Some Lovely Ramadan Reminders

Compiled, paraphrased and typed by Huma Ahmad

from the nightly reminders of the Shaikh during Ramadan

First posted on www.TheMadina.com Islamic Forum

(Make Dua for all of us inshaAllah!)

Day One:

The Quran begins with Alhamdulillah reminding us of Ubudiyyah first. Alhamdulillah for who He is. Alhamdulillah that Allah gave us another Ramadan to experience. Alhamdulillah for this window of time, this opportunity for those who seek it and want it.

The Quran is the greatest gift.  Allah starts with telling us about the guidance in it for those who are conscious huda lil mutaqeen and want to pursue a happy life with Allah. This Book is for those who seek happiness, freedom and true meaning.

Surah Baqarah has limitless lessons, we find more the more we read and learn.

All the Deen of Allah is about rectifying the self, which leads to rectifying society. Everything in the Quran is about changing us inside. Other people were given the book before us, but over time they became culture oriented and forgot. Their hearts became hardened. 'For there are rocks within which rivers flow' Some also fall down in awe, but as human beings our hearts have become worse than rocks. So we have to not be like them and not forget compassion, mercy, obedience, gentleness, modesty, contentment, generosity, thankfulness, forbearance, patience and dhikr. Ras said Beware from speaking too much without dhikr because it hardens the heart.


The Quran is huda for the Qalb to reach Allah, so study the Quran and follow it and your heart will be cleared and purified. Allah will show the one who has faith in Him what is good or bad.

In Surah Baqarah, Allah reminds us of previous nations especially of Ibrahim and He wants us to be the Ummah of Ibrahim. 'Only the one who is foolish is the one who keeps away from the path of Ibrahim.' When His Lord told him Aslim he said Aslamtu. Give up your heart, mind, desires, causes to Allah. Ask yourself: Am I a Muslim? like in the way of Ibrahim. Let us say at least I want to be.  Allah wants us to surrender to the path of Islam -- the path to Allah.  Ibrahim made it his waseeyah (will) to all his children. Our life should be a life of loving surrender.

Day Two:

Didn't take notes.

Day Three:

We completed Surah Baqarah. Allah ended that Surah with a reminder and Dua we should always invoke Allah with. Every Muslim should memorize this gift from Allah.

'Whatever is inside of you of thoughts, feelings, emotions, whether you show or keep it Allah holds you accountable.' This means that Allah holds us accountable if we hold it inside, entertain it. But if we deny it, not externalize it Allah forgives us. We need to actualize Allah's tawheed internally and externally.

Surah Aal Imran has many jewels and pearls. There are many powerful meanings in this Surah. It would take a lifetime to draw all its treasures. Allah begins by reminding us of Tawheed. Allahu la ilaaha... Allah Most Majestic, Perfect, nothing hidden from Him. We should live our lives fully aware that Allah is fully aware of our inside and outside and everything in the Universe. It would benefit us, make us happy in dunya and akhirah if only we actualized what Allah tells us.

We're attracted by beautiful things, wealth, success, love and passion. Allah tells us this is mata'aldunya chattels of dunya. you use it then disregard. We reach rida in this dunya when we're pleased with Allah and then -- from Allah. And if Allah is pleased with the person they have reached jannah in this dunya.

Those who reject Allah and His Messenger Ras and die in that state would try to compensate for it with all the resources of earth on the Day of Judgement when facing Jahannam. They would say yes we would give all the world and its resources as ransom. Each one of us when we die, how much dunya do we even get, a tiny percentage of all the resources of the world and yet they were willing to give it all up. Allah says I'll give you all the dunya will you pay it as ransom? And they answer yes.  In Hadith Allah says to them You lie. I asked you for easier than this in the Dunya-- to worship me and you didn't do that even.

Those who reject faith after they believed (usually because of shaitan, nafs, delusions) will be increased in disbelief.  Allah says He will never accept their Tawbah in this state when they are dying. It is not worth living in this dunya like we own all of dunya. It's not even the worth of a wing of a fly.

Day Four:

It's important and good to study the juzz that is read in Taraweeh.

We completed Surah Aal Imran, a very beautiful Surah that contains much to be learned socially, spiritually, historically etc.  It also talks about our relationship with those who don't share our faith. This relationship should be with Adl and Ihsan and all in the realm of being hospitable with kindness beyond justice.

We should hold fast to the values of our faith. We should exert ourselves in Sabr to hold fast. The last ayah ends with that.

In the face of the challenges of unbelievers- fair or unjust, we should treat them with adl and justice. We do not change this NO MATTER WHAT. Allah tells us these people are not all the same - some are good people, Allah fearing. Then there are others that aren't kind and just. So we should be steadfast and patient and be proud of being a muwahid, pray and not do anything improper.

Ihsan is beautiful magnanimity we should enhance our lives with. We compete and race for Jannah - a paradise which is beyond the Heavens and Earth and beyond anything humans can encompass.

This Surah answers the question: Who are the Muttaqoon?

- Those who stand for the needy and poor, and their families whether in prosperity or adversity. They still continue to spend in a proper way.

- Those who restrain their anger and do not externalize it because anger is the root of so much injustice from families to the national, international level. We should especially restrain ourselves when our personal rights are violated.

- Those who forgive and pardon all people who were unjust or cruel to them.  Allah loves those who forgive and are kind and excellent in behavior.

- Those who when they make a mistake or commit a wrongdoing are speedy to ask Allah for forgiveness and to rectify what they've done. They're aware of Allah and know they committed wrong while Allah is watching.  And they know no one else forgives except Allah with His Compassion and Love.

- They do not stubbornly continue to persist and insist in what is wrong. If that happens nevertheless a mu'min should go back and ask for forgiveness, rectify.

This is the heart of this Surah and how we should live.

Day Five:

We ask Allah to grant us deeds beloved to you, purely for your Love and rewarded by You.

This is a grace, bounty from Allah for us to fast while others don't and to pray while others watch TV etc.  This is a gift, a rahmaa from Allah especially to those consistent in praying and fasting. Consistency makes us love salah from the depth of our hearts.

We should honor Allah's gift. And once we make love of salah as part of our desire Allah will give it to us. Rasullullah said Verily knowledge is by learning, forbearance is by being and the one who wants to be good it will become part of them.

There is nothing more beloved to Allah than Salah. Aisha a said Keep knocking at the door of Allah and He will open it for you. The people asked her What does it mean this knocking? She said: Alot of Ruku and Sujood. Righteous women and men in our past used to have wirds of 500,600 rakats in a day. How do they do it? They loved it so much maybe time was dilated for them. There was plenty of barakah in their time when Ibadah was beloved to them.

We are reciting Surah Nisa tonight. 'Those who obey Allah and His Rasul will be in the company of Nabiyeen in Akhirah and in this dunya will have things in their heart related to them. (a nisbah- relationship) Those Allah graced with giving their lives will be in the company of Nabiyeen and Siddiqeen (like Abu Bakr not just truthful in words but in actions too).

In this dunya people want to be in the company of people who can help them, who have power, success. We write them in our resumes. But we should seek the company of the Righteous. This verse was revealed when a simple man came to Rasulullah . His eyes moist with tears, he said 'Ya Rasulullah I love you so very much that when I'm home with my family I remember you and I can't wait to come out and look at you. And then I thought of when Allah takes you when you die, you will be in the company of Allah in the loftiest of stations and I thought of my death and Where I would be-- away from you.' He began crying and then Allah revealed this Ayah. 'The one who obeys Allah and His Messenger will be with those Allah has graced, shuhada, anbiya, siddiqeen.' What a heart Allah gave him.

May Allah soften our hearts and give us the desire to be with Rasulullah and energy to do what Allah loves internally and externally.

Day Six:

In Surah Ma'idah, different types of human beings are described including the hypocrites. Nifaq is inside human beings and is a state of mind and heart. We do not and cannot judge this because it is internal but there are some physical manifestations of it:

1. Verily the munafiqeen try to deceive Allah with their ignorance and blindness. They behave as though God doesn't know what's inside of them. Nowadays alot of people think that which can't be subject to experiment doesn't exist. Psychology is a pseudo science to figure out whats going on inside. They think they are deceiving Allah, but they're only deceiving themselves.

2. They say lailahailallah... and come to prayer sometimes and stand lazy and bored. They don't come with resolve, desire or energy. Isn't this scary? For those of us who say lailahaillalah but we want to be mumineen. If I come to salah and feel pressure or burden, want to leave then I have a characteristic of a Munafiq.

2. They like to be seen by others doing right things. If inside we harbor the feeling of liking that and being angry when we don't get it.

3. Their dhikr is qaleel. This is more dangerous than the others. It's not that they aren't in dhikr AT ALL but that it's not alot. Every time if I'm in that state and realize my dhikr is rare, not often it means I'm building nifaq. "For the believers are in dhikr katheera - alot." If we are little in dhikr we could be falling into nifaq.

4. They are not firm internally on their allegiance and love. People ask where is the center of power nowadays. That's who/what they go with. They are not sincere, honest, humble or content.

Salah is the most important pillar of Islam. We must do the best we can. Think about the best you do at schoool, work, none of that is important. We should give our best to Allah. So while we are in sujood, ruku, we should empty our minds, focus, reject that which comes to mind. Free our mind. Don't be in a hurry to get up. Deny every thought or feeling that says: GET UP!  Try to find tu'mineena - rest.

While in Ramadan the mosque is filled but wish it could be like this all the time. After all Salah is fard all the time. What would help us in Salah is eating moderately. Break fast very lightly, feel like you didn't eatch much, that you feel still a little bit hungry. If you eat plenty you will come to salah lazy, bored and so have freed this quality of a munafiq in ourselves. Those who do this will notice the difference between performing Salah with a full stomach and an empty stomach. Salah is a spirit-qalb-soul, not just body. Both should be there.

May Allah make our salah qurat 'ayn until we meet Him.

Day Seven:

Allah ends Surah Ma'idah with a powerful scene of the Hereafter. The scene Allah talks about is in the past tense. It is about the Day of Resurrection, the Day of Judgement.  For us it's in the future. But why is it in the past tense? This should indicate to us that the Day of Judgement is very real - as real as the past is for us. It HAS happenned.  Also, Allah indicates that He's not subject to time, for Him, there is no past or future. His acts, attributes, words are not subject to time.

So Allah tells us: "When Allah shall gather the Messengers and He will ask them: How did your people respond to you? How did they receive the message?" Qaloo= They said, meaning They will say: Verily we have no knowledge, You know..."

In Hadith also it is mentioned that even Messengers will be in utter awe on that Day. They couldn't answer and are so in awe, frightened, the situation powerful and overwhelming. Even if you are familiar with the answer as they were, they were like this.

Allah then tells us of a special discourse between him and Jesus (Isa ) At the end of the discourse He says "O Isa son of Maryam, Jesus son of Mary, (emphasizing son of man not God) did you tell people to take you and your mother as gods with God? Isa said (will say): Glory be to You. I have no authority to say what is not right. If I had said it, You would have known".  This is telling us (who read the Quran now) this happens and that Isa never said that.  For Allah knows what's inside of him and man doesn't know what is in Him.

"I only asked them to worship you. If You punish them, they are your creatures, whatever You do is Just. If You forgive them, you are the Aziz, the Wise. Aziz means no one can harm Him, untouchable, imprenetable. Why does Isa say this when we expect Ghafoor Ar-Raheem? This is a beautiful way of Isa to seek forgiveness for the people. If You forgive them none of that can touch You.

Nothing in Allah's creation, in His acts is without hikmah, wisdom. Those given hikmah are given the greatest khair - knowledge of the divine. Ilm is knowing what is. Hikmah is knowing the consequences of what is. Because human beings can't see beyond sometimes we don't worship as we should. We're veiled by our desires.

The Day of Judgement in powerful terms is in the past, so we know that the Day of Judgement is HAQQ real. We should live knowing this and not let others get in the way because there are people who make fun of those who believe in God and in the Day of Judgement and in Jannah and Naar. We'll continue to be exposed to that. Reading, studying the Quran is important to empower human beings against that.

May Allah protect our faith in our Deen and the Day of Judgement. May He give us yaqeen.

Day Eight:

I took notes this night but the concepts were very high level and might confuse some and I think I was too distracted and the mic went out right when he was saying "and the most important thing you'll ever need to know is......"    A friend of mine was taken to the hospital please make dua for her everyone. She's having some major problems May Allah grant her shifaa.

Day Nine:

See "Hey Peeps" thread in Bebzi

Day Ten:

We completed recitation of Surah Anfal and have started Surah Tawbah tonight. Some reflections from these treasures:

Allah says something very powerful in the beginning of Surah Anfal: Verily, the Believers are those who when Allah is mentioned, their hearts tremble and when his Ayat are recited to them it increases them in faith and all their reliance is upon Allah... and these are the ones who are true to their Imaan.

This shows that there are levels of Imaan. This level is called Haqiqatul Iman. This is when our hearts respond, tremble, are full of emotion, love, fear, and attachment for Allah. And we feel increased in faith, steadfastness.

May Allah change the state of our quloob because it is that state that counts, not just what we do externally. Allah repeats that in the Quran in places and towards the end of Surah Anfal. Allah says that If Allah knows that in your heart there is Khair, sincercity, desire, need for Allah and to submit to him (and not to be argumentative, stubborn, etc) then He will give you better than what is taken away from you. Look at this:  Many of us miss things -- of dunya and other things, lose them or are not given them, but don't realize this.

Subhanallah so it's all about the Qalb. May Allah cleanse, rectify and orient our quloob to Him forever. For it's only a Qalb that is Saleem,  fully healthy that will be able to accompany Allah and be with the Righteous Ones.

Day Eleven-Fourteen:

Didn't take notes.

Day Fifteen:

Today we recited Surah Hijr & we are reciting Surah Kahf. The first Ayah in Surah Hijr is a very powerful interesting address. Alif Lam Ra... These are the signs, miracles of the Book and this manifest Quran clear to those who seek to understand.

Allah is teaching us what we need to know. Didn't you ever wonder about those who aren't Muslim? On the Day of Judgement those who didn't believe, didn't surrender to Allah will regret it and say "O, If only we had followed the Messengers." But not only on the Day of Judgement will it be said but in the life of this world they will wish for it. In other words, it would have been better for them if they had . Then Allah says: Leave them eating, sleeping, enjoying themselves. Let them be distracted by their long-standing hopes in Dunya.

A Mu'min uses this Dunya to carry provisions to the Akhirah. The Dunya for a Mu'min is Zad. Even when a Mu'min is eating it is Zad, cultivating provision for the Akhirah. The others use sleeping, eating, etc only for enjoyment.  Allah is telling us not to be like them. Don't be fooled.

'And we made some of you as trial for the others - so be patient'. When you see them, will you be patient or will you follow them? Dunya is distracting them from Akhirah. They WILL know at a later time. 'Every town we destroyed had an appointed time'. In other words, if we see evil flourising around us or evil in us and we might not even perceive the punishment, we still know that everything has an appointed time. Allah is not hurt by evil or benefited by good. So when you see them don't be distracted by those who see this life as EVERYTHING and don't act like you're going to live forever.

We read Surah Nahl yesterday and it described people who don't have the characteristics of Iman. Allah says: Those who swear with intensity of their oaths (ie that God doesn't exist or create, that there's no Hereafter) that say God will not ressurect the dead (this is institutionalized nowadays). Allah says: "Bala... (meaning no to all that was before) A promise upon Him that is true. However, most human beings have no knowledge (ilm)." Those who deny creation nowadays use what they think is science, ilm, but Allah says their ilm is superficial about THIS Dunya, as to Akhirah they have NO knowledge, they are oblivious.

Allah will adjudicate those matters where people differed - in who's right, who's wrongs, wars, etc. Everything will be made clear. There will be ultimate judgement on everything we differ on. Those who are kuffar disbleieved will know they were liars. When they said there's no resurrection, they were lying and didn't want to admit it. Therefore anyone who doubts Akhirah will read this and be subject to it.

The Quran is a healing to what is in the heart. Like sometimes there are doubts in the heart. When arguers argue with you, don't argue. Read Quran. With more recitation, we heal doubts. We develop doubts on Akhirah when we undergo interactions, everyday things that affects us, environment, company, shaitan. So there is no momentum in our hearts for Allah because there is some doubt in us about the Akhirah. The more our hearts are in shuhood, vision of Akhirah, the more awareness we have and the more time we spend with Him.



Part II:

In Surah Kahf, Kahf is about young men who grow up in Tawheed with the odds against them. Also, their families were very wealthy, but these youth grew up praying, fasting, being kind, just and good. They respected places of worship and grew up beyond the expectations of their parents. But see Allah has kept their Dhikr in immortality in the Quran for all times and generations by mentioning them in His book.

Rasulullah taught us of the seven kind of people when there is no object that makes shade. On the Day of Judgement there is no such thing as "shade" because it is Allah who has made the laws and can change them. One kind of person under the 'shade' is a young person who grew up being obedient to Allah. Growing up a pearl in the midst of stones or a rose among thorns.

If we missed to be that youth, won't we love it if our child or someone around us will be like that. We love to have children in the Mosque here. Why don't parents have a conference about the Adab of the Masjid every time they come to the Masjid, not just Isha and Taraweeh.  Which house is better, this house or your house? Which house should we take care of more? Which is most important? Which do we do our best in behavior or dress, etc?

May Allah grant us pearls of children who grow up not unlike the youth of Kahf.


BTW did you notice since we completed Kahf, half of Ramadan is gone. That beautiful guest is getting ready to leave now. If we missed what we should do in the first half, May Allah give us the energy and momentum to allow us to in the next 15 or 14 days.

Day Sixteen:

We completed Surah Kahf today. Allah teaches us so many lessons from the stories in Surah Kahf. For example, the story of the two friends. The one who was very powerful, rich and resourceful with gardens. And the other one who was not that powerfu,l rich or resourceful. Allah continues to draw our attention as we read and comtemplate that story.

We know that what Allah is teaching us, is about a person who has been given means, resources and capacities to DO things in this Dunya, in this world and ultimately he/she did not see that Allah gave it to him at all. He did not see all of what he had as abilities, resources from Alllah  . But he only saw his capacity and thought that his work generated that.  Allah called him a Mushrik even though he had belief in God and in the Day of Judgement. Regardless of the work he did, he did not see Allah using him. He saw himself independent from all of that and still expected reward from Allah.

In contrast to this story, where Allah calls him Mushrik - shirk in asbaab (the person becomes a mushrik pertaining to his or her own abilities and is obsessed with those and relies on those mentally, emotionally, actually physically and otherwise), there is the story of Dhul Qarnain. This story comes after the first.

Allah gave Dhul Qarnain all the resources he needed, gave him the means to achieve, architecturally, militarily. Allah gave him the asbab and Allah is the Creator of the asbab and Dhul Qarnain used it well and in a way consistent with Allah ‘s will, command and teachings. And at the end when he did great works he unlike the person of the two gardens who was looking at himself, his resources, and abilities as the source of that grand work of building (that incredible garden built with very sophisticated technology), what did Dhul Qarnain say at the end. He said, Hatha min rahmaturabbi. This is from the mercy of my Lord. It's not me, it's not I, not from MY hard work. This work, achievement is not ME. This is rahmaa from Allah . From MY Lord. He uses the structure of words that indicate servitude, employment, slavery. The story Allah intends to teach us here.

Then comes the story of Khadr. The story of Khadr is a story of NO asbab. The story of gardens is asbab, means and cause and someone who worshipped means and cause. The story of Dhul Qarnain is about asbab and someone who worshipped Allah. Khadr's story is Allah does what He does. There is no means no cause. You know the story of Khadr. Things happen without the normal course of understanding things and against what we know as empirical nature of cause and effect. 

Allah brings miracles beyond cause and effect to teach us that everything belongs to Him. Cause belongs to Him. Effect belongs to Him.  Even the relationship between cause and effect belong to Him. So we should take that and ponder that with everything that happens to us. First we should repent first of all from worshipping the means or the cause or empirical causality. And we should learn to use the means while worshipping ALLAH and knowing those are means and that Allah has created and creates that. And if the means don’t work we should not fall into despair and get frustrated because if we do that means we worshipped those means. If we worship Allah we know that He controls the means.

May we all find refuge - Kahf - with Allah in our lives and with everything that befalls us. May Allah give us the awareness and strength in doing that and to dying that way. Ameen.

And as we are performing salah, when we say Allah u Akbar remember that Allah is greater than me, my problems, hardship, anything. Try to empty your mind and heart from any thought and feeling besides Allah is greater than …… all of that, health, disease, poverty, life, death, weakness.. Allahu akbar . May Allah indeed liberate our quloob through dhikr and salah and through his obedience.

Day Seventeen:

Last night we had completed bi’idhnilllah Surah Maryam and Surah Ta Ha after having completed Surah Kahf.  Allah mentions the virtues of Maryam and Yahya and Zakariah and Ibrahim and that continues in Surah Anibya and Muminoon.

From Surat Maryam this is a khatirah, reflection that would summarize a lot of Surat Maryam and what comes ater that.

Let me tell you a story I read sometime ago on the virtues of the Salihoon. I do not recollect his name rahimullah. One time he said to his Sahib, companion or his shaykh: Ya sayyidi, I have done nothing special to many people.  I don’t know them, yet they have expressed so much love to me. I don’t know why. I have done nothing to them, I don’t even know them. Then the Sahib recited to him this Ayah from Surat Maryam: Verily those who have Iman and act in righteousness, the Rahman – the Most Loving will make for them pure love that is in the hearts of others.

This Ayah says Allah says to us that those who are truly His ibaad salihoon and righteous awliya, Allah will create in the hearts of good people, in the hearts of other righteous ppl love for them even though they don’t know them.  Wudd is another word for love, but has a nuance of pure love, untainted by anything else, pure and clean, from Allah and for Allah.

Jibreel as is instructed by Allah, as Rasulullah says that when Allah has hubb for a servant of Allah then he instructs Jibreel to love that person. And Jibreel will love that Abd that Allah loved. And then Jibreel is instructed to call in a way unperceptible to us to the dwellers of the upper dimenions and say to them: Allah has loved this Abd, so love him/her. So the inhabitants of the malikuoot, will naturally have love for that person.

Then Allah will create acceptance and love for that person amongst the inhabitants of earth and particularly those who are righteous and good people. For the hate and love of the wicked and wrongful and mushrik does not count. And therefore we should be very concerned that we don't love people who don’t love Allah and are not righteous. And that’s a sign for us

Rasulullah 's dua on the love that counts: O Allah Grant me your love, that you love me and that I love you. Give me that love inside of me and grant me the love of the one who’s love will benefit me with You. Not just the love of anyone. Let me love someone who’s love for me, and my love for them will benefit me with You. That’s the love that counts. That’s the Wudd that counts.

Sa in Arabic is soon, approaching future not too far. If there is true iman and righteousness soon will Allah create righteous love for those who have love for Allah.

In the end of Surah Taha that we concluded last night. Allah says: And those who turn away from my dhikr, turn their back, for those verily there will be a life of danak, means deek restriction… a person would be living but be always constricted inside wa authobillah. The meaning of their life is always in danak no matter what they have, no matter what they do not have. Allah has promised that.

And indeed the person of us human beings that does not have Allah in him/her and does not have dhikr in him/her that person usually never feels content. Never feels content no matter what they have. And therefore also will always feel restricted no matter how much he/she has. That’s very natural Subhanallah in how ppl respond to what they are subjected to in their environment. And with lack of dhikr the person will never feel he/she has enough. And therefore not enough no matter what, always feel restricted, dheek, narrow and that translates in the Qalb.

And therefore we find ourselves when we are not in true dhikr of Allah , we are in danak inside of ourselves. “And on the Day of Resurrection we shall resurrect such a person blind.” The person will say God, why have you resurrected me blind when I was seeing in dunya?… Seeing with physical eyes but not with the heart. That is because our Ayaat, verses, signs, dhikr had come to you and you turned away from it and you forgot it, so today you will be forgotten.

You don’t have light with which to see now. Light was given to you in dunya to see now and that light will be given to you on the Day of Judgement to see with. If there is no light in Dunya there is no light on the Sirat, there is no light in Akhirah.

May Allah fill our quloob with dhikr of Him . May Allah fill our lives with love of Him. May Allah benefit us with Him.