The Inner Secrets of Fasting

All Muslims need to know that in the fast is a very special quality that is not found in anything else that we do. And that is its close connection this sacrifice creates for us to Allah. Allah (SWT) says: “The fast (Sawm) is for Me and I will reward it.” This ever important spiritual connection is more than enough to show all believers the high status of fasting. 

Similarly, the Ka`bah is highly dignified due to its close connection to Him, as related in His statement, “And sanctify My House.”

Indeed, the fast is only virtuous due to two significant concepts. Firstly, it is a secret and hidden action thus, no one from creation is able to see it. So  showing off cannot benefit it. Such behavior will only corrupt it. Secondly, it is a means of subjugating the enemies of Allah. This is because the road that the enemies (of Allah) embark upon (in order to misguide the Son of Adam (as)) is that of desires. And eating and drinking strengthens the desires. There are many reports that indicate the merits of fasting, and they are all well known.

The recommended acts of fasting

The pre-dawn meal (suhur) and delaying in taking it are preferable, as well as hastening to break the fast and doing so with dates. Generosity in giving is also recommended during Ramadan, as well as doing good deeds and increasing acts of charity. This is in accordance with the way of the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him).

It is also recommended to study the Qur’an and perform i`tikaaf during Ramadan, especially in the last ten days, as well as increasing upon the exertion (towards doing good deeds) in it.

As reported in both Sahih Bukhari and in Sahih Muslim, `Aa’ishah (ra) said, “When the (last) ten days (of Ramadan) would come, the Prophet (saaw) would tighten his waist-wrapper, spend the night in worship, and wake his family up (for prayer).” The scholars have mentioned two views concerning the meaning of “tighten his waist-wrapper”: 

The first: It means the turning away from women.

The second: It is an expression denoting his eagerness and diligence in doing good deeds. They also say that the reason for his (saaw) exertion in the last ten days of Ramadan was due to his (saaw) seeking of the Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr).

An explanation of the inner secrets of fasting and its characteristics

There are three levels of fasting: 

The General Fast, 

The Specific Fast, and 

The Further Specific Fast. 

The General Fast refers to the refraining of the stomach and the private parts from fulfilling their desires. 

The ‘Specific Fast’ regards refraining one’s gaze, tongue, hands, feet, hearing, and eyes, as well as; the sum of our physical selves from committing any sinful acts. 

As for the more Specific Fast, this refers to the heart’s abstention from yearning after worldly affairs and from thoughts which distance created from the Creator. This, as well as retraining the heart’s and abstaining from all the things that Allah has placed on the same level. From the characteristics of the ‘Specific Fast’ is that one lowers his gaze and safeguards his tongue from the repulsive speech that is forbidden, disliked, or which has no benefit, as well as striving to place the same restrictions on the sum of personal selves.

A Sahih hadith reported by Imam al-Bukhari which reads: “Whosoever does not abandon false speech and the acting upon it, Allah is not in need of him leaving off his food and drink.”3  Another characteristic of the specific fast is that one does not overfill himself with food during the night. Instead, he eats in due measure, for indeed, the son of Adam (as) does not fill a vessel eviler than his stomach. If he were to eat his fill during the first part of the night, he would not make good use of himself for the remainder of the night. In the same way, if he eats to his fill for suhur, he does not make good use of himself until the afternoon. This is because excessive eating breeds laziness and lethargy. Therefore, the objective of fasting disappears due to one’s excessiveness in eating, for what is intended by the fast is that one savor the taste of hunger and becomes one who abandons desires.

Recommended Fasts

As for the recommended fasts, then know that preference for fasting is established in certain virtuous days. Some of these virtuous days occur every year, such as fasting the first six days of the month of Shawwal after Ramadan. Or fasting the day of `Arafah, the day of `Ashura, and the 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram. Some of these days occur every month, such as the first part of the month, the middle part of it, and the last part of it. So whosoever fasts the first part of the month, the middle part of the month, and the last part of the month, then they (he or she) has done well. Likewise, some fasts occur every week, specifically, every Monday and Thursday.

The most virtuous of the recommended fasts is the fast of Dawud (as). He would fast one day and break his fast the next day. This achieves the following three objectives: 

The soul is given its share on the day the fast is broken. And on the day of fasting, it completes its worship in full. The day of eating is the day of giving thanks and the day of fasting is the day of having patience. And Faith is divided into two halves – that of thankfulness and that of patience. It is the most difficult struggle for the soul because every time the soul gets accustomed to a certain condition, it transfers itself to that condition.

As for fasting every day, then it has been reported by Muslim, from the hadith of Abu Qatadah (ra), that `Umar (ra) asked the Prophet (saaw): ‘What is the case if one were to fast every day?’ The Prophet (saaw) said: “He did not fast nor did he break his fast – or – he did not fast and he did not break his fast.” This is concerning the one who fasts continuously, even during the days in which fasting is forbidden.

Characteristics of the most specific fast

Know that the one who has been given intellect, knows the objective behind fasting. Therefore, he burdens himself to the extent that he will not be unable to do that which is more beneficial than it. Ibn Mas’uud (ra) would fast very little and it is reported that he used to say: “When I fast, I grow weak in my prayer. And I prefer the prayer over the (optional) fast. Some of them (the Sahabah (ra)) would weaken in their recitation of the Qur’an while fasting. Therefore, they would exceed in breaking their fast (i.e., by observing less optional fasts), until they were able to balance their recitation. Every individual is knowledgeable of his or her condition and of what will rectify it.

Ramadan Mubarak!

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"Are you just going to admire the jug or are you actually going to drink the water?"

Islamic scholars are very critical of those who claim to be wise teachers of Islam yet never take its teachings into their own hearts. Their attitude is conveyed in a story about a saint who wanted to stop hunters catching songbirds for sale at the market. He trained a parrot so that whenever it saw a net covered in bird food it squawked, "Don't eat the food? It's a trap!" When the other birds heard the parrot's warning they flew away and were saved. The parrot, however, had no idea what he was saying and, seeing the food, flew down to eat it and was captured. When we pay wisdom lip-service but don't live it, we are like that parrot. No matter how wise we seem to be, we will end up getting caught in the net of illusion. 

Islam, emphasizes the need for complete authenticity and sincerity. Our Prophet (saaw) teaches, "Allah does not accept your belief if it is not expressed in deeds, and does not accept your deeds unless they conform with your beliefs." We should live what we know. We should do what we feel in our hearts is right, regardless of what others think. To do otherwise is hypocrisy. The scholars convey these teachings in the story of a great sage who was invited to the funeral of a well-respected member of the community. Having sat through speaker after speaker eulogizing the dead man's virtues, the sage suddenly got up and walked out. The organizers of the funeral were appalled and ran after him to demand to know what he was doing. The sage replied, "Not one person had a bad thing to say about the deceased. From this I can tell that he must have been a complete hypocrite, so I left."

Focus For Contemplation

Are you living what you know? Are you doing what your heart is telling you to do? Are you being all that you know you are? Spend some time in search of authenticity. The poet Rumi warns, "Lies collect around those who are living a lie." Are you living a lie or are you being true to yourself?

Powerful Lessons from the Life of Khadījah (ra)

What made Khadījah great? She was declared by the Prophet ﷺ  to be of the greatest women of all time and given glad tidings of a house in Jannah, making her an exemplary of īmān.[1]  She is often mentioned in our times as an icon of female empowerment, who knew what she wanted (to marry the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ) and wanted it now! Failing that, she is identified as a successful CEO, her story misappropriated to fit a capitalist, materialist worldview, where economic worth is the only one worthy of mention. In one BBC radio programme I participated in, it was implied that if more Muslim women were empowered to be more like her the Muslim world would be a much better place![1] It is true, the world would be a better place, but — as any Muslim who has understood Khadījah’s biography knows — not for the clichéd reasons popularly given. What made her great and what Allāh and His Messenger ﷺ praised her for, transcended all of that.

Recently, I was blessed with the opportunity to write the book ‘Khadijah – Mother of History’s Greatest Nation’ published by Learning Roots.[2] During an intense couple of years, I spent poring over the life of our mother Khadījah and aḥadīth related about her I feel I got to know her. In the process of bringing her story to life, there were five timeless life-lessons that particularly stood out for me as being the most impactful ones that 21st century Muslims could really benefit from.

Lesson 1: Live for a vision beyond your own life.

It is striking that Khadījah passed away during what was the most trying and difficult period for the Muslims. She never saw the relief of migration to Madīnah, the triumph of the Battle of Badr or the Conquest of Makkah. This was because she passed away before the Hijrah, just after the Muslims emerged from three painful years of suffering the boycott imposed upon them by the Mushrikīn when they lived in tents in the narrow valley of Shi’b Abī Ṭālib. Khadījah, who was an upper-class lady of high repute, had left the comforts of her usual lifestyle to stand by the Prophet ﷺ and live as an outcast refugee in the most difficult of circumstances.
She lived, strove, and patiently persevered as a Believer for a cause that would bear fruit after her death. She did not see Islām spread through Arabia and establish itself from as far as the Siberian Peninsula to the edges of the far-East. She never witnessed a world where a billion people are Muslims. And yet, here we are, sitting in the seat of the Western world, in London, and you, dear brother and sister, are part of Khadījah’s legacy!

With this in mind, we too must realise that we may not see the true results of what we build in our lifetimes, but build it we must. Living for a cause beyond our own lives, for a vision of this world that we may never get to see, and Allāh’s pleasure in the Hereafter, are what we need to stop living petty and small-minded existences. It causes our spirits to soar as we strive towards something greater. It reminds us that intention is more important than completion or results and that by having enormous intentions and then diligently working towards them, we secure reward from Allāh, even if we do not complete what we started. Furthermore, Allāh will see to it that our work continues beyond our lives.

What, then, is fear of failure stopping you from beginning?

Lesson 2: Seek your status with Allāh.

Khadījah  was a woman from the nobility in a tribal society where lineage gave a person immense status. When she took the Prophet ﷺ that fateful day, to her cousin Waraqah b. Nawfal, she heard for the first time that her people would turn them out of Makkah one day. It was an unbelievable notion to the Prophet ﷺ and Khadījah who held celebrity-like statuses in their society. That day it would have dawned on her that standing by the Prophet’s ﷺ side meant tough times ahead. It meant losing the status she once enjoyed in her society.  But it would also mean being of the highest status in Allāh’s eyes, because those who are pioneers in the way of Allāh are not equal to those who come afterward. By being the first Believer, being from as-Sābiqūn al-Awwalūn who embraced Islām when it was neither popular nor easy to do so, she secured her status with Allāh.

Similarly, those Muslims in the generation before us who established Islām here in the UK, who visibly and openly practiced Islām, facing the racism and taunts of that era, were pioneers who built institutions and infrastructure for our communities. They will have been blessed with a higher status than those who came later and benefitted from the relative ease of being a second generation practicing Muslim in the UK. I remember a time in London when I’d walk down the street with my mum; she was the only woman observing hijāb that we knew and I expected every other person who walked past us to shout “Paki” or hurl some other abuse in our direction. Today, hijāb is normal. It would not be were it not for those early women, like my mum, who stood firmly upon their principles. We are indebted to them and no doubt their stand has gained them a high status with Allāh, inshāAllāh.

Often people of our generation want to escape the difficulty of living as a minority in the West. We dream of living in the ideal Muslim land, where being a Believer comes easy. But, in our hope of reaching the greener grass on the other side, we may be missing the colossal opportunity for reward in practicing Islām and engaging in Da’wah in the West.  It’s true that it is tough going against the grain; it is hard resisting the Islamophobia and mistruths, but it is also true that the rewards will be great, inshāAllāh.

What, then, does our generation need to be brave enough to do, that may not be easy to establish now, but through our efforts, could pave the way for a better future?

Lesson 3: Patiently persevere in the face of ignorance

Even the most beloved Believers in history faced Islamophobia. Khadījah was the best of women and yet was subject to a campaign of persecution and abuse by her society. Her house had an unsheltered courtyard in the middle of it and the wife of Abū Lahab would have rocks, stones, filth and garbage thrown over Khadījah’s walls, into that courtyard. What was Khadījah doing during those moments when debris rained down over their heads? Perhaps she was preparing a meal? Perhaps sitting with her children doing the ordinary activities a mother does? How must she have felt during this terrible campaign of hate?

When Khadījah’s son passed away in infancy, the Mushrikīn in Makkah mocked her family and her husband and labeled them as ‘cut off’, alluding to the fact that they had no sons to carry on their family name. How would it feel to have society around you gleefully mock the death of your beloved child?

Khadījah’s life teaches us to patiently persevere through times of hardship and in the face of hateful ignorance. It teaches us that there may be tough times ahead, but that with commitment and by continuing to do our work, obeying Allāh, staying away from what He has forbidden, and asking ourselves: ‘what is Allāh asking of me now?’ the Believer will ultimately be successful because – wal-‘Aqibatu Lil-Muttaqīn – in the end, success is for the God-Conscious.[2]

Lesson 4: Be a Tool for Allāh’s Sake

One of the blessings of Khadījah was that she was a wealthy woman. But being a wealthy woman was not in itself her greatest trait. Her willingness to use her wealth and resources in the way of Allāh was one of her greatest traits.

This is something that the Prophet ﷺ would get very emotional about even after her death. He could never forget how readily she had believed in him and how selflessly she had put her resources at his disposal, to use as he saw fit for the sake of his mission. When he was questioned regarding her excellence, he affirmed her status in the highest terms and said:

“She had faith in me when people rejected me. She believed in me when the people disbelieved me. She supported me with her wealth when the people prevented me, and Allāh blessed me with children through her and not through any other wife.”[3]

Thus, she made herself a tool in Allāh’s cause.

We must develop and grow our resources, be they financial or human, in order to serve Allāh further. Each one of us has resources, be they material or otherwise: our wealth, our homes, our children, our time, our talents and skills, or our energy, that we can put forward and devote for the sake of Allāh.

What, then, are you prepared to give for Allāh?

Lesson 5: Be the backbone of your family.

Khadījah was a source of pure comfort for her husband, a sanctuary that he could retreat to and find strength in. For him to do the monumental work he was charged with, he needed Khadījah by his side, strengthening, reassuring, supporting, listening and being present to his needs.

She understood his need to go on the mountain and would deliver food to him there, to allow him to stay for as long as he needed to. She took care of his household during the toughest of times, giving him the freedom to do his work.

Who did the Prophet ﷺ share his innermost fears and questions with on the day when he was first spoken to by the Angel Jibrīl? Who did the Prophet ﷺ go home to when he had filth and the entrails of a camel thrown upon him as he prayed? Who did the Prophet ﷺ confide in at night when he returned from a day of tirelessly preaching his message and being mocked and ridiculed in response? By being that source of comfort, Khadījah found a special place in the heart of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ and gained the love of her people, a place in history, a life that was impactful and most importantly, the pleasure of her Lord.

Every home needs a pillar of strength to steady it. It is true that both husband and wife have their part to play in showing love and support to each other. But the particular type of security that Khadījah provided was one that we as women, in particular, have the propensity and duty to establish, since the home is our key domain. It is to make our home a place of comfort for our spouses and children. Home should be the place of sanctuary, not the place from which our family members seek refuge! Joy, positivity and a calm environment can be generated by will. In fact, a negative environment and a toxic attitude can be turned around by a single individual with the tenacity and determination to bring the energy they wish to see into the environment around them. We need not reflect the negative energy we find around us. Through our connectedness with Allāh and nurture of our own mindset we can choose to generate the energy we wish to see in our homes and it will be contagious – and it will be worth it.

There are times when we carry burdens as women, and as mothers, that are incredibly difficult and demanding that we feel no one around us understands. Perhaps this is to draw us closer to Allāh. It is in times like these that we realize that only He understands us, only He is there for us, only He witnessed what we did. Be reassured that it did not go unnoticed by Him.

Creating a calm and comforting home for her husband was so significant that it was indirectly referenced by Allāh through the Angel Jibrīl in the glad tidings he gave her. When he said to the Prophet ﷺ,

“O Messenger of Allāh, Khadījah is just coming with a bowl of soup for you. When she comes to you, give her greetings of peace from her Lord and from me, and give her the good news of a palace of jewels in Jannah, where there will be neither any noise nor any tiredness.”[4]

So, dear brothers and sisters, what will our spouses, our children, our families, remember about us after we die? What will they say about the energy we exuded and brought into our homes? There is no way we can strengthen our communities without building strong, stable families as a priority.

I believe that these five timeless lessons constitute philosophies for a life well-lived, just as Khadījah ’s life was. By striving to actualize them, we too will be able to weather the storms that may lie ahead, inshāAllāh.

The search has no conclusion. Knowledge of Allah is without end.

Focus For Contemplation

Thinking we have arrived stops us traveling further. Being convinced about our beliefs may be reassuring, but it prevents us seeing astonishing new possibilities. Experiment with taking even your profoundest realizations about life as provisional understandings, which you expect to become superseded as you continue to mature spiritually. Don't be afraid to question everything you hold sacred. Don't become complacent and settle for your present level of awareness. Stay open. The journey to Allah is never-ending. The adventure has only just begun.

In the quiet of your own heart -- something to consider

Sufi Scholars contend that there are as many ways to GOD as there are human beings. Accepting this intimate possibility, then the path to GOD has always existed to ALL people. The question, therefore, is not how many choose to take the journey but more importantly -- how many will stay true to its course.  

Don't allow the light of day to blind the eyes of your heart. 

Until next time -- "Stay Safe and Be Blessed.",

Peace

"...I'm the One that healed you."

"...I'm the One that healed you."

November 24, 2017

This is a story that I first heard many years ago. I was attending a service at Masjid Wm. Salaam, on Vimey Ridge Road, Norfolk, Va. I can still see the imam’s face but, regretfully, I can't remember his name. The story, however, has stayed with me from then until now. 

The story related to the Exodus of Moses and the Israelites from Egypt following centuries of bondage and oppression. But, more specifically, it focused on man's arrogance and belief in 'false' idols. 

"You put your trust in the tree…"

Moses led the people out of Egypt. That story is both well documented and fairly well known. Many also know how the people corrupted themselves after Moses ascended the Mount to commune with God, and where he would later receive the 10 Commandments, the Law written by the very hand of God. They know of the Golden Calf and the fall from Grace. But one story, this story isn't about what you know. Nope, this story isn't deliverance or redemption. This story is about what happened in between. This story is about an incident that took place during the 40 years of wondering aimlessly through the wilderness. 

Forty years! Forty years is a long time by any account. But it is even longer, I think, when you are wondering aimlessly around a wilderness as unforgiving as the desert. A dry, barren wasteland devoid of comfort and if one gets lost, can strip hope from will. Such was the lot of the Israelites, who had placed the sum of their trust in their leader, Moses.

Now, as has already been mentioned, forty years is a long time. And somewhere during that span, Moses became ill with a severe stomach disorder that cause him a great deal of pain. But in that hour, Moses didn't hesitate -- he called out to God for assistance and relief. And as God had already done so many times before, He did then. Speaking directly to Moses, God said, "Moses, span the horizon before you. Do you see that lone tree sitting off in the distance?" Moses looked and spotted the lone tree and said, "Yes Lord, I see it." Then God commanded Moses to go to that tree. And once there, remove from it a small portion of bark and boil it. Moses did as he was instructed to do. And when the broth was ready, God commanded him to drink it. Taking the cup to his lips, Moses drew in the hot drink and as it entered his body his pains began 'slowly' to subside. Moses was cured.

But forty years is a long time and somewhere during that time Moses again became ill. He again felt the stagnating pains resonating from within his stomach. Pains that hindered his movement, and slowed his pace. Yet this time Moses did not call out to God for relief. No. This time Moses spanned the horizon until he spied a tree similar in appearance to that first tree. And upon reaching it Moses repeated the process of the first experience.

But this time -- this time when he drew the cup to his lips in drink in the broth... This time was different. For this time the broth did not enter Moses' body before he felt its affects. This time the broth merely touched his lips and at that moment Moses' pain intensified so severely that it caused him to fall, face first upon the desert floor. From there, with his face pressed into the burning sands, from there Moses called out to God saying, "My Lord, why hast thou forsaken me?" And the words of God, as if riding upon the winds, spoke to Moses in a calm and soothing voice saying, "Moses, you put your trust in that tree. I am the One that healed you.”

The moral of this story: 

Everyday we human beings place our trust in so many things. We are mindful of their importance in our lives, but absent of the One who has made many of those things possible. There in a line in the Qur'an that reads, "In God let those who trust, put their trust." Amen.

Until next time -- "Stay Safe and Be Blessed.”

Peace