Wake up, let the Mercy in

About this post

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

As the cliché goes, Ramaḍān is the button we can push to restart our faith. Taking an usual route, here is an entry that benefits more from common sense than it does anything else. However, I hope that, at least, some of you will join me in the more practical aspects of this blog and make this Ramaḍān one to remember.

May Allāh shower us all with His Mercy in this beautiful month. Strengthen our faith, mend our broken hearts, make fruitful our friendships and steadfast in our actions.

Jazākallah khair.

                         @hqmaasim

#hqmaasim

Wake up, let the Mercy in

Ramaḍān Karīm! The start of Ramaḍān is just hours away and the excitement has already begun. For some preparations began hours, days or even weeks ago but suffice to say, Ramaḍān brings with it the most unique atmosphere ever imaginable. So much has happened in the last eleven months, most of it probably bad. The ongoing Syrian, Palestinian and Burmese crises adds Iraq to its fold. Confusion spreads, people continue to spit opinions at each other hoping that their truth is heard. Do I even need to go into what happens on Facebook and Twitter? But Ramaḍān is here now, one month of happiness so it’s relatively easy to forget what’s happening around us hey?

You know, I could very well sit here and write about what al-Nawawī, al-Ghazālī, Rūmī, al-Gīlānī, al-Qasṭalānī, al-ʿAsqalānī, and others, have written about Ramaḍān, but are we really ready for that? People are dying out there but uncles at the mosque can’t agree over whether they’re going to serve only dates at iftār or dates with fruit. Or then they start pontificating about the start of Ramaḍān. Well, this year everyone starts at the same time — let’s all say alḥumdulillāh — so that argument didn’t take place, now they busy themselves with the suḥūr timing issue. I follow the 18° principle, because as a ḥanafī, I personally find it the most reliable in source and logic. I must admit, two years ago, having associated rather too closely with regressive maulvis I did become engrossed in the whole ‘You’re fast is invalid’ drama, but not anymore, and I have my Shaikh to thank for this improvement. On the other hand, these other self-righteous preachers and their brainwashed cronies will do all they can to gain a little sense of self-worth throughout this month as they haven’t the intellectual stamina to carry their weight through the other eleven months. By means of harsh, unnecessary criticism and policing, sadly many Muslim brothers, and perhaps sisters too, will find some of their Ramaḍān experience distasteful — may Allāh protect us all from this, āmīn — and it is sad to see that those responsible for it, couldn’t care less. In all honesty, excluding the killing, I find no difference between such people and terrorists.

Ramaḍān is a month where we can seek mercy, gain forgiveness and acquire freedom from fire. Benefitting from these opportunities is important, but these are things that relate only to us. Don’t forget that Ramaḍān is also about empathy, caring, sharing, loving and, most importantly, changing. Forget character assassination, forget the backbiting, the lying, the hatred and speak kindly, positively, truthfully and lovingly to and about one another. Let this Ramaḍān be something to remember and promise yourself to make every Ramaḍān better than the previous. Set goals for yourself albeit little ones. When brothers and sisters ask me for advice I respond with the same answer every year. Identify just one thing you dislike about yourself, something that a good, Muslim and human should not have and practise eradicating it throughout Ramaḍān. Once you’ve finished with the negatives, work on the positives, one by one, year by year. Or if you feel extra motivated, tackle one negative characteristic and add a positive one. If you’re interested in doing this, here’s a bit of advice:

Be honest: search deep and face your downfalls honestly. Otherwise you’ll only be kidding yourselves.

Be realistic: the path to self-improvement is full of difficulties and the journey is long. Don’t overburden yourself with unrealistic goals. This will eventually dishearten you and you’ll end up giving up.

Be sincere: when working on bettering yourself, do it with sincerity, remembering that Allāh will help those who help themselves.

Be steadfast: it’s not easy trying to become a better person, some habits are really hard to get rid of, but if you strive hard enough, you will reap the rewards. Practice makes perfect.

Be humble: never be inconsiderate to others either, just because you are working on improving yourselves and others are not, does not give you the licence to act self-righteously. Everyone is on a separate journey, if you can’t help others by being positive and accepting then don’t judge, just be humble about it.

Ramaḍān is a month of beauty, a month that we have been blessed with by Allāh because of the blessed Prophet (upon him and his family salutations and peace). So, let us try to remember his beautiful traditions and practices. He was especially merciful, loving, caring, kind and charitable in this month. Think of all the bounties you have been blessed with in life and be thankful. Think of the less fortunate brothers and sisters out there, living in war-torn regions, despite all, they have smiles on their faces. Rejoice, but don’t forget them. Work out your zakāh and be sure to contribute to the worldwide cause. Be Muslim, but don’t forget that you are human. We share that with over eight billion others out there.   Let’s make this a Ramaḍān to remember!  Everyone deserves a fresh start, let’s make this ours.

@hqmaasim