PLANNING FOR RAMADHAN BY S Ameenul Hasan

PLANNING FOR RAMADHAN BY S. Ameenul Hasan

Agenda ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ History behind Sawm Importance of planning Overcoming weaknesses (Khamiyon ko door karna) Improve Strengths (Khoobiyon ko parwan chadhana) Helping the needy (Mawasaath) Activities related to propagation of deen Dawah activities (Tehriki sargarmiyan) Duas

History behind Sawm ¡ Sawm in Arabic meant a training process which a horse goes through so l l l ¡ It can become tough Tolerate hunger, thirst Travel long distances on uneven terrains in stress conditions Horses were trained to make them l l undertake long Journey. Make them travel during cold night and hot days ready for battle

Reason for training ¡ At the end of training the horses l l Became tough Reliable Trustworthy Highly Efficient

Value of Sawm Horses ¡ In comparison with ordinary horses, sawm horses were l l l most expensive most trusted most sought after horses

Importance of planning ¡ ¡ There are many seasons Seasons for l l l ¡ Trade Farming Examinations Holidays Marriages A smart person tries to maximize benefits during the season

Ramadhan – A Season for Muslims ¡ Ramadhan is the month when a muslim can maximize his/her benefits l l l Good deeds Barakath Blessings of Allah Mercy of Allah Pleasing your creator Getting closer to Quran

Our state after Ramadhan ¡ Post Eid, there is no change in our state l l Punctuality of salat Pondering over Quran Helping the needy Closeness to Allah

Ponder Over ¡ ¡ Do you want this Ramadhan to be the same again? Or do you want this Ramadhan to be a turning point in your life?

I. OVERCOMING WEAKNESS Khamiyon ko door karna Everyone has weaknesses except the prophets ¡ First step to get rid of weakness is acknowledge the weakness ¡ Second, identify the weakness ¡ Next, resolve to correct it ¡

Hadees ¡ Fasting is a shield with which a servant protects himself from the Fire l l No fighting, No abuses, no gossip, no filth If anyone fights, reply - “I am fasting”

Hadees Anyone who fasts and does not stop lying, it is mere hunger and thirst ¡ Allah is least interested in such a fast ¡

Hadees Anyone who fasts with the intention of showing off is committing shirk ¡ Anyone who prays with the intention of showing off is committing shirk ¡ Anyone who gives charity with the intention of showing off (Riya) is committing shirk ¡

Some common weaknesses to watch/ Take note of and overcome ¡ ¡ ¡ Punctuality with salat Watching TV/Movies Indecent novels/Porno site & magazines Gossip Backbiting/Geebath Abusing children Quarrel with spouses Extravaganza Miserliness/Bukhl Unfriendly behavior with neighbors Lowering your gaze

II. IMPROVE STRENGTHS Khoobiyon mein izafa ¡ Why l l l strengthen your character? Physical beauty fades with age A beautiful mind always lasts Good character always carries weight

Hadees ¡ Woe to the person who got the month of Ramadhan and did not benefit from the month

Identifying and improving strengths ¡ First, focus is on those activities which we think we are already doing well. l l Performing salat, but not on time Performing 5 times salat on time but no tahajjud Reading Quran, but not pondering Memorizing duas- we don’t know

Points to improve Punctuality in Salat ¡ Memorizing Quran ¡ Memorizing duas ¡ Zikr ¡ Become an effective Daee ¡ l l l Meet and talk people Develop the Art of communication Read more literature

III. HELPING THE NEEDY ¡ Urdu l l Mawasaath Couplets Dard e dil ke liye paida kiya insaan ko, warna ta’ath ke liye kuch kam na the karrobiyaan(angels) Insaan insaan ka dard na samjhe, phir wo insaan nahi hai

Hadees Ramadhan is also an known as “Shaharul Mawasaath”-a month to sympathize with the needy and poor. ¡ If you serve the needy, you will find Allah ¡ If you feed a fasting person, Allah promises Jannah ¡

Verse from the Quran- Al Balad And what do you know what the steep pass is? It is the freeing of a neck from bondage, or the feeding in a day of hunger of a nearly related orphan, or a poor man lying in the dust

Wisdom behind fasting By being hungry, you realize what a hungry person feels like.

Jeffery Lang story: A starving Sudanese child being stalked by a vulture

My Mawasaath plan for this Ramadhan ¡ ¡ ¡ I will give 10 pairs of old and used clothes to the needy I will buy new pair of clothes to my poor cousin/uncle I will arrange provisions for sehri and iftar of three persons or a family I will contribute to a group iftar/sahr I will give 5000/- for the poor and needy in addition to zakath I will send an iftar meal to one of neighbors everyday

IV. DAWAH ACTIVITIES Tehriki sargarmiyan ¡ ¡ ¡ Dawah is obligatory not an option!!! Ramadhan is a month when muslims in particular are inclined towards change. (They pay attention) Ramadhan provides an opportunity to initiate a dialogue with non Muslim brethren in the form of iftar parties

Dawah to muslims ¡ ¡ Stress on reading Quran with meaning Zakath towards establishment of Deen in addition to helping needy Explain the real meaning of taqwa Never get trapped in fiqh issues like 8/20 rakats, sahr timings, moon sightings

Dawah to Non muslims Significance of Ramzan ¡ Islamic fasting ¡ Quran ¡

My plan for dawah activities ¡ ¡ I will distribute 10 booklets on significance of Quran to friends I will distribute 25 booklets on philosophy of fasting to my relatives I will invite and take two of my colleagues for a daily dars program I will sponsor student/study circle iftar party

Contd ¡ ¡ I will establish a Quran study circle among ladies at home I will distribute 50 folders on the subject of zakat and collect atleast 10000/- for dawah/service activities I will invite 4 non muslim friends at home for iftar I will gift 4 CD sets of Quran to my close friends

V. DUA - Last but not the least!!! ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Dua Dua changes destiny is nucleus of ibadath is an expression of submission to Allah removes dependency is surrendering before Allah brings peace, contentment, tranquility makes difficult tasks easier brings people closer

Contd. . ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Dua makes Allah happy Dua softens heart Dua is sunnah of all prophets Every thing in the universe supplicates before Allah Dua removes worries Dua is remembrance of Allah Dua gives you inner strengths Dua gives you an opportunity to share with Allah which you cannot share with anyone else Dua is momin’s weapon

But do we plan our duas? How can we plan our duas ¡ List down 60 needs covering 30 sahr and 30 iftars ¡ Plan to spend 10 minutes during Sahr and 10 mins during iftar and take up one need specifically in one session ¡

My list of duas ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Put me on the righteous path Increase my attachment with Quran Increase love and affection towards my spouse Cure my son’s chronic illness Solve my daughter’s learning problem Help me control my anger Increase blessings in my provision Provide me a house Provide me a vehicle Invite me for hajj

Contd. . ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Establish love with my brother… Fulfil the need of my uncle… Help me get rid of smoking Praise Allah Pray for good health Pray for old age Pray for grave Pray for akhirah

Cont. . ¡ ¡ rabbi zidnee ilmaa Allahumma a'inni ala dhikrika, wa shukrika wa husni iibaad-at'ika Allahumma inni auzoo bika minal-hammi-wal hazan. ajzi-wal-kasal. jubni wal bukhl. ghalabatid-dayni-wa qahrir rijal. Allaahummaa innee as'alukal-hudaa wat-tuqaa wal`afaafa wal-ghinaa

Hadith – Ramadhan, a month of making duas Allah is embarrassed to reject a dua of a fasting person ¡ Allah descends down the skies and announces at the time of sahr ¡ l ¡ “Is there anyone who wants his needs fulfilled and I will fulfill it. ” Duas for taaq raat l l Allahumma Ajirni minannaar Allahumma innaka affuwwun…

My Ramzan planner Khamiyon ki doori a. b. Khoobion mein izafa TV Smoking Mawasat a. b. Dawah a. b. Dua a. b. a. 4 surats – New clothes Ration a. Two pairs a. One family b. a. 10000 from 4 ppl a. 2000 from Dr Mateen, Mehdi, Ali Sharif, Wakils b. Memorize Quran Simplicity b. a. Four non muslims b. Chandra, Rajesh, Ravi, Shivraj a. 60 duas b. 3 booklets Booklets: Huzoor ki Duaein Hisnul Muslima ki Duaein Collecting zakat Inviting non muslims Sahr/iftar dua Taaq raat Yasin, Rahman, Shams, Tariq Dress code Rashid uncle, Amjad bhai Abida khala

THE END Questions