Do Not Miss Out In Ramadan
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Praise be to Allah, the Most Generous, the Bestower of Favors. I praise Him, highly exalted is He, for the blessing He has bestowed upon us by allowing us to reach the month of fasting. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone, without any partners. And I bear witness that our master and Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh), is His servant and messenger. May the blessings and peace of my Lord be upon him, his family, his companions, and all those who follow his path and are guided by his Sunnah.
To proceed:
O fasting believers: I advise you and myself to fear Allah, the Exalted and Sublime. So, be mindful of your Lord, obey Him, and fill your time with that which pleases Him.
“O believers! Be mindful of Allah, and say what is right. He will bless your deeds for you, and forgive your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, has truly achieved a great triumph.” > — [Al-Ahzab 33:70-71]
Servants of Allah: Why do some fasting people lose Ramadan? Are they unaware of its virtues and special merits?! Do they not know that it is the month of repentance and forgiveness, the month of emancipation from the Hellfire?! Do they not realize it is a season of goodness, containing an irreplaceable opportunity: a night better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is truly deprived?!
Can it be believed that among us today are those who squander this month and its virtues?! Is it conceivable that Ramadan has arrived for some of us, yet they remain heedless and distracted, deceived by Satan and wishful thinking?
O fasting believers: Today’s sermon is about the greatest reasons why a believer might lose Ramadan. People fall into these to varying degrees—some a little, some a lot. So, beware of these causes entirely and in detail:
1. Neglecting the Obligatory Prayers Among the greatest reasons for losing out in Ramadan is neglecting the five daily prayers and delaying them past their proper times. For whoever does not guard the obligatory acts and fails to fulfill their primary duties, how can they be expected to perform voluntary acts and other righteous deeds?! Moreover, how can they be expected to make the most of Ramadan while they do not even attend the congregational prayer in the mosque?!
One cannot help but be utterly astonished at some fasting people who waste the obligatory prayers; they might even abandon some of them entirely or sleep through them, as often happens with the Dhuhr and Asr prayers. Yet, after that, you see them eagerly attending the Tarawih prayer! How can someone in this state expect to win Ramadan and its virtues?!
2. Staying Up Late in Disobedience Another cause of loss in Ramadan is staying up late, if it is not in the obedience of Allah. Some fasting people sit up all night wasting time playing cards, flipping through TV channels, while some delve into the honor of others and backbite Muslims.
Others, through their phones, cast their eyes upon forbidden apps and indecent channels teeming with music and images of women who are clothed yet naked, or following the news of corrupt celebrities who have no share of morality. Still others wander from one market to another without any real need, purely wasting time.
One must ask: how can success and spiritual profit in Ramadan be expected for someone who stays up all night doing what angers Allah, the Exalted and Sublime? What kind of fast is it for such people?! They fast during the day from what is pure and lawful, but break their fast at night upon what is forbidden. Is this not one of the greatest losses—to squander the nights of this noble month in such corruption?! Let anyone who has this habit review themselves, and let them know that their day of fasting and their day of non-fasting are exactly the same.
3. The Disease of Procrastination Among the greatest reasons for losing out in Ramadan is that dangerous disease from which perhaps no one is entirely safe: the disease of procrastination and delaying righteous deeds time after time. Let me give just one example of procrastination in Ramadan:
When it comes to reading the Quran, a person intends to read after Fajr prayer, but they are too tired from staying up late. Then, they promise themselves they will read after Dhuhr, but they are exhausted from work. Then they promise themselves and say, “After Asr, I will make up for what I missed.” And just like that, Ramadan slips away, and they might not have even completed reading the Quran once. You can apply this same pattern to all other righteous deeds.
Conclusion of the First Half: O fasting believers: Value your month as it deserves to be valued, utilize its time in what pleases Allah, and renew your resolve to repent and return to Him. I ask Allah to protect our fasts and our deeds, to inspire us with the righteousness of our hearts, to fill our times in Ramadan with His obedience, and to help us to fast and pray during it in a manner that our Lord loves and is pleased with. I say these words of mine, and I ask Allah for forgiveness for me and for you; so ask Him for forgiveness, for indeed, He is Ever-Forgiving to those who continually turn back to Him.
Second Half
Praise be to Allah (swt) as He deserves to be praised, and I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah (swt) alone, without any partners.
O fasting believers: Know that a fast that does not prevent one from looking at the forbidden, does not stop one from cursing and swearing, and does not deter the fasting person from backbiting and gossiping, is not a true fast in reality. True fasting is the fasting of the limbs from vain talk and obscenity.
From Abu Hurairah (may Allah the Exalted be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“There are people who fast and get nothing from their fast except hunger, and there are those who pray and get nothing from their prayer but a sleepless night.” > — [Sunan Ibn Majah 1690, Sunnah.com]
(Poetry translation) If there is no guarding in my hearing, And no lowering of my gaze, and no silence in my speech,Then my share of fasting is only hunger and thirst, So if I say: “I fasted my day,” then I have not truly fasted.
So, invoke blessings and peace upon the one you have been commanded to invoke blessings and peace upon, as the All-Knowing, the Most Exalted has said:
“Indeed, Allah showers His blessings upon the Prophet, and His angels pray for him. O believers! Invoke Allah’s blessings upon him, and salute him with worthy greetings of peace.” > — [Al-Ahzab 33:56]
O Allah the Exalted, send blessings upon our master Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon our master Ibrahim and upon the family of our master Ibrahim; You are indeed Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, bless our master Muhammad and the family of our master Muhammad, as You blessed our master Ibrahim and the family of our master Ibrahim; You are indeed Praiseworthy and Glorious.
خُطْبَةُ جُمُعَةٍ بِعُنْوَانِ: لَا تَخْسَرُوا رَمَضَانَ.
[.:]
الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ الْكَرِيمِ الْمَنَّانِ، أَحْمَدُهُ سُبْحَانَهُ عَلَى مَا مَنَّ بِهِ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ إِدْرَاكِ شَهْرِ الصِّيَامِ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَنَا وَنَبِيَّنَا مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ صَلَوَاتُ رَبِّي وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَمَنْ وَالَاهُ، وَاهْتَدَى بِسُنَّتِهِ وَهُدَاهُ. = أَمَّا بَعْدُ: أَيُّهَا الصَّائِمُونَ: أُوصِيكُمْ وَنَفْسِي بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَعَلَا، فَاتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ تَعَالَى وَأَطِيعُوهُ، وَاعْمُرُوا أَوْقَاتَكُمْ بِمَا يُرْضِيهِ ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا﴾ [الْأَحْزَابِ: 70-71]. عِبَادَ اللَّهِ: لِمَاذَا يَخْسَرُ بَعْضُ الصَّائِمِينَ رَمَضَانَ؟ أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا بِفَضَائِلِهِ وَمَزَايَاَهُ؟! أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ شَهْرُ التَّوْبَةِ وَالْمَغْفِرَةِ، وَشَهْرُ الْعِتْقِ مِنَ النَّارِ؟! أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ مَوْسِمٌ لِلْخَيْرَاتِ، وَفِيهِ فُرْصَةٌ لَا تُعَوَّضُ؛ فِيهِ لَيْلَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ، مَنْ حُرِمَ خَيْرَهَا فَقَدْ حُرِمَ؟! .. أَيُصَدَّقُ أَنَّ مِنَ بَيْنِنَا الْيَوْمَ مَنْ يُضَحِّي بِهَذَا الشَّهْرِ وَمَزَايَاَهُ؟! أَيُعْقَلُ أَنَّ مِنَّا مَنْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَمَضَانُ، وَهُوَ لَا زَالَ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ السَّاهِينَ، غَرَّهُ الشَّيْطَانُ وَطُولُ الْأَمَلِ .. أَيُّهَا الصَّائِمُونَ: خُطْبَةُ الْيَوْمِ عَنْ أَعْظَمِ الْأَسْبَابِ الَّتِي بِسَبَبِهَا يَخْسَرُ الْمُؤْمِنُ رَمَضَانَ .. وَالنَّاسُ فِيهَا بَيْنَ مُقِلٍّ وَمُكْثِرٍ، فَاحْذَرُوا هَذِهِ الْأَسْبَابَ جُمْلَةً وَتَفْصِيلًا:
أَوَّلًا: مِنْ أَعْظَمِ أَسْبَابِ الْخَسَارَةِ فِي رَمَضَانَ: إِهْمَالُ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ، وَتَأْخِيرُهَا عَنْ وَقْتِهَا، فَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْرِصْ عَلَى الْفَرَائِضِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَقُمْ بِالْوَاجِبَاتِ، فَكَيْفَ يُرْجَى مِنْهُ النَّوَافِلُ وَبَقِيَّةُ الصَّالِحَاتِ؟! بَلْ كَيْفَ يُرْجَى مِنْهُ اسْتِغْلَالُ رَمَضَانَ، وَهُوَ لَا يُدْرِكُ الصَّلَاةَ جَمَاعَةً فِي الْمَسْجِدِ؟! وَإِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَيَعْجَبُ كُلَّ الْعَجَبِ مِنْ بَعْضِ الصَّائِمِينَ الَّذِينَ يُضَيِّعُونَ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْمَفْرُوضَةَ، وَلَرُبَّمَا تَرَكَ بَعْضَهَا بِالْكُلِّيَّةِ، أَوْ نَامَ عَنْهَا كَمَا يَحْدُثُ لِصَلَاةِ الظُّهْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ. ثُمَّ تَرَاهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ يَحْرِصُ عَلَى صَلَاةِ التَّرَاوِيحِ! فَكَيْفَ مَنْ هَذَا حَالُهُ، أَنْ يَفُوزَ بِرَمَضَانَ وَفَضَائِلِهِ؟!
ثَانِيًا: مِنْ أَسْبَابِ الْخَسَارَةِ فِي رَمَضَانَ السَّهَرُ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ .. فَبَعْضُ الصَّائِمِينَ يَجْلِسُونَ طَوَالَ اللَّيْلِ يَقْضُونَ الْأَوْقَاتَ فِي لَعِبِ الْوَرَقِ، وَتَتَبُّعِ الْقَنَوَاتِ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَخُوضُ فِي أَعْرَاضِ الْآخَرِينَ وَيَغْتَابُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَالْبَعْضُ عَبْرَ جَوَّالَاتِهِمْ يُقَلِّبُونَ أَنْظَارَهُمْ فِي بَرَامِجَ مُحَرَّمَةٍ، وَقَنَوَاتٍ فَاضِحَةٍ، تَعُجُّ بِالْغِنَاءِ وَصُوَرِ الْكَاسِيَاتِ الْعَارِيَاتِ… وَمُتَابَعَةِ أَخْبَارِ الْمَشَاهِيرِ الْفَاسِدِينَ الَّذِينَ لَا خَلَاقَ لَهُمْ.. وَالْبَعْضُ الْآخَرُ يَتَجَوَّلُ مِنْ سُوقٍ إِلَى آخَرَ، وَلَيْسَ هُنَاكَ حَاجَةٌ غَيْرُ تَضْيِيعِ الْأَوْقَاتِ. يَا تُرَى.. كَيْفَ يُرْجَى الْفَوْزُ وَالرِّبْحُ فِي رَمَضَانَ لِمَنْ سَهِرَ طَوَالَ اللَّيْلِ فِيمَا يُغْضِبُ اللَّهَ جَلَّ وَعَلَا؟ وَأَيُّ صَوْمٍ لِمِثْلِ هَؤُلَاءِ؟! يَصُومُونَ فِي النَّهَارِ عَنِ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُفْطِرُونَ فِي اللَّيْلِ عَلَى الْمُحَرَّمَاتِ .. أَلَيْسَتْ هَذِهِ مِنْ أَعْظَمِ الْخَسَارَةِ؛ أَنْ تُضَيَّعَ لَيَالِي هَذَا الشَّهْرِ الْكَرِيمِ بِمِثْلِ هَذَا الْفَسَادِ؟! فَلْيُرَاجِعْ كُلُّ مَنْ هَذَا طَبْعُهُ نَفْسَهُ، وَلْيَعْلَمْ أَنَّ يَوْمَ صَوْمِهِ وَيَوْمَ فِطْرِهِ سَوَاءٌ.
ثَالِثًا: مِنْ أَعْظَمِ أَسْبَابِ الْخَسَارَةِ فِي رَمَضَانَ ذَلِكَ الْمَرَضُ الْخَطِيرُ، الَّذِي لَرُبَّمَا لَمْ يَسْلَمْ مِنْهُ أَحَدٌ. وَهُوَ مَرَضُ التَّسْوِيفِ وَتَأْجِيلُ الْأَعْمَالِ الصَّالِحَةِ وَقْتًا بَعْدَ آخَرَ. وَأَضْرِبُ مِثَالًا وَاِحًدًا لِلتَّسْوِيفِ فِي رَمَضَانَ. فَمَثَلًا عِنْدَ قِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ يُرِيدُ الْوَاحِدُ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ بَعْدَ صَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ، وَلَكِنَّهُ مُتْعَبٌ مِنَ السَّهَرِ، ثُمَّ يُمَنِّي نَفْسَهُ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ بَعْدَ الظُّهْرِ، وَلَكِنَّهُ مُرْهَقٌ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ، ثُمَّ يُمَنِّي نَفْسَهُ وَيَقُولُ: بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ أُعَوِّضُ مَا فَاتَ.. وَهَكَذَا يَنْسَلِخُ رَمَضَانُ، وَلَرُبَّمَا لَمْ يُكْمِلْ خَتْمَةً وَاحِدَةً. وَقِسْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ بَقِيَّةَ الْأَعْمَالِ الصَّالِحَةِ.. أَيُّهَا الصَّائِمُونَ: اقْدُرُوا لِشَهْرِكُمْ قَدْرَهُ، وَاسْتَغِلُّوا أَوْقَاتَهُ فِيمَا يُرْضِي اللَّهَ، وَجَدِّدُوا عَزْمَكُمْ عَلَى التَّوْبَةِ وَالْإِنَابَةِ. أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَحْفَظَ عَلَيْنَا صِيَامَنَا وَأَعْمَالَنَا، وَأَنْ يُلْهِمَنَا صَلَاحَ قُلُوبِنَا، وَأَنْ يُعَمِّرَ أَوْقَاتَنَا فِي رَمَضَانَ بِطَاعَتِهِ، وَأَنْ يُعِينَنَا فِيهِ عَلَى صِيَامِهِ وَقِيَامِهِ كَمَا يُحِبُّ رَبُّنَا وَيَرْضَى. وَأَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ لِلْأَوَّابِينَ غَفُورًا.
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الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ حَقَّ حَمْدِهِ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، = أَيُّهَا الصَّائِمُونَ: اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الصِّيَامَ الَّذِي لَا يَمْنَعُ مِنَ النَّظَرِ إِلَى الْحَرَامِ، وَلَا يَمْنَعُ مِنَ السَّبِّ وَالشَّتْمِ، وَلَا يَرُدُّ الصَّائِمَ عَنِ الْغِيبَةِ وَالنَّمِيمَةِ، فَلَيْسَ بِصِيَامٍ فِي الْحَقِيقَةِ.. إِنَّمَا الصِّيَامُ الْحَقِيقِيُّ: هُوَ صَوْمُ الْجَوَارِحِ مِنَ اللَّغْوِ وَالرَّفَثِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم «رُبَّ صَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنٍ صِيَامِهِ إِلَّا الْجُوعُ، وَرُبَّ قَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ قِيَامِهِ إِلَّا السَّهَرُ». = إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي السَّمْعِ مِنِّي تَصَاوُنٌ * وَفِي بَصَرِي غَضٌّ وَفِي مَنْطِقِي صَمْتُ * فَحَظِّي إِذًا مِنْ صَوْمِي الْجُوعُ وَالظَّمَا * فَإِنْ قُلْتُ: إِنِّي صُمْتُ يَوْمِي فَمَا صُمْتُ. = هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَىَ مَنْ أُمِرْتُمْ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالسَّلَامِ عَلَيْهِ كَمَا قَالَ عَزَّ مِنْ قَائِلٍ عَلِيمٍ: ﴿ إِنَّ ٱلَلَّهَ وَمَلَـٰئِكَـتَهُ يُصَلُّوْنَ عَلَىَ ٱلَنَّبِىِّ يُٰأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِيَنَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا ﴾ [الْأَحْزَابِ: 56]. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ. اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ.