IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
INTRODUCTION
As this Blessed month of Ramadan is drawing to a close, we still have plenty of opportunity to inshaAllah draw ourselves closer to Allah, so that by the last day of Ramadan, we can say to ourselves – “Well, I have done my best, and there is nothing more physically and spiritually that I can do than what I have done in these 30 wonderful days of Ramadan.”
The aim of this talk inshaAllah is to remind everyone that even though our deeds may not be as many as some of those friends whom we know, do not lose hope. Everyone will be judged differently by Allah:
In this Covid-19 pandemic, for example,
Do remember that our Rabb is the All Knower (Al ‘Alim), All Aware (Al Khabir), All Seer (Al Basir), All Hearer (As Sami’). He has been patiently waiting for you and I to draw ourselves closer to Him. Hence His Name – Al Halim (The Forbearing One). To have an improvement sincerely for His sake is a big step, because Allah is also The Appreciative One (Ash Shakur).
وَمَن يَقتَرِف حَسَنَةً نَزِد لَهُ فيها حُسنًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفورٌ شَكورٌ
“…And whoever commits a good deed — We will increase for him good therein. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Appreciative.” (Qur’an, 42:23)
لِيُوَفِّيَهُم أُجورَهُم وَيَزيدَهُم مِن فَضلِهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ غَفورٌ شَكورٌ
“That He may give them in full their rewards and increase for them of His bounty. Indeed, He is Forgiving and Appreciative.” (Qur’an, 35:30)
The Prophet SallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam urged us to do good deeds no matter how small, as he said that we should protect ourselves from the Fire by giving even half of a date in charity (Bukhari). Now imagine if you give even more?
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Take up good deeds only as much as you are able, for the best deeds are those done regularly even if they are few.”
Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 4240
IMPORTANT APPRECIATION OF INDIVIDUAL EFFORT
“When we think of a person who had an accepted Ramadan, we tend to think of the one who completes the Qur’an 30 times, the Hafidh, the one who gave thousands in charity, the one who lived in the mosque and prayed all night, But you know who we tend to forget who shall have an accepted Ramadan? The young person who is fighting depression but still musters the strength to get through the day and complete the fast because of a belief that he/she has in Allah. The woman who has to speed through her prayers because her little one is crying. The man who lays down the mat and prays at work. The lady who wears the Hijab correctly in public despite the pressures and the long summer days. The student who lowers his gaze in an environment in college and university because he is conscious of Allah. The sister who stays in the constant remembrance of Allah during the days she is unable to fast. The individual who wants to fast throughout the month but his medical situation doesn’t allow it. The one who leaves the house in the morning whilst fasting to earn halal so he can feed the family and look after the kids. The guy who leaves what he used to do because it was wrong and returns to Allah in remorse such that he often feels down. The one who can barely recite a page of the Qur’an but starts alif-baa-taa. The people who give up some private worship time in order to serve the family at Iftar and Suhur. Piety has many forms and comes in different shapes. If you are obeying Allah in whichever way you can this month, then be pleased and know that Allah loves you. Something small for one man is like climbing a steep mountain for another, and Allah knows that. He won’t let the tears, the tiredness, the effort, the good intentions and the striving go to waste in Ramadan.” – Shaykh Mohammed Aslam
“When the race horse knows that it is nearing the end of the track it exerts all of its effort to win the race. Do not allow the race horse to be more clever than you. For verily, deeds are judged by their conclusions. So if you didn’t do well with welcoming Ramadan then perhaps you will do better bidding it farewell.” – Ibn al-Jawzi
SO HOW MERCIFUL IS ALLAH?
Imam Ibn Rajab said:
O you who have wasted the years of his life, there is nothing that can amend those lost and wasted years except for the night of Qadr, for verily its value is equivalent to a lifetime. (Lata’if al Ma’arif – No 191)
Even the most important du’a in the last 10 nights is on forgiveness
A’isha asked the Prophet, “O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which night is Laylatul-Qadr, what should I say during it?” And he instructed her to say:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عُفُوٌّ كَرِيمٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
O Allah! You are Most Forgiving, and you love to forgive. So forgive me. Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, 3513
Allah Forgives all sins
“Say: “O ‘Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” 39: 45
The great companion Talha bin ‘Ubaidullah (radyAllahu ‘anhu) narrated that two men came to the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and became Muslim together. After accepting Islam one of them would strive harder than the other. The one who used to strive harder went out to fight in the way of Allah and was martyred. The other man who accepted Islam at the same time as the martyr lived a year longer, then he also passed away.
Later Talha reported that he saw in a dream that he was at the gate of Paradise and he saw those two men that had died. Then through the gates of Paradise someone came out and admitted the one who had died last into Jannah, then he came out again and admitted the one who died first as a martyr. Then he came back to Talha and said: ‘Go back, for your time has not yet come.’”
The next morning, Talha told the people of the dream and they were amazed. News of that reached the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and they told him the story.
The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Why are you so amazed at that?”
They said: “O Messenger of Allah, the first one was the one who strove harder, and he died a martyr in the cause of Allah, but the other man (who didn’t strive as hard and was not a martyr) was admitted to Paradise before him?”
The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Did he (the second man) not live for another year?” They said: “Yes.”
The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) asked: “And did not Ramadan come and he fasted, and he offered such and such prayers during that year?” They said: “Yes.”
The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The difference between them is greater than the difference between the heaven and the earth.” ~ [Collected by Ibn Majah]
Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, Allah has recorded good and evil deeds and he made them clear. Whoever intends to perform a good deed but does not do it, Allah will record it as a complete good deed. If he intends to do it and does so, Allah Almighty will record it as ten good deeds, up to seven hundred times as much or even more. If he intends to do an evil deed and does not do it, Allah will record for him one complete good deed. If he does it, Allah will record for him a single evil deed.” (al-Bukhari, Muslim)
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “He who observes Tarawih prayer (night prayer during Ramadan) throughout Ramadan, out of sincerity of Faith and in the hope of earning reward will have his past sins pardoned..” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Abu Dharr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, whoever stands for prayer in Ramadan with the Imam until he is finished, it will be recorded as if he prayed the entire night.”
Sunan al-Tirmidhī
“The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower.” 2:261
“Those who (in charity) spend of their goods by night and by day, in secret and in public have their reward with their Rabb (only God and Sustainer). On them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.” (Qur’an, 2:274)
“…that which you give for charity, seeking the Countenance of Allah, (will increase); it is those who will get a recompense multiplied.” (Qur’an, 30:39)
Abu Hurairah (r.a.) reported Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.) as saying: “Charity does not in any way decrease the wealth and the servant who forgives, Allah adds to his respect; and the one who shows humility, Allah elevates him in the estimation (of the people).” (Muslim)
“Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allah) and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah) (saying): “Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your Way, and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire!
“Our Lord! And make them enter the ‘Adn (Eden)Paradise (everlasting Gardens) which you have promised them, and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their offspring! Verily, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
“And save them from (the punishment, because of what they did of) the sins, and whomsoever You save from (the punishment, because of what they did of) the sins (i.e. excuse them) that Day, him verily, You have taken into mercy.” And that is the supreme success.”
40: 7-9
“This is the Book (the Qur’an), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqun” 2: 2
“And We send down from the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism and act on it), and it increases the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) nothing but loss.” 17: 82
“And We have sent you (O Muhammad SallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) not but as a mercy for the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)” 21: 107
“It is out of His Mercy that He has put for you night and day, that you may rest therein (i.e. during the night) and that you may seek of His Bounty (i.e. during the day), and in order that you may be grateful.” 28: 73
“Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.” ( Muslim, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nisa’i and Ibn Majah)
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) explained this when he said: “Whoever fasts for six days after (‘Eid) Al-Fitr has completed the year: (whoever does a good deed (hasanah) will have ten hasanah like it).” According to another report: “Allah has made for each hasanah ten like it, so a month is like fasting ten months, and fasting six days completes the year.” [An-Nisa’i and Ibn Majah. See also Sahih at-Targhib wa’t-Tarhib, 1/421)
Abu Qatadah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked about fasting the day of Arafat and he said, “It will expiate the sins of the previous and upcoming years.” Then, the Prophet was asked about fasting the day of Ashura and he said, “It will expiate the sins of the past year.”
(Muslim)
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “(The performance of) ‘Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous ‘Umrah; and the reward of Hajj Mabrur (i.e., one accepted) is nothing but Jannah.”
(Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
THE MOST IMPORTANT MERCY OF ALLAH IS ISLAM AND SECOND MOSY IMPORTANT IS TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE HEREAFTER
WHO WILL BE GIVEN ALLAH’S MERCY
“…My Mercy embraces all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who are the Muttaqun (pious – see V.2:2), and give Zakat; and those who believe in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs and revelations, etc.);” 7: 126
“…Surely, Allah’s Mercy is (ever) near unto the good-doers.” 7: 56
“And obey Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad SallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) that you may obtain mercy.” 3:132
LASTLY – ALLAH’S MERCY THROUGH HIS BEAUTIFUL NAMES
Al-Rahman (the Most Gracious), al-Raheem (the Most Merciful), al-Barr (the Source of Goodness), al-Kareem (the Most Generous), al-Jawaad (the Generous), al-Ra’oof (the Compassionate), al-Wahhaab (the Bestower).
“And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to God so call on Him by them…” 7:180
CONCLUSION
Allah has declared how Merciful He is when we first opened the Qur’an in surah al Fatihah, with His beautiful Names: Rabb, al Rahman, ar Raheem.
When Allah decreed the creation He said, “…and My Mercy overcomes My Wrath.” ( Saheeh Bukhari and Muslim)
Some people are mistaken and made to think that the God that Islam portrayed in the Qur’an is harsh, with every intention to punish mankind. However, Allah’s immense Mercy, as stated above, should remove any of this misconception. We are given the freedom of choice to do whatever we want in this life, and this itself is Allah’s Mercy. In previous nations He even sent prophets to remind each people before destroying them for their evil ways.
We have to take advantage of whatever days that is left in Ramadan and seek His Love and Mercy. It is never too late and ONLY THOSE WHO ARE DISBELIEVERS WOULD BE DESPAIR OF HIS MERCY.
“…Certainly no one despairs of Allah’s Mercy, except the people who disbelieve.” 12: 87
May Allah continue to Guide us all in the straight path and Forgive us for our numerous short comings.
“Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Maula (Patron, Suppor-ter and Protector, etc.) and give us victory over the disbelieving people.” 2: 286
