عربي
Home


Articles

Articles

The Month of the Pious People
Author : Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh
Date Added : 31-05-2018

The Month of the Pious People

 

Answer: All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

Allah, The Almighty, has prescribed fasting on His believing slaves to raise them to the rank of the pious, so He, The Exalted, made piety the core of the verses addressing fast. As He The Almighty, said, at the beginning of these verses, (what means): "O you who believe, prescribed for you is the Fast, just as it was prescribed for those that were before you so that you might guard yourselves." [Al-Baqarah/183]. Besides, He, The Exalted, also Said (What means): "Thus doth God make clear His Signs to men: that they may learn self-restraint." [Al-Baqarah/187].

Allah, The Exalted, has prescribed acts of worship for a significant objective, and that is achieving piety in the souls of His believing slaves to raise them to the rank of the pious. He, the almighty, said, "O ye people! Adore your Guardian-Lord, who created you and those who came before you, that ye may have the chance to learn righteousness ." [Al-Baqarah/21]. This is what all the Prophets and the Messengers have invited their people to. Allah, The Almighty, Said, through the tongue of Noah (PBUH) (What means): "He said: "O my People! I am to you a Warner, clear and open "That ye should worship God, fear Him and obey me." [Nuh/2-3]. In addition, He, The Almighty, Said through the tongue of Hud (PBUH), (What means): "Behold, their brother Hud said to them: "Will ye not fear (God)?" [Al-Shu`ara`/124]. Moreover, He, The Exalted, Said through the tongue of Lut (PBUH), (What means): "Behold, their brother Lut said to them: "Will ye not fear (God)?" [Al-Shu`ara`/161]. Furthermore, Shu`aib`s (PBUH) invitation to his people, (What means): "Behold, Shu’aib said to them: "Will ye not fear (God)?" [Al-Shu`ara`/177]. And Allah, The Exalted Said through the tongue of Elias`s (PBUH) invitation, (What means): "So also was Elias among those sent (by Us). Behold, he said to his people, "Will ye not fear (God)?" [As-Safat/123-124].

The above reflects the virtue in all acts of worship. As for fasting, Allah, The Almighty, has privileged it with sublime virtues and stated that in the Noble Quran (What means): "O you who believe, prescribed for you is the Fast, just as it was prescribed for those that were before you so that you might guard yourselves." [Al-Baqarah/183].

Fasting encompasses the different elements of piety. When Ali Bin Abi Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) was asked about piety, he said: "It is fearing The Sublime, applying the rulings stated in the Holy Qur`an, being content with little and preparing for the day of departure from this life." [Subol Al-Huda Wa-r-Rashaad, vol.1/pp.421].

Fasting leads fear of Allah to grow in one`s soul because it (fasting) is a secret between the salve and His Lord. It also trains one to be content with little. As a result, the Muslim who used to unleash his desires for different lawful foods and drinks is satisfied, in Ramadan, with what`s little.

Preparations for departing from this worldly life are evident in Ramadan: the Muslim arrives at the conclusion that the body may survive with little food; whereas, spiritual life rests on piety, turning to Allah and being sincere to him. In other words, the truth doesn`t lie in material matters sought by many a man.

Undoubtedly, fasting involves the hardships of hunger, thirst and abstaining from desires and passions. However, the Muslim finds, in these, a sense of pleasure that makes him taste the sweetness of faith. Every human being on the face of this earth seeks the pleasure of the life of this world and the Hereafter, but the closest way to this end is piety.

Through fasting, Allah, the Exalted, wants to elevate His salves to the rank of the pious and Ramadan is a chance for every Muslim to do that and earn the best of ranks to be admitted to Janah (paradise). He, The Almighty Said (What means): "and for this let those aspire, who have aspirations." [Al-Mutaffifin/26]. Fasting contains all that is good for it disciplines the souls and the senses. It was narrated that Abu Um amah said: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an action (I should do).' He said: 'Take to fasting, for there is nothing equal to it." [Sunan An-Nasa'i].

Allah, The Almighty, has privileged his pious slaves with miracles and abundant gifts. Some of these are:

They are the pious worshippers of Allah, the ones protected and supported by Him, and no fear shall befall them nor shall they grieve. Allah, The Almighty, Said (What means): "Behold! Verily on the friends of God there is no fear, nor shall they grieve; those who believe and (constantly) guard against evil;-" [Younis/62-63]. Ibn Katheer interpreted this verse as follows: "Allah informs that His pious worshippers are the ones who believed and feared Him. Whoever is pious is a friend of Allah`s. "there is no fear on them": as regards the horrors of the Day of Resurrection. "nor shall they grieve": for what they have left behind in worldly life." [Tafseer Al-Qur'an vol.4/pp.278].

For the concept of piety to materialize in the soul of every Muslim to become a pious worshipper, he/she should purify his/her soul through performing various acts of worship in their correct manner and intending to please Allah alone, because the commodity of Allah is precious, as stated by Prophet Mohammad (PBUH): "………Be on your guard that the commodity of Allah is precious. Verily the commodity of Allah is Jannah". [At-Tirmithi]. Moreover, a Muslim should intend coming closer to Allah as the sole objective of fasting. He should also abandon material desires out of sublimity. Fasting Ramadan should be the medium for reaching the rank of the pious. Therefore, whoever managed to train himself during Ramadan to abstain from what`s lawful, in compliance with the injunctions of Almighty Allah, will find it easier to abstain from what`s forbidden for the rest of the year.

We pray that Almighty Allah helps us fast 

Ramadan and make us amongst His sincere worshippers. Indeed, He hears and responds. And all praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds.

 

Article Number [ Previous | Next ]

Read for Author




Comments


Captcha


Warning: this window is not dedicated to receive religious questions, but to comment on topics published for the benefit of the site administrators—and not for publication. We are pleased to receive religious questions in the section "Send Your Question". So we apologize to readers for not answering any questions through this window of "Comments" for the sake of work organization. Thank you.




Summarized Fatawaa

Why was the exact date of Laylat al-Qadr concealed?

The wisdom behind this is to encourage Muslims to strive in worship throughout all the nights of Ramadan, or at least in the last ten nights. By doing so, they will earn the reward of observing Laylat al-Qadr as well as the reward of worshiping on other blessed nights.

What should someone do if they fasted for 30 days in their country, then traveled to a place where people are still fasting?

If a person completes 30 days of fasting in their country and then travels to another country where people are still fasting, they should continue fasting with them until they observe Eid. Even if they have already completed 30 days, he/she should abstain from eating and drinking and join the people of that country because he/she has now become part of that community.

A man wishes to offer more than one uḍḥiyah (sacrificial offering), and intends by these sacrifices "on behalf of everyone whom Allah and His Messenger love." Is this intention valid?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The uḍḥiyah (sacrificial offering) is not valid with this intention, because if the sacrificial animal is from sheep or goats, it suffices for one person only; and if it is from cattle or camels, it suffices for seven persons.
However, one may sacrifice it on his own behalf, and then gift the equivalent of its reward to whomever he wishes.
Imam ar-Ramlī (raḥimahullāh) says: "Ash-Shāfi‘ī (raḍiyallāhu ‘anh) said: It is within the vastness of Allah's bounty, the Exalted, that He rewards the one giving charity as well. From this, the scholars of the madhhab said: it is recommended for a person to intend the charity on behalf of his parents, for example — for Allah, the Exalted, will reward them, without this diminishing his own reward in any way." He then relates, as the relied-upon position, the permissibility of saying: "O Allah, convey the reward of what I have recited specifically to so-and-so, and to the Muslims generally." Az-Zarkashī said: "For reward varies in degree — its highest form is what one designates specifically, and its lowest form is what one dedicates generally [alongside others]." [End of quote from Nihāyat al-Muḥtāj]. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

The imam recited a verse containing a prostration of recitation (*sajdat al-tilāwah*) but did not prostrate. After the imam's *salām*, a follower (*maʾmūm*) performed a prostration of forgetfulness (*sujūd al-sahw*) because the imam had not performed the prostration of recitation. Is it permissible to go against the imam in this way?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
There is no sin on the imam if he omits the prostration of recitation (sujūd al-tilāwah), even deliberately. The maʾmūm (the one following the imam) is obliged to follow the imam in the prayer, so if the imam does not perform the prostration of recitation, it is not permissible for the follower to prostrate, because the imam is appointed only to be followed.
If the follower introduces a prostration after the imam’s salām but before his own salām, in a case where there is no prostration of forgetfulness (sujūd al-sahw), his prayer is invalidated if he knew it to be prohibited. Otherwise, he is excused on account of his ignorance and his prayer is not invalidated.
It is stated in Ḥāshiyat al-Imām al-Jamal ʿalā Fatḥ al-Wahhāb: “His statement: ‘So the omission of the hayʾāt (the non-essential sunnahs of the prayer) is not compensated for by prostration; if one prostrates for any of them deliberately, his prayer is invalidated, unless he is excused due to his ignorance.’”
Since this issue is one that is hidden from the laymen, as it is among the subtleties of knowledge, and the laymen are excused for ignorance of whatever is of such a nature, and their act of obedience is not invalidated because of it, it may be said that the prayer of one who has not acquired knowledge of this issue is not invalidated, with the necessity of learning the rulings remaining. As for after knowing it, the prayer is invalidated. And Allah Almighty knows best.

See More