Om_Mohammed
27-12-2004, 22:33
Assalaamu alaikum warahmat Allahi wabarakaatu.
Ah, yes, another haj season is upon us, indeed.
And as the days have rolled on into months into years, yet another time for reflection.
Are you ready?
For what, you may ask?
And if your question of readiness is in reference to the haj, your answer may be an automatic 'yes'.
But is it so, indeed??
Let us reflect a bit more deeply-are you ready for that last stand before Allah on the judgement?
What have you prepared for it?
Are your prayers in order? Or your fasts?
Or your pilgrimage or your zakat?
And if so, then what about any nafil (superrogatory) offerings of worship, in order to help close up the gaps of insufficiently offered obligations??
How will your slate read on that infamous day?
Are you ready for it?
Now...more to the date of current times, are you ready for the haj? Have you prepared for it?
Most of us, whenever we have previous knowledge of a visitor to come to us, we will make preparations for that visit. We will not wait until the visitor is knocking at our door before we clean the house, or dress in nice apparel, or bake some cookies for serving with the tea.
No...indeed, we will prepare well in advance for any oncoming visitors to visit us. We will take hours, perhaps even days, to clean and prepare our house for the visit. We will also take hourse, perhaps even days (or more) in preparation of the food to be served, depending upon what kind of a visit it is to be. We will also take the time and effort to dress nicely and be clean ourselves for the occasion.
Then what have any of us done in preparation for the upcoming season of the haj?
This reminder is important for ALL of us-regardless if we are to attend the haj or not. For the season is surely an important season for us all, whether we are fortunate enough to attend the haj or not.
There is much benefit to be had of this season, even if we remain at our homes.
It has been said that the last ten nights of Ramadan are the most beneficial and important nights of the year. And the ten days (actually the nine days preceding the tenth, which is the eid) of Dhul-Hijja are the most beneficial and important days of the year.
And so, any extra deeds that we can see to performing for the sake of Allah during these important periods gain extra reward.
Make an extra effort to observe the fast (if you are not intending to attend the haj) during these days preceding the tenth of Dhul-Hijja(Eid Al-Adha). Make an extra effort to observe more nafil prayers in these days. Make an extra effort to read or recite Quran during these days. And...even better...do something of charity for your fellow muslims who are less fortunate than you, during these days.
Do not only attend lectures or listen to or read messages of reminder during this time (which is a good thing in itself, of course), but act upon those messages. Or act upon something else.
There is much tragedy and suffering in our world today. Particularly in view of the recent flooding spreading throughout Asia and beyond due to the recent underwater earthquake. Do something to help relieve somebody's suffering.
Notice and take a good look around you. Get to know those in your region, and help out those who are less fortunate than you.
Spread the message of Islam to those who are either ignorant about it, or help others who are arrogant about it to better understand, in the hopes and prayers that their hearts may be softened to the truth from Allah.
When you lay in your bed in the evening preparing for sleep, review yourself throughout that day, and try to name at least one thing you have done for the sake of Allah alone.
Create for yourself daily a special link between you and your Creator...something that will act as a means to achieve His mercy. Perhaps it is that one act of kindness or charity which will earn you the entrance into His Paradise, or which will save you from the depths of the burning hell fire.
And if you cannot figure out something truly meaning you have done for Allah, even if only in the smallest way, then take yourself to prayer, seek His forgiveness, and seek His guidance and help to do better the next day. And ask for life for the next day, so that you may have a second chance to do better.
Make this haj season a meaningful one and a catalyst for change in your life, even if you are not able to be present at Arafat on that beautiful merciful day.
Feel the feeling of the haj in your heart and your spirit, even if you are not fortunate enough to attend that beautiful and merciful gathering of people from literally all corners and cracks of the earth!!!
Return to Allah in repentance, and remember Him much, and earn the reward as if you were at the haj as well.
And inshaAllah, in the right time, as Allah has perscribed, you too will be amongst those people standing there in Arafat on that merciful day, crying for His mercy and His forgiveness, and then walking away with the cleanest slate as if you were a new born babe just freshly coming out of it's mother's womb!!!
SubhanAllah.
We have within our easiest reach, the best and truly easiest ways to earn Allah's pleasure and mercy and forgiveness, yet so many times so many of us are ignoring those ways, and becoming forgetful of them, setting our sites on much larger things, while the easiest and simplest things are easily within our daily reach.
May Allah renew our spirits and help us to renew our faith and grow in His pleasure day by day, and may He be graceful enough to grant us mercy along with those faithful who stand at Arafat seeking His forgiveness.
Om Mohammed.
Ah, yes, another haj season is upon us, indeed.
And as the days have rolled on into months into years, yet another time for reflection.
Are you ready?
For what, you may ask?
And if your question of readiness is in reference to the haj, your answer may be an automatic 'yes'.
But is it so, indeed??
Let us reflect a bit more deeply-are you ready for that last stand before Allah on the judgement?
What have you prepared for it?
Are your prayers in order? Or your fasts?
Or your pilgrimage or your zakat?
And if so, then what about any nafil (superrogatory) offerings of worship, in order to help close up the gaps of insufficiently offered obligations??
How will your slate read on that infamous day?
Are you ready for it?
Now...more to the date of current times, are you ready for the haj? Have you prepared for it?
Most of us, whenever we have previous knowledge of a visitor to come to us, we will make preparations for that visit. We will not wait until the visitor is knocking at our door before we clean the house, or dress in nice apparel, or bake some cookies for serving with the tea.
No...indeed, we will prepare well in advance for any oncoming visitors to visit us. We will take hours, perhaps even days, to clean and prepare our house for the visit. We will also take hourse, perhaps even days (or more) in preparation of the food to be served, depending upon what kind of a visit it is to be. We will also take the time and effort to dress nicely and be clean ourselves for the occasion.
Then what have any of us done in preparation for the upcoming season of the haj?
This reminder is important for ALL of us-regardless if we are to attend the haj or not. For the season is surely an important season for us all, whether we are fortunate enough to attend the haj or not.
There is much benefit to be had of this season, even if we remain at our homes.
It has been said that the last ten nights of Ramadan are the most beneficial and important nights of the year. And the ten days (actually the nine days preceding the tenth, which is the eid) of Dhul-Hijja are the most beneficial and important days of the year.
And so, any extra deeds that we can see to performing for the sake of Allah during these important periods gain extra reward.
Make an extra effort to observe the fast (if you are not intending to attend the haj) during these days preceding the tenth of Dhul-Hijja(Eid Al-Adha). Make an extra effort to observe more nafil prayers in these days. Make an extra effort to read or recite Quran during these days. And...even better...do something of charity for your fellow muslims who are less fortunate than you, during these days.
Do not only attend lectures or listen to or read messages of reminder during this time (which is a good thing in itself, of course), but act upon those messages. Or act upon something else.
There is much tragedy and suffering in our world today. Particularly in view of the recent flooding spreading throughout Asia and beyond due to the recent underwater earthquake. Do something to help relieve somebody's suffering.
Notice and take a good look around you. Get to know those in your region, and help out those who are less fortunate than you.
Spread the message of Islam to those who are either ignorant about it, or help others who are arrogant about it to better understand, in the hopes and prayers that their hearts may be softened to the truth from Allah.
When you lay in your bed in the evening preparing for sleep, review yourself throughout that day, and try to name at least one thing you have done for the sake of Allah alone.
Create for yourself daily a special link between you and your Creator...something that will act as a means to achieve His mercy. Perhaps it is that one act of kindness or charity which will earn you the entrance into His Paradise, or which will save you from the depths of the burning hell fire.
And if you cannot figure out something truly meaning you have done for Allah, even if only in the smallest way, then take yourself to prayer, seek His forgiveness, and seek His guidance and help to do better the next day. And ask for life for the next day, so that you may have a second chance to do better.
Make this haj season a meaningful one and a catalyst for change in your life, even if you are not able to be present at Arafat on that beautiful merciful day.
Feel the feeling of the haj in your heart and your spirit, even if you are not fortunate enough to attend that beautiful and merciful gathering of people from literally all corners and cracks of the earth!!!
Return to Allah in repentance, and remember Him much, and earn the reward as if you were at the haj as well.
And inshaAllah, in the right time, as Allah has perscribed, you too will be amongst those people standing there in Arafat on that merciful day, crying for His mercy and His forgiveness, and then walking away with the cleanest slate as if you were a new born babe just freshly coming out of it's mother's womb!!!
SubhanAllah.
We have within our easiest reach, the best and truly easiest ways to earn Allah's pleasure and mercy and forgiveness, yet so many times so many of us are ignoring those ways, and becoming forgetful of them, setting our sites on much larger things, while the easiest and simplest things are easily within our daily reach.
May Allah renew our spirits and help us to renew our faith and grow in His pleasure day by day, and may He be graceful enough to grant us mercy along with those faithful who stand at Arafat seeking His forgiveness.
Om Mohammed.