 أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله رب العالمين وصل الله على سيدنا وحبيب قلوبنا وشفيع نفوسنا أبل قاسم محمد وعلى آله الطيبين الطاهرين المعصومين أما بعد يقول الله في محكمه كتابه الكريم بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم كتب عليكم الصيام كما كتب على الذين من قبلكم لعلكم تتقوم The verse in question, Insha Allah, brothers and sisters, is the verse discussing the concept of fasting and how it's made obligatory on the person or on the people that's believed now as it has been and the people before this time Insha Allah we would like to look at the concept of fasting in the light of Ramadan وفي رمضان السؤال 183 صورة البقرة وفيها تصميم أنها تصميم لك to fast as it is prescribed on those before you وإن شاء الله يجب أن نظر at the concept of fasting وعلياً في رمضان السؤال في ثلاثة تصميم السؤال الأول يجب أن نظر at the concept of Ramadan is to look at the definition of Ramadan what does Ramadan mean? how has it been prescribed on the people before us? has it or do we have it in scriptures where we can find that Ramadan is written in Judaism can we find that Ramadan is written in Christianity and obviously we know for a fact that it's written in Islam first and foremost and secondly we'd like to look at the different levels of the particular people that are fasting are there different levels? are there different aspects, thought processes spiritualities of people that are fasting are they categorized with the jurists with the theologians and at the conclusion we'd like to look at how Allah SWT has tried to install the preparation process towards Ramadan as in Rajab we look at Shaaban and how Allah SWT has installed that we prepare ourselves for this particular holy month إن شاء الله you can help me by starting with Allah SWT the definition of Ramadan has many aspects in which we find one of the definitions of Ramadan is from the root word which is which we find to be defined as literally the staunching or the burning heat of the sun and which is derived as saying what that the month of Ramadan it's where you quench your thirst because of the heat of the sun that you're in so that's one particular definition in another definition the prophet صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم states he says Ramadan in the same aspect of Ar-Ramth in which it is burning your sins and the idea that Ramadan is there so Allah has given you the opportunity to wipe away your sins and in the third and final category where we find Ramadan in the traditions is actually attributed as a name of Allah SWT therefore it's recommended that we say the month of Ramadan to attribute it that it is a month of Allah SWT therefore we find that the root word or we find that the main aspect of Ramadan is a name attributed to Allah SWT so that's the idea of the definition of Ramadan now let's look at Ramadan or let's look at the concept of fasting before we look at it in Ramadan that we had prescribed on those before us as the I suggest now look at a particular article by the name in which it's entitled fasting and the holy month of Ramadan written by a scholar by the name of Sheikh Mansour he says in this particular article that in Judaism we find that in their books it is written that Musa when he's going to the mountain he says then we went to the mountain to take the stone tablets to receive the stone tablets the tablets that Allah or God as they refer to him has had a covenant for me or has made a covenant for me then he says what this is the aspect of fasting he says and then I remained for 40 nights and 40 days without eating bread or drinking water remember this he says for 40 days and 40 nights without eating bread or drinking water after that Allah or God as he refers to him gave me the stone tablets that's Judaism in Christianity it's referred to Jesus as going with the spirit as they refer to him going with the spirit towards the desert to be or to be tested or tempted by the devil then Jesus says after fasting 40 days look at the recurring number between 40 days and 40 nights he mentions it in his particular article therefore we find even in their traditions even in the Christianity in the Judaism traditions we find that their significance people which we refer to as the prophets of Islam were fasting now let's look at Ramadan how do we find that it has such a significance with the religions before it and this is a very interesting concept the revelation of the books of Allah SWT is in the month of Ramadan what do we find? we find in our traditions that the book which is given to Musa which is a Torahat what date was it given to Musa? in traditions it was the 6th of Ramadan the injeel was given to Isa Wen on the 12th of what month of Ramadan the book that was given to Dawood or David was given on the 18th of Ramadan doesn't it tell you something about this particular month? and in our traditions it was said that on the 23rd of this holy month of Ramadan the Quran was given to our holy prophet الحبيب المصطفى محمد so taking into account the importance of this month it wouldn't be taken into such significance with Allah SWT and he had installed it so many times in his holy Quran that he says that this is the month of blessing this is the month of my month this is the month in which you can repent this is the month in which you can come closer towards me now let's look at the particular fasting aspect what levels of people do we have fasting? now the jurists they categorize the people that's fast in three different levels he says the first level is the general level in which we find from year to year it's a celebration for us and this is the majority of the people in which we find that Ramadan when it comes around it's a time where we get together with the family it's a time where we can look up what shows or what Musal Salat can be on TV and we keep in contact what shows are going to come on what time they're going to come on it's a gathering when we go towards gatherings outside which may be or may not be in Halal places when people look forward from time to time it's a celebratory aspect and that's the only level that they fast is they refrain from that which they eat and drink and that's the general fast and that occupies the majority of the population now the jurists go on to say there's a second type of fast or second type of people fasting and that's you say صوم الخصوص that's what they refer to it as now when it says صوم الخصوص is the sum that Allah wants from us wants from me and you what is this sum when Allah tries to instill in us that this is a particular sum that he wants however the only the minority are fasting this particular way we find that Allah tries to distinctly tell us that this is beyond this needs preparation this sum is not just refraining from that which is edible and that which is drinkable this is refraining from that which is حرام to other that which is haram to look at that which is haram to walk to when Allah tries to humble us in this particular aspect he says this is the siam that I want from you and this siam is the most difficult in the narration from the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in which a woman comes to his house in the month of Ramadan she comes she asks the prophet a particular question after she finishes she walks out in the room we find these two wives at the time which was Aisha and Hafsa now look at the detail and we need to take this a hadith and actually apply it to ourselves and it's very important because it makes you think how much of us actually are fasting in its essence how much of us will be categorized in the first category of the general fast and how much of us will be categorized in the second category the prophet looks at Aisha what does Aisha do Aisha as this lady leaves she didn't utter anything she doesn't say anything what does she do she looks at Hafsa and she shows to her that you know what this lady is of a short stature she just says you know when we mock someone for being short we have the whole sign of you know short in comparison to tall that's the only thing Aisha did Aisha looked at Hafsa and she noted to her that she's short the prophet does it do he takes food and he places in front of Aisha she says prophet I'm fasting he says you've broken your fast what did she do she just signaled to Hafsa that this lady had a short stature this in our references you said something about someone behind their back the prophet gives it to her he says eat because you've broken your fast and the Quran says do you want to eat the flesh or the meat of your brother while he's still alive then you have hated it and this is غيبة it didn't eat in a physical level it's a metaphorical level that she eat from the Quran narrates this now let's look at this aspect this is the fast that Allah SWT is looking for from the fast in the month of Ramadhan and the third category that he says is صوم خصوص الخصوص and that's just for the infallibles that's on a different level that's not just to say to refrain from that which is haram it's not even to think or ponder about that which may displease Allah ponder about that which is or may be haram or go towards those steps that's only for the infallibles and that's the top level that you can reach with fasting now taking these three into aspect let's look at the concept of how to prepare for this month how does Allah tell us to prepare for this month and this is the final point that I want to look at when Allah tells us to prepare for Ramadhan he shows us the months prior to it two months prior to Ramadhan he says this is the month of استخفار this is the month of استخفار then he goes one month before this is the month of صدق which you have to give from that which Allah has given to you two months we go back two months the month of استخفار when you say استخفار الله ربي وعطوبه when you come towards Allah when you prepare yourself for the month of Ramadhan a person was in the presence of Ali ibn Abi Talib and he just said it he said استخفار الله Ali ibn Abi Talib looks at him with anger and he looks at the man he says استخفار الله this man is thinking to himself I just said استخفار الله Ali ibn Abi Talib is angered with me why? he says look he says استخفار is the word of people by the name of الاليين and it has استت or six main aspect what are these six aspect of استخفار you can't just say استخفار like that without having these aspect or looking into these faculties as Ali ibn Abi Talib states what are these six faculties that استخفار installs and that way we can look at how Ali ibn Abi Talib wants us to prepare with استخفار for Ramadhan how Allah سبحانه وتعالى tried to install the concept of استخفار two months prior when we prepare for Ramadhan he says the first aspect of استخفار out of the six is that you repent and you regret that which you did because nowadays when we sin and this is why it's important that it's the first aspect nowadays when we sin we find the first time that we sin or first time that we disobey Allah سبحانه وتعالى we have this mountain of regrets that we say to ourselves you know what we've just displeased Allah how can we make it better how can I repent towards Allah it's massive but as you see we go on and every time we do it more and we say استخفار الله we do it again we do استخفار الله that mountain of regret begins to what begins to minimize and minimize and minimize until what does the hadith say it says that sin that used to be a bolda of regret is like a fly that you every now and then you sin and you don't even think about it and that's why that's the first aspect it's that you regret that regret is good and he follows it up with the second point do not repeat that which you did when you say استخفار الله you regret what you did and second you do not repeat it how many times do we find ourselves and I talk for myself when we sin when we do something at this place it's Allah سبحانه وتعالى on the first aspect yes I say استخفار الله I won't do it again but how much do we go running back when I lie about something and I come back and I do it again I say استخفار الله and I do it again I backbite I look at something which is haram I say استخفار الله I go back and do it again that's why the second point عليب نبي طالب tries to raise that first and foremost you are regretful secondly you do not go back to doing that particular act that displaces Allah number two number three and this is where it begins to get interesting until the last point you will begin to analyze how hard استخفار actually is the third point he mentions عليب نبي طالب he says that everything that you owe between you and Allah سبحانه وتعالى look he looks at the spiritual aspect first before he looks at how you install relations he says anything that you owe Allah سبحانه وتعالى whether it be prayers whether it be fasting whether it be any of the worships between you and Allah سبحانه وتعالى whether it be you making a nidr that you haven't done whether you've been saying I want to read this particular Quran I want to pray this particular prayer and you haven't he says make sure you are up to date that's the third level that's between you and Allah the fourth level he says anything between you and the people anything you owe someone anything that you've said behind someone's back make sure you go and you clear the waters you know when you go to Hajj when Allah says you want to purify you when you go to Hajj it diminishes all your sins one of the aspect is what you have to go and take and make everything right between the people that you've hurt give the amana back to those who have given it to you you make sure your slate is clean so the fourth level after he says on the third level that's between you and Allah make sure everything is clear between you and the people on the fourth occasion make sure everything is clear on the fifth level and this is where it begins to become beautiful he says every meat and every fat in your body that has been built and supplemented from Haram whether it be Haram in the aspect of food or Haram in the aspect of wealth that gave that food make sure you burn it off make sure you burn it off now that takes a different level altogether we're not going into that at the moment but I'll let you ponder over it and on the sixth and final level look at what Ali ibn Talib says as a final level of istighfar he says the final level of istighfar is that in yourself that pleasure that you felt when sinning against Allah the pleasure that you felt make sure you reciprocate that by humbling yourself with worship when you stayed up the night in Haram make sure you stay up the night humbling yourself in prostration when you look towards that which is Haram make sure you humble this eye with looking at that which is from Allah which is the Quran and begin to say Subhan Allah Masha'Allah that tongue which uttered the foul language and back bit make sure that tongue uttered the Holy Quran make sure that tongue uttered that which is beautiful towards people these legs that took you towards that which is Haram make sure they stand firm on the prayer mat so they may stand firm on the sarat everything every sense that you have that went against Allah Subhanahu و تعالى is trying to teach us that make sure you humble yourself every single time we are giving this when we look at the book of the ethics of prayers it tells you from the instance this is all preparation عليبنا بطالب Allah Subhanahu و تعالى tells us through his messengers through his Awsia prepare yourself for Ramadan let's take metaphors when we prepare for anything whether it be any عباد let's say let's say حجر let's look at the عباد which is Salah we pray five prayers a day three times let's look at the preparation for Salah when we look at وضو what do we think of وضو do we just chuck some water on in a particular order and forget about it وضو is such an important aspect if we look at the metaphorical aspect of it it says look at water the article says look at water as a preparation progress it says water is clean it purifies those around it let's look at water and say to ourselves that like how water purifies those around it let me be like water I'm purifying myself it says when I wipe that water on my face it says make sure my thoughts my eyes my scent or when I smell when I taste I make sure all that is for Allah Subhanahu و تعالى it says when I wipe on my right hand make sure this right hand is only in the obedience of Allah and likewise my left when I wipe on my head make sure my thought process is not that which is haram is not that which is inclined towards haram make sure my thought process is inclined with which Allah Subhanahu و تعالى will be pleased with me with when I wipe my legs I make sure that I will walk to the prayer mat and I will not walk to that which displeases Allah Subhanahu و تعالى just water if we think about the specific aspects the underlying aspects so we do not even ponder about unusual facts but if we look at the preparation progress that Allah tries to instill in us we begin to analyze how Allah Subhanahu و تعالى has given us these jewels that we don't even comprehend nor do we use that's on the first instance and the second instance after we find the aspect of استخفار take استخفار out the second thing is to صدق when Allah says give charity when Allah says give charity it's for our own protection do you think it's just to allow the less fortunate or the less people that have less to take from this or it's a protection for ourselves when the Prophet of Islam صلى الله عليه وسلم says to his companions as a man passes him by he says this man will die from his journey he will not return he's not going to return so the companions he says okay we're going to wait for his funeral he goes back he comes and they go towards the Prophet they say oh Prophet of Islam you said this man was about to die why is it that he is still alive it is not of your attributes that you've told us something that has not come true so the Prophet says come with me let's go to this man let's see what this man has done so they go to him and the Prophet asks him he says what have you done of good deeds for the journey of yours he says nothing I went to the journey I came back he says did you give anyone something did you help a stranger out he says I had two loaves of bread he says on the way I ate one I had one remaining I saw a struggler I gave him the other piece the Prophet says did you see he says bring down your backpack or the bag that he had he took it down he says open the bag he says as soon as you open the bag the bag has emerged from that bag he says الله سبحانه وتعالى wrote that this particular snake would be the cause of your death however that charity that you gave has saved you from this particular demise in another narration from the Prophet we find that أساب نماريا tells his companions the same thing as this woman comes past he says this woman or this bride at the time he says tomorrow she will not wake up but she will die in her sleep the next day they find her in the marketplace they go towards أساب نماريا they say you said this woman would die he says come with me he goes into the house he knocks the door he says do you allow us to enter so she goes she asks she comes back she goes of course she may enter and he says what have you done in these past nights or this past day of charity what have you given up she says nothing he says think harder what have you done that Allah may be pleased with you he says she says honestly the only thing that I can remember is because I was getting married he says we usually have a strangler coming towards our house knocking the door every day and we give the remains of our food to this particular stranger and he says that day everyone was occupied so I thought to myself while everyone is occupied with my wedding I will not forget this particular person that knocks every day so she gave this particular stranger of the nicest food that they prepared for the wedding they gave it to her and أساب نماريا what does he say he says go towards the bed and we need to lift the mattress up and as soon as he lifted the mattress they find it yes there and then when we find the same aspect there was a snake there waiting to devour her and he says because of the charity Allah سبحانه وتعالى has instructed the snake not to attack you not to kill you now we find that صدق on the one aspect humbles us on the other aspect it saves us on the other aspect it's a protection for us the first two months before Ramadan Allah tries to teach us aspect of استخفار we said the second month he tries to give us the idea that we should give from that Allah has granted us and in the month of Ramadan this is where it starts the holy month of Ramadan is where you've prepared everything needs preparation as we stated Hajj needs preparation we find Salah preparation not just in a physical level but in a mental level as well and likewise Siam occupies the most aspect of our عبادات if we find Salat Salat let's say if let's say everyone prays like جعفر الطيار let's say for example one hour of our day is spent praying one hour times it by the whole year one hour times let's say 365 how many 365 hours we find let's look at Siam on average scale let's say 12 hours we fast times that by 30 days and then we see how much we actually in عبادة in comparison to the other months furthermore الله سبحانه وتعالى says even when you sleep in this holy month even when you sleep it's عبادة when you breathe it's تسبيح look how much this month occupies for عبادة for الله سبحانه وتعالى in reference to Hajj which may take a couple of weeks if you calculate it it's roughly 400 hours that you spend just this month in عبادة do you not think that you need to prepare for these 400 hours do you not think you should prepare in gaining closeness towards الله سبحانه وتعالى should we not prepare when it has that much aspect on it that much value in it when ليل القدر we have a narration that says ليلة القدر خير من ألف شهر and the aspect that every deed and all our worship will be given and portrayed towards the Imam of our time in which he decides our whole next G will be be governed by one night in this particular night which is ليلة القدر should we not prepare for that should we not think to ourselves that we want to be the best that we want to be from this month we want to achieve the best during this month let's think about this brothers and sisters and insha'Allah we do emerge from this month the best of people and elevated in both spiritually mentally physically in closeness towards Allah we want to leave behind all the bad habits because remember it's all about practice practice bad practices have their attributes good practices also have their attributes when we find an example of let's say smoking and the example of bad attributes because it diminishes the health of one's physical being how did smoking start if you ask a smoker number one he said I was hanging out let's say it's all a step process this is number one I was hanging out one day with one of my friends I wasn't smoking but I used to hang out with them this is on a second instance one day came weeks they said hold the cigarette don't smoke just hold the cigarette couple of weeks passed I need to gain respect with my friends they said just take a puff you find it down the track he's a changed smoker why because that one day he went into that aspect now that's just the bad aspect مثال تضرب ولا تقاس we're not saying in a sin aspect but to give you an idea of how it may be affected when the prophet of Islam صلى الله عليه وسلم states the bad friends are like those that a person preference a blacksmith when you have a person that works in the metals etc when you go towards him you don't do anything you don't help him with his work you just stay there nothing it says except you staying there some of his work will rub off on you that stain will rub off on your garments you will see the effects it says likewise a good friend is the example of a person that works with fragrances as long as you have that good friend let's say he works with fragrances you're not doing anything however you're around him but some of that beautiful sense will be visible on you will be smelt on you because you're just next to that guy next to that particular friend let's choose our friends in that particular perspective let's choose the people that will get us towards Allah سبحانه وتعالى that will instill us and make us firm in this path this is the example that we're given let's learn from them Insha'Allah and say to ourselves this Ramadan will be the best Ramadan we'll ever have let's say to ourselves Insha'Allah that Allah blesses us with the foresight to see what we will become and what we can achieve at the end of this month we pray to Allah Insha'Allah on this ending note that Allah resurrects us with the companions of Imam صاحب العصر و الزمان he resurrects us on the day of judgement as one of the شيع of علي بن أبي طالب and he keeps us solid on the path of Muhammed و آلي محمد