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Friday Talks |
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166 |
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Continuity of doing good deeds
By Sk. Abd-Razzag Tahir Farih
Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa
8th Shawal 1436
24th July 2015
All thanks be to Allah. We ask His forgiveness and depend on Him alone. We testify that He is the one and only God, and Muhammad is His prophet and messenger.
Dear all in the sight of Allah, The Almighty Has decreed that times has prefrences which varies and divides throughout the year. We had recently welcomed Ramadan and said goodbye to. Just as Allah describe the days of Ramadan as “a number of days”. Allah says: {It has been decreed upon you to fast just as it was decreed upon people befor you; so you may be God fearing. A number of days}. And so it was a number of days, passed upon us with its lights, and with its prayers and fasting and night prayers. Passed with all the donations (or sadaqa). All those graceful blessed nights and days. Allah Has accept from some of His slaves and He refused some. I ask Allah that we all are amongest those He accepted, and we pray that we all are amongst those He Has pardoned from fire.
Dear brothers and sisters, now after the end of the blessed month of Ramadan with all the blessings and grace it has, we are now looking forward to those days following Ramadan. Those days which complement the month of Ramdan. The messenger ppbu said: {Whosoever does the night prayers in Ramadan in faith and expectation then all his/her previous sins are forgiven}. Then the messenger ppbu conintued: {Whosoever fasts Ramadan then follows it with fasting of six of the month of Shawal then it is like he/she has fasted etertnity}. It is permissable for a Muslaim to always be proactive towards grace. Whenever the messenger ppbu praised or spoke highly of a deed then it becomes allowable or even recommended for the people of faith to seek it. So, Muslims; do fast the six days of this month of Shawal in order to get closer to the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Because the reward for a single good deed counts for ten times that, and therefor fasting the month of Ramadan counts as the fasting of ten months. And fasting those six days will count for sixty days or two months. Those two months with other ten will count to the Muslim person as if he/she has fasted twelve months, or the enire year. When this is done every year then it will count that the person is fasting for eternity.
Dearly beloved, let us be thankful to Allah that He made it possible for us to fast Ramadan; and let us ask Him to grant us more of His grace.
Dear brothers and sisters, there are signs which will show wheather your deed has been accepted or not. One of the signs that the deed is accepted is that the person adds more good deed to follow. Also that your state after the good deed would be better than befor it. Your state after Ramadan would be how much care and attention you give to prayers, and how much attention you give to fasting, and refraining from harming people, and holding of your tonge; and how much attention you give to donations (or sadaqa). That your state after Ramadan should be better than before your state before Ramadan. The individual he/she should feel the change to himself, and others should feel that he/she has changed after Ramadan.
When the scholars explained what the messenger ppbu said about pilgrimage or Hajj. He said: {There is no reward for a good pilgrimage (Hajj) except paradis}. They said “a good Hajj” is the one that the state of the person after it; is different to the state before it. The difference is in his prayers, his worship, his tong and his behaviour. This is one of the signes that Hajj has been accepted. Similarly, one of the signs that fasting Ramadan has been accepted is that Ramadan should have an effect on you. Because if during Ramadan you have refrained from some prohibited deeds, then you ought to continue refraining even after Ramadan. And if during Ramadan you used to attend Fajr prayer at a mosque, then you ought to continue doing this good deed even after Ramadan. And if during Ramadan; no day passed without you reciting some Quran which would benefit you and would elevate you, then you ought to continue that even after Ramadan. Your state with the Quran must not be like doing the compulsary fast which is only copulsary during Ramadan. Once a year. No, Quran should be close to you and associated with you at all times. Allah says: {Thos who recite the book of Allah, and do the prayers, and donated from what we bestowed onto them in private and in public they are expecting a business which will not go to loss} 35:29. Remember that Quran is a mediator to its people on the day of resurrection. Its people are those who care about it and give it attention in this life. Its people are those who sit with it (study or recite it), its people are those who do not neglect it. Its people are those who do not desert it. The messenger ppbu: {O God, my people have the Quran in a deserted state}. Deserted as in they do not recite its verses. Deserted, as in they do not reflect upon it nor remember it. Deserted, as in one hardly ever holds it except may be if he is in early on a Friday prayer. A Muslim should not desert the Quran, instead he ought to make Ramadan as an encouragement reference point or a station. A point to increase the strength of his/her link and true contact with the Quran.
I ask Allah to accept our deeds, He can hear all, He is close and near to all, and He answers our prayers.
Second part:
Continuing and following up the good deed has results. One of the results is the good ending towards the end of life. A person of faith continues to strive (or do jihad ) against himself by doing deeds of obedience and refraining from the forbiden. This is in order to stengthen his resolve, and straiten his state and affairs, and continues doing the good deeds until the time of death. Allah say: {Those who have faith, Allah makes them firm and fixed with the firm words in this life and the next life, and Allah misguides those who transagress, and Allah does what he pleases} 14:27.
Notes:
Adhan - The call to prayer.
- 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.
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.
