من هناك
09-27-2007, 02:06 PM
In the Middle of Ramdan
Sary Farah
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said about Ramadan: “The beginning of it is mercy, the middle of it is forgiveness, and by its end there is salvation from hellfire”
Today is day 12 in Ramadan, it is very important for us to evaluate ourselves to see if things are going well in terms of our spiritual growth.
We need to be reminded that Ramadan is like a month of training, which is essential for our whole life. We get trained to control ourselves, our speech and actions. In other words, we are training ourselves to become better human beings.
For those who still feel that they are still the same as they were before Ramadan, there is still a chance to work actively on the path to change.
The following are some useful advices and recommendation which can help you to benefit from what is left of Ramadan:
1. Make a list of your bad habits and unaccepted behaviors. Put them in the right order and work on eliminating them one by one until you reach victory.
2. Invest your time with Dhikr remembrance of Allah: when you’re driving or riding, walking, waiting for someone… you can say subhanallah (glory be to Allah), alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah), astaghfirullah (I seek the forgiveness of Allah), la ilaha illallah (there is no god but Allah), allahu akbar (Allah is great). This act of remembrance might start with your tongue, and with sincerity and persistence it will reach your heart, and will eventually increase your consciousness of the Divine presence. So bring your heart back to life with Dhikr!
3. Make a long Du’aa (supplication to Allah) everyday. This is a sign of certainty in Allah’s existence, in his most beautiful attributes, and in the fact that everything in this universe is according to His will. Ask for guidance for yourself and everyone else, increase in faith, blessings for your family and loved ones, and all that is good.
4. Give more charity, and work on becoming more helpful to others, start with those who are closest to you: your family, your friends, your neighbors…
5. Read the Qur’an, not for the purpose of “finishing it” (Khatma) but to understand it and apply its teachings. “Read it as if it has been revealed to you”, this was the advice of Muhammad Iqbal’s father that had changed his life and made him a renowned scholar.
6. Seek good company; befriend those whom you see as righteous, for they will lift you up to their level.
7. Turn off that TV, it is a major distraction. You want to know the news report? Listen to the radio no more than three times a day. For two years, I don’t have a TV at home, and my life got much better, and I had more time to do more activities, like reading books, spending time with my family and friends…
And finally, be mindful that this increase in worship and righteousness is not exclusive to Ramadan; it is to be maintained throughout our lives, in order to please Allah, and to become successful in this life, as well as in the hereafter.
Sary Farah
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said about Ramadan: “The beginning of it is mercy, the middle of it is forgiveness, and by its end there is salvation from hellfire”
Today is day 12 in Ramadan, it is very important for us to evaluate ourselves to see if things are going well in terms of our spiritual growth.
We need to be reminded that Ramadan is like a month of training, which is essential for our whole life. We get trained to control ourselves, our speech and actions. In other words, we are training ourselves to become better human beings.
For those who still feel that they are still the same as they were before Ramadan, there is still a chance to work actively on the path to change.
The following are some useful advices and recommendation which can help you to benefit from what is left of Ramadan:
1. Make a list of your bad habits and unaccepted behaviors. Put them in the right order and work on eliminating them one by one until you reach victory.
2. Invest your time with Dhikr remembrance of Allah: when you’re driving or riding, walking, waiting for someone… you can say subhanallah (glory be to Allah), alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah), astaghfirullah (I seek the forgiveness of Allah), la ilaha illallah (there is no god but Allah), allahu akbar (Allah is great). This act of remembrance might start with your tongue, and with sincerity and persistence it will reach your heart, and will eventually increase your consciousness of the Divine presence. So bring your heart back to life with Dhikr!
3. Make a long Du’aa (supplication to Allah) everyday. This is a sign of certainty in Allah’s existence, in his most beautiful attributes, and in the fact that everything in this universe is according to His will. Ask for guidance for yourself and everyone else, increase in faith, blessings for your family and loved ones, and all that is good.
4. Give more charity, and work on becoming more helpful to others, start with those who are closest to you: your family, your friends, your neighbors…
5. Read the Qur’an, not for the purpose of “finishing it” (Khatma) but to understand it and apply its teachings. “Read it as if it has been revealed to you”, this was the advice of Muhammad Iqbal’s father that had changed his life and made him a renowned scholar.
6. Seek good company; befriend those whom you see as righteous, for they will lift you up to their level.
7. Turn off that TV, it is a major distraction. You want to know the news report? Listen to the radio no more than three times a day. For two years, I don’t have a TV at home, and my life got much better, and I had more time to do more activities, like reading books, spending time with my family and friends…
And finally, be mindful that this increase in worship and righteousness is not exclusive to Ramadan; it is to be maintained throughout our lives, in order to please Allah, and to become successful in this life, as well as in the hereafter.