Lecture Notes – “Towards An Outstanding Ramadan” by Muhammad Al Shareef

This talk was given last year and was highly acclaimed and InshAllah, this year on August 17th, Muhammad Al Shareef is presenting another highly anticipated talk live, titled “The Fasting and the Furious”. I got a chance to watch/listen to “Towards An Outstanding Ramadan” on Youtube today and decided to share some notes I took down as I listened. Here we go:

• When Allah(swt) gives the command to fast, the ayah begins with “O you who believe…” - this is always important to note, as either a) some good will be highlighted for you to do, or b) you will be warned about some harm that may come to you for a certain act.
• Various religions today have some remnant of fasting, modified from the original fast but only Islam has the original method of fasting preserved through centuries. SubhanAllah!
• What is your goal for Ramadan? It is illogical not to have a goal – like a traveller who would turn up at the airport without knowing the destination he wanted to travel to!
• Imagine Ramadan as a “marathon”. There are some who are just spectators at the start and finish lines (likened to those who just worship at the start and end of Ramadan). In the middle are the participants who’re putting in all the effort to win the race, from the start to the finish, likened to those who do Ibadah throughout, consistently.
• Ramadan is the month of feeding people – giving charity, cooking food for the needy. It is not about about eating more ourselves or attending dinner parties where we stuff ourselves with food.
• We have lots of excuses for not being regular in prayers or not waking for Fajr or being unable to control anger throughout the year. In Ramadan, we are able to do many of these things – there is no substance in “excuses” then – we are only lying to our ownselves.
• Ramadan is a time to build up Taqwa. There are only two instances in Islam where Halal things are temporarily denied for us – in the Hajj (eg: cutting hair) and during Ramadan (eg: not having food while fasting) – why? It is to…
  - recognize the blessings we have and
  - to train the body to avoid what is Haram
  This is training for after Ramadan!
• The Imam of a masjid is the person to look to – he leads the prayers throughout the day, is not able to attend iftaar parties that are far away as he has to be in the masjid. What about the people who come to the masjid? Very easily, they cite an iftaar party far away from the masjid as the excuse for missing Taraweeh.
• The Imam cannot eat much at Iftaar as he has to lead Maghrib and Isha, then Taraweeh while the people stuff themselves with food and then are late for Taraweeh.
• We have forgotten past Ramadan that we spent but is there any time that we particularly remember? Usually, it has something to do with offering Taraweeh regularly and with concentration – it makes Ramadan unforgettable!
• Ramadan makes us disciplined – why not continue after Ramadan?
• Make your intention now – do not be like the traveller who shows up at the airport and does not know his destination.

Ramadan, Ramadan, Ramadan

Assalam-o-alaikum!

Ramadan Kareem! May Allah accept from me and from you (fast, prayers)!

This beautiful month that we’re currently going through is truly a blessing from Allah. Some might see it as interruption of their normal routine and having to go hungry and without water for long hours – but that’s just one way of looking at it, and it’s certainly not Islam’s point of view! This month gives us the opportunity, through that change in routine, to stop and reflect upon our lives and priorities. For eleven months, we’re stuck in a more-or-less fixed routine that eventually makes us lose sight of the big picture – in fact, few even know there’s a ‘big picture’ to life at all!

Alhamdolillah for Ramadan! This month is like a large alerting sign on a highway – “Watch out! Remember Allah before you reach the end of your journey” – and it removes that drowsiness that comes upon the lone driver on a long journey. Ramadan really and truly opens your eyes to a higher goal in life, to connect everything to Allah. Even people who’re not close to the Quran and do not practice Islam in their lives, do feel there’s something special about this month. As for those who do recognize the value of this month and sincerely fast, pray and try to purify themselves, this month is a true gem!

For me, Ramadan this year feels really special. All praise and gratitude be to Allah, I’m thinking more and more about the goal of life and the Day of Judgment. Every moment is a gift from Allah to keep on doing good, to keep adding to our accounts deeds that will help us on the Day of Accountability. This time that we have right now is like the preparation time before giving an exam – those who have sense will prepare well ahead and will prepare well for the date they know is sure to arrive. As for those who live in a state of denial and have a half-hearted approach towards preparing, their nervous state and total disarray on the exam day is something any student can imagine. Similarly, we are currently in the preparation state – how serious are you about your exam?

I just finished reading two books, “Gems and Jewels” and “The Precious Pearls” by Darussalam publishers. The tidbits and lessons from Islamic history and sayings of scholars in “Gems and Jewels” were quite eye-opening. “The Precious Pearls”, a book about the ten companions who were given the glad tidings of Paradise by the Prophet(saw), is equally amazing. What hit me, in both these books, was the amazing and inspiring conviction of faith that raised the ranks of men and women in the Sight of Allah. They believed 100% what they received from the Prophet(saw) and they were prepared to give away their wealth, bear physical injuries and even sacrifice their lives in the Way of Islam. To read about these people and their services for mankind really made me reflect, “What have I done for Islam? How has my Islam made a different to my life? Am I making a difference to humanity? What am I doing to further the message of Islam?”

If I can find solutions to these questions this Ramadan, I will have gained a treasure!

Ramadan Reminders

Ready for Ramadan?

Ramadan is fast approaching, evoking excitement and much anticipation about this holy month. The very thought of Ramadan conjures up images of a splendid month of fasting and guarding the soul, highlighted by extra visits to the mosque for Salat-ut-Taraweeh and a general spirit of well-wishing and generosity. And no mention of Ramadan would be complete without referring to the special foods and drinks that are prepared in this month, that have come to strengthen our cherished bond with this time of the year. Samosas, special sweets and drinks all lighten up the dinner table at Iftaar.

With the joys and wonders of Ramadan, sometimes, we also face newer issues such as excessive sleeping and eating, obesity, heartburn, constipation, lethargy, disturbed routines. These are problems that have mushroomed up in recent years due to our own mishandling of this auspicious month and they greatly reduce what we can gain from Ramadan. To help ensure our Ramadan this year is fruitful and fulfilling in all ways, spiritual, physical and even social, here are some general tips and advice.

As Ramadan approaches, prepare yourself both mentally and physically. Make an effort to unburden yourself at work in Ramadan by getting more work done in the preceding month. If that is not possible, then try to reorganize your routine ahead of Ramadan, to ease the transition and to shift the workload appropriately.

Examine your individual routine, or collectively as a family, to plan for Ramadan. In Ramadan, sleeping at night tends to become limited, to make more time for prayer and awaken earlier for Suhoor, so prepare your mind and body by trying to sleep earlier and waking up earlier as well. “Early to bed, early to rise” may be cliché but for Ramadan, it is especially important. This way you’ll save yourself from lethargy and ‘dark circles’ when Ramadan actually arrives. Tick off items on the “pending chores” list. Try to get the kitchen cabinets cleaned out in advance and fix that leaky tap before end of Shaban!

For housewives and working ladies, there’s extra work in Ramadan, related to food preparation and shopping for Eid clothes and gifts. This extra load can be lessened by preparing storable food items in advance and completing much of the Eid shopping (if not all) before Ramadan. This relieves physical as well as mental pressures and burdens on ladies in Ramadan, making more time for worship and prayer.

As Ramadan draws nearer, make a sincere effort to switch to healthier eating habits because indeed, binging on food cannot be made the focus of this month. This does not mean that one gives up good food but rather that the food is taken in the right quantity and manner. Some general meal-time advice for Ramadan:

In the time leading up to Ramadan, adopt simple Sunnah that encourage healthier food habits, like eating only when hungry and refraining from eating your fill (rather, leaving a portion of the stomach empty). This will make your body more active, light and full of energy by stimulating the utilization of internal energy stores. Your body will also store energy in the right way which will be helpful in Ramadan.

Make sure you’re eating a balanced diet that contains food from all the major food groups – cereals, poultry, meat, fruits and vegetables.

Organize your meals, especially at Iftaar. Experts say that binge eating at Iftaar – or Suhoor for that matter – has no positive effect on energy levels and an average meal of healthy foods is best. If you’re having Iftaar and also plan to have dinner later, lighten either meal and try to bring in a gap of at least three hours between the two. Also, for a more fulfilling sleep, avoid eating within two hours before your bedtime. The best recommendation would be to take an Iftaar of fruits, juices and other light snacks, including Samosas if you wish and then, if the need is felt, to take a light dinner later on (perhaps after Taraweeh).

For Suhoor, include slow-digesting foods such as foods that contain grain and seeds like barley, wheat, millets, oat, semolina, lentils, beans, wholemeal flour and unpolished rice. These last longer – up to 8 hours and provide good energy, compared to fast-digesting foods such as those containing refined carbohydrates (white flour) and excess of refined sugar. Fast-digesting foods only last about 3-4 hours, resulting in lower energy levels throughout the day and thus, should be consumed preferably at Iftaar (light sandwiches, for example).

Avoid excess of spicy and fried items as they cause heartburn, obesity, acidity and also increase thirst. So Samosas and Kebabs are fine, as long as one doesn’t binge on them! Here also, encourage high-fiber foods because they help to counter acidity, heartburn as well as constipation.

Juices and fresh fruits are a must for Iftaar as they restore essential minerals and water levels, thereby preventing dehydration, constipation, cramps, formation of kidney stones and lethargy. Dehydration and loss of calcium, magnesium and potassium will make you dizzy and fatigue easily in Taraweeh so this is something that cannot be taken lightly. Dates are a rich source of fiber, carbohydrates as well as the essential minerals just mentioned so a couple of dates at Iftaar is a truly refreshing Sunnah.

Try to cut down on caffeinated drinks and beverages in Ramadan because these drinks actually increase urine output, robbing the body of essential minerals and salts, thus actually aggravating dehydration and muscle-cramping.

Try a hand at these simple and easy tips and you’ll notice the difference. I speak from experience when I say that you’ll actually enjoy yourself more this way and even lose a few pounds by the end of Ramadan. That’s spiritual as well as physical gain that cannot be found, no matter how hard you try, in stuffing in all kinds of food at every meal in Ramadan. Here’s the key to unlocking the true joys and rewards of Ramadan, with a little extra effort. Wishing you all the best and a great Ramadan!