Some Thoughts about the Importance of the First One Third of Ramadhan.

"All praise be to Allah. Peace and blessings be upon His last Messenger.

Last week or last Friday, we were about to commence the month of Ramadhan, and now we are in the first week of the month of Ramadhan. This is the first Friday during the month of Ramadhan.

So we need to realize this great opportunity that Allah the Almighty has showered our lives with. If we do not realize the importance of, and the significance of, this opportunity then we wouldn't be able to appreciate what it requires from us, and what we are expecting to gain from the month of Ramadhan, and what we are supposed to achieve through fasting the month of Ramadhan, and experiencing all the blessings of this month. So if we haven't realized yet, still we do have the chance.

There are a lot of people, brothers, sisters and friends, who are unable to make it to this month of Ramadhan. Allah, the Almighty, has chosen their souls. And we know them; they are close friends, close relatives, close brothers and sisters. And if they were to be asked what they wish if they are to return back, then there is no doubt they would have wished to be able to witness and return back to at least one day of the month of Ramadhan.

So we really need to appreciate this blessed month, not only its days and nights, as they are blessed days and nights, but every single moment of it. We need really to appreciate every single second, every moment of this month of Ramadhan.

And we need to ask ourselves. Are we achieving better achievements? Are we elevating our souls high? Are we increasing our spirituality during this month of Ramadhan? Are we attaching ourselves, our hearts to Allah, the Almighty? Are we appreciating the favours of Allah? Are we appreciating all the blessings around us? How much are we referring back to the Holy Book of Al Quran? Are we really reflecting on the teachings and wisdom of our Holy Book? Are we examining our deeds and doings? Are we repenting to Allah, the Almighty?

If we haven't done so yet, then there is no excuse to postpone. We have to do it immediately. It doesn't need to go through formal procedures or through any bureaucratic channels. This is between us and Allah, the Almighty, our Lord, who is the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. And if we are not to do this during the month of Ramadhan then we are in a very serious and a very alarming situation.

Let's purify our hearts. Let's repent to Allah, the Almighty, and ask for His forgiveness, and ask His guidance. Ask Allah, the Almighty, to guide us to the righteous path, and then everything is going to be easy for us. All what it needs devotion, determination, and commitment.

And as Muslims, we can do this. We do have a blessed month. It is a timing that Allah, the Almighty, has elevated high, and has made it a chance for all Muslims to gain high rewards, and to discipline themselves, and to gain control over themselves so that they can take their souls against their temptations, and against the worldly desires, and realize the actual facts for this life that life doesn't lie on its materialistic needs, or on the positions that we might own but there is another meaning behind this life. We are living to serve Allah, the Almighty, to appreciate His boundaries, to appreciate His worship, and that we are dignified through worshiping Allah, the Almighty. We need, as I said, right at the first third of this month, to reflect on all these facts and still we have the time, still we do have the opportunity ahead of us. We pray to Allah, the Almighty, that He would enable us to grasp this opportunity, and to reflect on its lessons and wisdoms. Allah ta'ala knows best."

By Sheikh Kahlan ibn Nabhan Al-Kharusi

Taken from Knowing Your Religion Programme, Episode broadcasted on Frtiday 4/07/2014.