Mid-Ramadhaan Check-Up

In light of what's been going on these last couple days (the whole pact issue), I've decided that it's time for some words of rememberance and words of reminder, for verily the believers benefit from the reminder.

Abu Malik al-Ash'ari reported: The Messenger of Allāh (may peace be upon him) said: Cleanliness is half of faith and al-Hamdulillaah (Praise be to Allāh) fills the scale, and subḥānAllāh wal-Hamdulillaah (Glory be to Allāh and praise be to Allāh) fill up what is between the heavens and the earth, and prayer is a light, and charity is proof (of one's faith) and endurance is a brightness and the Holy Qur'an is a proof on your behalf or against you. (Sahih Muslim)

“Cleanliness is half of faith”
Amongst the small deeds we listed here were staying in wudhu – a way of attaining both spiritual and physical cleanliness. If you're reading this and are not in a state wudhu, please get up and do so. Contemplate upon it as you wash yourself the way the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) did. Imagine it washing away your sins. Imagine your soul being gently scrubbed as your purify yourself. And imagine the weight of your “good deeds” scale increasing – cha ching! :D

In addition to this, do a quick sniff test on yourself (works better if you do it privately – people tend to look askance at you if they find you sniffing your armpits or inhaling the scent of your shirt! ;) ): do you smell good, or do you smell gross? If you smell like sweat, food, and other unnameable/ unidentifiable but ultimately revolting odours, it's time for a ghusl, a change of clothes, and liberal use of deoderant (if you're a guy, some decent cologne or 'itr would go a long way as well). If not, al-Hamdulillah! :)

“al-Hamdulillaah (Praise be to Allāh) fills the scale and subḥānAllāh wal-Hamdulillaah (Glory be to Allāh and praise be to Allāh) fill up what is between the heavens and the earth”

Subhan'Allāh! Look at the amazing rewards for uttering these simple words… are we taking advantage of these opportunities? When you're driving, when you're shopping, when you're waiting in line at the store, when you're walking, when you're cooking, when you're vacuuming?

Let's keep in mind something else, though: instead of just repeating these words, make these words come from the heart. This may sound a bit weird, but I imagine the words to be something else that, to me, carries a connotation of the meaning – e.g. “al-Hamdulillaah” is like a gorgeous summer day when the sunshine makes the world feel drenched in honey, “subhan'Allāh” is like fireworks, and “Allahu akbar” is like going to the planetarium (or better still, driving out to the country where you can actually see the stars). The feelings associated with those scenarios are what elicit those responses, respectively.

“and prayer is a light”
Is the ṣalāh a comfort to our us the way it was to our beloved Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)? How do we feel while praying? Are we relishing every word, contemplating it, appreciating it? Are we letting it sink into our very hearts and souls? Are we realizing that we are talking directly to Allāh, with no intercessor – what an amazing experience it is, that we experience 5 times a day, every day! Truly, as-ṣalāh is one of Allāh's blessings and gifts upon us… yet all too often we end up viewing it as a burden (may Allāh forgive us all).

“and charity is proof (of one's faith)”
When was the last time we gave in charity? Remember, charity isn't only monetary – it can be a smile, it can be a hug, it can be spending 10 minutes with your parents/ sibling/ spouse/ child and kidding around with them or just talking to them, it can be lending your neighbour some trivial item without grudging it… sadaqah comes in so many forms!
Make a personal list of some type of sadaqah that YOU can give today. For a challenge, make a list of 5 things to do within 5 minutes!

“and the Holy Qur'an is a proof on your behalf or against you.”
How much Qur'an have we read today? A page? Half a page? An entire juz? Let's make an effort to read AT LEAST a page after every ṣalāh. If that's not possible, then find some time in the day when you can sit down with a mushaf and meet our personal goals. Suggestions include after Fajr, before Maghrib (say, half an hour before iftaar), before 'Ishaa, after 'Ishaa, and before bed – not to mention the many other opportunities that come up in the day!
I know that right now, many people are reading the Pledge post, the comments, and writing comments in response. Well, here's my suggestion: as soon as you're finished reading this, close your browser window and go read a page of Qur'an instead! Let us try to be of those the Qur'an will testify FOR, not against!

To continue upon this theme, please revisit the “Ramadhaan: The Little Deeds That Count!” page and see which of these seemingly insignificant (but big on ajr!) actions YOU can implement TODAY (or tonight, as the case may be).

May Allāh forgive us all for the useless words we've spoken (or typed), and may He help us take advantage of the remainder of this blessed month of Ramadhaan, āmīn!