Shaykh Muhammad Bin Yahya Al Ninowy's khutbah on Secrets of fasting

Discussion in 'Tasawwuf / Adab / Akhlaq' started by abidmahmood18, Nov 7, 2007.

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  1. Title: Secrets Of Fasting
    Reference: Tafsir of Surah Al Baqarah, verse 183
    Category: Tafseer/Khutbah


    Quran: Yaa Ayuhalazeena Amanoo Kutiba Alaikumus Siyamu Kamaa Kutiba
    Alal-azeena Min Qablikum La'ala kum Tataqoon.

    Rough Translation: Oh you who believe (Allah swt is talking to the
    believers, us, so we should respond with our hearts), Fasting has been
    made obligatory upon you, as it has been made obligatory on the
    nations before you, so that you may have Taqwa (so you may be saved).
    {Surah Al Baqarah, verse 183}

    We will try to see what recent researchers/scientists/scholars have
    researched about human behaviour. They came with something they called
    "psychology".

    Up until very recently (few years) , psychology was not even thought
    about as an Usool (science) in the world, now everyone's talking about
    it and you have people like Freud, Errickson etc etc.

    Islam respects people who have knowledge, but when we debate a point,
    it doesn't mean we disrespect people. But we must see how people took
    the theories of Freud/Erickson/Rodgers etc etc, as almost revelation.

    Al Quran, 1426 years ago talked about the science of psychology (Ilmun
    Nafsiya), and until today people have mixed feelings and oppose
    psychology, and call it a myth, why?

    Science is suppose to be something that benefits human beings and
    helps them, and is based on imperative evidence, based on substantial
    and consistent data, that is measurable.

    Scholars of Islam & Islam itself talked about psychology many many
    years ago, just open the Quran and see how many times Allah(swt)
    mentions the word "NAFS" , the "psychology of the Soul".

    The scholars have divided the topic of Nafs (psychology of Nafs) into
    so many categories, a) Nafsul Mutmaina, b) Nafsul Ama'ra, c) Nafsul
    Mul'ama, d) An Nafsul Radiah, e) An Nafsul Mutmainna, f) An Nafsul
    Qamila, and yet the psychologists haven't even yet reached these
    subjects or touched on them.

    Islam talks about these things and also indulges in the treatment of
    these things.

    Islam doesn't want us to look at what Freud/Erickson said only, but to
    took at what Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came with, because it's from the book of
    Allah (swt) and it's the truth.

    Psychologists have recently discovered that people do lots of self
    talk and 80% of it is negative, and are working on ways to convert
    that negative talk to positive talk. All they had to do was read the
    Quran, because Allah(swt) talks about these things and their treatment.

    Allah (swt) also says "walk on the earth and then think", walking is
    not just with the feet, but with the mind too. Amongst the Sahaba
    (R.A) were people who were blind, but had real vision and thought.


    3 Dangers of not noticing the self talk and controlling the nafs

    1) Your at battle with Nafs, and it is not limited by time like a war
    with enemy, it starts the day you are born and ends the day you die.

    2) It is not limited by space, it could be when you trying to sleep,
    when your in your home, when you walking, talking, when you reciting
    Quran even.


    3) If you loose your battle with your enemy, the worst thing is you
    could die, but in Islam, if you loose the battle with yourself, it may
    make you loose the Duniya and the Akhira. One word you say, can get
    you into serious trouble.


    The Nafs is like the sword on your neck, it either controls you , or
    you control it.
    But Allah (swt) is Ghafoor , Rauf, Raheem, and he is more than simply
    caring and merciful (Quran: Allahu Lateefun Bi ` ibadih).

    Amongst his Lutf is that he has given you an Oasis called Ramadhan. It
    comes as an Oasis, at a time where Allah (swt) gives this month for
    purification of the mind, heart and of the Soul. It is an invitation ,
    an opportunity that doesn't come often.

    Hadith Sahih: "If my Ummah knows what Ramadhan is about, they would
    have wished it was Ramadhan all year."

    It is a season of massive blessings and mercies and kindness that
    comes for those who open their heart to it.


    For example, why is it recommended to do wudu every time you do salah?

    The narration says : If someone washed themselves 5 times a day, would
    they have any filth left on them?

    Example: If you had a computer, and you took it to the manufacturers
    etc, would something go wrong with it?

    You, the slave of Allah(swt) are going to him 5 times a day for
    purification, and Allah(swt) will purify you.

    The purpose of worship is that you get close to Allah(swt), as stated
    in a Hadith, So that you love Allah(swt) and he loves you.

    Allah (swt) says in Hadith Qudsi: "My slave will not come close to me
    until he does the worship that I commanded him with". So this tells us
    that the worship has a purpose, and that is that Allah(swt) loves you,
    and you love him.

    The way to Allah(swt) is through the prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), he is the door to
    Allah (swt).

    How do you control the Nafs?

    Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani, mentions 3 kinds of fasting!

    1) Abstaining from food and drink, while letting all their limbs and
    organs indulge in other sins (lieing, backbiting, cheating).

    Hadith: "He who does not abandon, doing wrong, during Ramadhan,
    Allah(swt) is not in need of his fasting".

    Fasting is something you can perfect yourself with so you can have the
    Anwar, Asrar and the Yakeen of Imaan.


    2) Not only abstaining from food and drink, but abstaining of the
    limbs, from hearing, saying, seeing, from that which is HARAM.

    3) The kind of fasting for special people, those who Allah(swt) wants
    to elevate.

    Those are that abstain from everything except Allah(swt). They don't
    depend on anyone but Allah(swt), they don't ask anyone except
    Allah(swt). They don't have anything in their hearts except Allah(swt).

    Fasting is abstaining: So, when your fasting, you respond with great
    morals, and respond kindly, and don't hurt anyone. You don't get angry.

    There was a man who wanted to build a Mosque in a village, and he
    appointed someone to do it. People didn't see the one who was behind
    it, but the one who was building it, they were praising him.
    So people approached him and said "people are praising the one who
    built the masjid, but not you".
    He said "don't tell anyone, because he who I built the masjid for ,
    knows, and the rest doesn't matter".

    A man comes to Umar Bin Abdul Aziz (R.A), and curses him so much, Umar
    just smiled and said "is this what you will take in your grave?".

    Ali (R.A) was fighting in a battle, and a man spat on his face and
    Ali(R.A) left him. He was asked why he left him and he said "I was
    fighting for Allah(swt), and when he spat on me, my Nafs came in the
    way, so I left him to Allah (swt).

    He was cursed on the Mimbar for 90 years, but the Khawarij , who
    declared him and Uthman (R.A) a kafir, but he returned them good only.

    Siyam is abstaining then controlling the Nafs, and if you don't , it
    will kill you , defeat you. You control what comes out of your tongue,
    you control your thoughts and think nothing but good, so you can be
    elevated by Allah(swt).

    Hadith: "He/She will taste the sweetness of Imaan ….."

    The hadith tells us that there is sweetness of Imaan that we can taste.

    How many Ramadan's go by without us tasting the sweetness of imaan?

    How many months, days go by and we not taste the sweetness of imaan?
    When someone who is rich invites you, you dress nicely, feel proud,
    behave well.
    With Ramadhan, you are the guest of Allah (swt), the lord of the
    worlds, creator of universe!

    How do you think you will be treated if you behave well?

    Shaykh Ahmed Rifai (one of the greatest scholars of his time), used to
    say "When I go into my Majlis of 30,000 people, by Allah(swt), I know
    I am the worst of them all. The one who is older than me is better
    than me, because he has had more time, and has done more ibadah than
    me, more prayers than me, more fasting than me". The one who is
    younger than me, has had less time to sin, therefore he is also better
    than me".

    Turn to the gateway to Allah(swt), the prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), follow his
    Sunnah, learn from the lives of the Sahaba (R.A). The love of them all
    should be like a mountain in our hearts, love without practise is
    worthless.

    This is a season, only for those who are intellectuals realise, that
    you are here today, you may not be here tomorrow, next Ramadhan. What
    are we going from this world with?

    If you were to ask the dead if they were missing the desires of this
    world, they would say "no, the only regret we have is that we never
    used our time wisely to be close the prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), and to gain the
    love of Allah(swt)".

    If there are any faults in the postings above, they are due to myself
    and not from the origional khutba of Shaykh.

    May Allah(swt) continue to elevate the Maqam of our shaykh and their
    Noble family and give us all the ability to benefit from their wealth
    of knowledge and wisdom, and forgive me for my shortcomings.

    Ameen
    __________________
    عابد محمود

    From Ubayy Ibn K'ab RA. "The believer has four characteristic. If he is afflicted by any misfortune, he remains patient and steadfast. If he is given anything, he is grateful.If he speaks, he speaks the truth. If he passes a judgement on any issue, he is just."
     

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