AW111-Ramadhan the Month of Piety

Ramadhan the Month of Piety 1

Lecture Series: 111

RAMADHAN The Month of Piety

Extracts from the Discourse of: Honorable Shaykh

ہیلعہللتمح Shah Ḥakeem Muḥammad Akhtar

 2 Ramadhan the Month of Piety Dedication all his writings ہیلعہللتمح As per Shaykh Shah Ḥakeem Muḥammad Akhtar and compilations are collections of the benefits and blessings of the companionship of our spiritual mentors:

,ہیلعہللتمح Skaykh Shah Abrar-ul-Haq Hardoi and ہیلعہللتمح Shaykh Shah Abdul Ghani Phoolpuri .ہیلعہللتمح Shaykh Shah Muhammad Ahmad Pratapgarhi **** Details Topic: Ramadhan the Month of Piety ہیلعہللتمح Speaker: Honorable Shaykh Shah Ḥakeem Muḥammad Akhtar Date: Ramadhan 1979 to 2000 (1409-1420 Hijri) Supervision: Khanqah Imdadia Ashrafia, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Block-2, P.O. Box 11182, Karachi-75300, Pakistan E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +92.21.34972080 Cell: +92.316.7771051 Second edition: May 2015 (Sha‟ban 1436 Hijri) Publisher: Kutub Khana Mazhari, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Block-2, Karachi-75300, Pakistan **** Declaration We hereby endorse authenticity of all books of Honorable Shaykh Shah published under our supervision and ہیلعہللتمح Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar does not guarantee genuineness of Shaykh‟s books published without our written permission. Our dedicated team of professionals takes special care to achieve highest standards in printing, proof reading. However, if you come across any mistake, please do let us know so that it may be corrected in next issue.

Muhammad Ismail Head of Printing & Publication Department Khanqah Imdadia Ashrafia  Karachi, Pakistan

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Contents Foreword ...... 4 Ramadhan the Month of Piety ...... 5 Do not fear the month of Ramadhan ...... 5 In making Fast compulsory, the Mercy of Allah is evident ...... 6 A great reward for those who Fast ...... 7 Two occasions of happiness for those who Fast ...... 7 The virtues of partaking in Sehri ...... 8 Achievers and losers ...... 9 on the curse of Jibra‟eel ...... 9 ﷺ The Ameen of Prophet Muhammad The purpose behind making the Fast compulsory ...... 10 The exercise of staying with piety for a month ...... 11 The benefit of the company of the pious during Ramadhan ...... 14 Appreciate Ramadhan ...... 15 The four special actions of Ramadhan ...... 15 Virtue of reciting Kalimah 70,000 times and passing its reward ...... 16 Recitation of Qur‟an in Abundance...... 17 Excessive Du‟a ...... 18 The law regarding performing Taraweeh in lieu of payment ...... 20 A Sunnah of recital of The Holy Qur‟an ...... 22 A unique explanation of one of the laws of I‟itikaf ...... 22 The night of Qadr is according to the sighting of the moon ...... 23 Facts about switching off the light and making congregational Zikr ...... 24 A scholarly and love-filled explanation of Du‟a of the night of Qadr ..... 25 The first definition of Kareem ...... 28 The second definition of Kareem ...... 28 The third definition of Kareem ...... 28 The fourth definition of Kareem ...... 29 Acquire the blessings of the last days of Ramadhan ...... 30 The law regarding performing Nafl Salah in the Eidgah ...... 30 Avoid shaking hands and embracing in the Eidgah ...... 31 Do not become unhappy at the departure of Ramadhan ...... 32  The fervor of Ramadhan should not be short-lived ...... 33

4 Ramadhan the Month of Piety Foreword „Ramadhan the month of Piety‟ is a series of talks delivered during the ,ہیلعہللتمح month of Ramadhan by Honorable Shaykh Ḥakeem Muḥammad Akhtar during the period 1979 to 2000 (1409 to 1420 Hijri). He was blessed with the heart of the Truthful; those whose hearts are extremely close to Allah Ta‟ala. His soul was enriched with Divine love and he lit up many hearts throughout the world. He spread that Divine love through his inspiring discourses and advices.

His inner illumination was apparent externally too. This is the reason that when a person saw him, he would not want to turn his gaze away from Shaykh. When a person attended his discourse, he would forget the gatherings of vice and sin. The seeker would attach his ill heart to the splendid heart of Shaykh and would transform from a sinner involved in carnal and spiritual maladies to become a true lover of Allah.

His life‟s mission and concern was that the entire Ummah (Islamic world)

and become the carriers ﷺ practice upon the teachings of Prophet Muhammad of that light. With this concern in mind and filled with Divine love, he delivered numerous lectures but always kept the laws of Shari‟ah at the forefront and the points of Tasawwuf subservient. He used to say: “Tasawwuf means to fulfill the laws of Shari‟ah with love”. Fara‟idh holds the highest position in Shari‟ah and after Salah the second most important duty is Fasting.

This book is a compilation of a few lectures delivered by him and consists of various laws related to Ramadhan.

These books are being published through the effort and concern of his only .ہللہظفح son; Shaykh Muhammad Mazhar We make Du‟a that all the discourses of Shaykh Ḥakeem Muḥammad recorded on cassettes and CD‟s be published as soon as possible so ہیلعہللتمح Akhtar that the Ummah may benefit from them. May Allah Ta‟ala accept the transcribers, editors and translators of this lecture and make it beneficial for the Ummah. May it be a means of his perpetual reward, Ameen. 

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ْ ِ ِ ْ ِ ْ بِسم الل ا َّلحم ِن ا َّلح ی

Ramadhan the Month of Piety

ْ ْ ِ ِ ٌ ِ ِ ِ َ ِیْن ْ ْ اَ َْلم ُد لل َوکَف َو َس ََلم َعل ع َباده الّذ َ اص َطف اَ َّما بَع ُد ْ ِ ِمن ْ ْ فَاَ ُعو ُذ بِالل َ ال َّ شیط ِن ا َّل ِج ی ْ ْ ْ بِس ِم ا ِلل ا َلح م ِن ا َل ِح ی ّ ّ ۡ ٰۤ ِیۡن ۡ ۡ ِ ِ یاَیُّ َہا الَّذ َ ا َمنُوا اتَّ ُقوا ا َلل َو کُونُوا َم َع ال ّصدق َی ﴿۱۱۱﴾ (Al-Taubah: 119) ۡ ۡ و قال تعا ل یٰۤاَیہا الَ ِذ ین امنوا ک ِتب عل َ ۡیکم ال ِص یام َ َ َ َ َ ُّ َ ّ َ َ ُ ُ َ َ ُ ُ ّ َ ِ ِیۡن ِم ۡن ۡ ِ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ َک َما ُکت َب َع َل الَّذ َ قَبل ُکم لَ َعلّ ُکم تَ َّت ُقو َن ﴿ ﴾ۙ ۱۸۱ (Al-Baqarah: 183)

Do not fear the month of Ramadhan People fear the month of Ramadhan. A scholar announced in a village that Ramadhan is approaching and that the people will have to Fast. The people of this village were so ignorant, they asked: “what is Ramadhan?” he answered: “you will not be permitted to eat and drink from dawn till dusk and you will break the Fast at the time of sunset”. The villagers said: “so we will not be permitted to eat the entire day and not even drink?” He replied: “no”. They asked: “how does Fasting become obligatory?” He replied: “Ramadhan comes from the west (the direction where the moon appears) and then Fasting becomes enforced”. He did not use the word „moon‟. When they asked as to which direction it comes from, he simply replied that it comes from the west. They then asked: “which day will it come?” He replied: “it will come on the 29th or 30th of Sha‟ban (8th Islamic month) after the sun sets”.

The scholar departed from the village. On the 29th of Sha‟ban all the villagers grabbed their sticks with the intent of killing Ramadhan so that Fasting  does not become obligatory! So to kill Ramadhan they all went to the outskirts

6 Ramadhan the Month of Piety of the village on the western side, because he said that it appears on the western horizon. They see a person mounted on a camel at the time of sunset. They ask him his name and he says that his name is Ramadhan Ali. They all come to the conclusion that this is Ramadhan and he will enforce Fasting upon us, so they beat him severely. He somehow manages to escape without knowing the reason for receiving a beating.

The scholar returns to this village after a month and delivers a lecture. He enquires from the people as to whether they Fasted in the month of Ramadhan or not? They replied: “we did not allow Ramadhan to come; we beat him and chased him away!” In making Fast compulsory, the Mercy of Allah is evident

So Ramadhan is not a month to fear because the manner in which Allah has described the compulsory nature of Ramadhan is proof that Allah is Allah! He is A Ruler or dictator .ﷻ not merely a Ruler; He is also The Most Merciful will apply martial law; he will issue the command that observe the Fast otherwise I will have you skinned or buried, but Allah Ta‟ala tell us in such a beautiful manner: ۡ ۡ یٰۤاَیہا الَ ِذ ین ام نوا ک ِتب عل َ ۡیکم ال ِ صیام َکما ُّ َ ّ َ َ ُ ُ َ َ ُ ُ ّ َ َ ۡ ِ ۡ ۡ ِ ۡ ۡ ۡ ُک ِت َب َع َل الَّ ِذ ی َن من قَبل ُکم لَ َعلَّ ُکم تَ َّت ُقو َن O people of Iman, Fasting has been made compulsory upon you just as it had been made compulsory on those before you...

In other words, do not fear, it is not difficult. Shaykh Al-Ālūsī Al-Baghdādī writes in his commentary on the Qur‟an „Ruh al-Ma`ani‟ that by mentioning ہیلعہللتمح that Fasting was also made compulsory on previous nations, is a means to allay the fear and to make it easy upon us; it is not difficult and you will not die if you remain without food and drink from dawn till sunset because people before you have underwent this and survived. So O members of the Ummah of my beloved !do not fear, there is a little difficulty but the rewards are immense ,ﷺ Prophet If a person in this world knows that he will receive huge benefits for something, he will be prepared and willing to undergo any difficulty because his focus is on the rewards. As an example: It is the month of June (in Pakistan), the summer is  severely hot, there is a hot wind blowing and the government makes an

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announcement that whoever will walk till the end of city in the heat will receive a petrol/gas station worth five million in reward. Even those sitting in air conditioned apartments will not only forego the air conditioned apartments and will even go to the extent of cursing it (the air conditioner, in anticipation of the reward). A great reward for those who Fast

has written in Baheshti Zewar under the ہیلعہللتمح Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thānvi chapter of Fasting that on the Day of judgment Allah will call those who Fasted under His Throne and announce: O those who Fasted in Ramadhan, you are my guests because you suffered the pangs of hunger although you had food in your possession, you did not eat because of your fear for Me. Come under My Throne, a laden tablecloth will be laid for you.

On that Day when people will be reckoned with and their heads will be bursting with the severity of the sun, those who Fasted will be blessed with a tablecloth under the shade of the Throne.

Those who receive the shade of the Throne will not be reckoned with and those who will be brought forth for reckoning will not receive shade. Thus, receiving shade is a definite proof that they will enter Heaven because shade means no reckoning and reckoning means no shade. Two occasions of happiness for those who Fast

once said, there are two occasions of happiness for a Fasting ﷺ Prophet person; one is at the time of Iftar (post-sunset meal ending the Fast) and the other is on the Day of Judgment when that person meets his Lord. (Jami' at-Tirmidhi)

The person who does not Fast is deprived of the joy and pleasure that a Fasting person enjoys at the time of breaking the fast. By looking at the faces, a Fasting and non-Fasting person will be recognized. If a person did not Fast but is still partaking of Iftar because he does not want to lose out on the delicacies, his face will show that this wretched person had not Fasted. On the other hand, the face of a person who had Fasted will be filled with Noor (Light) and a glow.

An important point is that it is not permissible to miss Maghrib Salah in Jamat (congregational prayer) because of participation in Iftar invitations. If there is an invitation for an Iftar somewhere, some people call it Iftar parties and  there are all types of confectionery, a dish of fish, etc. do not miss out on prayer

8 Ramadhan the Month of Piety because of the Iftar. Break the Fast with dates and drink some water. After performing prayer in the Mosque, return and now eat in peace. There is no enjoyment in eating hastily (especially before prayer). So have an understanding with the host and tell him “Brother, we will perform prayer in congregation and thereafter whatever you present to us for Iftar, we will do justice to it! In this way the host will also be happy, otherwise he will fear that all the elaborate preparations will be wasted; so much effort went into cooking the items and now these people are leaving. So make an arrangement with the host before time that you will eat after Maghrib prayer is performed in congregation. Then return and eat well, even if it means missing the meal after Isha prayer. Also bear in mind that to eat so much at Iftar dinner that it comes to the throat when in prayer is not permissible! When proceeding for Sajdah (bowing down), the person says Allahu Akbar (Allah is Great). But at the same time the food inside is saying that my name is also „Big‟, I will come out first! What is the need to eat so much? Eat so much that Taraweeh (prayer offered only during Ramadan) can be performed comfortably. It must not happen that due to overeating the person becomes sleepy and now misses Isha prayer and Taraweeh, or in prayer he is experiencing acidy burps! Now he has to consume digestive medicines and soft drinks to speed up the digestion. Eat so much that it removes your hunger and you are able to digest easily. To overburden the stomach also is not permissible (Haram). The virtues of partaking in Sehri Those who love sleep or are kings of sleep say that we will Fast without partaking in Sehri (pre-dawn meal before commencing the Fast), but this is a :said ﷺ great deprivation because Prophet ٗ ْ ْ ِان الل و مَلئ َکتہ یص ُّلن عل المتس ِح ِر یْن َّ َ َ َ َ ِ َ ُ َ ّ َ َ َ ُ َ َ ّ َ Verily Allah sends his Mercies and the Angels make du‟a of forgiveness for those who partake in Sehri. (Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān) This is a marvellous system of the Mercy of Allah; the person is enjoying Sehri and at the same receiving Divine Mercies and Du‟a of forgiveness from the angels!

At the time of Sehri Shaytan (Satan) instils this fear that how will you  manage for the entire day, you will not be able to eat till sunset, so eat heavily,

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fill your first and second floor, and do not forget your basement, irrespective of whether you suffer from acidy burps throughout the day!

Do not overeat, trust in Allah and eat so much that can be easily digested. This will result in adequate strength for the body. I am telling you through experience that those who overeat with the idea that they will not feel hungry the whole day, experience more weakness and lethargy, their stomachs are upset, they suffer from acidy burps and feel extremely weak.

would have ﷺ If it was necessary to eat so much then Prophet Muhammad made it compulsory upon us. So do not overindulge in the Sunnah of Sehri that you become gluttonous.

This Sunnah of Sehri can be achieved by just eating a date and drinking some water. If there is nothing to eat for Sehri or a person does not feel like eating, then the Sunnah can be fulfilled by just having a gulp of water. Our Last made this Sunnah so easy so why do you burden yourself? Trust in ﷺ Prophet Allah and Allah Ta‟ala will make the Fast easy, so do not panic. Achievers and losers At the end of Ramadhan when the crescent is sighted, there will be two types of people; the one type is those who cried and shed tears of regret over their sins, got their sins forgiven and pleased Allah Ta‟ala. These are the forgiven ones and the achievers. The other type is those who are the losers; those who never left sin in this blessed month, never begged Allah for forgiveness, nor cried to please Him.

ﷺ The Ameen of Prophet Muhammad on the curse of Jibra‟eel (Gabriel)

for such wretched people. Once, He ﷺ There is a curse from Prophet placed his foot on the step of the Mimbar (pulpit) in Al-Masjid An-Nabawī and he said Ameen. When he took the second step he said Ameen and when he took the third step again he said Ameen. The Sahabah (companions of the Prophet ﷞ asked him regarding this. He replied: Jibra‟eel came and made three (ﷺ curses and I said Ameen (after each curse). The first curse was that wretched be  that person who has parents in old age and does not earn Jannah by serving

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has been ﷺ them, and I said Ameen. So the Ameen of Prophet Muhammad included in the curse of Jibra‟eel . So those who still have aged parents, make a promise today that you will serve them and make them happy.

Then He said that Jibra‟eel made the second curse; may that person be wretched who hears my name and does not recite Durood (phrases of salutation) upon me, and I said Ameen.

The third point that He mentioned is that Jibra‟eel said: wretched be that person who gets the month of Ramadhan, does not cry and secure his forgiveness, and I said Ameen. (Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān)

So, this Ramadhan cry and have the concern to please your Allah. The purpose behind making the Fast compulsory

Allah Ta‟ala explains the purpose of making the Fast compulsory. He says: ْ ْ لَ َعلَّ ُکم تَ َّت ُقو َن ...So that you may gain piety.

...So that you may practice to gain freedom from the slavery of the Nafs (inner self) and Shaytan. When you will refrain from eating Halal the entire day, then how will you be able to commit Haram (sins)? Tell me, is it permissible to drink water or not? Is bread Halal to eat or not? In this month you are given the training to refrain from Halal so that you may discard Haram easily.

If you fold a sheet of paper then wish that the crease-mark of the fold disappears, then you will have to now fold it the other way. In a similar manner, for the thirty days of the month of Ramadhan, Allah has redirected us and folded us the other way; do not eat Halal, do not drink Halal. When you develop the habit and strength of even refraining from Halal then undoubtedly you will refrain from Haram actions. Therefore Allah says that O you who believe! I have made the Fast Fardh (obligatory) upon you so that you may develop Piety, so that you may become My friends, so that you may come out of the slavery of Nafs and Shaytan and become obedient to Me. Allah has given the servants an invitation towards His friendship; He has extended His Hand of friendship towards His servants.

has written that the person who Fasts in Ramadhan ہیلعہللتمح Shaykh Zakariyya  and there is no bread and food in his stomach, (there is a famous saying: when a

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person has food in his stomach then he starts to jump), but in Ramadhan when his stomach is empty and still involves himself in sin like watching videos, cinema, gazing at women and lads, then understand that the reformation of such a person will not be achieved, he will not achieve a Piety filled life. The reason is that he is destroying the purpose that Allah has defined. Allah explains the purpose; I am making Fasting compulsory upon you so that you may leave sin and be blessed with a life of Piety, but you commit sin (during Ramadhan) and destroy the purpose of making the Fast Fardh.

Friends! If while a person is Fasting he still gazes at women, movies, videos, ْ ْ ;لَ َعلَّ ُکم تَ َّت ُقون or he dwells in dirty thoughts in his mind, then he is going against against the words: THAT YOU MAY GAIN PIETY. Allah is saying that I made Fasting Fardh upon you so that you become pious. During the Fast I prevented you from even eating Halal so that the Nafs becomes weakened and so that your soul becomes free from your enemy the Nafs. You do not have food in your stomach, you are affected by hunger and thirst, but O rebellious human, you are still intoxicated in the urges of sin! In Hyderabad I saw some lions that had not eaten for a good few days. They had become so weak that it seemed as if they could not even breathe properly. They were kept hungry so that they do not possess the strength to attack anyone. Similarly, the Nafs is kept hungry in Ramadhan so that it is unable to pursue sin and become attached to it. Anyway, a person should refrain from sin in Ramadhan and engage himself in Zikr, recitation of Qur‟an, Nafl Salahs (prayer) and other forms of Ibadat (submission). The exercise of staying with piety for a month used to say that no king is willing to refer to ہیلعہللتمح My Shaykh Abdul Ghani his subjects as his friends. Rather, he will say that they are my subjects. A landowner will not refer to those staying on his land as his friends. He will say that this is my land and refer to the people staying on his land as his tenants, even the clothes washer and the barber, but he will be embarrassed to call them his friends. On the other hand, Allah created us from a lowly substance and made us into humans, and then He blessed us with Iman (believe) and said to us that if you adopt Piety, then without any international laws and regulations, I will make you my friends! I am above all laws and regulations. International leaders do not refer to their subjects as friends but O My slaves and servants,  We are willing to make you Our friends. I am Kareem (Benevolent) and willing

12 Ramadhan the Month of Piety to place the crown of friendship on your heads. There is only one proviso; free yourselves from the slavery of Nafs and Shaytan and discard sin and disobedience.

So Allah made the Fast of Ramadhan Fardh that we may undergo this training and exercise.

The pious servants of Allah have written that better the Ramadhan of the person, the more Piety adopted, the more he adopts a pious life, then In-Sha-Allah (with Allah‟s will) its blessings will remain for the next eleven months. If the person disrespected Ramadhan and did not refrain from sin then for eleven months he will experience its ill-effects. So for the sake of Allah make the firm resolution and intention today, in fact, right now that you will not commit sin in this entire month.

,ہیلعہللتمح The former grand scholar of Pakistan Shaykh Muhammad Shafee Usmani may Allah fill his grave with Noor, composed a beautiful verse:

اظمل ایھب ےہرفتصِ وتہب ہن دری رک وہ ایھب رِگا ںیہن وجرِگارھپ لھبنس ایگ O oppressor of oneself! There is still an opportunity to repent so do not waste time That person has not (truly) fallen who fell and (immediately) corrected his position (stood up)

So make repentance now and make a promise that from today you will not look at a strange woman, you will not abuse your eyes, you will not watch videos, you will not speak lies, so much so that even your heart which is the house of Allah you will keep it clean from dirty and illicit thoughts. If a thought comes on its own, then it is forgiven but do not bring it deliberately and when it comes on its own, do not let it linger in the heart. Quickly meditate and ponder over Hell so that the thought disappears. In this way the heart and eyes will remain pure.

Sometimes Shaytan brings the thoughts of previously committed sins in the heart. At such a time ponder over the punishments of Hell, do not let this enemy (Shaytan) make progress.

If an enemy tells you that he wants to stay for half an hour in your house then you will say O enemy! You must be having a hidden agenda so I cannot  allow this! So do not bring others besides Allah in your heart, do not bring any

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attractive person in your heart.

one of the spiritual ,ہیلعہللتمح A couplet by Shaykh Azeez-ul-Hasan Majzoob :ہیلعہللتمح successors of Shaykh Thānvi ت اکنول اید ونیسحں یک دل ےس اے ذجمو بؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔ دخاؔ اکؔ رھگ ؔ ےئپؔ قشعؔ ُ باں ںیہنؔ وہات Remove the remembrance of the beauties from the heart O Majzoob It is the house of Allah and not the place of love of idols

The heart is the house of Allah and not a temple of Benares. Make it your Ka‟bah, in other words, keep the Owner of the Ka‟bah (Allah) in your heart, then In-Sha-Allah your heart will remain in peace.

No one in this entire world is more capable than Allah to grant our hearts peace and tranquility, in fact, no creation has the power to do this.

Make a promise in your heart for this one month and you will develop such Noor that Insha Allah even after Ramadhan you will not want to lose that Noor. A person who is used to staying in bright light; for example, he stays in light of one thousand watts, when he is placed in forty watts of light, it will feel like load shedding (although there is still light). So just stay in the bright light of Piety for one month. For one month easily make the Nafs understand; O Nafs, a promise is being made that no illicit gazes, no lies, no backbiting, and females will promise they will not emerge without Hijab (veil), they will only emerge properly clad and with Hijab, they will also not speak lies, no backbiting, no videos and television in the homes, etc. Make a promise for a month and say to Allah daily: O Allah! We are enduring this month with Piety. Accept the Piety of this month and keep us on Piety for the next eleven months!

The right of this month which has come in my heart is that I encourage you to prepare for this month. Tighten the reins on the horses of your Nafs so that this one month is sacrificed for Allah. In-Sha-Allah, for one month your Nafs will agree and say that never mind, accept this advice, it is only for a month. In-Sha-Allah the effect of this will be that when you remain in the Noor of Piety for a month, then you will not have the courage to commit sin after Ramadhan too. Your affinity with darkness will come to an end and it will not be surprising ْ Adopting تَقو ى ِفى رم َضان that because of honoring and respecting Ramadhan and َ َ ْ تقو ى ِفى كل زمان Piety in Ramadhan, Allah grants َ َ َّ ُ َ Piety at all times. Similarly, those who protected their gazes in the holy cities of Makkah and Madina, Allah granted ْ ْ تقو ى ِفى الـحرم  them the guidance to protect their gazes elsewhere too. َ َ َ Piety in the

14 Ramadhan the Month of Piety ْ ِ .(Piety in Ajam. (all places besides Arab تَقوى فى ال َع َجم Haram became a means of So in the same way, Allah can make Piety in Ramadhan the means of Piety in the other months besides Ramadhan and for all times. Thus wherever you may be, you will stay with Piety In-Sha-Allah. Tell me; didn‟t the road now become easy? So everyone make this pact and promise with the Nafs and start practicing to stay in the bright light of Piety. Constantly make Du‟a in the accepted moments. Practice to stay with Piety in this month, protect your gaze so much that even a single gaze is not abused. Then there is hope in the benevolent Being of Allah that through the blessings of respecting the month of Ramadhan, He will grant us Piety throughout the remaining eleven months. The benefit of the company of the pious during Ramadhan If Allah Ta‟ala grants Taufeeq (guidance), spend the month of Ramadhan in the company of a pious person, double engines will be attached to your soul. When the train goes to Quetta (a city in Pakistan), two engines are attached to the coaches; one in the front and one in the rear, because the area is extremely steep. The one in the back pushes and the one in the front pulls. So may Allah grant us two engines too. We are going to strange places and it is possible that we get affected by the glitter and glamour there. To save one self, meditate over Hell so that the blade of the fire cuts into the heart and meditate over Heaven so that the enthusiasm for Heaven pulls. This is the reason that Allah has elucidated on the details of Paradise, so that a person realizes that the restrictions and efforts in this world is for a short time, thereafter he will receive eternal comfort.

The company of the pious is a gift related to place and Ramadhan is a gift related to time. When Ramadhan is spent in the company of the pious, two engines are now attached; the engine of time and the engine of place, resulting in traversing the path of closeness unto Allah very swiftly. This is the reason that the pious gather their students at their respective places in Ramadhan. Great ہیلعہللتمح and senior scholars also would stay in the company of Shaykh Zakariyya but only those with concern (for their spiritual ,ہیلعہللتمح and also by Shaykh Thānvi selves) and those who had this thirst would go. Without the proper thirst and desire, nothing is achieved in this world. 

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Appreciate Ramadhan Through recitation of Qur‟an, Zikr and contemplation, respect and honor the sanctity of Ramadhan. Stop futile talks with friends, stop reading newspapers and occupy yourself with recitation and Zikr. Shed tears and please Allah. After asking everything from Allah, add the following: O Allah, We ask You from You and bless us with those actions through which we can gain You.

Now I will discuss those actions that should be done excessively during Ramadhan. The four special actions of Ramadhan People inquire that which Zikr should we recite in Ramadhan? has advised us regarding this then there is absolutely no need ﷺ When Prophet to search for other Zikr. There is no better Zikr than Zikr taught to us by Regarding the actions to be done excessively in the blessed month .ﷺ Prophet :is as follows ﷺ of Ramadhan, the honorable advice of beloved Prophet 1. Excessive recital of

آل ِا َ ل ِا َل ّ الل La Ilaha Illallah

The pious mentioned that excessive will mean at least three hundred times, because plural in Arabic begins from three. 2. Excessive Istighfar (forgiveness). 3. Abundantly asking for Paradise. 4. Abundantly seeking refuge from Hell.

There are many Du‟as mentioned in Hadeeth related to asking for Paradise and seeking refuge from Hell. Here is one of them: ْ اّللم ِا ِ ْ ن ا ْسئلک اْلن َۃ وما قرب ِال ْی ہا َ ّ ُ َّ ّ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ O Allah! I ask you for paradise and for those actions that will take me towards it. اّللم ِا ِ ن اع ْوذبِک ِمن النا ِر وما قرب ِال ْیہا َ ّ ُ َّ ّ َ ُ ُ َ َ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ O Allah! I seek your protection from the fire and from those actions that will take me towards it.  (Sunan Ibn Mājah)

16 Ramadhan the Month of Piety Virtue of reciting the Kalimah seventy thousand times and passing its reward

has written the following Hadeeth in Mirqat ہیلعہللتمح Shaykh Mulla Ali Qari the commentary of Mishkat with reference to Shaykh Muhiyyuddeen Ibnul :said ﷺ that the Last Prophet ہیلعہللتمح Arabi ْ ْ م ْن ِ ِ ْ ِ ً ِ ٗ َ قَا َل َلا َل ا َّلا ُلل َسبع َی اَلفا ُغ َِف َل Whoever recites La Ilaha Illallah seventy thousand times will be forgiven. After quoting the Hadeeth, he writes: ٗ ٗ وم ْن ِق ْیل ل غ ِِف ل ا یْ ًضا َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ And whoever it is recited for will also be forgiven.

If it is read and passed on, that person will also be forgiven. He has related the following incident in substantiation:

A youth who was a Waliullah (friend of Allah) and was known to receive Divine inspiration came to him. He suddenly started crying so Shaykh Ibnul asked him “O youth why are you crying?” He said: “I see my mother ہیلعہللتمح Arabi says that I ہیلعہللتمح undergoing punishment (in the grave).” Shaykh Ibnul Arabi immediately passed on the reward of seventy thousand La Ilaha Illallah to his mother and prayed in my heart that O Allah, the seventy thousand La Ilaha Illallah which I have recited and not passed on to anyone yet, grant it to the mother of this youth. The youth started laughing whereas the Shaykh did not say anything verbally but made the Du‟a in his heart. The youth was known for receiving Divine inspiration and he began laughing. The Shaykh asked him his reason for laughing. He replied: “I now see my mother in the best of places (Paradise)”. The Shaykh says: ْ ْ ْ ْ ِ ْ ِ ِ ْ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ْ ِ فَ َعلم ُت َّص َۃ ہ َذا ا َْلد یث بِص َّح ۃ َکشف ٖہ َو َّ ص َۃ َکشف ٖہ بِص َّح ۃ ہ َذا ا َْلد یث I recognized the authenticity of this Hadeeth through the inspiration of this youth and the authenticity of his inspiration through this Hadeeth. (Mirqat, Sharh Mishkatul Masabeeh) He had faith and belief in this Hadeeth from before, but now it increased.

Therefore I say: 

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ہن اجےن ؔالبےلؔایپ سکؔ ڑھگیؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔوترہاجے یتکت ڑھکی یک ڑھکیؔ It is unknown when the beloved will summons you You may be caught unaware, dumbfounded, astonished

Recite five hundred La Ilaha Illallah daily, it will take approximately twenty- five minutes only. After every few add: ٌ مـحمد رس ْول الل ُ َ َّ َّ ُ ُ Muhammadur Rasulullah.

When beginning the recital of La Ilaha Illallah, meditate that your La Ilaha Illallah is reaching The Great Throne (of Allah) because this glad tiding has been given by the leader of all the Prophets who is absolutely truthful and there is no one more truthful than him. He said: ِ ِ ْ ِ ٌ ْ ِ َل ا َل ا َّل ا ُلل ل َی َس َ ََلا ِحَاب ُدون َالل There is no barrier between La Ilaha Illallah and Allah. (Mishkatul Masabeeh) There is a beautiful verse related to this:

اگنہِ قشع وت ےب رپدہ دیتھکی ےہ اےس رخد ےک اسےنم اب کت اجح ِب اعمل ےہؔ Eyes of love (filled with Divine love) see Him (Allah) without a barrier But when so called intellect is brought in-between then the entire world (everything) becomes a barrier

When you have this picture in mind that my La Ilaha Illallah is reaching The Great Throne and meeting Allah Ta‟ala then will that not be pleasurable?

By reading five hundred times La Ilaha Illallah daily you will complete seventy-five thousand in five months. Every five months pass this reward to a family member; father, mother, paternal grandfather, paternal grandmother, maternal grandfather, maternal grandmother etc. You will be left with a balance of five thousand. In fourteen months it will add up to seventy thousand and you can store this for yourself. So make Zikr in Ramadhan and through it, you will be arranging a means of forgiveness for your relatives. Recitation of Qur‟an in Abundance

.would revise the Qur‟an with Jibra‟eel during Ramadhan ﷺ Prophet  The revision of the leader of the Prophets was with the leader of the Angels.

18 Ramadhan the Month of Piety Seniors deal with seniors. On the one side the leader of the Angels and on the other the leader of all the Prophets. Jibra‟eel is the leader of all the Angels is the leader of all the Prophets. These two revised the Qur‟an ﷺ and Prophet during the month of Ramadhan. So revising the Qur‟an is the Sunnah of both Thus the revision done by the Huffaz .ﷺ Jibra‟eel and the Messenger and ﷺ during Ramadhan is established in Sunnah; Sunnah of the Messenger Sunnah of Jibra‟eel .

and Jibra‟eel revised Qur‟an with each other in ﷺ Because Prophet Ramadhan, so this Sunnah should also be established. My second Shaykh when sitting on a plane, would say that revise a Surah at a ,ہیلعہللتمح Abrar-ul-Haq time with each other. In this way by instructing that revision be done with each other, whether Surah Fatihah or any other Surah of Qur‟an, he would establish this Sunnah. Excessive Du‟a The Blessed month of Ramadhan begins as soon as the crescent is sighted. Allah Ta‟ala instructs those angels who carry the throne, to stop reciting the Zikr of Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, rather, start making Du‟a for those of My servants who are Fasting on earth and say Ameen to their Du‟as. So in these days lengthen your Du‟as, when you lift your hands, keep them lifted (for a long time). Ask for as much as you can from the treasures of that Benevolent Being, ask for wellbeing in this world and thereafter. Ask him for the greatest treasure; O Allah, make us from among Your friends, so that when you are presented to Allah after death and questioned as to what you have brought, you may answer: I gained You (Allah) abroad (in the world) and I have brought You to You.

would hold the cover ہیلعہللتمح Our spiritual great grandfather Shaykh Imdadullah of the Ka‟bah and recite the following couplet:

وکےئ ھجتےس ھچک وکےئھچک اماتگن ےہؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔ ایہل ؔںیمؔ ھجتؔ ےسؔ بلط اگرؔ ریتاؔ Some ask for something and others ask for something else O my Allah, I ask You from You O Allah, the entire creation presents their needs to You and ask from You, but O Allah, I ask You from You, I do not have a greater need than this because the one who has attained Allah has received more than both worlds.  This is the couplet of Akhtar (mine):

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وہ ؔاشہ ؔدو اہجں سجؔؔؔدلؔ ںیمؔ آےئؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔزمے دوونںاہجں ےس ڑبھ ےک اپےئؔ When that King of both worlds enters someone‟s heart (The person) experiences more pleasure than both worlds

The value of Allah is more than both worlds. If a person acquires both worlds, will it be equivalent to the value of Allah? So the person who acquires Allah has acquired more than the pleasure of both worlds, nothing can be compared to Allah. So ask from Allah excessively in this month, ask (make Du‟a) at least thrice a day and this is the minimum. Just as you go into Sajdah and cry and plead when you are afflicted with a sickness or calamity; O Allah make me better, improve my condition, in the same way, ask and plead from Allah in Ramadhan.

My grandson repeatedly tells me: “Dada (grandfather), give me a note” (money) then remains quiet for a while, while I am busy answering correspondence or involved in some work. After a while he will repeat his plea. He will repeat his plea after every short while and will not let me focus on my work. In the same way, continuously ask from Allah Ta‟ala, Du‟a is accepted after it is being asked excessively and repeatedly.

Ask excessively in this month; for your reformation, to remove sadness, grief and concerns, and what is the greatest concern? It is that not even one breath be spent in the displeasure of Allah. Listen carefully, it is necessary that all of you ask this Du‟a: O Allah, accept every breath of mine in your obedience and grant me the guidance to sacrifice every breath in Your obedience. The second Du‟a is: O Allah, Do not let even my one breath be spent in Your disobedience. If we spend even one breath in Your disobedience, that moment is a moment void of blessings and it is a wretched moment. What greater treasure can be achieved than a person who pleases his Lord at all times and does not displease his Lord for even a moment? So in these days (of Ramadhan), ask these Du‟as at the time of Sehri, wherever the Qur‟an is being completed, there too, and before Iftar. When the tablecloth is laid and laden with chilli bites, savories, drinks and other goodies, Allah is seeing that my servant is eyeing all the goodies, but is not even touching them. He waits for the words Allahu Akbar of the Athan, i.e. the words of My greatness, and when the command of Allah is there, then only will he break his Fast. gave glad tidings that Du‟a is ﷺ  Regarding this obedience, Prophet

20 Ramadhan the Month of Piety accepted before Iftar. So just prior to Iftar, ask everything from Allah, and what do you ask for first? Ask for the greatest gift; O Allah, I ask You from You. If we receive You then we have received everything. Tell me, if a father is happy with a son, will he not try to please the son too? So when the Lord is pleased with someone, will He not please that servant?

ارگ وت ریما وتبس ریما کلفریما زںیم ریمیؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔؔارگ اکوت ںیہن ریما وت وکیئ ےش ںیہن ریمیؔ If You (Allah) are mine then even the skies are mine, the earth is mine And if You are not mine, then absolutely nothing is mine

The person who acquires Allah has acquired everything; here and in the hereafter. Through the blessings of the name of Allah, he will be happy on straw mats. On the other hand, the person whom Allah is displeased with, although in the comfort of carpets and air conditioning, he will commit suicide, consume heroin and intoxicate himself. So this is the Du‟a to make before Iftar. Secondly, wherever a completion of Qur‟an takes place, make Du‟a there. Thirdly, make Du‟a in the middle of the night after eating Sehri. Wake up for Sehri, brush the teeth with Miswak, wash and after eating Sehri make Wudhu (ablution) and perform two Rakats Salah. What is so difficult in this? You have to wake up and you do not find it very difficult to wake up for Sehri because the stomach is telling you to give it something to fill it otherwise you will remain hungry, so for Sehri a person hastily wakes up. So now make Wudhu and perform a minimum of two Rakats Tahajjud prayer and ask from Allah. Also recite one section daily of Munajat Maqbool (compilation of Du‟aas taken from Qur‟aan and Hadeeth by Shaykh .any time during the day (ہیلعہللتمحThānviؔ The law regarding performing Taraweeh in lieu of payment The status of a Hafiz (who completely memorized the Qur'an) is tremendously elevated; they are from the nobles of the Ummah. They should not sell themselves like horses in Ramadhan. My second Shaykh Abrar-ul-Haq said that in the city of Hyderabad Deccan in India a market is set up in the month of Sha‟ban (8th Islamic month) and is referred to as the market of the Huffaz (plural of Hafiz). The Huffaz gather here and the rich people come to this market. They listen to a bit of Qur‟an recital of the Hafiz then ask: how much money do you  want? The Hafiz will say five thousand. The rich man will say that it is too

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much; your rate is too high so lower it. In this way they will haggle and negotiate a deal. Thus this place is called the market of the Huffaz.

It is written in the eleventh part of Bahishti Zewar that if a Hafiz is not willing to lead the Taraweeh without payment then perform Taraweeh with the Surahs from Surah Al-Feel. To take and give payment in this instance is Haram. If a Masjid cannot find a Hafiz who will lead the Taraweeh without payment, then read the Surahs in Taraweeh. It is a compulsory Sunnah to recite the entire Qur‟an in the Masjid in Taraweeh but it is Haram to pay a Hafiz and Qari for this. Thus it is not permissible to acquire a compulsory Sunnah by resorting to a Haram act. In this case the compulsory Sunnah will be waived. In this case it will be better to read from Surah Al-Feel in Taraweeh. I say this in the Masjid that the Hafiz who builds up the courage to perform Taraweeh without payment, In-Sha-Allah, Allah will give him so much from the unseen, he will also perform Haj and Umrah and such means of sustenance will materialize that he will be astonished. Please Allah and see (the results)!

There was a Hafiz here by me who lead the Taraweeh and never took payment, nor took the clothes that are usually given whereas he was in dire need of money. His father had passed away and he had a young sister. He was crying day and night to get her married. Friends, what can I say, this morning a person came with seventy thousand Rupees and gave it to him whereas he never asked from anyone! Therefore Wallah! I am saying this in the Masjid, practice on Shari‟ah (Islamic Principles) and please Allah, then experience the blessings that Allah will give in even a little sustenance.

It is not permissible to perform Taraweeh behind a Hafiz who takes payment. It is not permissible at all to take payment for leading Taraweeh. Some say that “I am not asking for myself but give something towards my Madrasah”. It is written in the books that this too is a type of payment, even if he took it for the Madrasah. If he never read Taraweeh then he would not have received a „donation‟ for the Madrasah. Thus this „donation‟ is in lieu of his recital. Some Huffaz say that we performed Taraweeh with sincerity and the giver gave with sincerity. Now ask him that if in a certain year you did not perform Taraweeh in the particular Masjid, then too will the Masjid committee send you a money- order with that money? Then you will come to realize whether they gave it with sincerity or whether it was a payment for the Qur‟an recital. 

22 Ramadhan the Month of Piety A Sunnah of recital of The Holy Qur‟an

was ﷺ It is narrated from Sayyidina Abdullah Ibni Abbas ﷞ that Prophet asked regarding the most beloved action unto Allah. He replied: ْ ْ ْ اْلال و الُم َ َِتل َ َ ُّ َ ُ ُ (Jami' at-Tirmidhi) This means when a person completes the recitation of the entire Qur‟an, he immediately begins again by reciting Surah Al-Fatihah and the first few verses of Surah Al-Baqarah.

Gratitude unto Allah that in this Masjid of the Khanqah, four Qur‟ans have been completed in Taraweeh and when completing the Qur‟an, Surah Al-Fatihah and the first few verses of Surah Al-Baqarah are recited in the last Rakat. May Allah Ta‟ala accept and may Allah reward the Hafiz also who recited for the sake of Allah without payment. So whenever you complete the Qur‟an, adopt this method; after completing Surah Al-Nas recite Surah Al-Fatihah and the first few verses of Surah Al-Baqarah because this is a beloved action. A unique explanation of one of the laws of I‟itikaf This verse has been revealed regarding those who are in I‟itikaf: ۡ ۡ ۡ ِ ۡہن ۡ ۡ ِ ۡ ِ ِ ۡ ِ ۡ َو َل تُ َباِشو ُ َّ َو اَن ُُت ٰع ُفو َن ۙ ِف المس ِجد ؕ تل َک ح ُدو ُد الل فَ ََل تَقربو َہا ؕ ُ َ ُ َ ُ کذ لِک یب ِ ی الل ا ی ِت ٖہ لِلناس لعلَ ُۡہ یتق ۡون َ َ ُ َ ّ ُ ُ َّ ِ َ َ ّ ُ َ َّ ُ َ (Al-Baqarah: 187) And do not have sexual intimacy with them while you are staying in mosques for I‟itikaf. These are the limits set by Allah, so do not go near them. Thus Allah manifests his signs to the people that they may be pious.

Allah Ta‟ala says that do not have sexual intimacy with them (your wives) while you are in I‟itikaf in the Masjid. These are the limits set by Allah, so do not go near it in transgression. In this manner Allah manifests His signs to the people so that they may adopt Piety.

The question arises that how is it possible for a man in I‟itikaf to have sexual relations with his wife while he is in I‟itikaf?

In some villages there is only one man in I‟itikaf, but because Allah is  addressing the entire Ummah, the plural form has been used in the verse. So

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now there is only one person in I‟itikaf in a certain village, his wife brings his food and his Nafs becomes aroused, thus Allah has forbidden sexual intimacy while in I‟itikaf.

In this same verse, Allah has also mentioned a solution to save oneself. This is how merciful Allah Ta‟ala is; He instructs us and thereafter gives us the means to easily practice on the instruction, this is His compassion.

A medical practitioner is bound by law to give the prescription but he is not bound to make it easy for the person. On the other hand, a kind and compassionate practitioner after prescribing bitter medicines will write in the end that sugar candy or sherbet banafsha (a sweet drink made of violet flowers) should be added to make the medicine palatable. May we be sacrificed for Allah, Allah said: THESE ARE THE LIMITS SET BY ALLAH, SO DO NOT GO NEAR THEM, and then made it easy for us. By saying that DO NOT GO NEAR THEM Allah is telling us that if you are alone in I‟itikaf then do not allow your wife to bring your food, rather ask someone else to fetch it, for there is a possibility that you may slip because of her presence.

So make this intention that you will not commit sin in this month and those who are blessed with guidance should sit in I‟itikaf. In our Masjid during the delivers lectures ہللہظفح days of I‟itikaf either I or Shaykh Muhammad Mazhar morning and evening but you are not compelled to sit here in I‟itikaf, sit wherever you wish, there are no restrictions in this regard. The night of Qadr (better than 1000 months of worship) is according to the sighting of the moon

There is a difference in the nights of Qadr in different countries. The night of Qadr is according to the sighting of the moon; Qadr will be according to the sighting of the moon in that particular country. One is the presence of the moon and the other is the sighting of the moon. The moon is always present so dates are not established by the presence of the moon, it is established by the sighting of the moon. Allah has the power to grant the virtues and blessedness of the night of Qadr according to when the moon was sighted in that particular country. So perform Ibadat on the odd nights in accordance with your country, the power of Allah is great and limitless and He does not need a means of transport to let His special focus and blessings reach any country. 

24 Ramadhan the Month of Piety The facts about switching off the light and making congregational Zikr

I received a phone call today and I was told that a certain Imam switches off the light in the Masjid on the odd nights, cries profusely and makes the congregation cry. Did this method of extinguishing the light and crying in congregation exist in the time of the Sahabah ﷞? I asked them if they had consulted with a senior scholar on this issue and they said yes. I asked them what did the scholar say and they replied that he said that this is a Bid‟ah (self-innovation).

Then I said to them that there is a Hadeeth in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: ْ ٗ رج ٌل ذکَر الل خال ِ ًیا ففاضت ع ْیناه َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ A Muslim who cries in solitude due to the fear of Allah, due to his sins, due to the severity of the Day of Judgment and the heat of Hell and due to the fear of punishment, even if it is a few tears, such a person will be granted the shade of the Throne of Allah on the Day of Judgment. So the stipulation is that the person cries in solitude, thus the one tear in solitude is superior to the crying of a himself attached ﷺ bucketful in public and in a gathering because Prophet value to the tears in solitude, but this does not mean that crying in a gathering is Haram. If you are sitting in a gathering and the tears come then cry without hesitation, sometimes some people cry in my lecture. In other words, do not do this in an organized fashion that the light is switched off (in the Masjid) and people are specially coming from far distances to cry. This now resembles a special occasion.

A lady said that her husband is a scholar and Imam of a Masjid. He makes everyone cry on the 27th night. He tells me to look through the glass and to make the unique sound of crying so that other ladies may also cry. She says that she cannot do this mimicry; it is very difficult for her. One is original crying and the other is imitating and putting up an act! If these were beneficial and favorable, would have gathered the Sahabah ﷞ on the odd nights, would ﷺ then Prophet have cried and made them cry. If he had done this even once in his life, it would not have been hidden from us because Allah says that His Prophet is not miserly in granting benefit to the Ummah. So if this was commendable then undoubtedly he would have taught this to us!  Friends, if you have the eagerness to cry then to ask for your pardon from

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sins and secure your forgiveness, cry, and if you cannot cry then make your face :said ﷺ like a crying person. Prophet ِ ْ ْ ِ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ اب ُُکا فَان لَّم تَب ُُکا فَ َت َبا َکوا (Sunan Ibn Mājah) This means that if you cannot cry then make your face like a crying person and you will be counted among those who cry, so do not be grieved if you cannot cry. Alhamdulillah, the light is not extinguished in our Masjid and we are safe from such „crying‟. If someone is able to cry then he should cry, otherwise make his face like a crying person. A scholarly and love-filled explanation of the Du‟a of the night of Qadr taught us a Du‟a to be recited in the odd nights. Can you even ﷺ Prophet fathom the greatness of a Du‟a taught to us by this great Messenger? The Messenger is great, the occasion is the night of Qadr, the Du‟a is priceless, so imagine the worth and weight of this Du‟a!

The Du‟a is: ٌ ْ ْ ْ اّللم ِانک عفو کَر یْ ٌم َِتب العفو فاعف ع ِ ْ ن َ ّ ُ َّ َّ َ َ ُ ّ ِ ُ ُّ َ َ َ ُ َ ّ (Jami' at-Tirmidhi) O Allah! Undoubtedly you are oft-forgiving and benevolent and you love to forgive, so forgive me.

to be recited on the night of ﷺ This is the Du‟a taught to us by Prophet Qadr. I am not explaining this from my own side, the great master in Hadeeth, who has written a commentary on Mishkat in ہیلعہللتمح Shaykh Mulla Ali Qari fourteen volumes in Arabic called „Mirqat‟ has explained this. He explains this and I am relating it to you verbatim. In-Sha-Allah you will not find a conflict in what I am saying and what is written in the major books.

says that ہیلعہللتمح So Shaykh Mulla Ali Qari ْ ِ ْ ِ ْ ْ ِ ٌ O Allah, undoubtedly You grant forgiveness :انَّ َک اَن َت َکث ی ال َعف ِو means اَ ّّلل َم انَّ َک َع ُفو ُ ٌ ُ ّ ّ is on the scale of intensity. So it will mean that there َع ُف ّو excessively. The word is no one in the entire world as forgiving as You, Your Ocean of forgiveness and  Your system and quality of forgiveness is limitless. Our sins although plenty are

26 Ramadhan the Month of Piety limited and are nothing compared to Your limitless ocean of forgiveness. The principle is that everything that is limited, although it may be plenty, is nothing compared to something which is limitless.

began this Du‟a with praises of Allah with the words ﷺ So Prophet Afuwwun Kareem, but hidden in these words is the plea for forgiveness. The Du‟a is being commenced with the praises of Allah and the scholars have written: ثناء الْکر ی ْ ِم دعا ٌء َ َ ُ َ ِ ُ َ The praises of the Benevolent is in reality Du‟a.

To praise Allah the Benevolent is in reality a Du‟a unto Him. So by saying to Allah: „You are oft-forgiving‟ and Kareem, a plea for forgiveness is automatically included.

In the major narrations, there is only one Du‟a proven to be read by Prophet on the day of Arafah. Although other Du‟as are permitted but only the ﷺ one Du‟a is substantiated in the major narrations. The scholars have written recited the following Du‟a with great emphasis on the plains ﷺ that Prophet of Arafah: ْ ْ ِ ِ ْ ٗ ْ ٗ ٗ ْ ٗ ْ َل ا َل ا َّل الل َوح َده َل َ ِِش ی َک َل َل المل ُک َو َل ا َْلم ُد ْ ُ ْ ْ ُ ْ یح و ی ِم ْیت ب ِی ِد ِه ا ل ی وہوع ل ك ِل ش ٍْی ق ِد یْ ٌ ر ُ ٖ َ ُ ُ َ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ ُ ّ َ َ (Jami' at-Tirmidhi) Those who understand Arabic, tell me, what Du‟a did ask in these words? This is the fourth Kalimah and is entirely based on the praises of Allah.

The words La Ilaha Illallah mean: „there is no one worthy of worship besides Allah‟. I usually translate this with love-filled words; there is no one for us besides You, who can there be for us besides You! ْ ٗ .Wahdahu: You are alone; we are the servants of One Creator َوح َده ْ ٗ .La Shareeka Lahu: You have no partners َل َ ِِش ی َک َ ل ٗ ْ ْ .Lahul Mulku: the entire kingdom belongs to You َل الملک ُ ُ ٗ ْ ْ .Wa Lahul Hamdu: all praise belong to You َو َل ا َْلم ُد ْ ی ح و ی ِم ْیت ,Yuhyee wa Yumeetu: You have control over life and death ُ ٖ َ ُ ُ  otherwise doctors would not die. A cardiologist in Hyderabad while checking a

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heart patient, himself suffered a heart attack. ْ ْ ب ِی ِد ِه ا لی .Biyadihil Khayr: all goodness belongs to You َ َ ُ ْ وہوع ل ك ِل ش ٍْی ق ِد یْ ٌ ر Wahuwa Ala Kulli Shay‟in Qadeer: Allah Ta‟ala has the َ ُ َ َ ُ ّ َ َ power over everything. An academic question arises here: is there anything being asked for in these ,the most virtuous day of Arafah ,ﷺ words? The great personality of Prophet the subject matter dynamic but not a word of seeking forgiveness in these words, nor the seeking of Paradise or protection from Hell! The scholars have answered this academic question with the following: ثناء الْکر ی ْ ِم د عاء ٌ َ َ ُ َ ِ ُ َ The praises of the Benevolent is in reality Du‟a.

Praise of the Benevolent is a powerful Du‟a. If a person asks The Kareem for particular things, then he will receive according to what was asked. On the other hand, if He is praised excessively then even without being asked, He will open is a unique ﷺ the treasures for that person. This manner of asking by Prophet characteristic of his servitude, for, he has asked for himself and for the Ummah. There is a short time spent in Arafah, what will my Ummah ask for, there will be the weak among them, they will ask for a little and tire. Thus he taught his Ummah „the praises of the Benevolent‟; go and praise the Benevolent and you will not only receive what you have asked for in your life, but you will also receive what you had not asked for, He will open the treasures for you!

commencing the Du‟a of the night of Qadr by praising the ﷺ So by Prophet Benevolent, he taught us the manner of asking; O Allah, You forgive in abundance. Although up to this point he did not ask for forgiveness, the praise of Allah automatically carries the plea for forgiveness and pardon.

Some narrations have the word Kareem in it and some narrations do not have the word Kareem mentioned, but even when not mentioning the word Kareem, the plea automatically carries this word, this is proof of the eloquence of He added the word Kareem so that even the unworthy member of .ﷺ Prophet the Ummah is not deprived of Divine benevolence. Now I will explain the four meanings of the word Kareem and you will then understand it properly. 

28 Ramadhan the Month of Piety The first definition of Kareem ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ال َک ِر یم ہ و الَ ِذ ً یتف َضل عل َینا بِدو ِن الِس ِِتقا ِق وال ِمن ِۃ َ ُ ُ َ ّ َ َ َ ّ ُ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ Kareem is that Being who is benevolent to us although we are unworthy and undeserving.

upon us that he included the word Kareem ﷺ It is the kindness of Prophet in this Du‟a, so that even if because of sins a person is not worthy of forgiveness and pardon, then through the blessings of the word Kareem, he receives the opportunity of forgiveness. He is actually saying: O Allah, You are Kareem and Kareem is that Being who is benevolent to even the unworthy. Understand this in this example: the sun is about to set, a person is unable to sell his goods and he becomes despondent. A benevolent person comes along and asks him why is he not packing up his goods (the day has ended)? He replies that he is unable to sell his goods because there is a defect in it. So this benevolent person says: “sell it to me” and he purchases all the goods with its defect. The second definition of Kareem ْ ْ الَ ِذ ً یتف َضل عل َ ْینا بِدو ِن م ْسئل َ ِۃ و ل سؤا ٍل َ ّ َ َ َ ّ ُ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُ َ Kareem is that Being who gives us without us asking. There are so many gifts and favors we have received without asking for them, e.g. our souls did not ask to be made into humans, Allah made us humans without us asking, He did not make us animals, He made us Muslims, gave us good homes, did not make us from the deviant sects and created us among those who have the correct beliefs, made us perfect, saved us from being blind, lame, dumb or deaf and created us perfect from head to toe. Are these favors not proof that Allah is Kareem? The third definition of Kareem ْ ْ ٗ الَ ِذ ً یتف َضل عل َ ْینا ول َیاف نفاد ما ِعنده َ ّ َ َ َ ّ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ Kareem is that Being who gives us in abundance and does not fear that His treasures will decrease.

Allah gives us and does not ever fear that His treasures will decrease because His treasures are limitless. The one who fears that his treasures will come to an  end is the one who has limited treasures. If a jug of water is taken out from the

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ocean, the ocean does not fear that its water will come to an end because today it has lost a jug of water, whereas the ocean is also a creation of Allah and limited in comparison to the treasures of Allah. What can be said about the limitless ocean of the benevolence of Allah! The fourth definition of Kareem ْ ْ الَ ِذ ً یتف َضل عل َ ْینافَوق ما نتمن بِ ٖہ َ ّ َ َ َ ّ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ّ Kareem is that Being who gives us more than we can hope for. (Mirqaatul Mafaateeh)

A person asked for a bottle of honey but received a canister full!

ﷺ So by asking through the name Kareem, the great personality of Prophet taught us this great Du‟a for the night of Qadr and it is an assurance for every member of the Ummah that even the most unworthy member of the Ummah is not deprived of benevolence and forgiveness.

Thus far two words have been explained; Afuwwun and Kareem. Now the explanation of Tuhibbul Afwa: ْ ْ اّللم ِانک َِتب ظہ ْور ِصف ِۃ العف ِو ع ل ِعبا ِده َ ّ ُ َّ َّ َ ُ ُّ ُ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ٖ O Allah, expressing Your quality of forgiveness on Your servants is beloved unto You. (Mirqaatul Mafaateeh)

Your beloved action is forgiving Your servants. As an example, a king loves to hunt deer. When he goes to a place and the people inform him where deer can be found in that area, he becomes ecstatic, even rewards them and commends them. So O Allah, the act of forgiving is most beloved unto You, for You to fulfill Your beloved action we have come with our loads of sins, so that You may forgive us and carry out Your beloved act!

presented the beloved act of Allah to the Ummah. He teaches ﷺ So Prophet us that ask this Du‟a on the night of Qadr so that Allah may fulfill His beloved act for us. He will forgive your sins and become pleased with you so that you may be successful. This does not imply that your sins are good or virtuous, your sins are bad and evil but Allah loves to forgive and wipe them out. So ask this Du‟a on the night of Qadr that Allah may fulfill His beloved act and express His beloved quality on you and you will become victorious. Thereafter is the word: Fa‟fu Annee. In Arabic grammar the letter „Fa‟ on  Fa‟fu is known as Ta‟qeebiyah. This means: O Allah, do not delay even for a

30 Ramadhan the Month of Piety second or a moment in forgiving Your servants. Just as when a person hunts, he hunts with speed, in the same manner, do not delay in expressing Your quality of forgiveness upon us, so that we may be quickly successful.

Acquire the blessings of the last days of Ramadhan Today is the last day of Ramadhan so I will mention a few points. Appreciate this final day and do not waste it in unnecessary talk and discussion. Even those who are not in I‟itikaf should make Wudhu, etc. and appreciating these last moments, sit in the Masjid with the intention of Nafl I‟itikaf, even if it is for a half hour or more. Grab the blessings of Ramadhan even while it is departing. Maybe this last day will be accepted by Allah in your favor and you become successful.

If today a person did not ask Allah from Allah, then I say that he has asked nothing! Make Du‟a that Allah through His mercy forgives all our mistakes, wrongs, illicit gazes, and sins of the ears, of the heart and of the eyes. The law regarding performing Nafl Salah in the Eidgah Whether Eid Salah is being performed in a Masjid or Eidgah (open-air gathering place), it is not permissible to perform Nafl Salah there before or after the Eid Salah. A person may perform Nafl after returning home. To upkeep the honor, sacredness and reverence of the Eid Salah, Shari‟ah has forbid any type of Nafl at the Masjid or Eidgah, whether Salat-ul-Hajah, Salat-ut-Taubah or any other type of Nafl.

It is also not permissible to perform any type of Nafl there after the Eid Salah. If someone missed the Fajr Salah then he should make the Qadha at home and thereafter proceed to the Eidgah (or Masjid). It is sinful to let a Salah become Qadha and it is also sinful to expose a sin. So whether it is a previous Qadha or the Qadha of the same day, it should be performed at home in seclusion. The reason is that we are instructed to hide our sins and not have any witnesses to it. So if a person performs his Qadha where others can see, people will realize that he missed Fajr (because Nafl is not allowed so it has to be Qadha).

The same applies to performing previous Qadhas prayer between Asr and  Maghrib. Nafl between Asr and Maghrib is not permitted so avoid performing

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Qadha in the Masjid in this time. People will know that he made Asr now in Jamat so which Salah is he performing now, it has to be Qadha. Just as it is sinful to let Salah become Qadha, it is sinful to expose one‟s weakness and sin to others. Avoid shaking hands and embracing in the Eidgah When a person has travelled a distance and come from another place or town, it is Sunnah to shake his hands and embrace him. Here, when the Eid Salah and Khutbah (sermon) is over, everyone shakes hands and embrace each other. Once, a person embraced me with such force that if I did not free myself from his embrace, he would have cracked my ribs! Is this Sunnah?

Regarding shaking hands immediately after Salah, Shaykh Mulla Ali :has written the following in Mirqat the commentary on Mishkat ہیلعہللتمح Qari ْ ْ ٌ المصا َ فۃ ب ْعد الص ّل ِي مکر ْوه َ ُ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُ Shaking hands after Salah is Makrooh (undesirable). A person shook hands with me after Salah in Masjid Nabawi and I mentioned this (the Arabic words above) to him. He responded with „Jazakallah‟ (he appreciated it). This tradition of shaking hands after the Eid Salah has been initiated by the self-innovators (Ahlul Bid‟ah), this is against Shari‟ah and it is my responsibility to furnish proof. So whoever wants to see the proof, I will show it to him in the Arabic books. So remember that shaking hands after the Eid Salah is not proven shook handsﷺ from Sahabah ﷞, this is an addition to Shari‟ah and Prophet with those who came from afar. Yes, once you have left the Eidgah and maybe reached home (or anywhere else) and someone comes to your door, then it will be permissible to shake hands and embrace. You may shake hands and to express your joy, you may embrace too. So when leaving the Eidgah, to avoid a friend getting hold of you and involving you in Bid‟ah, lower your head and depart speedily.

Once, a person pressed me so hard that I felt my ribs would crack. I said to him: “for the sake of Allah, what are you doing?” He retorted: “this is how it is done from where I come!” He then told me that one person pressed his friend so hard that when they separated the soul of the person had departed (he died)!

 Therefore I say that when shaking hands and embracing, do not inconvenience

32 Ramadhan the Month of Piety another Muslim. Some people because of their youthful strength press the hands one of the ,ہیلعہللتمح severely when shaking hands. Once, Shaykh Faqeer Muhammad on my invitation, came ہیلعہللتمح spiritual successors of Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thānvi here to my place. A youth when greeting him pressed his hands so hard that they pained for a week! When I went to meet him (later), He said to me: “one of your students shook my hands so hard that my hands are still paining!” What kind of love and affection is this that the beloved is inconvenienced? Anyway, it is not permissible to shake hands and embrace within the precincts of the Masjid. Go away from the Masjid, like on the street or anywhere else and shake hands and embrace, there is scope for this. The Ulama have written that one may shake hands and embrace anywhere; on the street or at home, but avoid doing it in the Eidgah so that an addition to Deen is avoided, otherwise some may get the wrong impression that and ﷺ this is part of the Deen and that it was possibly done by Prophet the noble Sahabah ﷞. That action which is an addition to Shari‟ah is termed Bid‟ah (self-innovation).

If a person has come from another town, for example from Lahore (to Karachi), then it is allowed to shake his hands and embrace him immediately after the Eid Salah but make it known that this person is from outside and this is not the customary greeting after the Eid Salah. Make it known that this person is from Lahore, Faisalabad, Sind or any other place. It is not only permissible but Sunnah to shake hands and embrace those who come from another place. Do not become unhappy at the departure of Ramadhan

Once the Taraweeh and I‟itikaf comes to an end, there is a one year interval. Until you are confined to I‟itikaf, remain confined and once it is over then jump and leave with joy, Allah loves this. Friends, when Ramadhan ends do not emit sounds of grief and sadness. When you leave from I‟itikaf, jump and depart happily, like how a child expresses joy and jumps. At the same time make Du‟a for Allah to accept the I‟itikaf and be thankful (make Shukr) that the Ramadhan passed well and that you are now blessed with the joy of Eid. What is this that a person is sitting and showing sorrow that Ramadhan has gone? When Allah wishes to give you joy then be joyful and when He confines you then be  confined! It is like a person who has been tied and then released, so now if he

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keeps on sitting in the manner of how he was being tied after being released then is he not a fool! He will be struck with a stick and told that you have been released so why don‟t you thank me? ت وچں ہبدنبد ہتسب او شکشتہ ابش وچںاشکدی اچکب و ربہتسج ابشؔ When Allah confines you then remain confined When He releases you then rejoice

An ascetic added water to his gravy and said to himself that I will make this gravy tasteless to punish my Nafs. A wise person said that this person is unintelligent; if he had the recognition of Allah he would have eaten the tasty gravy and on every mouthful would have made Shukr unto Allah, this would have been spiritually beneficial to him. Now what Shukr will this fool make? He will now force himself to eat that food and no Shukr will come from his tongue. To thank Allah for His gifts is also a form of worship and this foolish person has deprived himself from this form of Ibadat. By spending time with those who recognize Allah, Allah Ta‟ala grants that recognition and understanding. The fervor of Ramadhan should not be short-lived May our Salahs and fervor of Ramadhan remain throughout the year. There are so many people, when the crescent of Eid is sighted, spend even the day of Eid in disobedience. They controlled themselves even from the Halal gifts (of Allah) for the entire month but when the crescent of Eid is sighted, they commence with evil. There are long queues outside the cinemas, televisions are switched on; they commence all the evils that they had refrained from during the month of Ramadhan. Its example is like that cat which suddenly opens its claws. When it becomes angered it opens its claws and it is so dangerous because it can claw someone‟s face. This is the same with the Nafs; become negligent for even a moment and then know that this is detrimental, you will be disgraced. May Allah Ta‟ala grant all of us protection, Ameen.

So make a pledge in this blessed month of Ramadhan that just as you stayed with Piety in this month, you will remain with Piety for the rest of the year. Just as this Masjid is filled with people today, Allah Ta‟ala make it that it always remains full, and the amount of guidance that we have received in the month of Ramadhan, may Allah always keep us on that level of worship and asceticism. May He keep us pious and make us His, Ameen.

 Now make Du‟a: O Allah, grant a life of the friends of Allah to all in this

34 Ramadhan the Month of Piety gathering, through the blessings of Ramadhan and through the blessings of the righteous in this gathering. Grant us the ability to seek forgiveness. O Allah, grant us Your love, grant us such courage and Iman and faith and attach us to Yourself in such a manner that we do not displease You for even a moment, that we do not become neglectful of You for even a moment.

Let our entire lives; our day and night be sacrificed for You. Grant us the lives of the pious immersed in Your pleasure. O Allah, become pleased with all of us and keep our spiritual elders pleased with us, including our pious enders, also our personal spiritual guide.

O Allah, accept all in this gathering. O Allah, it is a blessed month and we are all Fasting for Your sake, we are gathered here on Your name, some have come from far and distant places, our hands are raised unto You, You are Kareem, and the disposition of a Kareem is that He will not send our lifted hands back empty-handed.

O Allah, sort out our matters here and in the hereafter. Keep us, our families and our friends with protected limbs and protected Iman as long as we live and take us away (death) with protected limbs and protected Iman. Grant us unlimited forgiveness on the Day of Judgment.

O Allah, grant us death on a Friday. Whenever death is decreed for us, let it be a Friday for there is a glad tiding on the prophetic tongue of Your pure that whoever dies on a Thursday night or Friday, there ﷺ Prophet Muhammad will be no reckoning for him (in the grave) and even on the Judgment Day and he will receive the status of a martyr. O Allah, this is not in our control, this favor is related to Your mercy, so O Allah, when our time comes to an end, grant us death on a Friday. O Allah, grant us the ability to spend this month with such Piety that we refrain from even a single sin.

O Allah, accept our Taraweeh, accept our Zakah, accept the I‟itikaf of those who sat in I‟itikaf.

O Allah, grant us everything even without us asking.

Adhan is about to begin so there is no time for more Du‟a but Doctor Abdul taught us that when ہیلعہللتمح one of the spiritual successors of Shaykh Thānvi ہیلعہللتمح Hai  there is no time or you are tired then say to Allah: O Allah, I have asked for

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whatever I have asked, now grant without us asking. The treasures of the earth and skies which You are independent from (You do not need it), pour it upon us and grant us the ability to be thankful. Save us from the slightest effect of pride, arrogance and ostentation and grant us sincerity, Ameen.

ْ ْ ْ ِ ْ ْ ِ ِ ِ َو اخر َدع َوانَا اَ ِن ا َْلم ُد لل َر ِّب ال َعالَم َی ُ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ربَناتَ َق َبل ِم َنا ِانَّ َک اَن َت ال َس ِم ی ُع الع ِل ی َ ّ َ ّ ّ ْ ّْ َ ُ ِ ٍ ِ َو َص َّل الل تَ َعال َعل َخ ِی َخلق ٖہ ُُمَ َمد َّوٓا ٖل ْ ْ ّ ْ وص ِب ٖہ ا ْجم ِع ی بِر ْحم ِتک یٓاا ْرحم الا ِح ِم ی َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َ

