﷽

الحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين

اللهم اجعلنا منهم

I start by mentioning the Name of God - Allāh, The Infinitely Caring, Eternally Compassionate. We sincerely praise and thank God to the highest extent, and ask Him to bless, protect, honor, and compliment our Prophet and Messenger Muḥammad, his family, his companions, and those that diligently follow them until the end of times. Dear God, please include us from amongst them.

Ramaḍān is Here! Rejoice!

Allāh ﷻ^[1], The One True God - Perfectly Mighty and Majestic is He, says in The Qurʾān, “يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُمْ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ - People! A moving reminder from your Master has come to you, as well as a reminder that is a healing for whatever is in people’s chests, guidance, and kindness for believers. So My Prophet, tell humanity that they should be happy, rejoice, and take pleasure in 2 specific things: Allāh’s faḍl (grace) and His raḥmah (kindness). That is far better than everything they gather!”^[2] A mawʿiẓah is a powerful and moving reminder that goes straight to your heart; it just hits you like nothing else, it moves you and shakes you with fear and urgency. This isn’t just any powerful reminder. It is a reminder from Allāh: your Lord, your Master, your Maker. Who better to advise you, remind you, and give you a wake up call other than your own God, Allāh? Shifāʾ is a cure and healing; it overpowers sickness and disease. It is the cure to the diseases of our hearts. It subdues and overpowers our desires which do not earn us the pleasure of Allāh. Hudā is guidance that is required for one to find and know their path and way forward, allowing them to get to their destination. Raḥmah is compassion and kindness.^[3] The sequential instances of “and” (wāw) in the sentence can also be understood as ʿaṭf bayān (“and”s of explanation) rendering the translation as: “a reminder that is a cure, guidance, and grace from your Lord has come to you.” After that, Allāh tells the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ^[4] to tell humanity that they should be happy and rejoice because of Allāh’s faḍl: His bounty, grace, and blessings, as well as Allāh’s raḥmah: His kindness, compassion, and care. The early explainers of the Qurʾān gave examples of Allāh’s faḍl as Islām, Qurʾān, and Knowledge. And they gave examples of Allāh’s raḥmah as Qurʾān, the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, and being Muslim.^[5]

What a beautiful reminder from Allāh! May He ﷻ make us truly joyous and grateful for His endless blessings. Although the early scholars didn’t mention Ramaḍān explicitly as a potential meaning of faḍl or raḥmah, we can definitely extrapolate that. It is truly a blessing and a gift from Allāh, especially because it is the month in which The Qurʾān was revealed.^[6]

With that in mind, each and every single believer, including you and I, should be happy and appreciative that Allāh ﷻ has allowed us to witness the days, weeks, and months leading up to Ramaḍān. This is not only a command from Allāh, but also a display of our care for Ramaḍān. Just like anyone who is awaiting their move-in date, wedding, graduation, or any important and joyous occasion, people show not only happiness, but also gratitude and preparation. We cannot conceive of someone getting married in a week to have little to no regard for the preparations. Just like that, our joy for Ramaḍān should also consist of preparation. — Have I communicated my Ramaḍān work schedule to my teachers, professors, boss, and colleagues? Have I submitted my time off notice to school and work? Have I done my grocery shopping for suḥūr^[7], ifṭār^[8], and Eid^[9]? Have I selected or purchased my clothes for Eid? Have I done my gift shopping for Eid? Have I set up goals for myself to achieve this Ramaḍān? Do I have an idea of what habits I want to work to get rid of? Do I have a plan to ensure that this Ramaḍān will be the best Ramaḍān I’ve had? — All of these questions that focus on our preparation reflect our delight and appreciation that Ramaḍān is coming.

This excitement, zeal and preparation we should have for Ramadan was exemplified by our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ. He ﷺ is the best follower of The Qurʾān, what more could we expect? Allāh ﷻ sent him ﷺ to explain The Qurʾān, “وَأَنزلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نزلَ إِلَيْهِمْ - We sent down this reminder (The Qurʾān) to you, O Prophet, so that you can explain to humanity what was sent down to them.”^[10] And our mother, ʿĀʾishah (raḍiya Allāhu ʿanhā^[11]), when asked about the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ’s character beautifully remarked, “كَانَ خُلُقُهُ الْقُرْآنَ - His character was The Qurʾān.”^[12]

So how did the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ show happiness at the coming of Ramaḍān, and how did he ﷺ instill that joy within others?

The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ’s teachings weren’t for Ramaḍān alone. Rather, every month, he ﷺ prayed to Allāh ﷻ for a good month when seeing the crescent of the new moon^[13]. He ﷺ would say, “اللَّهُمَّ أَهِلَّهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالْيُمْنِ وَالْإِيمَانِ وَالسَّلَامَةِ وَالْإِسْلَامِ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكَ اللَّهُ‏ - O Allāh! Let this crescent come upon us and let us enter this month with ease (safety), faith (Īmān), protection, and submission (Islām). [Then he ﷺ addressed the moon, saying] My Master and your Master is Allāh.”.^[14] He ﷺ announced that Ramaḍān has come by saying, “قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَمَضَانُ شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ - Ramaḍān, a blessed month with increased goodness, has come to you!”^[15]

The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ encouraged his companions by telling them about the huge rewards of fasting and praying in Ramaḍān.

1. He ﷺ said, “مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَمَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ - Whoever fasts Ramaḍān with full faith and hopes for reward will be forgiven of all of his/her previous (minor) sins. And whoever prays on the Night of Al-Qadr^[16] with full faith and hopes for reward will be forgiven of all of his/her previous (minor) sins.”^[17] — What a powerful motivator. If I fast in Ramaḍān and worship during the last 10 nights of Ramaḍān with a heart that truly believes in Allāh ﷻ and hopes for His reward, I will be forgiven for all my previous minor sins. My shortcomings in worship and character will be forgiven. However, Allāh still requires a sincere resolve for those sins that are major and grave. I must beg Allāh for forgiveness for any severe transgression of His laws, and do my best to make up for them by doing extra good deeds. Even in that scenario His Forgiveness is so vast; He ﷻ not only forgives someone who repents from major sins, but if their desire to become better is sincere and one changes their life around, Allāh will replace their bad deeds with good deeds! He ﷻ says, “إِلا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلا صَالِحًا فَأُولَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ - (As for those who committed major sins and are deserving of severe punishment in the hereafter), if they repent and sincerely turn back to Allāh, reaffirm their belief and conviction in God, and follow it up with good deeds, Allāh will replace their bad deeds with good deeds.”^[18] We must also note that this vast forgiveness from Allāh ﷻ does not, by default, include the rights of other human beings. If I stole someone’s property, backbite them, cheated them, abused them, or hurt them in any way, I must make up for it. If not, they will have a chance to ask for compensation from me on the Day of Judgment.
2. Abū Hurayrah (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) prefaced the above narration by saying, “كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُرَغِّبُ فِي قِيَامِ رَمَضَانَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَأْمُرَهُمْ فِيهِ بِعَزِيمَةٍ - The Prophet ﷺ would encourage us to pray during the nights of Ramaḍān, but did not make it mandatory.”^[19] — He encouraged his companions (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhum), and us by extension, to take advantage of these special nights with ritual prayer (ṣalāh) and worship. What a beautiful caring Messenger ﷺ we have!
3. He ﷺ continued to encourage praying during the nights of Ramaḍān by saying, “مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ - Whoever prays (ṣalāh) during the nights of Ramaḍān with full faith and hopes for reward will be forgiven of all of his/her previous (minor) sins.”^[20]
4. He ﷺ told them “إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ بَابًا يُقَالُ لَهُ الرَّيَّانُ يَدْخُلُ مِنْهُ الصَّائِمُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لاَ يَدْخُلُ مِنْهُ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُهُمْ يُقَالُ أَيْنَ الصَّائِمُونَ فَيَقُومُونَ لاَ يَدْخُلُ مِنْهُ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُهُمْ فَإِذَا دَخَلُوا أُغْلِقَ فَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ مِنْهُ أَحَدٌ - There is a special door of Jannah called ‘Rayyān’. On the Day of Resurrection, people who regularly fasted will enter through that door, and no one else will be allowed to enter through that door. An announcement will be made, ‘Where are those who used to fast?’ Then, they (those who would regularly fast) will stand and go. No one will enter except those who would regularly fast. After they all enter, that gate will be shut. No one will enter through that door ever again.”^[21] — This narration beautifully highlights the special rank of those who fast, as they will exclusively be entered through the gate of Paradise, Rayyan. Rayyān is the hyperbolic form of rayy (الري), referring to the concept of quenching one’s thirst, and what a beautiful name since people who fast endure thirst. Thus, this gate and everything present upon entering from this gate is said to be focused around the highest and purest forms of satisfying one’s desire for an enjoyable cool drink to satisfy their thirst. As for who the “people of fasting” are, it could refer to those who fast regularly throughout the year, in which case Ramaḍān is the perfect stepping stone into building a habit of fasting. It could also refer to those who ensure their fasts of Ramaḍān are completed without neglect.^[22]
5. He ﷺ reminded them, “قَالَ اللَّهُ كُلُّ عَمَلِ ابْنِ آدَمَ لَهُ إِلاَّ الصِّيَامَ فَإِنَّهُ لِي وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ‏ وَالصِّيَامُ جُنَّةٌ وَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ صَوْمِ أَحَدِكُمْ فَلاَ يَرْفُثْ وَلاَ يَصْخَبْ فَإِنْ سَابَّهُ أَحَدٌ أَوْ قَاتَلَهُ فَلْيَقُلْ إِنِّي امْرُؤٌ صَائِمٌ‏.‏ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَخُلُوفُ فَمِ الصَّائِمِ أَطْيَبُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ رِيحِ الْمِسْكِ لِلصَّائِمِ فَرْحَتَانِ يَفْرَحُهُمَا إِذَا أَفْطَرَ فَرِحَ وَإِذَا لَقِيَ رَبَّهُ فَرِحَ بِصَوْمِهِ - Allāh ﷻ said, ‘Every action of an individual is something that can benefit him/her amongst people (i.e., be seen doing an action, and thus, praised for it), except for fasting, because it is for Me (Allāh), and I (Allāh) personally reward it.’ Fasting is a shield. So when you’re fasting, don’t be lewd or harsh. If someone curses you or tries to fight you, say ‘I’m Fasting.’ I (Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ) swear to God, the smell of a fasting person’s mouth is more fragrant (beloved) to God than a breeze of perfume. A fasting person has two moments of joy: the first is when they open their fast, and the second is their joy because of their fasts when they meet their Master.”^[23]
6. He ﷺ excited them, “إِذَا جَاءَ رَمَضَانُ فُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ النَّارِ وَصُفِّدَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ - When Ramaḍān arrives, the gates of Heaven are wide open, the gates of Hell are locked shut, and the devils and evil spirits are chained.”^[24]
   • In a weaker version, he ﷺ is said to have added on, “وَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ يَا بَاغِيَ الْخَيْرِ أَقْبِلْ وَيَا بَاغِيَ الشَّرِّ أَقْصِرْ - And a caller (perhaps an angel) will announce: ‘O Seeker of good, Come! O Seeker of bad, stop and cut it out!’”^[25] And in another weak version, the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ is narrated to have concluded by saying, “وَلِلَّهِ عُتَقَاءُ مِنَ النَّارِ وَذَلِكَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ - Allāh frees people from the Fire (i.e, through their efforts in Ramaḍān, grants them salvation from Hell). That happens every single night of Ramaḍān.”^[26]
7. Additionally, he ﷺ hinted at helping others, not just ourselves by saying, “مَنْ فَطَّرَ صَائِمًا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِهِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَنْقُصُ مِنْ أَجْرِ الصَّائِمِ شَيْئًا - Whoever gives a fasting person food to break their fast with will get the reward similar to that of the fasting person he/she gave food to, without it reducing any reward from the fasting person who was fed.”^[27]

Ramaḍān in The Qurʾān

That is a glimpse into how the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ showed joy, gratitude, and excitement for the coming of the month of Ramaḍān based on Allāh’s command to rejoice at His bounties and grace. Now let us see how the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ applied and lived out what Allāh mentions specifically about Ramaḍān and Fasting. Allāh ﷻ says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ‏^[28]

“Believers! Fasting has been obligated on you, just like it was obligated on those before you, so that you can increase in your taqwā (awareness and obedience of God). It is only a set number of days. So if any of you are sick or traveling, make up the missed fasts at a later date. Whoever has a missed fast and is financially capable of feeding a poor person for every missed fast can do that. Whoever is charitable and feeds a poor person for a missed fast has done something good and will be rewarded. But if you fast (instead of feeding a poor person - because you are able to fast) that is better for you, if only you knew.^[29] Ramaḍān is the month that The Qurʾān was revealed in. It has been sent down as a guidance for humanity, with guidance that is clear and understandable, and as The Criterion. So whoever is present in this month must fast. If someone is sick or traveling, they can make it up at a later date. Allāh wants ease for you and through you, and doesn’t want hardship for you or because of you. This is so that you can complete the month, declare God’s Greatness because He’s guided you, and so you are grateful and thankful. When any of My slaves ask you (O Prophet) about Me, then I am near. I respond to the call of the caller when they call. Let them (everyone, every caller) respond to Me (by trying their best to obey Me), and truly believe in Me so that they can be correctly and insightfully guided.”

This beautiful passage continues on for one more lengthy āyah filled with endless gems. But we will save that for another writeup. As for the above four āyāt, let us explore how Allāh ﷻ assigns a goal for each action He commands, and how the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ excellently exemplifies each command and goal.

Ṣiyām/Fasting ➝ Taqwā/Obedience of God ﷻ

Allāh ﷻ gives us the command, “كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ - Fasting has been obligated on you” followed by the goal, “لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ - so that you can increase in your taqwā (awareness and obedience of God).” Fasting is an action which consists of refraining from eating, drinking, and sexual intercourse from dawn to sunset. It is an exercise in self control. The outcome Allāh has associated with it is gaining taqwā - a quality that focuses on an individual being both aware of Allāh, and afraid of His anger and punishment. Taqwā comes from وقاية indicating shielding and protection; thus one protects themselves from Allāh’s anger and punishment, and the “shield” that is used is one’s obedience of Allāh, and one’s abandoning of sins.^[30] We see the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ rephrasing this by saying, “الصِّيَامُ جُنَّةٌ - Fasting is a shield.”^[31]

We often talk about how taqwā is an extraordinary trait attained only by the most pious. There is an aspect of that which is true; having the highest levels of taqwā requires a lifetime of effort and piety. However, that does not mean that we do not have any taqwā. When you find yourself alone at home, with full and free access to water and food, but do not eat or drink, that is a sign of your taqwā. You are not afraid of someone barging into your house to punish you for eating, nor do you fear the earth swallowing you up for drinking. Yet, deep down inside your heart, you recognize and truly believe that Allāh exists, that He is watching you, and that He can and will hold you accountable. Thus, you choose to obey Him. That is, in essence, taqwā.

All that is from the perspective of the act of fasting itself, and sets the standard for the bare minimum. But Allāh ﷻ gives us the goal, “لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ - so that you have taqwā” which can, perhaps, imply that we increase, grow, and develop our taqwā. That is because fasting serves as a long action focused outwardly on restraining oneself. When I fast, I stop myself, shield myself, “protect” myself from food and drink. I also start to think twice about even the most mundane of actions. Never throughout the year do I think twice about drinking water, nor how much water is in my mouth when brushing my teeth. But in Ramaḍān, in the state of fasting, I become hyper aware of these mundane actions. I pay close attention to how I rinse my mouth and nose in wuḍūʾ^[32] while I’m fasting, not just for one wuḍūʾ, but an entire month’s worth of wuḍūʾ. The hope would be that I become well aware of my habits, my routines, and my daily mundane actions to such an extent that I could never possibly miss performing an action beloved by Allāh ﷻ or conceive of committing an action that is displeasing to Allāh ﷻ. If I think twice about a sip of water, of course I will think ten times about consuming wine and swine. As a result of training self-restraint for 29 days, of course I should have developed an awareness of what my eyes glance at, what my ears tune in to, what my tongue says, what my hands do, and what my heart feels. How can I watch a video that Allāh does not approve of, after I spent 15 hours holding myself back from drinking water despite my thirst? If I do not eat and drink for enough time, my body will physically weaken, and if it continues, my life will be in danger. If I do not lie, backbite, cheat, commit fraud, consume interest, have greed, envy, or literally any and every evil action of the heart or body, I will not die, nor will my body be negatively impacted. Thus, a month of fasting will train me in my awareness of Allāh - The All Knower, Ever Watchful, Fully Aware - and increase me in my fear of Allāh, and thus manifest as me being more obedient and dutiful to Allāh.

And how excellent is our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ who exemplified taqwā for us, and taught us how to practice it ourselves.

1. He ﷺ humbly reminded us without any hint of arrogance or bragging, “قَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنِّي أَتْقَاكُمْ لِلَّهِ وَأَصْدَقُكُمْ وَأَبَرُّكُمْ - You all know that I have the most taqwā of Allāh, and that I am the most honest, and the most pious.”^[33] He ﷺ is our role model in taqwā, because no one is more aware of, and more obedient to Allāh than him ﷺ.
2. He ﷺ informed us, “يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمُ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ فَإِنَّهُ أَغَضُّ لِلْبَصَرِ وَأَحْصَنُ لِلْفَرْجِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصَّوْمِ فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ وِجَاءٌ - Young people! If you are financially capable of getting married, then get married! Marriage is one of the best ways to guard one’s eyes and stay chaste. Whoever is not able to get married should fast, because fasting will serve as a means of lowering and controlling their desires.”^[34]
3. He ﷺ said, “الصِّيَامُ جُنَّةٌ وَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ صَوْمِ أَحَدِكُمْ فَلاَ يَرْفُثْ وَلاَ يَصْخَبْ فَإِنْ سَابَّهُ أَحَدٌ أَوْ قَاتَلَهُ فَلْيَقُلْ إِنِّي امْرُؤٌ صَائِمٌ‏ - Fasting is a shield. So when you’re fasting, don’t be lewd or harsh. If someone curses you or tries to fight you, say ‘I’m fasting.’”^[35]
4. He ﷺ taught us, “مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ فِي أَنْ يَدَعَ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ - Allāh has no need for (and does not ‘care’ for) someone who refrains from food and drink whilst fasting if they did not stop lying, making false testimony, or benefiting from cheating oaths (or any other major sin).”^[36]

Relationship with The Qurʾān ➝ Shukr/Gratitude

Allāh ﷻ gives us the subtle instruction, “شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ - Ramaḍān is the month that The Qurʾān was revealed in.” followed by the goal, “لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ - so you are grateful and thankful.” Every single passage in The Qurʾān requires our gratitude. From the “simple” concept of Allāh ﷻ having graciously revealed it to us humans and allowing us to experience, recite, and understand His Divine Speech, to having the ability to find guidance and clarity to navigate our lives through His Perfect Book. All of this requires gratitude. We show appreciation for the sky, earth, animals, food, water, clouds, houses, clothes, family - literally everything He ﷻ made for us and sent for us. Then that gratitude extends to our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ who conveyed God’s Book, and his companions (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhum) who passed it down - and so on. We must also thank our parents, our teachers, our spouses, our children, our siblings, our relatives, and friends for everything they have done and continue to do for us.

As always, our role model in this is none other than the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ. He ﷺ not only taught us how to be actually grateful by living a life of thankfulness, but also applying this very āyah: The Qurʾān should make us more appreciative. That through the recitation, understanding, and application of The Qurʾān, I should become more grateful. The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ’s young cousin, ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhumā)^[37] said, “كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَجْوَدَ النَّاسِ بِالْخَيْرِ وَكَانَ أَجْوَدَ مَا يَكُونُ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ إِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ كَانَ يَلْقَاهُ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ فِي رَمَضَانَ حَتَّى يَنْسَلِخَ فَيَعْرِضُ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْقُرْآنَ فَإِذَا لَقِيَهُ جِبْرِيلُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَجْوَدَ بِالْخَيْرِ مِنَ الرِّيحِ الْمُرْسَلَةِ -The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ was the most generous of people with all things good. The most generous he ﷺ would be was in Ramaḍān. Every year, Jibrīl^[38] (ʿalayh al-salām^[39]) - The Archangel Gabriel, would come and stay with the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ in Ramaḍān until the month ended. The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ would recite and review everything that had been revealed from The Qurʾān up until that point with Jibrīl (ʿalayh al-salām). So when Jibrīl (ʿalayh al-salām) would visit the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, he - the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ - would be even more generous than a blowing breeze.”^[40] We see here that the the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ’s interaction with The Qurʾān literally made him more giving; more giving that a breeze of wind. When a breeze of wind blows past a tree, there isn’t a single part of the tree that remains untouched. The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ’s generosity reached everyone in his community.

He ﷺ taught us to be grateful and giving as well by teaching us to feed others in Ramaḍān, when he ﷺ said, “مَنْ فَطَّرَ صَائِمًا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِهِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَنْقُصُ مِنْ أَجْرِ الصَّائِمِ شَيْئًا - Whoever gives a fasting person food to break their fast with will get the reward similar to that of the fasting person he/she gave food to, without it reducing any reward from the fasting person who was fed.”^[41] This can apply to the head of the house who goes to work and earns money that is used to put food on the table for his family to eat. It can apply to the one who gets groceries for the family. It can apply to the one who cooks food for the family. It can apply to the one who sets the table and serves food for the family. It can apply to the one who feeds their spouse, their child, or their parent by placing a morsel of food in their mouth. It can apply to the one who gives a box of dates to their friend. It can apply to the one who hosts an ifṭār at their house or their masjid. It can apply to someone who gives a bottle of water, or even one sip of water, to someone sitting next to them at Maghrib (sunset). It can apply to someone who only has one date and splits it with the person next to them. As the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ said, “مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَتِرَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ فَلْيَفْعَلْ - If you can save yourself from the Fire of Hell, even if it is by giving half a date, then do so.”^[42]

One may object and say the āyah ends with gratitude, “لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ - so you are grateful and thankful,” which is different from generosity. But in reality, using the blessings of Allāh ﷻ in a manner that will please Allāh ﷻ is from the greatest forms of shukr (gratitude).^[43] One of the best ways to use the wealth Allāh ﷻ has given us is to spend it on others: be it our family, the needy, or to spread the message of Islām to list a few. Allāh ﷻ makes this a hallmark quality of the people of taqwā: “الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ - They (the people of taqwā) are people who believe in the unseen^[44], diligently pray the five daily prayers, and use the wealth We have given them to spend on and give to others.”^[45]

Duʿāʾ and Istijābah/Supplication and Obedience ➝ Rushd/Guidance and Clarity

Allāh ﷻ ties praying to Him and asking Him through duʿāʾ (supplication) to receiving guidance and clarity. Allāh ﷻ says, “وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ - When any of My slaves ask you (O Prophet) about Me, then I am near. I respond to the call of the caller when they call. Let them (everyone, every caller) respond to Me (by trying their best to obey Me), and truly believe in Me so that they can be correctly and insightfully guided.”

Firstly, Allāh ﷻ addresses His Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ by telling him ﷺ that, for anyone who asks about Allāh - specifically questions around when, where, and how to speak to and ask Allāh (duʿāʾ), He ﷻ is already close by and near. This implies that any time and any place is suitable,^[46] as well as any wording one can conceive of via the variety of languages and phrases, so long that the asker is humble, respectful, and sincere.

Second, Allāh ﷻ ingrains into our hearts and minds that He ﷻ will hear it and He ﷻ will respond; the condition is simply to be a caller who calls, to be an asker who asks. However, Allāh ﷻ’s response may not come in the way we expect it. The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ said, “مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو لَيْسَ بِإِثْمٍ وَلَا بِقَطِيعَةِ رَحِمٍ إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ إِحْدَى ثَلَاثٍ إِمَّا أَنْ يُعَجِّلَ لَهُ دَعْوَتَهُ وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَدَّخِرَهَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَدْفَعَ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا - If a Muslim prays to God for something that does not involve sins or cutting off family ties, then Allāh will respond to him/her by giving him/her one of three things. Either He (Allāh) will give the asker what they asked for, or He will save the reward of that prayer (duʿāʾ) for them in the Hereafter, or He will save and protect them from some harm/evil that is equivalent to what he/she asked for.”^[47]

Third, we must also recognize that belief, sincerity, and a genuine attempt to obey Allāh should be made for our prayers to have a real chance of being answered. Allāh ﷻ says right after that, “فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي - Let them (everyone, every caller) respond to Me (by trying their best to obey Me), and truly believe in Me!” He ﷻ also taught us to be in a state of humble submissiveness to Him when we ask Him (duʿāʾ) by saying, “ادْعُوا رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً - Beg your Master humbly, submissively with full certainty and obedience from your heart without raising your voice.”^[48] and “وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالآصَالِ وَلا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ - Remember and mention your Master (and ask Him in duʿāʾ) in a manner that is humbly submissive, while also being afraid of potential punishment for your sins, and in a low voice. Do so day and night. Never forget Allāh, nor become unaware, heedless, or oblivious of Allāh.”^[49] Of course, obedience is key. Many have explained “فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي” - literally translated as “try to respond to Me” to mean “obey Me”.^[50]

What does this sincere and humble begging (duʿāʾ) lead to? Rushd - guidance and clarity. Rushd is similar to hidāyah (guidance). The opposite of hidāyah (guidance) is ḍalālah (being lost), and the opposite of rushd is ghayy which refers to not knowing one is lost, being ignorant of a false belief system, or the evil, darkness, or incorrectness of something.^[51] Thus we can understand rushd to mean, guidance, clarity, knowing one is on the right path, and knowing that one is doing the right thing. Allāh ﷻ tells us that He gave rushd to His special beloved servant^[52], Ibrāhīm (ʿalayh al-salām) - Abraham, “لَقَدْ آتَيْنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ رُشْدَهُ - We graciously gave Abraham the guidance and clarity.”^[53]

So how does making duʿāʾ, obeying Allāh, and truly believing in Him lead to this guidance and clarity? Firstly, Allāh ﷻ is the one that said it, so we accept it without a shadow of a doubt. Second, we can reflect on our own human experiences to realize this. When you ask Allāh ﷻ, The All Knower (Al-ʿAlīm), The Infinitely Wise (Al-Ḥakīm), and The One Who can do anything (ʿalā kull shayʾ qadīr), you have asked the one being that is fully capable of completing any and all tasks. I can ask any human being for the simplest task, yet they may be unable to fulfill it. If I ask someone to stand, they may - in that very second - become unable to get up. I can ask someone to give me a cup of water, and before they lift a finger, they could no longer be alive. Yet Allāh ﷻ is The Eternal, The Ever Living (Al-Ḥayy) The One Who maintains every single thing (Al-Qayyūm) who will ALWAYS be there, who can do LITERALLY anything. When you ask that being, who’s power, control, authority, and ownership is beyond infinite, there is no question of can He or can He not - the answer, even before the unnecessary question is asked, is a resounding: He absolutely can! Allāh ﷻ is ALWAYS there to listen. If He chooses to give, based on His Divine Wisdom, there is no one and nothing that can stop Him, let alone question or challenge His decision to do so. At this point, you have handed your situation over to Allāh ﷻ, like the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ who said “فَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَيْكَ - I have handed over and entrusted my situation over to You, O Allāh!”^[54] and the man who believed in Mūsā (ʿalayh al-salām) - Moses - even though he was from the family of the Pharaoh (Firʿawn) when he addressed his people saying, “أُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِي إِلَى اللَّهِ - I am handing over this situation of mine over to Allāh to handle it for me.”^[55] When a believer does this, they will get a level of guidance and clarity never before experienced. They have entrusted their need, their ask, the thing they are begging for over to Allāh. The believer knows Allāh ﷻ can handle it and fully take care of it. The worry, stress, anxiety, confusion, panic - all the emotions of uneasiness - will be put to rest knowing that they are going in the right direction (rushd), with a correct belief and understanding (rushd).

In conclusion, let us all be happy and excited for Ramaḍān. Let us diligently prepare for the special month to come. Let us do our best to fast and become more obedient to Allāh. Let us strive to read The Qurʾān more, read it better, memorize it, understand it, and live and die by it. Let us use our relationship with The Qurʾān to be more grateful to Allāh ﷻ and everyone around us. Let us become frequent and sincere in our prayers (duʿāʾ) to Allāh ﷻ. Let us all push ourselves to firmly root the belief of Allāh ﷻ into our hearts, and exert ourselves to obey Him. Let us hope to find guidance, clarity, and comfort by doing so. — O Allāh! Help us do so! O Allāh! save us from ever having to deal with Hell. O Allāh! Make us worthy of Your Love and Pleasure! O Allāh! Bless and honor Your beloved Prophet Muḥammad.

Footnotes

1. Unicode for jalla jalāluhu, meaning: His (God’s) Majesty is exalted and far above everything else ↑

2. Al-Qurʾān 10:57-8 ↑

3. See Maqāyīs Al-Lughah by Ibn Fāris and Mufradāt Alfāẓ Al-Qurʾān by Al-Rāghib Al-Aṣfahānī ↑

4. Unicode for ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallāma, meaning: may Allāh (God) bless, honor, and preserve the legacy of Prophet Muḥammad ↑

5. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 10:58, Ibn Al-Jawzī, Zād Al-Masīr Āyah 10:58 ↑

6. Al-Qurʾān 2:185 ↑

7. Pre-dawn (Fajr) meal, aka breakfast, eaten prior to starting the fast ↑

8. The meal at sunset to break/open one’s fast ↑

9. The celebration after Ramaḍān on the 1^st of Shawwāl ↑

10. Al-Qurʾān 16:44 ↑

11. May God be pleased with her ↑

12. Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Musnad M. Al-Nisāʾ M. Al-Ṣiddīqah ʿĀʾishah bint Al-Ṣiddīq, Al-Bukhārī, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad B. Man Daʿā Allāh an Yuḥassin Khulaqah, Al-Bukhārī, Khalq Afʿāl Al-ʿIbād B. Al-Radd ʿalā Al-Jahmiyyah wa Aṣḥāb Al-Taʿṭīl. Another similar wording (فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ) is found in ʿAbd Al-Razzāq, Muṣannaf: Al-Awwal min Kitāb Al-Ṣalāh B. Ṣalāh Al-Nabī ﷺ bi Al-Layl wa Witrih, and another wording (فَإِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ خُلُقُهُ and فَإِنَّ خُلُقَهُ كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ) is found in Isḥāq ibn Rāhaqayh, Musnad Mā Yurwā ʿan Abī Al-Shaʿthāʾ ... wa ghayrih ʿan Masrūq ʿan ʿĀʾishah ʿan Al-Nabī ﷺ ↑

13. Lunar/Islamic months start at the sighting/birth of the new crescent. ↑

14. Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Musnad M. Abī Muḥammad Ṭalḥah ibn ʿUbayd Allāh, Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ K. Al-Daʿawāt ʿan Rasūl Allāh ﷺ B. mā Yaqūl ʿind ruʾyah al-hilāl with the use of the word “أَهْلِلْهُ”. — There is some weakness in these narrations. Al-Tirmidhī says the narration is “هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ”. The word “الْأَمْنِ” is used instead of “الْيُمْنِ” in Al-Dārimī, Sunan: Min Kitāb Al-Ṣawm ↑

15. Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Musnad Abī Hurayrah, Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh, Musnad Mā Yurwā ʿan Abī Qilābah wa Zurārah ... ʿan Abī Hurayrah ʿan Rasūl Allāhﷺ, Ibn Abī Shaybah, Muṣannāf K. Al-Ṣawm Mā dhukir fī Faḍl Ramaḍān wa Thawābih. There’s a similar wording “إِنَّ هَذَا الشَّهْرَ قَدْ حَضَرَ وَإِنَّهُ شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ” in ʿAbd Al-Razzāq, Muṣannaf K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Salsalah Al-Shayāṭīn wa Faḍl Ramaḍān and “أَتَاكُمْ رَمَضَانُ شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ” in Al-Nasāʾī, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Dhikr Al-Ikhtilāf ʿalā Maʿmar fīh ↑

16. Laylah Al-Qadr, the night of virtue, status, decree, and power - is the night in which the Qurʾān was revealed. It falls on an odd night within the last 10 nights of Ramaḍān ↑

17. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Man Ṣām Ramaḍān īmānan wa iḥtisāban wa niyyah (with the two sentences flipped) ↑

18. Al-Qurʾān 25:70 ↑

19. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, Al-Nasāʾī, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Dhikr Al-Ikhtilāf ʿalā Maʿmar fīh and B. Thawāb man qāma Ramaḍān ... ↑

20. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Īmān B. Taṭawwuʿ Qiyām Ramaḍān min Al-Īmān ↑

21. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Al-Rayyān li Al-Ṣāʾimīn, Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ (with the wording “لاَ يَدْخُلُ مَعَهُمْ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُهُمْ”) ↑

22. Al-Hararī, Al-Kawkab Al-Wahhāj Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim ibn Ḥajjāj v. 13 p. 121. Al-Ṣanʿānī, Al-Tanwīr Sharḥ Al-Jāmiʿ Al-Ṣaghīr v. 4 p. 17. Zakariyyā Al-Anṣārī, Minḥah Al-Bārī bi Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī v. 3 p. 340-1. ↑

23. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Hal Yaqul Innī Ṣāʾim idhā Shutima, Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ (with the wording “فَلاَ يَرْفُثْ يَوْمَئِذٍ”) ↑

24. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Hal Yuqāl Ramaḍān aw Shahr Ramaḍān ... (with the wording “إِذَا دَخَلَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ... وَسُلْسِلَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ”). Muslim also brings another narration with the wording “وَسُلْسِلَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ” ↑

25. Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ K. Al-Ṣawm ʿan Rasūl Allāh ﷺ B. Mā Jāʾa fī Faḍl Shahr Ramaḍān “حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ ... إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ”, Al-Nasāʾī, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Dhikr Al-Ikhtilāf ʿalā Maʿmar fīh “قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ هَذَا خَطَأٌ”, Ibn Mājah, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Mā Jāʾa fī Faḍl Shahr Ramaḍān ↑

26. Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ K. Al-Ṣawm ʿan Rasūl Allāh ﷺ B. Mā Jāʾa fī Faḍl Shahr Ramaḍān “حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ ... إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ”, Ibn Mājah, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Mā Jāʾa fī Faḍl Shahr Ramaḍān ↑

27. Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ K. Al-Ṣawm ʿan Rasūl Allāh ﷺ B. Mā Jā fī Faḍl man Faṭṭara Ṣāʾimā. Similar wording found in Al-Dārimī, Sunan Min Kitāb Al-Ṣawm and Ibn Mājah, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Fī Thawāb man Faṭṭara Ṣāʾimā ↑

28. Al-Qurʾān 2:183-6 ↑

29. This part of the āyāh is understood in a few different ways. Here it is summarized into the three main understandings. First, it can be understood as it was translated, and thus it serves as a choice that was abrogated by the following āyah. Second, a لا can be inferred before the verb, thus rendering the understanding, “وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ لا يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ” which would result in the same ruling, but a slightly adjusted translation, “Whoever is unable to make up the missed fast should feed a poor person for every missed fast.” Third, it refers to those people who find it extremely hard to fast, although they are not “sick” like the elderly, pregnant, and nursing. See Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 2:184 and Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Tafsīr B. Qawlih Ayyāman Maʿdūdāt ... and B. Fa Man Shahida minkum Al-Shahr fa-l-yaṣumh ↑

30. See Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 2:2 and Al-Rāghib Al-Aṣfahānī, Mufradāt Alfāẓ Al-Qurʾān “وقى” ↑

31. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Hal Yaqul Innī Ṣāʾim idhā Shutima, Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ ↑

32. The ablution, washing of specific body parts to enter into a state of ritual purity. See Al-Qurʾān 5:6 ↑

33. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Iʿtiṣām bi Al-Kitāb wa Al-Sunnah B. Nahy Al-Nabī ﷺ ʿalā Al-Taḥrīm ..., Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ ↑

34. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Nikāḥ B. Man Lam Yastaṭiʿ Al-Bāʾah fal-yaṣum ↑

35. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Hal Yaqul Innī Ṣāʾim idhā Shutima, Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ ↑

36. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Man Lam Yadaʿ Qawl Al-Zūr wa Al-ʿAmal bih fī Al-Ṣawm ↑

37. ʿAbbas is the paternal uncle of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, that is to say that ʿAbbās and ʿAbd Allāh (the father of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ) are brothers, and are both the sons of ʿAbd Al-Muṭṭalib (the paternal grandfather of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ). ↑

38. The most senior angel - creature of light - in charge of communication revelation from God to God’s prophets ↑

39. May God honor and preserve his legacy ↑

40. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Faḍāʾil Al-Qurʾān B. Kāna Jibrīl Yuʿriḍ Al-Qurʾān ʿalā Al-Nabiyy ﷺ ↑

41. Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ K. Al-Ṣawm ʿan Rasūl Allāh ﷺ B. Mā Jā fī Faḍl man Faṭṭara Ṣāʾimā. Similar wording found in Al-Dārimī, Sunan Min Kitāb Al-Ṣawm and Ibn Mājah, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Fī Thawāb man Faṭṭara Ṣāʾimā ↑

42. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ. Similar wordings with the same meaning are, like “اتَّقُوا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ” are narrated multiple times in both Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Zakāh and Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ. ↑

43. Al-Rāghib Al-Aṣfahānī, Mufradāt Alfāẓ Al-Qurʾān “شكر”, Al-Khazzār, Mawsūʿah Al-Akhlāq p. 151 ↑

44. Referring to the fact that humans do not see Allāh in this earthly life, nor do they see angels, heaven, hell, reward, and/or punishment, yet they still believe in all of these things with full certainty. It can also refer to a believer’s faith and obedience to God when they are in private. See: Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 2:3 ↑

45. Al-Qurʾān 2:3 ↑

46. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 2:186 ↑

47. Al-Bukhārī, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad B. Mā Yuddakharu li Al-Dāʿī min Al-Ajr wa Al-Thawāb, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Musnad M. Abī Saʿīd Al-Khudrī, Ibn Abī Shaybah, Muṣannaf K. Al-Duʿāʾ B. Min Faḍl Al-Duʿāʾ. A similar statement is attributed to Zayd ibn Aslam (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) in Mālik, Muwaṭṭāʾ K. Al-Qurʾān. ↑

48. Al-Qurʾān 7:55, explanation (tafsīr) taken from Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 7:55 ↑

49. Al-Qurʾān 7:205, explanation (tafsīr) taken from Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 7:205 ↑

50. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 2:186 ↑

51. Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs Al-Lughah “غوي”, Al-Rāghib Al-Aṣfahānī, Mufradāt Alfāẓ Al-Qurʾān “غوى” ↑

52. Khalīl ↑

53. Al-Qurʾān 21:51. — The possessive phrase (iḍāfah) in “رُشْدَهُ” can refer to guidance and clarity that was specifically for him. See: Abū Al-Saʿūd, Irshād Al-ʿAql Al-Salīm Āyah 21:51. ↑

54. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Daʿawāt, Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ ↑

55. Al-Qurʾān 40:40 ↑

Sometimes you are so busy with life you don’t think much of where it all started, how you became who you are, the journeys you took and the people who helped you along them. And then something happens which forces you to pause. Only then you remember there were people who played a major role in shaping you to the person you are today, in turning your dreams which you thought would remain dreams forever into a reality.

I’m remembering now.

—

I was just one of his thousands of students. Not one of the best, not even close to accomplished. I’ll admit I wasn’t even someone who was considerate enough to keep much contact, keep him updated, despite how much he had advised us to. As the years went by, the relationship, even memories, faded away.

And yet I haven’t been able to focus on anything else all week long. Not surprising of course considering the influence he had and the role he played in enabling me to study. It’s surprising, rather, how I took his presence granted for all of these years.

I wasn’t sure whether I’d share this initially. I was writing this to sort my own mind and thoughts. Then I remembered he would tell us that he hoped we’d remember him with goodness all our lives and share his words when we teach in the future, the same way he’d always quote his own teachers and mention them by name when he taught. A legacy through ‘ilm. Sadaqah jariyah. That is all he ever worked for.

—

Apart from the final year Bukhari class, I didn’t have much direct encounter with him but my entire stay in Pakistan was due to him and under his care. It was his invitation, his hospitality what brought me there so everything about my stay in Pakistan is intrinsically linked to him and his family.

When I went to Pakistan to study back in 2006, there were few, if any, quality Alimiyyah programs in America for girls. I chose Pakistan because I had family there. But, really, I chose it because of his school. There are many seminaries in Pakistan but it was only his that really accommodated foreigners.

He would go out of his way to encourage and allow foreign students in and accommodated every request or need along the way. Although he had many other responsibilities, foreign students were his personal guests. He understood that traveling so far and studying in a land where everything was different was a big adjustment and sacrifice, so he did his best to make it easier. He also understood the stakes here; if these students could successfully study and go back to their lands, the benefit they could have in their communities was critical.

This treatment wasn’t just for western students. This is how he treated every student who came from afar. Students from Thailand and Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Tajikistan, Russia and Fiji; students from remote villages in Sindh and Baluchistan and other parts of Pakistan all called his madrasa their home. And that’s one of the biggest things that sets him apart.

As Mufti Rafi said, “His service to foreign students can never be forgotten. There is no similar example in any other madrasa.”

When I last visited Pakistan two years ago, a classmate of mine and now a teacher at the madrasa for the past decade asked me “We don’t get many students from America anymore the way we used to before. Why? You guys aren’t encouraging kids to study anymore?”

It dawned upon me then that his dream to spread this knowledge worldwide had already begun to be realized. I told her there were now so many programs and schools and teachers in America that students didn’t need to go abroad the way they did before.

Thousands of his students, male and female, are teaching across the world. He’d proudly tell us of his students starting madrasas in remote villages in Baluchistan and Sindh. “These girls are educating their entire villages and communities, people didn’t even know how to say the Kalima before. People come from miles away to learn from our students.”

It is this that really gave him joy and fulfillment.

—

At a time when the political climate in Pakistan made it difficult for foreign students, he took responsibility for all of them. He promised them he would take care of them. He fought for their right to study. He built relationships with ambassadors of other countries. He opened his doors to both foreigners and anyone else who wanted to see what a madrasa is like. He invited the media to come and see a madrasa from the inside, to show them that far from being places of extremism and violence, they were places of learning and teaching sacred knowledge. He so earnestly believed that madrasas could and should exist in the modern world, and he knew it wouldn’t be possible without building links with the outside world, something that many madrasas were hesitant to do then.

His efforts and attitude enabled so many to come and study the words of Allah and the Prophet ﷺ. Even those who didn’t attend his institute benefited from his presence, knowing that he was there to stand up for them if anything was to happen. He didn’t discriminate when it came to helping others. Any foreign student of any institute was welcome at his place.

There are so many stories of entire families traveling to Pakistan to study at his seminary. And many more of them entrusting their children to him completely. He fulfilled that trust.

There was a girl in my class from Tanzania. When she was about 9 her uncle came to Pakistan for Tabligh, and upon visiting the seminary he was impressed with the opportunities here for girls. Mufti Naeem invited him to send his children, and he went back and brought four of his daughters and nieces to study. The girls grew up there. They first memorized the Qur’an, then started the alim course. He came back eight years later at the graduation ceremony of the oldest girl and decided to take all the girls back because the separation had been too long. He brought home with him four hafizas of the Qur’an, one who had completed the alima course, and another who had nearly completed it. Her uncle’s plan was that the oldest girls would tutor the rest in their studies and then they’d all teach together in their city in Tanzania. We had laughed then at the idea of her and her cousin teaching the younger cousins books like Mishkat, but we missed the bigger point, that this was how knowledge is shared and spreads.

There was another girl in my class from Sri Lanka. Her entire family moved to Pakistan and both parents and all three siblings enrolled. They first memorized the Qur’an, and then completed the course before returning to Sri Lanka.

These are just some of the hundreds of stories of people studying at his seminary, who otherwise wouldn’t have that chance, and then going back to benefit others. This was his constant emphasis. Study and teach those who don’t have access. Always be involved in teaching, he told us in one of our final lessons. Even if you have no formal teaching opportunity, just invite people to your home to learn.

—

His concern for girls’ Islamic education in particular is especially noteworthy. Of course there are many seminaries and institutes of Islamic knowledge for girls in Pakistan, and many people who support them. But he was one of the influential people who was an outspoken proponent from the beginning and truly believed in the potential. He was also one of the few who accommodated female foreign students, especially those who were there without family.

Before I went to Pakistan to study, my father consulted other scholars. Some discouraged him. Doing an Alima course isn’t that important they said, especially with all the difficulties and risks of going far from home. It’s not fard to study the deen at that level. Karachi was going through a very unstable period back then so they did have a point. We also inquired with other girls madrasas in Karachi, that were closer to where my extended family lived (Jamia Binoria was in the outskirts of Karachi). But they all said they don’t allow girls over the age of 13 and they don’t encourage Americans to attend.

Mufti Naeem, rahimahullah, was the only one who really encouraged it. He’s the one who understood the value and need, who was willing to take responsibility for it all, despite the risks. He’s the one who kept inviting my father, and reassured him everything will be taken care of, that there would be nothing to worry about. He accommodated all our requests and needs, to the point of welcoming my grandmother into the madrasa community and allowing her to spend her day there whenever she liked. He assured us that my only worry should be to study. Everything else will be taken care of.

While many other girls madrasas in Pakistan suffice with the standardized curriculum for girls, which back then (it has since changed a bit) was an abridged version of the regular curriculum and especially subpar when it came to subjects like Arabic, Jamia Binoria had its own curriculum, which included a very strong Arabic curriculum. Many other teachers including my late teacher, the principal of the girls division, Maulana Masood Baig rahimahullah, had a role in this but it was also something Mufti Naeem would take pride in and mention. It’s something I took for granted initially and only much later did I learn that most madrasas in Pakistan, and perhaps even worldwide do not have a strong Arabic program for girls, which makes it very difficult for them to pursue independent research and further studies after graduation.

Jamia Binoria was also one of the few madrasas in Pakistan then that had an ifta (mufti) course for women. In my final year, at least once a week he’d encourage us to enroll in it the next year. He’d tell us how important doing takhassus fil ifta was, how if he was to have it his way he would make ifta a requirement for all students, how much there is a need for female mufti(a)s, how there are already thousands of male Muftis, but they can never replace the role of a female one can have.
He’d talk about how proud he was of all the female ifta students, how every time he looks at their work he’s so impressed. “They’re better than our male students,” he’d say. “Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t become a mufti. If a woman can become a surgeon or engineer why can’t she become a mufti?”

—

As a teacher he was always encouraging, appreciative of the smallest of achievements, ready to praise and make du’a for his students. The term “mushfiq” is what everyone is using to describe him, because that is what he was. Loving, caring, encouraging.

In Pakistan, teachers don’t really praise students; the tendency (both in schools/colleges and madrasas) is to put students down. And yes, too much praise can be dangerous but a little bit encouragement and uplifting is needed. He wouldn’t withhold this.

There was a curtain in our classroom, separating the male teachers from the students. This was the standard system of all girls madrasas in Pakistan, preserving religious guidance and cultural sensitivities regarding modesty and hijab while still enabling students to communicate with and build a positive relationship with male teachers. Hadith classes usually involve a student reading the Arabic text, with the teacher interrupting every now and then to explain. He would make it a point to ask the name of the person who read and praise them and make du’a for them.

It’s these little things that would encourage us all to work harder to succeed. He would often call my father and keep him updated and congratulate him on mine and my sister’s progress. Knowing that despite being in charge of 5000+ students and a host of other responsibilities, he was personally invested in our success always helped drive us to work hard.

He taught Bukhari with passion, you could sense the love for the Prophet ﷺ in his words. The Bukhari class was more than just facts and technical explanation, there was always a practical lesson. He strongly emphasized that knowledge must lead to action and he always made his classes reflect that. He would say, my goal is to teach you in a way you’ll never forget, that you still hear my voice when you read these hadiths the way that I hear my teacher’s voice when I read them, and that you carry these lessons with you lifelong the way my teachers enabled me to.

Now I hear his voice, not just in those hadiths but in every hadith or ayah I read. Everything has a connection with him for it is in his madrasa that I studied everything. It is in his madrasa, and through him, that Allah allowed the doors of knowledge to be opened for me, and for that I am forever indebted.

—

Hospitality is another word that defines him. Anyone that has visited him can testify to his boundless hospitality. This is something he practiced with both words and actions. It’s something he strived to build in his students and family too. I remember him going off on a tangent once in Bukhari. In a hadith in Kitab al-Nikah the topic of guests came. He talked about how guests are a blessing, how we should always honor guests, how we should never complain about guests. “Many people complain about the work involved in hosting. They complain when they have family that constantly visits. Guests are a blessing from Allah. When you go to your homes remember this. Don’t ever complain about guests.”

I’ve always remembered this when someone is coming over.

My friend tells me that after his passing, as people crowded his house for ta’ziyah for his family, something that of course was more challenging and complicated with covid, his wife mentioned, “He would always tell us to honor guests. So what can I possibly do now?”

Thankfully others intervened and told people that it is best to show sympathy by genuinely doing what’s best for grieving family, which in these circumstances means not visiting so as not to afflict them with more worries and difficulties.

—

His hospitality meant that the doors of madrasa were always open to those who needed help. Beyond hospitality, he took care of those around him. Orphans, widows, converts to Islam. The madrasa was a shelter for so many who didn’t have a shelter. There would always be some girls sheltering there. He’d take care of their expenses and education and even get them married when they were ready if needed.

Once, he was hosting the wedding of a convert girl. This girl had spent quite some time at madrasa so everyone was excited. Obviously it wasn’t logistically possible to invite all of the students to the wedding but my classmates decided to try to get an invite anyway. When he came in to teach Bukhari the day before the wedding, they broached the subject of the upcoming event, knowing he would be excited to talk about it. He took the bait and started talking about the wedding plans and arrangements. “But we aren’t invited,” they said.

“You aren’t? Why didn’t anyone invite you? I am inviting you all. You all can come as my special guests.” He replied.

His wife wasn’t too pleased with us, “You have no shame in asking for an invitation, in taking advantage of the softheartedness of your teacher like that?”

But that’s how he was. Always rushing to take care of everyone around him. Solving problems, fixing things.

No problem was too small for him to address personally. He told us once about a former student who lives abroad who called him and asked if he could add photos of the girls’ campus to the website. The website had photos of the boys campus but not the girls. She missed the madrasa and wanted to see it again. He had photos taken and put up right away.

That’s the type of person he was. People would go to him for anything big or small and he’d oblige.

—

I remember when his own father passed away, he came a day later to teach his class. We asked about his father and he broke into tears. He shared the story of his father, the last moments, highlighting how his father was continuously reciting Qur’an till the end.

It is people like him who bring barakah to institutions, he said. Madrasas run through spirituality, not through money. Make dua this institution continues to run. He was worried about fulfilling his responsibilities after his father passed. He cited that with the passing of each scholar, degeneration follows.

Now we’ve lost another link to the previous generation.

—

He was a simple man. Whatever he did he did for the institution, for all madaris, for the deen. No personal benefit or enjoyment. No fun vacations. No days off. Just working for the people.

He didn’t care what people thought. It wasn’t glamorous work. Being under the spotlight meant there would always be people out there to criticize. But that didn’t bother him. He just went out of his way to serve the people, to do things that nobody else was doing, that many didn’t even see the point of doing.

—

Mentioning him won’t be complete without also mentioning his family, especially his wife. If he was the father figure of all students, his wife was/is the mother, especially of the girls. They were a team. She’d be with him on many of his travels. She was also the head in charge of the girls school, his representative at madrasa. Always looking out for the girls affairs, always ready to address issues that needed care, always extending hospitality. She took care of the girls as if they were her own daughters, especially those who had no family nearby. Because of her active involvement with the madrasa, he also was always an integral part of it, always accessible, always concerned about the girls. The madrasa was a family effort, and his entire family served it day in and day out.

May Allah always protect her and allow her to continue.

—

Although one the most defining thing about him is his service to others, which he spent his life doing, it never came in the way of worshipping Allah. He was a man who was always reciting the Qur’an, following the footsteps of his own father. A man who never left tahajjud. A man who always finished a recitation of the Qur’an in taraweeh independently every year. A man who always prayed in congregation. Even on his last day, though he was feeling unwell the whole day, he prayed at the masjid. He came home from Maghrib, rested for a while, felt more unwell. They took him to the hospital and he passed away on the way, before Isha.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon.

—

It is examples of my teachers like him and others which have given me energy to carry on teaching even when life is busy and and balancing everything is difficult. Remembering their advices, their constant urging that teaching is a right that knowledge upon us, has always reminded me that it is not optional, that it is not a favor we do upon anyone, but rather an honor and trust Allah has given us.

What I feel now is a renewed purpose to continue this work and to internalize all the lessons from his own life.

I learn from him that the road less traveled may be difficult to take, but it is a necessary road to take to cause lasting good, that sometimes the most benefit is in doing things that others are not doing.

I learn from him what it means to be the people about whom Allah says, “La yakhafun fillahi lawmata laim.” They do not fear the blame of the blamers. I learn that it is only Allah who we should work to please, because it is to Allah we will return, and as long as we are sincere and on the right path, there is no need to worry about what others say.

I learn from him to think beyond my own benefit, but rather for the benefit of those around me, and to think beyond the needs of the present, but rather the needs of the future generations as well.

I learn from him that you should dream big and work hard but that small efforts should never be underestimated. It is small efforts that grow into big things, that help fulfill those big dreams. No dream is too big if Allah’s help is with us, no action too small for Allah’s reward.

I learn from him what it means to be a hafidh of the Qur’an, that it’s more than just memorizing the words, but rather it means to fill one’s life with the Qur’an, to regularly and always recite it, and to understand and implement it.

I learn from him that no matter how busy a person may be, it is always possible to have time for the Qur’an if a person wills it. The ability to recite the Qur’an is an issue of devotion and priorities, not an issue of the availability of time.

I learn from him that our character and our dealings with people speak much louder than any other words, that a student is more likely to remember and feel inspired by a kind word than a long lecture.

I learn from him what it means to be hospitable and generous with ones time and that this is the first step of dawah and teaching. I learn what it means to serve others for the sake of Allah, that by lowering ourselves in front of others for the sake of Allah we are only raised in rank by Allah.

But most of all I learn that knowledge increases and multiplies as it is shared. I learn that the benefit of knowledge is not limited to the teacher and student but rather it flows to the entire community. I see from his example how just one person of knowledge can have the ability to change the life of hundreds of thousands, if Allah so wills it. And I learn that the legacy of sacred knowledge is the most valuable legacy to leave.

May Allah accept his efforts, overlook his shortcomings, raise him to the highest levels of Jannah, and increase his sadaqah jariyah.

Islām means submission. In Arabic, the person who does the action described by the verb aslama (أسلم). In this case, the doer of the act of submission is called a Muslim. The esteemed scholar of Islam, Imām Al-Nawawi, revered by many till this day, embodied this definition wholeheartedly. Muḥyi Al-Dīn was a nickname that was given to him, which means “one who gives life to the religion”. In counseling, we are taught that in order for the client to feel truly heard and understood, we must build a relationship with them first. Similarly, in order to appreciate and apply the gems of knowledge left by Imām AL-Nawawi, we must take the time to learn his background and scholarship.

His full name is Al-Imām Al-Ḥāfidh Muḥyi Al-Dīn Abu Zakariyyah Yaḥya ibn Sharaf ibn Muri ibn Ḥasan ibn Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad ibn Jumu’ah ibn Ḥizam Al-Ḥizāmi Al-Nawawi. He was born in the year 631 (1233) and was from a small town of Al-Nawa, south of Damascus, Syria. There is little mention of his family background, but his father was known for his piety and God-consciousness. He taught his family to avoid eating anything that may be forbidden in any way. In “Purification of the Heart” by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, we learned how what we consume affects our speech and state of heart. If we eat in excess or harmful foods, it can become a spiritual disease of one’s heart.

Imām Al-Nawawi memorized the Quran before he reached the age of puberty and chose to focus on his studies instead of playing with children his age. His father saw his interest and dedication to his studies and took him to Damascus, the center of learning and scholarship at the time. He was enrolled in a well-known institution that had numerous teachers who were regarded as masters of authority in their fields of specialty and disciplines they taught. Imām Al-Nawawi studied Ḥadīth, Fiqh and its principles, syntax, and etymology from distinguished scholars of his time.

He had an endless thirst for knowledge, taking twelve lessons daily, along with writing explanations and commentaries on every lesson. If he was not in class, he reflected over his lessons, reviewed the material in his head, and solved many complex issues. He chose to contemplate and work rigorously on complex issues than engage in activities of this world. He barely slept, ate simply, and spent most of his time on his studies. Al-Qutb al-Yawnini said about him, "He would not waste any moment of the day or night but he would spend it busy with attaining knowledge.” Overall, his pursuit of knowledge dominated his entire life.

As a person, Imām Al-Nawawi was regarded as a man of piety, knowledge, and good character due to his dedication to his studies. He was a modest person and did not allow his students to serve him, instead he served them until his old age. He did not allow to be given a stipend for his services and with the money he had, he spent it all on books. He believed that he was more in need of books than food or water. He barely slept and Imām Al-Nawawi, himself, said that he did not sleep on a bed for two years. For six years continuously, as a student of knowledge, he never slept until sleep overcame him. These character traits and examples demonstrate Imām Al-Nawawi’s manifestation of Islam in actions. Like the Prophet ﷺ, he was given respect, fame, and intelligence and he only used the good in his life as a means to please God.

He left this world in the year 676 (1277) at the very young age of 45, never married, nor had any children. However, he left us his most desired materialistic possession of this world; his books. Till this day, his books are considered treasures of the Islamic world and are taught in schools, memorized, and lived by. Imām Al-Nawawi’s most famous compilation is the “40 Hadith.” His other well-known works include Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn, the most well-known and studied commentary on Ṣaḥīh Muslim, Kitāb al-Adhkār, Al-Tibyān fī Ādāb Ḥamalah Al-Qur’ān and Bustān al-’Ārifīn,

Imām Al-Nawawi is considered to be amongst the most pious believers to follow and benefit from. Lessons that we can learn from him are in abundance and should be put into practice. A few include to give serious attention and time to Islam, to emulate the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ and live simply. His work ethic, focus, and love for Allah and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is shown in his character and his works he left behind for us to benefit from.

Resources

Shaykh Furhan Zubairi’s Notes on Imam Nawawi’s 40 Hadith

https://whatisquran.com/735-biography-of-imam-an-nawawi-rahimahullah.html

http://sunnahonline.com/library/biographies/366-nawawi

http://40hadithnawawi.com/index.php/the-imam

 

Alḥamdulillah, we are currently living through and experiencing the last ten nights of Ramadān. One of these nights is laylah al-qadr, the night of power, a night that is better than a thousand months. The Prophet ﷺ told us, “Whoever stands in prayer on the night of power with faith and expecting reward, then all of their previous sins will be forgiven.”^[1]This is meant to be a very spiritual time of the year where a person increases their acts of worship and devotion trying to build a stronger connection with their Lord and Creator.

However, I have to admit that for the past few nights there has been a certain heaviness in my heart that is preventing me from feeling the full potential of these blessed nights and has been causing me to be distracted and bothered. That heaviness I’m feeling is the attitude of “religious” people towards our imams, scholars, and religious institutions for decisions they have made based on sound knowledge, understanding, consultation, dua, and sincerity. I know I should be stronger and let people say and think whatever they want. I should, as they say, let the haters hate. But this is an issue that needs to be dealt with head on in a very direct and clear manner if we want to move forward as a minority Muslim community in America.

A few years ago a group of scholars after discussions, research, and consultations with other scholars decided to adopt the position of global moon sighting, which is a valid legal opinion, for deciding the start and end of Ramadan. This led to accusations within the community of leniency in matters of religion, pandering to the majority, deviancy and other baseless and unfortunate claims. Similarly this year we started fasting based off of the reports of highly respected and trusted individuals who sighted the crescent with the use optical aids. Using optical aids to sight the crescent is a valid legal position^[2]. Despite that, we still heard similar remarks and statements from a certain segment of the community. This year, at the Institute of Knowledge, we decided to organize an all female tarāwīḥ for our female students who have completed their memorization of the Quran. The permissibility of having an all female congregation led by a female is a valid legal position^[3]. However, since this is something that people have never been exposed to before and are unfamiliar with, again we started hearing similar types of statements and remarks. The hurtful part is that these concerns were never brought up to us directly.

It is extremely important for us, especially our “religious” to understand that within Islamic Jurisprudence there are a number of issues in which there are valid accepted differences of opinion. Valid differences of opinion in secondary religious matters have always existed. They existed among the Companions during the time of the Prophet ﷺ, they exist now, and they will exist until the end of times. There are differences of opinion among the various schools of jurisprudence and even within them. Pick up any book of Ḥanafī fiqh and you will find a number of examples where Abū Yūsuf and Muḥammad (r) disagreed with their teacher Abū Ḥanīfah (r).

Issues in which there are valid differences of opinion are classified as mujtahad fīh, meaning a matter subject to interpretation. These are issues that are open to interpretation and allow for scholarly difference. A mujtahad fīh issue is any issue that does not have a definitive proof. Imam al-Ghazālī (r) defines it as, “every legal ruling that doesn’t have a definitive proof.” Since they are open to interpretation there will obviously be differences of opinion. For example, according to the Shāfiʿī position a person should raise their hands to their shoulders when starting prayer. According to the Ḥanafī position a person should raise their hands to their ears. There are differences regarding how to hold one’s hands in prayer, the ruling of reciting Surah al-Fātiḥah, reciting behind the Imām, saying āmīn out loud and the list can go on and on.

Issues of Islamic Jurisprudence aren’t as black and white as people make them out to be. As a matter of fact, they are very complex and require the expertise of scholars to comb through the Quran and aḥadīth, search for relevant texts, then use the rules of the Arabic Language, principles of fiqh and their understanding to extrapolate and derive rulings. In addition to that they will look at the conclusions of previous scholars and experts and understand their arguments and reasoning for those particular conclusions. It’s possible that two scholars will have the same verse in front of them but because of their different principles and methodologies will arrive at two opposite conclusions. Basically, fiqh is much more complex and nuanced than we think. Whoever tells you otherwise is being academically dishonest or is ignorant.

Adab Al-Ikhtilāf, the manners or ethics of disagreement, is unfortunately something that is greatly lacking in our communities. This is a subject that should be studied by all students of knowledge, Scholars, Imams, activists’, callers and the general public. Issues in which there are valid differences of opinion should be dealt with a great level of tolerance and understanding. Just because someone follows a different opinion than ours or one that we are unfamiliar with doesn’t automatically make them wrong, lenient, or somehow a deviant who’s destroying the religion.

Unfortunately, that’s the attitude of a segment of the so called “religious” community. If we see someone doing something we disagree with we automatically start judging them. If a scholar looks a certain way or dresses a certain way, we automatically start judging them. I have noticed a lot of students of knowledge, graduates from traditional madāris, and graduates from Islamic Universities catching heat from "religious" individuals for not practicing certain acts classified as al-sunan al-zawā'id or for dressing a certain way (primarily wearing what we endearingly refer to as "pant/shirt"). Since ikhtilāf in these matters are allowed, we must show tolerance in such issues. This means that we shouldn’t label the opinion of others which may be different, but valid, as deviant, an innovation, blasphemous, or creating fitnah. Rather we’re supposed to have an attitude of acceptance and inclusiveness.

No one should be rebuked, reprimanded, scolded, corrected, advised or yelled at for following a valid difference of opinion. The Shāfiʿī’s developed a beautiful saying, “Issues of ijtihād are not rejected with force, and it is not allowed for anyone to force people to follow their opinion regarding them. Rather they should discuss them using scholarly proofs. If one opinion appears correct to a person, he should follow it, and whoever follows the opposite opinion then there’s no blame on him.”^[4]

As a matter of fact when it comes to these types of issues we’re supposed to let people practice what they’ve learned as long as it’s a valid opinion. Sufyan Al-Thawri (r) said, “If you see someone doing something that’s disagreed upon and you have another opinion, don’t stop him.”^[5] As Imām Mālik (r) remarked, “If you try to change them from what they are familiar with to something they’re not familiar with, they will consider that disbelief.”^[6]

Part of Adab Al-Ikhtilaf is praying behind others who may follow a different opinion than your own. For example, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with praying behind someone who follows the opinion of wiping over their socks, bleeding doesn’t break wudhu, or reciting from the mushaf during tarāwīh. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this and has been the practice of scholars throughout history. There’s a beautiful booklet written by Imām ibn Hazm (r) dealing specifically with this topic.

This lack of adab and tolerance from the “religious” and their attitude towards imams, scholars, and Islamic institutions for adopting and following valid positions that they are unfamiliar with is extremely disheartening and hurtful. I mean, do they really think that someone who has spent anywhere from six to twelve or even more years of their life studying Islam, who has dedicated their lives to the service of Islam, is going to intentionally do something that is wrong or impermissible? Do they really think that they’re going to intentionally misguide the community? However, they are not entirely at fault because they may not know any better. Perhaps they haven’t been exposed to the diversity of fiqh and are only familiar with what they have been taught. They may even be doing so out of some sort of misplaced effort to uphold the truth or honor the tradition.They may even sincerely believe that by speaking out they are engaging in some sort of nahy ʿan al-munkar (prohibiting evil). A large part of the blame for this type of approach and attitude lies on the shoulders of some of our scholars and graduates who perpetuate this sort of intolerance and narrow mindedness. As people of knowledge who have studied and are aware of these finer details of fiqh it is important for them to be academically honest. How is it that they have studied for so long and are considered to be scholars, ulema, and imams and haven’t learned how to deal with valid differences of opinion in a fair and balanced manner? I came across an important principle while reading through Mufti Taqi Usmani's transcribed lecture notes on Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī under the section of abwāb al-libās. The principle he highlights is:

الإنكار على غير منكر، منكر بنفسه.

A loose translation would be "Censuring a matter that is not impermissible is impermissible itself."

It’s time for us as a community to mature and move above and beyond these debates. One of the ways for us as a community to mature and move above and beyond these debates is through education. The Muslim community in America is very diverse and this diversity is represented through our scholars and imams. We have scholars and graduates who have studied at different Islamic Institutions, Seminaries, and Universities throughout the Muslim world. Some studied at Azhar, some in Madinah, some in Dār al-ʿUlūm’s, some in Syria, some in Yemen, some in Mauritania, and several other reputable places.

If you know anything about these institutes they have vastly different approaches towards Islamic Law and different ways of understanding texts of the Quran and Sunnah. All of these institutions are products of their environment; they were dealing with different realities religiously, socially, politically, and economically. Graduates who have studied at these different places have also adopted some of these different approaches and understandings. All of us have different approaches, different understandings and a wide range of opinions. We’re entitled to our own opinions, as long as they’re valid, can argue in favor of them, and defend them till we’re red in the face. But at the end of the day we should all still be able to sit down and talk to each other. We have to have mutual love, respect, and understanding. Love, respect, brotherhood and unity are far more important than our own individual differences of opinion.

This diversity of opinions shouldn’t lead to disunity. Unity and conformity are two separate things. Islam requires us to have unity amongst ourselves, not conformity. May Allah ﷻ guide our hearts to what is correct, bring our hearts together, and unite our community.

Footnotes

1. Muslim, k. Ṣalāh al-musāfirīn wa qaṣrihā, b. Al-targhīb fī qiyām ramadān wa huwa al-tarāwīḥ ↑
2. The use of optical aids to sight the moon is a valid position within the scope of fiqh. I will address the issue in a separate article after Ramadān. ↑
3. This will also be addressed in a separate article after Ramadān. ↑
4. إن مسائل الاجتهادية لا تنكر باليد، و ليس لأحد أن يلزم الناس باتباعه فيها، و لكن يتكلم فيها بالحجج العلمية، فمن تبين له صحة أحد القولين تبعه، و من قلد أهل القول الآخر فلا إنكار عليه ↑
5. عن الإمام سفيان الثوري أنه قال، "إذا رأيت الرجل يعمل العمل الذي قد اختلف فيه و أنت ترى غيره فلا تنهه". ↑
6. عن الإمام مالك، "إن ذهبت تحولهم مما يعرفون إلى ما لا يعرفون رأوا ذلك كفرا." ↑

The word crisis is defined as a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger. Based on this definition, the Muslim Ummah has been and is currently experiencing several different crises; political, economic, social, and religious. According to a lot of my teachers, mentors, and contemporary scholars the "crisis of knowledge" is perhaps the greatest crisis affecting the entire Muslim world. The crisis isn't simple; it's complex and multi-faceted with several different factors affecting it. The purpose of this short article is to highlight some of the different aspects of this crisis and to hopefully start a conversation that will allow us as a community to start thinking about real and practical ways to tackle it.

1. The Lack of Basic Islamic Literacy

A lack of a base level of literacy in Islamic Studies including but not limited to theology/creed, Quranic studies, Ḥadīth studies, fiqh, and history. It is important for us as a community to be honest and real with ourselves. Our understanding of our faith, religion, and its teachings is superficial and shallow. We may think that we know our religion, but the reality is that we know very little. We have a particular perception of what Islam is, which is mostly based on our personal experiences and circumstances, which is heavily influenced by the particular flavor or culture of Islam that we’ve been brought up in. For most of us, what we know about Islam comes from what we’ve learned at home from our parents, maybe Sunday school, various talks and lectures, Shaykh Google, and Mufti YouTube. Oftentimes our understanding of Islam is very ritualistic and formal; it’s based on the form, but it’s missing the substance. Not to put any of us down or make us feel bad, but how many of us actually understand the Quran? Its history, preservation, compilation, subject matter, themes, and structure? How can we be true people of faith when we can’t meaningfully engage with the primary source of our faith?

Seeking this base level of literacy is an obligation upon each and every single one of us. As the Prophet ﷺ said, “Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every single Muslim.”^[1] This doesn’t mean that everyone has to become a scholar; rather, everyone has to learn enough knowledge that will allow them to worship their Creator properly with understanding. This is very much related to the next point.

2. The Need for Formal Islamic Education in the West

Until recently, an absence of a formal and structured course of study for American Muslims. Going through high school in the late 90’s in Southern California there was a lack of access to formal or structured Islamic Studies programs, let alone traditionally trained scholars. Till this day the majority of mosques in Southern California don’t have a scholar as an imam or religious director, which is a discussion for another article. Thanks to my father, I literally grew up in a mosque, but for the longest time we didn’t have an imam, classes, lectures, or programs. I was fortunate enough that during my sophomore year a close friend of mine started taking me to a weekend program organized by Sh. Nomaan Baig that gradually and organically developed into the Institute of Knowledge.

Alḥamdulillah, in the past several years there has been a lot of advancement in this area. We have amazing programs such as the IOK Seminary (iokseminary.com) and Extension (iokextension.com) (shameless plug), but one of the main issues continues to be getting people to participate and attend.

3. Cultural Baggage and Its Impact on Scholarship

A negative attitude towards scholarship and traditionally trained scholars as a result of cultural baggage found in immigrant communities from Muslim countries that were formerly colonized. From my experience with the upper-middle and upper class immigrant Desi communities there has always been this negative sentiment towards Mowlanas or Moulvis. Oftentimes they are looked down upon as being backwards, unintelligent, rigid, poor, unrelatable, and disconnected from society. This attitude is a direct result of colonization along with several different factors. There is a lot that can be said about this based on personal experience that would require a longer discussion.

4. Clashing Worldviews: Revelation vs. Modernity

A clash of two very different worldviews: a worldview that is based in revelation through the Quran and Sunnah in opposition to a worldview that is the result of the contemporary, secular, liberal world of the modern West that is somehow perceived to be rooted in rational thought.

Whether we like to admit it or not, we are heavily influenced by the society and culture we live in, specifically the western education system of public/private schools and universities that most of us are products of. We have knowingly or unknowingly adopted a value system and way of life that is based on modernity, liberalism, and secularism. For example, our understanding of the concepts of freedom, justice, liberty, equality, mercy, and fairness are informed through a very liberal and secular lens. Because of that we impose our understandings of these concepts on to verses of the Quran and aḥādīth of the Prophet ﷺ and end up finding certain verses or aḥādīth to be "problematic". There ends up being this internal conflict within ourselves that leads towards a lot of doubts and confusion.

Our worldview should be informed by the Quran and Sunnah. Allah ﷻ is the epitome of justice, fairness, equality, mercy, and freedom. What God declares to be fair, merciful, and just is what is truly fair, merciful, and just. We can't impose our flawed understanding of these concepts upon our faith and tradition. All of this goes back to having a firm grounding in exactly what the world view and value system of Islam is in the first place, which is dependent on knowledge.

5. The Imbalance Between Academic and Islamic Education

An imbalance of resources towards "academic" education as opposed to "Islamic" education. What I mean by that is that the average high school student spends about 8 hours a day in school. If they are highly motivated and want to get into the best universities they probably spend another 3 hours minimum doing homework and studying. That is 11 hours a day. Add on any extracurricular activities, time spent hanging out with friends, playing sports, going to the gym, video games, tv, and social media and there’s very little time left in the day. During all this time students are constantly being exposed to a very powerful intellectual, philosophical, moral, and ethical worldview that is oftentimes diametrically opposed to the teachings of our religion.

Comparatively, the average student spends only 2-3 hours a week in a Sunday school, if that. That is a huge imbalance and misappropriation of priorities. We have to make our communities recognize and understand the value of "Islamic" education and spending time in an “Islamic” environment.

6. The Absence of Structured Islamic After-School Programs

A lack of structured after school programs for school aged children. According to the Prophetic model of teaching, we should be instilling deep faith in Allah and love for the Prophet ﷺ from a very young age in order to shape and develop a proper worldview. Unfortunately, most of our mosques don’t have structured holistic after school programs designed to do so.

These are just some initial thoughts I have. What does everyone else think? What else do you see as a problem? How can we start working towards fixing it?

This is a necessary conversation.

Footnotes

1. Ibn Mājah, al-muqaddimah, b. Faḍl al-ʿulamā’a wa al-ḥath ʿalā ṭalab al-ʿilm, 224 ↑

I don’t know about everyone else but I’m still in absolute shock that the 45^th president of the United States is Donald J. Trump. A man whose campaign rhetoric was full of hate, prejudice, racism, bigotry, xenophobia, islamophobia and blatant vulgar sexism. He called Mexican immigrants rapists and killers and has consistently called for the construction of “the wall”. He has offended the black community by making disparaging remarks about the Black Lives Matter movement. He actually mocked a disabled reporter on video by imitating his physical disability and then denied it. He even said, “I could stand in the middle of 5^th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters.”

One of the worst things that came to light about him is his disgusting and vile attitude towards women. His true nature was caught on camera and on tape when he boasted about groping and making unwanted advances on women. Then he had the audacity to justify it by saying it’s just locker room talk. I mean come on. Talk about alternative facts.

Throughout his campaign he called for a ban on Muslims immigrating to the U.S, suggested developing a Muslim registry and has said that “Islam hates us.” He has made some very dangerous and Islamophobic statement that highlight his true attitude towards Islam and Muslims. And we as Muslims shouldn’t be naïve about this; his top aides and several figures in his administration actually believe they’re at war with Islam. The list of ridiculous things he’s said and done can go on and on. There were several times throughout his campaign where he said or did something that most people thought made him unfit and unqualified to be President.

Despite all this and much more, he was still elected the 45^th President of the United States of America. As I said I’m still in shock. If we use his first few weeks as an indication of what’s to come, Americans, especially Muslim Americans, are going to face some interesting times. And it seems like his team and him are trying their best to fulfill their campaign promises. Someone wittingly remarked that President Obama entered office with a mandate of change and was largely unsuccessful. Trump was elected to office with a mandate of disruption and has been doing so since his inauguration.

He set the tone of his administration towards Islam and Muslims when he said, “We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones – and unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.” On top of that he has surrounded himself with cabinet members and aides who are known to be open bigots and Islamophobes who believe there’s a clash of civilizations and that they’re at war with Islam.

Wake-up Call

The fact that he won the election should be a wake-up call for all of us. It should make us realize that the society we live in, American, society, has some real deeply-rooted issues. Racism, prejudice and bigotry towards minorities run deep within the veins of America, this is a reality that none of us should be blind to. I mean there was official segregation between races, black and whites, up until the 60’s and there continues to be unofficial segregation until today. We as Muslims living in America should be aware of its history and how it has shaped the America we see today. We should recognize that Islamophobia is an extension of that prejudice and racism; it’s part of that same mindset and mentality.

Islamophobia

Islam and Muslims have been under the microscope for some time now. Since 9/11 a whole industry has been created and developed whose sole purpose is to create closed-minded prejudice and hatred towards Islam and Muslims. There’s a whole well-funded industry of Islamophobia and propaganda dedicated to tarnishing the Image of Islam and Muslims in the average person’s mind. They’ve created an environment where the word Islam has negative associations. That when someone hears the word Islam they automatically think of violence, terror, bombings and the enemy.

The main stream media, whether its CNN, BCC or Fox News, portrays Islam and Muslims in the most negative light possible. CNN has had panel discussions on “Is Islam a violent religion?” and “Is Islam more violent than other religions?” There are headlines that create doubts and irrational fears in the average person’s mind about their normal Muslim neighbors and co-workers like, “How she went from a school teacher to an ISIS member” and “When Americans leave for Jihad”. These are absolutely ridiculous things that may seem bizarre and outrageous to us but real for the person sitting next to us in class or at the doctor’s office.

And it’s this rhetoric, this hate, this prejudice and bigotry that has created an environment that would allow for hate crimes to take place, that would make it okay for people to think that a “Muslim Ban” or a “Muslim Registry” is needed. In the past year we’ve seen a noticeable spike in Islamophobic incidents. There are reports of people being kicked off planes simply because they’re Muslim. Sisters have been assaulted and harassed and had their hijabs torn off. We’ve had these insane armed protests outside masājid. Three Muslim youth had their life taken away from them because of this bigotry. Just recently a few masjids were burned down to the ground and most recently we had the tragic shooting that took place during Isha prayer at a masjid in Quebec, taking the lives of 6 innocent Muslims.

There’s so much bigotry and fear-mongering that at times it seems overwhelming. There’s so much bias, hate and prejudice that sometimes we feel stuck. And with Trump in office it seems as if the rhetoric has been taken to a new level. It seems like “war on Islam” is part of the Trump doctrine. Now the question we should be focused on is: what can we do about it? How do we deal with it? What are we supposed to do?

Patience and Prayer: Focus on our relationship with Allah

One thing that we can definitely take solace in is the fact that the Prophet (saw), the last and final messenger, our role model also experienced this same anti-Muslim rhetoric. As a matter of fact, he faced Islamophobia on steroids. There was a very powerful anti-Islam, anti-Muslim sentiment amongst the people of Makkah. This rhetoric and opposition didn’t cause them to give into fear; it didn’t make them scared. Rather, it made them stronger.

In multiple places throughout the Quran Allah (swt) taught the Prophet (saw) how to deal with this opposition. How to derive strength from these trial and hardships. When the people of Quraish rejected him, when they called him a liar, a magician, a sorcerer and a madman Allah (Swt) told him, “So be patient, [O Muhammad]. Indeed, the promise of Allah is truth. And ask forgiveness for your sin and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning.”

Allah (swt) told him to seek strength through patience and prayer. To focus on his relationship with Allah (swt).

Allah (swt) told him something similar in Surah Taha, “So be patient over what they say and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and during periods of the night [exalt Him] and at the ends of the day, that you may be satisfied.”

These are the same words of advice that Allah (swt) gives to us as believers, “O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.”

The true strength of the believers has never been through financial or physical means. Their true power has always come through their spiritual strength.

Outlook

In light of everything that’s going on around us both politically and socially I feel that it’s very important for us to keep the following five things in mind:

1. Faith – We should focus on strengthening our relationship with Allah ﷻ Faith and spirituality are what give us the ability to face challenges and difficulties with strength, steadfastness, patience and perseverance.
2. Accepting the Divine Decree and Having Trust in Allah– We should recognize that everything that’s happening is part of the Divine Decree and will of Allah ﷻ; nothing happens without His will or permission. There’s some deep divine wisdom behind everything that’s going on and we should place our faith and trust in Him. As Allah ﷻ says, “Say: Nothing shall befall us except what Allah has willed for us. He alone is our Protector, so in Allah let the believers place their trust.”^[1]
3. Blessings in Disguise – Oftentimes things may seem like they’re horrible but there’s always a silver lining. As Allah ﷻ tells us, “And it is possible that you dislike a matter, but Allah places much good in it.”^[2] We’ve already seen that our communities are organizing, coming together and uniting against prejudice. Perhaps this is our opportunity to strengthen our communities and our relationships with other minority groups. This past weekend 1000’s of people protested the “Muslim Ban” at airports all across America. The vast majority of those standing for us and with us were non-Muslim. As a matter of fact all this negative attention towards Islam and Muslims may actually be changing peoples’ perceptions of Islam for the better (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/01/25/americans-dont-support-trumps-ban-on-muslim-immigration/?utm_term=.1264a2ca7637).
4. Optimism and hope – Our faith and religion teach us to be optimistic and hopeful regarding the future; not pessimistic and desperate. We’re taught to keep a positive attitude and remember that ultimately Allah ﷻ is in control. Allah ﷻ tells us, “And do not become weak, nor grieve, for surely you shall be victorious if you believe.”^[3]
5. Be Proactive! – Now is the time to work towards change. We can’t retreat into fear or isolation. It’s time for us to get involved in our local communities, build relationships with people of other faiths and make our voices heard.

May Allah ﷻ make all of our affairs easy for is and give us strength, patience, forbearance, wisdom and guidance.

Footnotes

1. 9:51 ↑
2. 2:216 ↑
3. 3:139 ↑