Today was a truly beautiful September day, maashAllah. We went to the woods today to witness the trees in their autumn rituals, producing crab apples, beech nuts, helicopter field maple seeds, haws and sloes, all in obedience to their Creator, Allah. While the natural world around us fulfills it's life cycles in total submission, the Ramadan rituals for us humans are more a matter of choice. Not that fasting for the Muslims isn't compulsory, of course it is, but fasting is a very personal matter, if someone wishes to break their fast in secret, who can stop them? The hawthorn tree cannot choose to produce blackberries this year, but a human being can decide not to believe, not to fast. This is what makes fasting so special. Only Allah knows whether you have really done it or not, and there is unique reward for that, a drawing closer to Allah.
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (saw) said that Allah said "The Fast is for Me and I will give the reward for it, as he (the one who observes the fast) leaves his sexual desire, food and drink for My Sake. Fasting is a screen (from Hell) and there are two pleasures (moments of happiness) for a fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord. And the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better in Allah's Sight than the smell of musk."(Al-Bukhari)
The boys wanted to fast today, but I forgot to wake them up for suhoor. R was not impressed. I took the trouble to point out that they could still keep the "good conduct" part of the fast, as we learnt about in yesterday's activity. If anything keeping temper controlled, and avoiding cross words is a harder part of the fast for them than the leaving of food and drink! It certainly adds weight to be able to say, "Don't argue with your sister, you should be fasting from that type of behaviour!", and so on!
Of course I forgot to take a camera to the woods, so it's a garden picture instead. Aren't those berries a wonder though? SubhanAllah.
1 comment:
mashaAllah, and there seems to be alot more berries, fruits etc this year, maybe due to wet summer?
Same for S re controlling anger, he s trying his 1st fast today inshaAllah he ll make it! we were with his friend yesterday who was fasting and he was complaining of the hunger, and i mentioned the stones hadith. they looked for some but only found small ones which brought some laughter as he held it on his stomach. he opted for his rucksack instead after that!
my colleague at work used to say 'cant u just sneak a snickers bar' ! they just don't get it!
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