The Secrets of Fasting by Sheikh Syed Muhammad AnNinowy

Bismillah Assalamu alaykum,

Title: Secrets Of Fasting Reference: Tafsir of Surah Al Baqarah, verse 183 Category: Tafseer/Khutbah

Quran: Yaa Ayuhalazeena Amanoo Kutiba Alaikumus Siyamu Kamaa Kutiba Alal-azeena Min Qablikum La'ala kum Tataqoon. Rough Translation: Oh you who believe (Allah swt is talking to the believers, us, so we should respond with our hearts), Fasting has been made obligatory upon you, as it has been made obligatory on the nations before you, so that you may have Taqwa (so you may be saved). {Surah Al Baqarah, verse 183} We will try to see what recent researchers/scientists/scholars have researched about human behaviour. They came with something they called "psychology". Up until very recently (few years) , psychology was not even thought about as an Usool (science) in the world, now everyone's talking about it and you have people like Freud, Errickson etc etc. Islam respects people who have knowledge, but when we debate a point, it doesn't mean we disrespect people. But we must see how people took the theories of Freud/Erickson/Rodgers etc etc, as almost revelation. Al Quran, 1426 years ago talked about the science of psychology (Ilmun Nafsiya), and until today people have mixed feelings and oppose psychology, and call it a myth, why? Science is suppose to be something that benefits human beings and helps them, and is based on imperative evidence, based on substantial and consistent data, that is measurable. Scholars of Islam & Islam itself talked about psychology many many years ago, just open the Quran and see how many times Allah Taala mentions the word "NAFS" , the "psychology of the Soul". The scholars have divided the topic of Nafs (psychology of Nafs) into so many categories, a) Nafsul Mutmaina, b) Nafsul Ama'ra, c) Nafsul Mul'ama, d) An Nafsul Radiah, e) An Nafsul Mutmainna, f) An Nafsul Qamila, and yet the psychologists haven't even yet reached these subjects or touched on them. Islam talks about these things and also indulges in the treatment of these things.

Islam doesn't want us to look at what Freud/Erickson said only, but to look at what Muhammad Sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi wa salam came with, because it's from the book of Allah Taala and it's the truth. Psychologists have recently discovered that people do lots of self talk and 80% of it is negative, and are working on ways to convert that negative talk to positive talk. All they had to do was read the Quran, because Allah Taala talks about these things and their treatment. Allah Taala also says "walk on the earth and then think", walking is not just with the feet, but with the mind too. Amongst the Sahaba (Radhi Allahu ahn) were people who were blind, but had real vision and thought. 3 Dangers of not noticing the self talk and controlling the nafs 1) Your at battle with Nafs, and it is not limited by time like a war with enemy, it starts the day you are born and ends the day you die. 2) It is not limited by space, it could be when you trying to sleep, when you re in your home, when you walking, talking, when you reciting Quran even. 3) If you lose your battle with your enemy, the worst thing is you could die, but in Islam, if you lose the battle with yourself, it may make you lose the Duniya and the Akhira. One word you say, can get you into serious trouble. The Nafs is like the sword on your neck, it either controls you, or you control it. But Allah Taala is Ghafoor , Rauf, Raheem, and He is more than simply Caring and Merciful (Quran: Allahu Lateefun Bi ` ibadih). Amongst his Lutf is that he has given you an Oasis called Ramadan. It comes as an Oasis, at a time where Allah Taala gives this month for purification of the mind, heart and of the Soul. It is an invitation, an opportunity that doesn't come often. Hadith Sahih: "If my Ummah knows what Ramadan is about, they would have wished it was Ramadan all year." It is a season of massive blessings and mercies and kindness that comes for those who open their heart to it. For example, why is it recommended to do wudu every time you do salah? The narration says : If someone washed themselves 5 times a day, would they have any filth left on them? Example: If you had a computer, and you took it to the manufacturers etc, would something go wrong with it?

You, the slave of Allah Taala are going to him 5 times a day for purification, and Allah Taala will purify you. The purpose of worship is that you get close to Allah(swt), as stated in a Hadith, So that you love Allah Taala and he loves you. Allah Taala says in Hadith Qudsi: "My slave will not come close to me until he does the worship that I commanded him with". So this tells us that the worship has a purpose, and that is that Allah Taala loves you, and you love him. The way to Allah Taala is through the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi wa salam), he is the door to Allah Taala. How do you control the Nafs? Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, mentions 3 kinds of fasting! 1) Abstaining from food and drink, while letting all their limbs and organs indulge in other sins (lying, backbiting, and cheating). Hadith: "He who does not abandon, doing wrong, during Ramadan, Allah Taala is not in need of his fasting". Fasting is something you can perfect yourself with so you can have the Anwar, Asrar and the Yakeen of Imaan. 2) Not only abstaining from food and drink, but abstaining of the limbs, from hearing, saying, seeing, from that which is HARAM. 3) The kind of fasting for special people, those who Allah(swt) wants to elevate. Those are that abstain from everything except Allah Taala. They don't depend on anyone but Allah Taala, they don't ask anyone except Allah Taala. They don't have anything in their hearts except Allah Taala. Fasting is abstaining: So, when you re fasting, you respond with great morals, and respond kindly, and don't hurt anyone. You don't get angry. There was a man who wanted to build a Mosque in a village, and he appointed someone to do it. People didn't see the one who was behind it, but the one who was building it, they were praising him.

So people approached him and said "people are praising the one who built the masjid, but not you". He said "don't tell anyone, because he who I built the masjid for, knows, and the rest doesn't matter". A man comes to Umar Bin Abdul Aziz (Radhi Allahu ahn), and curses him so much, Umar just smiled and said "is this what you will take in your grave?". Ali (Radhi Allahu ahn) was fighting in a battle, and a man spat on his face and Ali(Radhi Allahun Ahn) left him. He was asked why he left him and he said "I was fighting for Allah Taala, and when he spat on me, my Nafs came in the way, so I left him to Allah Taala. He was cursed on the Mimbar for 90 years, but the Khawarij , who declared him and Uthman (Radhi Allahu ahn) a kafir, but he returned them good only. Siyam is abstaining then controlling the Nafs, and if you don't , it will kill you , defeat you. You control what comes out of your tongue, you control your thoughts and think nothing but good, so you can be elevated by Allah Taala. Hadith: "He/She will taste the sweetness of Imaan .." The hadith tells us that there is sweetness of Imaan that we can taste. How many Ramadan's go by without us tasting the sweetness of imaan? How many months, days go by and we not taste the sweetness of imaan? When someone who is rich invites you, you dress nicely, feel proud, and behave well. With Ramadan, you are the guest of Allah Taala, the Lord of the worlds, and creator of universe! How do you think you will be treated if you behave well? Sheikh Ahmed Rifai (one of the greatest scholars of his time), used to say "When I go into my Majlis of 30,000 people, by Allah Taala, I know I am the worst of them all. The one who is older than me is better than me, because he has had more time, and has done more ibadah than me, more prayers than me, more fasting than me". The one who is younger than me, has had less time to sin, therefore he is also better than me". Turn to the gateway to Allah Taala, the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi wa salam), follow his Sunnah, learn from the lives of the Sahaba (Radhi Allahu ahn). The love of them all should be like a mountain in our hearts, love without practice is worthless.

This is a season, only for those who are intellectuals realise, that you are here today, you may not be here tomorrow, next Ramadan. What are we going from this world with? If you were to ask the dead if they were missing the desires of this world, they would say "no, the only regret we have is that we never used our time wisely to be close the prophet Sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi wa salam and to gain the love of Allah Taala". If there are any faults in the writings above, they are due to me and not from the original khutba of Sheikh. May Allah Taala continue to elevate the Maqam of our Sheikh and their Noble family and give us all the ability to benefit from their wealth of knowledge and wisdom, and forgive me for my shortcomings. Ameen