Ramadan: A Glimpse of your Potential
Shaikh Alaeddin Elbakri
MCA
5/27/16
Shaikh Alaeddin Elbakri
MCA
5/27/16
* Taqwa is Eman in action
Your Eman tells you to do something you do it. Your Eman tells you not to do something you don't do it. Ramadan is the time to develop this Taqwa.
* Tell yourself...I am going to do things I have never done before. I will increase my intentions. This Ramadan will be unique.
* Approach Ramadan 10 days at a time. Then renew your plan for the next 10 days. Have a simple but solid plan and see how much you will accomplish! This is a time to impress Allah.
* Ramadan is a taste of your potential.
You need to unlock your real self
and you won't realise it until you free yourself of your desires.
You need to unlock your real self
and you won't realise it until you free yourself of your desires.
* Allah chose Adam (AS), Nuh (AS), Family of Ibrahim (AS) and family of Imran (AS) above all of humanity. But Allah gave YOU a choice to be chosen. Do you want to be chosen by Allah? Do you want to impress Allah. Do you want Allah to look at you in a special way? This is the month that you show off to Allah. So Allah takes pride in you in front of his angels. Dress in the clothes of Taqwa to show off your success.
* When you are not eating or drinking you feel the weakness. You go through exhaustion, hunger, thirst. Hunger reminds you of your hunger on the day of judgement. Thirst reminds you of the thirst of the day of judgement. The wait for judgement is 30,000 years!
It also reminds you of the hunger and thirst of people of hell. So it puts you on track. The tiredness of Ramadan reminds you of the tiredness of the day of judgement. The sun gets so close to earth- some sweat up to their ankles, some up to knees, some up to shoulder, some up to their head. The prime real estate on that day is the throne of Allah. That is the only shade! We want to be from the 7 types of people who will be in His shade. Allah wants you to wake up now before it's too late
It also reminds you of the hunger and thirst of people of hell. So it puts you on track. The tiredness of Ramadan reminds you of the tiredness of the day of judgement. The sun gets so close to earth- some sweat up to their ankles, some up to knees, some up to shoulder, some up to their head. The prime real estate on that day is the throne of Allah. That is the only shade! We want to be from the 7 types of people who will be in His shade. Allah wants you to wake up now before it's too late
* When Allah mentioned Ramadan in the Qur'an, He knows there is a hardship. But Allah knows there is so much gain. No pain no gain. That thirst, that hunger IS your ease! The main characteristic of Islam: Allah wants for things to become easy for you not hard. When you go through the hunger, this little temporary pain turns into a long term eternal gain.
* Where does fasting elevate you? In Ramadan the deeds are multiplied 10 times. So when you give $7 in sadaqa in Ramadan it is as if you gave $70! So on the day of judgement you see these huge rewards. For you to fail on day of judgment you have to have 700x more evil deeds than good deeds. You have to be totally off the line to get this.
* What do you do in Ramadan?
- fast with Eman : you have to collect all your Eman and bundle it.
- you go through difficulties for the sake of Allah, my pain is not going to waste, it's a gift from me to Allah! Allah said I don't want you to give me provisions (food). The idol worshippers give food and drinks for their idols , Muslims leave food and drink for their Lord. The food you give to the poor. What reaches to Allah is the attention you give to Allah. A Muslim offers their hunger and thirst to Allah and they gain Taqwa . Taqwa is when you put your Eman in action. Inna latheena Amanu WA amiloo salihaat- those who believe and do good deeds- that second part is referring to Taqwa.
- fast with Eman : you have to collect all your Eman and bundle it.
- you go through difficulties for the sake of Allah, my pain is not going to waste, it's a gift from me to Allah! Allah said I don't want you to give me provisions (food). The idol worshippers give food and drinks for their idols , Muslims leave food and drink for their Lord. The food you give to the poor. What reaches to Allah is the attention you give to Allah. A Muslim offers their hunger and thirst to Allah and they gain Taqwa . Taqwa is when you put your Eman in action. Inna latheena Amanu WA amiloo salihaat- those who believe and do good deeds- that second part is referring to Taqwa.
* Our faith starts with the word no- la ilaha illa Allah. If you don't know how to say no to bad and evil and desires you will never elevate yourself to a human being, you stay like an animal. When you fast you are saying no. You are learning to say no.
* Inspiration never comes on a full stomach. When you are fasting, and you start to think of food, stop yourself. You are not fasting just to break your fast. You are fasting for Allah. Do not leave Ramadan and all that you thought about during Ramadan is hunger and thirst. Don't let that be the only thing you get out of your fasting.
* What makes Ramadan special? Fasting in the day and praying at night. Prophet (S) - when he led tarawih the Sahaba were ecstatic , they were so happy to hear the Prophet (S) recite Quran.
* Ramadan Menu
The menu of Ramadan does not have food on it!
- reading Quran
- fasting
- praying 5 daily prayers
- praying tarawih
- remembering Allah (thikr)
- du'a
- sadaqa (to make sure your neighbor has food for Iftar)
The menu of Ramadan does not have food on it!
- reading Quran
- fasting
- praying 5 daily prayers
- praying tarawih
- remembering Allah (thikr)
- du'a
- sadaqa (to make sure your neighbor has food for Iftar)
* Tips on food in Ramadan
- When you eat take 7 good bites that is enough. That is the size of your stomach. Make a fist that is the size of your heart. It's a problem if your stomach is bigger than your heart.
- So do not spend hours in the kitchen. Cook one item for Iftar and then let your day be about praying and reading Quran and making du'a.
- When you eat take 7 good bites that is enough. That is the size of your stomach. Make a fist that is the size of your heart. It's a problem if your stomach is bigger than your heart.
- So do not spend hours in the kitchen. Cook one item for Iftar and then let your day be about praying and reading Quran and making du'a.
Do's and Don'ts for Ramadan
Shaykh Alaeddin Elbakri
Jumah Khutba MCA
May 20, 2016
Jumah Khutba MCA
May 20, 2016
Do's:
1. DO Realize the possibility that it's your last Ramadan. The Sahaba used to start making du'a to be granted the ability to reach Ramadan 6 months before. They had that real fear that they might not make it. The moment you say to yourself it's just another Ramadan I will fast and read Quran that's when you've killed it. You should say this will be the best Ramadan ever and then say all the things you intend to do in Ramadan, as if it your last one.
1. DO Realize the possibility that it's your last Ramadan. The Sahaba used to start making du'a to be granted the ability to reach Ramadan 6 months before. They had that real fear that they might not make it. The moment you say to yourself it's just another Ramadan I will fast and read Quran that's when you've killed it. You should say this will be the best Ramadan ever and then say all the things you intend to do in Ramadan, as if it your last one.
2. DO Listen to 1 Juz of Quran everyday. Choose the audio that includes the translation in a language you understand. The P(S) would first listen from the Angel Jibreel, then recite to the Sahaba. The Sahaba would first listen from the prophet. Listening to the Quran is a form of Ibadah. When you listen with the translation you will understand it better and be able to enjoy your tarawih.
Don'ts
1. DON'T make it into the month of Food. This is the month of fasting, of training yourself to eat less, to not overindulge in fancy foods, to not make so many kinds of food for one meal. We are suppose to be feeling what the poor feel. And when we overeat and overindulge then we go to prayer and complain about tarawih being too long.
1. DON'T make it into the month of Food. This is the month of fasting, of training yourself to eat less, to not overindulge in fancy foods, to not make so many kinds of food for one meal. We are suppose to be feeling what the poor feel. And when we overeat and overindulge then we go to prayer and complain about tarawih being too long.
2. DON'T make it into the month of TV. In the Arab world 30 soap operas are released in Ramadan alone. Every minute in Ramadan is so precious.
3. DON'T make it into the month of Socializing. Inviting people everyday then seeing everyone at tarawih and then staying up all night socializing and Facebook... where is your time between you and Allah?
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