Happiness with the beginning of Ramadhaan
By the noble Shaykh Saalih ibn Foazaan
All praises belong to Allah Lord of all that exists and may peace and blessings be upon His Slave and Messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, his family and his companions.
We praise Allah May He be Glorified and Exalted for his bestowed upon us the start of this month. We ask Allah May He be Glorified and Exalted that He assists and preserves us upon righteous actions and that He facilitates within this month for us and yourselves with goodness and righteous deeds, for the Muslim is to be upon goodness constantly especially when Allah has bestowed upon him (i.e. the believer) the month of Ramadhaan and other than it from the specified periods, those periods dedicated to worship. So he takes advantage of the given opportunities and practices within them that which has been legislated for that time. This is opposition to the people of denial (ahl ul hirmaan) those who lives will result in bad consequence, the days and months of goodness pass them by whilst they are heedless and carefree. Therefore mankind when he utilises his time upon goodness, then he benefits and if he utilises his time with evil then incurs upon himself harm. As he (sallahul alaihi wa sallam) said:
((...All of mankind sets out daily, a trader of his own self either he frees it or he destroys it.))
He is one who nurtures his soul then establishes himself upon that, he safe guards it by being attentive towards that which is good for his soul and seeks its purification through obedience and taking hold of its reigns, directing it towards that which will benefit. This is from the best of consideration/care – he safe guards his own soul first then he cares for other than himself. However if he neglects himself then he is unable to care for others. So if he has disregarded his own self and has wandered into transgressions and laziness then he has neglected himself, so if an individual has neglected himself then what is he able to preserve after that?! It is the most valuable thing with him. Concerning this He-the Most High has said:
((By Nafs (Adam or a person or a soul), and Him who perfected him in proportion; Then He showed him what is wrong for him and what is right for him. Indeed he succeeds who purifies his own self (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allah ordered, by following the true faith of Islamic monotheism and by doing good deeds).))
Purifies it (Zakkaaha) meaning: to cleanse it from disobedience and sin then followed by obedience and good deeds and it is by this that one purifies his soul.
((And indeed he fails who corrupts his own self (i.e. disobeys what Allah has ordered by rejecting the true faith of Islamic monotheism, and by following polytheism and by committing every kind of sin).))
Meaning: to tarnish/defile with sin, disobedience and evil deeds neglecting it abandoning it and that which it needs, concerning this Allah, far removed is He from what they ascribe to Him, The Most High says:
((The Day when man shall remember what he strove for, And the Hellfire shall be made apparent in full view for (every) one who sees))
The hellfire will be made apparent and it will be seen by him by way of his own vision. None of us in this world have seen the hellfire, we have not seen al Jaheem which has been mentioned by Allah, for indeed it is from the Realm of the Unseen, we have belief in its existence and perform the relevant actions which will help us avoid its threat. We have not seen it but in the hereafter man will see it with his own vision in front of his face:
((And the Hellfire shall be made apparent in full view)) after it has been in the realm of the unseen, that which was hidden from mankind is then made apparent and brought forth in front of them.
((Then for him who transgressed all bounds, (in disbelief, oppression and evil deeds of disobedience to Allah).And preferred the life of this world (by following his evils lust and desires).Indeed his abode will be Hellfire;))
What an evil abode, we seek refuge in Allah, the abode of the hellfire; he will find no other abode other that it. We ask Allah for his Pardon.
((But as for him who feared standing before his Lord...))
He fears being brought forward before his Lord, standing in His presence, in order that he is brought to account. And every one of his servants/slaves will eventually meet Him and will stand in his presence then Allah – the Most High- will bring him to account. ((... feared standing before his Lord)) He feared him in this worldly life and acted in accordance to this, preparing himself for his meeting with Allah.
((...And restrained, and restrained himself from impure desires and lusts. Indeed, Paradise will be his abode.))
It is the everlasting abode, Paradise its width, the likes of the heavens and the earth, as for the Hellfire then it is constricted, filled with misery, hardship, distress, pain and suffering.
((...It will be his abode.(i.e. Paradise))) it will be where he will inhabit, place of residence, he will neither want nor hope to removed from it and so it shall be, his continuous abode for eternity.
So what is the difference between the one whose abode is the Hellfire and the one whose abode is that of Paradise?! An immense difference, so do not become heedless in regards to it.
This is how the creation will be categorised on the Day of Standing: a group in Paradise and a group in the Hellfire, and the reason: the actions of mankind in this life whether good or bad. Allah the Most High has made for His believing servants times wherein they can seek nearness to Him with obedience, performing that which Allah has made obligatory upon them, so that they are those who are successful with the Pleasure of Allah, hence they enter Paradise on the Day of Standing. As for those who were neglectful of that which their Lord The Most High had entrusted them with, and stove to follow their whims and desires, neglecting/abandoning the obligatory rights of Allah and committing those acts which Allah has made prohibited, then indeed Allah has prepared for them ((...a fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are Commanded.))
For you- O’ believer -in this month the doors have been open for you, and the path to Paradise has been made easy for you as the Messenger (sallahu alaihi was sallam) has informed in his saying:
((Verily in it (month of Ramadhaan) the doors of the Hellfire have been closed and the doors of Paradise have been opened for the believers.))
In this month of Ramadhaan the doors of the Hellfire are closed for the believers whilst the doors of Paradise will be opened for them. As for the wretched ones then the doors of the Hellfire are open for the constantly because the do not acknowledge this month neither do they acknowledge other than it. They are more concerned with their stomachs and their desires and attaining joy and fortune in this transient world. They do not value this month as well as not valuing other than it. Indeed every one of their days and months are a means of loss for them due to them becoming carried away in enjoyment with their given senses, the path has been made clear to them but they close their eyes to that pretending not to see. Their hearts are not affected/ interested with it (the shown way) neither are their hearing nor their sight. For this reason they will say on the Day of Standing:
((...Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we would not have been from among the dwellers of the blazing Fire)).
Listened with a receptive ear, and utilized the faculty of understanding, for they have intellect and hearing yet they do not benefit. So even though they (senses) are present, it is as if they are not.
((...Had we but listened...)) if we had listened we would have benefited, ((...or used our intelligence)) if we had given thought we would have benefitted ((..we would not have been from among the dwellers of the blazing Fire)) because they will not be from the companions of the Hellfire except that they are deaf, dumb and blind those who have no good about them. We ask Allah for His Pardon and Forgiveness.
In Summary : That this is a great opportunity in your religion O ‘Muslim so take advantage of it and ask Allah that He Aids you upon righteous action in it and ask Allah for His Acceptance and Increase from his Bounty. So one who reaches Ramadhaan and Allah strengthens him through beneficial means and his taking advantage of the opportunity. So Allah bestows upon him a great blessing and he does not leave out from that a thing for the one who He-the Most High- has given success. Even if he is one who does not have much by way of worldly possession or money.
If Allah favours him with this month he is one who will profit, in reality he is a tradesperson, in reality he is rich, not rich as the one who possesses much in this world yet he is at loss in the hereafter. So he is poor and at loss in this life and the hereafter. This life is not exclusive for any one, this life/world is merely a passage indeed it is like a pathway through which the whole of mankind must pass.
We ask Allah – the Most High and Exalted that He grant us success , that you take advantage of the time and that you strive upon obedience, make repentance for your sins and transgressions. May Peace and Blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and all of his Companions.
_________________
Muslim no. 223
Surah al Shams 7-9
Surah al Shams 10
Surah an-Naazi’aat 35-6
Surah an-Naazi’aat 38-9
Surah an-Naazi’aat 40
Surah an-Naazi’aat 40
Surah at-TaHreem 6
Bukhaari no.3277, Muslim 1079
Surah al Mulk 10