- Ramadan Lectures
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- 22.Ramadan Reflections 1443 AH
Dear
brothers, let us start a new series of lessons in which we will ponder over 30
Noble Ayaat from among many hundreds ones that start with the phrase "O
you who believe".
The first Noble Ayah is the following one in which Allah the Almighty says:
[Surat Al-Baqarah, 153]
Actually, Islam is based on patience; Allah the Almighty has instilled desires and lusts inside us, and these desires are either satisfied lawfully or unlawfully. For example, as for sexual desires, it is not permissible to make friends with a non-Mahram woman, and the only lawful way of fulfilling your desire towards a woman is through getting married.
As
for the desire for money, there are too many Haram (illegal) ways as well as
many Halal (legal) ways to make money. Thus, every desire has a lawful and pure
way through which it can be satisfied blamelessly.
Indeed,
we are supposed to be patient in three cases: we should be patient upon performing acts of obedience to Allah (i.e. while
finding it hard to obey Allah's Orders), we should be patient while abstaining
from sins, and we should be patient upon having calamities befallen us (i.e. we
should be satisfied with Allah's Qada' and Qadar (the Divine Decree and
Predestination). Regarding this point, Allah the Almighty says:
(O you who believe! Seek help in patience and As-Salat (the prayer). Truly! Allah is with As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.).)
Patience is a passive attitude whereas Salah is an active one. Let me give you the following example to make this point clear: When you have to swallow a bitter medicine, you should endure its taste with patience, but after recovery, you can eat a very delicious food. So, thinking about that delicious food will encourage you to endure the drug's bitter taste. Likewise, Salah is a gift from Allah the Almighty, a means to get closer to Him, a source of tranquility, love for Allah, and purity, and a form of remembering Allah the Almighty and Munajat (talking secretly to Him). Allah the Almighty says:
[Surat Al-Baqarah, 153]