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| Flickr: omaQ.org & Red Frame Memories |
One can almost feel it in the air already. The blessings, mercy, 'sakina', of the most blessed of months, Ramadhan. Everybody's experience of Ramadhan, is no doubt different and unique. In different parts of the world, Ramadhan takes on a whole new flavour. Besides the obvious obligations of Fasting, the sunnah of Taraweeh, the feeding of the poor and needy, I think Ramadhan should be about connecting, contacting and building a relationship, not with another Facebook or Twitter friend, but with our Most Merciful Almighty Allah.
I write this, in the hope that some of this will affect me first of all, for I am guilty of wasting precious moments of Ramadhan, too often in the past. And as our esteemed late Moulana Yunus Patel, used to always remind us, 'If the Kings and Emperors of this world, tasted some of the sweetness, that a close and intimate relationship with Allah brings, they would offer their kingdoms as ransom in exchange of it.'
All it takes, is a little effort on our part. The books of Hadith makes mention in one narration, 'If we come walking towards Allah, He comes running towards us.' Our Nabi (Peace be upon him), was someone who used to literally swim among the ocean of people. But during Ramadhan, he chose to seclude himself and dedicate himself totally to befriending and communication with Allah. Not that he needed to become any closer to Allah, but as a lesson for his followers to come, that this is how Ramadhan should be spent. In today's hectic paced world, we could all do with some spiritual spark in our lives. There's no better time than now. Wake up a little earlier for suhoor, perform two rakaah of Nafl prayer, just sit on that musallah, and speak to Allah, in whatever language it is that you know. As Moulana used to so succinctly say in his duas, ' O my beloved Allah, O my beautiful Allah..'
So, in-between the samoosas, pies, milk-shakes and mandatory haleem, let's all make an intention, that we send that friend request to our Creator, at 2AM in the morning, when he is waiting for his most precious but most ungrateful of creations to turn to him.
May Almighty grant all of us, acceptance.
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| Flickr: Feddah Ali |
