We have come to the end of the sacred month of Rajab. The first of Sha\u2019b\u0101n 1437 corresponded with Sunday 9th May 2016. Now that we are upon another Sha\u2019b\u0101n we must ask: What is the difference between Sha\u2019b\u0101n 1436 and Sha\u2019b\u0101n 1437?
\nMany people find it difficult getting into the spiritual state that Ramad\u0101n requires and complain in the last ten days of the great month that their month has gone to waste. A major reason for this it seems is that they assume that All\u0101h would have Muslims worship him one month of the year! Whilst worship is a daily affair, All\u0101h would have us worship more in some months over others. Furthermore, the righteous, in understanding the importance of Ramad\u0101n, would want to be as prepared as possible, and as a result, would begin preparation two months earlier in Rajab!
\nAbu Bakr al-Balkhi said: The month of Rajab is the month for planting, the month of Sha\u2019b\u0101n is the month of irrigating crops, and the month of Ramad\u0101n is the month of harvesting the crops. He also said: The likeness of the month of Rajab is that of the wind, the likeness of Sha\u2019b\u0101n is that of the clouds and the likeness of Ramad\u0101n is that of the rain; whoever does not plant and sow in Rajab, and does not irrigate in Sha\u2019b\u0101n, how can he reap in Ramad\u0101n? Now Rajab has passed, so what will you do in Sha\u2019b\u0101n if you are seeking Ramad\u0101n? This is how your Prophet (sallAll\u0101hu \u2018alayhi wasallam) and the early generations of the ummah were in this blessed month. So what will you do?
\nSha\u2019b\u0101n is the month where last year\u2019s account of good and bad actions for every individual ascends to All\u0101h. As we know, there are four instances when our actions ascend to All\u0101h: the daily record, weekly record, yearly record, and the whole life record.[1]
\nIt is reported that Us\u0101mah b. Zayd (may All\u0101h be pleased with them both) said:
\n\u201cI said, \u2018O Messenger of All\u0101h, I do not see you fasting in any other month like you fast in Sha\u2019b\u0101n.\u2019 He (SallaAll\u0101hu \u2018alayhi wasallam) said, \u2018That is a month to which people do not pay attention, between Rajab and Ramad\u0101n, and it is a month in which deeds are lifted up to the Lord of the Worlds. I like for my deeds to be lifted up when I am fasting.\u2019\u201d[2]
\nThe difference between Sha\u2019b\u0101n 1436 and Sha\u2019b\u0101n 1437 is that a whole year of your life has passed. A whole year of more than 350 days of actions recorded. The actions of the days are recorded, not neglecting any hour, nor second of each day. Ibrah\u012bm al-Nakh\u2019\u012b used to cry to his wife every Thursday, and she used to cry too and he used to say, \u201cToday our actions will be put forth in front of All\u0101h\u201d. So how about the actions of the whole year?
\nSit down and try to reflect on what you did in the past year and try to remember the actions that will be put forth in front of All\u0101h.
\nHow great is your heedless state of this great month and of your actions that will be put forth in front of All\u0101h?
\nHow many sins have you committed this year?
\nHow many har\u0101m gazes have you not restrained our eyes from this year?
\nHow much of your brothers\u2019 and sisters\u2019 flesh have you eaten this year due to backbiting?
\nIf you were present when someone was backbiting another, did you stop them? Or at least leave that congregation?
\nHow many times did you listen to har\u0101m?
\nDid you protect your hands from falling into har\u0101m?
\nDid you stop your feet from taking you to har\u0101m?
\nHow much good did you enjoin?
\nHow much evil did you forbid?
\nHow many hours did you waste?
\nHow neglectful have you been of your brothers and sister around the world?
\nWas there a time when you ate something which caused All\u0101h to be angry with you?
\nWas there a word that you said which caused your place in Jahannam to dwell deeper than the distance between the East and the West?
\nWas there a time when you were alone, you were heedless of All\u0101h watching over you, and you committed sins which distanced you from Jannah and from your Lord?
\nHow I wonder, what is our position in the eyes of All\u0101h at the end of this year?
\nWhich of us will be brought closer, and which of us will be distanced further?
\nIn this year, many people have made Jannah obligatory upon them due to the good they did, while others have made Jahannam obligatory upon them due to the evil they committed. Have you wondered which of these two types of people you are?
\nHigh levels in Jannah have been achieved by people who have used their time wisely, yet we remain where we are, still unable to fulfil the obligations as commanded by All\u0101h, still unable to pray on time, still unable to pray in the Masjid. When is the time for us to wake up from this heedless state and realise what we have done and repent and ask All\u0101h for forgiveness?
\nYou may be asking, \u201cWhat do you want me to do now?\u201d My brothers and sisters, every day that has passed in this previous year has been an extra chance for you to do good, and now that you have looked back at what you have done and what will be put forth in front of All\u0101h, it is time to realise that All\u0101h has blessed you by letting you live until this day. So many people have died during the past year, yet All\u0101h has let you live, and even let you read this reminder to encourage you to turn back to Him, so now is the time to do so.
\nWe are now in Sha\u2019b\u0101n, so make sure you make full use of it, and repent and seek forgiveness from All\u0101h for all your sins and shortcomings, so that they are forgiven before they ascend to your Lord. Sha\u2019b\u0101n is a month which many people neglect. Imagine you are worshipping All\u0101h at a time which many people neglect, and when All\u0101h looks at His creation during that time, only a few humans are engaging in worship, and you are one of them. Sha\u2019b\u0101n is a time of fasting, as the Prophet (sallaAll\u0101hu \u2018alayhi wasallam) used to fast the majority of this month, so ensure you follow his Sunnah and increase in fasting. Also, make sure you prepare yourself for Ramad\u0101n by increasing in qiy\u0101mul-layl, reading the Qur\u2019\u0101n, offering voluntary prayers and making constant dhikr, so that when Ramad\u0101n comes, you are fully prepared for it and are already used to doing righteous actions.
\nLet us use Sha\u2019b\u0101n to become people of prayer and fasting, that we use the coming month as a time of rectification and spiritual rectitude, and we prepare our souls for the last Ramad\u0101n we may ever face. \u02bf\u0100\u2019isha (ra\u1e0diy All\u0101hu \u02bfanha) narrates that the Prophet (sallAll\u0101hu \u2018alayhi wasallam) never fasted in any month more than in the month of Sha\u2019b\u0101n. He used to say, \u201cDo those deeds which you can do easily, as All\u0101h will not get tired (of giving rewards) till you get bored and tired (of performing religious deeds).\u201d<\/p>\n
Notes:<\/strong> <\/p>\n Source: islam21c.com<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We have come to the end of the sacred month of Rajab. The first of Sha\u2019b\u0101n 1437 corresponded with Sunday 9th May 2016. Now that we are upon another Sha\u2019b\u0101n we must ask: What is the difference between Sha\u2019b\u0101n 1436 and Sha\u2019b\u0101n 1437?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6002,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6001","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-c71-introduction-to-islam-muslims"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\n[1] A discussion of the ascension of these different records and their respective proofs can be found in Tar\u012bq al-Hijratayn wa B\u0101b al-Sa\u2018\u0101datayn by Ibn al-Qayyim
\n[2] Recorded in Nas\u0101\u2019i<\/p>\n