Opportunity Knocks But Once

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Allah Almighty has honored a particular time, particular day, certain places and certain people.

For example: Allah has made the Laylatul Qadr (Night of Decree) better than a thousand months [Surah al-Qadr 9:3]. Allah has made the day of 'Arafah unlike any other day. There is no day in which Allah saves more people from the fire than the Day of `Arafah [Muslim, al-Nasā’ī and Ibn Mājah]. It has also been narrated that anyone who has an atom’s weight of faith in their heart will be forgiven by Allah on this day, whether or not they actually stand at `Arafah [Abu Dawood]. Allah has made Makkah unlike other places. As soon as you enter the city your good deeds are multiplied. A prayer in the Masjid al-Haram is akin to a hundred thousand prayers [At-Tabarani]. Allah has made certain people unlike other people, like the great ulama', the Prophets and the awliya' (the friends of Allah).

Allah has made 4 months out of the 12 Islamic months sacred -- Rajab, Dul-Qi'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram.

Allah Almighty says,

إِنَّ عِدَّةَ ٱلشُّهُورِ عِندَ ٱللَّـهِ ٱثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِى كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّـهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ ۚ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا۟ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ وَقَـٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّـهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٣٦

Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves therein. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous [who fear Him]. (36)

[Qur'an At-Tawba 9:36]

Part of being a slave of Allah is to honor what Allah has honored and considered sacred what Allah has made sacred.

Slavehood has a meaning of extreme neediness--extreme neediness to please Allah and to be close to Allah, extreme neediness for His forgiveness and mercy. Somebody who feels very needy for Allah's forgiveness and mercy pounds on the door of opportunity that Allah opens for them and looks for every opportunity to please Allah. Such a person deems them special and he honors them and give them their due out of his desire of winning Allah's pleasure and out of his neediness to be close to Allah.

So the first thing we should do is to honor this time and feel tremendous awe of this time. Whoever venerates and exalts the special symbols of Allah verily that is from the taqwa of the heart.

Opportunity knocks but once. You won't have this Rajab again. If you don't grab it now, you lose it. What you miss out on doing at this moment, you can't do it later without losing the opportunity to do something else later.

Everything about us -- growth and development, movements, actions and morality, all take place within the space of 'Time'. Time passes quickly, our spiritual and material potentialities decline, and our abilities fade. We are like someone who possesses a great capital and, without Allah's permission and will, every moment, a portion of that capital is taken away. This is the nature of life in this world -- a continual loss. A poet once said, "Your life comprises a few breaths that can be counted; when one of them is sent out, a part of your life has diminished." Each moment that passes by is a moment closer to the end of your life in this world.

So, grab the opportunity that Allah opens for us this month. There are a number of ways to do this. Some of the best ways are as follows:

-- Seeking forgiveness in abundance and making sincere repentance;

-- Making a sincere resolve to seek to approach Allah through performing acts of obedience and avoiding acts of disobedience;

-- Assessing your state, rectifying it and striving to follow the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) in all that you do

-- Improving your performance of the prayer by making sure that you implement the Sunnah pertaining to prayers and pray with presence of heart. Also strive to pray in congregation in the first row without missing the opening takbir. And strive to pray Al Sunnan Al Rawatib (Sunnah Prayers associated with Fardh Prayers)

"Allah will build a house in Heaven for whoever is diligent in observing 12 Sunnah Rak'aat (as follows): 4 Rak'aat before and 2 after the Dhuhr (Midday) Prayer, 2 after the Maghrib (Sunset Prayer), 2 after the ‘Ishaa’ (Evening) Prayer and 2 before the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer." Hadith sahih narrated by at-Tirmidhi

-- Improving your relationship with the Qur’an by increasing the amount you read and reflect upon daily and seeking to acting upon it;

-- Being consistent in reading your adhkar in the morning and evening, after the prayer and in your varying states (such as eating, entering the house and preparing for sleep);

-- Improving your interaction with your family, friends, relatives, neighbors and with Allah’s slaves in general and the elect of His slaves specifically;

-- Fasting whatever days you are able to, especially Monday and Thursday and the White Days (13th, 14th and 15th days of the month);

-- Giving a portion of your wealth in charity and doing what you can to help those in need and treating them kindly;

-- Worshiping Allah in the night, especially in the last portion of the night. Improve your state at this time so as to enter into those who Allah praises in the Qur’an: (They are) those who are patient, those who are true (in Faith, words, and deeds), and obedient with sincere devotion in worship to Allah. Those who spend [give the Zakat and charity in the Way of Allah] and those who pray and beg Allah's Pardon in the last hours of the night. [Surah AleImran 3:17]

-- Giving up bad habits.

We ask Allah to give us a great portion of the gifts bestowed in this month and that He makes us among those who attain acceptance and felicity in this life and the next.

O Allah, bless us in Rajab and Sha`ban, allow us to reach Ramadhan and assist us in fasting and praying in the night.

Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

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