It is difficult to imagine the hidden mercies and blessings kept in this month. Hadhrat Mujaddid Alf Thani Rahmatullahi alayh has mentioned with regards to the blessings of Ramadan, that if a person places the blessings of the year on one side and the blessings of Ramadan on the other side, it is as though the ocean has been placed in front of the river.
Every moment of Ramadan is very valuable. Nabi ﷺ has given us a method of spending this month. He prescribed four deeds which should be performed in abundance during Ramadan. If anyone does this, he will attain his purpose.
We should strive lifelong to fulfil our objective. We are human beings and we naturally sin. Sins are a very bad thing which cause Allah ta'ala's displeasure. It leads a person to Hellfire and causes severe punishments in the grave.
Allah ta'ala gave us repentance for our sins. Nabi ﷺ has mentioned that we should engage in repentance the most during this month and we should perform Istighfar in abundance.
Just as we have been prescribed repentance to erase our sins, similarly, we must engage in abundant dhikr to earn Allah ta'ala's pleasure. This is the second action which Nabi ﷺ prescribed and a person cannot be successful without it.
Our main objective is to please Allah ta'ala. Our deen and dunya depends on this and the pleasure of this world and the hereafter depends on this too.
Hadhrat Sheikh-ul-Hadith presents a Hadith whereby Hadhrat Umar رضي الله عنه narrated that whomsoever performs abundant dhikr in Ramadan, will be forgiven.
What is the dhikr of Allah ta'ala?
There are many Ahadith pertaining to the virtues of dhikr.
Hadhrat Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet ﷺ mentioned that dhikr should be performed in abundance and the greatest benefit of that is, perhaps a person is weak and cannot make much effort. Perhaps he cannot worship at night, he is weak and is stingy in spending. So, it is mentioned that abundant dhikr of Allah ta'ala will compensate for it. A person can make up for his weaknesses and deficiencies through dhikr and thereafter, he will be given determination and courage.
In other words, abundant Dhikr is the perfect cure to remove a person's weakness. We shouldn’t be hopeless that we cannot perform such and such action. Rather, we should engage in abundant dhikr and we will reach the status which we desire.
Hadhrat Anas رضي الله عنه narrates that the remembrance of Allah ta'ala, is the sign of faith. It is the eraser of hypocrisy, a barrier from Shaytan and a protection from Hellfire. When a person engages in dhikr, he is given these specific blessings. When he spends his life in this way, his actions are a reflection of his faith. Those qualities and attributes are developed within him through which his face attests to the faith within him. This quality is developed after a person engages in dhikr.
A Dhaakir is saved from hypocrisy which is the worst disease and he is also protected from Shaytans traps and influences which destroy a person. Those who are always engaged in dhikr, cannot be attacked by Shaytan for Shaytan only attacks a person and injects bad whispers when a person is lazy and negligent from dhikr. Furthermore, when Shaytan attacks a person, he distances a person from dhikr.
Dhikr itself is a great cure, which is why a Dhaakir is safe from carrying out those actions which earn Allah ta'ala's displeasure.
There are two conditions of the heart. Either it is black like coal and carries all defects and diseases, or, it is a ball of light and carries all good attributes and qualities. This light spreads to a person's body and all his limbs and organs act according to Allah ta'ala's desire and the Prophet ﷺ's advice.
A person attains these blessings through action and not through mere desire to be pure and pious. We should always focus on our heart and keep it alive with dhikr and automatically, we will develop good traits. However, if a person remains heedless of dhikr, Shaytan will attack him and inject negative thoughts within him.
We should illuminate our hearts with dhikr and this isn't a difficult feat, because the heart was created for the remembrance of Allah ta'ala. We should seek a person who teaches dhikr and our heart will become alive, reciting, 'Allah Allah.' Positive thoughts will be developed in our heart. It will become pure and will develop fear of Allah ta'ala. Furthermore, dhikr holds the power to change and transform a person completely.
Nabi ﷺ encourages us to occupy ourselves with these four actions during Ramadan because they have many benefits.
When we implement these actions during Ramadan, then this month will be full of goodness and the rest of the year will also be full of goodness and wellbeing.
When a person initiates a certain action during Ramadan and becomes steadfast, Allah ta'ala allows him to remain consistent upon it throughout the entire year. This is the blessing of Ramadan.
Ramadan has arrived and we are all seeking good deeds to perform. We should perform those actions which are prescribed by the Prophet ﷺ so that we can be regular in them for the rest of the year.
Hold on to dhikr and you will develop good qualities and your weaknesses will be removed and you will attain Allah ta'ala's nearness.
All the pious predecessors engaged in the dhikr of Allah ta'ala with high quantity. They reached the heights and became a Wali Allah through dhikr and this was the first lesson of their life.
Hadhrat Junaid Baghdadi Rahmatullahi alayh would keep a tasbih. Someone asked him why he kept a tasbih despite being at such a high rank. He replied, saying that the tasbih is what lead him to his position.
Thus, we should not consider dhikr to be insignificant. Allah ta'ala has placed limitations on other worships, however, Allah ta'ala encourages us to engage in abundant dhikr, which makes it limitless.
How to engage in abundant dhikr?
As we lead very busy lives, the pious predecessors have come up with a solution.
Allah ta'ala has selected the morning and evening time for His remembrance. The pious people stated that if a person engages in dhikr morning and evening, then he will be considered a person who engages in abundant dhikr despite being occupied in worldly matters during the two ends of the day.
We should make this our schedule and we should become regular in it. We should partake in these great gatherings of dhikr morning and evening so that we may rise with those who perform abundant dhikr.
It is difficult to imagine the hidden mercies and blessings kept in this month. Hadhrat Mujaddid Alf Thani Rahmatullahi alayh has mentioned with regards to the blessings of Ramadan, that if a person places the blessings of the year on one side and the blessings of Ramadan on the other side, it is as though the ocean has been placed in front of the river.
Every moment of Ramadan is very valuable. Nabi ﷺ has given us a method of spending this month. He prescribed four deeds which should be performed in abundance during Ramadan. If anyone does this, he will attain his purpose.
We should strive lifelong to fulfil our objective. We are human beings and we naturally sin. Sins are a very bad thing which cause Allah ta'ala's displeasure. It leads a person to Hellfire and causes severe punishments in the grave.
Allah ta'ala gave us repentance for our sins. Nabi ﷺ has mentioned that we should engage in repentance the most during this month and we should perform Istighfar in abundance.
Just as we have been prescribed repentance to erase our sins, similarly, we must engage in abundant dhikr to earn Allah ta'ala's pleasure. This is the second action which Nabi ﷺ prescribed and a person cannot be successful without it.
Our main objective is to please Allah ta'ala. Our deen and dunya depends on this and the pleasure of this world and the hereafter depends on this too.
Hadhrat Sheikh-ul-Hadith presents a Hadith whereby Hadhrat Umar رضي الله عنه narrated that whomsoever performs abundant dhikr in Ramadan, will be forgiven.
What is the dhikr of Allah ta'ala?
There are many Ahadith pertaining to the virtues of dhikr.
Hadhrat Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet ﷺ mentioned that dhikr should be performed in abundance and the greatest benefit of that is, perhaps a person is weak and cannot make much effort. Perhaps he cannot worship at night, he is weak and is stingy in spending. So, it is mentioned that abundant dhikr of Allah ta'ala will compensate for it. A person can make up for his weaknesses and deficiencies through dhikr and thereafter, he will be given determination and courage.
In other words, abundant Dhikr is the perfect cure to remove a person's weakness. We shouldn’t be hopeless that we cannot perform such and such action. Rather, we should engage in abundant dhikr and we will reach the status which we desire.
Hadhrat Anas رضي الله عنه narrates that the remembrance of Allah ta'ala, is the sign of faith. It is the eraser of hypocrisy, a barrier from Shaytan and a protection from Hellfire. When a person engages in dhikr, he is given these specific blessings. When he spends his life in this way, his actions are a reflection of his faith. Those qualities and attributes are developed within him through which his face attests to the faith within him. This quality is developed after a person engages in dhikr.
A Dhaakir is saved from hypocrisy which is the worst disease and he is also protected from Shaytans traps and influences which destroy a person. Those who are always engaged in dhikr, cannot be attacked by Shaytan for Shaytan only attacks a person and injects bad whispers when a person is lazy and negligent from dhikr. Furthermore, when Shaytan attacks a person, he distances a person from dhikr.
Dhikr itself is a great cure, which is why a Dhaakir is safe from carrying out those actions which earn Allah ta'ala's displeasure.
There are two conditions of the heart. Either it is black like coal and carries all defects and diseases, or, it is a ball of light and carries all good attributes and qualities. This light spreads to a person's body and all his limbs and organs act according to Allah ta'ala's desire and the Prophet ﷺ's advice.
A person attains these blessings through action and not through mere desire to be pure and pious. We should always focus on our heart and keep it alive with dhikr and automatically, we will develop good traits. However, if a person remains heedless of dhikr, Shaytan will attack him and inject negative thoughts within him.
We should illuminate our hearts with dhikr and this isn't a difficult feat, because the heart was created for the remembrance of Allah ta'ala. We should seek a person who teaches dhikr and our heart will become alive, reciting, 'Allah Allah.' Positive thoughts will be developed in our heart. It will become pure and will develop fear of Allah ta'ala. Furthermore, dhikr holds the power to change and transform a person completely.
Nabi ﷺ encourages us to occupy ourselves with these four actions during Ramadan because they have many benefits.
When we implement these actions during Ramadan, then this month will be full of goodness and the rest of the year will also be full of goodness and wellbeing.
When a person initiates a certain action during Ramadan and becomes steadfast, Allah ta'ala allows him to remain consistent upon it throughout the entire year. This is the blessing of Ramadan.
Ramadan has arrived and we are all seeking good deeds to perform. We should perform those actions which are prescribed by the Prophet ﷺ so that we can be regular in them for the rest of the year.
Hold on to dhikr and you will develop good qualities and your weaknesses will be removed and you will attain Allah ta'ala's nearness.
All the pious predecessors engaged in the dhikr of Allah ta'ala with high quantity. They reached the heights and became a Wali Allah through dhikr and this was the first lesson of their life.
Hadhrat Junaid Baghdadi Rahmatullahi alayh would keep a tasbih. Someone asked him why he kept a tasbih despite being at such a high rank. He replied, saying that the tasbih is what lead him to his position.
Thus, we should not consider dhikr to be insignificant. Allah ta'ala has placed limitations on other worships, however, Allah ta'ala encourages us to engage in abundant dhikr, which makes it limitless.
How to engage in abundant dhikr?
As we lead very busy lives, the pious predecessors have come up with a solution.
Allah ta'ala has selected the morning and evening time for His remembrance. The pious people stated that if a person engages in dhikr morning and evening, then he will be considered a person who engages in abundant dhikr despite being occupied in worldly matters during the two ends of the day.
We should make this our schedule and we should become regular in it. We should partake in these great gatherings of dhikr morning and evening so that we may rise with those who perform abundant dhikr.
May Allah ta'ala allow us to implement. Ameen