In this Month of Ramadan every true believer should strive hard to live
exemplary life practically shown and demonstrated by the Prophet (S.A.W)
who was the best model for the whole of mankind. Allah mentions in His
Book the Believers men and women are protectors one of another they
enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil; they observe regular
prayers and pay the poor due and obey Allah and His Messenger on them
will Allah pour His Mercy. These are the qualities of the believers
while unfortunately for the hypocrites they do the opposite as Allah has
also described in the Quran. The Hypocrites men and women are alike they
enjoin evil and forbid just and tighten their purse they have forgotten
Allah so He has forgotten them verily the hypocrites are rebellious and
perverse. As the saying goes show me your friend I will tell you who you
are. The Prophet (S.A.W) says be careful a person is likely to follow
the religion of his friend so look at the one you befriend so a believer
is likely to chose the company of a believer while the hypocrite chooses
a companion who has similar evil trait to enable them mix freely
together in committing evil. Remember tomorrow friends will be enemies
except of course if they are both God fearing as Allah has mentioned in
Surah Jathiyah Verse 67 “Friends on that Day will be foes, one to
another except the Righteous.” So today a person may commit evil to
please his friends and displease Allah but on the Day of judgement that
friendship will come to an end even immediately after death and on that
Day they would be blaming each other and show remorse which would be of
no avail. Therefore it is important to choose a better companion so that
we may be raised together with the Prophet and his Righteous companions
otherwise according to one’s deeds he will be raised together with his
evil deeds and the evil companion he is associated with. It said in
Hadith what about a person who loves some people but does not associate
with them the Prophet said to the near meaning a person will be raised
on the Day of Judgement with those He loves. One of the Companions came
to the Prophet and complained to him “O Prophet today we visit you and
see you and we become satisfied but I remember the time when we are
separated after death on the Day of Judgement you will be raised to your
exalted position as a Prophet, and I will be somewhere (as
commoner)”.Then the Prophet kept quite until Allah revealed the Verse He
who obeys Allah and His Messenger will be in the company of the Prophets
the Truthful, the Martyrs and Righteous such is good Company. So he
called the person and gave him tidings about this verse. Therefore it is
important we choose good companions as friends not those who would
misguide and take us away from the obedience of Allah and encourage us
to go against the teachings of our beloved Prophet (S.A.W.).This sort of
evil traits is commonly found among the hypocrites since the time of the
Prophet. Unfortunately while he was making effort to guide and build a
good Muslim Community the hypocrites were also making effort to destroy
the same good brought by the Prophet by trying to cause dissension and
confusion among the Muslims in pretending that they were also Muslims
thus disuniting the Muslims by dividing the Ummah. So in the Month of
Ramadan we must rededicate ourselves to have good company attending
Tafsir Sessions and other places where they enjoin good instead of
hanging with the same evil companions as Shayateen are chained only
men’s Shayateen are ever present all the time. The Month of Ramadan
gives us the opportunity to do more good deeds bringing good in both
this life and the everlasting life of the hereafter which is the purpose
of our lives as Allah has mentioned “I have not created men and Jinn but
for My worship” We have few days left in this Blessed Month of Ramadan
in which the Quran was sent down a guide to mankind and criterion
(between right and wrong).”So anyone who is present in the Month should
fast unless he has valid excuse or reasons such as sickness or travel
which now a days Allah has made easy the travel so we must endeavour to
do good in this blessed Month by competing with one another in
righteousness and good deeds the traits of the believers as against
doing evils and committing sins which is the unfortunate traits of the
hypocrites. Not only they strive in disobeying Allah but the hypocrites
unfortunately don’t worship Him properly instead they prefer to worship
their evil desires. Allah clearly mentions in the Quran “Have you seen
such one who takes his vain desire as his god and Allah knowing him (as
such) left him astray and sealed his heart and put cover on his sight
who then will guide him after Allah (has withdrawn his guidance) Will
you not then receive admonition? They say “What is there is only our
life in this world we shall die and we live and nothing but time will
destroy us. So they say but unfortunately as Allah added they have no
knowledge regarding that except mere conjecture. So this world like one
Righteous person meditating on death described it thus: “This world is
rot, the abode to heed lesson, mere amusement not, many are entombed in
soil sigh, rulers, nobles and lords. Initially infancy toyed you into
years of play; thereafter adolescence turned you mad with fray. Old age
arrived with thousands array. Death will appear and annihilate your say,
it will subdue men of might, and each departed this world with painful
regret with all hopes of glory abject. Happiness transformed into
sorrow, weddings produce widows of tomorrow every second death hovers
ahoy escape now from ignorance O toy .Is there a limit to your
negligence o beast old age and still dreading news of death none has
remained or will remain so only acts of piety will forever domain.”
Allah Akbar what a beautiful quotation how many of our brothers and
sisters were here in the last Ramadan but alas they are not here with us
they have gone where every one is heading. So this is why the Prophet
said be is in this world like a stranger or a way farer. The companion
who quoted this saying added when you reach morning don’t wait for the
evening similarly when you reach evening don’t wait for morning take
advantage of your health before your sickness your life before your
death. This is all are lesson for us all to reflect which would enable
us turn to Allah in repentance not continue with our heedlessness
especially during this blessed Month of Ramadan where all the believers
are striving hard to compete with one another in doing good deeds while
unfortunately the hypocrites as usual continue with their usual evil
deeds disregarding the Mercy, the forgiveness of Allah which are
associated with the best Month of the year the Month of Ramadan where
good deeds are multiplied. Sunnah becomes like Fardh and Fardh
multiplied seventy times. May Allah give us taufiq (ability) especially
in this Month and every other Month of the year to continue to do good
deeds the qualities of the believers as against evil and unjust deeds
the evil traits of the hypocrites who pretend to be identified as
believers but preferring to do evil as usual associated with them the
unfortunate qualities of the hypocrites of every time since the time of
our beloved Prophet to our present time. It is going to be the same
unless Allah in his infinite Mercy shows Mercy on person he/she will
never be guided whether in Ramadan or no Ramadan. As reported in Hadith
quoted by Bukhari “If one does not eschew lying and false conduct Allah
has no need that he should abstain from his food and his drink” This is
a real rebuke for those who can take heed. So in the time of Ramadan we
are not expected only to abstain from eating drinking and other
relations but also we should use all our organs in the correct manner
avoiding slander, backbiting abusive language quarrel. If anyone
provokes him to indulge in this kind of evil he should remind the person
that he is fasting by keeping quite or engages himself in the
remembrance of Allah.
