24 July 2011
Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the Peace, Blessings & Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an
Banu Nadir (part 2)
Recap: Banu Nadir Jews inhabited the fertile land in the vicinity of Medina. They were prosperous Jews, having vast tracts of land, on which they cultivated date palms. The Prophet* went to the Banu Nadir Jews to raise the blood money to be paid for the killing of two men of Banu Amir, who were killed by mistake. So, The Prophet* visited the village of Banu Nadir, two or three miles away from Medina and requested the chief of Banu Nadir to help pay the blood money. The Banu Nadir Jews received The Prophet* courteously, asked him to sit down while they attentively listened to his demand and agreed to honour The Prophet*’s request. While he was sitting by the wall of a house the Banu Nadir Jews were plotting to kill him by dropping a stone from top of the house. So, he suddenly stood up and left the place. When his companions met The Prophet* at Medina, he told them of the treachery by Banu Nadir and asked the Muslims to prepare to fight the Banu Nadir. The Prophet* asked Muhammed ibn Maslamah to go to the Banu Nadir Jews to announce to them the ultimatum to vacate Medina. He gave the Jews ten days to evacuate Medina and, if after this deadline anyone was seen in the area, he would be killed. They were surprised that Muhammed ibn Maslamah, who was hitherto very much on friendly terms with the Jews had to serve them the ultimatum. When the Banu Nadir Jews expressed their dismay at the action of Muhammed b. Maslamah, he said, “Hearts have changed, and Islam has wiped out the old covenants.” When Abdullah ibn Ubayy learned about the precarious situation of the Banu Nadir Jews, he sent the message to them that he himself would be coming to their assistance with two thousand Jewish and Arab fighters. But the Banu Nadir Jews recalled that the same person promised to help the Banu Qaynuqa Jews, but in the end, betrayed. So, the Banu Nadir Jews, at first, decided towards removing themselves to Khaybar or nearby. They thought that they could still come to Yathrib (Medina) to harvest their crops and then return to their fortresses at Khaybar. Huyayy ibn Akhtab, their leader finally resolved against this view. He decided to send a message to The Prophet*, declining his order of expulsion, entered in their fortified fortresses, stocked them with enough supplies to last up to a year and got ready to defend themselves. So, no Jew left Medina after the expiry of the ten days ultimatum. The Prophet* now had the most legitimate reason to besiege the Jewish Tribe.
The Seige
When the Messenger of Allah* received the reply of Huyai bin Akhtab he said: "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar." (Allah is the Greatest of all) and his Companions repeated after him. Then he set out to fight them after appointing Ibn Umm Maktum to dispose the affairs of Medina during his absence. The standard was entrusted to ‘Ali bin Abi Talib. The ramparts were manned by archers and slingers, who had also rocks at their disposal in case the walls came to be attacked. The two sides kept up an exchange of arrows and stones until dark. The Jews had been astonished by the speed of their attackers; but the next day -so they thought -help was bound to come from Qurayzah and Ibn Ubayy; then, in two days or three, their allies of Ghatafan would be with them. By the time of the night prayer the greatly increased army was large enough to surround the enemy on all sides. The Prophet prayed with them, and then returned with ten of his Companions to Medina, leaving 'Ali: in charge of the camp. The Prophet rejoined them in the course of the morning.
The days passed and the Banu Nadir began to despair of the help which many of them had thought to be certain. Quraizah tribe remained neutral, and the hypocrite ‘Abdullah bin Ubai as well as Ghatfan failed to keep their promises of support. In this regard Allah says: "(Their allies deceived them) like Satan, when he says to man: ‘Disbelieve in Allah.’ But when (man) disbelieves in Allah, Satan says: ‘I am free of you.’" [Al-Qur'an 59:16]. As the hopes of the besieged men dwindled, the mutual animosity amongst them increased. The tribe had long been rent with ill feeling and bitterness; and now that they were completely cut off from the outer world, with no sign of help from any direction, the situation was felt to be intolerable. It became altogether so when, after ten days or more, the Prophet gave orders to cut down some of the palm-trees which were in sight of the walls. This was a sacrifice, for he knew that the territory was virtually his own; but it was done by Divine permission, [Allah, the All-Mighty, states in the Qur’an: "What you (O Muslims) cut down of the palm- trees (of the enemy), or you left them standing on their stems, it was by leave of Allah." (Al-Qur'an 59:5)] which could be taken as a command, and it had the immediate effect of demolishing the enemy's resistance. They gloried in their palms, which were one of their chief sources of revenue; and if they were compelled to leave their land now they would still think of it as theirs, for they had reason to hope that in the near future they would have the opportunity of regaining it. Quraysh had promised to eradicate Islam from the oasis. But if the palms were destroyed it would take many years to replace them. Only a few had been cut down, but to what length would this destruction be carried? The Jewish leaders protested saying that the destruction of enemy’s palm trees was forbidden by the Prophet but he was now doing this. Hassan bin Thabit said in a poetic verse: "The chiefs of Banu Lu'ai found it easy to watch fire spreading at Al-Buwaira."
Allah casts terror in their hearts
The siege did not last long for Allah, the All- Mighty, cast horror into the hearts of the Jews, and they willingly offered to comply with the Prophet*’s order and leave Medina. Huyay sent word to the Prophet that they would leave their land, but the Prophet said he was no longer prepared to agree that they should take all their possessions into exile with them. "Leave the land," he said, "and take with you all that your camels can carry, except your arms and armour."
Two of them embraced Islam, Yameen bin ‘Amr and Abu Sa‘d bin Wahab, and so they retained their personal wealth. The doors of their houses and even the lintels were loaded on to their camels; and when all was ready they set off for the north upon the road to Syria. Never had a caravan of such magnificence been seen within living memory. As they made their way through the crowded market of Medina, the camels went into single file, and each one as it passed was an object of wonder, both for the richness of its trappings and the wealth of its load. The splendid curtains of the howdahs were drawn back to display the women in their garments of silk or brocade, or velvet, green or red, most of them laden with ornaments of the finest gold, set with rubies, emeralds and other precious stones. The Banu Nadir were known to be opulent, but until now only a small portion of their riches had been seen by others than themselves. They went on their way to the music of timbrels and fifes,and proudly gave it out that if they had left their palms behind them, they had others equally good elsewhere, and to those they were now going. Many of them stopped and settled on land which they owned in Khaybar, but others went further north and settled in Jericho or in the south of Syria.
This booty was exclusively the Prophet*’s because no fighting was involved in capturing it. The Messenger of Allah* seized their weapons, land, houses, and wealth. Amongst the other booty he managed to capture, there were 50 armours, 50 helmets, and 340 swords. He divided the booty at his own discretion among the early Emigrants and two poor Helpers, Abu Dujana and Suhail bin Haneef. Anyway the Messenger of Allah* spent a portion of this wealth on his family to sustain their living the year around. The rest was expended to provide the Muslim army with equipment for further wars in the way of Allah. According to the Revelation, the land of the Banu Nadir and all that they left behind them was the possession of the Prophet, to be given to the poor and needy, and in particular to the poor emigrants who have been driven from their homes. Only two of the Helpers were given a share, and that was on account of their poverty. But by giving the main part to the Emigrants the Prophet made them independent, and thus relieved the Helpers of a heavy burden.
The invasion of Banu An-Nadhir took place in Rabi‘ Al-Awwal, 4 A.H. i.e. in August 625 A.D.
Surah Al-Hashr
Almost all the verses of Surah Al-Hashr (Chapter 59 - The Banishment) describe the banishment of the Jews and reveal the disgraceful manners of the hypocrites. The verses manifest the rules relevant to the booty. In this Chapter, Allah, the All-Mighty, praises the Emigrants and Helpers. This Chapter also shows the legitimacy of cutting down and burning the enemy’s land and trees for military purposes. Such acts cannot be regarded as phenomena of corruption so long that they are in the way of Allah. In this very Chapter, Allah recommends the believers to be pious and prepare themselves for the world to come and He ends it with a compliment upon Himself and a manifestation of His Holy Names and Attributes.
Main Topic: Preparing for the Month of Ramadhan
The blessed month of Ramadhan is just around the corner as we all await eagerly for this blessed guest to illuminate our lives once again. This is the month of opportunity, the month for change, the month for addressing ourselves, the month of charity, the month of generosity, the month of looking at the state of affairs of the Ummah and making change and the month of evaluating our relationship with Allah (swt) and with what his final and beloved messenger, The Prophet* al-Mustafa* bought- The final revelation and the Furqan. However, we can only reap the true benefits of Ramadhan if we truly understand our sole purpose of existence. Only by addressing this fundamental question can we truly appreciate what Ramadhan is, our relationship with this month and the benefits and consequences of fulfilling or not fulfilling its due. In many ayaats of the Quran, Allah (swt) addresses mankind with remembering the meaning of life.
“Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?” (Al-Mumenoon, Chapter 23, Verse 115)
“And the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement. But far better is the house in the Hereafter for those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious). Will you not then understand?” (Al-Anaam, Chapter 6, Verse 32)
“It is He Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you have done by day, then He raises (wakes) you up again that a term appointed (your life period) be fulfilled, then (in the end) unto Him will be your return. Then He will inform you of that which you used to do”. (Al-Anaam, Chapter 6, Verse 60)
“Every soul shall have a taste of death: and only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): for the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception”. (Aal-e-Imran, Chapter 3, Verse 185)
The person who is able to truly appreciate his role on life will be the successful one who has prepared his mind, body and soul for the blessed month of Ramadhan.
The Opportunity
If someone said that for next month, your internet service provider will be providing free internet at 50Mb download speeds, everyone would be busy maximising the number of downloads for the month, day and night, hour after hour, minute by minute to ensure that they don’t lose out on the benefits. If someone said that if you visited such and such a place you will given free gold prizes, wouldn’t you jump for the opportunity of a lifetime? If someone informed you that for the next month, your local post office is giving away cash prizes of £100 daily. All you have to do is queue up for an hour and the moneys yours. Wouldn’t it be worth the wait to be patience? So how about being greedy to reap the rewards in the month of Ramadhan?
Valuing Ramadhan
These are some ways in which we can quantify what Ramadhan can bring for us, only if can see the value of it. The Messenger of God* said “For everything there is a door, and the door of worship is fasting”. [Ibn al-Mubarak]
The Messenger of Allah* said, “Ramadhan has come to you. (It is) a month of blessing, in which Allah covers you with blessing, for He sends down mercy, decreases sins and answers prayers. In it, Allah looks at your competition (in good deeds), and boasts about you to His angels. So show Allah goodness from yourselves, for the unfortunate one is he who is deprived in (this month) of the mercy of Allah, the mighty, the exalted.” [Tabarani]
The Prophet* said: “When the first night of Ramadhan comes, the devils and demons are chained up, and the gates of Hell are closed and not one gate of it is opened. The gates of Paradise are opened and not one gate of it is closed. And a caller calls out: “O seeker of good, come to Allah; O seeker of evil, desist.” Allah will have ransomed some people from the Fire, and that happens every night.” (al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah).
The Prophet* said “The reward of every good deed is multiplied ten up to seven-hundred times, except that of the Fasting; it is usually done in sincerity and will be multiplied by as many times as Allah wills.“
Abu Said al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah, said: “No servant fasts on a day in the path of Allah except that Allah removes the hellfire seventy years further away from his face.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
Hence we need to seize this opportunity and reap the benefits of this month and not consider fasting as a burden or as a motion that one needs to go through.
Focusing on the purpose of Ramadhan
Sometimes when asked about why Muslims fast we are presented with a whole range of reasons to explain the purpose of fasting. From we want to feel how the poor feel, this is equivalent to the Christian lent but more concentrated or it’s good to balance the diet for the body, none of these address the objective of Ramadhan. Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may learn piety and righteousness” [TMQ 2:183]. Hence we need to achieve Taqwa in this month and ensure this is what we strive for. Umar ibn al Khattab (ra) once looked at those praying and said, “The great number of times any of you raises and lowers his head does not deceive me. The [real] deen is being cautious and meticulous in the deen of Allah, and refraining from what Allah has forbidden, and acting according to what Allah permits and forbids.” The son of ‘Ali (ra), Al-Hasan (ra) once said, “The people who have taqwa (al-muttaqoon) are the people who avoided whatever Allah (swt) has prohibited and have done whatever Allah (swt) has ordained.”
Understanding the nature of the fast
Imam al-Ghazali in his Book of Forty Principles from the Foundations of Religion explains that Fasting has been singled out for two main reasons:
1. Its essence is that it is a personal abstinence, and such is a hidden action that no one but God can see, unlike the prayer, the zakah, or other (acts of worship).
2. It is a grief for, and subdual of, the enemy of God. Shaytan is the enemy, and the enemy cannot gain strength except through the medium of the passions. Hunger breaks all the passions that are the tool of Shaytan. For this reason, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said “Verily Shaytan runs in the Son of Adam like blood. Therefore, constrain the passageways of Shaytan with hunger” [Bukhari and Muslim]
Realising the Change
We need to make a reasoned change. The Messenger of Allah* said “Whosoever does not stop saying and acting upon falsehood, Allah is in no need for them to abandon their food.” [Bukhari] We need to set ourselves goals that are we can manage in Ramadhan.
Perform the Good Deeds promptly: The Messenger of Allah* addressed his companions on the last day of Sha`ban, saying: “Oh people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a month in which is a night better than a thousand months; month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night. Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer’s sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the fire of hell, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all.” [Ibn Khuzaimah]
Increase your Ibadaat: Abu Hurairah said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah* say, ‘the one who does qiyam (staying up the night in remembrance of Allah) in Ramadhan with faith and sincerity, all his sins will be forgiven.’“ “Verily! We have sent it down in the night of Alqadr. And what will make you know what the night of Al-qadr is. The night of Al-qadr is better than a thousand months” [TMQ: Al- Qadr: 1-3]
Balance your Actions: Imam As-Shafee, once said, ‘It is beloved to me to see one increasing his acts of generosity during the month of Ramadhan, following the example of Allah’s Messenger*, and for one’s own good. There are many who become over-occupied with fasting and Prayers, forgetting the other benefits of the month of Ramadhan ‘ (Lataa’if-ul Ma’aarif)
Make Dua for forgiveness: Repent to Allah (swt) by reciting the Prophetic du’a, conveyed to us by the Mother of the Believers, Umm al-Mumineen Aaisha (ra): “Allahumma innaka ’afuwan karimun tuhibbul ’afuwa fa-’af’anni” = “O Allah! Thou art, indeed, the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful, and to forgive is most pleasing to Thee; so, forgive me my sins” [Imam Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]
Value Ramadhan: Talha ibn ‘Ubaydallah (ra) reported that two men came to the Prophet* who had accepted Islam at the same time. One of them used to partake in Jihad more-so than the other, and so (one day) he fought in a battle and was martyred therein. The other remained behind him for another year, and then he passed away. Talha said, ‘I saw in my dream that I was at the door of Paradise when behold, I was with both of them (the two men). Someone came out of Paradise and allowed the man who passed away later to enter first. Then he came out again and allowed the martyred one to enter. Then he returned and said to me, ‘Go back, for your time has not come yet.’ Talha woke up and began to inform others about this and they were all surprised. This reached the Messenger of Allah* and when they informed him of it, he said: He* said, ‘What are you surprised about?’ They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Out of them both, this one strove harder (in Jihad) then he was martyred but this other one was entered into Paradise before him.’ The Messenger of Allah* said, ‘Did he not remain behind him for one year?’ They said, ‘Yes (he did).’ He said, ‘Did he not reach Ramadan, fast and pray with such and such number of prostrations in the year?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ The Messenger of Allah* said, ‘So the difference between them is greater than what is between the heavens and the earth.’
Final words
If we understand the reasons for our existence then we will be on track to value Ramadhan time, reap it s rewards and benefits, adhere to the Shariah, re-connect with Allah (swt) and will be willing to work for the cause of Islam with passion and diligence and modelling ourselves on that praised generation who lived. Allah (swt) says: “Say: “Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds”
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Feedback Section:Umer ~ Ramadhan
Noreena ~ Importance of mothers
*: May the Peace, Blessings & Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an
Banu Nadir (part 2)
Recap: Banu Nadir Jews inhabited the fertile land in the vicinity of Medina. They were prosperous Jews, having vast tracts of land, on which they cultivated date palms. The Prophet* went to the Banu Nadir Jews to raise the blood money to be paid for the killing of two men of Banu Amir, who were killed by mistake. So, The Prophet* visited the village of Banu Nadir, two or three miles away from Medina and requested the chief of Banu Nadir to help pay the blood money. The Banu Nadir Jews received The Prophet* courteously, asked him to sit down while they attentively listened to his demand and agreed to honour The Prophet*’s request. While he was sitting by the wall of a house the Banu Nadir Jews were plotting to kill him by dropping a stone from top of the house. So, he suddenly stood up and left the place. When his companions met The Prophet* at Medina, he told them of the treachery by Banu Nadir and asked the Muslims to prepare to fight the Banu Nadir. The Prophet* asked Muhammed ibn Maslamah to go to the Banu Nadir Jews to announce to them the ultimatum to vacate Medina. He gave the Jews ten days to evacuate Medina and, if after this deadline anyone was seen in the area, he would be killed. They were surprised that Muhammed ibn Maslamah, who was hitherto very much on friendly terms with the Jews had to serve them the ultimatum. When the Banu Nadir Jews expressed their dismay at the action of Muhammed b. Maslamah, he said, “Hearts have changed, and Islam has wiped out the old covenants.” When Abdullah ibn Ubayy learned about the precarious situation of the Banu Nadir Jews, he sent the message to them that he himself would be coming to their assistance with two thousand Jewish and Arab fighters. But the Banu Nadir Jews recalled that the same person promised to help the Banu Qaynuqa Jews, but in the end, betrayed. So, the Banu Nadir Jews, at first, decided towards removing themselves to Khaybar or nearby. They thought that they could still come to Yathrib (Medina) to harvest their crops and then return to their fortresses at Khaybar. Huyayy ibn Akhtab, their leader finally resolved against this view. He decided to send a message to The Prophet*, declining his order of expulsion, entered in their fortified fortresses, stocked them with enough supplies to last up to a year and got ready to defend themselves. So, no Jew left Medina after the expiry of the ten days ultimatum. The Prophet* now had the most legitimate reason to besiege the Jewish Tribe.
The Seige
When the Messenger of Allah* received the reply of Huyai bin Akhtab he said: "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar." (Allah is the Greatest of all) and his Companions repeated after him. Then he set out to fight them after appointing Ibn Umm Maktum to dispose the affairs of Medina during his absence. The standard was entrusted to ‘Ali bin Abi Talib. The ramparts were manned by archers and slingers, who had also rocks at their disposal in case the walls came to be attacked. The two sides kept up an exchange of arrows and stones until dark. The Jews had been astonished by the speed of their attackers; but the next day -so they thought -help was bound to come from Qurayzah and Ibn Ubayy; then, in two days or three, their allies of Ghatafan would be with them. By the time of the night prayer the greatly increased army was large enough to surround the enemy on all sides. The Prophet prayed with them, and then returned with ten of his Companions to Medina, leaving 'Ali: in charge of the camp. The Prophet rejoined them in the course of the morning.
The days passed and the Banu Nadir began to despair of the help which many of them had thought to be certain. Quraizah tribe remained neutral, and the hypocrite ‘Abdullah bin Ubai as well as Ghatfan failed to keep their promises of support. In this regard Allah says: "(Their allies deceived them) like Satan, when he says to man: ‘Disbelieve in Allah.’ But when (man) disbelieves in Allah, Satan says: ‘I am free of you.’" [Al-Qur'an 59:16]. As the hopes of the besieged men dwindled, the mutual animosity amongst them increased. The tribe had long been rent with ill feeling and bitterness; and now that they were completely cut off from the outer world, with no sign of help from any direction, the situation was felt to be intolerable. It became altogether so when, after ten days or more, the Prophet gave orders to cut down some of the palm-trees which were in sight of the walls. This was a sacrifice, for he knew that the territory was virtually his own; but it was done by Divine permission, [Allah, the All-Mighty, states in the Qur’an: "What you (O Muslims) cut down of the palm- trees (of the enemy), or you left them standing on their stems, it was by leave of Allah." (Al-Qur'an 59:5)] which could be taken as a command, and it had the immediate effect of demolishing the enemy's resistance. They gloried in their palms, which were one of their chief sources of revenue; and if they were compelled to leave their land now they would still think of it as theirs, for they had reason to hope that in the near future they would have the opportunity of regaining it. Quraysh had promised to eradicate Islam from the oasis. But if the palms were destroyed it would take many years to replace them. Only a few had been cut down, but to what length would this destruction be carried? The Jewish leaders protested saying that the destruction of enemy’s palm trees was forbidden by the Prophet but he was now doing this. Hassan bin Thabit said in a poetic verse: "The chiefs of Banu Lu'ai found it easy to watch fire spreading at Al-Buwaira."
Allah casts terror in their hearts
The siege did not last long for Allah, the All- Mighty, cast horror into the hearts of the Jews, and they willingly offered to comply with the Prophet*’s order and leave Medina. Huyay sent word to the Prophet that they would leave their land, but the Prophet said he was no longer prepared to agree that they should take all their possessions into exile with them. "Leave the land," he said, "and take with you all that your camels can carry, except your arms and armour."
Two of them embraced Islam, Yameen bin ‘Amr and Abu Sa‘d bin Wahab, and so they retained their personal wealth. The doors of their houses and even the lintels were loaded on to their camels; and when all was ready they set off for the north upon the road to Syria. Never had a caravan of such magnificence been seen within living memory. As they made their way through the crowded market of Medina, the camels went into single file, and each one as it passed was an object of wonder, both for the richness of its trappings and the wealth of its load. The splendid curtains of the howdahs were drawn back to display the women in their garments of silk or brocade, or velvet, green or red, most of them laden with ornaments of the finest gold, set with rubies, emeralds and other precious stones. The Banu Nadir were known to be opulent, but until now only a small portion of their riches had been seen by others than themselves. They went on their way to the music of timbrels and fifes,and proudly gave it out that if they had left their palms behind them, they had others equally good elsewhere, and to those they were now going. Many of them stopped and settled on land which they owned in Khaybar, but others went further north and settled in Jericho or in the south of Syria.
This booty was exclusively the Prophet*’s because no fighting was involved in capturing it. The Messenger of Allah* seized their weapons, land, houses, and wealth. Amongst the other booty he managed to capture, there were 50 armours, 50 helmets, and 340 swords. He divided the booty at his own discretion among the early Emigrants and two poor Helpers, Abu Dujana and Suhail bin Haneef. Anyway the Messenger of Allah* spent a portion of this wealth on his family to sustain their living the year around. The rest was expended to provide the Muslim army with equipment for further wars in the way of Allah. According to the Revelation, the land of the Banu Nadir and all that they left behind them was the possession of the Prophet, to be given to the poor and needy, and in particular to the poor emigrants who have been driven from their homes. Only two of the Helpers were given a share, and that was on account of their poverty. But by giving the main part to the Emigrants the Prophet made them independent, and thus relieved the Helpers of a heavy burden.
The invasion of Banu An-Nadhir took place in Rabi‘ Al-Awwal, 4 A.H. i.e. in August 625 A.D.
Surah Al-Hashr
Almost all the verses of Surah Al-Hashr (Chapter 59 - The Banishment) describe the banishment of the Jews and reveal the disgraceful manners of the hypocrites. The verses manifest the rules relevant to the booty. In this Chapter, Allah, the All-Mighty, praises the Emigrants and Helpers. This Chapter also shows the legitimacy of cutting down and burning the enemy’s land and trees for military purposes. Such acts cannot be regarded as phenomena of corruption so long that they are in the way of Allah. In this very Chapter, Allah recommends the believers to be pious and prepare themselves for the world to come and He ends it with a compliment upon Himself and a manifestation of His Holy Names and Attributes.
Main Topic: Preparing for the Month of Ramadhan
The blessed month of Ramadhan is just around the corner as we all await eagerly for this blessed guest to illuminate our lives once again. This is the month of opportunity, the month for change, the month for addressing ourselves, the month of charity, the month of generosity, the month of looking at the state of affairs of the Ummah and making change and the month of evaluating our relationship with Allah (swt) and with what his final and beloved messenger, The Prophet* al-Mustafa* bought- The final revelation and the Furqan. However, we can only reap the true benefits of Ramadhan if we truly understand our sole purpose of existence. Only by addressing this fundamental question can we truly appreciate what Ramadhan is, our relationship with this month and the benefits and consequences of fulfilling or not fulfilling its due. In many ayaats of the Quran, Allah (swt) addresses mankind with remembering the meaning of life.
“Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?” (Al-Mumenoon, Chapter 23, Verse 115)
“And the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement. But far better is the house in the Hereafter for those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious). Will you not then understand?” (Al-Anaam, Chapter 6, Verse 32)
“It is He Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you have done by day, then He raises (wakes) you up again that a term appointed (your life period) be fulfilled, then (in the end) unto Him will be your return. Then He will inform you of that which you used to do”. (Al-Anaam, Chapter 6, Verse 60)
“Every soul shall have a taste of death: and only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): for the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception”. (Aal-e-Imran, Chapter 3, Verse 185)
The person who is able to truly appreciate his role on life will be the successful one who has prepared his mind, body and soul for the blessed month of Ramadhan.
The Opportunity
If someone said that for next month, your internet service provider will be providing free internet at 50Mb download speeds, everyone would be busy maximising the number of downloads for the month, day and night, hour after hour, minute by minute to ensure that they don’t lose out on the benefits. If someone said that if you visited such and such a place you will given free gold prizes, wouldn’t you jump for the opportunity of a lifetime? If someone informed you that for the next month, your local post office is giving away cash prizes of £100 daily. All you have to do is queue up for an hour and the moneys yours. Wouldn’t it be worth the wait to be patience? So how about being greedy to reap the rewards in the month of Ramadhan?
Valuing Ramadhan
These are some ways in which we can quantify what Ramadhan can bring for us, only if can see the value of it. The Messenger of God* said “For everything there is a door, and the door of worship is fasting”. [Ibn al-Mubarak]
The Messenger of Allah* said, “Ramadhan has come to you. (It is) a month of blessing, in which Allah covers you with blessing, for He sends down mercy, decreases sins and answers prayers. In it, Allah looks at your competition (in good deeds), and boasts about you to His angels. So show Allah goodness from yourselves, for the unfortunate one is he who is deprived in (this month) of the mercy of Allah, the mighty, the exalted.” [Tabarani]
The Prophet* said: “When the first night of Ramadhan comes, the devils and demons are chained up, and the gates of Hell are closed and not one gate of it is opened. The gates of Paradise are opened and not one gate of it is closed. And a caller calls out: “O seeker of good, come to Allah; O seeker of evil, desist.” Allah will have ransomed some people from the Fire, and that happens every night.” (al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah).
The Prophet* said “The reward of every good deed is multiplied ten up to seven-hundred times, except that of the Fasting; it is usually done in sincerity and will be multiplied by as many times as Allah wills.“
Abu Said al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah, said: “No servant fasts on a day in the path of Allah except that Allah removes the hellfire seventy years further away from his face.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
Hence we need to seize this opportunity and reap the benefits of this month and not consider fasting as a burden or as a motion that one needs to go through.
Focusing on the purpose of Ramadhan
Sometimes when asked about why Muslims fast we are presented with a whole range of reasons to explain the purpose of fasting. From we want to feel how the poor feel, this is equivalent to the Christian lent but more concentrated or it’s good to balance the diet for the body, none of these address the objective of Ramadhan. Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may learn piety and righteousness” [TMQ 2:183]. Hence we need to achieve Taqwa in this month and ensure this is what we strive for. Umar ibn al Khattab (ra) once looked at those praying and said, “The great number of times any of you raises and lowers his head does not deceive me. The [real] deen is being cautious and meticulous in the deen of Allah, and refraining from what Allah has forbidden, and acting according to what Allah permits and forbids.” The son of ‘Ali (ra), Al-Hasan (ra) once said, “The people who have taqwa (al-muttaqoon) are the people who avoided whatever Allah (swt) has prohibited and have done whatever Allah (swt) has ordained.”
Understanding the nature of the fast
Imam al-Ghazali in his Book of Forty Principles from the Foundations of Religion explains that Fasting has been singled out for two main reasons:
1. Its essence is that it is a personal abstinence, and such is a hidden action that no one but God can see, unlike the prayer, the zakah, or other (acts of worship).
2. It is a grief for, and subdual of, the enemy of God. Shaytan is the enemy, and the enemy cannot gain strength except through the medium of the passions. Hunger breaks all the passions that are the tool of Shaytan. For this reason, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said “Verily Shaytan runs in the Son of Adam like blood. Therefore, constrain the passageways of Shaytan with hunger” [Bukhari and Muslim]
Realising the Change
We need to make a reasoned change. The Messenger of Allah* said “Whosoever does not stop saying and acting upon falsehood, Allah is in no need for them to abandon their food.” [Bukhari] We need to set ourselves goals that are we can manage in Ramadhan.
Perform the Good Deeds promptly: The Messenger of Allah* addressed his companions on the last day of Sha`ban, saying: “Oh people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a month in which is a night better than a thousand months; month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night. Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer’s sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the fire of hell, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all.” [Ibn Khuzaimah]
Increase your Ibadaat: Abu Hurairah said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah* say, ‘the one who does qiyam (staying up the night in remembrance of Allah) in Ramadhan with faith and sincerity, all his sins will be forgiven.’“ “Verily! We have sent it down in the night of Alqadr. And what will make you know what the night of Al-qadr is. The night of Al-qadr is better than a thousand months” [TMQ: Al- Qadr: 1-3]
Balance your Actions: Imam As-Shafee, once said, ‘It is beloved to me to see one increasing his acts of generosity during the month of Ramadhan, following the example of Allah’s Messenger*, and for one’s own good. There are many who become over-occupied with fasting and Prayers, forgetting the other benefits of the month of Ramadhan ‘ (Lataa’if-ul Ma’aarif)
Make Dua for forgiveness: Repent to Allah (swt) by reciting the Prophetic du’a, conveyed to us by the Mother of the Believers, Umm al-Mumineen Aaisha (ra): “Allahumma innaka ’afuwan karimun tuhibbul ’afuwa fa-’af’anni” = “O Allah! Thou art, indeed, the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful, and to forgive is most pleasing to Thee; so, forgive me my sins” [Imam Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]
Value Ramadhan: Talha ibn ‘Ubaydallah (ra) reported that two men came to the Prophet* who had accepted Islam at the same time. One of them used to partake in Jihad more-so than the other, and so (one day) he fought in a battle and was martyred therein. The other remained behind him for another year, and then he passed away. Talha said, ‘I saw in my dream that I was at the door of Paradise when behold, I was with both of them (the two men). Someone came out of Paradise and allowed the man who passed away later to enter first. Then he came out again and allowed the martyred one to enter. Then he returned and said to me, ‘Go back, for your time has not come yet.’ Talha woke up and began to inform others about this and they were all surprised. This reached the Messenger of Allah* and when they informed him of it, he said: He* said, ‘What are you surprised about?’ They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Out of them both, this one strove harder (in Jihad) then he was martyred but this other one was entered into Paradise before him.’ The Messenger of Allah* said, ‘Did he not remain behind him for one year?’ They said, ‘Yes (he did).’ He said, ‘Did he not reach Ramadan, fast and pray with such and such number of prostrations in the year?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ The Messenger of Allah* said, ‘So the difference between them is greater than what is between the heavens and the earth.’
Final words
If we understand the reasons for our existence then we will be on track to value Ramadhan time, reap it s rewards and benefits, adhere to the Shariah, re-connect with Allah (swt) and will be willing to work for the cause of Islam with passion and diligence and modelling ourselves on that praised generation who lived. Allah (swt) says: “Say: “Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds”
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