Ramadan Comes to an End - Mufti Menk

Ramadan Comes to an End - Mufti Menk

Opening

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. The end is for the righteous. No aggression is allowed except against the wrongdoers.

I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, with no partner. I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. Peace be upon him, his family and all his companions.

The Last Friday of Ramadan

My beloved brothers and sisters, this is the last Friday of this month of the month of Ramadan. We had a very unique month of Ramadan in which we were restricted in many ways. However, many blessings of Allah have indeed been shown upon us.

May Allah grant us all forgiveness and goodness. The main aim of this beautiful month of Ramadan is to achieve the consciousness of Allah, to get closer to Allah, to develop the correct relationship with Allah. We stayed away from food, from drink, from anything that would displease Allah.

We became more conscious of our character, our conduct, the way we spoke to people, our dealings, every single thing. We ask Allah to make us from those who have changed their lives and their ways in a good way through this beautiful month of Ramadan. There are still a few moments left of this beautiful month of Ramadan.

Allah may choose to give us an extra day. That is the will of Allah. Usually when Allah gives us an extra day, it is in order for us to achieve greater goodness.

That is the way Allah works. If you were to look at the end of Ramadan, it has been filled with greater blessings than the beginning of Ramadan. The night known as the night of decree or Laylatul Qadr is actually in the last ten nights of Ramadan.

We ask Allah to have made us from among those who fasted through Ramadan in the correct way and who stood at night in prayer and who spent the night in the worship of Allah in the best possible way. May we be from among those who were granted freedom from hellfire, who achieved the mercy and forgiveness of Allah through this wonderful month.

The Same Lord Throughout the Year

However, my brothers and sisters, we must remember as we're exiting the month of Ramadan that the Lord of Ramadan and the Lord outside Ramadan, that of the rest of the eleven months of the year is the same Lord, it is Allah.

If we were doing good in Ramadan, it does not mean that now we have the license to do bad. If we had abstained from sin during the month of Ramadan, it does not mean that now we have the license to go forth and sin and transgress against Allah. Remember those who have changed their lives and transformed themselves for the better are the ones who have gained.

Those who have achieved compassion, those who have softened their hearts towards the remembrance of Allah, those who will still spend a portion of the day and night in the worship of Allah, those who have become conscious of their duties unto Allah, those are the ones who have gained.

The Six Fasts of Shawwal

And for this reason, although it is prohibited to fast on the day of Eid, but immediately after the day of Eid, it is recommended to continue with six more voluntary fasts during the month of Shawwal, although they don't have to be consecutive. But the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) says:

(Sahih Muslim)

Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan and then continues with six extra fasts in the month of Shawwal, they need not be consecutive. They are totally voluntary, but the reward the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) says of such a person will be of he who has fasted the entire year. And if you were to look at the reasoning, good deeds are generally multiplied by ten. So if you fasted for the month of Ramadan, you have a reward of having fasted ten whole months.

What remains the next two months, which makes it approximately 60 days divided by ten, you get six days. So if you were to add the six days of Shawwal, it's equivalent to having fasted two months. The ten months plus the two months gives you the entire year.

This time, my brothers and sisters, I ask you, I encourage you to fulfill that sunnah at least this year from among the years of your life, if not more than just this year. May Allah make us from those who can worship him voluntarily.

Voluntary Acts of Worship

Remember when it comes to prayer or salah, you have that which is obligatory, then that which is a practice of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) known as sunnah, and then that which is nafil, which means absolutely voluntary.

If you were to do that which is compulsory, you have fulfilled your duty unto Allah. But the moment you go beyond that into what is not compulsory, you now are showing your close relationship with Allah. You're developing a better relationship with Allah.

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) tells us that Allah says, there is nothing better in terms of deeds, nothing that I love more than what I have made compulsory. And my worshipper continues to gain closeness to me by that which is sunnah and nafil, subhanallah, until he achieves a very high degree, subhanallahi rabbil alameen.

So my brothers and sisters, are we going to do that when it comes to all our acts of worship? For example, I've spoken about the prayer, but when it comes to fasting as well, there is that which is compulsory and then beyond that there is that which is a sunnah of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), something that he did, something that he recommended, but he stipulated it's not compulsory.

And beyond that, that which is nafila, that which is simply voluntary. May Allah make us from those who can become conscious of this. If you were to fast two days every week, you will achieve a great reward Mondays and Thursdays.

If you were to fast three days every month, the 13th, 14th and 15th of the lunar month, known as ayyamul bidh, the white days because of the moon being full and bright during those nights. If you were to fast on those days, you will achieve a reward of having fasted the whole month, subhanallah. So my brothers and sisters, try your best to fast for the sake of Allah, for the pleasure of Allah, more than just the month of Ramadan.

It is beautiful. Not only do we achieve great health, which is only a side benefit, but the main aim is to please Allah and to follow the practice of Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). We will definitely become better people.

We will definitely be able to stay away from sin even more easily than we would have during other days. And we would definitely achieve the closeness of Allah. My brothers and sisters, remember to follow through after the month of Ramadan.

Remember to follow through after the month of Ramadan with acts of worship that will continue throughout the year. Set aside a portion of the day to do something good. Set aside a small portion of the night to remember Allah, to worship Allah.

The Day of Eid - Joy with Caution

My brothers and sisters, Allah Almighty gives us a day of happiness and joy known as the day of Eid. The reason is and he mentions it in the Quran. Allah says:

He wants you to complete the prescribed time and he wants you to praise Allah upon the guidance that he gave you, the opportunity he gave you to worship him, your great worship and for you to show gratitude and thanks to Allah.

He gives you a good day, a happy day in which it is prohibited to fast. However, we need to remember one thing. When Allah gives us reason to be happy, do not give him reason to be angry.

And how does this happen? Sometimes because we are taught that shaitan is tied during the month of Ramadan, the moment the moon is sighted and Eid is declared, shaitan is released and what happens? He traps us by making us exit the month of Ramadan with sinful behavior, sinful dress, sinful conduct or any other sin. We sometimes do not fulfill the five daily prayers on the day of Eid. We sometimes dress in such an inappropriate way on the day of Eid that we've actually dived straight into the clutches of the devil.

May Allah protect us. Just become conscious of that. Ask yourself what I'm going to wear on the day of Eid.

Is it moral? Is it good? Would it please Allah and his Rasul (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)? Is it something I would be proud of if I was resurrected in that clothing? Subhanallah, those are interesting questions. And thereafter, some people plan bad meetings in the sense that they want to gather with those whom they are going to sin with, be it their old bad habits of drugs or intoxicants or adultery or gambling or any form of sin or pornography. People think that now Ramadan is over, it gives us, it paves the way to sin.

No, my brothers and sisters, when Allah has given you a day of joy and happiness, do not displease the same Allah who gave you the pleasure of that beautiful day. So become conscious of this during the day of Eid. Remember, we may not be able to gather in many countries the way we have been gathering every Eid simply because of the restrictions placed upon us due to the virus that has taken this globe by storm.

May Allah protect us from sickness and illness. May Allah eradicate this virus for all of us across the globe. May Allah have mercy on us on this day and on the day of Eid and on all other days.

May Allah the owner of cure, cure all those who are sick and ill and may Allah the owner of mercy have mercy upon us and all those who have passed on and may Allah grant patience, a beautiful patience to those who have lost loved ones.

This May Be Your Last Ramadan

My brothers and sisters, the sad reality is this might be the last Ramadan you've ever seen in your life. So remember, you may never witness another month of Ramadan.

Spend the last moment seeking the forgiveness of Allah. For indeed, whoever achieves the forgiveness of Allah has achieved one of the main objectives of this month of Ramadan.

(Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) says, whoever fasts the month of Ramadan with conviction, hoping for a reward from Allah has indeed or will achieve the forgiveness of all their previous sins and whoever stands at night in worship or spends the night in worship during Ramadan with conviction and faith and at the same time hoping and expecting for a reward from Allah, he or she will definitely achieve the forgiveness of all previous sins.

The Most Blessed Dua

Similarly, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has taught us when it comes to the night of decree that one of the most blessed dua or supplications that you could call out to with the or you could call out to the Almighty with is the dua:

(Sunan At-Tirmidhi)

O Allah, you are forgiving, you love to forgive, so forgive me. That supplication is so amazing, it has in it the praise of Allah. It tells Allah confirming one of his qualities of forgiveness and not just forgiveness but the love to forgive.

Imagine if someone loves to forgive, you would never lose hope when you go to that person seeking forgiveness. Well, Allah is known as arhamur rahimeen, the most merciful from all those who show mercy. That is your Lord Allah, never lose hope in his mercy.

Imagine we are taught he loves to forgive, then we say so forgive me O Allah. If we are one calling out for ourselves, we say fa'afu anni, forgive me O Allah and if there are many we would say fa'afu anna, which means forgive all of us. May Allah grant us ease.

Sadaqatul Fitr and Caring for Others

Brothers and sisters, remember that sadaqatul fitr or what is known as zakatul fitr, in some places they call it the fitrah, that charity that you give out when you are completing the month of Ramadan and the month of fasting, a very basic charity. Remember to give that out prior to salatul Eid, prior to the day of Eid or on the day of Eid very early in the morning. Remember to reach out to the poor.

It is a way for us to ensure that the poor are also celebrating this day. Give them a little bit of good food as we are taught by Allah. It is a day they should all feel the joy.

Everyone should be feeling the happiness of this day. Remember to reach out with compassion to those in need and this is why it's important for us to give them from the staple food of the area that we live in and Allah has asked us to be compassionate on this day in order for us to know that every time there is reason for you to be happy, remember to reach out to those who have less than you. Think of the less fortunate, think of the homeless, think of the elderly, think of the sickly, think of those who've passed away and either say a prayer for them or reach out to them if they're alive.

Talking about those in need, reach out to them with some form of goodness. The minimum is at least pray for those who might be in distant lands in situations that we don't know of. They may be affected by floods, by disaster, by war zones, by earthquakes, by disasters of some sort either man-made or that which has happened by the will of Allah.

May Allah alleviate the suffering of all those who are struggling and suffering across the globe. Take a moment to pray for those who have been affected very negatively by the covid-19 situation. Those who've lost their jobs.

May Allah bless you. Take it in your stride. Be positive.

Allah will replace for you what you've lost with something far greater than what he has taken away from you. Those who might have lost some of their salaries or their income or their business. Those who may have lost loved ones.

Those who are unhealthy as a result. Those who may have lost their homes. Whatever it is you may have suffered or struggled.

We are with you. We are all part of one ummah. This ummah family will definitely remember you.

Minimum is in our prayers. May Allah make it easy for you and for everyone who is struggling. May Allah protect us all.

The Parable of Charity

Remember my brothers and sisters to give in charity is something very great. I usually give the example of a fruit where Allah has blessed us with oranges and apples and so many other fruits. Subhanallah, the watermelon.

If you take a look at a person who's eaten the apple, he has eaten the entire apple. If he were to tell you I've eaten the whole apple, actually he would not have spoken about how he removed the seeds from that apple. But he is convinced that he's eaten the whole apple.

Yet the seeds that make up a very small percentage of that apple are to be left behind. And if you were to put them where they came from, they will give you hundreds of other apples if not thousands. Orchards full of apples.

Subhanallah. So Allah teaches us about those who spend their wealth in the right cause, be it upon the poor, those who are underprivileged or any necessary cause. Allah says:

The example of the one who spends his wealth in the cause of Allah and I've mentioned what this cause is referring to, any good cause that would please Allah is included in the term fee sabeelillah. Allah says that example is similar to that of a seed and he goes on to say how the seed is planted and it causes the

growth of seven spikes upon each spike is another hundred seeds subhanallah. So Allah multiplies it 700 times and beyond 700 as well.

So if you were to give a small percentage of your wealth, although you've eaten all your wealth, the seeds from that wealth, the two and a half percent, the small percentage of that wealth of yours, if you were to give it where it came from, it came from Allah and you're giving it back to where Allah wants you to put it and if you were to water it and to take care of it with the correct fertilizer with meaning, with good character, conduct, with no bragging or abuse or harm thereafter, Allah has promised you that just like he causes the trees that will provide you with hundreds of apples to grow from the seeds of a single apple, he will also make your wealth grow and he will make it grow so much that you will actually be very very surprised.

May Allah bless every one of us, spend in a good cause, spend in the cause of Allah, reach out to those in need, be compassionate, that is one of the qualities you were meant to have achieved through this beautiful month of Ramadan.

Unity Despite Differences of Opinion

So my brothers and sisters, I end off by reminding you of your duties unto Allah, this year the issue of Salatul Eid is an issue that many of the scholars have spoken about, remember let's not fight over the opinions, follow the opinion you believe is correct and move on subhanAllah because there are others who may follow another opinion that they believe is correct, it is not a day to fight and quarrel over opinions of scholars, when we have such a unique situation that is unprecedented, we have never heard of this type of a situation, exactly this type of a situation in history, so my brothers and sisters you will find some who say do your Salatul Eid in smaller congregations or even singularly whereas others might say you're not allowed to do it that way, either way my brothers and sisters, we should not be fighting and arguing, these are opinions of scholars based on evidence on either side, may Allah grant us goodness, the ability to respect each other's opinions and the ability to be united as an ummah with some of our differences.

We ask Allah to grant us all a good lesson from this lovely month of Ramadan.

Closing

I say this saying of mine, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings. Ameen.