Moment with Allah...

Allah Almighty says regarding Fasting:

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ

((O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous)). (Surah alBaqarah: 183)

Explaining this verse, Imam asSa'di says regarding the multifaceted benefits of fasting:

"Allah informs His servants through His blessings that He has enjoined fasting upon them, just as He did for previous nations, because it is one of the divine laws and commands that benefit creation in every era. Moreover, fasting serves as a means of energising this nation—it is intended that you should compete with one another in completing good deeds and hasten toward virtuous qualities, and it is not meant to be one of the burdensome obligations that you might claim it to be.

Then Allah reveals His wisdom in the legitimacy of fasting by saying:

“That you may become mindful of Him (i.e. attain Taqwa).”

Fasting is among the greatest causes of piety because it entails adhering to Allah’s commands and abstaining from what He has prohibited. From this act of piety, several benefits arise:

1. The fasting person refrains from that which Allah has forbidden, such as eating, drinking, sexual relations, and other indulgences toward which the self naturally inclines, in order to draw nearer to Allah, hoping to attain His reward.
2. Fasting disciplines the individual to be constantly aware of Allah, enabling him to leave behind his own desires to the best of his ability, with the understanding that Allah is fully aware of him.
3. It restricts the influence of the devil, for as the devil flows from the son of Adam like blood, fasting diminishes his power and reduces the prevalence of sins.
4. Typically, the fasting individual increases his acts of obedience, and such obedience is a key characteristic of piety.
5. When a wealthy person experiences the pangs of hunger, it naturally obliges him to empathise with and assist the poor and destitute, which is another sign of true piety."

Moment with the Messenger (ﷺ)

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said when the month of Ramadan arrived:

قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَمَضَانُ شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ افْتَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ صِيَامَهُ تُفْتَحُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ وَيُغْلَقُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ الْجَحِيمِ وَتُغَلُّ فِيهِ الشَّيَاطِينُ فِيهِ لَيْلَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ مَنْ حُرِمَ خَيْرَهَا قَدْ حُرِمَ

"The month of Ramadan has come, a blessed month in which Allah Almighty has obligated you to fast. In it the gates of the heavens are opened, the gates of Hellfire are closed, the devils are chained, and in it is a night that is better than a thousand months. Thus, whoever is deprived of its good is truly deprived."

Source: Musnad Aḥmad 7148, Grade: Sahih (Authentic)

'Soul Bites'

The esteemed scholar, Sheikh Muhammad ibn Saleh al-Uthaimeen (may Allah have mercy on him), on rejoicing over Ramadan said:

"In reality, Muslims rejoice in Ramadan in two ways:

The first aspect: One rejoices in Ramadan because he becomes active in worship during this month and increases his acts of devotion. There is no doubt that this is the primary purpose, the intended benefit, and the virtuous aspect of Ramadan.

The second aspect: One rejoices in Ramadan due to its abundance of blessings, the multitude of favours from Allah, His forgiveness for His servants, and the many means through which Allah forgives a person,for example, through fasting.

What a person ought to do is to rejoice in Ramadan for both reasons simultaneously. He should be glad because he becomes more engaged in worship and increases his acts of devotion, dedicating himself to Allah as much as he is able, and he should also rejoice for the blessings, bounties, and favours contained within it, for it includes the Night of Decree, which is better than a thousand months."

Imam Ibn 'Abdul-Barr, may Allah have mercy on him, on the extent of the devils impact on the believer during Ramadan:

"The statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): "The devils are either stilled or chained in it" means, and Allah knows best, that Allah protects Muslims, or most of them in general, from sins during it; thus, the devils do not attach themselves to them as they ordinarily do throughout the rest of the year."

Al-Hafiz Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him, on the TWO forms of struggle in Ramadan:

"Know that for a believer in the month of Ramadan there are TWO forms of struggle against his soul: the struggle during the day for fasting, and the struggle at night for standing in prayer. Whoever combines these two struggles, fulfills their due rights, and endures with patience, his reward is granted without reckoning."

Also, This is phenomenal!

'The Treasury'

Does an asthma puffer invalidate the fast? The scholars have ruled that using an inhaler for asthma does not invalidate the fast. Similarly, oxygen therapy poses no issue while fasting. However, if one uses a vaporizer, the fast should be broken, and that day must be made up later. As for capsules, they do invalidate the fast, as traces of the powder mix with saliva and reach the stomach.

And Allah knows best.

Sheikh Dr. Sajid Umar

'Soul Model'

Ghaylān on how to make an imporessive DUA...

He said: “If you want to hear a supplication, listen to the supplication of the Bedouins.”

Here is an example...

The End...For now🙂

May Allah reward you for reading and may you succeed in what Allah created you to achieve before you return to him! Ameen.

Your brother,

Sajid Umar,

Author of A Journey to Success and The Story of Yusuf (as)

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