theUmmah)Muslim nation( are greater than the previousRamadan. There
are the homeless, hungry, frightened, imprisoned people and other
poverty-stricken Muslims in various countries of the world.
What is our attitude towards thissituation?
First:One should acknowledge the favors of Allaah The Almighty upon
him. No matter how bad his condition is, there are people whose
conditions are worse; andnever can he be able to thank Allaah The
Almighty enough for His countless favors.
Second: Empathizing with the conditions of one's fellow Muslims drives
the Muslim to adopt a positive attitude towardsthem. Hence, he would
do as much as he could by supplicatingAllaah The Almighty for them
andhelping them either materially ormorally.
This is one of the many wisdoms of fasting: that a Muslim empathizes
with the condition ofhis fellow Muslims.
One of the righteous predecessors was asked why fasting was
legislated. he said,"So that the rich experience hunger. Accordingly,
they will notforget the hungry people."
This is one aspect of the wisdoms and benefits of fasting. In this
way, the principle of brotherhood and loyalty among Muslims would be
achieved. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}The believing men and
believing women are allies of oneanother.{]Quran 9:71[ The Prophet,,
said:"The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy
are just like one body. When one of its organs suffers, the whole body
responds to it with wakefulness and fever."
It should be known thatRamadanis the season of generosity and
benevolence in every means. We have a good example in our Prophet,.
Ibn 'Abbaassaid,"The Messengerof Allaahwas the most generous of people
in charity, but he was generous to the utmost in the month of Ramadan.
Jibreel )Gabriel( would meet him every year during the month of
Ramadan and the Messenger of Allaahrecited to him the Quran. )When
Jibreel met him( the Messenger of Allaahwas more generous in giving
charity than the blowing wind."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Ibn Katheersaid,"This is a very eloquent simile where generosity is
likened to the blowing wind in its generality, succession and
ceaselessness."
An-Nawawisaid,"There are benefits in this Hadeeth: showingthe
greatness of the generosity of the Prophet; the recommendation of
being more generous in Ramadan; and increasing generosity when meeting
the righteous people and after leaving them as an effect of meeting
them."
If not today, then when?
This blessed month, which has the atmosphere of generosity and
benevolence, necessitates that we look into the conditions of each
other and that the rich helps the poor.
It is indeed saddening that there are some prisoners who are deprived
of the joy of gathering around the table to break the fast
ofRamadanwith their families and participating in acts of worship with
their brothers and reaping the spiritual benefitsof this month away
from physicalrestrictions.
We want to ask a general question: where are the well-off people?
Where are the rich? Where are the millionaires?
The rich in our Islamic countries especially those
whoseZakaah)obligatory charity( amounts to millions are requested to
come out of the "prison" of selfishness and to get rid of the
restrictions of stinginess and to pay attention to their distressed
fellows.
Brothers and sisters, it is shameful that one of us remains in prison
because of not paying a mere ten thousand rent for his family home.
It is a shame that one of us is imprisoned for a long time because of
just three thousand, for the value of bread and milk for his children.
It is indeed a great shame. Whereis chivalry? Where is mercy towards each other?
Do those people who put their indebted rivals in prison have no place
in their hearts for mercy or pardon? Whoever pardons, AllaahThe
Almighty would pardon him. Whoever shows leniency for indebted people,
Allaah The Almighty would forgive him especially if the creditor is
rich and is not in need of this money.
I present this marvelous treasurefor the rich and well-off people. The
Prophet,, said:"There was a merchant who used to loan money to the
people and he used to say to his servants: `When an insolvent person
comes to you, show him leniencyso that Allaah The Almighty may pardon
our faults.' So when he met Allaah )i.e., when he died(, Allaah
forgave him."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ In another narration,"Allaah
Says, We are worthier to do this than him, forgive him."
The Prophet,, also said:"He who likes Allaah to deliver him from the
calamities of the Day of Resurrection, let him either give respite to
a debtor or grant him remission )of loans( in straitened
circumstances."]Muslim[
If our rich brothers do not hastento do so today, when would they do it?
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