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On a sweltering hot day your throat has
become parched. You are in the privacy of your home and the refreshingly cool
water is within hand’s reach. You desire to drink it, but you do not. Why?
Simply because you are fasting and while fasting you cannot eat and drink. If
somebody prompts you to nevertheless drink it and says: “Nobody is watching,”
you will immediately rebuke him with the words: “But Allah is watching!”
ALLAH TA’ALA IS WATCHING!
Subhanallah! Allah Ta’ala is watching. Allahu Akbar! Allah Ta’ala is All
Hearing, All Knowing, He is Omnipresent. He sees and knows when we cheat while
fasting, thus we resist all temptations of food, drink and lawful conjugal
relations from dawn to dusk. We have learnt the lesson of Taqwa. We have learnt
that lesson which the fasting was meant to teach us. Allah Ta’ala is watching!
Yes, Allah Ta’ala is Watching! Every time there is an urge to eat or drink while
fasting, the voice from within cries out: “Allah Ta’ala is watching!” Dozens of
times daily for an entire month this reality is reaffirmed. Allah Ta’ala is
watching. So deeply is it embedded in the heart that by the time Ramadhaan is
over, a person becomes conscious of Allah Ta’ala to such an extent that he is
now guided by an inner force that propels him in the direction of righteousness
and turns him away from sin.
TAQWA
The fasts of Ramadhaan were prescribed for the purpose and object of attaining
Taqwa. This is clearly declared in the Qur’an-al-Kareem. Taqwa simply is to obey
the commands of Allah Ta’ala and refrain from all sin, The increased rewards for
lbaadah (worship) in Ramadhaan and all the blessings of this great month should
be considered as the bonus. The object is Taqwa. If one performs an abundance of
Salaah, completes the recitation of the Qur’an thirty times and engages in many
other acts of lbaadah, but fails to give up sins – one has failed to achieve the
object and purpose of Ramadhaan. One has failed to firmly embed the reality of
Taqwa in the heart, the Taqwa that cries out “Allah Is watching” whenever one
contemplates committing any transgression.
TEMPTATION
The dictates of Taqwa are not restricted to abstaining from drinking, gambling,
adultery, transacting in interest and other such vices. Indeed Taqwa demands
that while abstaining from all the above vices one also observes Taqwa in one’s
business. When the temptation to cheat the customer beckons, or when one is
tempted to buy stolen goods, or to indulge in fraud, at that time also the heart
should cry out “Allah is watching” and it should restrain one from the sin.
RIGHTS
Similarly, Taqwa demands the fulfillment of the rights of the husband/wife, It
also demands the joining of family ties. It demands respect for the elders and
kindness for the young. Taqwa entails, among other aspects, being honest and
clear in all monetary dealings and social interactions. Hence when there is a
wedding or funeral, or at the time of distributing the inheritance of the
deceased, the same level of Allah consciousness must be displayed as was
apparent when refraining from drinking the cold water while fasting.
PURDAH
Likewise, when the laws of purdah are violated, does the heart cry out “Allah is
watching”? Or when one intends to watch something on TV., which will most
definitely involve one in zina of the eyes and ears, does one hear the voice
from within: “Allah is watching,” as a result of which one refrains from that
sin? The same pertains to the Shari’ aspects of appearance and clothing. How
often have we done things to appease and please even the enemies of Allah Ta’ala
and Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)? How often have we abandoned the
dictates of Taqwa in order to earn a few coppers? Now is the time to sincerely
repent. It is the time to say “Allah is watching” and to do everything to please
Him. It is a time to acquire Taqwa.
ABSTAIN FROM SIN
This then is the object of Ramadhaan. This will only be achieved if we conduct
ourselves in this great month with Taqwa. Or else the object of Ramadhaan will
be defeated. Hence Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is reported to have
said: “He who does not forsake lying and other futile actions, Allah Ta’ala has
no need for him to give up his food and drink.” Thus together with fasting,
performing Salaah, reading the Qur’an, serving the cause of Deen, etc,, one must
totally abstain from every sin in the month of Ramadhaan and adorn oneself with
Taqwa. Insha-Allah this will then carry one along for the rest of the eleven
months to abstain from all sins.
May Allah Ta’ala enable us to make this Ramadhaan a month where we will truly
attain Taqwa. Aameen.
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