Mindfulness and Heedlessness during Ramadan and after it

A believer should remain mindful during every season of worship. This concept is rooted in the saying of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allaah said: “He who observes fasting during the month of Ramadan with Eeman (faith) and Ihtisaab (seeking reward from Allaah) will have his past sins forgiven.” [Reported by Al-Bukhaari no. 38]

In this Hadeeth, the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) did not link forgiveness to mere fasting and Qiyaam (prayer at night) alone. Rather, he (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) has linked forgiveness to Siyaam (fasting) that is accompanied with Eeman and Ihtisaab – forgiveness is based on these.

“accompanied with Eeman” means to remember for whom you are performing a deed at the time of performing that deed i.e., you believe in Allaah, and you seek His Pleasure.

“accompanied with Ihtisaab” refers to remembering what you expect in terms of rewards (for the deed you are performing).

(You should remember these two aspects all the time;) the more you remember these two, the more forgiveness you will achieve. Why is it so?

Will everyone who fasts and prays be forgiven? Or is it that someone who fasts and prays along with Eeman and Ihtisaab is forgiven? Surely, forgiveness and rewards are per the proportion of Eeman (faith) and Ihtisaab (to seek Allaah’s reward) in one’s heart – hence, one needs to stay mindful, and not be heedless of the purpose of the Siyaam and Qiyaam.

This requires one to know a few relevant concepts such as: ‘Dhikr’ (Mindfulness) and ‘Ghaflah’ (Heedlessness). These are opposites, and once the meaning of ‘Ghaflah’ is understood, the meaning of ‘Dhikr’ will become clear.

Who is al-Ghaafil (the Heedless)?

Al-Ghaafil is like an absent-minded person. ‘Ghaflah’ is a state wherein a person forgets the purpose of his actions. He may continue to fast, but he forgets the purpose behind it; (he does not remember) what he wants from his Siyaam. Heedlessness does not necessarily mean that a person stops performing an act. He may still fast and pray but does so in a state of heedlessness; heedless of its purpose, inattentive to what he seeks to achieve by his deeds, unaware of the consequent rewards that await him, unconscious of Ihtisaab, and unmindful of the Day of Judgment.

On the contrary, does he who practice “Ihtisaab” and is “Dhaakir” (mindful) remember why he is fasting? For whom is he praying? What does he want from it? Does he think about the Day of Judgment and the consequences of his actions? – All of this comes under ‘Dhikr’.

Important concepts that one should always remember:

First: Remembering the Blessings of Allaah Bestowed upon You

Allaah (Ta’ala) orders us in Surat Al-A’raaf (7:69):

فَاذْكُرُوا آلَاءَ اللَّهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

“So remember the graces (bestowed upon you) from Allaah so that you may be successful.”

‘Remember the blessings from Allaah’. This makes us think about the first blessing, which is Islam – i.e., whoever enters this blessed month of Ramadan should begin by reminding himself that Allaah initiated this blessing of Islam as a gift for him without asking for it.

Allaah bestowed Islam upon you without you seeking it, and He (Ta’ala) made Eeman beloved to you. He adorned it in your heart, and He made you dislike Kufr, disbelief, and disobedience – and this is why you are entering this month or living this life as a Muslim. This is one of the most important matters one should always remember and never forget; that it is Allaah, the Most Generous Who gives the gain (or achievement) before asking Him, Who blesses one to be a Muslim. When He gives one Islam, He has indeed bestowed His Favor upon him.

Therefore, one must remember this blessing and express gratitude by:

1. Continuously praising Allaah for initiating the Favor.

2. Praising Allaah for choosing him from among His creation for this Favor.

3. Increasing efforts to understand the perfection of Allaah’s Attributes.

One should be heedful of Allaah’s blessing of guiding him to Islam, making Eeman beloved to him, and adorning it in his heart – for, if all of creation were to exert themselves to open up their hearts or the hearts of others, and instill righteousness (or steadfastness) – even if they combined all their efforts – these hearts are (ultimately) between two fingers of the Most Merciful; He turns them as He Wills. If Allaah has turned one’s heart towards the love of obedience, then he should always be mindful of this – and of course, this should also make him aware that every act of obedience that he has ever performed came solely from Allaah’s Guidance, and no one else caused it. So, guidance is the first thing we remind ourselves of, and it is essential not to be heedless of it. We need to stay mindful throughout our lives that Allaah, the Most Generous, initiated His Grace upon us even before we asked for it. That’s to say, none of us asked, ‘O Lord, make me a Muslim.’ This speech is directed at the residents of Muslim lands; Allaah initiated this favor upon them. Think about others who had to begin searching for the truth and had to put in the effort until they were guided, while for the Muslim, Allaah, the Almighty cut short the path and facilitated goodness for him. This is a great favor that requires one to increase his Dhikr (remembrance), Shukr (gratitude), and praise for the Lord of the worlds.

The second lesson derived from the verse is His saying, “so that you may be successful.“ So, he who seeks success should always remain mindful and never be heedless of Allaah’s blessings. If heedlessness starts to creep in, one may begin to feel that it is natural to be a Muslim, natural to be a believer! As a result, he will not make any effort to protect his Eeman or be keen to increase the causes of Eeman.

Comparison of a Dhaakir to a Ghaafil

What does the Dhaakir remember but the Ghaafil become heedless of?

It is the blessing of Islam; that it is Allaah Who initiated the blessing of Islam. (And because of his remembering this blessing), a Dhaakir is grateful in his actions and deeds. Although gratitude is an extensive matter, it is important to focus on the state of the Dhaakir (mindful) and the Ghaafil (heedless) concerning the blessing of Islam. The Dhaakir, because he is mindful of Allaah’s blessing of Islam, seeks to increase his Eeman. Every day of his life, he seeks to grow his Eeman in “Who is your Rabb?” He learns about Allaah from His Book, and he learns about Who Allaah is from his life experiences. He reflects, gains certainty, and seeks conviction for himself. He thinks about “What is your Deen (Religion)?” So, every day, the Dhaakir increases his knowledge of the Deen which leads him to increased compliance (to the Deen) in actions of the heart and actions of the limbs. Each day he increases his knowledge about “Who the Noble Prophet is.” This is how a human being is; when he is mindful of the blessing of Eeman, he seeks to increase it.

The Ghaafil is negligent of the blessing of Eeman. He assumes that due to his upbringing in a Muslim land and his being identified as a Muslim on his identity card, he will exit this world and enter the gardens of bliss. What will happen to (the heedless) people who live in Muslim lands amongst the Muslims when they come on the Day of Judgment? A barrier with a door will be placed between them and the believers. Only the people of Eeman (faith) will pass through this door while the hypocrites will be left behind the door. The hypocrites will call out to the believers, “Were we not with you? Did we not sit in your gatherings and make Dhikr like your Dhikr, and pray like your prayers?” The people of Eeman will respond, “Yes! But you led yourselves into temptations, you looked forward to our destruction; you doubted (in Eeman); and you were deceived by false desires till the Command of Allaah came to pass. And the chief deceiver (Shaytaan) deceived you with respect of Allaah.” [Surat Al-Hadeed (57:14)]

“you were deceived by false desires“

– i.e., idle talk.

“till the Command of Allaah came to pass.”

– i.e., you were neglectful until death came unto you (i.e. the heedless)

“the chief deceiver deceived you.“

– Who did this? The Shaytaan.

Allaah gave an example of this group at the beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah when He set forth a parable where He categorized the people. He (Ta’ala) said:

مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَلَمَّا أَضَاءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَاتٍ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ

“Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it lighted all around him, Allaah took away their light and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see.” [Surat Al-Baqarah (2:17)]

(When the fire was lit), the fire brought Nur (light) – i.e., Eeman is this light. He saw everything as it truly was, he saw the world and its reality, he saw what the future held for him, and he thought that what he had seen once, twice, or even ten times – i.e., what he has sensed of the taste of reality and Eeman – he thought this attribute will stay with him permanently – so he left the fire without fueling it. Then Allaah extinguished his Nur (light).

This means that he believed that this Eeman would remain perpetually without interruption! But the reality is that a Ghaafil neglects his Eeman and does not examine it. He does not know whether it is increasing or decreasing, he does not know the sources of faith and does not know whether he is weak in his faith or strong in it. According to him, Eeman is simply a statement; his Eeman is neither on his tongue nor in his thoughts. This Ghaafil thinks that he is sharing the apparent rituals of the believers and hypocrites. He prays with the congregation, fasts with those who fast, and breaks his fast with them when the call of Maghrib is pronounced. The worshippers pray and he prays alongside them but what is the difference between the two?

“accompanied with Eeman and Ihtisaab” – This is the difference between the two. This is the crux of the matter: the problem is that the Ghaafil believes that because he is called a Muslim, he will remain Muslim regardless of weakness in his Eeman or his Eeman being deficient – it is all the same for him!

But (in reality), with regards to matters of Eeman, people are at different levels – like the levels in between heaven and earth – per their weakness or strength of Eeman. However, after extreme weakness, hypocrisy takes place. Therefore, when Allaah described them (the hypocrites) in Surat Al-Munafiqun, He said about them:

آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا

“They believed, and then abandoned faith.” [Surat Al-Munafiqoon (63:3)]

– they were believers, then they disbelieved.

In Surat An-Nisaa’ (4:137), Allaah (Ta’ala) says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا

“Those who believed, then disbelieved, then believed (again), and (again) disbelieved.”

They increased (in Eeman) and then left themselves heedless until they fell into doubt about the Religion. Moments of doubt passed over them, but they closed their eyes to it, continuing to accompany the Muslims in their actions, and they thought that only those in the lands of disbelief were considered disbelievers. They did not realize that heedlessness from Eeman could become a cause of its removal. One of the things that the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to ask for in his Du’aa was an ‘increase in Eeman’.

Accordingly, among the signs to know is who is a Dhaakir and who is a Ghaafil:

The sign of a Dhaakir is that he seeks an increase in Eeman for himself.

The sign of a Ghaafil is that he is neglectful of seeking an increase in Eeman.

The Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah believe that Eeman increases with acts of obedience and decreases with acts of disobedience.

One may commit acts of disobedience and still believe that his Eeman is intact – but this is one of the great deceptions of Shaytaan. That’s why it is told to the hypocrites, “You were deceived by false desires, till the Command of Allaah came to pass. And the chief deceiver (Shaytaan) deceived you.”

The Dhaakir knows that this blessing requires seeking an increase, while the Ghaafil neither feels so nor does he think about it or speak about it. He talks about the increase of everything in the world but does not talk about an increase in Eeman.

So, how does one seek to increase in his Eeman? This is because a characteristic of a Dhaakir is his seeking an increase (in Eeman).

An increase in Eeman comes through acts of obedience, and it begins with an increase in knowledge about Allaah through His Words and the words of His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

Means of Increasing Eeman (Faith)

1. The first way/cause to increase in Eeman is to know Allaah from His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

This is the most important cause of increasing Eeman absolutely. When someone reads the Qur’an, his goal should be to know who Allaah is, how He deals with His Awliyaa’ (believing close friends), how He deals with His enemies, how close He is, how responsive He is. For example, in Surat Al-Qasas, Allaah (Ta’ala) addresses the mother of Moses:

فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحْزَنِي ۖ إِنَّا رَادُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

“When you fear for him, then cast him into the river and fear not, nor grieve. Verily! We shall bring him back to you and shall make him one of (Our) Messengers.” [Surat Al-Qasas (28:7)]

And in (28:13), Allaah (Ta’ala) says:

فَرَدَدْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ أُمِّهِ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ وَلِتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

“So did We restore him to his mother, that she might be delighted, and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the Promise of Allaah is true. But most of them know not.”

So when one reads these verses, he says, ‘I bear witness that Allaah’s Promise is true and He will never break His Promise. He did not fail Umm Musa and he will not breach His Promise until the establishment of the Day of Judgment, and everything that Allaah has promised is true.’

When one reads about Allaah’s Promises, like how Allaah is with the patient and that He loves the pious. These promises surely find a place in one’s heart, and one will know that if one is patient, Allaah is with him, and if he is pious, Allaah will provide a way out of every difficulty for him. This should be the way of reading the Qur’an, to understand Who the Lord of the worlds is and how close He is – Glorified and Exalted be He.

Note:

If we are blessed with time to read the Qur’an in Ramadan, we should focus on knowing Allaah and not become distracted. Do not rush through your recitations, unsure of whether you should read quickly or take your time. You should spend as much time as possible with the Qur’an. Every time you recite a portion or make Dhikr, ask yourself, “What have I learned about Allaah (from this)?” This is what is required, not that you preoccupy yourself with concerns about “How many times should I complete it?” This, however, does not mean to abandon completing the Qur’an during Ramadan; rather it means increasing the time devoted to reading the Qur’an without haste. The Qur’an is not poetry; it is the Word of Allaah which was revealed upon the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). We are certain that whosoever recites it rightly will increase in Eeman. However, one’s Eeman increases when his knowledge of Allaah increases through his understanding of the Words of Allaah. And this is the characteristic of the Dhaakir, who remembers the blessing of Islam.

2. The second way/cause to increase in Eeman is by enthusiasm in worship with one’s heart and not being lethargic.

One of the factors that leads to an increase in Eeman is the eagerness to obey Allaah with a present heart and to increase one’s involvement/dedication of the heart in acts of worship such as when offering obligatory prayers. From day one (of Ramadan), one should be aware that he needs to start gathering his heart.

Make an effort to worship Allaah as you always have, pray the same prayers, and perform the same acts of worship, but with a present (attentive) heart because a lost (distracted) heart has no value in what it does, whether it is giving charity, praying, or any form of obedience.

3. The third way/cause to increase in Eeman is to do good to others for the Sake of Allaah, not for one’s ego.

Many people are concerned about their image in front of others and how they appear to people. So, a person does good for this one, and he talks well to that one, and he gives to this one – (but throughout,) his main concern is his image, and not that Allaah will look at him and be pleased. As a result, if he does good to people but that good does not earn him status or gratitude from people, he might retreat and regret his actions. But the one who does good to the creation to please the Lord also accepts the test of doing good to others. He says, “I did good for Allaah’s Sake.” So, if you do good for Allaah’s Sake, then be patient, and be prepared for a test. The test may involve that the person you’ve been kind to will treat you poorly and will not thank you. It is in this process that you’ll come to know whether you are sincere or insincere.

Second: The Blessing of Witnessing the Month of Ramadan

Allaah (Ta’ala) says in His Book about the blessing of witnessing the month:

فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ

“So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e., is present at his home), he must observe fasting that month…” [Surat Al-Baqarah (2:185)]

This is a great blessing that is not understood except by those who have lost someone before the month’s arrival due to death or health issues or due to lack of the ability (to fast), or even worse, loss of Eeman – and this type of loss should not be underestimated. Someone could be walking along the right path and be struck by an ailment that affects his heart i.e., doubt or something evil may occur in his heart, much like the whispers of Shaytaan that settle in the hearts of people. As a result, his heart may turn away from Eeman leading to a different state. We ask Allaah, the Turner of Hearts, to keep our hearts, the hearts of our descendants, and all Muslims steadfast on the Deen. Allaahumma Ameen!

To witness the month means that a person truly experiences the month while he is sound in his heart and physical body. This is a great blessing that should not be overlooked. Whenever you fast, do not complain, “I feel hungry”, “I feel thirsty”, or even complain that your feet hurt or that staying awake at night is tiring. These statements are only uttered by those who have disregarded and are heedless of the blessing of witnessing the month.  He who witnesses the month being healthy in both his heart and body knows that Allaah has granted him a healthy body to journey to Him in the various seasons.

The month of Ramadan has arrived as a season, and one should rejoice for having a healthy body because his soul which resides in his body will progress towards Allaah (during this month) covering a spiritual distance towards Him through prayers and fasting. If the body is healthy, Allaah has made it healthy and preserved it, and the limbs allow one to offer prostration and prayer. This is, by Allaah’s Grace, a blessing for which He should be thanked, and one should be mindful of. Moreover, if a sound heart has been granted a sound Aqeedah, then one has been granted an increase in Faith that helps one to contemplate those magnificent nights, i.e. how one’s prayers in this darkness will be a source of light in his grave, how one’s fasting will intercede for one when he meets Allaah, and how one will be under the shade of his Sadaqah (charity). This contemplation is Ihtisaab, and these thoughts don’t come except with Eeman.

The Dhaakir of this blessing of witnessing the month remembers that he has a sound body and heart untouched by physical ailments or spiritual deviations. He has entered the month of Ramadan as a lover, eager for this blessed month. He is bound to express Shukr (gratitude) to Allaah for this blessing. He, whom Allaah provides a long life, health, and a sound heart and he enters this month has indeed been granted a great blessing.

Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that two men from Bali accepted Islam with the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). One of them was martyred, and the other lived for another year after him. Ṭalḥah ibn ‘Ubayd-Allaah said: “I saw the one who lived an extra year enter Paradise before the martyr. I was amazed at that. In the morning, I mentioned it to the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), and he remarked: ‘Did he not fast Ramadan after him and pray six thousand Rak’ahs and such-and-such Rak’ahs of the Sunnah prayer?'” [Reported by Ahmad and authenticated by Al-Albaani who graded it Hasan Saheeh] Two individuals had embraced Islam together; one of them passed away as a martyr while the other one survived him by a year, and he did not die as a martyr. A third companion was amazed when he dreamt that the one who lived for an extra year entered Paradise before the martyr. (He was surprised) because he knew the significance of martyrdom. So when this third companion approached the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and described his dream, the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) remarked: “Did he not live for such and such years, pray such and such number of prayers, and fast during Ramadan?”

The point is that the extra year that the latter survived with good health, during which time he fasted and prayed, contributed to him surpassing the martyr. The key lesson here is not to be surprised by this outcome. The key lesson here is to understand that a long life when coupled with physical health and a sound heart is a blessing from Allaah; each day provides one with an opportunity for obedience, repentance, forgiveness of sins, and an increase in ranks – and his glorification and remembrance remain even after he dies. This is how one stays mindful of the blessing of the month of Ramadan. The Dhaakir remembers the blessing of witnessing the month, so he will be praising Allaah for increasing his lifespan, and he enters the month genuinely happy/joyful with the Blessing of Allaah.

On the other hand, he who is heedless of this blessing continues to count the days thinking about what he will do on the day of Eid, what his state will be like after the gathering on that day, what he will wear, etc.Therefore, the significance of those who remember the blessing of witnessing the month rejoice with the Blessing of Allaah. Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Yunus (10:58):

قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ

“Say, ‘In the Bounty of Allaah, and in His Mercy (i.e. Islam and the Qur’an); – therein let them rejoice.’ That is better than what (the wealth) they amass.”

What is the meaning of being Happy or Joyful?

Being happy means to feel that Allaah has blessed and bestowed something upon a person, and his heart expands because he can see that Allaah has blessed him. So the Dhaakir of this blessing of Ramadan remains joyful to welcome the month and he looks forward to it, as indicated in the Hadeeth when the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) gave glad tidings to the Sahabah upon the beginning of the month.

Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated: “The Messenger of Allaah said: ‘There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month, in which Allaah, the Mighty and Sublime, enjoined on you to fast. In it, the gates of heavens are opened, and the gates of Hell are closed, and every devil is chained up. In it Allaah has a night which is better than a thousand months; whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.'” [Reported by An-Nasaa’i no. 2106, and authenticated by Al-Albaani] The Ghaafil is heedless of this and does not think about the month nor fear its days; he thinks of getting through these days and is preoccupied with planning what he will do after the month!

Third: The Blessing of having the Ability to Fast

A person should remember and appreciate this blessing in his daily interactions which includes remembering those who are ill, those whom Allaah has granted life but whose bodies are too weak to engage in this act of worship, the fasting people who cannot even move their tongues during their fast. They are missing the enjoyment of this month. In many diseases that afflict people, a patient may manage to refrain from eating, but he loses his strength entirely until he places a date in his mouth to regain his strength. Thus, he spends the entire day without the ability to perform any act of worship. The one who remembers this blessing i.e., that Allaah has enabled him to make the most of his days of Ramadan by spending them in Dhikr (remembrance), Shukr (gratitude) and good deeds does not spend the day sleeping or the night awake, not even for Qiyam. This is because there are obligations to be fulfilled during the days of Ramadan; the priorities do not change the Qiyam al-Layl to be offered during Ramadan.

Qiyam al-Layl is Nafl (supererogatory) and brings one closer (to Allaah) but what about the Fardh (obligatory)? Fasting is an obligation during the daytime, and this means that a person will be closer by obeying Allaah during the day. So, if Allaah has enabled one with health and strengthened him to fast Ramadan, let him not forget what Allaah has blessed him with during the daytime in Ramadan; the ability to engage in acts of worship during the day. Let him not allow laziness to creep into his mind; instead, he should remember that the Most Gracious has bestowed him with the strength to spend the days in obedience. One should not assume that Qur’anic recitation is only for the night or think that the acts of worship are only reserved for the night.

– Let one recite the Qur’an while he is fasting

– Make Dhikr while he is fasting

– Engage in as many acts of worship as one can while he is fasting.

However, the Ghaafil is the sleeping one, who thinks that one of the perks of fasting is to sleep, although he is in good health.

So, the day of Ramadan is for Dhikr and Shukr along with fasting and obedience to Allaah, for Duha prayer, for Qur’anic recitation, for knowledge, and increasing Eeman. The longer one fasts, the greater his reward is. The blessing will come from planning the day. Long days of fasting means there is plenty of time for reciting the Qur’an, offering voluntary prayers, engaging in other activities like household work, etc. The ability to fast is a blessing, and there are some key points to consider.

The first thing for the fasting person to consider is that the daytime in Ramadan is an opportunity. As long as you have been blessed with health and the ability to fast, you should express your joy to Allaah for it, enjoy it, and make it a means of drawing closer to Him. When the time of fast draws near, remember that it is a blessing that your body is deprived of food and drink – allowing your soul to elevate. This will occur only if you are mindful of the blessing of fasting. However, if you are heedless your days of Ramadan will become a time for sleep.

The second point to consider is that the fasting person should feel the blessing of fasting and remain mindful that Allaah has freed his soul from the captivity of the body because the body has needs; it needs to eat, it needs to drink, and when it’s done with eating and drinking, it needs to relieve itself – and when it’s done with that – the cycle of eating and drinking will repeat throughout the day! Therefore, these desires should be suppressed for the soul to elevate and liberate from the needs of the body and achieve the purpose (of fasting). Therefore, we should not make the mistake of indulging our bodies in sleep while abstaining from food and drink. Rather, we should engage in more acts of worship for the soul to ascend higher.

As for the heedless, he is in one of two states: either he sleeps, or he is in a state of revenge for his hunger during fasting hours. Instead of his soul elevating, it is suppressed, and he is occupied with thoughts of what he will eat or do after Maghrib (i.e. after breaking fast). Unfortunately, he spends the day preoccupied with these thoughts, and in the evening, he is back in the prison of food and drink. This Ghaafil does not ask himself, “Why are you fasting?” The blessing of fasting is meant to alleviate one’s suffering and to have mercy on him by liberating him from the imprisonment of the body’s demands. If people change their policies and routines during Ramadan, they will remain imprisoned – and in a worse prison; when they spend all day indulging in their desires, and then seek revenge (for their hunger) at night, they end up losing the essence of fasting.

Fourth: The Blessing of being close to and having access to mosques

The blessing of having easy access to mosques to hear the call to prayer and attend Salaat in addition to the convenience of reaching al-Haram (in Makkah) and performing Umrah is a Favor from Allaah that He bestows upon whomever He wills. If one realizes what it’s like to be a Muslim in a foreign land, where its people do not pray, nor hear the Adhaan, one will then truly appreciate the blessings of living in a Muslim country. Allaah has made it easy for those Muslims who live in Muslim lands to hear the Qur’an and witness people gathering in congregations for acts of worship from the Fajr prayer to the Taraweeh prayer, wherever they go.

All of this is remembered by the Dhaakir. He says, ‘Allaah has blessed me with a land where His remembrance is abundant. My soul delights in hearing the voices of the worshippers, in hearing the Qur’an being recited everywhere, and in witnessing the congregants going and returning from the mosque. He finds love for the sake of Allaah in this blessing, the beauty of this blessing is seeing people going to the mosque even though one doesn’t know them, or know their appearances, their colors, their races, or anything else. But what connects the Muslim to them is their dedication to obey Allaah, and their heading toward His obedience, seeing the young ones gather for Iftar and seeing them rush to serve the fasting people, seeing them rush for ablution and prayer, and seeing them in worship. All this opens one’s heart and love supporting the Deen (Religion). Know that one of the significant signs of hypocrisy is having an aversion to the manifestations of the Deen (Religion), feeling constriction and aversion to the signs (aspects) of the Muttaqeen (those who fear Allaah) and the believers. On the other hand, the characteristic of the believers is pleasure with the outward manifestations of the Deen (Religion) and love for them. The believers know that it is all by the immense Grace of Allaah that they are not among strangers. There may come a time when people say, “We used to hear our fathers saying, “Allaah, Allaah,” meaning they do not even remember, “There is no deity but Allaah (Laa ilaha illa Allaah” anymore, they only remember, “Allaah, Allaah.” – this means that seeing people going to the mosques, listening to the Qur’an and caring for the Book of Allaah and seeing the outward manifestations of Eeman should result in joy in the heart. Remember that these believers are dear to you because they are believers. There is no bond between you and them other than Eeman.

As for the Ghaafil, often in such situations, he is preoccupied only with his desires and inclinations. For instance, they want to sleep during the time of Taraweeh prayers, and there’s a mosque nearby where the Qur’an is being recited, which they find bothersome. They might be annoyed by the cars of the Musalleen (those who pray in the mosque) parked in front of their home. So they dislike them for the sake of the worldly life. What’s correct is that they should have rejoiced in them because they are believers. They shouldn’t be heedless of the blessing of establishing and practicing the Deen. This is a blessing that is not realized/appreciated except by those who fast alone in a foreign land, barely finding another person to pray Taraweeh with!

Surely this must have an impact on people’s hearts when they find themselves as the only worshippers! Laziness is bound to occur in their souls. It should remind one of the Blessings of Allaah when he attends these mosques and hears these blessed sounds, and in this case, because these blessings energize the person to obey Allaah. Also being near al-Haram is a great blessing that Allaah should be thanked for. Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Al-Ma’idah (5:97):

جَعَلَ اللَّهُ الْكَعْبَةَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ قِيَامًا لِلنَّاسِ

“Allaah has made the Ka’bah, the Sacred House, an asylum of security andHajjand ‘Umrah(pilgrimage) for mankind.”

People continue to perform acts of worship around the Ka’bah including Tawaaf and Salaat all year round. If people were to abandon these acts, it would be the start of the removal of this blessing because Allaah has made al-Bayt al-Haram (the sacred House) a place for people to visit, and the Dunya (this world) will remain as long as the Ka’bah remains. The world will perish if people abandon the Ka’bah. This needs deep reflection – how millions of Muslims gather around the Ka’bah, and it continues to be a gathering point for humanity. Even though one may not always be able to reach it, one knows that it is a Blessing of Allaah that people continue to come to this place.

Conversely, the heedless people say, ‘It is too crowded and boring.’ When they go there, one finds them pushing others away, not realizing the blessing of having these places so close. All of this is the work of the Ghaafileen (heedless people), who are at risk of being close to hypocrisy because the believers find joy in the manifestations of Eeman, especially when their actions resemble the acts of the noble Prophet. When a group comes to the House of Allaah, they tread on the location where the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and all the prophets circumambulated. This group passes by Maqaam Ibrahim, witnessing the footprints of Ibrahim (Alayhis-Salaam) when he was building this ancient House. All these manifestations of Eeman make a person more certain that he is not alone, rather he is among those people who persist in righteousness. In any case, people are not treating this great blessing as it should be. As for discussing what happens in al-Haram, it can be heartbreaking, either because of what is witnessed of some people’s heart diseases i.e., displaying their arrogance and lack of manners, or because of their lack of care for this blessing.

Performing ‘Umrah during Ramadan – as is authentically known from Hadeeth and authentic sayings –is like performing Hajj with the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). So, if one is able to offer ‘Umrah, then he should stay mindful that this is a Blessing of Allaah – and whoever cannot perform the ‘Umrah, then his yearning will lead him to attain the rewards of it (for his intention) because the Lord of the worlds bestows upon His creations great gates (of rewards) if the slave is sincere and truthful in his longing of those righteous deeds. This is a great opportunity to wish for righteous acts which will result in rewards for those acts being recorded for the slave. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. Accordingly, the believer should remain mindful of the blessing of hearing the Salaat and the blessing of ease of access to mosques, and more so, the blessing of easy access to al-Haram. One should remain mindful that Allaah has blessed him to live in a time when the Deen (Religion) is not yet abandoned, but rather at a time when the Deen and even the Sunnah is established by the Grace of Allaah. And this is indeed a great favor, as the Salaf used to say, “We do not know which of these two blessings to be more thankful for i.e., that Allaah has guided us to Islam or that He has kept us safe from desires.”

All Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds that people are maintaining the Sunnah and are acting in accordance with it.

Ghaflah (Negligence and Heedlessness) of Seeking Help for Worship

A person, who has been blessed by Allaah with (the ability to) perform acts of worship, prayer, fasting, and devotion may mistakenly think that his ability to perform these acts is entirely due to his own effort. It is essential to not forget that it is Allaah Who blesses His creations, granting them even before they ask, gracing them with the strength for obedience before they even ask – especially when entering this blessed month. One should never forget that one’s ability and strength are weak to take benefit of this great opportunity. In this month, doors of rewards are opened as many as one’s breath. The rewards in this month are different from rewards during other times; they are multiplied in Ramadan – and one wants to seize this opportunity day and night – but is this in one’s capacity?

The answer is no, it is not within one’s capabilities or power. Usually what happens is that people enter the month with enthusiasm, but the enthusiasm wanes off even before they reach the tenth day. The enthusiasm is extinguished, although if a person were to increase in his acts of worship and obedience, his Eeman should have also increased. And if the Eeman increases, then each day should be better than the previous one, and accordingly, the tenth day should be better than the days that came before it – but the fact that they have reached this day but their progress has stalled, this means that they have neglected the concept of “La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billaah (There is no power and no strength except through Allaah).” They have neglected the worship of seeking help/assistance (from Allaah).

This is one of the things people often overlook. They sleep well and think this will prepare them for the next day. This is not correct; because if Allaah didn’t grant them the ability and strength, no matter how well they slept, it wouldn’t help them overcome laziness during their wakeful hours. This means that one of the characteristics of those who are heedless (the negligent ones) is that they are self-confident, while those who remember Allaah place their confidence in the Lord of the whole world. That’s why the most common supplication of the mindful people during Ramadan is “La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billaah” because they know they are not capable of fasting, standing in prayer, and contemplating the Qur’an in a way that pleases Allaah unless Allaah grants them the ability and strength. So, the heedless person relies on himself, while the Dhaakir relies on his Lord, and this distinction is well-known!

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ

“You (Alone) we worship,”

and this worship cannot occur except with,

وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

“You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).”

Fifth: Amongst the issues that are essential to be mindful of and not be heedless are:

Allaah looks at our hearts and not our physical appearance. Be mindful of this when you offer Salaat or worship Allaah, do not ever think about your appearance. It is reported in Saheeh Muslim from Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) that the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allaah does not look at your shape or your wealth, rather He looks at your hearts and your deeds.” [Muslim no. 2564c]

So when this heart remains distracted thinking about its day, its food, its drink, its sleep, its aspirations – and when he stands for prayer, the mobile rings, and throughout the prayer, he finds himself thinking about who this caller is or who sent the message! Such a person, even if he is standing in prayer physically, his heart has lagged – and Allaah looks at the hearts of His creation.

The Dhaakir is never neglectful of returning his heart every time it wanders; therefore, out of His Mercy, Allaah graces people per the condition of their hearts. So, the Dhaakir is aware that his heart is what matters, while the Ghaafil neglects his heart:

• People’s heedlessness of their hearts during their Salaat means that they are standing with their bodies, while their hearts are absent.
• People’s heedlessness of their hearts during the morning and evening Adhkar (morning and evening supplications), post-Salaat Adhkar (remembrance after the obligatory prayer), and at the time of general Adhkar – means that one needs to work on making his heart attentive/present. For example, the one who finishes his Salaat and says,

اللهم أنت السلام ومنك السلام

“O Allaah, You are the Peace, and from You is peace,”

The only one who knows Allaah’s Name “As-Salaam” and its meaning is the one whose heart is present during the Adhkar.

Similarly, when someone says after Salaat,

أستغفر الله

“I seek forgiveness from Allaah” three times,

For what is he seeking forgiveness? Did his heart sense any deficiency in his Salaat because of which he is seeking forgiveness three times? Therefore, one should not neglect his heart during Salaat, Siyaam, or Dhikr.

• Also, one should not neglect his heart at the time of Iftar (breaking the fast). The slave has two joys at this moment: the joy of eating – which is human nature – and the second joy is for completing the day. He is happy because he anticipates that he will find this fast (the reward for it) when he meets his Lord. He thinks deeply at this moment, “I will find the reward of this fast at a time when I’ll be in great need of it.” It is as if the slave takes the day and entrusts it to Allaah, he makes Ihtisaab and he will wait for Allaah to bring it out for him when the Scales are brought forth. He will wait to find it written in the scrolls, recited and sealed stating that he fasted on this day of this year. Therefore, do not be heedless at the time of Iftar, for it is a time that will benefit you. Therefore, one shouldn’t be heedless at the time of his fasts, his Salaat, and his Dhikr.

• Do not neglect the time between the Adhaan and Iqamah of every Salaat, for, it is amongst the times for acceptance of supplications.

• Do not neglect the moments when turning (over) sides in bed at night seeking Allaah’s help in obedience and to grant success throughout the month.

• Do not neglect supplicating for acceptance (of deeds) after every act of obedience, as this is one of the most important matters that must preoccupy the slave. 

Source:

Ramadan between Heedfulness and Heedlessness, by Shaikha Anaaheed As-Simeeri (Hafidhaha-Allaah)