Preparing for Ramadan Tips for a Meaningful Month Mufti Menk

my brothers and sisters as you know we have less than two months for the month of Ramadan that itself is gift of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala because he has gotten us so close to something so important it's sad that I'm going to give you the following example but think to bring it close to your mind those of us who might have benefited from the November sales known as the Black Friday sales many times prior to the sale you want to buy something your eyes are on something and you tell yourself you know what it's bit expensive Let Me Wait for the sales be it the end of your sales I've just given you the November sales because we've just come out of it not too long ago but at the same time what you need to know that preparation for you to get hold of bargain is something that happens in your mind you know you want something you know you've shifted into new home or you know you need appliances or electronic gadgets or whatever else it may be you prepare in advance and you save up and then you wait you wait for the day know in some countries and even here when you know there is going to be sale at certain store where you want certain things you make sure you there early and you make sure that you have the bargains this includes your air fairs your air tickets if someone were to tell you there is blitz sale if someone were to tell you that you know what the airline you fly with is going to have saale even if you're not planning to travel you start scratching your head you know you start telling yourself maybe yeah it's quite cheap ticket let's plan maybe we might go here go there but it was not even in your mind had it not been for that sale my brothers my sisters don't you think the month of Ramadan in which the Forgiveness of Allah is literally on sale should be given more importance Subhan Allah it should be given more importance should be excited about the fact that Subhan Allah we're in the month of rajab have you noticed one thing in my few decades on Earth I've realized that every year that is passing is actually faster than the previous one that is the prophecy ofo wasam can't believe we're already at the doorstep of the month of Ramadan and where am have really improved from the previous Ramadan have improved myself over the years the answer should be yes even if it is an inch at time and an inch is not good enough but it's okay at least it's forward movement if were to tell you my brother you want an increment at your job you would say yes if were to say what are you getting now if you for example were to say I'm getting thumb suck 50,000 Rand month what would you like to get what are you going to say many people are so embarrassed to say the true figure in their hearts that they will say what is it that you're offering me Subhan Allah just say want 500,000 and then they're going to say you're crazy you might just get someone who is so good and they say you have it that's fine can it happen think on Earth it's rare in the case of Allah Almighty you ask him what you want verses that are mentioned immediately after the fasting of Ramadan is mentioned inah Bak where Allah says when my worshipper asks me when my worshipper asks you about me tell him am very close respond to everyone who calls out to me every single one who calls out to me respond to him or her so believe in me and continue seeking from me Subhan Allah they should continue seeking from Allah meaning the Believers if they would like to be rightly guided my brothers my sisters Allah places difficulties in your life out of his love for you if it is drawing you closer to Allah it is gift of Allah if it is drifting you away from Allah shatan is getting hold of you so don't lose hope in the mercy of Allah Allah gives you the month of Ramadan the month of Tears the month of crying the month of softening of the heart when say tears and crying mean in regret that we we wasted Our Lives how many times have we especially in the recent past heard of so many people dying of sudden heart attacks how old were they younger than you and what makes you think that it's not you next are you ready to go many of us will say well no rightfully so we may not be ready to go right now but want to tell you my beloved brothers my sisters if you are trying it will bring smile to your face knowing that Allah loves those who try when Adam am did wrong he sought the Forgiveness of Allah hoping in the mercy of Allah Allah forgave him when those who did wrong in the past did wrong they sought the Forgiveness of Allah having hope in the mercy of Allah Allah forgave them and Allah will forgive you and he will forgive me and he will forgive all of us we have nothing besides hope in the mercy of Allah that's going to carry us forward all of us are guilty of crimes when say crimes don't mean major issues against one another like murder Etc but do mean that sins we've committed that we are embarrassed about myself included there is no one on earth who is so saintly that they've never heard no way all the children of Adam all humankind make mistakes they yesam protected by Allah that's another level Al together he is the highest I'm talking about you and and those who exist on Earth today if anyone speaks to you and makes it seem like they don't sin and you're the only ones who sin they are wrong they need need help perhaps on different level yes some are worse than others but that's between them and Allah because there are people who committed bigger sins in their past who have become closer to Allah than those who have committed smaller sins and drifted away from Allah so Allah gives you blessed month and Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala helps you to ponder over how quickly time is moving before you know it it will be the first in this Masid with you or without you you know what that means you might be you might be person whom when the people say their name in Ramadan coming they will say may Allah's mercy be on that man he was good man you might not see the month of Ramadan do you realize that radan Allah grant us the opportunity to witness Ramadan what was the big deal the big deal was we want to witness the sale but want to tell you something very interesting if from now you intend something even if you don't end up fulfilling it for as long as that intention was solid and firm if you were to die between now and the time that you fulfilled what you had planned and intended Allah will reward you fully for that plan in Ramadan I'm going to read so much Quran and am serious about it plan that in the month of Ramadan I'm going to do this and do that I'll start right now little bit like the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam is he started fasting earlier Mondays and Thursdays let's make it habit it's the month of rajab and Shan the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam fasted lot in the month of shaan to ease himself into the month of Ramadan and even after Ramadan in sha he fasted in order to ease out of that month of Ramadan Subhan Allah start now when you do your Salah take your time when you have fulfilled your far your obligation go into your Sunnah and your na little bit from now and see what will happen you will enjoy your Twi but if you are planning from now my brothers let's go to the hu and tell them you better make sharp shoot because we would like quick exit Allah abbar if that's your intention you might not even see Ramadan and then what's going to happen are you ready to face Allah to say Allah was busy preparing for Ramadan by trying to look for the fastest and the quickest and the sharpest of the shooters Allah we don't want that to happen we are above that inshallah we are better people than that we are more closer to Allah and more appreciative of the favors of Allah upon us than person who just wants to rush through the acts of worship that Allah has ordained my brothers my sisters isn't it blessing of Allah you seek forgiveness today with the idea of improving your life today with the idea of changing your life today you see whether you witness the month of Ramadan or Not by the will of Allah that mercy of Allah will engulf you and envelop you to the degree that you have nothing to fear about once you enter the Hereafter if you have these two qualities trust me you want to hear the gift Allah is going to bless you with what are the two qualities Allah says those who say we believe in Allah those who say my Lord is Allah which means you worship him alone you engage in Acts of worship you love him not just lip service you love him to the degree that you work towards achieving his pleasure and then those who say my Lord or our Lord is Allah and then they are steadfast to the best of their abilities they are steadfast steadfastness includes seeking the Forgiveness of Allah on daily basis because the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam was the most steadfast and he sought forgiveness on daily basis so if you are steadfast and you say believe in Allah Allah says the angel descend to them Angels come down to them you know at the point of death you either have angels that you will be so scared of based on your Deeds or you either have Angels whom you will be smiling at based on your Deeds coupled with the mercy of Allah what are my Deeds my Deeds are things have done but know that they are not 100% when fulfill my prayer all of us is our concentration ever 100% the answer is no so what happens to that shortfall Allah says we fill it with our Mercy We Know What You Did you're human you did your best you have worry you have concern something big just happened early morning for example you know your mind is preoccupied with something but at the same time you are trying to concentrate Allah says we know you are ours we know you have woried us you have woried me alone Allah says will forgo that shortfall will fill it with the mercy of Allah and another big blessing is do you know primarily your record is taken for the far primarily your record is taken for that which is obligatory unto Allah he says there is no Deeds you could ever do more loved by me than that which made compulsory upon you those are the most loved Deeds Allah would never make Deeds compulsory if he didn't love those deeds when Allah says four he loves those four more than anything else that's why he made it compulsory Allah doesn't need this when he loves something and you want to prove your love for him he says okay you want to prove your love for me tell you this is the thing love the most is the it's where Allah Almighty says there is nothing more love to me than that which made compulsory upon you so what are the compulsory things you and know which Salah is compulsory what from each Salah is compulsory you also know the charitable Deeds what is compulsory and what is over and above that you also know the Hajj for example you know the fasting for example and other things Allah has kept compulsory because he loves them now there will be shortfall in that which is compulsory because of concentration because maybe here or there may have slipped up do you know what the mercy of Allah dictates he says go ahead and prove your love to me going beyond that which is compulsory go into that which is voluntary in terms of Sunnah or na go into it dive into it and continue because on the day of judgment when there is shortfall in that which is compulsory will compensate it by looking at that which was voluntary which you did for example five daily prayers there was little bit of shortfall in little bit of some of what you did for example Allah says does he have any Sunnah Deeds does he have any na Deeds if the answer is yes well compensate for the far and then you find complete far but for you you knew it was not that complete but Allah says no we looked at the extra you did and we filled it for you Subhan Allah in your terms and mine you know you owe me $10 here and owe you $10 there for example that's my example and yours but in the case of Allah subhah you have little bit of that which is compulsory outstanding but you have lot of voluntary which is there which was yours that's why they say you get closer and closer and closer to Allah the more voluntary Deeds you do when you make your five daily prayers day meaning every day you fulfill the five far many people are doing that What Makes You Different What Makes You Different is the quality number one number two over and above the far that's from you you know zaka is Charity you're supposed to to give in most cases 2 and 1 half% of your savings in most cases okay I'm sure you know how to work it out but the real test is how much are you going to give more than that the two and half was always Allah's whatever you gave more than that that's you that is now you are you going to prove to Allah Allah I'm going to give for example 5% 10% or I'm just going to give here and there without even looking wherever there's need I'm going to try wherever there is there is need I'm going to try there are people like that lot of us I'd like to think wherever there is need if you can help zaka or no zakat you are going to give because you know Allah actually watches what you do are you only going to give from what is his or are you going to give now over and above that bonus what is yours so going back to this month of Ramadan Allah blesses you with it the verse read Allah subhanahu wa tala is telling us the angels will come down and was explaining to you the two types of angels some would make you happy man faces in his chest in his bosom may Allah grant us goodness so when you read Quran every day from the beginning to the end you will be reading verses in which there is cure of disease you have that you don't know you have and perhaps by the blessing of that you would be cured of disease that you didn't ever know you had and one day on the day of judgment Allah will tell you do you know you had this disease what do you know you had that disease what but we cured you by the Baraka of our word you read the Quran often and you were cured before you were diagnosed did you know this person could be having cancer may Allah Grant cure to all those who are struggling with any disease mean you could be having cancer and you don't know and because every day you read verse or two of the Quran you you came across by the mercy of Allah these verses that are so powerful they eradicated your disease you didn't know the doctor didn't know no one diagnosed no one picked it up one day ony you're going to find out do you know what happened let's show you come Allah abbar there is nothing more powerful than this please read the Quran you don't understand and don't just read portion every day that that would exclude the rest of the Quran give time to cover it cover to cover give time portion set marker start from the beginning today and trust me I'm going to read verse two verses page depending on how fluent you are put marker continue tomorrow put marker continue the next day day will come when your level will have gotten such that you would look back and say had it not been for the mercy of Allah wouldn't have been rightly guided ald you know what that means all praise is due to Allah who has guided us to this beautiful guidance and had it not been for the guidance of Allah we would never ever have been rightly guided so my brothers and sisters make the most of this run up to the month of Ramadan start fasting few fasts that are Sunnah 13th 14th 15th of the month the Monday and the Thursday you will get an amazing reward and the run up to Ramadan will be beautiful start making intentions and plans where are are you going to be what are you going to do what effort you going to make start becoming charitable little bit give spend son of Adam and Allah will spend on you you want Allah to give you something give someone something you gave someone they want Allah says we're going to give you what you want Subhan Allah and Allah is so merciful he gives us without us deserving things he gives us without us deserving things at times may Allah Almighty have mercy on all of us think may have overshot little bit but inshallah we'll compensate with the time may Allah Almighty really bless every one of us my brothers my sisters it's about time we cleansed our hearts and we felt the love for one for one another if you disagree with someone my brothers and sisters the teaching of sallu alaihi wasallam is to deal with it respectfully do not be hurtful abusive and harmful the true teaching of the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam he disagreed with the people of quray not once did he disrespect them not once did he call them names not once did he insult them he was always hopeful that they would come and guess what most of them came may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala help us we are the lovers of alhi wasallam let's prove that love let's increase our salutations upon alhi wasallam for indeed every Friday there is competition who wins the one who has sent the most blessings and salutations upon the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam