THE CRUCIBLE
The dawn of Ramadan ushers in a power that changes the atmosphere and shifts the states of Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
Many ride this incoming wave of energy from the beginning to the end without much effort, but the serious and discerning fasting practitioner knows you cannot do Ramadan by osmosis: meaning that a passive ride-along through the Holy month will not make you breathe the truth of Ramadan through your pores.
One must actively engage the month to earn its gains. There are numerous, but the greatest gift breathed into Ramadan was Allāh’s Kalām, His magnificent speech: ‘The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong)’ [2:185].
Listening to tilāwat al-Quran—Quran recital—or making tilāwat is insufficient to embody the book. Reciting and listening to the Quran undoubtedly have blessings, but its purpose is guidance.
Verse 185 of al-Baqarah—The Cow—is centrally nested within the five verses (2:183-187) of Ramadan, indicating the Quran’s centrality in the month.
When we study the Quran, reflect on its verses, use it as a compass, and allow it to inform our lives, we are applying and rehearsing verse 2:183, which is to gain taqwa—mindfulness of God.
Verse 185 not only propels the four surrounding verses (182-83 & 186-87) into its orbit but also the other verses in the Quran. It is the Quran’s sun and its gravitational well.
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, said: ‘The quality of your thoughts is determined by the quality of your reading.’
If you believe James Clear, as I do, then our thoughts should be superior during Ramadan because of our connection with the Quran. And like the Quranic verses, we, too, would be drawn in by the gravitational force of verse 185.
GOOD WORKS
Ramadan presents us with the best opportunity to build an investment portfolio worthy of escaping life’s difficulties: ‘You who believe, be mindful of God, seek ways to come closer to Him and strive for His cause, so that you may prosper’ [5:35].
Two words of great import in verse 5:35 other than īmān and taqwa (belief and God-consciousness) are 1) wasīla, intercession and 2) jihād, ardent struggle.
This verse is the ‘Golden Goose’ verse and a treasure trove for those wanting to make their jihād worthy of a wasīla.
Using our good works to intercede for us in times of difficulty is permissible, as taught in a ḥadīth (prophetic tradition) about the parable of the three men imprisoned in a cave by a boulder. The men understood that an escape was impossible and that only Allah could set them free. So, they agreed to beseech Allah’s help by presenting the very best of their deeds. Each one called upon Allah, and with each offering, the boulder shifted until the final one moved it enough to free them [Bukhariy 3465].
My spiritual brother and close friend Shaykh Yusuf Agherdien once asked: ‘What if you were the fourth person in the cave and a safe exit hinged upon your offering? What would you present to God?
Allah further reminds us in verse 8:51 that our deeds precede us and prepare our future.
So, this Ramadān, will we endeavour to create deeds that can prepare the best future?
*The ḥadīth has many lessons not shared and discussed here. Read the ḥadīth to learn more
There is no better example of how the corporate elite have co-opted the government and used it to strong-arm public opposition than the Trump/Musk narcissistic spectacle, admonishing the boycott of Musk’s Mega Corporations. You know who has more power when the leader of the most powerful nation in the world is threatening his citizenry in defence of a plutocrat. Yes, Musk, the Plutocrat, along with all the other plutocrats and their corporations, are in charge in this neo-liberal world that most governments occupy.
Trump Musk go, and so, too, must all predatory capitalists and their government handlers.
Ramadan Karim to you and your family
Until next week, InshaAllah
Zaahied Sallie
Author of The Beloved Prophet – An Illustrated Biography in Rhyme
Thanks for reading. Every Friday, I share thoughts and ideas to help cultivate the link between Allah, the Prophet and me (meaning YOU). Enter your email now and become part of the link.
| There are no products |