The Blessed Month Of Ramadan And Reform 2/10

Bismil-Lahi Ar-Rahmani, ar-Rahim. Al-hamdulil-Lahi Rabbi al-‘Alamin, wa as-Salat wa as-Salamu 'ala ashraf khalqi Allahi Muhammad, wa 'alalih at-tahirin.

The theme of my discussion is Ramadan and reform, and I would like to carry on with what I was talking about in my previous episode, and mentioned a very important hadith from Imam Ali, alayhi as-salam. And I am talking about Taqwa, I am talking about piety. I am talking about how we are able to attain that level of righteousness, as the verse in the Holy Qur'an had mentioned: "la'allakum tattaqoon" (2:183), so that you may achieve righteousness.

This "so that you may" is not something which we should anticipate and wish for, but in reality it is something that we are able to achieve in actuality. Imam Ali, alayhi as-salam, defines what Taqwa means in four important practices that we are able to simply do. Well, when I say simply do, I don't mean that it is simple for us to perform, but it is simple for us to engage in. But of course the challenges are always going to be there. And that is why I had mentioned that there is always going to be that level of difficulty.

'Takalluf', means reaching that time of ritual maturity. 'Taklif' or 'takalluf' comes from 'Kulfa', and 'Kulfa' means strenuous work. Fasting isn't easy. Imam Ali, alayhi as-salam, says that there are four things that you need to have in order for you to gain piety and become God-wary.

Number one: "Al-Khawfu min al-Jalil", for you to become wary and fearful of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. Number two: "Al-'amalu bi 'l-tanzil" for you to start practicing and acting according to the Holy Qur'an.

Please remember the Hadith from Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir, alayhi as-salam, where he says: "Li kully shay'in rabi'a, wa rabi'a al-Qur'an, shahru Ramadan". And that basically means that there is a spring for everything, and the spring of the Qur'an is shahru Ramadan. We have another Hadith from more than one of our Ma'sumin, alayhum as-salam, that says that reciting one Verse inside the Holy month of Ramadan is equivalent to reciting the whole Qur'an outside of the Holy month of Ramadan. Of course, that shows how significant not only reciting the Qur'an is, but also in our context, acting upon the Holy Qur'an.

Number three is: Al-kana'a or Ar-ridha' bi 'l-qalil, which means for me and you to be content with the least of what it is that we have. Why can't we just be satisfied with what we have? Why do we have to always think of how greener the lawn of the next door neighbour is? As they say. Why do we have to be always looking over the fence. Be satisfied with what I have, be happy with what I have, not always be looking at those who are above me, or better than me in certain things, except in religion and Taqwa. But for me to be looking at those who are underprivileged, those who don't have the health that I have, or any of the other things that Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala, has blessed me with. Ar-ridha' bi 'l-qalil, which is number three.

And the fourth is: wa al 'isti'dadu li yawm ar-Rahil, which basically means that I am preparing myself for the day of departure, for when I am departing this world, for when I am going to die, how am I going to be preparing myself.

And I would like to finish off this segment by saying that famous statement which we all know which is the verse in the Holy Qur'an: "tazawwadu, fa inna khair az-zad, at-Taqwa" (2:197). If you want to do, number four, if you want to be prepared for departing this world, you need to have your preparations in your supplies ready. Tazawwadu. Az-zad in Arabic means your preparations, your supplies, your provisions and the best of provisions is at-Taqwa.

Wa al-hamdulil-Lahi Rabbi al-‘Alamin. Wa as-salat wa as-salam 'ala Sayyidina Muhammad, wa Ahli at-tahirin.