Day 26 / Juz 26 (Ramadan ’17):-

“O Mankind, indeed We have created you from a male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” [49: 13]

How often we come across this verse! It tells us of our origins and why we are all so different. And ain’t that a beautiful thing 🙂 There’s a hadith that fascinates me in relation to this, and it’s when the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:

 

“Allah created Adam from a handful that He gathered from the entire earth, so the sons of Adam come like the earth. Some of them are red, some are white, some are black and some are in between. Some of them are easy, some of them are difficult, some are evil and some are good.” [al-Tirmidhi, hasan sahih]

 

We are as different as the grains of sand on earth, and if you know anything about sand particles you’ll know how vastly different we are. This is not only to be celebrated, but it’s also to be understood… You won’t always see eye to eye with people, you won’t always understand why they react the way they do, and you won’t always understand their reasons for so many things. You may get along absolutely fine with some people and yet be stumped by others and be frustrated by them. Understand that they are from a different grain of sand.

 

I have a firm belief that we should all be able to get along with people on a basic level, no matter how much we disagree or dislike them. You can always choose to be amiable, choose to interpret words well, and choose to respond with balance and piety. This is how to build bridges with people who are different, and this is how we can get to know one another… after all, it’s our differences that create a strong intrigue inside each of us.

Day 27 / Juz 27 (Ramadan ’17):-

“…And He will appoint for you a light whereby you shall walk…” [57: 28]

In a world that is fast being engulfed by darkness of all sorts, most of us yearn for some light. There are people that walk the earth with light; they see with clear clarity and are enlightened from within. It doesn’t mean that they don’t have any problems, but it means that despite the problems, they feel peace and are well-nourished and protected by their Iman.

 

Allah `azza wa jall promises us this light from Him, but all it takes is 2 things as the verse mentions: “O believers, be conscious of God, and believe in His Messenger, and He will give you a twofold portion of His mercy; and He will appoint for you a light whereby you shall walk, and forgive you; God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.” [57: 28]

 

That’s all it takes to completely transform our lives from inside out. Have some God-consciousness within you and follow in the footsteps of His final Messenger. You will be led through the earth and led through life – with light from Him. You’ll come across mercy twice-fold. You’ll make it out of every problem and you’ll never be defeated by anything though it may test you fiercely. You will see His signs and appreciate them, and you’ll find yourself through them. How many people long to find themselves. You’ll see bravery and courage develop within you as you become fearless due to your ever-increasing fear of God, and you’ll also soften and become vulnerable in ways you didn’t stop to think about. It’s a tale of you finally seeing yourself and transforming because when light hits something, you really begin to see it for what it is – and that’s a powerful thing.

Day 28 / Juz 28 (Ramadan ’17):-

“When the prayer is finished, disperse through the land and seek the bounty of God…” [62: 10]

There is a time for this and a time for that. A time to worship and a time to do business. A time to celebrate joyously and a time to remember solemnly. A time to laugh and a time to cry. A time to converse with society and a time to converse with your soul. It’s all about balance and being careful not to hit extremities or dwell for too long in the corners of life.

 

Even when it comes to prayer, Allah `azza wa jall is instructing us to go out and disperse through town once we are finished praying. We have to tend to the other aspects of our lives and we’re not allowed to seclude ourselves forever in worship; that’s something people have unnecessarily burdened themselves with or guilt-trip others with. As mentioned towards the end of the previous Juz, it’s not only impossible to sustain, but it’s actually not even true piety. True righteousness is being able to live in this world and despite its hustle and bustle, you still remember Allah, you still worship Him, and you still make time for Him.

Day 29 / Juz 29 & 30 (Ramadan ’17):-

“My Lord, forgive me and my parents and whoever enters my home as a believer…” [71: 28]

The Qur’an details many of the du’as made by the Prophets and this particular du’a by Nuh (AS) is one that leaves a warm feeling in my heart. Nuh goes out of his way to seek forgiveness (a major theme in this surah) not just for his parents but also every single person who walked into his house as a believer. Such a beautiful du’a. He is essentially making his home a sanctuary where people are prayed for and they receive the gift of his prophetic supplication.

 

Our homes are places of safety, mercy, and well-wishes. It’s a place where we welcome others and offer our peace to them. We host them and we feed them. But Nuh went a step further and made his home a place where the forgiveness of Allah touched everyone who walked in. Paradise is called the ‘Home of Peace’ (Dar al-Salam) and so Nuh is teaching us to create homes of peace, a little oasis of Paradise right here on earth by seeking the forgiveness of Allah for ourselves, our families, and everyone who steps into our home.

 

As Ramadan draws to an end, I ask Allah to forgive me, my parents and family, and everyone who reads this or has read these posts and benefited. May we witness many more Ramadans, ameen 🙂