In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
We are approaching towards the end of the Islamic year 1437 AH and the beginning of a new Islamic year 1438 AH. At the end of the financial year business people analyze their year’s trading, but our trade is with Allah and is more worthy of being evaluated.
Our trade with Allah this entire year should begin with a good assessment and evaluation of ourselves. The Second Caliph, `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Criticize and appraise yourselves before you are criticized and appraised...”.
A new year is a great gift from Allah to us because we don't know if we will reach the next one. So, we should receive this new year in the best way, with pious intentions and setting good goals.
The process of setting goals and resolutions requires that you actually take time to analyze where you stand and chart out what you want to become. More often, we are held back because of procrastination and habits that are difficult to change. However, we must realize that it is only we who can help our own selves cross that chasm.
So, start the change today – take the time to know yourself better – identify your weaknesses and commit to eliminate them. Assess your strengths and use them for meaningful pursuits. All in all, invest the effort to embark on a personal transformation that can help you, your families, the world around you and can make your relationship with your Creator even stronger. Because if you don’t take the step, Allah may not help you.
Allah Almighty says in the Qur'an:
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَمْ يَكُ مُغَيِّرًا نِّعْمَةً أَنْعَمَهَا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا۟ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۙ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٥٣[Qur'an, Al-Anfal 8:53]
That is so because Allah will never change a grace which He has bestowed on a people until they change what is in their own selves. And verily, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
Setting goals and making resolutions is all about self improvement and to instill that attitude within ourselves. Abraham Lincoln once commented, “I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.”
The truth indeed is that you can not be better today if you did not set out to become better yesterday and took the necessary actions for that betterment.
We should thank Allah for the gifts with which we have been blessed and seek His forgiveness for our wrongdoings and shortcomings. We also should make our new year’s resolutions for the coming year – what we intend to achieve on our journey to Allah, and the traits which we wish to leave behind.
We should bear in mind that Muharram, the first month of a hijri year, is one of four inviolable months so the reward of our actions is multiplied. Our bad deeds are also more grave in these times.
Therefore, we should open the new year with good works. Amongst the best of these works is fasting. The greatest day in Muharram to fast is of course the tenth, `Ashura.’ Fasting on this day wipes out the sins of the previous year.
One of the wisdoms behind the merit of fasting in the month of Muharram is that both are attributed to Allah – Muharram is the “the Month of Allah” and fasting, as in the hadith qudsi, “is Mine, and I will reward accordingly.” [Bukhari and Muslim]
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “The best (month) to fast after Ramadhan is the Month of Allah which you call al-Muharram. The best prayer after the obligatory prayer is the night prayer.” [Muslim]
Make the intention to wake up before Fajr to pray Tahajjud and Witr. Make the intention to attend gatherings of sacred knowledge and benefit from them.
We should leave our blameworthy traits and fear what might be coming before the next new year -- the beginning of our own Judgment Day (when we die), the punishment of the grave, the torment on Judgment Day and the punishment of the Hellfire. We should protect ourselves against these calamities. This is the basic meaning of taqwa. We do something to place between ourselves and the wrath of Allah. We knock at every door of opportunity to be close to Allah.
People of taqwa will always have Allah to take care of their needs.
Allah Almighty says,
وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّـهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مَخْرَجًا ﴿٢﴾ وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّـهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ بَـٰلِغُ أَمْرِهِۦ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ ٱللَّـهُ لِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدْرًا ﴿٣ ...[Qur'an At-Talaq 65:2-3]
...And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out (2) And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent. (3)
We ask Allah that He gives the hearts of every believers the taste of love of Allah and the taste of love of His beloved Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and the taste of love of his family and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
O Allah, just as You have granted me all that I have loved, let those things be a means of strength for me to use in the way You love. O Allah, whatever love (of things) You have removed from me then grant in its place the love (of things) that You love.
O Allah, I ask you for your love and the love of those you love and the love of that deed which would draw me closer to Your love. O Allah, make Your love more beloved to me than myself, my family, and more beloved than cold water [on a hot day]. O Allah, grant me your love and the love of that person whose love will benefit me by you.
We ask Allah that He makes us from those who are obedient to Him and make us keys to goodness on this earth and keys to lock evil.
May Allah grant us every benefit and make the new year a year of great openings and good.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
No comments:
Post a Comment