Rajab is Leaving, Sha'ban is Waiting -- Rush To Remembrance of Allah.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Every Friday, Allah invites the believers to Friday prayer and leave off their business. Allah calls this for the remembrance of Allah.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا نُودِىَ لِلصَّلَوٰةِ مِن يَوْمِ ٱلْجُمُعَةِ فَٱسْعَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ ٱللَّـهِ وَذَرُوا۟ ٱلْبَيْعَ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٩

O you who believe, when the call for Salah (prayer) is proclaimed on Friday, hasten for the remembrance of Allah, and leave off business. That is much better for you, if you but know. (9)

[Qur'an, Al-Jumu'a 62:9]

Build into the Friday prayer is the khutbah (sermon). The essence of Friday khutbah is to remind ourselves of Allah. It is a means of refreshing our commitment and at the same time refreshing the entire community.

There are different kinds of remembrance of Allah but the ultimate remembrance of Allah is what Allah Himself calls the ultimate reminder of the Qur'an.

فَذَكِّرْ بِٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَن يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ ﴿٤٥ ...

But remind by the Qur'an whoever fears My warning. (45)

[Qur'an, Qaf 50:45]

كَلَّآ إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةٌ ﴿١١

No! Indeed, these verses are a reminder; (11)

[Qur'an, Abasa 80:11]

وَمَا عَلَّمْنَـٰهُ ٱلشِّعْرَ وَمَا يَنۢبَغِى لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ وَقُرْءَانٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٦٩

And We have not taught him (Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wassallam) poetry, nor is it suitable for him. This is only a Reminder and a plain Qur'an. (69)

[Qur'an, Yaasin 36:69]

One of the essential roles that the Qur'an plays in the life of a believer is that the Qur'an is a reminder. A reminder is not a new information. It is something you already know but you forgot. Allah mentions the same thing many times in the Qur'an. And the proportion to which Allah mentions something more, it illustrates how quickly people forget that which He mentions more. An example of this is taqwa (Godfearingness). If Allah mentions 100 times about taqwa, even if you know about taqwa, you forget to apply it or you forget to realize it when the time comes. So we need to be reminded over and over again.

Our remembrance of Allah is not limited to Friday with the sermon. Let's strive to incorporate the Qur'an in our daily routine.

The sacred month of Rajab is leaving us but Sha'ban is eagerly waiting and may Allah enable us to reach the blessed month of Ramadhan, the month after it.

Ramadhan is the month of the Qur'an. Before it came to be known as the month of Fasting, the Companions of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam knew Ramadan as a month of the Qur'an, the last and ever lasting Divine guidance to humanity.

The revelation began in the month of Ramadan. The night in which the Qur'an began to be revealed is referred in the Qur'an as the blessed night or the Night of Decree.

إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ فِى لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ ﴿٣

By the clear Book, (2) Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind]. (3) On that night is made distinct every precise matter - (4)

[Qur'an Ad-Dukhan 44:2-4]

إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ فِى لَيْلَةِ ٱلْقَدْرِ ﴿١

Indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree. (1)

[Qur'an, Al-Qadr 97:1]

It was the strength, clarity, simplicity, and universality of the message that the night was described as an extraordinary night.

With its 6332 Ayahs (sentences) spread in 114 Surahs (chapters) divided in seven stages and 30 parts (juz), the Quran was finalized and compiled in the lifetime of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam who alone among human beings knew what it was. Only the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam could testify, verify and approve what the Qur'an consisted of as no other human being in his time shared that experience. He put his seal of approval on the finality of the Divine Message and gave his instructions on its arrangement. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam ensured that every verse revealed to him was recorded and written at the time of its revelation.

Let's make the intention to complete the Qur'an this Ramadhan. We don't want to miss the tremendous reward of completing the Qur'an in Ramadhan. We can start the practice now. Like sports, if you don't practice, it would be very difficult to finish the game because you have not developed the stamina.

The Qur'an has 600 pages approximately (30 juz). If you read a juz (20 pages) a day, you will complete the Qur'an in Sha'ban and completing the Qur'an in Ramadhan will be a breeze for you, inshaAllah. The best time to read the Qur'an is in the morning hours before or after Fajr before all the distractions of your daily life begin. If 20 pages sound overwhelming in one sitting, then you can spread the reading throughout the day, in this case it is best if you read a few pages immediately before or after the prescribed prayers while your mind is still on worship.

May Allah grant us tawfiq and make us of those who remember Allah much. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakum Allahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

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