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After seeking Allah T’ala’s protection from the rejected Satan, we begin with the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Kind. The fact is that He is the Most Merciful and Most Kind. Not a single soul will be left on the surface of the earth if He were not.
Allah T’ala says in Surah Al-Fatir
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا مَا تَرَكَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَابَّةٍ وَلَكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى فَإِذَا جَاء أَجَلُهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ بَصِيرًا
035.045 If Allah were to punish people according to what they deserve. He would not leave on the back of the (earth) a single living creature: but He gives them respite for a stated Term: when their Term expires, verily Allah has in His sight all His Servants.
While the Mercy of Allah T’ala is always with us, a special blessing came to us as Ramadan. It is a blessing for those who seek His forgiveness (Mughfirah) and freedom from Hellfire (‘Itaqum-minunNar).
Now, only a few days are left in this blessed month. We do not know whether we are going to live to witness this glorious month again. Therefore, a fortunate Muslim during this month is one who is able to improve his acts of worship with sincerity and self-examination and end it with sincere repentance, for acts have value if they are accepted by Allah T’ala.
In one of his supplications, Prophet Sulaiman (a.s.) said:
وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ
"and that I may work the righteousness that will please You”
Let us endeavour to utilize the remaining days of Ramadan by performing good deeds. For Ramadan can never be substituted by any other month. It is a month in which hearts are refined and sins are forgiven. It is a month of security and peace for the frightened. For it is zikrullah that brings peace and content in hearts. In this great month, many hands have been raised in supplication, many a tear has been shed and many a heart has been struck with the fear of Allah. Allah has showered His Mercy and Favor on many of His servants in this month.
We need to evaluate ourselves individually, as a community, a nation and Ummah and ask ourselves if we have indeed made use of the month and have become better in Taqwah, prayers and charity. If we have not performed Hajj yet, did we make a plan to do so? Have we increased time for Zikrullah? Did we recite the Holy Quran? Did we offer Taraweeh prayers and did we seek Lailatul-Qadr? There are still a few nights left to do so.
Did we evaluate the condition of our hearts? Just like physical diseases of the heart, one may not know if we have any spiritual ailments unless we do an examination. Did we stop backbiting, watching shameful programs on TV or listening to bad songs? These are of course a few of the concerns one should have. An overall examination in the light of the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) is needed by us all.
We should continue in our good deeds even after Ramadan. Be constant in observing the five obligatory prayers and other acts of worship. Know that, among the signs of the acceptance of a good deed is to continue and be steadfast in performing that deed.
EID:
Since this is the last Jumuah of this Ramadan, I will say a few words about Eid.
Soon, we will be celebrating the end of Ramadan on the day of Eidul-Fitr.
We pay Zakatul-Fitr before the Eid Salah as a means of Tazkiyah (purification) of our fasting.
We offer the prayer of Eidul-Fitr as a token of our Shukr (gratitude) to Allah T’ala for acceptance of our fasting, for His forgiveness of our sins, and for our release from the Hellfire.
Abu Huraira(r.a.a.) related that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said: Allah the Majestic and Exalted said: "Every deed of man will receive ten to 700 times reward, except Siyam (fasting), for it is for Me and I shall reward it (as I like). There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts: one when he breaks the fast and the other when he will meet his Lord" (Muslim).
Eidul-Fitr is a day of happiness for those who observed inward and outward fasting to seek reward from Allah T’ala. It is a day of gift-giving, especially to children. It is a day when we should get-together with family, relatives, and other Muslims. It is a joyous occasion and should be spent in joy and happiness, but never leaving the state of Shukr and falling into Kufr (ingratitude).
Unfortunately, in many countries and communities, Eid Day has become a day of movies, music, songs and dancing leading to Shahwaat (evil acts of lusts and passion). For example, I have heard that in many Muslim countries, new movies are released on the Day of EID in the cinemas. Why do we have cinemas in Muslim countries to begin with? So many hasten back to the Hellfire only after being released from it. Imagine a convicted criminal going back to jail right after he was released from it after many years of imprisonment.
Haya:
We need to observe some adaab in our relations with Allah T’ala and people. The two qualities of a believing person are Haya and humility (Dhul). The Prophet (s.a.w.) stated,”Every religion has a quality that is characteristic of that religion. And the characteristic of my religion is Haya.” Haya is an internal sense of shame, which includes bashfulness and modesty. When one seriously reflects on Allah T’ala’s perfect watch over His creation, the countless blessings He sends down, and then considers the kind of deeds one brings before Allah T’ala, what possible feelings can one generate except humility and degrees of shame?
EYES: Ghadhul-Basr
Allah Ta’ala says in Surah Nur:
قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ذَلِكَ أَزْكَى لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ
024.030 Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: And Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.
The next ayat says the same for believing women, but adds a few more injunctions on them.
وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاء بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاء بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَائِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّابِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُوْلِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَى عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاء وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
024.031 And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband’s fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss.
Surah Nur also says:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَن تَشِيعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَاللَّهُ
يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
024.019 Those who love (to see) scandal published broadcast among the Believers, will have a grievous Penalty in this life and in the Hereafter: Allah knows, and ye know not.
Avoid the zina of the eye. Avoid gatherings in which men and women mix freely. Be watchful of your eyes in gatherings where both men and women are present.
Blameworthy Modesty
In general, modesty is something praised in Islam and is considered virtuous. What is blameworthy is modesty that prevents one from denouncing what clearly should be denounced. This form of modesty results in meekness as a time when one needs to be forthright and courageous. Something condemnable is condemnable (munkar) regardless of the status of the person who is engaged in it – whether he or she is a close relative or a person of status, wealth, or authority.
It is not that a Muslim, a Momin, a Muttaqee, a Muhsin will not commit a sin, a fuhush act. It is how he or she reacts to it afterwards.
Talking about Muttaqeen and Muhsineen, Allah T’ala says in Surah Ale-Imran:
وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُواْ فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُواْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُواْ اللّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ اللّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّواْ عَلَى مَا فَعَلُواْ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُون
003.135 And those who, having done something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring Allah to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins,- and who can forgive sins except Allah?- and are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done.
That is what a Muslim should do at an individual level. The sin becomes more serious, if it is committed openly and collectively.
Allah T’ala says in ayah 25 of Surah al-Anfal:
وَاتَّقُواْ فِتْنَةً لاَّ تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنكُمْ خَآصَّةً وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
008.025 And fear tumult or oppression, which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong: and know that Allah is strict in punishment.
Explaining the above verse the Prophet (s.a.w.) remarked:” Allah does not punish the generality of a people for the evil committed by a particular section of that people until they observe others committing evil and do not denounce it even though they are in a position to do so. And when they do that, Allah punishes all, the evil-doers and the people in general.” (Ahmad b. Hanbal, Vol. 4, p. 192)
Source:- islam101
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