Part 11

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Many people waste a great deal in Ramadan.

Among the various forms of squander is the preparation of excessive food above natural needs. Some people are accustomed to many kinds of food and drink. In Ramadan they load their dining tables in the early morning and evening with everything that is delicious and good. Most of it is left to spoil and is thereafter thrown away.

O you who fast! Be aware of extravagance and waste! There are poor and needy people among the Muslims. Give, therefore, whatever you have in excess to the indigent servants of Allah, perhaps this would be registered for you with Allah Almighty. He says of His servants: ‘Who gives food — however great be their own want of it — unto the needy, and the orphan, and the captive, [saying, in their hearts] “We feed you for the sake of God alone: we desire no recompense from you, nor thanks: Behold, we stand in awe of our Sustainer’s judgement on a distressful, fateful day!”’

The Prophet Muhammad says in an authentic hadith that: on the Day of Judgement Allah Almighty will say: ‘O son of man! I was hungry and you fed me not.’ The servant will reply: ‘How could I have fed You and You are Lord of all the worlds?’ Allah will say: ‘Did you not know that my servant, so and so, was hungry and did not feed him? If you fed him, you would have found that with Me.’ Among the various forms of extravagance is that of excessive sleep way above normal needs, especially in the day. Many people who fast turn their days into spells of deep slumber and negligence. And, strange as it may seem,

they spend many hours staying up at night pursuing matters all too much to account for. They waste their nights in gossip and trivialities. Others spend their nights engaged in things that are totally unlawful and abominable, thereby provoking the anger of Allah Almighty.

Another kind of extravagance that is often witnessed is the time and money spent in preparing for Eid al Fitr - the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. Many Muslims incur expenses far above their ability to pay. They squander huge sums of money on clothes, games and other forms of preparations. Indeed, it is quite common to find people who spend thousands upon thousands upon these vanities when, in reality, they are the meanest of persons when it comes to giving charity and other acts of righteousness.

O you whom Allah has blessed with wealth! Know that in society there are orphans and poor people. Will you not feed the hungry and clothe the naked? Will you not build a mosque? Will you not contact someone with whom your relationship was broken? Will you not relieve the distress from one who is afflicted?

Still another form of waste is the indulgence by those who fast in numerous visits without any gain or benefit. Similarly, they engage in mixing repeatedly with people for no specific reason or interest. In this way, their time is wasted, their age is frittered away and their days are lost. The Quran forewarns that on the Day of Judgement such people will cry: ‘Alas for us, that we disregarded ir!’ (8:31).

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Further waste is witnessed in the addiction to entertainment and recreation. Hence the obsession with games such as football, physical exercises, picnics and other activities that

consume valuable time that could have otherwise been devoted to worship, remembrance of Allah, recitation of the Quran, acquisition of knowledge, propagation, and enjoining good and forbidding wrong. In this light, it is evident that many people squander their time in the strangest ways; yet, tomorrow when the graves throw up what they contain and the hearts reveal what they bear, all these people will see the results of their actions.

On the whole, the various forms of extravagance can be summarized as follows:

People who waste their time in disobedience and sin. Their extravagance is the most dangerous and worst kind.

: People who waste their time by aimlessly strewing it in all directions. They will be most regretful on the Day of the Great Exhibition.

: People who waste time and money on food, drink and clothes which do not increase them except in dejection and anxiety.

People who waste their time in the permissible games, amusement and picnics, They have, in reality, cheated their age.

We ask Allah for success, steadfastness, guidance and strict economy.

Ramadan: the month of righteousness and contact

Fasting brings about a softening of the heart and a humbling of self, It increases the individual in mercy and compassion. The people most deserving of the mercy and goodness of those who fast are his relatives and family members. Ramadan reminds the Muslim of his relatives, in-laws and offspring. Thus he visits them, contacts them, and shows love to them. Allah says: ‘[Ask them:] “Would you, perchance, after having turned away [from God’s commandment, prefer to revert to your old ways, and] spread corruption on earth, and [once again] cut asunder your ties of kinship?” (47:22).

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To cut asunder ties of kinship is, therefore, a major sin. It is one of the most detestable mistakes and calamities. Maintaining contact with one’s relatives is one of the best deeds and greatest demonstrations of righteousness. One wise man of old said:

Surely, that which is between me and my father’s relatives and between myself and my uncle’s relatives is quite different.

If they violate my honour, I will protect their honour.

If they destroy my reputation, | will build their reputation.

And I will never bear any old grudge for them, For the patron of a people never bears ill will.

Also in this regard the noble Prophet & said: ‘No one who cuts asunder the ties of kinship will enter Paradise.’ And how will such a person enter Paradise after they have cut what Allah ordered them to maintain. Again the Prophet 4% said: ‘When Allah created the womb it hung unto the throne and said: “This is the station of the one who seeks refuge in You from being cut off.” Allah said: “Do you not wish that I shall reach out to whomsoever reaches out to you and cut off whomsoever severs ties with you?” The womb said: “Yes.” Then Allah said: “That shall be granted to you.””

Prophet Muhammad also said: ‘The one who maintairis relations is not he who reciprocates but it is he who contacts those who sever ties with him.’ Likewise a man once said to the Prophet &: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I have relatives whom I contact but they sever ties with me. I do well to them but they treat me unkindly.’ The Prophet said: “If the matter is the way you narrate it, then it is like if you fed them with hot ashes and you still have support from Allah.’

With the exception of a few, the majority of the Prophet’s 2 relatives were among his most implacable enemies. They

expelled him from his home, pursued him, denied him of his rights, punished him and waged war against him. Yet, when Allah granted him victory over them, he granted them a pardon that was unparalleled at the time.

Maintaining contact with relatives increases one’s age, elevates it, purifies it and multiplies its rewards abundantly. It is, moreover, a sign of complete faith, awe of Al Rahman — the Most Gracious — and implementation of the Quran. In the same manner, preserving kindred ties acts as a shield for the individual in the battles against evil and disgrace in this world and in the Hereafter. It was narrated in one tradition: ‘Verily Allah ordered me to contact whomsoever severs ties with me and give to whomsoever denies me.’

The greatest relationship and most exalted closeness is that of righteousness, generosity and devotion to parents. It involves prayers for them and obedience in matters that do not lead to disobedience of Allah. ‘For thy Sustainer has ordained that you shall worship none but Him. And do good unto [thy] parents. Should one of them or both, attain to old age in thy care, never say “Ugh” to them or scold, but [always] speak unto them with reverent speech, and spread over them humbly the wings of thy tenderness, and say: “O my Sustainer! Bestow Thy grace upon them, even as they cherished and reared me when I was a child!” (17:24).

oor beret 6 Be tee thee re Tm oe, eco BEE CEG Sikh Aman once came to the Prophet & and asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, who is most deserving of my companionship?’ The Prophet said: ‘Your mother.’ The man said: ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said: ‘Your mother.’ The man again asked: ‘Then who?’ And the Prophet repeated: ‘Your mother.’ Finally the man asked: ‘Then who?’ And the Prophet replied: “Your father.’

An ungrateful son once did wrong to his father, insulted him and denied the good that he had done for him. The father wept and moarted saying:

Llooked after your health as a babe and held hopes for you in adolescence, as you busied yourself with all that befell you.

If the night tormented you with illness I never slept, but remained restless and suffering because of your illness.

As if I were the afflicted and not you, though it was you and not me my eyes cried profusely.

And when you became of age and fulfilled the ambition for which you strove and I hoped

You made my reward hostility and harshness, as if you are the Bestower of all good and favour.

Fasting is perhaps the greatest school for learning righteousness and preserving contact with relatives. It isa spring from which good character flows, a tributary of mercy and a rope of kindness. Fasting amends and purifies the souls of those who fast. Their feelings and entire beings are improved and mobilized. Let us, therefore, return to our relatives in this month and embrace them with visits, overwhelm them with affection, prayers and togetherness. And surely Allah will not cause us to lose the reward of those who do good.

O Allah! Grant us understanding of our religion and plant us firm in the traditions of the leader the God-fearing and guide us to the one and only correct path.

Ramadan: the month of mercy to Muslims

Mercy is a favour from Allah which He places in the hearts of whomsoever He wills. Verily, Allah will have mercy on His servants who are merciful. Allah is the Most Compassionate the Most Merciful. He loves the merciful and calls to mercy. He orders His servants to enjoin patience and mercy. A person may lack mercy for any number of reasons, among them, an abundance of sins and disobedience. They stain their hearts so much so that they ultimately blind them until their hearts become harder than stones. Allah says of the Children of Israel: ‘And yet, after all this, your hearts hardened and became like rocks, or even harder’ (2:74).