I pray Allah grants you boundless reasons to celebrate more of this day. Happy birthday to you. As you celebrate today, may Allah grant you reasons to celebrate all the days of your life. Happy birthday to you.
This might be my last Ramadan. And I am very excited about it.
I intend to use this month to find, understand and fulfill the purpose of my life for as long as I live. It’s a win-win situation, as inshaAllah, for as long as I am alive, I would be fulfilling the purpose of life in this world, and if I die soon, then at least I would die with the intention of having doing so, in addition to having spent my time productively.
A totally beneficial process in my opinion!
That we are all dying is a fact, for as Allah says:
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ
“Every soul will taste death…”[Surah Ali’Imran; 185]
This ayah however, works its magic differently for me, as on coming to end of the long road of medical treatment for cancer, I can see death more clearly than ever before. On the other hand, the fact that I choose to hold on to my belief in Allah that all cure comes from Him, and in the saying of Prophet Muhammad :
“There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its remedy.” [Bukhari]
I am very hopeful of winning this battle inshaAllah.
With the arrival of Ramadan and its mercies, abundance, and blessings, I want to benefit more from the recommended acts during this month. As I thought about this, I realized what could be better than to use these acts to find, understand, and fulfill the purpose of my existence and live my days more attuned and in sync with it?
From the amount of time that I have lived in this world (a lady never tells her age!) I have learnt through a very hard way how to accomplish these three goals tied to the purpose of our lives.
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” [ Surah Adh-Dhariyat; 56]
There! The purpose of my existence spelled out for me. Whew! 1/3 of the work done.
I firmly believe with all my heart and mind in the word of Allah and accept the truth of the fact that my purpose of existence is solely to “worship Allah .”
UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
Understanding the purpose was as hard as finding the purpose was easy. Let me show you how! As my health started slipping rapidly, holding on to hope as part of my faith, became my goal. But hope is a fickle thing. Sometimes it stayed and at times it deserted me. I realized I needed something stronger than just hope to hold onto my faith, as no matter what, I cannot afford to use my faith!
I searched for ways which could keep my faith going, and to entice hope to stay longer with me. I turned to Allah for help. and He helped me by drawing my attention towards the example of Prophet Ayub . I felt that although the magnitude of my tests is much lesser than his ever were, they fell into similar categories. Losing health, battling personal issues; I felt my plate was overloaded to the point of breaking.
Struggling to be patient and hopeful at times, I yearned to know how he managed both at all times. I tried to get to know him more, in the hope of finding his secret to being so awesome. The immense reward he received from Allah , propelled me further. Even if I got a tiny portion of it, it would be so great! I then came across a lecture on prophet Ayub , and as I sat in the hospital bed with chemo coursing through my veins praying it would work, I eagerly listened.
Allah gave me what I wanted in His own way. I listened to the lecture in the hope of hearing something new about him, but began to feel disappointed when no new information came up. Nevertheless, I decided to go on a with it. The secret finally broke through the cloud of drowsiness brought by the chemo meds, and I sat up!
It was very simple. He had found the purpose of life and kept his focus on it. With all of his worldly possessions, his loved ones, and his body gone, the only thing that worked was his heart and tongue. He used the only things that worked to worship Allah , thus fulfilling the purpose of his existence. I had much more things than him that worked for now!
I felt light; as if a huge boulder had been removed from my chest. Good health and other blessings are as transient as bad health and misfortunes, and this effects the way I live and feel, as it effects my faith. If I simply moved my focus away from what was currently going on in my life in order to fulfill the purpose of my existence (like Ayub had), then no matter what, I would always be working to achieve this purpose.
This is why it is very important to truly comprehend the purpose of our existence. It helps to keep our focus on the main goal -that is to worship Allah – and not get overwhelmed with either a cascade of blessings or a mudslide of misfortunes. Ayub never lost his focus, but instead worshipped Allah in all circumstances.
FULFILL THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
Unlike the previous steps, fulfilling this purpose is an ongoing process. It requires focus on the goal, self-introspection, reflection upon the word of Allah and His creation, and innovation to tailor our acts of worshipping Allah according to our current circumstances .
Life, with its many distractions and with shaitaan as a persistent enemy, keeping our focus on the goal is not a piece of cake. With our busy schedules, self-introspection and reflection seem time consuming! And innovation requires creativity.
This is why, Ramadan is the perfect time to begin the process of finding, understanding, implementing a plan and getting into a habit of fulfilling the purpose of our existence in this world.
For those of you who will fast, each moment that you are fasting you will be in a constant state of worship. We all carve time out to read at least some portion of the Quran, increase our dua’s, consciously make an effort to do good deeds, give charity, and increase our prayers. Use this time to reflect upon the word of Allah , self-reflect and to open your eyes to the magic that unfolds in the creation of Allah each day. Get into a habit of daily dhikr while driving, or even waiting in queues. Beg Allah to help you never lose focus of the goal and help you fulfill it no matter what.
“Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds.” [Surah Kahf; 30]
I take your leave with some promises that Allah has made to us which will come to pass, as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow, inshaAllah.
“Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has Faith, verily, to him will We give a new Life, a life that is good and pure and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.” [Surah An-Nahl; 97]
“To those who believe and do deeds of righteousness has Allah promised forgiveness and a great reward.” [Surah Al-Ma’idah; 9]
Sana Gul Waseem, is a lecturer at Islamic Online University, teaching Business Administration and Islamic Business Ethics. She is also on the author call of Productive Muslim and Islamic Online University and has previously published in SISTERS, Virtual Mosque and Habibi Halaqas.
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Co-written by Shaykh Osman Umarji
As writers on MuslimMatters, it came as a surprise when the website we write on marked itself zakat-eligible on its fundraiser for operations in Ramadan. This website has previously highlighted the misuse and abuse of zakat for vague and dodgy reasons, including instances of outright fraud by nonprofit corporations. We have lamented the seemingly inexorable march from zakat being for living human beings in need to financial play-doh for nonprofit corporate boards.
Estimated global zakat is somewhere between $200 billion to $1 trillion. Eliminating global poverty is estimated at $187 billion– not just for Muslims, but everyone. There continue to be strong interests in favor of more putty-like zakat to benefit the interests of the organizations that are not focused on reducing poverty. Thus, in many ways, a sizeable chunk of zakat benefits the affluent rather than the needy. Zakat, rather than being a credit to the Muslim community, starts to look more like an indictment of it.
No, it’s not ikhtilaf
The recent article on this website, Dr. Usama Al-Azmi seemed somewhat oblivious to the cavalier way the nonprofit corporate sector in the United States treats Zakat. The article did not do justice to legitimate concerns about zakat distribution by dismissing the issue as one of “ikhtilaf,” or a reasonable difference of opinion, as it ignored the broader concern about forces working hard to make zakat a “wild west” act of worship where just about anything goes.
It’s essential to identify the crux of the problem. Zakat has eight categories of permissible beneficiaries in the Quran. 1 Two are various levels of poor, distribution overhead; then there are those whose hearts are to be inclined, free captives, relieve indebtedness, the wayfarer, and the cause of Allah (fisabilillah). The category of fisabilillah, historically, the majority of scholars have interpreted as the cost of jihad (like actual fighting). However, in recent times, Muslim nonprofit corporations, with support of learned Muslim leaders, have adopted an increasingly aggressive and vague posture that allows nearly any beneficial cause to get zakat.
The concerns about the abuse of zakat, and the self-serving desire by corporations to turn fisabilillah into a wastebasket Zakat category that could be “incredibly broad” has to do with far more than a difference of opinion (ikhtilaf ) about the eligibility of Dawah organizations. Let’s assume dawah and educational organizations are eligible to administer Zakat funds. We need to know what that means in practice. What we have is a fundamental question the fisabilillah-can-mean-virtually-anything faction never manages to answer: are there any limits to zakat usage at all?
Show Your Work
We fully understand that in our religious practice, there is a set of rules. In Islamic Inheritance for example, for example, we cannot cavalierly change the definition of what a “daughter” is to mean any girl you want to treat like a daughter. There is an established set of rules relating to acts of worship. For the third pillar of Islam, zakat, there seem to be no limits to the absurd-sounding questions we can ask that now seem plausible.
Unfortunately, we have too many folks who invoke “ikhtilaf” to justify adopting almost any opinion and not enough people who are willing to explain their positions. We need a better understanding of zakat and draw the lines on when nonprofit corporations are going too far.
You can be conservative and stand for zakat as an act of worship that contributes to social justice. You can have a more expansive interpretation friendly to the nonprofit corporate sector’s needs to include the revenue source. Wherever you stand, if you don’t provide evidence and develop detailed uniform and accepted principles and rules that protect those people zakat was meant to help, you are inviting abuse and at the very least, opening the door towards inequitable results. 2
Can you feed the needy lentils and rice for $100 a meal, with margins of $99 a meal going to pay salaries to provide these meals and fundraise for them? Why or why not?
Can a Dawah organization purchase an $80 million jet for its CEO, who can use it to travel the world to do “dawah,” including places like Davos or various ski resorts? What rules exist that would prevent something like this? As far as we know, nothing at all.
Bubble Charity
In the United States, demographic sorting is a common issue that affects all charitable giving, not just giving by Muslims. The most affluent live in neighborhoods with other people who are generally as prosperous as they are. Certain places seem almost perversely designed to allow wealthy residents to be oblivious to the challenges of the poor. There are undeniable reasons why what counts as “charity” for the wealthy means giving money to the Opera, the Met Gala, and Stanford University.
The only real way affluent Muslims know they supposed to care about poor people is that maybe they have a Shaikh giving khutbas talking about the need to do so and their obligation of zakat once a year or so. That is now becoming a thing of the past. Now it is just care about fisabilillah- it means whatever your tender heart wants it to mean.
As zakat becomes less about the poor, appeals will be for other projects with a higher amount of visibility to the affluent. Nonprofits now collect Zakat for galas with celebrities. Not fundraising at the gala dinner mind you, but merely serving dinner and entertaining rich people. Educational institutions and Masajid that have dawah activities (besides, everything a Masjid does is fisabilillah) can be quite expensive. Getting talent to run and teach in these institutions is also costly. Since many of the people running these institutions are public figures and charismatic speakers with easy access and credibility with the affluent. It is far easier for them to get Zakat funds for their projects.
People who benefit from these projects because they send their children to these institutions or attend lectures themselves will naturally feel an affinity for these institutions that they won’t have with the poor. Zakat will stay in their bubble. Fisabilillah.
Dawa is the new Jihad
Jihad, as in war carried out by a Khalifah and paid for with zakat funds, is an expensive enterprise. But no society is in a permanent state of warfare, so they can work towards eliminating poverty during peacetime. Muslim communities have done this in the past. Dawah is qualitatively different from jihad as it is permanent. There was never a period in Islamic history when there was no need to do dawah. Many times in history, nobody was fighting jihad. There was no period of Islamic history when there were there was never a need for money to educate people. Of course, earlier Muslims used zakat in education in limited, defined circumstances. It is not clear why limitations no longer apply.
Indeed dawah is a broad category. For example, many people regard the Turkish costume drama “Diriliş: Ertuğrul” as dawah. Fans of the show can’t stop talking about the positive effects it has had on their lives and their iman. What prevents zakat from funding future expensive television costume dramas? Nothing, as far as we can see.
No Standards or Accountability
Unfortunately, in the United States, there are no uniform, specific standards governing zakat. Anything goes now when previously in Islamic history, there were appropriate standards. Nonprofit corporations themselves decide if they are zakat-eligible or not. In some instances, they provide objectively comical explanations, which supporters within the corporation’s bubble pretty much always swallow whole. Corporations don’t have to segregate Zakat-eligible funds from general funds. When they do, they can make up their own rules for how and when they spend zakat. No rules make zakat indistinguishable from any other funding source since they can change their standards year after year depending on their funding needs (if they have rules at all) and nobody would be the wiser. It is exceedingly rare for these corporations to issue detailed reports on how they use zakat.
The Shift to Meaninglessness
Organizations with platforms (like the one that runs this website) are going to be eager to get on the zakat gravy train. There is no cost to slapping a “zakat-eligible” label on yourself, either financial or social. It seems like everyone does it now. Some Zakat collectors are conscientious and care about helping the poor, though they are starting to look a little old-fashioned. For them, it may make sense to certify Zakat administrators like halal butchers.
Zakat used to be about helping discrete categories of human beings that can benefit from it. It can now mean anything you want it to mean. In the end, though, without real standards, it may mean nothing at all.
Footnotes:
The sunnah also highlights the essence of zakah as tending to the needs of the poor. For example, the Prophet commanded Muadh bin Jabal, when sending him to Yemen, to teach the people that Allah has obligated charity upon them to be taken from their rich and given to their poor (Sahih Muslim).
In Islamic legal theory (usool al-fiqh), sadd al-dhariya is a principle that refers to blocking the means to evil before it can materialize. It is invoked when a seemingly permissible action may lead to unethical behavior. This principle is often employed in financial matters.
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#Current Affairs
Ramadan is a time of sacrifice, and the Eid honors and celebrates the fulfillment of that sacrifice. But for many the hardships do not end.
Ramadan is a time of sacrifice, and the Eid honors and celebrates the fulfillment of that sacrifice. But for many the hardships do not end.
Between one million and three million Muslims are being detained in concentration camps in China, while masjids are being demolished and imams executed.
The Rohingya Muslims of Burma continue to suffer from terrible persecution. In one Rohingya refugee camp on the Burma / Bangladesh border there are half a million children. These children are banned by the Burmese authorities from attending school and are at risk of early marriage, child labor or being trafficked.
In the Central African Republic, the Muslim minority lives in daily fear of being killed, especially in the south.
The Palestinians continue to suffer after seventy years of occupation, with no end in sight.
Russian and Assad regime attacks on civilians continue in Syria, with the real possibility of an upcoming genocide in Idlib province.
Heroes Abound
In the midst of this all suffering, heroes abound. There’s Serikzhan Bilash of Kazakhstan, who has labored feverishly to document China’s internment of Muslims across the border. He urges those in his organization to continue their work, even as he himself has been arrested.
Those Rohingya children I mentioned in the refugee camp, banned from attending school? One 14-year-old Rohingya girl mentioned in the article has managed to enroll in school in Bangladesh. Her mother sold her food rations and borrowed money to create a fake Bangladeshi birth certificate, then paid a smuggler to take her daughter out of the camp. The girl herself says, “People hate the Rohingya here. I don’t tell people I am one… I have to lie about my identity to survive. Even though it’s a big struggle… I am able to study. There are hundreds of thousands of kids like me inside of the camps who are forced to marry off early…They have no opportunities.”
Also in that camp is 13-year-old Halim, who runs his own tutoring service, where he teaches more than 20 children. He says, “I am teaching them so they can do something for our nation. If they don’t learn anything, they can’t prosper in their life, as well as they can’t fight for the nation.”
In Palestine, let us not forget Razan al-Najjar, a 21-year-old volunteer paramedic from Gaza who was shot by an Israeli sniper on June 1, 2018, while tending to a tear gas victim. In her last Facebook post, the day before she was killed, she wrote, “Your conscience will be comforted as much as possible since God always knows your intention. #sleep_well Be good.”
In Syria, we have Dr. Omar Ibrahim, an Egyptian neurosurgeon who could probably be earning a hefty salary anywhere in the world, but instead labors under constant bombardment in the war-torn and half crushed city of Idlib. He’s been in Syria for five years and says, “I have no regrets about doing this work. Because I have passion for my work, and this work inspires me.”
A Religion of Heroes
Dr. Omar Ibrahim
Such stories are amazing, but they are not unique. There are countless heroes, and should that surprise us? Islam is a religion of heroes, and has always been so, going all the way back to its inception in Makkah, when the Prophet Muhammad (sws) drew around himself the weak and powerless, the slaves and foreigners. They were tortured, but did not surrender their new faith. Heroes.
Or, several years later, when the disbelievers of Arabia came in great numbers to wipe the Muslims off the face of the earth. The Muslims dug a great trench around Madinah, and held off the attackers under conditions of hunger and terrible cold, until – with Allah’s help – the siege was broken. Heroes.
So if you thought such heroes were a thing of the past, remember Serikzhan Bilash, the Rohingya girl, Halim, Razan al-Najjar, Dr. Omar Ibrahim and the untold, uncounted heroes like them. You may even know a few heroes personally. I do.
There’s my friend Karim, who works for an organization that sponsors Muslim orphans. He’s overworked and underpaid, and struggles to support his family and two children. He’s highly experienced and could earn more somewhere else. But he sticks with it because he believes in Islamic work.
I think also of my daughter’s homeroom teacher, sister Sharmeen. She’s an enthusiastic teacher who pushes the children to read, write and understand the roots of language. She does more than is required and is not appreciated as she should be. But once again, her passion drives her.
Persistence of Dua’
Our local Imam recently gave a khutbah about the importance of dua’. He said that Allah loves the dua’ that is persistent. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Daa’ wa’l-Dawa’: “One of the most beneficial of remedies is persisting in dua’.”
So be persistent. Pray for our suffering Ummah, and pray for our heroes. And donate whatever you can spare to the organizations that work on their behalf.
My Ordinary Life
As for me, my life is ordinary. On the morning of Eid, I, my mother and my daughter Salma – who is twelve years old now – wake up early and put on our best clothes, inshaAllah. We get in the car and stop at Krispy Kreme donuts. I buy a box of a dozen to share with others after Salat al-Eid, and a few extras in a bag for our family, so we don’t have to wait in a long line and elbow people to snatch a cruller.
I pick up my cousin’s son, who does not have a car. We go downtown to the Fresno convention center and sit among a thousand other Muslims. We recite the Takbeerat al-Eid, praising Allah’s greatness. The Eid salat begins, then I strain to hear the khutbah as so many people begin chattering right away. Especially, the sisters. Sorry ladies, but it’s true :-)
I know, it all sounds a bit silly, but I’m excited. It’s a wonderful day. I see brothers that I haven’t seen since last year. Everyone is wearing their best outfits.
But it’s not about the donuts or the nice clothes. It is this feeling of sharing a connection with every Muslim around the world; a feeling of being part of something great.
When we return home, my mother makes cookies, and we put some decorations on the walls. Salma opens her presents, which this year are a new Switch game, a dartboard and a pearl necklace. It’s the first piece of real jewelry I’ve ever bought her. Buying it left me with $18 in my bank account, which means I predict a lot of Uber driving (my side job) in my near future. So I hope she likes it.
On such days, I thank Allah that I am alive to see another sunrise. Another day to strive to be a better Muslim and a better human being.
The Spirit of the Prophets
I also talk to Salma, as I do every year, about our Muslim brothers and sisters who are struggling all over the world, fighting for their freedom and their very survival. They don’t have pizza and donuts on Eid or pearl necklaces. Some are starving. Most have lost someone: a parent, a child, a sibling or a friend. Some have been utterly devastated.
Yet they are resolute. They have a deep strength that, like the well of Zamzam, never runs dry, SubhanAllah. They will not give up their hopes, their dreams or their faith, Allah willing.
These are the real heroes of Eid. I feel small next to them. They are the ones living the spirit of the Prophets and the Sahabah. They have made the greatest sacrifices, and are still striving, undaunted. They are living the words of Allah:
“Say: ‘Verily, my ṣalāh, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are all for Allāh, the Lord of the ‘Alameen’”(6:162).
May Allah ease the hearts of all who are suffering, replace pain with comfort and joy, sickness with health, oppression with liberation, and tyranny with freedom. May Allah give them security, safety, comfort, victory, and Jannah.
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Alhamdulillah last session we were able to cover the meanings of verses 83-98. InshAllah tonight we’ll explore the meanings of verses 99-110, which will bring us to the end of this noble and beautiful Surah. Just as a quick reminder, the last set of verses related the story of Dhul Qarnain, who was an upright and God-conscious ruler who ruled over the entire known world of his time. He was a righteous servant of Allah to whom Allah granted might, power and sovereignty over the world along with knowledge and wisdom. He was a special servant of God. We’re told about his journeys to the east, west, and north as well as his building of a huge wall to prevent Ya’jūj and Ma’jūj from escaping. This story highlighted the fitna and trial of might, power, leadership, and authority and showed us that the way to deal with it is through faith and sincerity. Dhul Qarnain was tested with a lot of wealth and power but it was unable to corrupt him because of his faith and sincerity. The Surah follows the story of Dhul Qarnain with a scene from the Day of Judgment.
Verse 99: And We shall leave them, on that day, to surge over one another like waves. And the trumpet shall be blown, and We shall gather them together.
The first part of this verse is referring to Ya’jūj and Ma’jūj and the second part refers to resurrection, when the Angel Isrāfīl will blow into the horn bringing all creation back to life. On that day, is referring to the day near the end of times when Ya’jūj and Ma’jūj will break through the barrier and surge down the mountains like waves upon humanity destroying everything in their way. As Allah ﷻ tells us in Surah Al-Anbiya, “Until when [the dam of] Gog and Magog has been opened and they, from every elevation, descend…” They will wreak havoc for a period of time known to Allah until they will be destroyed.
As we’ve covered before there will be two instances when the trumpet will be sounded. Allah has appointed the Angel Isrāfīl to blow into the trumpet. This will happen twice. The first time every single thing will be destroyed. The second time every single thing will be brought back to life. This is how the day of Resurrection will start. The sūr, which is a trumpet or a horn, will be blown and all of mankind will rise from their graves and come towards the plain of judgment. That’s what Allah ﷻ is mentioning here in this verse, “And the trumpet shall be blown, and We shall gather them together.”
The Surah then describes a scene from the day of Judgment that’s specific to the non-believers. Those who received the message and consciously chose to reject it and rebel against God and His messengers.
Verse 100-101: And We shall present Hell, on that Day, as an array before the non-believers, those whose eyes were veiled from the remembrance of Me, and could not hear.
Meaning on the Day of Judgment Allah ﷻ will show the non-believers Hell Fire, exposing it to them so that they can see it with their own eyes. They will see it with their own eyes and hear its raging and frightening sounds even before entering it. Allah then describes the non-believers with 3 characteristics, which are essentially three reasons why they will be punished in the hereafter:
1) “Those whose eyes were veiled from the remembrance of Me, and could not hear.” They weren’t able to understand the truth when it was presented to them because they were spiritually blind and deaf. They were blind to the signs of Allah’s existence and power all around them spread throughout the universe, so they never thought or reflected over them. On top of that, they weren’t able to understand what was being recited to them. Meaning, they consciously chose to ignore the message and turn away from it. Here Allah is contrasting their condition in the hereafter to their condition in the life of this world. In this world, they chose to turn away from belief in the fire and in the hereafter, they won’t have the option to turn away. The veil over their eyes will be removed and they will see the consequences of their choice.
2) The second is that they worshipped others besides Allah.
Verse 102: Do those who disbelieve reckon that they may take My servants as protectors apart from Me? Truly We have prepared Hell as a welcome for the disbelievers!
Allah is scolding them and showing them their mistake. Did they really think or believe that they could take created beings or inanimate objects as protectors apart from Me? Did they really believe that worshipping idols, angels or people would benefit them or help them in any way? There’s no help or protection except with Allah, who deserves to be worshipped alone without any partners. As Allah ﷻ says in Surah Maryam, “No! Those “gods” will deny their worship of them and will be against them opponents [on the Day of Judgment].” Allah then tells us that their punishment is Jahannam, which has been prepared as a resting place for them. “Truly We have prepared Hell as a welcome for the disbelievers!”
3) The third quality that the non-believers are described with is that they are fools for thinking that their actions in this world will be of any benefit to them in the Hereafter.
Verse 103-104: Say, “Shall We inform you who are the greatest losers in respect to their deeds? Those whose efforts go astray in the life of this world, while they think that they are virtuous in their works.
In this verse, Allah ﷻ is addressing the Prophet ﷺ directly and he’s telling him to pose this question to the non-believers. “Shall We inform you who are the greatest losers in respect to their deeds?” Do you want to know who the greatest and biggest losers are with respect to their deeds? They are the ones who did good deeds and put in effort, but all of it went to waste. Those individuals who were misguided in the life of this world so their actions were guided by their wants, desires, and pleasures. Their actions were misplaced and not guided by faith in Allah. The reason why all of their efforts will go to waste is their disbelief or absence of faith. As Allah says,
Verse 105-106: They are those who disbelieve in the signs of their Lord, and in the meeting with Him. So their deeds have gone to waste, and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall assign them no weight. That is their recompense, the Jahannam, for having disbelieved and for having taken My signs and My messengers in mockery.
The greatest losers with respect to their deeds are those who reject the signs of Allah in this world. Those who refuse to accept the oneness, might, power and magnificence of Allah, those who refuse to believe in life after death and accountability. Their deeds will go to waste and on the Day of Judgment, they won’t have any weight. We know from multiple verses and narrations that our deeds are going to be weighed on the Day of Judgment. And on the Day of Judgment, it’s not about the number of deeds but the quality. That’s why on the Day of Judgment our deeds won’t be counted but they will be weighed. It could be that the weight of one action or deed is more than a thousand other deeds.
Those actions that are devoid of faith and sincerity will have no weight whatsoever. As Allah ﷻ says in Surah Al-Furqān, “And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed.” Their recompense is the fire of Jahannam, and that is the ultimate justice and fairness. They get punishment as recompense because of their rejection and disbelief and mockery of Allah’s signs and His messengers. Allah ﷻ then contrasts the punishment of the non-believers with the reward of the believers in Paradise.
Verse 107-108: Those who believe and perform righteous deeds, theirs shall be the Gardens of Paradise as a welcome. Abiding therein forever, they don’t seek any change from it.
Just as Hell is a “welcome” for the non-believers, Paradise is a true “welcome” for the believers. Meaning, those who believe in the existence and oneness of Allah, believe in the Prophet ﷺ and life after death and that faith expresses itself through their actions, their reward will be Gardens of Paradise. Again we see this formula being mentioned, faith + righteous deeds. This is the simple formula to achieve success in this world and the next. Our faith has to be real and practical; it has to translate into action. If we do so then our reward will be Jannah al-Firdaws, which is the highest and most virtuous level of Paradise. The Prophet ﷺ said, “When you ask Allah for Paradise ask Him for Al-Firdaws. It is the highest level of Paradise, the middle of Paradise and the rivers of Paradise flow from it.”
إذا سألتم الله الجنة، فاسألوه الفردوس، فإنه أعلى الجنة، و أوسط الجنة، و منها تفجر أنهار الدنة.
In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said, “In Paradise, there are a hundred levels, what is between every two levels is like what is between the heavens and the earth. Al-Firdaws is its highest level, and from it the four rivers of Paradise are made to flow forth. So when you ask Allah, ask Him for Al-Firdaws.”
They will be in Paradise for all of eternity, enjoying all of its pleasures and not wanting or desiring anything other than it. Allah (swt) then tells us about the extent and vastness of His knowledge. That his knowledge is infinite. This is also a description of the greatness and status of the Qur’ān.
Verse 109: Say, “If the ocean were ink for the words of my Lord, the ocean would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We brought the like thereof to replenish it.”
“The words of my Lord” may be a reference to Allah’s infinite knowledge or wisdom or the meanings of the Qur’ān. Meaning that if the oceans were turned into ink and the words of Allah were to be written with this ink, then the ink would run out and the words of Allah (swt) would still be left, even if more ink were to be brought. This is an example to make us understand the vastness of Allah’s knowledge, wisdom, and secrets. This example is being given to make us as human beings recognize the infinite nature of Allah’s knowledge as compared to or finite and limited knowledge.
The ocean is the largest and richest creation known to us as human beings. It takes up more than 70% of the surface of the Earth. And we use ink to document and record our knowledge, which we think is vast and amazing. So Allah gives this example of the ocean as ink being used to write and record His words. The entire ocean is used up and then it’s replenished but the words of Allah are still being written. This example is trying to help us comprehend the difference between the infinite and the finite. “And if all the trees on earth were pens, and if the sea and seven more added to it were ink, the words of Allah would not be exhausted. Truly Allah is Mighty, Wise.” This example should allow us to recognize the greatness and magnificence of Allah ﷻ as well as humble us as human beings as well.
We as human beings should never be deceived or fooled by our own intellect and abilities. No matter how much we learn and how advanced we become scientifically and technologically, it’s nothing compared to the infinite knowledge and wisdom of Allah ﷻ. Our knowledge compared to the knowledge of Allah is like a drop of water compared to all the oceans. Allah ﷻ then ends the noble Surah by reminding the Prophet (saw) about humility and us about the path of true salvation.
Verse 110: Say, “I am only a human being like you. It has been revealed to me that your God is one God. So whosoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him perform righteous deeds and make no one a partner with his Lord in worship.
Allah ﷻ is speaking directly to the Prophet ﷺ. He’s telling him to tell his nation, his community, that he is a human being just like them. He’s not an Angel nor is he divine in any way. He eats, drinks, walks, talks and sleeps just like them. The only difference is that he ﷺ receives revelation from above from the Most High. It has been revealed to him that there is only one God, alone without any partners. So whoever believes in the meeting with their Lord, meaning they believe in the last day, resurrection, accountability and judgment. They know that the life of this world is temporary and finite and that the life of the hereafter is eternal and infinite, should “perform righteous deeds and make no one a partner with his Lord in worship.”
Righteous deeds include fulfilling all of our obligations, obeying the commands of Allah and staying away from His prohibitions. It includes all voluntary acts of worship such as praying, fasting, reading Quran, making dua, dhikr and charity. It includes being kind to our parents, spouses, children, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers. It even includes smiling at someone. There are multiple paths of righteousness in Islam.
We’re then reminded to not associate partners with Allah in our worship; to not commit shirk. There are two types of shirk: al-shirk al-akbar and al-shirk al-asghar. Al-Shirk Al-Akbar is associating partners with Allah; it’s an act of disbelief. Al-Shirk Al-Asghar refers to ostentation and showing off or not having sincerity in acts of worship. The Prophet ﷺ referred to ostentation as “the lesser idolatry.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “I do not fear that you will worship the sun, the stars and the moon, but I fear your worshipping other than Allah through ostentation.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “What I fear most for my community is doing things for other than the sake of Allah.” Ibn al-‘Arabi quotes his shaykh, “Let not the hours of your dear life pass away confronting contemporaries and socializing with friends. Watch out! Allah concluded His statement on the following verse…”
Alhamdulillah that brings us to then end of this noble and beautiful Surah. A Surah that has a special and unique status because the Prophet ﷺ encouraged us to recite it specifically on Fridays. Through four stories the Surah focuses on four different types of trials we’re going to face in this world and how to respond to them.
1) The story of the people of the cave represents the trial of faith. And we’re taught that one of the best ways to deal with it is through good company; surrounding ourselves with people of faith and righteousness.
2) The story of the owner of the two gardens is representative of the trial of wealth. And we’re taught the most powerful way to deal with it is by recognizing the reality of the life of this world.
3) The story of Musa (as) with Khidr is representative of the trial of knowledge and the way to deal with it is through seeking knowledge and humility.
4) The last story, the story of Dhul Qarnain is representative of the trial of power. The solution is sincerity and righte
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Ramadan Wishes : The holy month Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and a great opportunity for all Muslims to purify their mind, body, heart and soul by fasting and praying to Almighty Allah. The Ramadan is not only for fasting but also all Muslims should dedicate themselves in self-sacrifice like abstain from taking drink or food and physical needs, asking forgiveness for their wrongdoings and devoting themselves to Allah. And make sure that your friends and family have the proper benefits of this Ramadan so inform them about the activities and duties of this holy month. Here are some Ramadan Kareem wishes, messages and prayers to greet your Muslim friends and family to have a happy Ramadan that could make them feel more attentive to fulfill all religious obligation of this holy Ramadan of 2019.
Happy Ramadan Wishes
Ramadan Mubarak to you and your family. May the holy essence of this auspicious month remain in your heart and life!
Happy Ramadan. Wishing a blessed Ramadan that will inspire you with courage and strength that will help you to win every challenge of life!
Almighty Allah offered lots of spiritual reward for this month of Ramadan! You must observe fasting and refrain from sinful activities. May Allah bless you and your family. Happy Ramadan Kareem!
I hope you will achieve the purification of the soul upon commemorating the month of Ramadan. Wishing you a blessed and Happy Ramadan!
Let’s celebrate as the month of Ramadan begins here. Filling our life happiness and mirth, as Allah bless as once again with prosperity and cheer. Happy Ramadan!
Ramadan Kareem. May this holy month bless you and your family with togetherness and happiness and all your good deeds, prayers and devotions get acceptance by Allah Almighty!
Four Weeks of mercy, 30 days of worship, 720 hours of Spirituality. 43,200 Minutes of Forgiveness, 2592000 Seconds of Happiness, Ramadan Kareem Mubarak.
That time of the year has come. A month to repent from our wrong-doings and sin. May all of us find peace on this Ramadan. Happy Ramadan Kareem!
Welcome the month of Ramadan with the heart filled with peace, harmony and joy. May the divine blessings of Allah protect and guide you.
Happy Ramadan to everyone. May all your devotions are answered and May Allah rewards you for all the good deed you!
Sending wishes on this holy month that may Allah always bless you and your family with joys, togetherness and happiness. Happy Ramadan.
May the holy spirit of the month of Ramadan spark in your heart always and guide you to walk through your life. Ramadan Mubarak.
Wish you to have a blissful Ramadan. May the Rahmat of Almighty Allah shine upon you and your family always!
Wishing you a happy Ramadan. May God bless your path with knowledge and light that will help to enlighten your heart!
Ramadan Mubarak. May the blessings of Ramadan pour your life with happiness, togetherness and triumphs and shine with the divine blessings of Allah!
Happy Ramadan to everyone. May the blessings of the month Ramadan be on all of us and may Allah grant our prayers and fasts!
Ramadan Wishes for Friends
My friend, Welcome to the month of Ramadan. And hope you will keep a distance from all kind of sinful behavior. Make increase offering of Salat and recitation of the Holy Quran. Wishing you all blessings.
May Allah save you from the influence of Devil and the divine blessings of Almighty Allah protect and guide you. My mate, Have a peaceful and happy Ramadan! May Allah keep you in blessings.
My dear best friend, My only wish for you in this Ramadan that, May Almighty Allah granted forgiveness to you. Offer more and more prayer with fasting for Allah. Have a blessed Ramadan!
Dear Friend, On the month of Ramadan, make increase doing good deeds and charity. I am wishing that this Ramadan will bring peace and happiness in your life and in your family. Ramadan Mubarak.
This is the month of Mercy, Forgiveness, and freedom from the hellfire. You should more and more Pray to Allah. And observe fasting with TAQWA. May this Ramadan brings peace in your life.
Ramadan is the month of blessings. This is the month of begging pardon to Allah, the month of assoil. And dear, congratulations to you because it’s Ramadan. I am wishing all the blessings for you.
We should be very much obliged to Almighty Allah who gives us the chance of prayer in the holiest month of Ramadan. May Allah bring happiness for you in this Ramadan. Ramadan Mubarak to you.
May this month of Ramadan be fruitful. Here’s wishing you to receive the most delightful gifts of Ramadan, Happy Ramadan Kareem to you, my friend!
Keep the faith. The vision is always for the appointed time. Be patient, prayerful and wait for the fulfillment of your visions. Have a blessed Ramadan!
Allah made you Muslim because he wants to see you in JANNAH. All you have to do is prove that you’re worthy of it. Wishing You a Happy Ramadan Mubarak!
I pray for your continuous abundance in life, satisfaction, and joy. May all of these will be a grant to you, for you are a great brother I treasure. A blessed Ramadan to you!
Ramadan Messages
All I wish that on this holy month your heart and home be filled with all the blessings of Almighty. Happy Ramadan.
May this Ramadan bring the blessings for the entire humanity that we can walk on the way of peace and harmony! Happy Ramadan to everyone.
I wish that the spirit of Ramadan enlighten your heart and help you clearly judge between truths and false, or right and wrong. Ramadan Mubarak.
Ramadan is not only by fasting we need to feed the hungry, help needy, guard our tongue, not to judge others and forgive. That is the spirit of Ramadan.
May this festivity push peace to transcend the earth, let light brighten up the world and grow hope to every Muslim’s heart. Happy Ramadan!
As you fasts and offers prayers to Allah, may you find your peace and happiness. Have a peaceful and happy Ramadan!
As you do abstinence every day of this holy month of Ramadan, May the spirit of faith, the warmth of love and the power of togetherness are with you always.
I wish Allah bless you with a happy Ramadan and usher upon your life with peace, health, and prosperity.
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Ramadan is the best chance to ask Allah for forgiveness. Thank him for his blessings and for keeping you alive until this moment.
As the auspicious month of Ramadan starts, may the crescent-shaped moon brighten your path toward enlightenment and may Allah bless you with peace and grace. Wishing you a Happy Ramadan!
The key to success is reflected in the Qur’an. May we find blessing and guidance as we recite it altogether in the Ramadan days. Happy Ramadan!
Let the spirit of Ramadan remain in your hearts and light up your souls from within. Ramadan Kareem.
Sending heartily wishes on this holy month that May God blesses you with pleasure and fill your home with His gracefulness. Ramadan Mubarak.
I wish you a very happy Ramadan. May Almighty ease all your sufferings and open a new door to success!
In this holy month of Ramadan, may Allah make it easy for you to keep fasts and grace you with the strength to do all the prayers! Ramadan Kareem.
Let this graceful month enlighten all our darkness, wash away our sorrows, and ease our pains. May our prayers get accepted from the Almighty! Ramzanul Mubarak.
Ramadan Mubarak Greetings
Allah’s blessings will always be on us. Celebrate and enjoy as once again, we will be given a chance to repent and ask for forgiveness for our sins and be forgiven. Ramadan Mubarak!
Humility for prosperity, Sacrifice for blessings, Bended knees for rewards, Heart laid down for worship To Allah who deserves these all. Ramadan Kareem!
I wish this Ramadan, you are gifted with blessings of Allah and many treasured moments of joy! Ramadan Mubarak!
Welcome Ramadan, Walk humbly, Talk politely, Dress neatly, Treat kindly, Pray attentively, Donate generously, May ALLAH bless and protect you!
As you feast on your Iftar, I pray nothing but good health and prosperity in your family and friends. May you share it with love on your loved ones.
Quran reminds us that we have to stay pure before the throne of Allah. As Ramadan is fast approaching, Let’s prepare our hearts and minds that We may be united spiritually with the almighty one. Ramadan Mubarak!
We wish you a warm and bright spirit on your Ramadan occasion. For Allah, the great maker will bring us joy and peace on this holiday. Ramadan Kareem!
As the month of Ramadan starts, talk respectfully, treat others kindly, walk modestly and pray sincerely. May Allah bless you and your family.
Ramadan Kareem Quotes
“Whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.” – Sahih Bukhari
“When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.” – Sahih Bukhari
“Fasting is the shield, it will protect you from the hellfire and prevent you from sins.” – Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
“He has left his food, Drink, and desires for my sake, The fast is for me, So I will reward (The fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times” – Sahih Al Bukhari
Ramadan is knocking at our door with holding all its blessings, grace, mercy and forgiveness; and calling all the true Muslims to perform their devotions.
Let dedicate your soul, mind and body for the devotion of the holy month of Ramadan and be blessed with maximum benefits.
Ramadan is the month of blessings for the Muslim society which is the opportunity to nourish all the seeds of their good deeds.
Let’s not change ourselves only for the holy month of Ramadan, but reform ourselves to devote for Allah till the death comes.
Though you cannot perform all the rituals perfectly during Ramadan, Allah will not see that perfectness, but the dedication you hold in your heart. Keep on trying.
Ramadan brings good news to all the true Muslims who have fear for their Lord in their hearts. So count every single day to be the better Muslim.
Your fast, prayer and dedication for Allah during Ramadan are the shield that will work for you in the life hereafter and protect you from the hellfire.
As it has been now a tradition to wish through messages, e-mails or social media to wish on the arrival of the Ramadan, we’ve included here some Ramadan wishes, messages and quotes to send as Ramadan Mubarak greetings. The auspicious month of Ramadan is knocking at our door. It is a blessing to the entire mankind. This nine month of Islamic calendar holds a significant place in the life of Muslims. Let your family, friends, boss, colleagues and coworkers wish with these beautiful and inspirational Ramadan wishes, messages and quotes mentioned above.