‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬

State of the Believer after Ramadan

10 August 2014 – 14 Shawwal 1435

State of the Believer after Ramadan

Introduction

 The true believer knows either things will leave him or he will leave things – the true believer knows
this life is a vanishing life, so he will be preparing for the hereafter – the Day when He meets Allah
(swt). So he is doing good deeds, in order to be happy what he presents. We looking for the
supreme success of being saved from the hellfire and to be admitted to paradise. What does Allah
(swt) say about paradise?
 Surah Al Imran 133: (َْ‫َّت ْل ِۡل ُم َّتقِين‬ ْۡ ‫ٲت ْ َو ۡٱۡلَ ۡرضُْ ْأ ُ ِعد‬ ُْ ‫ضهَا ْٱل َّسمَـ َو‬ ُ ‫َارع ُٓواْ ْإِلَىْ ْم َۡغفِرَ ةْ ْمِّن ْرَّ ِّبڪُمْۡ ْوَ جَ َّنةْ ْع َۡر‬ ِ ‫( ) َوس‬And march
forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the
heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqûn)
o For whom is paradise prepared? For the mutaqeen, you might ask how can I be a mutaqi?
Recall in Surah Al Baqarah, Allah (swt) enjoined the fasting upon us in order to attain taqwa.
And out of Allah’s mercy, He chained the shayateen in the month of Ramadan, closed the
gates of hellfire and opened the gates of paradise, why? In order to be muttaqeen, Allah
(swt) loves for us to go to paradise, and He is making it easy for us, subhan Allah.
o Have you benefited from the chaining of the shayateen, have you strengthened your faith
that you can fight the shayateen after Ramadan? Subhan Allah. And not Ramadan alone, but
after any act of obedience. Allah (swt) will send a shaitan as a test to the believers – so now
we are in a period of tests, which many people are unaware of. The shayteen will beautify
the sins, imagine your good deeds as a building of bricks, and the shayteen will remove it
brick by brick – little by little, he will nullify your deeds. May Allah (swt) protect us. Ameen.
 Ibn Abbas (ra) was asked of the explanation of the parable below by Omar bin Khattab (ra).
 Surah Al Baqarah 266: (ْ‫ت‬ ِْ ‫ٱلثمَرَ ٲ‬ َّ ْ‫ل‬ ُ ْ‫أَي ََودْْأَحَ ُدڪُمْْۡأَنْ َت ُكونَْْلَ ُْهْۥْجَ َّنةْْمِّنْ َّنخِيلْْ َوأَ ۡع َنابْْ َت ۡج ِرىْمِنْ َت ۡح ِتهَاْ ۡٱۡلَ ۡنهَـ ُْرْلَ ُْهْۥْفِيهَاْمِن‬
ِّْ ‫ڪ‬
َْ‫ت ْلَ َعلَّ ُكمْۡ ْ َت َت َف َّكرُون‬ ۡ
ِْ ‫ٱّلل ُْلَڪُ ُْم ْٱۡلَيَـ‬
َّْ ْ ُْ‫ك ْ ُي َبيِّن‬ ُ ْ ْ‫( ) َوأَصَا َب ُْه ْ ۡٱل ِك َب ُْرْ َولَ ُْهْۥ ْ ُذرِّ يَّة‬Would any of
ۡ ‫ض َع َفا ٓ ُْء ْ َفأَصَا َب َهْا ْٓإِ ۡعصَارْ ْفِي ِْه ْ َنارْْ َف‬
َْ ِ‫ٱح َترَ َق ۡتْۗ ْ َك َذٲل‬
you wish to have a garden with date-palms and vines, with rivers flowing underneath, and all kinds
of fruits for him therein, while he is striken with old age, and his children are weak (not able to look
after themselves), then it is struck with a fiery whirlwind, so that it is burnt? Thus does Allâh make
clear His Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses) to you that you may give thought)
o What does Allah (swt) want to tell us? The garden represents the good deeds that are
accepted by Allah (swt), if they were not accepted, they would not bear fruit. When Allah
(swt) accepts the deeds, He enlarges the reward.
o The rivers represent that Allah (swt) made it so easy to water the gardens, without any
efforts, subhan Allah.
o The fiery whirlwind is a certain sin that a person committed that burned all his good deeds.
We ask Allah (swt) to protect us. Ameen.
o The old age represents weakness and the person is unable to perform good deeds to
produce another ‘garden’. When is the moment when a person cannot perform a good
deed and he needs it the most? In the grave, on the Day of Judgment, subhan Allah.
 This case represents many Muslims after the month of Ramadan. Allah (swt) sends the shaitan to all
after Ramadan to test the person. The shaitan has many steps to nullify the deeds of the steps.

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 ‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬
State of the Believer after Ramadan
10 August 2014 – 14 Shawwal 1435

Steps of the shaitan after any season of obedience – Ramadan in this case

 He will make the person to feel self-satisfied and at rest with his deeds. He will feel that I prayed, I
fasted, I attended lectures, gave charity, umrah, I held my tongue, etc. He feels at rest towards his
deeds, and this is not the attitude of the true believer.
o The true attitude of the believer is in Surah Al Muminoon 60: (ْ ْ‫جلَة‬ ِ ‫َوٱلَّذِينَْ ْي ُۡؤ ُتونَْ ْ َمْا ْٓءَا َتواْ ْوَّ قُلُو ُبہُمْۡ ْ َو‬
ِ ‫( )أَ َّنہُمْۡ ْإِلَىْ ْرَ ب ِِّہمْۡ ْرَ ٲ‬And those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do
َْ‫جعُون‬
other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charities, have been
accepted or not), because they are sure to return to their Lord). – Aishah (ra) asked the
Prophet (pbuh) is this verse concerning the sinners, he said no it concerns the believers who
performed good deeds and are afraid if their deeds got accepted or not, subhan Allah. And
this is a healthy fear, he will not despair and quit the good deed – that is a sick fear. But a
healthy fear is when he is unsure, and it will make him to do more good deeds, subhan
Allah. He will not be paralyzed and give up. The true believer will never feel self-satisfaction
of his good deeds.
 Another step of the shaitan is that he will remind him of his good deeds during the month of
Ramadan – his qiyam, his dua’a, his tears, his umrah, why? In order for the person to feel pride and
self-conceit. May Allah (swt) protect us. Ameen.
 Another step of the shaitan: he will feel there is no harm if he commits a minor sin, a little backbite
here and there, as if it is nothing compared to all of the good deeds you performed during Ramadan,
subhan Allah. The place of these feelings is in the heart and only Allah (swt) knows these feelings.
 Another step of the shaitan: he makes the acts of obedience so heavy after Ramadan. He was
praying qiyam for hours, and now 10 minutes are a burden. If you repel and struggle in the it will go
away – seek refuge in Allah (swt).

What did the Prophet (pbuh) seek refuge from?

 Hadith: The Prophet (pbuh) whenever he sets on a journey, he supplicates with the following:
(‫( )اللهمْانيْاعوذْبكْمنْوعثاءْالسفرْوْكآبةْالمنظرْوْمنْالحورْبعدْالكورْوْدعوةْالمظلومْوْسوءْالمنقلبْفيْالمالْوْاۡلهل‬Oh
Allah I seek refuge with You from the hardship and discomfort of the journey, from seeing bad
things that cause sadness, from al-Hawr after al-Kawr (alteration and change of state), from the
dua’a of the oppressed, and from the bad return in wealth and the household.) – Sunan Ibn Majah
3150 / Al Albani – Sahih
o What is (‫ ?)الكور‬It is when you roll something around the head, being settled, like a turban.
o What is (‫ ?)الحور‬It is the opposite, which is to undo it.
o So the Prophet (pbuh) is seeking refuge from the change of state – from corruption after
guidance, from diminution after increase. An Nawwai said it is disbelief after belief and to go
from a state of unrighteousness after righteousness. After seeking nearness to Allah (swt),
he starts to relapse. He stops the qiyam, the fasting, praying on time, less of Quran
recitation. This especially happens in travel, and this happens to those who are unaware. At
the end of the day, we are all travelers, from the duniya to the hereafter.

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 ‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬
State of the Believer after Ramadan
10 August 2014 – 14 Shawwal 1435

oWe have to seek refuge in Allah (swt), because slowly, slowly a person might look ‘Muslim’
outwardly, but the heart has no feelings. The worships are heavy, and it slowly goes to
hypocrisy, to disbelief. We ask Allah (swt) to protect us. Ameen.
 ْۡ َ‫ل ْ ُت ۡبطِ ل ُ ٓواْ ْأ‬
Surah Mohammed 33: (ْۡ‫عمَـلَ ُكم‬ َْ ‫ٱّللَ ْ َوأَطِ يعُواْ ْٱلرَّ سُو‬
َْ ‫ل ْ َو‬ َّْ ْ ْ‫( )يَـٓأَيہَا ْٱلَّذِينَْ ْءَا َم ُن ٓواْ ْأَطِ يعُوا‬O you who believe!
Obey Allâh, and obey the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) and render not vain your deeds)

Means to firmness after Ramadan

 Keep your eyes on your heart: why? Because the fiery thunderbolt affects the heart first, and then it
affects the tongue and limbs. When you associate with people, associate with your body, not heart.
When you associate with those speaking of the duniya, remind them of the graces of Allah (swt).
Whenever you sit with people, remember to praise Allah (swt) – (‫)سبحْاسمْربكْاۡلعلى‬.
o The fuel of the fire of the duniya is plants – the fuel of the fire of the hereafter is men and
stones. Surah Al Humaza 7: (‫( )ٱلَّتِىْ َت َّطلِ ُْعْ َعلَىْ ۡٱۡلَ ۡفـِ َدِْة‬Which leaps up over the hearts) This fire will
burn the hearts, after burning the body, it will burn the heart. Why the heart especially?
Because Allah (swt) knows what is established in the heart – the place of the aqeedah is in
the heart, the place of the intentions is in the heart – and only Allah (swt) knows how much
that person deserves to be burned. We ask Allah (swt) to protect us. Ameen. May Allah
(swt) purify our hearts from all sicknesses. Ameen.
o Let Allah (swt) see in your heart that you want to be firm, that you hate it when you relapse,
then Allah (swt) will help you.
 Continue performing the good deeds you were doing in Ramadan: if you were praying 11 rakahs of
qiyam, do at least 3, 5, 7, but don’t abandon. Try to fast at least 3 days in the month.
 Abundant dua’a: after every sujood, before tasleem, ask Allah (swt) to accept your deeds and keep
you firm. You have to have fear in your heart that you could lose your deeds.

What are the causes of (‫ – )الحور بعد الكور‬relapses

 Weakness of faith: how do you know if your faith is strong or weak? The weak believer is unaware of
Allah’s watchfulness of his heart. He is unaware that Allah (swt) will account him for his deeds, He
knows that Allah is Al Haseeb, but the feeling is not strong in his heart.
o While the true believer has more knowledge about Allah (swt) than the weak believer. He
has knowledge about Allah’s names and attributes. He knows about Allah’s promises and He
always keeps His promises. He will repel bad thoughts of what he knows about Allah (swt).
The true believer sees what we don’t see. They see the facts behind the matters. Whenever
a true believer does a good deed, for example qiyam, he sees paradise, he sees his scale
getting heavier, and tiredness does not overcome him. Whereas the weak believer, will say
why do I need to be up for 1 or 2 hours, 15 minutes is enough. He doesn’t see the sadaqah
as being under the shade of Allah (swt) but sees it as a decrease in his wealth. He doesn’t
see the prayer except as burdensome. How many of us see what a true believer sees when
we perform these good deeds? Subhan Allah.
o A person in the lecture does not feel bored, but he feels the angels are surrounding him, he
hears that Allah (swt) is praising him, the mercy surrounding him - the companions smelled

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 ‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬
State of the Believer after Ramadan
10 August 2014 – 14 Shawwal 1435

the fragrance of paradise, as if it in front of them. We ask Allah (swt) to make us reach this
level of faith. Ameen.
 Weak intellect: it means a person is not acting with wisdom, he is not preparing an answer for each
question. Weakness of faith and intellect makes a person to commit a sin easily.
 Weak insight: (‫ )البصيرة‬is the light of knowledge in the heart, it is eyes in the heart. He does not see
what is behind the good deeds and sins – he does not see paradise or hellfire, his heart is blind,
subhan Allah.
o For example, how many of us when we are invited to a gathering have insight to the risks
associated with it? This is especially true for women, before going out, she needs to keep an
eye on her heart, when she beautifies herself, she wants to look the best, this is
haughtiness. When she attends the gathering of good people, she needs to be careful of
boasting about her good deeds – her qiyam, recitation of Quran, our mosques prays for this
long, etc. All of these are graces of Allah (swt), so why boast?
o If a person has no baseerah, he doesn’t know that he has burned his good deeds. We have
to be mindful of what we say, the Prophet (pbuh) a person can utter one word without
giving any heed or importance and it will make him to sink in the hellfire for seventy years.
said a person can say one word while being heedless and it will make him burn in the hellfire
for 70 years. We ask Allah (swt) to protect us in the duniya and akhira. Ameen.
 Watch your heart, seek refuge from (‫)الحور ْبعد ْالكور‬, and make dua’a to Allah (swt) to accept your
good deeds. And take care to not make the duniya to divert your heart.

Revival of a Sunnah

 For those who might be working or are unable to pray the night prayer. If someone prays 2 units of
prayer followed by witr, and then follows it with 2 rakahs, reciting Surah Al Zalzala in the first rakah,
and Surah Al Kafiroon in the second rakah, then it is as if you prayed the complete tahhajud. But of
course if you wake up for tahajjud, then that is goodness upon goodness, and in the last third of the
night – Allah (swt) and the angels are witnessing it. You are getting more reward.
 Hadith: Prophet (pbuh) (‫وإلْكا َن َتاْله‬ ِْ ْ‫ْفإنْقامْمن‬،‫ْفإذاْأَو َترَْْأح ُدكمْفليَر َكعْْركعتين‬،‫( )إنْهذاْالس َفرَْْجَ هدْْوثِ َقل‬Verily
َّْ ْ‫الليلْ؛‬
this travel is a struggle and heavy, so if someone prays witr, followed by two unites, then it as if he
prayed qiyam al layl, and it will be for him)
 1231:‫ْالصفحةْأوْالرقم‬-‫تخريجْمشكاةْالمصابيح‬:‫ْالمصدر‬-ْ‫اۡللباني‬:‫ثوبانْمولىْرسولْهللاْصلىْهللاْعليهْوسلمالمحدث‬:‫الراوي‬
 ‫إسنادهْصحيح‬:‫)خالصةْحكمْالمحدث‬
 It is said that after Sheikh Al Albani knew the correctness of this hadith, he never left it.

May Allah (swt) accept our deeds and keep us firm. Ameen.

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