PPEACE
2007-09-16 16:48:27 UTC
Peace be upon you and everyone.
=1=This month of fasting is the most excellent arrangement for
spiritual development, righteousness, seeking Divine nearness,
attaining acceptance to one's prayer, and developing in religious,
moral and spiritual ways.[ Al Baqarah (2:184)]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=2=Fasting was also made obligatory on the followers of the earlier
prophets of God for the purification of soul..... And among them only
those became the recipient of blessings who abided by the commandment
without any protest, who put the teaching in practice and excelled in
righteousness (taqwa)...... However, when they rejected the teachings,
they lost their worldly glory as well as their standards of
spirituality plummeted. ......Indeed when Allah enjoins the followers of
prophets of God to adopt righteousness, He declares that it would lead
them to the blessings of this world and the Hereafter [Al Rahman
(55:47)]......It is vital to recognize the lofty station of God in order
to develop in righteousness and to be the recipient of His blessings
and this will come to pass when His commandments are followed with
sincerity of purpose..... One of these commandments is to fast.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=3=Fortunate are the adherents of the perfect Book, the everlasting
Shariah, and the last law-bearing Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be on him) who was granted excellence over all the other
prophets by being given the title of Seal-of-all-the-
prophets (Khatam un Nabiyyeen)..... He brought the message of
Qur'an for establishing righteousness, a message that is still fresh
today and shall always remain so.....Commandments of this last law-
bearing Book expects from believers to endeavour for the attainment of
the blessing that this Book mentions and to assume the undertaking
for which God and His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
have shown us the way.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=4= It is indeed God's promise that He guides those to Him who come
towards Him with absolute sincerity. [Al Ankabut (29:70)].....He runs to
those who at least walk towards Him.... A great source to attain
nearness to God is fasting... A Hadith relates that the Holy Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said that Allah puts a
distance of more than 70% (Arabic idiom meaning a great deal) between
the face of a person who fasts in the way of Allah seeking His
blessings and fire.....Indeed it is vital to fast in the quest of
Allah's grace and if the attainment of His pleasure is the sole
objective, He not only saves one from the fire but also grants the
paradise of His pleasure, in this world and the Hereafter.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=5=The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that one who makes a
solemn endeavour to seek Allah never fails. He said that if we can
feel compassion for a student who works hard for school exams how
could God not have mercy and compassion to allow one who endeavours to
seek him to come near Him? Certainly not.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=6=According to a hadith: Allah declares that each act of man is for
himself, apart for fasting. Fasting is for Allah and Allah alone is
its reward. Another Hadith reiterates this point that fasting is done
for Allah and only Allah knows the real reward of a person who fasts.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=7=Just as Allah's attributes are countless so is the extent of His
reward, however, He has set some limitations for the attainment of His
reward..... For example during fasting one is not required to merely
starve oneself, rather one has to make an endeavour to shun all sorts
of worldly and carnal desires, only then it may be deemed that fasting
is for Allah alone.... Similarly the avoidance from the ills is not to
be temporary and brief, rather it has to be a permanent effort.
=8=Indeed Allah knows what is in one's heart, is aware of the
intention behind each deed, has knowledge of what is apparent and what
is hidden, if a person fasts with Allah's attributes in mind, that
fasting would be rewarded.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=9=When a person who is fasting responds to an abuse by saying that as
they are fasting they will not respond in kind, it does not mean that
after breaking the fast they are at liberty to retaliate, not at all.
....Fasting is a training process during which one is trained to eschew
bad habits for good, that is the reason why a Hadith relates that when
a person who fast sincerely meets his Maker he will be happy...... It is
not just thirty days' effort that will give him happiness, rather he
will be happy because he would have had an opportunity to make an
endeavour to avoid bad habits and that person would thus greet each
Ramadan of his life until he attains the station where he will be the
recipient of Allah's pleasure.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=10= A Hadith terms fasting as a shield: the important thing is to be
able to utilise this 'shield' to protect oneself from the attacks of
the Satan, the most dangerous of all enemies.... A believer can be safe
by means of this 'shield' through worship of God and by staying firm
on His commandments.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=11=The teaching of the earlier prophets was temporary, it was for a
temporary period of time. With the teaching diminished, its freshness
and righteousness/taqwa also fainted..... The teaching of the Holy
Qur'an is eternal.....Worldly desires crept into the fasting of other
religions.... One need to constantly make endeavours to keep the
standards of our righteousness / taqwa high and should try to the best
of his/her ability or capacity to attain the lofty standards..... Allah
has shown the believers all the ways and can only justifiably called
Khair e Ummah ( best of groups of people ) when they can attain these
standards.... The acts that are done to seek the pleasure of Allah are
indeed what righteousness / taqwa is all about.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=12= The holy Caliph also prayed for Allah's help for making solemn
endeavour to attain righteousness /taqwa... He referred to The Promised
Messiah (on whom be peace) who said that fasting is about forsaking
one kind of nourishment (food) to seek the other kind of nourishment
which is for the soul. Allah opens up ways of guidance and spiritual
discernment for those who seek Him with truthfulness of heart.....May
Allah enable us that we fast while making the attainment of His
pleasure our objective, may we attain spiritual discernment which
becomes a lasting part of our lives and which enhances us in e
righteousness each moment....
Promised divine peace of latter days @ www.alislam.org www.mta.tv
with
LOVE FOR ALL HATRED FOR NONE.
=1=This month of fasting is the most excellent arrangement for
spiritual development, righteousness, seeking Divine nearness,
attaining acceptance to one's prayer, and developing in religious,
moral and spiritual ways.[ Al Baqarah (2:184)]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=2=Fasting was also made obligatory on the followers of the earlier
prophets of God for the purification of soul..... And among them only
those became the recipient of blessings who abided by the commandment
without any protest, who put the teaching in practice and excelled in
righteousness (taqwa)...... However, when they rejected the teachings,
they lost their worldly glory as well as their standards of
spirituality plummeted. ......Indeed when Allah enjoins the followers of
prophets of God to adopt righteousness, He declares that it would lead
them to the blessings of this world and the Hereafter [Al Rahman
(55:47)]......It is vital to recognize the lofty station of God in order
to develop in righteousness and to be the recipient of His blessings
and this will come to pass when His commandments are followed with
sincerity of purpose..... One of these commandments is to fast.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=3=Fortunate are the adherents of the perfect Book, the everlasting
Shariah, and the last law-bearing Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be on him) who was granted excellence over all the other
prophets by being given the title of Seal-of-all-the-
prophets (Khatam un Nabiyyeen)..... He brought the message of
Qur'an for establishing righteousness, a message that is still fresh
today and shall always remain so.....Commandments of this last law-
bearing Book expects from believers to endeavour for the attainment of
the blessing that this Book mentions and to assume the undertaking
for which God and His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
have shown us the way.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=4= It is indeed God's promise that He guides those to Him who come
towards Him with absolute sincerity. [Al Ankabut (29:70)].....He runs to
those who at least walk towards Him.... A great source to attain
nearness to God is fasting... A Hadith relates that the Holy Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said that Allah puts a
distance of more than 70% (Arabic idiom meaning a great deal) between
the face of a person who fasts in the way of Allah seeking His
blessings and fire.....Indeed it is vital to fast in the quest of
Allah's grace and if the attainment of His pleasure is the sole
objective, He not only saves one from the fire but also grants the
paradise of His pleasure, in this world and the Hereafter.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=5=The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that one who makes a
solemn endeavour to seek Allah never fails. He said that if we can
feel compassion for a student who works hard for school exams how
could God not have mercy and compassion to allow one who endeavours to
seek him to come near Him? Certainly not.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=6=According to a hadith: Allah declares that each act of man is for
himself, apart for fasting. Fasting is for Allah and Allah alone is
its reward. Another Hadith reiterates this point that fasting is done
for Allah and only Allah knows the real reward of a person who fasts.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=7=Just as Allah's attributes are countless so is the extent of His
reward, however, He has set some limitations for the attainment of His
reward..... For example during fasting one is not required to merely
starve oneself, rather one has to make an endeavour to shun all sorts
of worldly and carnal desires, only then it may be deemed that fasting
is for Allah alone.... Similarly the avoidance from the ills is not to
be temporary and brief, rather it has to be a permanent effort.
=8=Indeed Allah knows what is in one's heart, is aware of the
intention behind each deed, has knowledge of what is apparent and what
is hidden, if a person fasts with Allah's attributes in mind, that
fasting would be rewarded.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=9=When a person who is fasting responds to an abuse by saying that as
they are fasting they will not respond in kind, it does not mean that
after breaking the fast they are at liberty to retaliate, not at all.
....Fasting is a training process during which one is trained to eschew
bad habits for good, that is the reason why a Hadith relates that when
a person who fast sincerely meets his Maker he will be happy...... It is
not just thirty days' effort that will give him happiness, rather he
will be happy because he would have had an opportunity to make an
endeavour to avoid bad habits and that person would thus greet each
Ramadan of his life until he attains the station where he will be the
recipient of Allah's pleasure.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=10= A Hadith terms fasting as a shield: the important thing is to be
able to utilise this 'shield' to protect oneself from the attacks of
the Satan, the most dangerous of all enemies.... A believer can be safe
by means of this 'shield' through worship of God and by staying firm
on His commandments.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=11=The teaching of the earlier prophets was temporary, it was for a
temporary period of time. With the teaching diminished, its freshness
and righteousness/taqwa also fainted..... The teaching of the Holy
Qur'an is eternal.....Worldly desires crept into the fasting of other
religions.... One need to constantly make endeavours to keep the
standards of our righteousness / taqwa high and should try to the best
of his/her ability or capacity to attain the lofty standards..... Allah
has shown the believers all the ways and can only justifiably called
Khair e Ummah ( best of groups of people ) when they can attain these
standards.... The acts that are done to seek the pleasure of Allah are
indeed what righteousness / taqwa is all about.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=12= The holy Caliph also prayed for Allah's help for making solemn
endeavour to attain righteousness /taqwa... He referred to The Promised
Messiah (on whom be peace) who said that fasting is about forsaking
one kind of nourishment (food) to seek the other kind of nourishment
which is for the soul. Allah opens up ways of guidance and spiritual
discernment for those who seek Him with truthfulness of heart.....May
Allah enable us that we fast while making the attainment of His
pleasure our objective, may we attain spiritual discernment which
becomes a lasting part of our lives and which enhances us in e
righteousness each moment....
Promised divine peace of latter days @ www.alislam.org www.mta.tv
with
LOVE FOR ALL HATRED FOR NONE.