Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 1 (Reconcile)
The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) said: "He who boycotts his brother for more than three days and dies during this period will be from the people of hellfire."
He (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) also said: "The doors of Heaven are opened every Monday and Thursday, and Allah pardons in these days every individual servant who is not a polytheist, except those who have enmity between them; Allah Says: 'Delay them until they reconcile with each other"
The worst thing in the world you could do to your Ramadan is completely render it void because of a dispute you have with someone. It contradicts the entire essence of fasting and seeking the pardon of your Lord because its not befitting to request forgiveness if you're unable to forgive others. The doors of heaven are opened every Monday and Thursday on normal days which is why the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) would fast them, but they are open the entire month of Ramadan. Imagine if every day as your fasting, Quran recitation, etc. is presented to Allah this month, He responds to the angels to delay your pardon until you reconcile with your brother.
Ramadan is the best opportunity to write that email or text message to that lost family member or friend and say "its not worth it to lose Allahs forgiveness over this" and "IM SORRY."
Even if you've been avoiding someone and there is an implicit, unofficial, or unspoken boycott, make sure you end that today so that you don't jeopardize your fasting.
Dont do it for that person, do it for yourself and for the sake of Allah.
Oh Allah clear our hearts from enmity, give us the ability to forgive, and pardon us for we have wronged ourselves. ameen
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 2 (Prayer on Time)
I know it sounds elementary but read the whole thing. When the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) was asked what the MOST beloved action to Allah was, he would consistently answer "Prayed performed on time" (Bukhari, Nasaai).
Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) describes the later generations of Bani Israeel as having "Lost the prayer" because they stopped praying on time (19:59). This led them to pursue their evil empty desires and meet destruction in the hereafter.
Obviously the spiritual dimension to this is that when one has no desire or longing to remember their Lord, they stand at the end of the time of prayer with laziness just to get it over with. This is how Allah describes the hypocrites (4:142).
However, training oneself to pray early in the window of prayer is the first step.
SO here is my Ramadan resolution: Even though technically speaking the absolute end of the time of prayer is the entrance of the next prayer (with the exception of Fajr), force yourself to pray Dhuhur, Asr, and Isha within 1 hour of the adhan, and Fajr and Maghrib within 30 minutes of the adhan. Obviously Maghrib is really preferred within an even shorter time and Isha can be delayed, but this is an exercise for the one who is having trouble praying on time. You can obviously also sometimes delay any prayer within a permissible time frame if you have an obstacle such as an exam, work, etc. But make that the exception and not the norm.
Place an alarm on your phone and tell yourself that if I go beyond that 30 minutes or 1 hour for the specific prayer, I would've "missed" the prayer.
Ramadan is the time to establish good habits and what better habit can you start than the one that is most beloved to Allah!?
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 3 (Sunnah Prayers)
The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) said: Allah will build a house in Paradise for whoever is diligent in observing 12 Sunnah Rakaat : 4 before and 2 after the Dhuhr Prayer, 2 after the Maghrib Prayer, 2 after the ‘Ishaa Prayer and 2 before the Fajr Prayer."
These prayers guard your obligatory prayers and are an essential part of the day for the believer. Now a lot of times we can become lazy in performing them or just do some of them every once in a while, but Ramadan is the PERFECT time to make them regular because it structures 3 out of the 4 prayers that have sunnahs attached to them anyway! Check this out:
Fajr sunnah is easy because youre already awake for suhoor Maghrib sunnah is easy because youre praying it early Isha sunnah is easy because youre praying taraweeh anyway
So heres what I propose: You have 4 prayers that you need to regularly establish sunnah for and you have 4 weeks to do that. Each week of Ramadan, start regularly praying the sunnahs associated with one prayer as if it is mandatory and then as the next week comes, add the next prayer. So for example, the first week of Ramadan make sure you ALWAYS pray the Fajr sunnah even if you have to make it up after the obligatory prayer. Then add dhuhur the second week, etc.
If you pray these rakaats throughout the year, it is far more rewardable in quality and quantity than Taraweeh in Ramadan.
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 4 (A Secret Bond)
“The supplication of a Muslim for his brother in his absence will certainly be answered. Every time he makes a supplication for good for his brother, the angel appointed for this particular task says: Ameen! May it be for you too’.” [Muslim].
Since the dua of the fasting person is accepted this is the best time to do it. But here is how you make it unique:
1. Do it for someone who wouldn’t expect it from you without telling that person to make it most sincere and for the sake of Allah.
2. Diversify the duas and people you make dua for so that you can be given different things. So in particular think of a person in each of the following categories and make dua for them daily: a. A person who has good qualities but hasn’t been guided to faith. Make dua for guidance for that person so that perhaps Allah grants you further guidance. b. A person who is involved in Islamic work, that Allah accepts from them and keeps them sincere so that perhaps Allah uses you for His cause and keeps you sincere. c. A person who is committing a public sin. Make dua that Allah forgives that person. Imagine if the dua is accepted for a major public sin, then the angels will say ameen for you also and perhaps Allah will forgive you for both your public and private sins. d. A person who is ill, that Allah grants him or her full health so that perhaps Allah will either heal you if you are sick or preserve your health for you if you are healthy. e. A person who is struggling financially or suffering a worldly hardship, ask Allah to help that person so that perhaps Allah will help you in that same situation. f. A person who has a particular blessing that you wish for, that Allah maintains that blessing upon that person without making it a means of taking him or her away from goodness in the hereafter so that perhaps Allah will grant it for you or maintain your blessings upon you without making them a means of harm for you.
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 8 (Acquaint Yourself)
Its pretty old now that if you mention the oppressed people of one country by name, whether in a khutbah or status, you will be bombarded with the “but what about…” crowd. I remember one particular khutbah, an Oromo brother came to me afterwards in tears and said “you are the first person Ive ever heard make dua for the Muslims in Ethopia suffering from the Ahbash.” That really touched me because it was almost as if the brother felt like his cause was validated because “Ethopia” was mentioned in the khutbah. Just 15 seconds later, a “what about!” brother came to me and angrily said how come you never mention (insert country name)!
You can’t win in this situation nor should you try to and that’s not what this status is about. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) said: “The example of the Believers in their mutual love and mercy is like the example of a human body. If one part of it complains of any form of pain, then the entire body feels sickness and fever.” (Bukhari)
One of the most frustrating things in the world for me while attending various fundraisers around the country is that a Pakistani crowd will donate to Pakistan earthquake relief and an Arab crowd to the Palestinian cause in huge numbers, but when the causes of Burma and Somalia are mentioned, the numbers suddenly dwindle. In fact, when actual local causes are mentioned you can sense the mockery towards the idea of spending your zakat locally even though that is the preference.
The frustration is not due to the money; it’s due to the attitude that leads to that discrepancy. In essence, our causes have been reduced to petty nationalistic frenzies that are pure folly from an Islamic perspective.
Palestine never was a “nationalistic” call (reference Salahuddin, the Ottomans, etc.). Nor should Syria, East Turkestan, Somalia, Burma, or Bangladesh become such. This isn’t about waving flags, shouting slogans, or trolling Facebook statuses. This is about self-reflection, supplication, educating ourselves and others, and strategic political engagement. And we don’t have to wait for gory images in the news to do those things.
Action plan: 1. Abandon the sins that bring hardship upon the ummah (Quran 30:41). Flaunting a flag while simultaneously flaunting a sin is counterproductive. 2. Acquaint yourself with some of the not so popular causes. 3. Ask Allah in the depths of the night to support your brothers and sisters. 4. Give some amount of charity to a people you have no connection to what so ever so that it will be most sincere. 5. Study ways to educate people in a productive manner about the cause and explore ways to support it in the political arena.
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 11 (A Blessed Companion)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Among Allah’s servants are people who are neither Prophets nor martyrs, but whom the Prophets and martyrs will deem fortunate because of their high status with Allah.”
They asked: “O Messenger of Allah! Tell us who they are.”
He said: “They are people who loved each other for Allah’s sake, without being related to one another or being tied to one another by the exchange of wealth. By Allah, their faces will be luminous and they will be upon light. They will feel no fear when the people will be feeling fear and they will feel no grief when the people will be grieving.”
Then he read the verse: “Behold, on the friends of Allah there shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.” (Abu Dawud)
The friends that you make solely for the sake of Allah are beyond special people and there is no time easier to make that friend than Ramadan or Hajj. Perhaps it could be through sitting with someone you never really connected to before at the time of iftar, doing I’itikaf with someone in the last 10 nights, someone who is with you on some Ramadan committee, etc. But Ramadan definitely provides a unique opportunity to make new friends for the sake of Allah.
The reason this is crucial is that many of use discovered religion later on in life and were forced to either let go of other friends, or make some of our previous affiliations tolerable. But rarely do we actually make and maintain bonds solely for the sake of Allah. Friendship is meant to provide a certain sense of relief and comfort. When that “relief” and “comfort” is none other than Allah, then guess what happens:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah will ask on the Day of Judgment: ‘Where are those who loved each other my sake? Today, on a day when there is no shade but mine, I shall shade them with My shade.” (Muslim)
In essence, we form bonds of friendship to “shade” us from the inherent “heat” of the world’s unpleasant nature. For the believers, we form those bonds under the shade of Allah to shade us in this world from the world itself. And so on the Day of Judgment, the shade of Allah which protected those friends from corruption and disobedience will once again protect them, but this time from the greater trials of that day itself.
So try to scout someone this Ramadan that you’d love to have as a friend for Allah, OR if you’ve already got that person, reaffirm and strengthen those ties with them.
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 12 (Force A Tear)
The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) informed us in various narrations that the eye that sheds a tear for Allah will never be touched by the fire and its owner will be in the shade of Allah on the day of judgment.
Abu Bakr As-Sideeq (may Allah be pleased with him) was well known for many things. Amongst them was his frequent crying. Every time he prayed he cried, and in fact it was difficult for people praying behind him to hear his recitation because he was always crying.
Despite that, once during his rule a group of non Muslim men came from Yemen and asked to hear the recitation of the Quran. As the recitation began, the men immediately broke down into tears and Abu Bakr cried at their crying and said "this is how we used to be before our hearts became hard."
What was Abu Bakr talking about? He was still known for his tears until the day of his death! But its only natural that as time goes on, the emotions you have towards faith start to fade.
Imagine the first time you took shahada, the first time the Quran really impacted you, the first time you really sincerely repented, the first time you lost someone you loved, the first time you ALMOST experienced death, etc.
Now what if you're trying to cry but finding yourself unable to, Abu Bakr (ra) said then make your face as if you're crying until you actually start to cry. In other words, fake it till you make it. Not in front of people as a form of showing off, but in solitude.
Find that verse that really gets to you, try to feed off of the emotion of the Imam or the people around you in taraweeh, think deeply about paradise and hellfire, make a dua from the bottom of your heart, and force just ONE tear out of your eyes. And that one tear might be the one accepted deed on the day of judgment that saves you.
Oh and one more VERY important thing, DONT TELL ANYONE ABOUT THAT TEAR so that it can remain solely for the sake of Allah.
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 13 (A Worthy Exchange)
When we hear about charity in a khutbah/lecture, it’s almost ALWAYS attached to a fundraiser. As a result, people fail to understand that charity is a matter of tazkiya and personal spiritual development. No this is not a fundraiser, so read it all the way through.
“You will not attain the reward of piety until you spend out of that which you love…” (3:92)
Most people only give their spare change, unused clothes, and whatever else is convenient to give. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) however demands that we spend from what is most beloved to us. Unfortunately, we’ve limited the scope of charity to money.
When this verse was revealed, a great companion by the name of Abu Talha (RA) came to the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) to give his favorite garden named Bairuha, which was almost like a mini resort behind the masjid, in charity. It was a beautiful garden with springs and palm trees that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) used to enjoy basking in. The idea was that if I want the gardens of the hereafter, I should give my most precious possession, the gardens of this world, in charity.
Abdullah Ibn Omar (RA) was also once riding his favorite and most beloved camel. And in the midst of admiring it, he decided to stop over on the side of the road and give it to a poor old man.
We give charity because we no longer want or need certain things; the companions on the other hand gave what they wanted most as a proof of their faith to Allah.
This form of charity is a wonderful tazkiya exercise and so as a challenge to you and I: Think of something REALLY precious to you and give it away seeking Allahs reward. It could be your favorite clothes, jewelry, etc. But use it as a means of seeking jannah instead of whatever temporary pleasure it yields you in this world.
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 14 (The Daily Death)
Inna lillah wa inna ilayhi rajioon. Today I woke up to a heartbreaking text message. The son in law of our beloved Imam Farooq in Baton Rouge, Akbar Raqeeb, died in his sleep last night. He was a husband and father, only in his 40s, who just last night prayed taraweeh behind his hafidh son. I ask Allah to have mercy upon him, enter him into al firdaws, grant his family steadfastness, and bestow upon them all tranquility. Ameen
Every single night, Allah takes our souls and we have no idea whether or not they will be returned to see another day of this world. Imagine how much better we would be as people if we treated sleep like death? The news this morning caused me to reflect on three key resolutions:
1. Observing all of the bedtime sunnahs of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam). Amongst them are: a. Making wudu before sleeping b. Reading Surah Al Mulk (protection from the punishment of the grave) and Al Sajda c. Laying on your right side d. Reading the sunnah adhkar (remembrances):http://www.islamawareness.net/Dua/Fortress/028.html
Its amazing that if you die in your sleep having recited these words, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) said that you die in a state of pure tawheed and are guaranteed Jannah
2. Making sure we do not go to sleep while being upset with family/friends or making them upset. Losing a loved one is painful enough. I can’t imagine what its like to lose someone you love in the midst of a dispute.
3. Finally, the most important lesson to take from this is that its absolutely essential to ask yourself every night if you’re ready to meet your Creator. This nightly self-questioning will surely lead you to abandon habitual sin and increase the quality of your good deeds.
I ask Allah to take us all when He is most pleased with us. ameen
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 15 (Inspired Driving)
One of the easiest wasted opportunities to please Allah is while driving. Most will listen to radio news, music, make random phone calls, or just vent to themselves about traffic. But in reality, driving provides a unique opportunity for reflection and switching out your music CDs (yes even halal nasheeds) and NPR time with Quran and Islamic lectures can have an immense effect on you. Remember, Ramadan is about taking idle time and making it useful. By getting yourself used to listening to the Quran/Islamic lectures, you’re turning your driving experience into an act of worship! Not only do the commutes become easier, they actually become greatly rewarding experiences.
Think about it, in this day and age, what other time of the day do we really get to spend time in solitude? Not only that, but how many people die in car accidents on a daily basis? What better way to meet Allah than with the Quran in your ears, heart, and upon your tongue?
You’d be surprised how much easier it is to also really become emotionally impacted by the Quran and/or a good lecture while driving as opposed to while at home in front of your computer (Ref. Ramadan Resolution Day 12). You know why? Because you don’t have all of those other distractions that often hinder your ability to reflect.
Make this a permanent Ramadan change and you’ll thank me later inshaAllah
And by the way, if you still have a cassette player like I do, get a hold of some of those old Imam Siraaj Wahhaj and Sh. Abdullah Hakim Quick tapes!
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 16 (Driving Safe for Allaah)
SubhanAllah, i realized that after i posted the inspired driving resolution yesterday which emphasized that people die daily in car accidents and we should strive to meet Allah while in a state of worship, the news of Br. Najib and his family being killed by a drunk driver after taraweeh shocked the Dallas community. In essence, he was hit from behind which caused his car to derail and find its way in the path of a truck.
Then this morning as I was driving on the highway, A car violently was riding my bumper and ran me out of the lane causing a near collision with the car in the next lane. I looked over at the driver and to my dismay, it was a brother with a long beard wearing a thobe and a kufi. Imagine if I was a Non-Muslim and that would've happened to me. What impression has that brother just given me of Islam?
But the issue is far greater than reckless driving being terrible dawah. Many times we fail to realize that we belong to a faith that is all encompassing. So with no ambiguity let me say this clearly: driving recklessly is Haram (prohibited). Yes I used the "H word". In fact, some contemporary scholars (including Sh. Ibn Uthaymeen (rahimahullah) and Dr. Yusuf Al Qaradawi) have stated that even if you unintentionally cause the death of someone because of your reckless driving, you have committed murder. They further went on to say that if you die because of your reckless driving, you have committed suicide. My Shaykh also held this opinion. This is on the basis of a principle in Islamic jurisprudence that recklessness is judged by its end. What that means is that just because the drunk driver didn't intend to kill anyone that night, he is fully responsible because he chose to drive drunk.
Even if you disagree with this opinion (probably because you're guilty of this yourself), what if those scholars MIGHT be right? Would you really want to meet Allah having committed suicide or murder?
It's just not worth it. Even if you're late to prayer, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “When prayer has already started, do not walk quickly to join in. Proceed calmly and with ease; then join in whichever part you catch, and complete whichever part you missed” [Bukhari]
I personally can remember two incidents in which kids were run over in a masjid parking lot because of someone rushing to prayer.
If we are told to proceed slowly and with caution to the single most important act of worship for which we were created, then what excuse do we have to rush for anything else in life?
I hope this message will reach the young and old alike. Drive safely for the sake of Allah.
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 17 (Winning by Losing)
It’s very easy to forgive when you yourself have your own share of transgressions, or to say, “I don’t want to argue” when you know you’re losing the argument anyway. But it is EXTREMELY hard to stop arguing when you’re winning. Why? Because it’s a boost to your pride and it feels good to win, especially if you don’t really like the other party. It’s your chance to humiliate that person and put him in his place. Now listen to this hadeeth:
The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) said: “I guarantee a home in paradise for the one who leaves off arguing even when he’s right…” (Abu Dawud)
Now obviously this isn’t talking about dawah. This is when you are having a personal dispute or argument and despite knowing that you’re right, you leave it off for the sake of Allah.
You do this out of humility hoping that on the Day of Judgment Allah will not humiliate you. No one of us wants to argue with the Creator in the hereafter, so make it a habit to leave off arguing with the creation in this world.
Imagine if someone paid you a million dollars to lose an argument, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) is promising you a home in Paradise which is so much sweeter.
That’s called winning by losing.
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 18 (Make Every Night Count)
In getting ready for the last 10 nights of Ramadan, I wanted to share a few tips to make the most of them:
1. Do not be like the majority of people who wait for the 27th to spend a night in worship. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) stayed in I’itikaf (seclusion) for all 10 nights seeking Allahs pleasure. We have no guarantee that laylatul qadr will be the 27th night and in fact with moon sighting issues (yes im bringing it back up :)), we don’t even know for a fact which night is the 27th. So seek laylatul qadr every night and you will certainly catch it. Not only that, but you would have spent the other 9 nights conversing with your Creator, receiving His mercy, and elevating your status.
2. Catch Fajr and Isha in congregation. `Uthman bin `Affan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saying: "One who performs `Isha' prayer in congregation, is as if he has performed Salat for half of the night. And one who performs the Fajr prayer in congregation, is as if he has performed Salat the whole night.''[Muslim]
3. Pray the entire set of taraweeh with the Imam. Taraweeh is qiyaamul layl. Yes its permissible to pray as little or as much of it as you want on any given day. But the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) said that whoever prays with the Imam “until he leaves” would receive the full reward of qiyaamul layl for the whole night. No one of us will be able to spend the entire night praying so this, along with tip 3, is a good way to ensure that you get the entire credit.
4. Spend the night in different forms of worship so that you don’t get bored. You don’t have to spend the whole night in prayer. Instead you can take breaks and just make dua. You can also specify a certain number of chapters of the Quran you want to ready every night. You can also read a translation of Quran or some ahadeeth as a break between prayers. Just keep yourself engaged. It’s also good to give charity and perform any extra good deeds in these nights.
5. Plan your duas. This is the night in which the entire next year will be decreed. So choose your duas wisely and make sure that you make them with a clean heart.
Here is a tafseer that I did of Suratul Qadr last year:
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 19 (Internet Adab)
The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) said: “I was only sent to perfect noble character,” [Ahmad]
He also said: “The believers most perfect in faith are those best in character.” [Tirmidhi]
We, starting with me, should all be striving to achieve better character in this month in particular. Character can be measured through many channels, the way you conduct yourself online is one of them.
So here are a few tips I hope we can implement to improve our Internet character:
1. If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, don’t say behind a keyboard. Some of the sweetest people I’ve met in person are not so sweet online. In person they’d give you a hug, online they’d give you a cyber slap. So the question is: which one is REALLY representative of their character? Only Allah knows. But seriously, whenever you type especially something personal. Read it out loud and ask yourself if you would say that to that person. Especially when you are dealing with someone who is older than you. 2. With all of the heated discussions that take place online, passions are bound to be enflamed. It is a trying time for the ummah and all of us feel very strongly about certain things. If you are unable to hold yourself back from personally insulting people while holding your strong views, you jeopardize your fasting and Ramadan. So it’s best to not type anything if you can’t be civil. Just hold your fingers and your tongue. 3. Political commentary is one thing, dua is another. If you spend more time typing about the issues of the ummah than making dua for the wellbeing of it, now is a good time to shift your focus. 4. When it comes to dealing with the opposite gender online, be modest in the way you address them. Al hamdulila we are one ummah and we collectively should care for one another, but observe the limits even when typing because an expression is still an expression even when written and shouldn’t come off as immodest. 5. Don’t type when you’re angry with a particular person! You’re bound then to do some serious, and sometimes irreparable, damage to your relationship with that person. Remember, haste is from the shaytan. 6. Finally, when someone personally insults you, don’t respond but instead seek the reward from Allah. Lets face it, sometimes it hurts just as much when written as it does in person and Allah is aware of that. You can also respond with a joke or something more light-hearted to shift the tone of the conversation.
I hope all of us, starting with me, can start to make these changes and hopefully spare ourselves from unknowingly adding extra sins to our slates that we cant afford to have.
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 20 (Amnesty)
The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) taught us that the most frequent and beloved dua to be said on the last nights is: Allahumma innaka 3afuwwun tuh’ibul ‘afwa fa’ffu ‘Anni (O Allah, You are the Pardoner and You love to pardon, so pardon me).
The word ‘Awfa’ is beyond Maghfira (forgiveness) in the Arabic language. It is an even greater sense of forgiveness. It is complete amnesty and pardon.
But one of the most insincere forms of tawba (repentance) is one that lacks a sense of regret or even acknowledgment of the sin. That’s why Imam Sufyan Al Thawri (ra) taught that you should actually try to sit and remember your sins, cry for them, and then seek forgiveness from Allah for them. This remembrance is not done in a way that brings about self-hatred or despair because you immediately remember that Allah is far greater than your sin! That’s the beauty of the part of the dua “You love to pardon”, it shows how confident you are that Allah will pardon you despite how bad it might be.
This exercise not only ensures that you’ve met the conditions of tawba, it also induces those stubborn tears, deals a blow to your pride, and brings you closer to your compassionate Sustainer.
So try to make this dua sincere and frequent and when you find yourself silent during these last ten nights, say this dua so that you are never idle. But reflect while saying it and you may achieve something even greater than the guaranteed amnesty.
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 21 (Must've been last night)
Every morning after these blessed last nights, you will see statuses accompanied by pictures of beautiful nature that read like: “Im sure laylatul Qadr was last night, did you see the sun last night”, “The beautiful light rain today makes me so sure”, “Ive never felt the tranquility that I felt last night”, etc.
While it’s awesome that people are looking for it, one thing you don’t want to happen is to think that laylatul qadr has already happened on the 21st night and slack off with the last 9! So again, the only way to make sure you catch laylatul qadr is by witnessing all of the nights in worship.
But that’s not what this resolution is about. I particularly want to focus on that “feeling” that people have of tranquility that makes them so sure that the previous night was laylatul qadr. That feeling is not necessarily laylatul qadr. That feeling is the epic feeling of qiyamul layl (the night prayer) which is possible to attain throughout the year. That is the feeling of conversing with the Lord of the worlds while others sleep. That is the nightly effect of the Lord of all the worlds descending during the last third of the night in a way that befits His majesty, and inviting the caller to a special conversation.
My point is that when you seclude yourself in worship during the night and call upon your Lord in love, hope, and fear, you WILL get that “feeling” no matter what night it is. So my suggestion is to choose any night of every month, or any night of the week, or once every 3 nights, etc., create that 27th night type of environment and excitement in your home, and I guarantee you’ll feel that amazing tranquility every time!
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 22 (Cyber I'tikaf)
The world of the Internet is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand: it provides us access to Islamic lectures/information and allows us to establish the ties of friendship and family. On the other hand: it provides us access to not so Islamic things and allows us to destroy our ties of friendship and family with a dumb email or an ill-mannered form of writing (Ref. #RamadanResolution Day 19). So lets face it, it really can go both ways. But one of the greatest casualties of increased Internet usage is our ability to engage in tadabbur (reflection) and tafakkur (contemplation). In fact, you may notice people, even in I’itikaf (seclusion) in the masjid these last 10 nights, who never part with their smart phones. And no, they’re not all just reading Quran We’re just so addicted to the internet/phone/ipad that we don’t know what to do with ourselves anymore without these things and so we never experience the true sweetness of alone time.
All of the pious predecessors were known to have an hour of the day, a day of the week, etc. in which they would completely seclude themselves from everyone including family. In our day and age, even when we seclude ourselves we still take calls, check emails, and update statuses.
So here’s a tip for your sanity and mine. Spend some time every week in cyber I’itikaf. That means no phone calls, no FB statuses, no tweets, etc. Just focus on answering the call of Allah, checking the status of your faith, and tweeting your love to your Lord.
Ramadan Resolitions - Omar Suleiman - Day 23 (Before you share)
You know that feeling when something amazing happens to you and you cant wait to share it with the world? Learn to wait. Here’s why:
1. When any good news came to the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) or if a calamity had been averted, he would immediately fall in prostration (sajdatul shukr) and thank Allah for it. This is a beautiful sunnah that should be practiced all the time and not just for major occasions like graduations, new homes, etc.
2. Take a few moments to really deeply say al hamdulila from the depths of your heart. That will be a form of maintaining that blessing as Allah will see your sincere gratitude.
3. Some of the scholars say that one of the reasons Allah did not allow Zakariyya (alayhis salam) to speak for 3 days except for words of praise was to bestow a greater appreciation of the blessing upon him. Al Baghawi (ra) said that is because sometimes when you speak about your blessings to others immediately, you lose yourself in your excitement.
So from now on when something good happens to you, hold off on the phone call, text, email, or status. Say takbeer, go into prostration, say subhana rabbi al a’ala the way you do in your prostration in prayer, AND add a personal note of dua and thanks to Allah from the depths of your heart before you rise.
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 24 (Post-worship convo)
While we’re on the subject of being silent, it is authentically narrated in Bukhari and Muslim by Abi Bardah that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) used to dislike sleeping before the Isha prayer and speaking after it. Now obviously back then, the people used to plan, function, and schedule around the sun. Therefore, they would start their days bright and early and sleep early also. These days, speaking after Isha is for many the only time of the day we can socialize and gather with friends and family. But that’s not the point of this resolution. What Im concerned with is why the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) disliked speaking after Isha. There are several reasons and the scholars also mentioned that this dislike did not include beneficial speech. Imam Al Nawawi (ra) says in his explanation of the hadeeth:
“As for speech which serves a good interest, it is not disliked. Such speech includes seeking knowledge, telling stories of the righteous, speaking to a guest or to a bride to put them at ease (ie. Give advice), speaking kindly to your spouse and children, speaking to travellers in regards to their accommodations or luggage, speaking to reconcile between people and intercede between them for a good cause, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, guiding people to goodness, etc. All of these are not disliked after Isha.”
So obviously the type of speech that is disliked is idle speech and harmful speech which is always prohibited. The scholars mentioned many reasons for that. Amongst those reasons is that a person should go to sleep in a state of goodness and remembrance as he may not wake up the next morning (reference #ramadanresolution day 14).
Another reason though is that at times you depreciate your worship by speaking afterwards, and that’s what this resolution is about. Sometimes you attend a khutbah, lecture, prayer, even a janaza, and just as youre in the zone, your friend starts talking to you about things that are of no benefit (though they may be permissible in their nature). As a result, even though you were crying 5 minutes ago, you lost what could’ve been an hour of reflection.
So my recommendation to myself and to everyone, is that whenever we attend a lecture, prayer, etc. we avoid talking about useless things immediately after so that we can let what we’ve attained settle in. If you were able to cry in a lecture or prayer, don’t spoil those tears by immediately replacing them laughter. Go home and capitalize on that moment. Likewise, when you go to a lecture or class with family and friends, try to use the ride home to share points of benefit so that the lecture doesn’t go to waste. This will actually build bonds for the sake of Allah and transform that lecture into a meaningful turning point in our lives. May Allah keep our hearts firm and our sincerity intact. ameen
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 25 (Inspired Clothing)
The Hijab has become an issue of much controversy in our community. On one hand, you have some who wear the hijab and become complacent with their acts or worship while forgetting their sins, and can even at times be judgmental towards non-hijabis. In this case, the substance of the hijab is lost and reduced to a piece of cloth.
On the other hand, you have some who feel independent of the hijab, feel like they can just do other acts of worship in place of that obligation, and some who even no longer consider it an obligation. And believe it or not, though to a lesser extent, I’ve seen some non-hijabis who are just as judgmental towards hijabis. In this case, the form of the hijab is lost and reduced to either a matter of culture or a voluntary good deed.
In both cases, the hijab is the casualty. So let me be clear about this before proceeding:
1. The hijab is by the Quran, Sunnah, and Consensus of Muslim scholars for 1400 years, an obligation. 2. You cannot say that the one who doesn’t wear the hijab isn’t a real Muslim. She may be excelling in other aspects of faith despite falling short of this obligation. 3. Those other aspects of faith do not absolve one of the obligation of hijab, nor does wearing hijab absolve one of the other obligations. 4. No one of us knows who is most beloved to Allah amongst us and that should not even be included in this discussion.
Now with that being said, there is no greater time to start wearing the Hijab than this month. I know many sincere sisters who are hesitant to start and what better time than these fleeting moments of Ramadan? This is a blessed opportunity to show Allah that you’re turning the page and ready to take your faith a step further for His sake. Hijab is amongst the symbols of taqwa (piety) for which fasting has been revealed. You are showing Allah that His sight is far greater and more beloved to you than the cheap gazes of man. It is an outward expression of an inner realization. My dear sister, take that step now as you do not know what the future holds. It’ll be tough, but seek the support of other sisters and more importantly inner strength from Allah.
Yes, I may be a guy and not understand how hard it is. But Allah is the Creator and has legislated it while saying that he doesn’t task a soul beyond its scope. And so it is only a sincere advice from your brother.
And as a note to ALL, lets encourage one another to do good as Allah tells us in the Quran. Don’t put people down but instead help them realize what they’re capable of. When you know a sister struggling with hijab, don’t tell her off but instead encourage her. And if you know a sister whose hijab isn’t perfect, don’t make her feel like she’s made no sacrifice at all and might as well not be wearing hijab in the first place but instead help her complete it. And if you know a sister who JUST started wearing hijab, celebrate that occasion by giving her a gift, throwing her a party, etc. as a means of showing her that you are there for her to help her fulfill this obligation.
May Allah bless ALL of our sisters and brothers, and guide us to that which is most pleasing to Him. Ameen
PS. I would love to see some words of encouragement below from sisters who recently started wearing hijab. Share your story and you never know whom you might inspire. Jazakumullah khayr
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 26 (The Illusion of Tomorrow)
When we are vulnerable or weak, we tend to make a lot of promises to Allah. How many times do you here “Oh Allah if you give me this, then Ill start praying”, or “Ill stop selling haram”, or “Ill stop committing this sin”, etc. The implication of that form of supplication Is that Allah hasn’t already given you enough of a reason for repentance.
It’s only natural that the aspects of faith that are convenient to us will find greater acceptance amongst the masses. But the fact of the matter is that the word “deen”, which is often translated as religion, actually comes from the word “dayn” which means debt. In principle, I am forever indebted to Allah and working to pay off that debt with all the time, health, and money that He’s given to me. He doesn’t need to give me anything else or make it any easier for me to work towards that goal. And without a doubt, we will all depend upon His mercy on the Day of Judgment as no one of us will enter paradise by virtue of his deeds.
With that being said, many people hold back on their obligations to Allah with the false certainty that they will be able to fulfill them later on in life when they become easier upon them. So you’ll often hear things like “I’ll start praying when I get out of school and have more time”, “I’ll give charity when I get rich”, “I’ll do Hajj once it falls on the holidays”, “I’ll start going to the masjid when I can move closer to it”, “I’ll wear hijab after I get married”, etc. Its almost as if you’re saying “Oh Allah, Im willing to worship you and sacrifice for you BUT only to the extent that it doesn’t hinder my pursuit of something of this world.”
The problem is that neither is tomorrow guaranteed nor those favorable circumstances that we wait for to fulfill our obligations. On the contrary, what’s guaranteed is our departure from this world and our standing in front of our Creator.
It is for that reason that Allah constantly informs us in the Quran that He will not delay a soul once it’s time comes. Therefore we should be careful not to delay our obligations or repentance even for a moment as we never know when that time will come.
So in these last few days of Ramadan, rush to the forgiveness of your Lord, the performance of your obligations, and the abandoning of all that is displeasing to Him.
Allahumma innaka 3afuwwun tuh’ibul ‘afwa fa’ffu ‘Anni (O Allah, You are the Pardoner and You love to pardon, so pardon me).
As Ramadan starts to wind down, we need to ask ourselves what we can continue to do throughout the year. The most obvious deed to continue is fasting because despite how long the days have been, fasting has become your second nature by now. So it’s no coincidence that we were encouraged by the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) to follow up a month of fasting in Ramadan with 6 days of fasting in Shawwal.
Now is the time to start fasting Mondays and Thursdays and the 13th, 14th, and 15th of every Islamic month. Your body is used to it and your soul craves it. But here’s something else I would add. Although we really can’t have Ramadan outside of Ramadan, which is why the fasts will feel different, we can try to duplicate the experience as much as possible. What makes Ramadan special ASIDE from fasting is the Taraweeh prayer, Quran recitation, community/family iftars, etc. Obviously the month of Ramadan also has virtues that are completely out of our control like Laylatul Qadr, the gates of paradise opened, the gates of hell shut, etc. But for the first set of things, we should try to create a similar experience. So here are my tips:
1. Fast Mondays and Thursdays and the 3 middle days of the Islamic month
2. Invite family and friends to fast along with you
3. Organize an iftar amongst friends a few days a month that coincide with the sunnah days of fasting. This will continue to encourage one another to not let go of this habit. So rotate amongst yourselves every other Thursday or Monday, etc. This will also help build bonds for the sake of Allah and allow everyone to share in the reward of feeding the fasting.
4. Be sure to pray Qiyamul layl on those nights. I’m not attaching any significance to Qiyam on Mondays or Thursdays, but Qiyam is Sunnah EVERY night and fasting is as much about feeding the soul as it is about starving the body.
5. And finally on that note, be sure to read an extra amount of Quran on the days you are fasting. A person is undoubtedly more focused on his recitation and more aware while he is fasting.
May Allah allow us to be amongst the slaves of the Lord of Ramadan, and not Ramadan itself. May He grant us entry into Paradise through the Rayyan gate which is reserved only for those who excelled in fasting. ameen
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 28 (Finish Strong)
Depending on what part of the world you are in, you have anywhere from 1-3 days left of Ramadan. Many of us have regrets that we didn’t make the most of it. We may have had nights where we didn’t wake up for Qiyam, days in which we didn’t control our tongues properly, or spans of Ramadan in which we slacked off with our Quran reading. But now is not the time to cry. Nor is it the time to splurge in Eid shopping and act like the month is over. Reflect on this wonderful statement by Imam Ibn Rajab (RA) in his Lataaif:
"Let those who have failed to make the most of this month of Ramadan end it with good, because actions are judged by their endings."
The last part of that statement about actions being judged by their endings is an authentic hadeeth and one that should give us much hope. Here’s my challenge:
1. Make this last day or two of Ramadan the BEST days you have spent all month and count on Allah to judge your entire Ramadan by that last day.
2. Spend the last Asr-Maghrib of Ramadan in reading quran, supplication, and remembrance. If you can do I’itikaf (seclusion) for that last period in the masjid then do so. If not, then try to make it a time of peace, quiet, and reflection.
3. Cry your heart out in that supplication and ask Allah to forgive you for all of your shortcomings in the month and give you the full reward of Laylatul Qadr EVEN if you missed it.
4. DO NOT waste your time arguing over moon sighting now. You are not in a position to change anything. If you will differ from your community in regards to the Eid day, then do so quietly.
Oh Allah, this is what we have presented, understanding our shortcomings but still depending on Your mercy for acceptance.
May Allah allow us to finish this month strong. May we meet Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) completely forgiven, basking in His mercy, freed from the gates of hellfire, and registered in the highest level of jannatul firdaws.
Ramadan Resolutions - Omar Suleiman - Day 29 (A Eid of Worship)
On this joyous occasion of the coming of Eid, lets not forget that as we celebrate, we worship. Eid is a day of prayer, remembrance, and establishing the ties of kinship/friendship. Its also a day of reflection. So here are a few tips to make your Eid a spiritually enriching experience:
1. Make it a point to get to the prayer on time
2. Make it a point to listen to the khutbah (especially if you live in Dallas so that you dont distract me
3. Remember Allah on the way to the Eid prayer with the takbeerat of Eid. Try to encourage your family to do the same. It is simply awesome to have a car rumbling with takbeerat on the way to eid and the kids will love having a halal excuse to scream.
4. Go home using a different route as per the sunnah. This is a reflection of you coming in to Ramadan and leaving as a new person.
5. Take some sweets to your neighbors and explain to them why you’re celebrating. This is a crucial dawah opportunity as well as a means of fulfilling their essential rights upon us as neighbors which is a form of worship.
6. Don’t spoil your Ramadan by celebrating Eid in impermissible ways. Consider deeply the things that you wear, the parties you go to, etc. It would be a travesty to incur the anger of Allah upon us right after the month of forgiveness.
7. Give a gift to someone you love for Allah. We already know the importance of giving gifts to family but Eid also provides an opportunity to build a stronger bond with someone who makes you a better Muslim.
With that being said, taqabalAllahu minna wa minkum (may Allah accept from us all)!!!