Asalamu Alaikum Dear Parents and Community,
I am writing to you all from the House of Allah to wish you a most blessed Ramadan this year.
Let’s make this Ramadan a time for change. A change that will allow us to live the life that Allah has intended for us- not the one that follows our desires.
As I sit and reflect in front of the Kaba, I see pilgrims cling to its door and cry in repentance. I see people brave the intense heat of the middle of the day and perform tawaf and make excessive duas. I see people push past there comfort zones and sit for hours on end doing tilawah of Quran and perform nafil salah. And I see people forgive one another despite the many differences and incidents that may occur. In the spirit of this most blessed place and the most blessed month, I ask that we use the start of Ramadan as a time to truly reflect in the year that has passed since the last Ramadan and see how we can set goals to better ourselves.
My top 5 picks this Ramadan are:
1.Spend time excessively in the recitation of the Quran and reflect deeply on what Allah is saying to us.
2.Improve the quality of our salah and ensure that our life revolves around this obligation. Careful planning is required for this so that we do not neglect our other duties.
3.Make dua for people in our family, our relatives who have returned to Allah, our friends and colleagues, our neighborhood, and anyone in the world suffering at the hands of oppressors. May Allah guide us all and stop the oppressors from their injustices – Ameen.
4.Feed other people to break their fast, even if it be just dates. Show extra kindness to others because the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) set the standard in this that we are to follow.
5.Control our tongues- Allah has prescribed fasting for us so that we may attain taqwa and learn to control ourselves. Our speech can be used for the benefit of ourselves and others, or it may in fact be a witness against us on the Day of Judgement.
One thing about lists is that they are not much use unless we can put in place a plan of how we will achieve these. Just like we have given our students a chart to track their progress in amal, I suggest we all set our goals and then actively work towards achieving them.
You are all in my duas; may Allah keep our feet firmly placed in His deen and not fall victim to the many distractions and trials that come our way. May Allah unite our hearts on goodness. Ameen
الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): "Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.
(Surah Aal-e-Imran:191)
Wasalam,
Rahat Arain
Principal Islamic Tradition