. Allah is giving a guarantee for the entire life. Death is inevitable. Allah has granted us such a thing. Its like when a person is told to go to a bank for 3 hours and it is said to him, "take however much wealth you want." In those 3 hours this man will become extremely wealthy. Because he is given permission for 3 or 2 hours and he knows it is money, he is gaining wealth. Similarly, those who appreciate and understand the Hereafter, they understand the punishment, they understand the rewards and they understand their own weaknesses. It is very difficult for us. So Allah has granted a great opportunity for us weak people, that those things you cannot do during the entire year, that in these 30 days, at least do this much. How many days? Look at Allah's Mercy, that in these 30 days somehow, perform those deeds and actions through which Allah's pleasure is earnt.
We stick to only one thing in Ramadan. We eat in the morning and break our fast in the evenings. No. This is just one action. Allah ta'ala has given us worship through which all actions come under it. So we should direct our focus to implementing those deeds through which we can attain Allah's pleasure. Focus on those deeds through which we can attain His pleasure. What things is Allah pleased through? To implement those commands which He has enjoined upon us and refrain from committing those actions which He has prohibited upon us.
Like Allah has ordered us to pray 5 times Salaah. So we must fulfil these 5 salaah no matter what happens and even moreso we should strive to obey this order in Ramadan.
Don't say to yourself, "oh but I didn't used to pray before." Leave the matters of the past. We are receiving great news here that just start doing the great work. Hasten towards the congregation. Whatever is the high grade practice, engage in that. And for that, reduce your worldly necessities because these 30 days will pass, but what you will receive from it will have an impact upon the rest of your life.
Allah says, Pray salaah. The second thing He commands is to stay away from wrongdoing, control your tongue, protect your gaze, safe yourself from backbiting, protect yourself from fighting and arguing, suppress your anger, stay away from all the haraam things. Become a completely different person in Ramadan. Try and at least try to implement these things in Ramadan, forget what will be the case afterwards.
So it is narrated إذا سَلِمَ رمضانُ , that whoever implements those deeds through which Allah's pleasure is attained, SubhaanAllah. What reward is given? What a great piece of news is given to that person! Allah says he will pass through Ramadan safely and peacefully and Allah will make his entire year be passed in the same way. SubhaanAllah. For the actions that we adopt in Ramadan, Allah will pass us through the rest of the year as it was in Ramadan and our entire year will be spent like this. Mujjaddid Alf Thani Rahmatullahi Alayh has written in his Maktubaat with regards to this hadtih, that a great point Allah has taught us here that the actions and deeds we performed in Ramadan, Allah will enable us to fulfil these deeds for the rest of the year also. The good and the bad deeds. Example, you started praying Tahajjud in Ramadan and you intended to pray it for the duration of Ramadan, then inshaaAllah, in light of this hadith Allah ta'ala will continue to grant you the enjoyment of Tahajjud for the rest of the year aswell.
So don't abandon it. How many days are there of Ramadan? 15 days have gone already. We still have an opportunity now to build a habit. It is mentioned that whichever habit you adopt in this month of Ramadan, Allah will help you to stay firm on this habit for one year. One year. In reality, after one year, Ramadan will arrive again and then you repeat this again next year. In other words, it's a guarantee of a lifetime that Allah will transform your life and such a person will spend the rest of his life in safety and prosperity. This is the Targhib. The method. What are we going to do this Ramadan? We're going to perform such good deeds this Ramadan that Allah will enable us to continue with them. Infact one should make a list that we are going to do such and such. Even if it's not many deeds, a little amount. A little bit of Quran recitation, a bit of this, a bit of that, a small amout nafil. In other words, whichever actions you adopt now, then Allah promises that He will grant us the ability to continue with this habit for the rest of the year. Bad deeds. How does one leave the sins? If someone wants to leave his sins and bad habit, example, he swears and curses from his mouth. There are many people like this, with every sentence they are cursing and swearing. If they don't understand urdu, they say it in English. It's the second nature of their tongue. The second nature of their children too. So if we control our tongue in this month, then inshaaAllah through its blessing, Allah will safeguard us from this bad habit for the rest of the year. Immoral gaze and one cannot control himself? But here Allah is promising. It is the promise of Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam inshaaAllah that if you control your eyes in this month, you abstain from looking at evil and vice, looking at your phones, abstain from looking at such things and pictures and if you don't abstain from this then the blessing of Ramadan is removed. Its such a fantastic opportunity for one to abstain from everything, keep everything at bay. If you don't have the strength and the courage to implement the Sunnah, then at least attempt to spend this month following the ways of the Sunnah. Keep the beard. Say, "I have kept the beard for Ramadan." At least have the intention to keep the beard for Ramadan. Because according to the Shariah, what should the length of the beard be? One fist. That is what is referred to as a "beard." And whatever is shorter in length, it is not classed as a beard, you can name it whatever you want, 'fashion', 'artifical', call it whatever you want. But what is actually classed as a beard in reality is how much? One fist. From the bottom of the chin until here. One fist. This is the length of the beard. Beyond this you can cut if you wish and if you don't wish to, it is fine.
But the ones who have kept a beard below this limit of the fist, that is not classed as a beard, and there is a punishment for this. There is a severe punishment for this. Because it is a sin isn't it? For sins there are punishments. But for this sin there is a very great punishment. The severe punishment is that Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam will not intercede for such a person. Tell me. It's in hadith. We are going to go in our graves aren't we. Will we not be questioned? That "who is your Rasul?" In some places it is stated that Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam appears himself and visits the person in the grave. Tell me. So whoever hasn't kept a beard, how can he even be asked regarding this question. They will say, "what is there to ask this person?" He hasn't got the appearance or the intellect! Directly send him onwards. What an amazing opportunity Allah ta'ala is giving us now to be safeguarded from this sin. We don't eat in the morning, we dont eat in the evening, but we are trimming or shaving the beard. In the hadith it is stated regarding this person, that he is only keeping himself hungry. He is merely keeping himself thirsty. What is he benefitting from the fast? Because he is disobeying Allah. There are such Mustanid, repetitive variety of Hadith where Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has said that this is a sin. This is the punishment. He has instructed himself. But one doesn't follow this instruction. That is when he is obeying his desires. Somebody keeps a beard and he will keep it a millimetre or a few millimetres or a little bit. Keep it as long as the miniminum requirement. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has given us the command. The Shariah order is minimum one fist length of beard. So those who find it hard to keep the beard during the year, attempt to practice this and keep the beard during these days of Ramadan. Your sins will be eliminated. And if your sins are removed then your fasting will also be correct. So keep a beard with this intention at least that, "I want to correct my fast." If he practices this for 30 days then, "at least my fasts will be completed if I keep the beard." Then measure it. Measure it. Look. With Allah subhaanahu wa ta'ala when a person is practicing the deen then you have to do weights and checks and take measures. Not that "oh Zakat I will give less." The percentage of Zakah which has been stipulated, that is the amount we are required to give in Zakah. We cant give less than that. So you can't keep the beard length the way you desire. You must keep your beard length according to the instruction of the Quran and Hadith. And this sin. If a person is sinning, how can he keep the fast? There are so many Hadith on this subject. That some people they partake in Suhoor, they don't eat during the day, they are just staying hungry and thirsty. There's no benefit of this fast if they're going to do this sin. So crush your desires. Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has instructed us.
إذا سَلِمَ رمضانُ
If you want to pass Ramadan according to Allah's desire and happiness, if there are sisters without purdah, no modesty, music, singing and we say we are fasting!? There is the fast of the nose, the eyes, the hand, the body, every organ, part, every limb of the body must fast correctly. So this month that Allah ta'ala has given to us is a month of abandoning sins and bad habits. It's not the changes in eating times. Allah ta'ala doesn't want to give us pain and distress from not eating. The greatest worship of Ramadan let me tell you, is that action through which we earn Allah's pleasure. That's the best deed isn't it? The best deed is that through which we can attain Allah's pleasure. And Allah is most pleased with the one who obeys Him and abandons sins. So if we don't implement this worship, but run after other worships, then what is the benefit of this? Tell me. What is the benefit? These are all traps of Shaytan, recognise this, understand it and take heed of it. Be intellectual. Think rationally with wisdom. That what are we doing and what is the command Allah is giving us. We take the concept of fasting according to our own desires. Regarding fasting, first and foremost Allah has said,
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ
Like it was prescribed to those before you.مِن قَبْلِكُمْ Why? I prescribed fasting to those before you and to you there is a purpose for this. I want you to fulfil a certain worship. Which one? لعلكم تتقون That you leave the disobedience of Allah. This is why I have stipulated the command of fasting because when you keep the fast, it is from amongst the conditions of fasting that one must abstain from lying, backbiting, cutting the beard, wrongdoing, immoral gaze, all these combined is what makes the concept of fasting. When you do adopt all of these things, then this is classed as "fasting." Merely one thing is not classed as "fasting." Only when you adopt all of those things can you claim to be a true fasting person. Isnt it brothers? So Allah says, the reason I have given fasting is so that when you begin fasting, obviously you dont lie, you dont commit sins, you'll be praying, performing Taraweeh, reciting Quran, of course you will be doing all these things becaue you are fasting. So it is mentioned, that if you adopt all of these with all the conditions that I have set, then all of this combined makes a great form of worship for you. Thats why I have given it to you. And when you practice it in Ramadan, then what is it? Then Allah grants you the ability to do these same deeds throughout the entire year. So if we want to refrain from a sin and we are finding it difficult to refrain, then we should try to refrain from it in Ramadan at least. Stop it now for Ramadan's sake at least, even if you're not going to abandon the sin after Ramadan. If you begin with this intention, at least you are making your fast correct. So brothers don't waste your fast, otherwise your Ramadan will go to a waste. There is a great hadith that, the person who is most deprived, the biggest loser is he who attained Ramadan but wasn't able to protect himself from the Hellfire. He is still the same. All his did was endure hunger and thirst and then celebrated Eid after Ramadan. A person should be a changed person after Ramadan. There should be a celebration of achieving Ramadan alhamdulillah! These are the types of actions we should perform. Beautiful deeds. Beautiful actions. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam informed us of an action himself and he has praised that action. It is such an action in Ramadan, Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has told us, that it is an action which consists of many qualities. Shall I tell you? I didn't receive a response? Do you want me to share the action? What is that action? What is the definition of that action? Firstly Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is recommending this deed in Ramadan himself. Lengthy hadith and at the end he recommended that, "be careful. Be caution. Whatever you need you will receive through implementing this deed" because what is in this action? First and foremost is that we commit sins all year long and our soul is dead in this moment of time. Totally weak and frail. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "if you do this action then your inner soul will become refreshed and alive." When it becomes alive then you will continue doing different actions and then your soul will become strong and then your soul gives you the strength to practice. You will have so much strength that your soul will have a solid contest with nafs and Shaytaan. And as a result of this contest, is that you won't the commit sins. Nafs won't drag you towards sin and nor will Shaytaan drag you towards sin. Shaytaan and Naafs won't make you commit sins easily because your soul will be strong. The reason we find it difficult to refrain from sin is because our soul is weak so this action so this action increases the strength of the soul. It makes you capable to stand up and fight because when you sit down and give up and say, "it's too hard, I can't leave the alcohol, we cannot leave such and such, we end up arguing, we end up becoming involved in corruption."
This is the weakness because the soul is weak. So Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is giving us the tonic that the action I am about to tell you, if you engage in it in Ramadan, you will be steadfast on it for the entire year. What is this deed? The ruh will take strength and the strength of the ruh is so brilliant my brothers. What are nafs and shaytaan in comparison to this? If you don't have strength, then Shaytaan will attack you. From all directions but you will become strong and he won't be able to attack you. And with this same deed, when you become stronger, the the objective of the human being which is his connection with Allah, and relationship with that person will become stronger. SubhaanAllah.
لعلكم تتقون.
He will become a Muttaqi. One action. And Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, most definitely ensure that you observe this action during Ramadan, what is this action? I dont know if we have started it or not. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "take hold this action and don't waste it." Because this action is extremely great. What is this action? Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Dhikrullah, The Remembrance of Allah." SubhaanAllah. Pick up the books and read the hadith of Ramadan, this has been mentioned. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, if you want to attain لعلكم تتقون if you want to attain Taqwa, the end part of this hadith, that if you want to fulfil the objective of Ramadan which Allah has given you and make it the true Ramadan then what should you do? "Engage in Dhikrullah abundantly."
Hadhrat Umar Radiyallahu Anhu narrates in a hadith, what a great statement. That the people who engage in dhikr, they are such that they are forgiven beyond forgiven in Ramadan. They won't be questioned or taken account. They are forgiven. SubhaanAllah. That's how great Dhikrullah is! And then Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam recommends this deed to us so we can continue with it for the rest of the year. So we can become habitual. In Ramadan you become accustomed to it isn't it?
However, today if you are pushed or forced or due to some reason you begin doing dhikr, look at how unfortunate it is that we have this gathering right now through the Grace of Allah, His mercy and with the prayers of our pious predecessors. We have this gathering everyday!
Everyday Allah hosts this Gathering. Every day such a great treasure Allah presents to us and we not part of that gathering. So weak is our Imaan, tell me. We have kept a fast. That action which Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is informing us is such a great action.
A companion came once to Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and said, "Oh Rasulullah," He said, "yes." He said, "inform me of such a deed which is,"
Look at the noble companions style of questioning because whatever they asked for, they were granted it because they had certainty that they would receive it. This hadith has been mentioned in Jaami Rasul. It is narrated, "inform me of such a deed which is extremely great and virtuous in the sight of Allah." What a great thing he has said that, "inform me of an action which is most virtuous in the sight of Allah and there's no greater deed than that." He further said, we are going to die aren't we, so prescribe me that action which will grant me the highest status compared to all other deeds on the day of judgement. This is a hadith in Jami Rasul, pick it up and read it. Here a Sahabi questioning, but in reality, he was questioning for us people today.
SubhaanAllah. What did he ask? That it is most virtuous and greatest in the eyes of Allah and have you done it in the day? Allah subhaanahu wa ta'ala will say, this is greatest deed, closest to me. If you do it everyday then everyday you will receive that reward. The greatest deed in the eyes of your Lord. Yes. And when we arrive on the day of judgement what will be my condition oh Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that due to me performing that deed, I will receive the highest status Ibaadah. If its such a great deed then imagine what the reward of that deed must be. Tell me. So he said, "Oh Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, "I just want this deed." Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "fine, do you want both things?" He said, "yes." He said, "Engage in the Remembrance of Allah." SubhaanAllah. Do we do this action? Everyday we have this gathering, morning and evening adhikr and we don't do dhikr. Shaytan doesn't allow us to come and sit. Tell me. How much is a person wasting his life? Just engaging in one action, dhikr, and there is no conditions attached to this deed, are there any conditions? It has only been stated to "engage in the Remembrance of Allah." Dhikr is such a thing like I mentioned that everything else that you want, you will attain via Dhikrullah! Because the Remembrance of Allah revives your soul. Your soul will become strengthened and alive. Your sins will be eliminated. You will attain Allah's Qurb, His nearness. Close proximity. Tell me what else do you need in life? Like we're sat here now and alhamdulillah all these things we will receive. All our sins will be washed. And then in Ramadan where it has been specifically mentioned that if you want to attain Ramadan then don't abandon this action of Dhikrullah.
A companion came, and he had a similar question. This hadith is in Tirmidhi Shareef. He said, "Oh Prophet of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam" and he also asked this question in a unique way. He made it so easy for us by asking this question. It seems like this companion is from this day and age! That the way he is asking it seems as though he is a man from this era and not from that blessed generation. When you read the Hadith that's what it seems like. Extremely weak. Just like today we are weak, extremely weak. And the Sahabah, their era, you are aware of how great they were. So Allah ta'ala created such a man from the companions so that he could ask for us so that we can succeed. He said, "Oh Prophet of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam." First he explained his situation. What was that? He said, "firstly I am extremely weak. And you have given us such great actions do this, do that, do this, but straight forward, honestly, I dont have the strength to do this." He said. "I'm very busy, I can't do these things." Say SubhaanAllah. Yes we are all like this aren't we? No no its too hard , I can't do this. No I can't do these things. I can't do this action." So he also said, "oh Prophet of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, there's such great actions you have commanded us to do but I don't have the capacity. I dont have the strength to do all these things but at the same time I dont want to abdanon these actions. I want to engage in them." The second thing he said, "I am weak and I forget things." SubhaanAllah. He is explaining his entire situation, that I am weak, I am sick, I am elderly perhaps or other issues like he cannot remember things. So don't tell me lengthy kalimat, I won't be able to do that.
I dont have the courage I dont have the strength and nor can I remember lengthy recitation or kalimaat, I can't remember." Aren't we like this today or not, tell me? Look how busy we are in our lives, we are so occupied with things. But here Allah says "no problem, I will just give you the blanks, you fill them in. I'll tell you how to fill them in." Such a great request that despite all of these things he said, "I can't practice it, and I'm weak, I can't remember, I can't do big things, but there is one thing, I am a strong worker. I make effort. I will be steadfast upon that action." SubhaanAllah. So three things he said, "fine im physically weak, I can't do alot of action, I dont have the strength, my brain is weak, I can't remember." But one condition is that whatever you do you will do it regularly. Even though it will be less but you'll do it regularly. It won't be difficult. He said, "Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, i'll do it regularly, so what did he do?" He asked for such an action that all the actions Allah has given, Tahajjud, this, that, he is asking for the reward of all of these actions but through a simple deed. SubhaanAllah. So what do you think that Rasulullah said to him, "it is just for you?" He was a Mercy for Mankind. SubhaanAllah. He said "whatever I state from my blessed tongue then the Muslims who will come until Qiyaamah it will be easy for them aswell.
So what happens is that when a person implements this prescripton then Allah will grants him the reward of all the actions. SubhaanAllah. What a great thing he asked for.
So when you engage in such an action then be a million times grateful to Allah for it. "Allah you have given us great rewards through this one action." Then don't be ungrateful at that time. Don't be ungrateful. So in other words, that action this sahabi asked for, whoever acts upon it, like us in our era, then all the actions which are too weak for, he is requesting here that, "oh Rasulullah I want the same reward, the reward of Tahajjud, the reward of giving in charity, the reward of Awwaabeen, Hajj and Umrah, other people are doing those actions but I am weak and cannot perform those actions. But with that one deed I want the rewards for all these actions." Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam smiled and said, "Okay, will receive it through Dhikrullah."
If knowing then we still do not implement, then what is wrong with us? What is wrong with our minds? Will angels descend to inform us of this deed, show us Jannah and beg us, saying, "brothers, for the sake of God, act upon this deed." Our hearts have become hard like stone my friends. We don't desire to abandon sins, nor engage in righteous actions. We are enveloped in sins and in this state we are keeping fast upon fast. But we are not abandoning sins. The sins aren't being stopped. We dont abstain from evil gazes, music and singing, nor do we make our appearances in line with the Sunnah, nor do we engage in those actions through which Allah is pleased. "Oh I'm fasting, I'm fasting." What kind of fasting is this? The definition of fasting is that you abstain from wrongdoing and sins and engaging in good deeds. Do you understand? So this is what we need to do. The guarantee, how great is it? Allahu akbar. سَلِمَتِ
Your fast and Ramadan will pass by with security and safety. Whoever has abandoned sins and performed good deeds and then Allah says, "you have made me pleased, now inshaaAllah for the rest of your lifetime, Allah will grant you the ability to do those deeds."
So my brothers, Dhikrullah, grab hold of it. Engage in dhikr. Such an easy action. It is mentioned in a hadith in Sahih Bukhari shareef, that it is light upon the tongue and amongst all the deeds, it weights heaviest upon the scales! What a great thing it is! It is light and easy upon the tongue and weighs heaviest, it is the easiest. What is that action? Dhikrullah. SubhaanAllah. Recite, "Allah." Recite it louder, "Allah." Recite, "Allah." Tell me how long did it take. Recite, "SubhaanAllah." Recite, "SubhaanAllah." A tree has been planted for you in Paradise. SubhaanAllah. I swear by Allah. This is in hadith that a tree has been planted for you in paradise. SubhaanAllah. So whoever has been given a tree in paradise, will he then not enter Paradise? Obviously you will. So he has become a Jannati. Just by saying one word, you praised Allah, you recited "SubhaanAllah" and then Allah says, "A tree has been planted for you! Enter. Paradise is yours. Tell me. This is the dhikr of Allah. So if you go properly and learn dhikr from a Sheikh, Allah has placed his doctors around the world, of you find a Sheikh, a doctor, then request him to teach you Dhikr. And he will teach you such a dhikr that your heart will automatically continue reciting, "Allah, Allah, Allah." If you have earnt a tree just by saying it once then if you heart is continously reciting Allah Allah, then imagine what you will attain? This is why it is stated that the one who will have the highest ranks in paradise, will be who? Those who engaged in Dhikr of Allah, they will have the highest rank in Jannah. Why? Because their Jannah was being manufactured on earth and from their hearts they were saying, "Allah Allah." But a person becomes lazy. Look at that Sahabi, his words where he said, " I will do this action with steadfastness." SubhaanAllah. Ponder over this yourself. How easy and simple it is to attain Jannah and you receive such a high status. Just by reciting one "SubhaanAllah," what happens? Your scale of good deeds becomes full. You recite, "SubhaanAllah", and one tree is planted for you. Tell me. You recite, "Allah!' And Allah says you are calling out to me. You are remembering me and I am remembering you.
فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ
The Quran is giving a guarantee. When you call someone you address them by their name. "Oj so and so." It means I am calling out to you. I am calling you. It is up to you if you wish to listen to me or not. Here Allah is saying that even if you are in the caves of the mountains, or the crust of the earth, didn't Hadhrat Yunus alayhis salaam call out to Allah in the ocean? In the darkness? In the depths on the ocean, in the stomach of the whale, the fish, he was in there and he recited,
لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك
"Oh Allah save me I have committed wrongdoing."
As soon as he said this, "Allah said, I'm here, im close to you, i'll save you. SubhaanAllah. So wherever you go. Even if you go to the darkest of places on the earth and you say, "Allah"
فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ
Allah will say I'm also remembering you. If you remember me on the earth, I will remember you in the heavens. SubhaanAllah. Is there a reward which can compare to the reward of dhikr? Tell me. If we can't do dhikr then at least can't you do this, that close your eyes and go sit next to a Sheikh, a friend of Allah and do the dhikr of Allah? Can't you adopt this? Can't I do this? So reflect for yourself that where will we go such an easy formula Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is giving to us, then in our destiny, have we written and guaranteed Jahannam for ourselves!? That we want to celebrate Ramadan with sins. We want to fast but alongside sinning? Without even asking someone, "is there reward for this or a sin?" Practicing upon the deen according to your own desires? How is this considered to be practicing upon the deen? At least, at least, if there is something knocking in your mind, then when Ramadan comes then go and asks
someone "is this right or wrong what I am doing?" We don't even ask this out of fear that If I ask, I might be told to stop it and I can't stop." We are afraid. In other words, "let Jahannam come even if it's Ramadan, but let me go into Jahannam." Maybe after Ramadan I will pass away, Janazah will be raised and where will we go then? The angels will be hitting you, "oh foolish man, you were given Ramadan, you didn't have the Tawfeeq to leave the sins!? At least to improve your face, your appearance. Correct it. At least you could've corrected your tongue. You could've protected your gaze." Fighting and arguing even during Ramadan. We are spending these days like they are normal days. We are taking it easy. We are taking Ramadan so lightly. Are we humans or what? We are in an extremely important phase of Ramadan now. So we should try our utmost best to take hold of the Dhikr of Allah in abundance, reject the thoughts from our nafs, just close your eyes and say Allah." We should be thousands times grateful to Allah. Tell me which other Masjid has Muraaqabah in the morning and evening? SubhaanAllah. I can guarantee this much. We are in an era very close to Qiyamah. We won't find dhikr. If we find dhikr in a masjid, then soon after some days we won't even get that. It's written and recorded on the computer. Look at the computer to search how many Masaajid are there that engage in Dhikrullah morning and evening? Search. Tell me the quantity. But we are so wretched and unfortunate. That how much reward is there for one gathering and imagine how much reward there must be in Ramadan? Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said himself, "do dhikrullah." Halaqah. Whenever you sit to do dhikr, then sit in a halaqah. Someone is in that corner, someone is in that corner. Don't you have intellect. How many times have I explained this to you? Do you not have manner? I dont understand. You look at each others faces thinking, "shall we get up or not?" The one who is sitting here is looking at the other one at the back. Are we foolish and stupid? So much disrespect? Learn that much manners that when you come for the gathering of dhikr, there are manners and etiquettes. Do you understand how much enjoyment there is sitting in dhikr now? Someone is in that corner, someone is in that corner. You have been doing dhikr with me for 10 years now. Whenever you sit with me in dhikr, then dont leave gaps In between. Remember that. Sit together and glue yourselves together. So the love and the mercy comes inside you for each other and so you can receive the fayz of your Sheikh, it can be transferred to you. Halqah Dhikr. This is a gathering of dhikr and in the hadith the word حلقة is used. Not that there is one at the back, and there is a speech going on and one is in that corner and Mawlana sahib is doing the lecture and someone is reciting Quran. Beware. How dare you. Stop everything when dhikr begins. Al faiz will stop if you do this.
That is why it is announced that Dhikr of Allah is taking place. Focus and pay attention becaue Allah is paying attention to you. Leave the nafil, leave all other actions and come to the gathering of dhikr and include yourself in the gathering in which Allah's mercy is descending. But our Takabbur , our pride is so much, our nafs is so great, I speak honest my friends, I am a faqeer, I speak honestly. Our nafs is so big that we don't want to leave our station, our place, even if we are being deprived of Allah's let us be deprived we say. Allah's mercy will dissappear. We dont care. Let the time go. Let the reward go. When a human being, when he sits in the gathering, the angels from all 4 sides surround that gathering. Allah's mercy descends on that gathering. Sakeenah descends on that gathering. And the one sitting far away from the gathering he doesn't care. So much pride. And your dirty intellect that despite dhikr taking place infront of you, you're not sitting in the Halaqah. I often see this happening in the mornings aswell. Some sitting in one corner, others in another corner. Some leaning against the wall. Dont do this or I will remove you from the dhikr gathering. This is the final warning im giving you. Whoever does not sit in the Halaqah, I will request for you to be prevented from this gathering. How many times have I explained this brothers? Never do this. A person who is disrespectful doesn't receive anything. Sit close together without gaps, do you understand? Leave a gap for where your sheikh is sitting and don't sit too close to him either. But all of you should sit close together. And for those of you who fill in the gaps, alhamdulillah he will receive more. He has certainty that He will receive the Mercy and fadl of Allah. If you're on a chair sit at the side, so you can get faiz, but sit infront of your Sheikh. The more closer you sit with one another and close to your Sheikh, alhamdulillah you will find enjoyment in his words and Mercy and forgiveness will descend upon you and you will be included in the Halaqah. Is there such thing as having pride against Allah? So my brothers, we should be very respectful towards dhikr and display good manners. The one who has good manners, gets good destiny and the one who has bad manners he has no destiny. He is wretched. When you come to the gathering of Allah, come as a beggar. Whoever comes.
Mujjaddid Alf Thani Rahmatullahi Alayh, the King of his time, Hadhrat Janghir would come to meet him. Because he did great work. He was the king of his times not like the kings of today. He had pomp and glory, elephants and horses with him. Thousands of people walking with him. That was the king, the status of that time. When he came to meet, because he knew Hadhrat Mujaddid Alif Thanwi Rahmatullahi Alayh, that dhikr is happening there. 2 miles in advance he would begin walking towards this gathering of dhikr and get off his transport and his horse. He said I'm going to the Wali Allahs court and where the Mercy of Allah descends. Only the one who has manners will succeed and achieve so I must go with manners. That's how we should approach this gathering. There is a way of sitting. So this is the deed, Dhikrullah which Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has prescribed for us in Ramadan and if we implement this deed in Ramadan, then we will continue to do this great action for the rest of the year inshaaAllah. So with the Fadl of Allah we are about to do this deed done. The Dhikrullah and between Asr and Magrib which is the greatest time for Allah's Dhikr. Greatest time. So this is also Allah's Mercy and Grace that He has allowed us to do dhikr. So let's recite durood shareef.