“It was reported from Abu Qutaadah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on the Day of Arafah. He said, ‘It expiates for the sins of the previous year and of the coming year.‘ Narrated by Muslim.”

Also, make a lot of du’aa, prayers, and send plenty of peace and blessings to the Prophet Muhammad [saw] on this day, because it is the last of the blessed 10 days of Dhul Hijjah.

Some awesome facts about the Day of Arafah:

1.It is the day on which the religion was perfected and Allah’s Favour was completed.

In Al-Saheehayn it was reported from Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) that a Jewish man said to him, ‘O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, there is an aayah in your Book which you recite; if it had come to us Jews, we would have taken that day as an Eid (festival).’ Umar said, ‘Which aayah?’ He said: ‘This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.’ [al-Maa'idah 5:3 interpretation of the meaning].

Umar said, ‘We know on which day and in which place that was revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). It was when he was standing in Arafah on a Friday.’

2.It is a day of Eid for the people who are in that place.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Yawm Arafah (the day of Arafah), Yawm al-Nahr (the Day of Sacrifice) and Ayyaam al-Tashreeq (the 3 days following Yawm al-Nahr) are Eid (festival) for us, the people of Islam. These are days of eating and drinking. This was narrated by the authors of al-Sunan.

It was reported that Umar ibn al-Khattaab said: ‘It i.e., the aayah ‘This day I have perfected’ was revealed on a Friday, the Day of Arafah, both of which praise be to Allah are Eids for us.’

3.It is a day by which Allah swore an oath.

The Almighty cannot swear by anything except that which is mighty. Yawm Arafah is the ‘witnessed day’ mentioned in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

‘By the witnessing day [Friday] and by the witnessed day [the Day of Arafah].’ [al-Burooj 85:3].

It was reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘The promised day is the Day of Resurrection, the witnessed day is the Day of Arafah, and the witnessing day is Friday.’ Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.

It is the ‘odd’ [i.e., odd-numbered, Witr] by which Allah swore in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

‘And by the even and the odd’ [al-Fajr 89:3]. Ibn Abbaas said: ‘The even is the Day of al-Adhaa [i.e., 10th Dhul-Hijjah] and the odd is the Day of Arafah [i.e., 9th Dhul-Hijjah] This is also the view of Ikrimah and al-Dahhaak.

4.Fasting on this day is an expiation for two years.

It was reported from Abu Qutaadah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on the Day of Arafah. He said, ‘It expiates for the sins of the previous year and of the coming year.’ Narrated by Muslim.

This (fasting) is mustahabb for those who are not on Hajj. In the case of the one who is on Hajj, it is not Sunnah for him to fast on the Day of Arafah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not fast on this day in Arafah. It was narrated that he forbade fasting on the Day of Arafah in Arafah.

5.It is the day on which Allah took the covenant from the progeny of Adam.

It was reported that Ibn Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Allah took the covenant from the …[offspring] of Adam in Na’maan, i.e., Arafah. He brought forth … all his offspring and spread them before Him, then He addressed them, and said: ‘Am I not your Lord? They said, ‘Yes, we testify,’ lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: ‘Verily, we have been unaware of this.’ Or lest you should say: ‘It was only our fathers aforetime who took others as partners in worship along with Allah, and we were (merely their) descendents after them; will You then destroy us because of the deeds of men who practised Al-Baatil (i.e., ploytheism and committing crimes and sins, invoking and worshipping others besides Allah)?’ [al-A'raaf 7:172-173 interpretation of the meaning].’ Narrated by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. And there is no greater day than this and no greater covenant than this.

6.It is the day of forgiveness of sins, freedom from the Fire and pride in the people who are there:

In Saheeh Muslim it was narrated from Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than the Day of Arafah. He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels, saying, ‘What do these people want?’

It was reported from Ibn Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Allah expresses His pride to His angels at the time of Ishaa on the Day of Arafah, about the people of Arafah. He says, ‘Look at My slaves who have come unkempt and dusty.’ Narrated by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.

[http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/7284]

“And fear the Day when you shall return to Allah, and every soul shall be compensated for what they earned, and none shall be dealt with unjustly.” 2:281

The day to be feared is awesome indeed. Believers’ hearts dread the events of that day when all will be made to stand in front of God to face the reckoning of their deeds. This verse serves as a fitting comment on a passage devoted to the liquidation of past unfair dealings.

This fear is the powerful ‘voice within’ which Islam kindles in the deepest recesses of people’s minds and hearts to act as a potent guiding force in life. Thus Islam proves yet again how vigorous, well-integrated, practical and merciful it is, and demonstrates that its overriding aim and objective is the happiness and well-being of man as an individual, and human society as a whole.

[In The Shade Of The Qur'an, volume 1, page 468]

“Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? It produces its fruit all the time, by permission of its Lord. And Allah presents examples for the people that perhaps they will be reminded.” 14:24-25

Ali ibn Abi Talhah narrated that Abdullah ibn Abbas commented that Allah’s statement “an example, [making] a good word] refers to testifying to La ilaha illallah, while “like a good tree,” refers to the believer, and “whose root is firmly fixed,” refers to La ilaha illallah being firm in the believers’ heart.

“And its branches [high] in the sky,” refers to the believer’s deeds, good statements and good actions. The believer is just like the beneficial date tree, always having good actions ascending at all times, by day and by night (Hadith of Ibn Umar in Bukhari).

[Tafsir ibn Kathir, volume 5, page 339-340]

The good word of truth is indeed like a great firm tree, yielding its fruits, solid, unaffected by wind and undisturbed by the storm of evil. It cannot be uprooted by evil tyranny, even though there may be times when it seems to be exposed to grave danger. As it stands high, it looks on evil, injustice and tyranny from above, even though it sometimes seems to the short-sighted that evil squeezes it into a narrow corner. Its fruits are yielded time after time, because its seeds grow within good souls, generation after generation.

This is the reality of life, even though it may appear to come very slowly. Real goodness does not die or fade away, even though it may be pressed hard by evil which seems to possess enormous power. These are examples that exist in reality, but people often forget due to the pressures of life.

[In the Shade of the Qur'an, volume 10, page 260-261]

These people are willing to dedicate their souls and bodies to Allah, for nothing in return other than His pleasure. It is a deal they conclude without a moment’s hesitation, desiring nothing else but divine blessing and approval.

The Arabic expression used in this verse may be interpreted differently to give the same message. The Arabic term denoting “sell” is also used to mean “buy”. Thus such people buy themselves by giving up all of the pleasures of this world, dedicating themselves purely to Allah. They are ready and willing to sacrifice all worldly success and pleasure so that they may be accepted by Allah and admitted into the divine fold.

In his commentary on the Qur’an, Ibn Kathir cites several reports suggesting that this verse was revealed with reference to one of the Prophet’s companions, Suhaib ibn Sinan, who was of Byzantine origin. He had accepted Islam when the Prophet [saw] was still in Makkah, but when the migration to Madinah took place and he wanted to join the Muslims, the Arab unbelievers prevented him from taking his belongings and money with him. He decided to give it all up in return for the right to leave Makkah.

He was met at the outskirts of Madinah by a group of Muslims, including Umar ibn Al Khattab, who greeted him with the words. “Well done! You have made a profitable bargain!” He returned the compliment by saying, “And may Allah make your trade always profitable. What’s the reason you’re congratulating me?” He was then given the good news that a verse of the Qur’an, a great honor, was revealed in tribute to his deal of leaving his wealth with the Arabs of Makkah.

It has also been reported that the Prophet [saw] had commented, “Suhaib has struck a profitable deal.”

This verse paints a portrait of a type of strong believer whose whole life is dedicated to the service of Allah, and who has conquered the temptations of this life. This, of the two portraits shown in the preceding verses, reveal some extraordinary aspects of the Qur’anic style, and are for us to study and marvel at. We cannot but stand in awe of Allah’s unmatched power of creation, as we learn how not to be taken in by soft-spoken words or false outward appearance. We are directed to look deeper into the essence of things, rather than be deceived by external appearance. This verse also draws our attention to the values of criteria, based on faith in Allah, which should be used to judge people.

[In the Shade of the Qur'an, volume 1, page 300-301]

“Those who love the life of this world more than the Hereafter, who hinder (humankind) from the Path of Allah, and seek therein something crooked: they are astray by a long distance.” 14:3

Giving preference to the life of this world puts a person in a position of conflict with the requirements of faith, and on a collision course with the “path of Allah.” The situation is reversed when preference is given to the life to come. For then, this life is set on the right course. People enjoy it with moderation, always keen to earn Allah’s pleasure.  Hence there is no conflict between their preference for the life to come and their enjoyment of this life with the pleasures that it offers.

Those who turn their minds towards ensuring a happy outcome in the hereafter do not lose the pleasures of this world, as some people with faulty concepts imagine. In Islam, a happy life in this world is a prelude to a happy future life. The fulfillment of man’s task as Allah’s vicegerent on earth requires building a happy life. In Islam, there is no denunciation or renunciation of any aspect of this life as people wait for the hereafter. What Islam requires is that life should prosper with truth, justice and sound behavior by people who seek Allah’s pleasure and a happy life in the hereafter – this it the Islamic outlook.

Those who choose the life of this world in preference to the hereafter cannot monopolize the resources of this world, exploiting, cheating and oppressing people to serve their own interests in a society where the light of faith shines and people follow Allah’s guidance. Hence they turn themselves and others away from Allah’s path and try to make it appear crooked, devoid of truth and justice. It is only when they have done this, and managed to lead themselves away from the straight path of Allah and justice that they resort to their oppressive ways, cheating people and persuading them to share in their corruption. It is only in this way that they can get what they want of self-aggrandisement, taking for themselves most of the resources Allah has placed on earth, and behaving arroganlty towards others. People then submit their authority without resistance.

The way of life advocated by Islam protects human life against the selfishness and greed of those who are preoccupied with the life of this world in preference to the life to come. Under this way of life no one person or group can monopolize the earth’s wealth and resources.

[In The Shade Of The Qur'an, Volume 10, p.240-241.]

Given at the Islamic Center of Naperville – Ogden

There was no slideshow available at the masjid, so if you download it (post below) you can follow the talk via MP3 and scroll through the slides insha Allah.

Jazakum Allahu khayran for those of you who attended today! As promised, the slideshow has been uploaded. Please note that all of the information is not on the slides themselves, so you have to combine them with your notes.

Also, the Morning and Evening adhkaar are linked as well. Be sure to listen to them every morning and evening, and eventually try to memorize them to gain benefit insha Allah.

Slideshow

Adhkaar (uncompress them first, and then you might need to use iTunes to open them up and play them)

Download audio file (icn_khutbah.mp3)

P.S. Dude’s adhaan in the beginning was awesome masha Allah.

Once again, by the Grace and Mercy of Allah, you and I have been chosen to witness Ramadan this year. This is indeed an exclusive honor as many who witnessed Ramadan last year are not here with us this time. Therefore, it is crucial for us to take advantage of this blessed month and not be among those who the Prophet (saw) said should have their noses rubbed in the dust because they are present during Ramadan and yet do not take advantage of this blessing.

To fully benefit from Ramadan, it is absolutely necessary for us to set at least a few realistic and achievable goals for ourselves. If we start out the month without any goals in mind, there is no doubt that we will never get where we want to be. Before I share my personal goals this Ramadan, let us listen quickly to this beautiful advice from our dear Shaykh, Yaser Birjas:

So there is one reminder I particularly took away from this video: “The best loved deeds to Allah are the ones that are continuous even if they are little” (Bukhari and Muslim).

In addition to doing my prayers on time and doing all my sunnahs, there is one goal I have made for myself keeping the above hadith in mind. I have decided to particularly focus on strengthening my relationship with the Quran as Ramadan is indeed the month of the Quran. I plan on achieving my goal this month in 3 specific ways:

1. Reading/ Reciting: Everyday, I make it a point to read three pages of Quran with proper tajweed. I know I could do more, but I also know that instead of quantity, I want to focus on the quality (ie, I want to make sure I’m reading properly with all the rules). Also, knowing I have a large number of pages to cover, for some reason, makes me feel lazy. So, I am taking it slowly, 3 pages at a time. Alhamdulillah, I have not missed a day, and my plan for next week is to add a page to the existing three.

2. Memorizing (with translation): Do you ever want to memorize more Quran but get overwhelmed at the idea of having to memorize those “long surahs?” I can relate! This year, instead of making a goal to memorize an entire juz or 10 different surahs, I am memorizing only three verses a day, but- here’s the catch- with word to word translation. To aid my memorization, I have picked one mushaf to read from and one Qari to follow along with. Verse by Verse Quran has been a great help as I can listen to Qari Husary’s recitation and memorize with it. Another amazing resource that I have been using for the word-to-word translation is Allah’s Quran.  I can see the Arabic text, the word by word breakdown of the meaning, and listen to the recitation, AND read the tafsir all at the same time. Alhamdulillah for technology, eh?

3. Listening to lectures on the Quran: Finally, it is always good to listen to reminders on a daily basis, so I have been listening to a class online on the Quran. If you are like me and have been looking for a nice, motivating, and FREE Quran class during Ramadan,  I would definitly recommend:

This class is conducted daily by Wisam Sharieff, instructor at Bayyinah Institute. Even if you can’t listen to both sessions, you can at least benefit from one.

So, this is a jist of how I am reconnecting with the Book of Allah this Ramadan.  Often, we focus on lots of new and “big” things, but brush some of the more fundamental, but important aspects of our deen.  So, I urge everyone who reads this to make an effort, insha Allah, to invest some time into connecting with the Quran during this blessed month. And if you are already doing so, please share your tips!

May Allah accept our deeds this Ramadan and make it our best one yet