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Friday Talks |
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Friday Talks |
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167 |
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God fearing and Fasting
Written by: Salem Faituri
Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa
25/07/2014
28 Ramadan 1435
Dear brothers and sisters, Allah says: {
O ye who believe! Be God fearing, and speak words which are valid and proper and straight; (70) He will make your deeds right and will forgive you your sins. Whosoever obeys Allah and His messenger, he verily has gained a great victory. (71)} 33:70-71.In this great verse of the Quran Allah commands us to be God fearing in public an in private. Allah (May He be praised) Has promised us in return that our deeds will be corrected, and our sins would be forgiven in this life, and achieving the greatest victory and tremendous grace in the next life.
God fearing is the advice given by the earlier and later believers. Allah says: {
We have advised the people of the Book before you as well as you (O Muslims) to fear Allah. But if you deny Him then to Allah belong all things in the heavens and on earth, and Allah Has all wealth, worthy of all praise.} 4:131In this verse Allah commanded all His creations (past and present) to be God fearing. He is more specific at advising the believers who have faith as Allah says: {
O ye who believe! fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except as Muslims} 3:102 . Allah also says: {O you who believe! Fear Allah and let every soul look to what (provision) he/she has put forward for tomorrow. And God fearing, for Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that you do.} 59:18.Dear brothers and sisters, fasting worship is considered one of the most important routes to reach a state of God fearing. Fasting has numerous benefits and Allah Has imposed it upon us for many good reasons. One of the most important is achieving God fearing state. Yes, God fearing is one expected benefit of fasting. Allah says: {
O you who believe! fasting is dictated to you as it was dictated to those before you that you may become God fearing} 2:183.God fearing was defined by some scholars as: “For Allah not to see you where He deterred you against, and Not to miss you where He commanded you to be”
Tulq Ebn Habeed (ŘáŢ ĹČä ÍČíČ) said: God fearing is to carry on doing your deeds in obedience to Allah, in light from Allah, and in expectation of reward from Allah; And also to refrain from Allah’s disobedience, in light from Allah, and in fear of Allah’s punishment.
It is from this point that the good people in the past were quite interested in God fearing. They used to investigate it, and work hard for it, and they used ask and enquire about it. Omar ben Khuttab asked Abey-Ka3f (ĂČí ßÚČ ) What God fearing is. He answered him by saying: Have you ever travelled a path with lots of thorns? Omar said: yes. Abey Ka3b asked: “then; what did you do?”. Omar said: “Pulled myself together in preparation, and put a huge effort in being careful”. Abey-Ka3b said: “That’s God fearing”.
Hassan Basri said: “God fearing will remain in the God fearing people until they give up much of what is allowed (or Halal) in fear of stepping into the what is forbidden (haram)”
God fearing qualifies the slave to achieve the status of being of the people of Allah, and His loved ones and those who are protected by Him. Allah says: {
Behold! Those under the custody of Allah no fear and no grieve shall come on to them; those who believed and were God fearing. It is that for them are Glad Tidings, in this life and in the next: no change can there be in the Words of Allah. That is the real victory or win} 10:62-64.A rich man with great splendour and pageantry beautifully and elegantly dressed once passed by the messenger ppbu. The messenger ppbu asked his companions, what would say about that man? They said: It is obvious that if he speaks; he would be listened to; and if goes for marriage he would not be refused; and if he is to give a reference for someone, then his reference would be accepted. A while late a poor man passed by; and the messenger ppbu asked: what would you say about this man? They said: it is obvious that if he speaks; he would not be listened to; and if goes for marriage he would be refused; and if he is to give a reference for someone, his reference would be refused. The messenger ppbu said: This one –meaning the poor man- is better than as many as the earth would fit of that one –meaning the rich man-.
Therefore, the human evaluation factors are not right. It is God’s evaluation factors are the right ones. It is possible for a real poor person so dear to God that if he makes an oath upon Allah; then Allah will see to it that this oath is honoured. The messenger ppbu said: {there may well be a ragged, shaggy and dusty and deformed person; yet if he makes an oath then Allah will honour it}.
This is my dear brothers and sisters the Godly evaluation measure. Not evaluation of the mankind, but the evaluation of the Lord of mankind. The messenger ppbu said: {On the day of resurrection many a big, great fat man is put on the scale and he would not weight as much as a wind of mosquito}.
Dear brothers and sisters, God fearing is the wished for aim that many people of faith would try to fulfil or achieve as a result of fasting the month of Ramadan. Indeed, the aim of fasting the month of Ramadan is not a soul punishment by denying it what it got accustomed to of food, drink and other desires; and not commanding it to refrain from harming others, arguing, sinning and being disobedient. The main aim of fasting Ramadan is to achieve the status of those who are God fearing. That is the reason the messenger ppbu said: {Who does not refrain from false talking and going according to it then there is no need for him to give up his food and drink}. He also said: {there may be a person who fasts, but all he gets from fasting is the hunger; and there may be a person who stays up the night in prayer; but all he gets from his night prayers is the staying up off his sleep}.
The people who are most happy in both this life and next are the God fearing people. Many times in the Quran it is stated that “Guidance is for the God fearing”; “Counselling and advice is for the God fearing”. Allah say: {
The Hereafter We shall give to those who intend not high-handedness on earth or evil: and the ending and final consequence is (best) for the God fearing} 28:83.The messenger ppbu used to say: {O Allah, I ask You for guidance; and God fearing, virtue and riches}
Notes:
Adhan - The call to prayer.
- The inhabitants of the city of Al-Medina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.
Ansar (or Al-Ansar):
Assalam Alaikum - The Islamic greeting, literately means: Peace be with you. Used when approaching or leaving. When used during approaching it will be like saying: I bring no harm to you . and when said during leaving somebody it will mean: No harm will come to you after I leave.
- is a verse of the Koran. It also means a miracle or a sign from God.
Aya (or Ayah):
- is a mountain outside the city of Mecca that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day.
Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat):
Badr - The place of the first significant battle between the Muslims and the pagans of the Quraish. It is located in Saudi Arabia.
Caliph - A Muslim ruler. See: (Khalifa)
Dajjal - Antichrist or the False Massiah.
Dawah - The proliferation of Islamic teachings through word and deed.
Deen (Din) - Religion or way of life.
- talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help.
Duaa: a prayer in the form of
Fatwa - Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran) and the Sunnah which are the recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad.
Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.
Fiqh - Religious law.
Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger have said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.
Hajar - The Black Stone set into the corner of the Ka'aba in Mecca. It is said to be a stone from Heaven.
Hajj - The pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar. One of the five pillars of Islam.
Hasana or hasanas: is the reward for a good deed. a hasana is a point or a merit for a good deed.
Hadith - The sayings and not deeds of the prophet Muhammad recorded by his followers. Considered authoritative and perfect.
Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.
Hijra (or Hejrah): the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.
Ibadah - Worship. All the words and deeds with which Allah is pleased. These deeds could be prayer and charity.
Iblis - (Ibleese): On of Satan's names.
Ibn (Ebn): the son of. Used by Arabs as part of an individual's name. Example: Ali whose father is Omar or the son of Omar, would be called: Ali Ibn Omar.
Imam (or Emam)- The leader for a prayer. In the Shiaa sect, an Imam is the individual who has the religious authority.
Iman: belief or faith
Injil (Enjeel) - The Bible. The book inspired to Jesus for the Christians.
Islam - Submission, the religion of all the prophets of Allah culminating in Muhammad.
Jannah - The heavenly garden, Paradise. The place of the faithful in the afterlife.
Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word. The greatest Jihad is the fight one's self against temptations. It also means "holy war."
Jinn - Supernatural, invisible beings race of beings, below angels. They were made from fire. Like humans, there amongst them are the faithful and the non beleivers and Jinn shall be judged on Judgment Day.
Ka'aba: A cube shaped building in Mecca containing a stone laid there by Abraham and Ishmael. Some say Ka'aba was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is the holiest place for Muslims. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers. Ka'aba also makes a major part of the pilgrimage in a ritual known as Tawaf.
Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".
Khutbah - A sermon given in a Mosque, usually on Friday.
Kufr - Denial or Disbelief. A term Muslims use for anyone who denies existence of Allah or the prophecy of Muhammed.
Koran - Also spelled Qur'an. The holy book of Islam revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Archangel Gabriel. Koran literally means "the recital." It is the final revelation of Allah given to the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 surahs (or chapters.)
Madinah - (Medinah): A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to. Then it was called Yathrib.
Masjid - A center for Muslim activity. It is referred to as a mosque.
Masiah - A sin, or a sinful act
Mecca or Makkah: is the holiest city for Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Mecca is the birth place of the messenger (PPBU).
Mosque - A Muslim house of worship.
Muhajir - (Muhajireen) Immigrant, one who leaves his home town due to lack of religious freedom. It was first used to describe early Muslims immigrating from Mecca to Median and Ethiopia.
Muhammad - the final messenger and prophet of God whose message abrogated all previous revelations. He received the Koran through the angel Gabriel over a 23 year period. Born in Mecca and died in Medina at the age of 63. His full name: Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah
Muslim - One who holds faith to the religion of Islam.
Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.
Nasara - Christians. Nasrani: A Christian individual. Nasraniah: Christianity.
Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.
Paradise - Another word for heaven. A garden of bliss, fruits, rivers and all forms of pleasures imaginable and imaginable. No suffering, disease or death. Service is provided by angels. All live in it an ever lasting youthful life. Promised by Almighty Allah to all faithful, true Jews, true Christians and True Muslims. Paradise is one of two places every person will go to, either Paradise or Hellfire.
PPBU (P.B.U.H.) : Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the messenger or make a reference to him.
Qadar - Fate. Preordainment is the teaching that all things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.
Qadr - (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. Or when the Koran was brought down to the nearest heaven in one go, and from there it was brought down in bits and few verses at a time over a period of 23 years. This night is considered the holiest night for Muslims with tremendous advantages.
Qibla - The direction which Muslims turn for daily prayers, towards Mecca.
Quraish - An ancient Arab tribe to which the messenger Muhammad belonged.
Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is the month of the fast. The holiest month in the Muslim colander.
Salat - Prayers. Generally it covers all forms of worship, but more specifically refers to the Muslim rituals which is performed to worship Allah five times daily.
Shiaa: A sect of Islam that teaches that a religion leader (Imam) should be the political ruler and must be direct descendants of the messenger (PPBU). Therefore, disapproving of all Muslim leaders who ruled After the messenger (PPBU) except Ali, the messenger's grandson.
Shirk - Associating another god with Allah. Or associating anyone or anything with Allah. Or using anyone or anything as a medium to Allah. The opposite of Monotheism or Tawheed.
Siam or Soam- Fasting
Sunni: is a the title of those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.
Sunna (Sunnah): Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered to be an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes. It is also a title give to the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all Muslims.
Surah - A chapter of the Koran.
Tawaf: part of the pilgrimage (Hajj) ritual. It involves walking round the Ka'aba Mosque in anti-clock wise direction a number of seven circles.
Tauhid - Tawheed - Monotheism, in Islam is the teaching that there is only one God who alone is worthy of worship. The first requirement of becoming a Muslim. It is included in the testimony of faith for new Muslims when declaring that God is one: (No God but Allah)
Taqwah - Proper fear and veneration of Allah. A divine spark that enables the person to understand God.
Taurat: The old Testaments and scriptures of Mosa.
Ummah - the word means: a Nation. Usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise stated.
Umrah - (Amrah): A mini hajj. A Minor form of pilgrimage to Mecca. Unlike Hajj which can only be done on the 12th month of the Islamic year, Umrah can be performed at any time.
Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.
Zaboor - The Psalms
Zakat - The third pillar of Islam. Alms giving, charity that is given to the poor.
