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The righteous servants of Allāh ﷻ go to incredible lengths to earn divine rewards.

Imām Abū Dāwūd, the renowned Muḥaddith and the compiler of Sunan Abī Dāwūd was on board a ship when he heard a person on the shore sneeze and say 'الحمد لله' (All praise belongs to Allāh).

Imām Abū Dāwūd hired a small boat for one Dirham and went ashore in order to reply to the person who sneezed with 'يرحمك الله' (may Allāh have mercy upon you).

When Imām Abū Dāwūd returned to the ship, Imām Abū Dāwūd was asked why he had done so.

Imām Abū Dāwūd answered, "It is possible that the person who sneezed was a Mustajābud-Daʿwāt (one whose du'ās are readily accepted by Allāh).

When the people on board later went to sleep, they heard a voice proclaiming, "O people of the ship, (Imām) Abū Dāwūd (رحمه الله) purchased Jannah from Allāh at the cost of one Dirham!"

[Fatḥul Bārī, Volume 10, Page 610 || Pearls from the Path, Volume 3, Page 39-40]

Jannah purchased for only one Dirham! Naturally we assume Jannah can only be acheived by the performance of extensive good deed. We think we have to do loads of great actions and often overlook the small deeds. These small deeds can also be our ticket into Jannah. Little do we realise that it may be some tiny, 'insignificant' action of ours that brings about the pleasure of Allāh and can be the cause for us entering Paradise.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

سَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا، وَاعْلَمُوا أَنْ لَنْ يُدْخِلَ أَحَدَكُمْ عَمَلُهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَأَنَّ أَحَبَّ الأَعْمَالِ أَدْوَمُهَا إِلَى اللهِ، وَ
إِنْ قَلَّ

Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately and know that your deeds will not make you enter Paradise, and that the most beloved deed to Allah is the most regular and constant even if it were little.

[Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī]

Every person will taste death. There’s no doubt about it. We were not made for this world. We were all made for the hereafter. This life is merely a passing place waiting for our real destination – in Jannah, InshāAllāh.

No one can or will escape death. No matter how wealthy and brave you may be. [Wherever you will be, death will overtake you, even if you are in fortified castles. (Qur’ān, Sūrah An-Nisā (4), verse 78)]

While life and death are from Allāh, we have to remember that they are to take place with the permission of Allāh alone. Each one’s life and death is decided by Allāh. You will and are going to return to your Lord. That is definite. What isn’t definite for us is when that will happen. Therefore, it shouldn’t be a trait of a Muslim to be afraid of death, despite all possible defences one may arrange for himself. – Try your best in this world. Allāh will never let your efforts will never go to waste.

Without entering in this world and without leaving this world, we cannot enter Jannah, which is our ultimate goal. We can’t have hope and always pray for the highest of Jannah without tasting death. Death is the only truth this life can promise us. It is a passage to Paradise. Just as you pass through a door and you end up on the other side, or in another room. Similarly, death is a door, you leave this world, and enter into the hereafter. Therefore, it is important that we all remember the death constantly and try our best to prepare for it.

Ḥaḍrat Āishah رضي الله عنها asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, “O Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ), shall anyone be resurrected alongside the martyrs?” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “Yes. He who recalls death 20 times in one day and night.”

[The Remembrance of Death and the Afterlife, Imām Al-Ghazālī رحمه الله, page 9]

RAMADAN DAY 30

As the month of Ramaḍān comes to an end, the question most of us are probably thinking right now is “How do I know if my Ramaḍān was accepted by Allah?”.

There isn’t a 100% guaranteed way to tell exactly how much of our worship was accepted, but there is a pretty good indicator that can help you find out.

And that is Istiqāmah (steadfastness). In other words, if we’re able to continue the good actions we picked up in Ramaḍān well after this month – that would be a major sign that our deeds were accepted. And likewise, if we're able to refrain from the sins we usually indulge in, well after Ramaḍān – that would be a major sign that our deeds were accepted.

May Allah make us amongst those who carry the light of Ramaḍān throughout the year, and remain steadfast in His worship with ikhlāṣ (sincerity) and acceptance. May He pardon the deficiencies in our ʿibādah and allow us to witness the next Ramaḍān. Āmīn Yā Rabb.

RAMADAN DAY 29

Look at life with a spirit of love and optimism, for life is a gift from Allāh to man. So accept this gift from the One, take it with joy and embrace the morning with its glow, the night with its quietness and the day with its brightness.

Drink this fresh water with gratitude, breathe this fresh air with joy, smell the roses and glorify Allāh.

Think about the universe and learn from it, make use of the blessed gift of land, the beautiful flowers, the sweet air, the delights of the garden, the warmth of the sun, the light of the moon.

Let these blessings motivate you to obey Allāh, the Exalted, give thanks to Him and praise Him for His endless blessings and bounty.

Do not let worry and distress prevent you from being grateful for these blessings and make you ungrateful; rather, remember that the Creator and Provider has only created these blessings as a means to help you obey Him.

RAMADAN DAY 28

A couple of days remain of this blessed month. We anticipated it like the coming of a new beginning. We prepared our souls for spiritual nourishment in the absence of food and drink. But we found ourselves weak. We did not meet our goals. We may have not spent as much time with the Qur'ān as we may have wished. We may have slept through the times of Qiyām ul-Layl. We found ourselves weak in seeking His mercy.

Now is not the time to cry over spilt milk, nor the time to console ourselves with the anticipation of the next Ramaḍān.

Reflect on this wonderful statement by Imam Ibn Rajab (Allah have mercy on him) in his Laṭāʾif:

“Let those who have failed to make the most of this month of Ramaḍān end it with good because actions are judged by their endings.”

RAMADAN DAY 27

The ʿabd (of Allah) is then ordered to stand with his face in the direction of the qiblah all the while having his heart facing Him as well (being fully attentive to Him) so as to renounce his previous state of rebellion and to stop turning away (from his Lord).

The slave (of Allah) should therefore stand up before his Master in humility and submission calling for His Compassion with his hands thrown at his sides and his head low, while at the same time his heart is fully attentive to Him in a state of humility, as he devotes all his senses to His service and glorification by declaring with his tongue and proclaiming in his heart that He is the Greatest, which is to express that Allah is greater than anything he may have in his heart. And he affirms this statement by dismissing everything except Allah from his heart so his heart is completely occupied with Allah and nothing else. This is because occupying himself with anything else would connote that he finds what he is busy with is of more importance or greater than Allah.

Indeed, a person whose heart is busied with what distracts him from Allah (in ṣalāh) is someone whose heart does not conform to the statement made by his tongue declaring Allah is the Greatest. Having the heart in harmony with the tongue when saying that Allah is the Greatest will strip the heart from the attire of arrogance as such garment does not befit the state of his enslavement to Allah. Furthermore, it would prevent the heart from thinking of anything except Allah. This is because the rights of these two words; Allah is Greater than everything, and the resolve to establish his servitude to Allah through the takbīr protects the heart from the aforementioned defects (being occupied with something else other than Allah and wearing a garment that does not befit the servitude to Allah).

[Inner Dimensions of the Prayer by Imām Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah]

RAMADAN DAY 26

There was a man of strong and dignified bearing amongst the Syrians who used to visit Ḥaḍrat 'Umar رضي الله عنه. When he did not show up for longer than the usual period of time, Ḥaḍrat 'Umar رضي الله عنه inquired about him. People said, 'Yā Amīr-ul Mu'minīn رضي الله عنه, please don't ask about him, he has become a drunkard.' Ḥaḍrat 'Umar رضي الله عنه called his scribe and dictated a letter to him in which he said:

'From 'Umar (رضي الله عنه), son of al-Khattāb to _, son of _, peace be upon you. After that, I praise Allāh before you. Other than whom there is no God worthy of worship. He is the One who forgives sins and accepts repentance, the One who is severe in punishment, the One who is the source of all power. There is no God but He. To Him is the ultimate return.'
-
Then he turned towards those around him and said 'Let us all join in to pray for him that Allāh reverses his heart and accepts his repentance.'

Ḥaḍrat 'Umar رضي الله عنه instructed the messenger to not hand the letter over until the man was sober. And he was to not hand it over to anyone except to whom it was intended for. So, when the person received the letter, he read it repeatedly and thoughtfully whilst realising that it carried a warning of punishment against him with a concurrent promise of forgiveness for him. Then he started weeping. Finally, he stopped drinking and made such a firm taubah that he never touched it again.

When Ḥaḍrat 'Umar رضي الله عنه learnt about the effective manifestation of these words, he said to the people around, 'In such matters, you too should do the same. When some brother falls into some slip of conduct, think of a way to bring him back to his normal and better self. Prompt him to turn to Allāh, to place his trust in Him, to rely on His mercy. Pray to Allāh for him, pray that he is able to repent and make his taubah. And do not become an accomplice of satan against him [that is if you chide him or infuriate him and thereby enstrange him from his religion, then, you would actually be helping satan].'

[Ma'āriful Qur'ān, Volume 7, Page 588-589]

RAMADAN DAY 25

Dear Allah,

You have blessed me with this blessed month, a month which many did not live to see. You granted me another opportunity to get closer to You. Though throughout the year I went on chasing the dunya, You brought this month to allow me to realise where my heart really belongs – with You.

Oh Allah, I have sinned and I continue to sin, but You are all forgiving. I am a begger in Your court, asking for Your pardon. Please forgive me.

Oh Allah, I face trials like everyone else, but found solace in Your words - 'Indeed, after hardship comes ease'. I found comfort in the way shown by Your Prophet (peace be upon him). I read his biography and the tests he faced – my difficulties were no longer worth mentioning.

Oh Allah, I lost my path many times. I wandered afar often succumbing to my desires and the whispers of the devil, but I held Your book as my guide and You showed me the light – this religion.

Oh Allah, I am sorry. I know I forget You when I am awake, and You remember me when I am asleep. I forget You when I laugh, You remember me when I cry. I forget You when I love, You remember me when I hate. I forget You when I eat, You remember me when I am hungry. I forget You when I speak, You remember me when I am silent. I forget You when I am angry, You remember me when I am patient.

But please, Oh Allah, don’t forget me when I die and enable me to remember You now whilst I am alive.

Yours sincerely,
A striving soul

RAMADAN DAY 24

Be not hasty and rushed for things that have yet to come to pass. Do you think it is wise to pick fruits before they become ripe? Tomorrow is non-existent, having no reality today, so why should you busy yourself with it? Why should you have apprehensions about future disasters? Why should you be engrossed by their thoughts, especially since you do not know whether you will even see tomorrow?

The important thing to know is that tomorrow is from the world of the unseen, a bridge that we do not cross until it comes. Who knows, perhaps we might never reach the bridge, or the bridge might collapse before we reach it, or we may actually reach it and cross safely.

For us to be engrossed in expectations about the future is looked down upon in our religion since it leads to our having a long-term attachment to this world, an attachment that the good believer shuns. Many people of this world are unduly fearful of future poverty, hunger, disease, and disaster: such thinking is inspired by the devil.
الشَّيْطَانُ يَعِدُكُمُ الْفَقْرَ وَيَأْمُرُكُم بِالْفَحْشَاءِ ۖ و اللهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغْفِرَةً مِّنْهُ وَ فَضْلًا ۗ و اللهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality, while Allāh promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty. And Allāh is all-Encompassing and Knowing.
[Qur'ān, Sūrah Baqarah (2), verse 268]

Many are those who cry because they see themselves starving tomorrow, falling sick after a month, or because they fear that the world will come to an end after a year. Someone who has no clue as to when he will die (which is all of us) should not busy himself with such thoughts.

Since you are absorbed in the toils of today, leave tomorrow until it comes. Beware of becoming unduly attached to future prospects in this world.

[Don’t be Sad, Dr. ʿĀ’iḍ al-Qarnī, Page 40-41]

RAMADAN DAY 23

There was once a king who saw in a dream that all his teeth had fallen out. He called a dream-interpreter, told him what he saw in the dream, and asked him to interpret it. When the interpreter heard the dream, his complexion changed and he began to repeat, “Allāh’s refuge is sought! Allāh’s refuge is sought!” The king became worried and asked, “What is the interpretation of my dream?” The interpreter said, “After many years pass, your wife and children will die and you will be all alone in your kingdom!” The king screamed, became furious, and began to hurl abuses and insults. He then ordered that the interpreter be imprisoned and called another interpreter, related to him what he saw in the dream and asked him for its interpretation. The dream-interpreter smiled and said, “Glad tidings, dear king!” The king said, “What is the interpretation of the dream?” The interpreter said, “It means that you will live for very long – so long that you will be the last of your family to die, and you will remain a king your entire life.” The king became very pleased, showered him with gifts and remained content with him whilst angry with the first dream-interpreter.

If you contemplate, you will realise that both of the interpretations were the same, the difference was in the way in which the interpretation was conveyed. Hence, the tongue is the master.

A person may utter a callous word that displeases Allāh for which He will be angry with him until the day He meets him. This is why the Prophet ﷺ warned people regarding not controlling the tongue as it may lead to one’s own destruction.

The Prophet ﷺ said, “When the son of Ādam wakes up in the morning, all of his body parts humble themselves in front of the tongue and say, ‘Fear Allāh for our sake! Our wellbeing depends on you. If you remain upright, so shall we. If you become crooked so shall we.'”
(Aḥmad, Tirmidhī)

Ibn al-Jawzī رحمه الله said, “It is amazing how many people are strong enough to abstain from consuming unlawful wealth, fornication and theft and yet you are unable to abstain from moving their tongues. You will see such people speaking ill of others and unable to prevent themselves from doing so.”

Use the various modes of speech that would move people’s emotions. Speak to your mother in a soft tone and by using the most beautiful words, and the same goes to your father, husband/wife, children and colleagues. Speaking in this manner would not cost you anything but would enchant those you speak to and get rid of any ill feelings they may have for you.

Animals have long tongues, yet they cannot speak, Man has a relatively short tongue, yet he cannot keep silent.

[Enjoy your life, Dr. Muḥammad ʿAbdur-Raḥmān Al-ʿArīfī]

RAMADAN DAY 22

In order for our duʿā to be answered, it is necessary that one appears before Allāh تعالى as weak, helpless and simply unable to hold on his own; modest and humble and submits to Allāh تعالى with total negation of what is supposed to be pride, dignity, honour, ego and then makes duʿā.

Duʿā is a thing of the soul which requires that its words match the feebleness and humbleness of the soul of the maker of that duʿā.

Allāh تعالى is All-Hearing (السميع), All-Knowing (العليم). Allāh تعالى knows what we show on the outside and what we hide on the inside. Allāh تعالى hears everything said quietly or loudly.

Therefore, when the voice of the Companions رضي الله عنهم reached a loud pitch during duʿā made on the occasion of the battle of Khaybar, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:

You are not calling someone dead or absent that you say it in such a loud voice. Instead, your addressee is someone Hearing and Near, that is Allāh تعالى (so, to raise your voice is redundant).

Allāh تعالى has mentioned the duʿā of a righteous person in these words:
ذِكْرُ رَحْمَتِ رَبِّكَ عَبْدَهُ زَكَرِيَّا
إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ نِدَاءً خَفِيًّا
This is a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His slave Zakariyah.
When he called his Lord, calling in a lowered voice.
- Qurʾān, Sūrah Maryam (19), Verse 2-3

The state of duʿā liked by Allāh تعالى is that it be asked of Him in a lowered and subdued voice.

[Maʿāriful Qurʾān, Volume 3, Page 691-693]

RAMADAN DAY 21

The Prophet ﷺ said,
مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَىَّ صَلاَةً وَاحِدَةً صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ عَشْرَ صَلَوَاتٍ وَحُطَّتْ عَنْهُ عَشْرُ خَطِيئَاتٍ وَرُفِعَتْ لَهُ عَشْرُ دَرَجَاتٍ

“Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allāḥ will send blessings upon him tenfold, and will erase ten sins from him, and will raise him ten degrees in status.
[Ibn Mājah and others]

One blessing and mercy from Allāh is sufficient for the whole creation, let alone ten of Allāh’s blessings in return for invoking blessings once. What virtue for invoking blessings is there which is greater than being granted ten blessings for invoking once?

In Zād al-Saʿīd, it is narrated from Al-Mawāhib al-Ladunniyya that on the Day of Judgement, a certain believer will have fewer good deeds. The Prophet ﷺ will place a parchment the size of a fingertip on the Scales. The pan of good deeds will become heavy.

The believer will say, “May my parents be sacrificed for your sake. Who are you? How beautiful your appearance and character are!”

The Prophet ﷺ will reply, “I am your Prophet and these are the blessings you invoked upon me. I have recompensed you in your time of need.”

One should not doubt that a parchment the size of a fingertip can weigh down the Scales, because it is sincerity which is of value to Allāh. The more sincerity in an action, the more it shall weigh.

[Virtues of invoking blessings and peace on the Noble Prophet ﷺ, Sheikh-ul-Ḥadīth Mawlāna Muḥammad Zakariyyā Kāndhalawī رحمه الله, Page 18, 38]

اللهم صل على محمد و على آل محمد كما صليت على إبراهيم و على آل إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيد، اللهم بارك على محمد و على آل محمد كما باركت على إبراهيم و على آل إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيد

RAMADAN DAY 20

Imām al-Qurṭubī رحمه الله has said:

The event relating to Sayyidnā Yaʿqūb عليه السلام proves that it is wājib upon every Muslim when faced with distress or pain in the case of his person, children, family or property that he or she should seek redress from it by resorting to patience (ṣabr) at its best and by becoming resigned to and content with the decree of Allāh Taʿālā - and follow the example of Sayyidnā Yaʿqūb and other blessed prophets عليهم السلام.

Ḥaḍrat Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنه has said: Allāh Taʿālā conferred upon Sayyidnā Yaʿqūb عليه السلام the reward of Shuhadā' (martyrs in the path of Allāh) for his ṣabr. And, in this Ummah too, whoever observes patience whilst in distress shall receive a similar reward.

[Maʿāriful Qur’ān, Volume 5, Page 144-145]

RAMADAN DAY 19

Khulayd al-ʿAṣarī said, “Every lover desires to meet his beloved, so love your Lord and travel to Him with a fine journey: neither arduous nor lax. This journey will take the believer to his Lord and whoever does not know the path to his Lord will not traverse it and there is no difference between such a person and an animal.”
[Abū Nuʿaym, vol.2, p.232]

Dhū’l-Nūn said, “The lowly are those who do not know the path to their Lord and nor do they seek to know it.”
[Ibid, vol 9, p.372]

The path to Allāh ﷻ is to traverse His Straight Path with which Allāh sent His Messenger ﷺ and for which Allāh ﷻ revealed His Book. It is this Path that Allāh ﷻ commanded the whole of creation to traverse.

Ḥaḍrat Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه said, "The Straight Path: Muḥammad ﷺ left us on one end of it and the other end is in Paradise. To its right and left are paths branching off on which stand people summoning those who pass by them. Whoever takes to those paths will end up in the Fire but the one who remains on the Path will end up in Paradise." Then he recited:

وَ أَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَ لَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

And, [moreover], this is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow [other] ways, for you will be separated from His way. This has He instructed you that you may become righteous.
[Qur'ān, Sūrah Anʿām (6), verse 153]

[The journey to Allāh ﷻ, Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī رحمه الله]

RAMADAN DAY 18

Most Scholars of the early generations were poor; needless it is to say, then, that they did not have beautiful houses or nice cars. Yet, despite this, they led fruitful lives, and they benefited mankind, not by some miracle, but because they used all that they were given, and spent their time in the correct way. Hence they were blessed in their lives, their time, and their talents.

On the contrary, there are many people who have been bestowed with wealth, children, and all forms of blessings, yet these blessings have been the very reason for their misery and ruin. They deviated from what their inborn instincts were telling them, namely, that material things are not everything.

If you’re a seeker of happiness, be satisfied with what Allāh has favoured you with. Certain educators go further than this by saying that you should imagine being contented with even less than you actually have now.

Your value is in your abilities, good deeds, manners, and contributions to society. Do not feel grief over that which has passed you by in life but be content with what Allāh has given you.

Remind yourself of Paradise, which is as wide as the Heavens and the Earth.

lf you’re hungry in this world, if you are sad, ill or oppressed, remember the eternal bliss of Paradise. lf you do, then your losses are really profits and the hardships you face are really gifts.

The most wise of people are those who work for the Hereafter, because it is better and everlasting. The most foolish of mankind are those who see this world as their eternal abode – in it reside all of their hopes. You will find such people to be the most grief-stricken of all when faced with calamity. They will be the most affected by worldly loss simply because they see nothing beyond the insignificant lives that they lead.

The happiness of Paradise will be absolute. So why do we not contemplate this fact? Paradise is our destination – and we ask Allāh سبحانه و تعالى for the highest of Paradise.

سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ

“Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home.”

[Qur’ān, Sūrah Ra’d (13), verse 24]

RAMADAN DAY 17

A basic element of belief in the Oneness of Allāh is understanding that Allāh manages all affairs and is able to do all the things; Allāh is the Creator, the Sustainer, the Lord and Master of the universe. As such, Allāh knows better about every individual's best interest than them individuals themselves. Understanding this helps people to humbly submit to Allāh and to hand their affairs over to Allāh, relying upon Allāh for all their needs. Human beings recognise that Allāh will take care of the one who trust Him and has complete confidence in Allāh's promise.

Reliance upon Allāh means entrusting one's affairs to Allāh and relying upon Allāh for the matter at hand as well as all other matters, whether religious or worldly. This is a sign of one's faith in Allāh and evidence for one's belief in and implementation of tawḥīd. Relying upon others when only Allāh can help is considered to be a form of shirk.

During times of trauma and difficulty, reliance upon Allāh entails employing the means created by Allāh that are likely to lead to the desired outcome, as long as they are within the limits of the Sharʿīah. At the same time, one should trust in and depend upon Allāh and upon Allāh's mercy, power and ability to do things. Those who rely upon Allāh do not abandon the means to achieve the end result, nor do they abandon hope in Allāh's mercy and rely upon themselves instead.

Disregarding the means contradicts the example of the Prophet ﷺ.

Complete reliance upon the means is also a form of shirk. The two - seeking the means and trust in Allāh - must be combined to achieve the most beneficial results, both for this life and for the hereafter.

Relying upon Allāh is an act of worship of the heart. It encompasses the understanding that, in reality, there is no helper except Allāh. We may consult others, ask others for their assistance and even pay for their services, but in the end, the only true help comes from Allāh and Allāh is the only One who can save us from the predicaments in which we find ourselves.

[The Prick Of A Thorn, Dr Aisha Utz, Page 181-183]

RAMADAN DAY 16

Ibn al-Mubārak رحمه الله had a Jewish neighbor. He would always feed him before feeding his own children and would provide clothing for him first and then for his children. Some people said to the Jewish neighbour, “Sell us your house.” He answered, “My house is for 2000 dīnārs. 1000 is for the house and 1000 is for having Ibn al-Mubārak as a neighbor!” Ibn al-Mubārak heard of this and he exclaimed, “O Allāh, guide him to Islām.” By the permission of Allāh, he accepted Islām.

On another occasion, Ibn al-Mubārak رحمه الله passed by a caravan of people who were travelling to make the pilgrimage to Makkah. He too was on his way to do the same. He saw one of the women take a dead crow from a cesspit. He sent his servant to inquire about this and when he asked her, she replied, “We have had nothing for three days except that which finds its way into it.” When Ibn al-Mubārak رحمه الله heard of this, his eyes swelled with tears. He ordered for all of his provision to be distributed among those of the caravan, and having nothing with which to continue the journey, he returned to his home and gave up making the pilgrimage for that year. Later, he saw someone in a dream saying, “Your pilgrimage has been accepted, as have your rites; and your sins have been forgiven.”

No one regrets having done well even if he was extravagant in doing so. Regret is only for the mistake or for the wrong done, even when that wrong is a minor one. Good manners lead to prosperity, while bad ones lead to misery.

Nabī ﷺ said: Through good manners, one reaches the status of the person who not only fasts but who also stands late in the night to pray.

Nabī ﷺ also said: Shall I not inform you of the most beloved to me and the closest to me on the Day of Resurrection: Those of you who are best in manners.

[Don’t be sad, ʿĀ’id al-Qarni, Page 125-7/194]

RAMADAN DAY 15

Al-Shāfiʾī, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I accompanied the Sufis and I only benefited from two of their sayings. First, 'Time is a sword; if you do not slay it, it will slay you.' And the second: 'Keep your soul occupied with good, otherwise it will keep you occupied with evil.'"

One's time is in fact one's life, and the substance of one's eternal life in lasting pleasure or of a life of suffering in severe torment. It passes faster than the passing of clouds, and the portion of one's time that was for Allah and with Allah is part of one's life, while the rest is not counted as part of one's life even if one lived long, for one was living the life of animals. For the one who spends his time in negligence, desires and false wishes, and spends most of his time in sleeping and idleness, then the death of such a person is better for him than his life. And if one has of one's prayer only that part in which one was conscious, as in the hadith, then similarly what counts of one's life for one is only that which was spent for Allah and with Allah.

[The Value of Time, Shaykh ‘Abd Al-Fattāḥ Abū Ghuddah, pg. 8]

RAMADAN DAY 14

There are rights that are owed to Allah (Ḥuqūqullah) and rights which are owed to the servants of Allah (Ḥuqūq al-ʾIbād).

Examples of the Rights of Allah are: Falling short in the duties and obligations like Ṣalāh, Ṣawm, Zakāh and Ḥajj. And the examples of the Rights of the Servants of Allah are: Usurping someone's property unlawfully, to attack someone's honour, and to cause pain to someone by using bad language or causing such pain in some other manner.

Therefore, for repentance to be complete, the way it is necessary to first feel ashamed of the past sin, then seek forgiveness from Allah, then resolve to keep one's conduct correct and straight in the future and never go near that sin again - similarly, it is also necessary that the prayers and fasts which were missed due to heedlessness should be replaced by doing Qaḍāʿ for them. Then, any Zakāh which has not been paid earlier should be paid now. If there is a shortcoming in taking care of what was obligatory in Qurbani or Sadaqat ul-Fiṭr, that should be paid off. In short, for 'the correction of deed,' the correction of the future conduct only is not enough - it is also necessary to make amends by paying off for obligations left unperformed in the past.

Similar is the case of the Rights of the Servants of Allah (Ḥuqūq al-ʾIbād). If someone's property has been taken unlawfully, it should be returned to him, or have him forgive it. And if someone has been caused pain physically or verbally, forgiveness must be sought from the aggrieved person. And if, it is not possible or within one's control to have him forgive it - for example, he dies; or goes away to a place the address of which is not known - then, the way out is that one should make it a point to keep praying for his forgiveness before Allah consistently. If so, it can be hoped that the holder of the right will be pleased and the person who was unable to have the forgiveness of the deceased during his lifetime will become absolved of what was due on him.

[Adapted from Maʿāriful Qur’ān verses 6:54 to 6:55]