Showing posts with label The Sacred Months. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Sacred Months. Show all posts

Monday, 27 April 2015

Rajab Dawns Upon Us Again

Bismi llāh, wa l-ḥamdu lillāh, wa ṣ-ṣalātu wa s-salāmu ‘alā rasūli llāh, wa ‘alā ālihī wa ṣaḥbihī wa man wālāh. Ammā ba‘d:

By the grace of Allah, we have entered the month of Rajab, one of the four sacred months of the Islamic calendar. Thus, good deeds are multiplied and extra-virtuous during it. However, falling into sin is also considered greater in this month. Let us use this month to purify ourselves and sow the seeds for Ramaḍān.

Some ideas to get the most out of Rajab:
- Increasing in istighfār (seeking Allah's forgiveness) and tawbah (turning to Allah in repentance)
- Extra fasting (esp. Mondays & Thursdays, and the 13th, 14th & 15th days of the month)
- Being eager to fulfil more sunnah acts
- Being extra-cautious of falling into sin
- Building up our acts of worship in time for Ramaḍān

Rajab is also a significant month with regards to Islamic history. Sayyidah Āminah becoming pregnant with the Best of all Creation (ﷺ). The Battle of Tabūk, which marked the completion of Islamic authority over the Arabian Peninsula. The Liberation of Jerusalem by Salāh al-Dīn al-Ayyūbī (Saladin). The destruction of the Khilāfah, the institution that had ruled by Islam and shielded the Muslims from the death of the Prophet (ﷺ) up till 1342 AH/1924 CE. All these took place in Rajab.

We ask Allah to bless us in Rajab and Sha‘bān, and to let us reach Ramadān.

Saturday, 1 November 2014

Khutbah: The Legacy of `Ashura'

Indeed, all praises and thanks are due to Allah. We praise Him, we seek His Help and and we seek His Forgiveness. And we take refuge in Allah from the evils of ourselves and from the bad of our actions. Whomever Allah guides, none can misguide. And whomever Allah misguides, none can guide. And I testify that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah. And I testify that Muḥammad is His slave and messenger. May blessings and peace be upon him, and upon his family and companions.

To proceed:

The upcoming day of ‘Āshūrā’ – the 10th Day of the sacred month of Muḥarram, the first month of the Islamic calendar – is a special day as it was the day Allah saved Prophet Mūsā and his people, the Israelites, from the clutches of the Pharaoh – the biggest tyrant to have lived in human history – and his army. A story full of lessons, in shā' Allāh, within these next few minutes we will go through just one of these lessons, but it's a lesson I hope ALL of you can internalise and put into practice, bi idhni llāh.

Allah sent Prophet Mūsā with a huge task: to face the greatest oppressor that ever lived and invite him and his people to Islam. He was sent on a mission to make truth prevail over falsehood, a struggle against corruption, injustice and oppression. Now, on the night which marked the beginning of his mission, Mūsā is instructed by Allah to throw his staff on the ground. Upon doing so, the staff suddenly turns into a huge snake moving around rapidly. Put yourself in this situation: an item of yours you've had for so long suddenly turning into this giant snake slithering around everywhere in the middle of a desert at night. Wouldn't that be a scary situation? So then Allah instructs Mūsā:

قَالَ خُذْهَا وَلَا تَخَفْ ۖ سَنُعِيدُهَا سِيرَتَهَا ٱلْأُولَىٰ

"Grab it and don't be afraid – We will return it to its original state." (Qur’ān 20:21)

Listen up now: this is where an important lesson is being taught. We learn from this short tale that: 1) Prophet Mūsā obeys Allah without any excuse. He does as he's told by picking up this large, slithering snake. 2) He is courageous and brave in doing so. His natural human fear did not get the better of him. 3) He demonstrated a complete trust in Allah; he fully trusted that Allah would return the snake to how it originally was and that the snake would not harm him. He trusted that Allah will manage everything even when things didn't appear to be in his favour, even when things seem not to be going right, for Allah's promise is undoubtedly true.

Obedience, courage, trust. These three things were to play an important role for the rest of Prophet Mūsā's life. How? Mūsā would obey Allah in every command, even the most difficult of ones, such as facing the Pharaoh, this great tyrant ruler of Egypt, a task no one else would've even thought of doing. Mūsā would carry out his task with great courage, bravely resisting the threats, intimidation and persecution of the Pharaoh and his regime. And Mūsā would have the trust in Allah that the success and victory promised by Allah would definitely come to be, even when it seemed distant.

Now then, let's apply the lesson from this story to our present situation. Prophet Mūsā was on a mission to preach Lā ilāha illa Llāh. So are we. He was on a mission to fight for what was right. So are we. He was on a mission to make truth triumph over falsehood, justice over injustice. So are we. As Muslims who are part of the nation of Muhammad (ﷺ), we shoulder all these responsibilities. And to do so, we will need to obey Allah in all of His commands. We will also need to instil in ourselves the courage and bravery needed for this task. We should be able to stand up for the truth without fear of being criticised and insulted by those who oppose the truth, without fear of being abandoned by friends and family, without fear of loss of anything worldly. And we will also need to have complete trust in Allah, such that our trust that help and success will eventually come is greater than what our eyes and ears tell us about help and success being far-fetched.

The day of ‘Āshūrā’ has been made sunnah to fast on. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that fasting this day wipes out the sins of the previous year. So I encourage you to take this chance and fast this esteemed day. One should also fast the day before it or after it.

However, more importantly, take heed of the legacy of this day. A legacy of standing up for truth against falsehood, for right against wrong, for justice against injustice. A legacy that requires us all to obey our Lord, be courageous for His sake and place our complete trust in Him. This is the beginning of a new Islamic year. Let this be your new year's resolution.

Sunday, 28 September 2014

The First Ten Days of Dhu al-Hijjah: a Blessed Season

Bismi llāh, wa l-ḥamdu lillāh, wa ṣ-ṣalātu wa s-salāmu ‘alā rasūli llāh, wa ‘alā ālihī wa ṣaḥbihī wa man wālāh

A while ago, we bade farewell to the chief of months, Ramaḍān – a month full of blessings and opportunity. But now, another blessed season has once again, a season the daytimes of which many scholars have deemed to be better than even the daytimes of the last ten days of Ramaḍān. We have just entered the first ten days of the month of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, a month which is already considered sacred with Allah. Allah says:

وَٱلْفَجْرِ ۝ وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ ۝ وَٱلشَّفْعِ وَٱلْوَتْرِ

“[I take oath] By the dawn; And [by] the ten nights; And [by] the odd and the even.” (Qur’ān 89:1-3)

Some scholars such as al-Ḍaḥḥāk say that the dawn Allah is taking an oath by is the dawn of the 1st day of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, whilst some others said that it refers to the Day of the Sacrifice (i.e. the 10th day of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, the Day of Eid). Most scholars hold that the ten nights Allah is taking oath by in these Verses are the first ten nights and days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. Many scholars also hold that when Allah swears by the odd and the even, the odd here refers to the Day of ‘Arafah (i.e. the 9th day of Dhū al-Ḥijjah) whilst the even refers to the Day of the Sacrifice. Now, Allah doesn't just take oath by anything; He takes oath by things of significance and value. And so by Allah taking oath by these days, He thus demonstrates the significance of these days and their superiority over other days.

The following ḥadīth further explains the significance of these ten days.

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏"‏ مَا الْعَمَلُ فِي أَيَّامِ الْعَشْرِ أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ فِي هَذِهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالُوا وَلاَ الْجِهَادُ قَالَ ‏"‏ وَلاَ الْجِهَادُ، إِلاَّ رَجُلٌ خَرَجَ يُخَاطِرُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ فَلَمْ يَرْجِعْ بِشَىْءٍ "‏‏.‏

Ibn ‘Abbās (raḍiya Llāhu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, “There are no deeds as excellent as those done in these ten days.” Those listening said, “Not even jihad?” He ﷺ‎ said, “No, not even jihad, except a man who sets out endangering his life and wealth and returns with neither.” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī, al-Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd and others)

So, you've now heard of how precious these ten days are. So what can you do to take full advantage of these ten days?

1) Fasting. Among the best ways one can do this is by fasting, an act which Allah directly ascribes to Himself and promises a great reward for it Himself. The Mother of the Believers 1, Ḥafṣah (raḍiya Llāhu ‘anhā), said:

أَرْبَعٌ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَدَعُهُنَّ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم صِيَامَ عَاشُورَاءَ وَالْعَشْرَ وَثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ الْغَدَاةِ

"The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ would not leave four matters: Fasting on ‘Āshūrā’ (i.e., the 10th of Muḥarram), the ten days [of Dhū al-Ḥijjah], three days of every month; and performing two rak‘ahs of prayer before dawn (i.e. Fajr)." (Narrated by al-Nasā’ī and Aḥmad)

(Note: as for the 10th day of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, it is the day of Eid, a day sinful to fast on as it is a day of food and celebration).

If you can't do all nine days, try to do at least some. Try fasting three of these days, for then you will have fulfilled the sunnah of fasting three days in a month, a great sunnah which if performed every month counts as if one has fasted continuously, as is narrated in a ḥadīth by Imam Muslim. How? Well, one good deed is multiplied in reward ten times; fasting three days thus has its reward multiplied by ten times to thirty days' worth of reward – one month's worth of reward. Doing this every month would thus be equivalent in reward to fasting an entire year.

If not even this, then at least fast the 9th day of this month, the Day of ‘Arafah, the greatest day of the year, the day when Allah perfected His Religion, a day which if one fasts it, one's [minor] sins of the previous year and the following year are wiped out (major sins require separate tawbah), as reported by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ where he said:

صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ وَالسَّنَةَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهُ وَصِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ 

"I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of ‘Arafah may expiate for the sins of the preceding year and the following year, and I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of ‘Āshūrā’ may expiate for the sins of the preceding year." (Narrated by Muslim and Abū Dāwūd)

2) Developing a good habit. Use these ten days as an opportunity to increase in your worship. It doesn't have to be big. Make it something manageable. Fix up your prayers, especially the five daily obligatory prayers. Spare some extra dollars for the poor or for the local mosque. Work on your manners and conduct. Try to be a better person, especially to parents and family. Work on something during these ten days that will draw you closer to Allah and try to maintain it beyond these ten days. In other words, try to develop a good habit. It doesn't have to be big. The Prophet ﷺ said:

وَإِنَّ أَحَبَّ الأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَا دَامَ وَإِنْ قَلَّ

“The most beloved of actions to Allah are the most consistent ones, even if little in amount.” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī)

And when these ten days come to an end, don't slack off in your worship. Keep them up throughout the rest of the month – actually, throughout the entire year. Dhū al-Ḥijjah is one of the four sacred months in the Islamic calendar, which means that the rewards of deeds are multiplied throughout the whole month (especially in the first ten days). However, remember that sin is graver during these months too.

3) Moistening the tongue with the remembrance of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said:

ما من أيام أعظم عند الله ولا أحب إليه العمل فيهن من هذه الأيام العشر، فأكثروا فيهن من التهليل والتكبير والتحميد

“There are no days that are greater before Allah or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days, so say a great deal of tahlīl (لا إلٰه إلّا الله), takbīr (الله أكبر) and taḥmīd (الحمد لله) during them.” (Narrated by Aḥmad)

Instead of engaging in non-beneficial speech, show your thanks to the One who blessed you with the ability to speak by remembering Him. And when remembering Him, don't just let the phrases roll off your tongue – say them with full understanding of what you're saying. So when you say al-Ḥamdu lillāh, ensure that you're actually praising and thanking Allah from the bottom of your heart, not just letting the phrase roll off your tongue.

Al-Bukhārī narrates that Ibn ‘Umar and Abū Hurayrah (raḍiya Llāhu ‘anhumā) would go into the marketplace in these days and raise their voices with the takbīr. The people in the marketplace would then raise their voices with the takbīr in response. Thus the most hated place to Allah, as mentioned in the ḥadīth, was filled with His remembrance.

The value of the first ten days of the month of Dhū al-Ḥijjah is something many Muslims are unaware of, unlike the last ten nights of Ramaḍān. However, these days are the best days of the year (at least the daytimes of these days; scholars have differed on this matter). Such a season of blessings will pass before you even know it, so take full advantage of the blessings and opportunities this season has to offer.

May Allah aid us in our efforts to please Him, particularly in these ten blessed days.

And Allah knows best.

PS. Follow Sh. Abdul Wahab Saleem's daily podcasts throughout these blessed ten days here.


1 Mother of the Believers: an honorific title for the wives of the Prophet (raḍiya Llāhu ‘anhunn)

Saturday, 30 August 2014

Dhu al-Qa‘dah – A Sacred Month

Bismi llāh, wa l-ḥamdu lillāh, wa ṣ-ṣalātu wa s-salāmu ‘alā rasūli llāh, wa ‘alā ālihī wa ṣaḥbihī wa man wālāh

Dhū al-Qa‘dah (also Dhū al-Qi‘dah) is one of the four sacred months in the Islamic calendar, along with Rajab, Dhū al-Ḥijjah and Muḥarram. Abū Bakrah (Allah be well-pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

الزَّمَانُ قَدِ اسْتَدَارَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ، السَّنَةُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ، ثَلاَثَةٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ ذُو الْقَعْدَةِ وَذُو الْحِجَّةِ وَالْمُحَرَّمُ، وَرَجَبُ مُضَرَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ جُمَادَى وَشَعْبَانَ

"The division of time has turned to its original form which was current when Allah created the heavens and the earths. The year is of twelve months, out of which four months are sacred – three are in succession: Dhū al-Qa‘dah, Dhū al-Ḥijjah and Muḥarram, and [the fourth is] Rajab of [the tribe of] Muḍar which comes between Jumādā al-Thāniyah and Sha‘bān." (Narrated by al-Bukhārī)

As Dhū al-Qa‘dah is a sacred month, good deeds are multiplied and extra-virtuous. Thus, one should increase in ‘ibādah in this month. One should also be extra-cautious of falling into sin, as sin is considered graver in the sacred months.

A sacred month is similar to a sacred place. It is recommended to bathe and purify oneself before entering the Sacred Precinct of Makkah and while in it one is more conscious of the weight of one’s actions. Likewise with a sacred month – we try to enter it in a state of purity and we try to maintain that purity throughout through doing good and avoiding evil.

It is recommended to fast more during the sacred months since good deeds are multiplied during them.

May Allah aid us in our efforts to please Him.

And Allah knows best

Friday, 2 May 2014

Khutbah: Receiving Rajab

Indeed, all praises and thanks are due to Allāh. We praise Him, we seek His Help and and we seek His Forgiveness. And we take refuge in Allāh from the evils of ourselves and from the bad of our actions. Whomever Allāh guides, none can misguide. And whomever Allāh misguides, none can guide. And I testify that there is no god except Allāh. And I testify that Muḥammad is His slave and messenger, may blessings and peace be upon him and upon his family and companions.

O Slaves of Allāh! I first and foremost advise you to fear Allāh and to remain conscious of Him at all times, for indeed he ought to be feared and obeyed at all times.

To proceed:

Allāh states:

إِنَّ عِدَّةَ ٱلشُّهُورِ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِى كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ ۚ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا۟ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ

"Indeed, the number of months with Allāh is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allāh [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them." (Qur’ān 9:36)

The four sacred months that this verse refers to are Dhu al-Qaʿdah (Month #11), Dhu al-Ḥijjah (Month #12), Muḥarram (Month #1) and Rajab (Month #7), which is the month we have just entered.

Rajab is a sacred month. Know that in all the sacred months, good deeds are multiplied and extra-virtuous. Thus, I advise you to increase in worship in this month, whether by extra fasting, extra istighfār, extra charity or otherwise. Also, be extra-cautious of falling into sin as sin is considered graver in the sacred months. This is why Allāh tells us to "not wrong yourselves during them".

A sacred month is similar to a sacred place. It is recommended to bathe and purify oneself before entering the Sacred Precinct of Makkah, and while in it one is more conscious of the weight of one’s actions. Likewise with a sacred month – we try to enter it in a state of purity and we try to maintain that purity throughout through doing good and avoiding evil.

Use Rajab as a launchpad to prepare for Ramaḍān. Rajab is the key to the months of goodness which follow it. For that reason, Imām Abū Bakr al‐Warrāq said, “In the month of Rajab you sow the seeds, in Shaʿbān you irrigate them and in Ramaḍān you reap the harvest.”

O Honourable Believers! The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:

 إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ إِذَا أَذْنَبَ كَانَتْ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فِي قَلْبِهِ

"When the believer commits sin, a black spot appears on his heart."

Indeed, over the months and years, we have blackened our hearts with with many of these black spots due to our sins. Now in any month of the year, you shouldn't be delaying the time when you clean these black spots, though this is the case particularly in this month. Use this month especially to polish off and clean these black spots, so that once Ramaḍān arrives, you meet it with a clean heart. And the way to polish off these black spots is by seeking Allah's Forgiveness and turning to Him in tawbah. The ḥadīth continues:

 فَإِنْ تَابَ وَنَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ صُقِلَ قَلْبُهُ فَإِنْ زَادَ زَادَتْ فَذَلِكَ الرَّانُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ

"If he repents and gives up that sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished. But if [the sin] increases, [the black spot] increases." (Narrated by Ibn Mājah)

So take more time to seek forgiveness from Allāh and repent to him during this month. Remember that this is one of the sacred months, wherein the merit of good deeds are multiplied and the weight of bad deeds are heavier, so be mindful of that.

Friday, 11 October 2013

Khutbah: The First Ten Days of Dhu al-Hijjah

Praise be to Allāh, the One Who made certain periods of times more blessed than others and made acts of worship performed in them worth more in measure, as a Mercy to His servants so that they may exert more effort and be more eager in their endeavours to attain His Pleasure. May Peace and Blessings be upon the one who was sent to inform us of such blessed times, Muḥammad, and upon his family and companions, whom we all treasure. O you who have believed! Fear Allāh the way He deserves to be feared, and do not die except in a state of submission to Allāh.

To proceed: O Servants of Allāh! A blessed season has come upon you, a season the days of which some scholars have deemed to be better than the last ten days of Ramaḍān. We are mid-way through the first ten days of the month of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, a month which is already considered sacred with Allāh. Allāh says:

وَالْفَجْرِ ۝ وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ

“By the dawn. And [by] the ten nights.” (Qur’ān 89:1-2)

Most scholars hold that the ten nights Allāh is taking oath by in these Verses are the first ten nights and days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. Now Allāh doesn't just take oath by random things; He takes oath by things of significance to man. And so Allāh's taking oath by these ten days demonstrates the significance of these days and their superiority over other days.

To further explain the significance of these ten days, the Prophet ﷺ was reported by Ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiya -Llāhu ʿanhu) to have said, “There are no deeds as excellent as those done in these ten days." They (the companions listening) said, "Not even jihād?" He, peace be upon him, said, "No, not even jihād except a man who goes forth endangering his life and wealth and does not return with anything.” (al-Bukhārī)

So Dear Muslims! Recognise the significance of this season, a season springing with blessings and opportunities for the believer, and ensure that you eat from its sweet fruits before they run out. Amongst the best ways one can do this is by fasting, as mentioned in a ḥadīth qudsī where Allāh says, “All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except fasting, which is for Me and I shall reward for it.” (al-Bukhārī) It was reported by one of the wives of the Prophet (raḍiya -Llāhu ʿanhā) that the Prophet ﷺ would not miss fasting the first nine days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. If you are not able to, then at least fast three of these days, for then you will have fulfilled the sunnah of fasting three days in a month, a great sunnah which if performed every month counts as if one has fasted continuously, as is narrated by Muslim. And if you are not able to, then at least fast the Day of ʿArafah, the greatest day of the year, the day when Allāh perfected His Religion, a day which if one fasts it, his sins of the previous and the following year are wiped out, as was narrated from the Prophet ﷺ by Muslim and al-Tirmidhī.

O Servants of Allāh! Recite abundantly the tahlīl (lā ilāha illa -Llāh), takbīr (Allāhu akbar) and taḥmīd (al-ḥamdu liLlāh) during this time, for as the Prophet ﷺ said, “There are no days that are greater before Allāh or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days, so recite a great deal of tahlīl, takbīr and taḥmīd during them.” (Aḥmad)

Brothers and Sisters! The example of these ten days is like the traveller in the harsh desert who, to his
delight, sights a blossoming tree after journeying for days on end. Be of those who rest in its cool shade and eats from its sweet fruits, and not like the fool who merely passes by without benefiting from it.
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Praise be to Allāh, the One who has ordered us to His obedience and forbidden for us His disobedience. May Peace and Blessings be upon the best of creations, Muḥammad, and upon his family and companions.
To proceed: O slaves of Allāh! Fear Allāh, obey Him and perform the good. Indeed, Allāh is with those who fear Him and those who do good.

Know that amongst the characteristics of a Muslim is that he hastens to do the good. However, we may at times find ourselves procrastinating in our acts of worship, putting them off. For example, with ṣalāh, when the time of ṣalāh comes, we tell ourselves, “just wait a bit more. Delay the prayer a bit.” Especially with Fajr Ṣalāh: when the alarm goes off, we hit the snooze button and tell ourselves, “Just five more minutes”, and then put our heads back on the pillow. Or for those who don’t pray regularly—may Allāh guide us all to fulfil His commandments—they say to themselves, “I'll start praying when I'm a bit older.” This is not the attitude of the Muslim. Know that procrastination, putting off doing things to a later time, is a tool of Shayṭān by which the slave becomes lazy to worship his Lord, a tool whereby he is caught up in the delusion that he still has plenty of time left. And by the way, it's funny where when it come to sin, we tell ourselves, “Don’t worry, just do it for now, you've still got plenty time to repent to Allāh and seek His Forgiveness.” But remember, O slave of Allāh, that death may overcome you at any time. So instead of putting off good deeds and hastening in bad deeds, let us all hasten to do the good and strive to avoid the evil. Let us make sincere efforts to start this from now, during these blessed ten days, in order that Allāh place barakah in our efforts and allow us to maintain them for good. And I remind you once again, O slaves of Allāh, to make the most out of these ten days and not to delay your efforts in drawing nearer to your Lord, the Almighty. After all, it may be that you may not live to see another such blessed season.