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Friday Talks |
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109 |
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Friday Talks |
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109 |
Fasting and Soul Purification
Written by: Sk. Ibrahim Jaber
Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa
08 Ramadan 1430 h
28 August 2009 ad
All thanks be to Allah who opened the gates of paradise during the month of Ramadan, and made fasting Ramadan a protection from hellfire. And I testify that there is no God other than Allah, who has no partners. He made the day of Ramadan better through fasting and its night better through prayers accustomed by the messenger (ppbu). And I testify that Muhammad is the slave and messenger of Allah, and that Allah selected him amongst all His creation and that he is His beloved. Peace and prayers be upon him, his family, his companions and those who follow his guidance to the last day.
Slaves of Allah, One of the most majestic obligations decreed in Islam is the task of fasting whish is one of the pillars of Islam. And it is one of greater support for faith which brings a slave closer to his Lord. Fasting is a mean of training for the soul. Fasting stops the soul and prevents it from transgression and violation and wrong doing and controls its desires. Fasting makes clear the real and urgent need for food which is one of the mercies of Allah upon the soul. So, it succumbs and submits to Allah the Lord of the worlds. The scholar Ahmad Showkey said: "Fasting is a lawful deprivation, and is discipline through hunger, and submission and surrender to Allah. Behind every imposed obligation there is a reason or wisdom, and the wisdom behind fasting on the outside seems like punishment and on the inside it is mercy, it arouses kindness, and motivates towards donation and charity, and it breaks the sense of vanity and superiority, fasting teaches patience. Fasting teaches good habits of kindness. Such this who is accustomed to plenty of food if he or she goes hungry, and this who is accustomed to plenty of pleasures, if he or she is denied the resource of fulfillment, then such a person will know the true feeling of poverty when it strikes and will know the true pain of hunger when it stings"
Yes, Fasting is a lawful deprivation. It is a deprivation for the individual even from the good lawful things. But it is lawful because it is an implementation and adherence to a commandment of Allah. This denial starts at dawn and ends at sunset. Fasting is a discipline through hunger. A discipline for the soul to know the value of Allah's mercy upon it. And to know its need for food which is one of Allah's mercies. And so the human being will realize and know despite how much power he has, still remains weak when it comes to the power of Allah. Allah says in the Koran: {and Man was created weak}. The human nature tends towards relaxation and idleness. And it tends towards more food and drink. It failed to realize that plenty of food is like poison. And did not understand when the messenger of Allah (ppbu) said: {son of Adam would not do worst in filling anything more than filling his stomach}
Brother in Islam, imposing every obligation has its reason or wisdom. Fasting having what seems to be punishment on the out side yet it has mercy on the inside. This who fasts is like an angel who would instigate kindness and would encourage giving. It has the spirit of social unity and social cooperation which is called for by all nations and societies, and which Islam called for over fourteen hundred years ago. Fasting encourages and promotes kindness, cooperation, friendship and goodwill amongst members of the Muslim society. This will help make it a coherent and cooperating society. Allah says: {and do cooperate in kindness and piety and do not cooperate in sin, crime and aggression}. The messenger (ppbu) said: {an example of the believers in care, kindness and mercy which they show each other is like the single body. If one of its parts or organs suffers, the rest of the organs attend to it through fever and agitation and loss of sleep}
"Fasting breaks that ego, vanity and superiority". Fasting calls and encourages the rich to donate to the poor and the destitute. A Muslim who lives in comfort when he or she fasts they will feel the pain of hunger and thirst during Ramadan. They will better know how the poor, the orphan and the destitute feel, and will better know their need to food, such that the rich will willingly and generously donate to the poor.
Prophet Yousif (pbu) used to continually fast every other day, that is fast one day and eat the next day. When he was asked why, he said: "I am afraid to feel full then I would forget the one who is hungry".
The status of fasting and its sanctity is so great that Allah made it an atonement or penance for many sins and acts of disobedience that are committed by the slaves. Fasting is made penance for whoever intentionally eats or breaks fasting in the day of Ramadan. And it is a penance for the wrongful killing or manslaughter. Fasting is also a penance for breaking an oath, or making the oath which one would prohibit his own wife to himself (known as thihar الظهار). Fasting has the power which causes forgiveness of sins and misdeeds. The messenger (ppbu) said: {whosoever fasts Ramadan in faith and expectation then all his or her previous sins are forgiven}.
All thanks be to Allah.
Notes:
The inhabitants of the city of Al-Medina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.
Adhan - The call to prayer.
Ansar (or Al-Ansar):
Assalam Alaikum - The Islamic greeting, literately means: Peace be with you. Used when approaching or leaving. When used during approaching it will be like saying: I bring no harm to you . and when said during leaving somebody it will mean: No harm will come to you after I leave.
is a verse of the Koran. It also means a miracle or a sign from God. Aya (or Ayah):
is a mountain outside the city of Mecca that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day. Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat):
Badr - The place of the first significant battle between the Muslims and the pagans of the Quraish. It is located in Saudi Arabia.
Caliph - A Muslim ruler. See: (Khalifa)
Dajjal - Antichrist or the False Massiah.
Dawah - The proliferation of Islamic teachings through word and deed.
Deen (Din) - Religion or way of life.
talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help. Duaa: a prayer in the form of
Fatwa - Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran) and the Sunnah which are the recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad.
Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.
Fiqh - Religious law.
Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger have said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.
Hajar - The Black Stone set into the corner of the Ka'aba in Mecca. It is said to be a stone from Heaven.
Hajj - The pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar. One of the five pillars of Islam.
Hasana or hasanas: is the reward for a good deed. a hasana is a point or a merit for a good deed.
Hadith - The sayings and not deeds of the prophet Muhammad recorded by his followers. Considered authoritative and perfect.
Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.
Hijra (or Hejrah): the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.
Ibadah - Worship. All the words and deeds with which Allah is pleased. These deeds could be prayer and charity.
Iblis - (Ibleese): On of Satan's names.
Ibn (Ebn): the son of. Used by Arabs as part of an individual's name. Example: Ali whose father is Omar or the son of Omar, would be called: Ali Ibn Omar.
Imam (or Emam)- The leader for a prayer. In the Shiaa sect, an Imam is the individual who has the religious authority.
Iman: belief or faith
Injil (Enjeel) - The Bible. The book inspired to Jesus for the Christians.
Islam - Submission, the religion of all the prophets of Allah culminating in Muhammad.
Jannah - The heavenly garden, Paradise. The place of the faithful in the afterlife.
Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word. The greatest Jihad is the fight one's self against temptations. It also means "holy war."
Jinn - Supernatural, invisible beings race of beings, below angels. They were made from fire. Like humans, there amongst them are the faithful and the non beleivers and Jinn shall be judged on Judgment Day.
Ka'aba: A cube shaped building in Mecca containing a stone laid there by Abraham and Ishmael. Some say Ka'aba was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is the holiest place for Muslims. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers. Ka'aba also makes a major part of the pilgrimage in a ritual known as Tawaf.
Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".
Khutbah - A sermon given in a Mosque, usually on Friday.
Kufr - Denial or Disbelief. A term Muslims use for anyone who denies existence of Allah or the prophecy of Muhammed.
Koran - Also spelled Qur'an. The holy book of Islam revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Archangel Gabriel. Koran literally means "the recital." It is the final revelation of Allah given to the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 surahs (or chapters.)
Madinah - (Medinah): A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to. Then it was called Yathrib.
Masjid - A center for Muslim activity. It is referred to as a mosque.
Masiah - A sin, or a sinful act
Mecca or Makkah: is the holiest city for Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Mecca is the birth place of the messenger (PPBU).
Mosque - A Muslim house of worship.
Muhajir - (Muhajireen) Immigrant, one who leaves his home town due to lack of religious freedom. It was first used to describe early Muslims immigrating from Mecca to Median and Ethiopia.
Muhammad - the final messenger and prophet of God whose message abrogated all previous revelations. He received the Koran through the angel Gabriel over a 23 year period. Born in Mecca and died in Medina at the age of 63. His full name: Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah
Muslim - One who holds faith to the religion of Islam.
Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.
Nasara - Christians. Nasrani: A Christian individual. Nasraniah: Christianity.
Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.
Paradise - Another word for heaven. A garden of bliss, fruits, rivers and all forms of pleasures imaginable and imaginable. No suffering, disease or death. Service is provided by angels. All live in it an ever lasting youthful life. Promised by Almighty Allah to all faithful, true Jews, true Christians and True Muslims. Paradise is one of two places every person will go to, either Paradise or Hellfire.
PPBU (P.B.U.H.) : Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the messenger or make a reference to him.
Qadar - Fate. Preordainment is the teaching that all things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.
Qadr - (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. Or when the Koran was brought down to the nearest heaven in one go, and from there it was brought down in bits and few verses at a time over a period of 23 years. This night is considered the holiest night for Muslims with tremendous advantages.
Qibla - The direction which Muslims turn for daily prayers, towards Mecca.
Quraish - An ancient Arab tribe to which the messenger Muhammad belonged.
Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is the month of the fast. The holiest month in the Muslim colander.
Salat - Prayers. Generally it covers all forms of worship, but more specifically refers to the Muslim rituals which is performed to worship Allah five times daily.
Shiaa: A sect of Islam that teaches that a religion leader (Imam) should be the political ruler and must be direct descendants of the messenger (PPBU). Therefore, disapproving of all Muslim leaders who ruled After the messenger (PPBU) except Ali, the messenger's grandson.
Shirk - Associating another god with Allah. Or associating anyone or anything with Allah. Or using anyone or anything as a medium to Allah. The opposite of Monotheism or Tawheed.
Siam or Soam- Fasting
Sunni: is a the title of those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.
Sunna (Sunnah): Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered to be an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes. It is also a title give to the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all Muslims.
Surah - A chapter of the Koran.
Tawaf: part of the pilgrimage (Hajj) ritual. It involves walking round the Ka'aba Mosque in anti-clock wise direction a number of seven circles.
Tauhid - Tawheed - Monotheism, in Islam is the teaching that there is only one God who alone is worthy of worship. The first requirement of becoming a Muslim. It is included in the testimony of faith for new Muslims when declaring that God is one: (No God but Allah)
Taqwah - Proper fear and veneration of Allah. A divine spark that enables the person to understand God.
Taurat: The old Testaments and scriptures of Mosa.
Ummah - the word means: a Nation. Usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise stated.
Umrah - (Amrah): A mini hajj. A Minor form of pilgrimage to Mecca. Unlike Hajj which can only be done on the 12th month of the Islamic year, Umrah can be performed at any time.
Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.
Zaboor - The Psalms
Zakat - The third pillar of Islam. Alms giving, charity that is given to the poor.
Faheem Bukhatwa, my email
address is : faheemfb@gmail.com
