On the authority of Abu 'Abdullah, Al-Nu'man Ibn Bashir, may Allaah be pleased with them both, who said : 'I heard Allah's Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, say: "The Halal (lawful) is clear and the Haram (prohibited) is clear, and in between them there are some things that are doubtful ,which most people do not know - if they are Halal or Haram - Thus ,whoever avoids the doubtful, safeguards his religion and honor, but one who engages in the doubtful, falls in the Haram."

The example of this is like the shepherd who grazes his animals near Al-Hima (i.e. the ground reserved for animals belonging to the king ) ;it is thus quite likely that some of his animals will stray into it (Al-Hima).Every king has a Hima and the Hima of Allah is what He has forbidden. Truly! There is a lump of flesh in the human body; when it is healthy, the whole body is healthy, and when it is corrupted, the whole body is corrupted. Certainly it (this lump) is the heart." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Terminologies

Halal:
The word Halal has entered English dictionaries. It literally means lawful. In technical terms, it means the name given to the legal category of things which are permissible in Islam. Halal is that which has been made lawful through the Holy Qur'an or through the Sunnah of the Beloved Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).

According to Islam, 'the first principle established by Islam is that the things which Allah has created and the benefits derived from them are essentially for man's use, and hence are permissible. Nothing is Haram except what is prohibited by a sound and explicit Nass (Qur'anic verse or clear, authentic and explicit Hadith) from the Law-Giver.'

This leads us to understand that the sphere of forbidden things is very small, while the sphere of permissible things is extremely vast.

Haram or Non-Halal:
Haram literally means the prohibited or unlawful. In technical language it means 'that which the Law-Giver has absolutely prohibited, i.e.in the Holy Qur'an or in the sound clear Sunnah; anyone who engages in it is liable to incur the punishment in this world.'

As a matter of fact, 'there is only small number of sound and explicit texts (in The Qur'an and Sunnah) concerning prohibitions.'

In the eye Shari'a, there are different degrees of Haram. It may be major, minor and disliked.

By the way, the right to make lawful and to prohibit is the Right of Allah alone.

Hima:
According to " A Dictionary of Islam ", Hima literally means "guarded ,forbidden", a portion of land reserved by the ruler of a country as a grazing ground; a private pasture. Truly, every prince has a hima, which is forbidden to the people, and the hima is the thing forbidden by him to men. In other words, the grounds reserved for animals belonging to the king which are out of bounds for others' animals. So if the others' animals extend beyond these bounds and graze in the king's hima, owners will be punished.

This is a beautiful simile to show us that those who violate Allah's Hima [prohibitions] will be punished.

Guidance and Moralities

This Hadith addresses the believer's conscience, which is the overseer whose duty is to take charge of work and see that it is properly done. In simpler words, it is the criterion that shows the Muslim's adherence to the Halal, avoiding the Haram and keeping away from committing doubtful actions.

This Hadith urges Muslims to avoid doubtful actions since committing them could lure one to dare the prohibited actions themselves.

This great Hadith leads us to mention a number of rules concerning the Muslim's behavior and conduct individually and in society. Among them are:

1. The Halal is very clear in Islam. Examples: All wholesome things, including lawful foods and drinks, clothes, good adornments, marriage, etc. since the basic principle refers the permissibility of things as long as there is no a text [from the Qur'an or Sunnah] that forbids.

2. The Haram is also clear and limited. Examples: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, wine intoxicants, killing others, perjury, ingratitude, theft, bribery, adultery, fornication, usury, interest, swearwords, insult, cheating, envy, hatred, lying and other similar things that good people avoid.

3. Whatever is conductive to the Haram is itself Haram.

4. Good intentions do not make the Haram acceptable.

5. The Haram is prohibited to everyone alike.

6. The prohibition of things is due to their impurity and harmfulness.

7. Necessity dictates exceptions.

However, this Hadith adds that 'there is a grey area between the clearly Halal and the clearly Haram. This is the area of what is doubtful. Some people may not be able to decide whether a particular matter is permissible or forbidden, such confusion may be due to either to doubtful evidence or because of doubt concerning the applicability of the text to the particular circumstances or matter in question.

'In relation to such matters, Islam considers it an act of piety for the Muslim to avoid doing what is doubtful in order to stay clear of doing something Haram. This is similar to what was discussed earlier concerning the blocking of the avenues, which lead to what is Haram.'

By the by, a Muslim is allowed to deal with one most of whose property is Halal, even eating from his food, unless the Muslim recognizes something Haram, which we are requested to avoid since eating Haram darkens the heart and spoils one's actions.

This Hadith states that doing what is Halal, keeping away from what is Haram and avoiding doubtful things constitute an indication of a sound heart, which represents the center of one's leadership and source of good and evil.

The Beloved Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "He who gives for Allah's sake, prevents for Allah's sake, loves for His sake, hates for His sake, has achieved a complete faith."

Finally, if we direct our tendencies and activities toward good and for Allah's sake, our Iman will be perfect, inward and outward.
 

 The Role of the Sunnah towards the Quran:

The Sunnah cannot dispense with the Quran: Allah Almighty chose Muhammad , as His Prophet and selected him to deliver His final message. The Quran was revealed to the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam,   in which Allah commanded him to obey everything that was ordered of him; that is, to convey and explain His message to the people.

Allah Almighty Says what means: "…And We revealed to you the message [i.e., the Quran] that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them…" [Quran: 16:44]

The declaration mentioned in the verse contains two commands:
1. To propagate the speech of Allah (i.e. the Quran). This is to openly communicate the Quran to (all) mankind as Allah Almighty has revealed to the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam,   that which means: "O Messenger! Announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord…" [Quran: 5:67]

‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah pleased with her,  is reported to have said: "Whoever says that Muhammad concealed anything that he was commanded to communicate has forged a great lie against Allah." Then she read the abovementioned verse. [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Another narration is found in the book of Imam Muslim which states: "If the Messenger of Allah had concealed something that he was commanded to communicate, he would have concealed the saying of the Almighty (which means): "And [remember, O Muhammad], when you said to the one on whom Allah bestowed favour: 'Keep your wife and fear Allah,' while you concealed within yourself that which Allah is to disclose. And you feared the people, while Allah has more right that you fear Him." [Quran: 33:37]

2. To clarify words, sentences or verses from the Quran that are not easily understood by most people. Some verses may be comprehensive or general in their meaning, and the Sunnah clarifies and defines them through the Prophet’s, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, sayings, actions and confirmations.

The Necessity of the Sunnah to Understand the Quran:
Allah Says what means: "[As for] the thief, the male and the female, amputate their hands..." [Quran: 5:38] In the context of this verse, the thief and the hand are mentioned in a general manner. It is the Sunnah that explains the first of them and places a restriction on it by explaining the meaning of the word 'thief' to mean the one who steals something worth at least a quarter of a Deenar (a unit golden currency) according to the saying of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam: "There is no cutting of the hand unless the thing stolen is worth a quarter of a Deenar or more." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

The latter (i.e., how the hand is to be amputated) is explained by the actions of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam,  and his Companions, may Allaah pleased with them. They would amputate the hand of the thief from the wrist, as is known from a saying of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam.

There are many other verses of the Quran that cannot be completely understood except through the Sunnah, such as:
1. Allah Says what means: "And when you travel throughout the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer, [especially] if you fear that those who disbelieve may disrupt [or attack] you. Indeed, the disbelievers are ever to you a clear enemy." [Quran: 4:101] It is obvious from this verse that fear is a pre-requisite for the shortening of prayers. However, some of the Companions, may Allaah pleased with them,   asked the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam: "Why do we shorten our prayers while we feel safe?" He replied: "It is an allowance from Allah, so accept it." [Muslim]

2. Allah Says what means: “Say: 'Who has forbidden the adornment of [i.e., from] Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good [lawful] things of provision?..." [Quran: 7:32]
But the Sunnah has forbidden some 'adornments', and this is evident from the saying of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam: "The wearing of silk and gold has been made unlawful for males and lawful for the females of my nation.' ' [At-Tirmithi]

3. Allah Says what means: "Say: 'I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine – for indeed, it is impure - or it be [that slaughtered in] disobedience, dedicated to other than Allah…” [Quran: 6:145]

But the Sunnah has forbidden many things not mentioned in the abovementioned verse; an example of this lies in the saying of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam: "All predatory animals with tusks and every bird with claws are forbidden for consumption." There are other narrations that have forbidden the consumption of such animals, such as the one where the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam,  is reported to have said: "Allah and His Messenger have prohibited the consumption of domesticated donkeys, for they are filth." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

There are many other examples that show the necessity of the Sunnah within Islamic Law. There is no other way to understand the Quran correctly except with the interpretation of the Sunnah.

The Inadequacy of Philology to Understand the Quran:

The Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, were the most knowledgeable of people in the Arabic language, yet, if they were to attempt to understand the verses quoted above by relying on the Arabic language alone, then they would have erred.

It is agreed upon by the majority of Muslim scholars, past and present, that the Quran should first and foremost be interpreted by the Quran itself, then by the Sunnah, then by the sayings of the Companions, and so on.
It is here that the cause of deviation of scholastic theologians (Ahl Al-Kalaam), both ancient and modern, becomes clear, as well as their opposition to our righteous predecessors in doctrine and law.

In short, what is obligatory upon all Muslims is that they do not separate the Quran from the Sunnah; moreover, it is obligatory to follow both of them and to formulate laws using both. This is a safeguard for the people, so that they do not falter and regress, as explained by the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam: "I am leaving behind two things - you will never go astray if you hold fast to them: the Quran and my Sunnah." [At-Tirmithi]

Luqmaan said to his son, commanding him to seek forgiveness frequently, "Make your tongue accustomed to seeking forgiveness as there are hours when Allah The Almighty does not let down a supplicating person." Furthermore, Al-Hasan, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said, "Seek forgiveness frequently in your houses, at your tables, in your roads, markets, gatherings and wherever you go for you do not know when forgiveness is granted." In addition, Qataadah, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said, "The Quran guides you to your illness and your cure. Your illness is sins and your cure is seeking forgiveness." The accursed Shaytaan (Satan) said, "I destroyed people with sins, and they destroyed me with saying 'Laa ilaaha illa Allah (I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah)’ and seeking forgiveness."

One of the most important things with which one should end his life and deeds is seeking forgiveness. That is what Allah The Exalted instructed His Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to do at the end of his life: {Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.} [Quran 110:3] The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, obeyed the command of his Lord as it was narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, that he did not perform a prayer after the revelation of the verse (which means): {When the Victory of Allah has come and the conquest.} except that he said therein: "Glory and praise be to Allah. O Allah, Forgive me." Fulfilling the meaning of (this verse of) the Quran and acting upon it. [Al-Bukhari]

The best action with which lives, deeds and meritorious times may be concluded is seeking forgiveness. That is why the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to conclude his prayers with seeking forgiveness. When he concluded his prayers, he used to ask for forgiveness three times.

From among the qualities of those who pray at night is seeking forgiveness: {and those who seek forgiveness before dawn.} [Quran 3:17] Allah The Almighty also mentioned the characteristics of the people of Paradise so He Says (what means): {they used to sleep but little of the night, and in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness.} [Quran 51:17-18]

Allah The Almighty instructs those who perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to seek forgiveness after departure from ‘Arafaat as He Says (what means): {Then depart from the place from where [all] the people depart and ask forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 2:199] Besides, Allah The Almighty instructs many other deeds which should be concluded with seeking forgiveness such as the expiation of assembly, finishing ablution and other such acts.

After the Muslim has witnessed the month of fasting and Qiyaam (voluntary night prayer), he draws nearer to Allah The Almighty through more voluntary acts of worship. Yet, he knows that no matter how great his deeds are, he is still negligent in fulfilling the right of his Lord The Almighty because he did not perform his deeds with perfection – they are stained with deficiency, forgetfulness, heedlessness, error and mistakes sometimes. This is why one should repent and seek forgiveness a lot and conclude the month with this action. "Fasting is a shield from Hell unless breached, evil words breach this shield and seeking forgiveness restores what is breached." ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez , may Allaah be pleased with him, wrote to different regions asking them to conclude Ramadan with seeking forgiveness and charity (the Fitr charity) as the charity of Fitr purifies the fasting people from idle talk and obscene language and seeking forgiveness restores what was breached from fasting by idle talk and obscene language.

‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez, may Allaah have mercy upon him, wrote,

“Say what your father Aadam, may Allaah exalt his mention, said: {"Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers."} [Quran 7:23] Say what Nooh, may Allaah exalt his mention, said: {And unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I will be among the losers."} [Quran 11:47] Say what Moosa, may Allaah exalt his mention, said: {"My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so Forgive me."} [Quran 28:16] Say what Thun-Noon (Yoonus), may Allaah exalt his mention, said: {"There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers."} [Quran 21:87]”

We should commit ourselves to seeking forgiveness at night and day as it eliminates sins and misdeeds, brings mercy and sustenance and it is a means of being granted wealth and children, gardens and rivers. All our actions, and eventually, our lives should be concluded with it.

 The month of Ramadan is a great opportunity for repentance. Indeed, it is known as the month of repentance, which is why we see many people turning to Allah The Almighty in this month. We see mosques full of worshippers, the Book of Allah being recited, people competing in acts of obedience, increasing their charity and doing other good deeds.

However, even if one performs many acts of obedience and deeds which bring one nearer to Allah The Almighty, he will still be negligent in fulfilling the rights of their Lord. For instance, one may mix acts of obedience with acts of disobedience. In this case, they would be in dire need of repentance and seeking forgiveness. It is out of the mercy of Allah The Almighty that He opened the gate to repentance until the sun rises from the West or until the soul reaches the throat (when dying). Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said explaining the slaves' need to repent and seek forgiveness,

“Compare your deeds and states to the great Majesty of Allah The Almighty, what He deserves and what He is worthy of. If you find they (your deeds) are enough and commensurate with His Greatness, then you will not need repentance. Nonetheless, if you find that your truthfulness, sincerity, returning to Allah The Almighty, reliance upon Him, asceticism and worship, even if endlessly multiplied, do not fulfill the least right of Allah over you and are not equivalent to any of the favors He bestowed upon you, and that what He deserves for His majesty and glory is far greater and loftier than what all creatures can do, you will realize the necessity of repentance.

[You will realize] that it is the end of every knowledgeable person and the aim of every person who pursues the straight path. If there is no way to fulfill true enslavement, then our only hope will be repentance… If it had not been for smelling the breeze of repentance, man, who is made of mud and water, would have lost hope to reach the Lord of the worlds. This would have been the case if man had performed his duties regarding the rights of his Lord. So, how about the heedlessness, negligence, transgression, leniency and favoring one's interests over the rights of the Lord most of the time and that hardly come to an end?” [Madaarij As-Saalikeen]

‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "The believer sees his sins as if he were sitting under a mountain which, he is afraid, may fall on him; whereas the wicked person considers his sins as flies passing in front of his nose and he just drives them away like this." [Al-Bukhari]

Ibn Hajar, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said, "Fear prevails over the believer due to his strong faith, so he does not feel secure of the punishment due to his faith. This is the state of the Muslim; always afraid and watchful. He views his good deeds as little and fears the least of his bad deeds." Al-Muhibb At-Tabari, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "This is a quality of the believers for their extreme fear of Allah and His punishment as they are certain of the sin but not certain of forgiveness." [Fat-h Al-Baari: Ibn Hajar]

Therefore, glad tidings to the one whose tongue is always moist with seeking forgiveness. We give him the glad tidings of the Hadeeth (narration) by ‘Abdullah ibn Busr, may Allaah be pleased with him, in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Blessed is the one who finds in his record of deeds many instances of seeking forgiveness." [Ibn Maajah] [Al Albaani: Saheeh]

It was also narrated on the authority of Az-Zubayr ibn Al-‘Awwaam, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Whoever likes his record of deeds to please him, he should ask for forgiveness a lot." [Al-Bayhaqi] [Al Albaani: Hasan]

In addition, Abu Al-Minhaal, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said, "There is no neighbor in the grave which is dearer to the slave than asking for forgiveness." [Jaami‘ Al-‘Uloom wal Hikam]

To be continued …

 For the ninth time this year, the moon goes round the Earth, wrapping it and all who dwell on it in a period of mercy, of extra closeness to Allah Almighty. The month of fasting connects terrestrial bodies to extraterrestrial bodies, material provision to spiritual sustenance, and souls to souls across humanity.

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of Heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

• First: The virtues of the month of Ramadan, where great things take place, such as opening the gates of Paradise, closing the gates of Hell and chaining the devils. All this takes place in the first night of Ramadan and continues to the end of the month.
• Second: The first Hadeeth indicates that Paradise and Hell are already created and that their gates are actually opened and closed.
• Third: Seasons with a special virtue and the righteous deeds that are observed therein bring about the Pleasure of Allah and this results in opening the gates of Paradise and closing the gates of Hell.
• Fourth: It is permissible under Sharee‘ah (Islamic legislation) to give glad tidings about the advent of Ramadan and congratulate people on living to witness it. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to remind his Companions of such merits to make them rejoice and drive them to do righteous deeds. Thus, glad tidings should be given with regard to every good thing.
• Fifth: Rebellious devils are chained in Ramadan and thus their effect on people is weakened due to the good deeds that people do.
• Sixth: Allah The Almighty confers His favor and kindness upon His slaves by preserving their fasting and warding the harm of rebellious devils off them, so as not to spoil their acts of worship in the blessed month of Ramadan.
• Seventh: Proving the existence of devils and that they have bodies that can be chained and that rebellious devils from among them are chained during the month of Ramadan.
• Eighth: These great advantages, which are unique to Ramadan, are enjoyed by the believers who glorify this month and fulfill the rights of Allah The Almighty during it. However, the disbelievers who do not fast during this month and do not believe in its sanctity, the gates of Paradise will not be opened for them, the gates of Hell will not be closed for their sake, their devils will not be chained and they will not deserve to be saved from Hell. Consequently, anyone of them who dies during the month of Ramadan or during any other month will deserve the punishment of Allah and will certainly taste it.
• Ninth: It is feared that Muslims who imitate the disbelievers in violating the sanctity of Ramadan, breaking the fast during the daytime, committing acts that invalidate their fasting or decrease its reward (such as backbiting, carrying tales or spreading slander and attending gatherings where such acts take place), will be excluded from this great favor from Allah; the gates of Paradise will be closed for them, the gates of Hell will be opened for them and their devils will be released.
• Tenth: The opening of the gates of Paradise and the closing of the gates of Hell do not contradict the verse (which means): {Gardens of perpetual residence, whose doors will be opened to them.} [Quran 38:50]

• Eleventh: The virtue of the Night of Al-Qadr and how it is better than one thousand months. The Muslim who misses that night is deprived of a great blessing.
• Twelfth: Allah The Almighty saves people from Hell every night in the month of Ramadan. Those who are worthier of redemption are those who fast perfectly, pray Qiyaam (supererogatory night prayers) well, perform a lot of righteous deeds, out of loving Allah and hoping for His reward and fearing His punishment.
• Thirteenth: Those people who will be saved from Hell will be granted the privilege of having their supplications fulfilled. Thus, Allah combines two great rewards for them: redemption from Hell and answering their supplication.
• Fourteenth: The fasting Muslim should not commit anything that invalidates his fasting or decreases his reward. Also, he should keep his hearing, sight and tongue away from everything that has been forbidden by Allah, to be saved from Hell.
• Fifteenth: The fasting Muslim should frequently supplicate Allah The Almighty, because the supplication made by a fasting person is fulfilled, by the will of Allah The Almighty.

 He was a Muslim ruler during the Umayyad reign. He was exposed to vicissitudes of his time and was put in prison. However, some time later, he managed to flee from prison. While he and his slave were walking in the vast desert, they met a shepherd having some sheep. Yazeed said to his slave, "Ask the shepherd to provide us with some of that milk." The slave went to the shepherd and bought some milk from him. Yazeed ordered the slave to give him one thousand Dirhams. The slave said to him, "But, O prince, he does not know you." On that Yazeed said, "But I know myself well."

• {And they who give what they give while their hearts are fearful because they will be returning to their Lord.} [Quran 23:60]
• {And those within whose wealth is a known right for the petitioner and the deprived.} [Quran 70:24-25]
• {And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, [Saying], "We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.} [Quran 75:8-9]

 It was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Islam was built upon five (pillars): testifying that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayers, giving Zakah, performing Hajj and fasting Ramadan.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

• First: Explanation of the foundation of faith and the foundation of Islam.

Faith is the inward acknowledgment, whereas Islam is the outward submission. This is the meaning of faith and Islam when both of them are mentioned in one context. However, if they are mentioned separately, then faith is meant to refer to Islam, and vice versa.

• Second: Islam is established by the two testimonies of faith.
• Prayers, Zakah (obligatory poor-due), fasting and Hajj (pilgrimage) are added to the two testimonies because they are the most obvious and the greatest rituals of Islam.
• Third: Neglecting these five pillars or some of them indicates the absence of submission and obedience to Allah The Almighty.
• Fourth: Fasting Ramadan is honorable and elevated in the sight of Allah The Almighty, because Allah made it a pillar of Islam.
• Fifth: The obligation of learning necessary aspects of religion, such as the duties (to observe them) and forbidden things (to avoid them) and conveying them to people.

 The month of Ramadan is the month of virtue and righteousness. Due to the virtue of its period, the deeds performed during it are also treated differently. People are more eager to be virtuous during this month than any other month of the year. There are many righteous deeds a Muslim can perform during this blessed month, and the following are some suggested deeds:

 With Ramadan approaching, many of us eagerly look forward to the impending celebratory meals and visits with family and friends, breaking fast at the Masjid (mosque), and, of course, the ‘Eed celebration that ends this great month.

We rush about making careful preparations by cleaning our homes from top to bottom. Some may even decorate them for an added festive effect. We go from market to market purchasing ingredients used to create elaborate delicacies that are so special and which we enjoy only a couple of times during the year. We shop around trying to purchase the right gifts for our family and friends.
With all of our preparation for the blessed month of Ramadan, we should also take the time to reflect upon where we are regarding our duties to Allah compared with where we were this time last year. Ideally, we should be striving to be better and better each year. In order to do so, we must take an honest assessment of our shortcomings. Ramadan is a great time to really take stock of ourselves and admit any shortcomings we may have when it comes to our worship.

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah have mercy upon him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: "When Ramadan comes, the gates of mercy are opened and the gates of Hell are shut, and the devils are put in chains." [An-Nasaa'i]
While every month of the year is an occasion for worship and obeying Allah, the month of Ramadan multiplies our reward for being constant in these acts.

When you ask yourself where you are spiritually this year as Ramadan approaches compared with last year, what changes do you see? Are you satisfied? Do you think that Allah would be pleased with your progress? Have you grown in faith, or have you fallen short in your worship? What are your personal goals for this Ramadan to attain an even higher level of faith, and earn the pleasure of Allah? Perhaps at the close of Ramadan last year, you successfully completed reading and/or reciting the entire Quran. Maybe you were able to maintain an even disposition during the entire fast, taking extreme care in being patient with others. Or despite a jam-packed school or work schedule, you managed to make most of your prayers at the Masjid.

You may have ended the month last year with a stronger sense of faith, more certain in your servitude to Allah. But what has happened in between that time to today as we await the arrival of this blessed month? Do you continue reading the Quran daily? Do you remain mindful and in control of your temper observing patience in your daily interactions? Are you still making most of your prayers at the Masjid and taking care in being punctual with your prayers?

The strength of our faith goes up and down throughout our lives. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: “Faith wears out in the heart of one of you just as clothes wear out, so ask Allah to renew the faith in your hearts (i.e. strengthen it).” [Al-Haakim and At-Tabaraani]

Committing to making an effort to improve our worship can only increase our faith, the same way in which succumbing to sin diminishes it.

Self-evaluation

Ramadan is full of the Mercy of Allah and opportunities to please Him through our worship and good deeds. In looking inward recognizing our shortcomings, we should make a commitment to ourselves and Allah to engage in acts such as worshipping in congregation, spreading the greeting of Salaam to our family, friends and neighbors, encouraging one another to continue following the Straight Path, enjoining that which is good and avoiding and forbidding evil.

We should strive to increase remembering Allah, and working to overcome our desires in following frivolous whims. We should recognize all sinful acts no matter how small and seemingly insignificant they are, and make every effort to stop persisting in them. We must have patience for others and patience for ourselves as we immerge ourselves in this process of spiritual growth. Allah showers us with His mercy and forgiveness during this blessed month. Those who repent in sincerity will find Allah Most Forgiving, as He Says (what means): {And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah, will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 4:110]

Making changes for the better

If we are successful in implementing good deeds and habits of worship during Ramadan, we often find that the true test of our positive changes is in continuing to improve our faith during all of the months that follow. Ramadan is a holy month, and it can be argued that it is easier to repent and make positive changes in our worship since we are all in the midst of fasting and spending increased amounts of time with others also striving to attain the Mercy of Allah. Changes may begin small, but baby steps can make quite a difference in the end. One suggestion is to begin implementing new small acts of worship during Ramadan which you can easily continue from now on. They can act as a protection against becoming stagnant in worship and keep faith strong:

* Try attending some Islamic classes or gatherings weekly.

* Consider joining an evening or weekend Islamic "course" or class. (i.e. Arabic, Quran recitation, etc.). Events like these surround you with like-minded people who offer mental stimulation and help strengthen faith.

* Read a section of the Quran daily, ideally after Fajr. It is a stimulating, positive way to start each day.

* Institute a time each day to have a family class, where you perhaps read from a Hadeeth book at home and have a short discussion. It doesn't have to take long—you could do so after one of the prayers for about five or ten minutes each day.

* Commit to one or more days a month to involving the entire family in an act of charity such as clothing the needy, feeding the homeless, or any other kind of help. There is so much in the world that needs to be done and it is our responsibility to get out and do something about it. It reminds us to be thankful for everything that Allah has allowed on us in this life, teach the lesson of charity to our family while bonding through performing good deeds.

These are only a few suggestions. There are many more ways of making a regular practice of incorporating worship into our lives. Regular worship guards our faith and increases it. It is important that we remember that a decrease in faith leads to neglecting our duties of worship, or becoming involved in sinful deeds. This is something that must be taken very seriously. 

 Among the best ethics that should be followed in dealing with relatives is tolerating their reproaches and interpreting them in the best possible way. This is the moral standard of the virtuous and the customary behavior of noble people, who strive to perfect their chivalry, morals and honor. They are the ones who deal with others in a spirit of tolerance, politeness and open mindedness. 

If one of their relatives blames them severely for neglecting his right, they do not blame him back, or return his reproachful words in kind; rather, they are nice to him and interpret his reproach in a good way. They view the person who reproaches them as someone who loves them and make him realize they understand this; they thank him and continue to apologize till he calms down. Some people respect and love others, but they cannot express these feelings except through frequently blaming and reproaching others. Noble people deal with such people kindly, as if telling them, ‘Even if your way of expressing your feelings is not very good, your intention is certainly good.’

 Let us discuss the factors that help in maintaining ties of kinship and the code of ethics that we should observe with our relatives.

Among these ethics is reflecting upon the consequences of maintaining ties of kinship. Knowing the fruits of something and visualizing its results is one of the greatest motives for performing an act. The same applies to considering the repercussions of severing ties and thinking of the troubles, distress, heartbreak and regret it entails, which helps one to avoid it.

One of the factors that help in maintaining ties of kinship is seeking the help of Allah The Almighty, asking Him for guidance and aid in maintaining the bond of kinship. It is recommended to return the unkind treatment of relatives with kindness as this preserves mutual love and alleviates the effect of the aggressive treatment one may receive from some relatives. That is why aman came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said,“I have relatives whom I maintain ties with, but they cut me off, and I treat them kindly, but they deal badly with me. I am gentle with them, but they are harsh to me.”The Messenger of Allah replied: “If you are as you say, it is as if you are feeding them hot ashes; you will have a supporter from Allah against them, as long as you continue to act the way you are.” [Muslim]

Imaam An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, explaining the Hadeeth (narration),

'Hot ashes' is used as a metaphor to demonstrate that such relatives bear as much guilt as the pain and agony experienced by the person who deals with them. As for the one who treats such relatives kindly, there is no argument against him, rather they are the ones who commit a grievous sin by mistreating and harming him. It was also said that it means that you dishonor and degrade them, because of your good treatment in spite of their evil and shameful deeds before themselves as he who eats hot ashes. Others said it means that what they eat from what you give them burns their guts as if it were hot ashes. Allah knows best."