Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.
Guess the Surah I got this gem from?
On the odd nights of these last 10 nights stay up if you can until dawn. During this time do tawbah (repentance), dhikr (remembrance of Allah) or read Quran. Am sure there are many more things you could do but these are what I try to do. Watching the sunrise is the best; especially if like me you have a forest-like garden.
Ramadan is coming to an end and I am finally up-to-date with my posts – Sorry about my slowness. With only 90 minutes to go, make use of the little time we have left make sincere dua and ask for forgiveness. You never know your prayers today may be the key to unlocking Allah’s mercy and blessings. This blessed month allows us to cleanse ourselves and reflect upon our traits and attitudes, hopefully any changes we have adopted will remain with us for the rest of the year, insha’Allah. Everyone makes their new year’s resolution in January, but I like to make my resolutions at the end of Ramadan because that’s when my new year starts. I hope everyone has a good Eid. I may do a Eid post I may not … I will keep you in suspense. In the meanwhile I will leave you with some wise words:
Watch your tongue long after ramadan…
Take a moment to bear witness the beauty of this world. Everything in this world is made with intricacy. Take a human body. Human is made up of organs, which are made up of cells. The cells are made up of organelles and DNA. DNA can then be broken up into bases, which can be separated into chemical constituents. All chemicals in this world are made up of atoms and atoms are made of neutrons, protons and electrons. Scientific advances have not been able to go any further and discover what makes up protons, electrons and neutrons due to their immensely small size. Everything in this world was once alive, the complexity of how beings operate still baffles many scientist and they are always searching for new answers to their whys, whats and hows.
Humans are incapable of creating anything out of nothing. One of the fundamentals rules of thermodynamics is energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only change form or be transferred. So where did all this start the energy, the blueprints for every living thing?
If your of the muslim kind give thanks and glory to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’Ala) as he is the creator of the heavens and the earth and everything that inhabits it. Be grateful for the world we live in, because one day we will not be alive to bask in its beauty.
“No ones looking, it’s just you and me so why don’t you just take a sip?”
A guy at work yesterday felt sorry for me that I was fasting but I generally enjoy the trials of fasting and do not see it as a hindrance or a problem. When we were on the shop floor alone he made himself a drink (I work as a Barista for those wondering) and he put some aside for me and goes drink it no ones here what is stopping you? – Just to clarify the guy was only joking and not being ignorant. But what was stopping me?
I was alone had no one watching me so I could easily take a sip my family will never know, no other human maybe of witness of me “breaking” my fast. So I had no one in this world that could make me feel terrible and to be frankly honest I could not care less if others saw me. So yet again what was stopping me?
Taqwa (Define: A concept of fearing God and the attitude that accompanies this fear.*)
An article compared taqwa to “walking through a narrow path with thorny bushes on both sides and a person passing through it tries his level best to save his clothes from being torn. The thorns are the sins and the clothes is one’s Eeman.” (I will place the link at the end of the article, it’s definitely worth a read.) My fear of the consequences of the hereafter and displeasing Allah drive me everyday to avoid committing sins and help navigate my moral compass. However, I am not perfect and will openly admit that despite knowing the consequences I sometime succumb to my desires and urges and do commit sins. For that I sincerely hope Allah forgives me as I hope he forgives others of sincere repentance.
Ask yourself what stops you from stealing that bag of m&ms at the shop? attacking someone when they have hurt you or angered you? having an affair when your partner is out-of-town? sniff cocaine because the girl told you that you would be more fun? abandoning your family? And even if it does not stop you, do you ever make an immediate decision without thinking about the consequences? Some people will say it is your conscious that stops you but I know it is my fear of Allah, my taqwa that stops me every time.
*Taqwa is a broad term and you may come across different definition but I have used the definition which best fits the context of this post.
If you want to read the article here is the link:
http://www.ahya.org/amm/modules.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&artid=154
“O you who have believed, fear Allah and believe in His Messenger; He will [then] give you a double portion of His mercy and make for you a light by which you will walk and forgive you; and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” – Surah Al-Hadeed, Holy Quran (57:28)
“Darkness will vanish as soon as you put the light of Quran in your heart.” – Umm Umar Khaled
“This world is like a shadow: run after it and you will never be able to catch it; turn your back against it and it has no choice but to follow you.”
– Ibn al-Qayyim
Tears are a mercy that God has lodged in the hearts of His servants, and God is merciful only to those of His servants who are merciful to others. [Bukhari]
Is it not truely a blessing when you can still feel guilty? If the guilt was taken away, how would you know that you had wronged? How would I know that I had done something bad? The tears we wish we never shed and the guilt that breaks our heart shape us to make us stronger and see evil before it consumes us.
‘Ilm (knowledge) without ‘aql (intelligence) is like having shoes with no feet. And ‘aql without ‘ilm is like having feet with no shoes. – Ali RA
“Indeed, We sent it (i.e. Quran) down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit (i.e. Jibreel*) descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” – Surah al-Qadr, Holy Quran (97:1-5)
*Biblical reference: Gabriel
Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu a’layhi wa aalihi wasallam) did not know how to read or write but one day during his time in the cave of Hira he was commanded by the angel Jibreel to read the first revealed verses of the Quran. The Prophet said he could not read, so Jibreel squeezed him hard until he could not bear it. Jibreel asked again “Read!” The prophet still insisted on being unable to read. Angel Jibreel squeezed him hard again until he could not bear it. Then Jibreel said:
“Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), has created man from something that clings. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who has taught (the writing) by the pen, has taught man that which he knew not.”
The Prophet read the verses and they became engraved into his heart.
If our Prophet was illiterate but still tried to read the Quran then there is no excuses for us. When you put your mind to it anything is possible with the help of Allah start with Bismillah (Define: In the name of God.) and end with Alhamdulilah (Define: Praise be to God.)
Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu a’layhi wa aalihi wasallam) said:
“Verily the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have twice that reward.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
