O you who believe! Siyaam has been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may develop piety. (Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 183)
What does Siyaam mean?
Saum is the Arabic word for fasting. The plural of Saum is Siyaam. Literally, Saum means to abstain. The technical meaning of Saum is to abstain from eating, drinking and marrital relations, with the intention of fasting, from Fajr to sunset.
Benefits of fasting
1. Fasting is a powerful method of developing piety (taqwa) because it helps to control the desires. When one controls the lawful desires of eating, drinking, etc then it will be easy to stay away from the impermissible desires.
2. Fasting allows one to move closer to the angelic nature within oneself, as angels have no need for food and drink.
3. Fasting develops patience and removes the animal instinct of impulsiveness and haste.
4. Fasting teaches one to be content and appreciative.
Quality of the fast
Imam Ghazali Rahimahullah, the great scholar and mystic, has mentioned three stages of fasting:
1. The fast of the masses - Abstention from food, drink and marrital relations.
2. The fast of the pious - In addition to abstention from food and drink, the pious guard their eyes, ears, tongue, hands, feet and every part of the body from sin.
3. The fast of the prophets and the close servants of Allah - In addition to guarding the limbs of the body from sin, the heart and mind are controlled to such an extent that evil intentions and worldly thoughts are prevented from entering.
To attain perfection of the second stage of fasting Imam Ghazali has given five advices :
a. Lowering and protecting the gaze from evil and sinful sights.
b. Protecting the tongue from vain talk, obscene language, lying, back-biting, carrying tales, etc. Instead, the tongue should be kept busy in remembering Allah and reciting the Qur'an.
c. Protecting the ears from listening to evil.
d. Protecting the remaining limbs of the body from sin.
e. Eating less than normal. The fast cannot be beneficial when the Iftaar has such a variety of foods which are not even consumed at other times of the year.
May Allah make Ramdhaan a spiritually uplifting experience and may He grant us the true enjoyment of ibaadah.
My Faiths Goal
May Allah Ta’ala grant us His Love and the Love of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) , such that it becomes easy to give up all sins and submit to His Obedience. May He protect us all from the mischief of nafs and Shaytaan. May He fill our hearts with Love, Adab, Akhlaq and Sabr for this beautiful Deen and inspire us in being a practical and good Muslims and be true role-models to our community.
"I want to die with my forehead on the ground,the sunnah in my heart,Allah on my mind, the Quran on my tongue & tears in my eyes."
Remember
Through the Zikr of Allah Ta’ala one may achieve recognition and Maarifat of Allah Ta’ala.
(Hadhrat Moulana Muhammad Zakariyyah rahmatullahi ‘alayh)
"if one lives for Allah alone love and peace would prevail in this world. When one is inspired by this,then whatever one does becomes devotion to Allah."
(Khwaja Nizamuddeen Auliya rahmatullahi ‘alayh)
(Hadhrat Moulana Muhammad Zakariyyah rahmatullahi ‘alayh)
"if one lives for Allah alone love and peace would prevail in this world. When one is inspired by this,then whatever one does becomes devotion to Allah."
(Khwaja Nizamuddeen Auliya rahmatullahi ‘alayh)
'Allah will aid a servant of His so long as the servant aids his brother.'
- Sahih Muslim
- Sahih Muslim
Light of Dawn
I wake with the light of the dawn whispering with joy in my heart and with praise on my lips. In stillness and twilight i stand before you bowing, prostating i call Allahu (swt).
My eyes see your beauty in the dawn's golden hues. My ears hear the thunder as it gloriies you. The rhythm of my heart beats the sound of your name. My breaths rise and fall with the tide of your praise. My soul knew and loved you before i was born and without your mercy is lost and fortorn.
Wherever i may wonder down the pathways of life, my cry to you Allah (swt), is "guide me to ligfht" through all fear and helpness, to you do i turn for your breath of healing and peacedo i yearn. For all that i have , my Allah (swt) all that i am is from you, is for you and to you will return. Inshallah
My eyes see your beauty in the dawn's golden hues. My ears hear the thunder as it gloriies you. The rhythm of my heart beats the sound of your name. My breaths rise and fall with the tide of your praise. My soul knew and loved you before i was born and without your mercy is lost and fortorn.
Wherever i may wonder down the pathways of life, my cry to you Allah (swt), is "guide me to ligfht" through all fear and helpness, to you do i turn for your breath of healing and peacedo i yearn. For all that i have , my Allah (swt) all that i am is from you, is for you and to you will return. Inshallah
In the following months biographies of the Companions of the Prophet (s.a.w) will be published..
