First Ramadan Lecture Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi, 1444 A.H.
The outcomes of Taqwa in the worldly life
I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.
O Allah, confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad's good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.
Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
We congratulate you on the advent of the blessed month of Ramadan, and we ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to accept our fasting, nights of worship, and good deeds.
The march of life keeps bringing us closer to our appointed day, since we live here a temporary life where we have a responsibility to fulfil and a test to pass: We bear responsibility for our actions and deeds before Allah (Glory be to Him). He is our Lord, our Owner, our King, and the One Who bestows favours upon us and Who holds us to account for what we do and how we behave. In this life that has been granted to us, we live a certain and temporary period of time, and it is well known that leaving this life is inevitable. Therefore, living to see the coming of this month represents a renewed opportunity. Indeed, this means a great, valuable, important opportunity is renewed, for there is no way you can know whether or not you will live to witness the next Ramadan. Also, it is possible that you face a lot of problems and get affected by many effects, and when Ramadan comes, you may no longer have the same spirit and find that you are too far from being capable of returning to the right path, purifying and cleansing the soul, or remaining on a right course according to Allah's guidance. In such a case, purifying and cleansing the soul becomes very difficult, so one should never fall into procrastination.
The perils of procrastination and the obligation to seize the blessings of the holy month
Procrastination is one of the most serious factors that affect people and keep them away from seizing many great opportunities and what Allah has made possible for them to benefit from. A person may fall into a state of procrastination; he may have a great opportunity but chooses to delay and procrastinate in seizing that opportunity due to his relying on hope: 'I have my whole life ahead of me, and I have many years left to live and many concerns and priorities to take care of.' This makes him let the opportunity slip away. This is a very serious matter, for one can never be certain or sure of when he might die or for how long he might live.
Some people cause themselves to end up losers because of procrastination, carelessness, and heedlessness, for they allow themselves to get negatively influenced and greatly abandon human nature and the state of Taqwa and faith, which may make it impossible for them to restore their own souls due to the fact of being forsaken by Allah (May Allah forbid). The state of being forsaken by Allah is a very serious issue that Allah has warned about in the Holy Quran.
The first thing we should pay attention to regarding this opportunity that Allah has granted us to witness His holy month of Ramadan is to never miss this opportunity and to grasp, size, and benefit from it. Allah (Glory be to Him) has given us His blessed month as a gift and a blessing due to the blessings and good things He has granted in this month: He has made it possible for one to remain on a right course, to cleanse and purify himself, to get used to patience and the practice of controlling lusts and desires, to get great reward, to achieve spiritual transcendence in his faith and morality, and to draw closer to Him, the Almighty.
Therefore, such opportunities are great and very important, for one can achieve in the month of Ramadan what he can never achieve in other months: It is a means that helps one purify and cleanse his soul, have control over his lusts and desires, and get used to patience and endurance and that grants him willpower and determination and strengthens his relationship with Allah (Glory be to Him) in a way that makes him feel closer to Him and enjoy more of His care. When a person pays more attention to Allah, He (Glory be to Him) increases him in guidance, goodness, and success: He (the Almighty) says, {'And as for those who are guided, He increases them in guidance and gives them their Taqwa'}.
So we should seriously seek to seize this opportunity—that is, to benefit from this blessed month in purifying the soul, seeking good deeds, and drawing closer to Allah (Glory be to Him). We should also keep away from wasting and squandering time like those many people who spend the nights of the blessed month in idle late-night gatherings, engaging in frivolous conversations and distractions and occupying themselves with trivial matters or excessively focusing on routine matters that can keep a person busy in the rest of his life, even though such matters do not require dedicating all of one's time. For example, one may spend the whole night talking about livelihood matters, livelihood concerns, livelihood problems, etc. However, one does not need to allocate all his time to such matters, for he can organize his time to address his concerns and affairs, including his livelihood and worldly concerns. Indeed, one can organize his time to avoid losing the month of Ramadan. A human is always occupied throughout his lifetime, so it is crucial for him to consider his future with Allah and also what can ensure goodness and righteousness in his life.
Taqwa, faith, following the guidance of Allah (Glory be to Him), and adhering to His path have a significant impact on a person's life. Our lives, future, and present are all connected to Allah, the Almighty. He is our Lord, the Generous Bestower, and He holds our sustenance and all our affairs in His hands. So turning to Him and organizing our concerns and life matters will not have a negative impact on our lives. On the contrary, it will have a positive impact that is in our best interest and for our benefit, since we are in need of Allah, the Almighty.
To have your deeds accepted, beware of transgressions and maintain Taqwa.
Furthermore, a person should be cautious of committing transgressions during this blessed month and strive to maintain a state of Taqwa by avoiding transgressions and being cautious of them and the steps of Shaytan, as well as the means that lead a person towards transgressions, evils, and crimes (We seek refuge in Allah). One should remain mindful and alert day and night, preserving the state of Taqwa. Otherwise, it is a great loss for a person when Allah grants him an opportunity to cleanse his soul, purify his soul, and strengthen his state of Taqwa, which is beneficial for him, then he does not only lose this opportunity but also turns it into a means of disobedience, disobeying Allah and not dealing with this opportunity based on Taqwa. Therefore, one must be cautious and strive to maintain the state of Taqwa, for it is necessary even for deeds to be accepted so that Allah accepts your fasting and the acts of worship and deeds by which you seek closeness to Him. A person is in need of Taqwa for his deeds to be accepted.
Therefore, it is important for a person, at the beginning of the month, to strive to rid himself of sins and transgressions, to assess his current state, and to examine himself to identify areas where he may be disobedient to Allah or falling short to an extent equal to committing a transgression, in any aspect, in any field, or in anything related to the commands of Allah, whether it is something He has ordained or prohibited. Then, he should make an effort to eliminate those shortcomings so that they do not become obstacles that nullify his deeds or deny acceptance of his deeds, prayers, remembrance of Allah, or anything that draws him closer to Him.
In the Holy Quran, Allah (Glory be to Him) mentioned the story of the two sons of Adam: {'Relate to them in truth the story of Adam's two sons: When both of them offered a sacrifice, it was accepted from one of them, and was not accepted from the other. He said, "I will kill you." The other replied, "Allah only accepts from those who are muttaqin"'}. Both of them professed the religion of Allah and belonged to the creed of monotheism. Despite that fact, when they offered a sacrifice, it was not accepted from one of them, so belonging to the religion of monotheism, the divine religion, did not avail him: That profession and that belonging alone were not sufficient for accepting his sacrifice. Not accepting his sacrifice indicates that nothing of what he did was accepted from him, so that was an indication even regarding all his other deeds. What was his problem? It was the lack of Taqwa. That was why his reaction towards his brother stemmed from a state of envy. This shows how distant he was from the state of Taqwa. For all of that, a person must beware of being far from the state of Taqwa, which causes him to lose the acceptance of his deeds: his Salat, his fasting, and all that draws him closer to Allah (Glory be to Him). In addition, one must strive to achieve the state of Taqwa so that Allah accepts his deeds: {'Allah only accepts from those who are muttaqin.'}
The crucial spiritual purpose of the obligation of fasting
Fasting the month of Ramadan, which is a great obligation and one of the pillars of Islam—It is a necessary obligation that must be observed by every capable individual. The Holy Quran and the Islamic Sharia have provided allowances through specific injunctions for the sick, travelers, elderly, and those who would be severely harmed by fasting. However, apart from these exceptions, fasting is obligatory for every individual. Fasting is one of the obligations prescribed by Allah in the month of Ramadan, and it is also a significant pillar of Islam. And its primary purpose, in our practical reality, is educational: Allah (Glory be to Him) said, {'O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you (as it was for those before you) so that you may become muttaqin '}.
This is what we must remember and bring to our minds and our consciences while performing this great and important obligation: The educational purpose, which is a very important purpose, is attaining Taqwa. It has to do with developing the habit of patience, practical commitment to obeying Allah, and gaining control over our inclinations, desires, and lusts, which can sometimes influence us and lead us towards disobedience and transgression to some of Allah's commands or prohibitions. Therefore, remembering this educational purpose is crucial, and Taqwa is of so great importance and holds great significance. The problem that Muslim society in general suffers from is the lack of Taqwa.
Allah (Glory be to Him) has blessed us and enabled us to belong to faith and Islam. In His injunctions, directives, and instructions, which are great and important and for our own benefit, He calls upon us with this proclamation: {'O you who believe!'} It is indeed a great blessing to belong to faith. Through this belonging, it is incumbent on you to fulfil the teachings and instructions of Allah, the Almighty. This belonging has become a covenant between you and Allah. That is because the result of belonging to faith is obeying Allah, responding to Him, and adhering to His guidance and teachings. Indeed, this is the result of your faith-based affiliation. There is a difference between being a believer or disbeliever, belonging to Islam or being outside the fold of Islam. The result of believing in Allah, His guidance and instructions, His books, and His messengers and prophets, is a practical fruit that is embodied in your practical adherence and obedience to Allah with regard to His orders and prohibitions. What remains is to make this faith-based affiliation the starting point for work and adherence to Allah's guidance and commandments and to build your life on the basis of that. This is what you have to do as a Muslim and believer owing to this faith-based affiliation.
Taqwa, in what it means for man in particular and society in general, is of paramount importance, not a marginal thing that one can dispense with and choose not to pay attention to or seek, saying, 'This is an ordinary thing; to have it or not makes no difference.' Taqwa has to do with your salvation and protection from torment, misery, and Jahannam; therefore, it holds paramount importance for the kind of person who wants good for himself and seeks salvation and protection from the consequences of disobeying Allah's instructions and commands—which are grave and very bad consequences.
We believe in reward. We believe in Allah's promise in the Holy Quran of reward and punishment. We do believe in the promise Allah has made regarding reward and punishment for transgressions, disobedience to His instructions, guidance, commandments, and the consequences of that in this worldly life and in the Hereafter. A lot of the problems that society suffers from are derived from the negligence of Taqwa; what stems from people's actions (crimes, wrongdoings, and injustices) and what punishments result from that in life, their living, etc. are a result of neglecting Taqwa.
Therefore, Taqwa ensures one's salvation, victory, success, and good: Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for him and provide for him from where he does not expect'}, {'And whosoever is mindful of Allah, He will remit his misdeeds'}, {'And Allah will deliver those who were mindful to their place of triumph. No evil will touch them, nor will they grieve'}. Allah says that Jannah is {'prepared for the muttaqin'}, and He also says, {'Such is the Jannah which We shall give as an inheritance to those of Our slaves who have been muttaqin'}, and {'Had the people of the towns believed and feared Allah, We would have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth'}.
The state of Taqwa entails all good in the immediate world and in the Hereafter. Attaining what Allah has promised in this world and the Hereafter is contingent on the matter of Taqwa. Therefore, it is a necessary matter, and a person should not take it lightly and imagine that it is not necessary or essential. That is because it concerns him and has to do with protecting himself from the consequences of bad deeds at the personal level—this also applies to society as a whole.
The different outcomes of adhering to the state of Taqwa and losing it
Instructing to Taqwa and to observe Taqwa are of a frequent occurrence in the Holy Quran. It is even addressed to the prophets of Allah and His righteous followers and believing servants. In many verses, It is often coupled with other commands by Allah: He instructs people to do something and then commands adherence to Taqwa to warn against disobedience in such a matter. Similarly, it is associated with many prohibitions in the Holy Quran: He forbids certain actions and warns against them and then follows that with the command to observe Taqwa to clarify the consequences of disobedience in those prohibitions mentioned in the Holy Quran. Therefore, this matter is of utmost importance and directing towards Taqwa in education and focusing on this matter is crucial to prevent people, both as a society and as individuals, from becoming accustomed to persisting in disobedience to the commands of Allah (Glory be to Him), being careless about misdeeds, and daring to transgress the boundaries and commands of Allah.
The difference between the state in which Taqwa is firmly established in a person and the state in which one has no sense of Taqwa and its importance is that a person who adheres to Taqwa realizes the negative consequences of disobedience, which makes him avoid disobedience and refrain from daring to commit transgressions. In addition, he becomes keen on practical commitment, earnest in obeying Allah, and eager to carry out His commands and respond to Him, the Almighty.
However, when a person lacks this state, he becomes reckless and never hesitates to commit transgressions and disobey Allah either by disobeying His commands or prohibitions. Indeed, when a person lacks Taqwa, he turns into a person who has no problem to disobey Allah and reject His instructions. It is a seriously dangerous state that leads a person into serious sins and transgressions and that keeps him away from practical adherence and obedience to Allah. Actually, he becomes disobedient, persisting in committing misdeeds, and careless and audacious in crossing the limits set by Allah (We seek refuge in Allah).
In fact, this leads a person to be forsaken by Allah: Allah forsakes him and deprives him of success, so he cannot attain success in seeking repentance or returning to Allah (Glory be to Him) and becomes among those against whom the decree of torment is justified. In other words, he indeed deserves divine punishment, for he has totally turned away from the right path and from the way of repentance and returning to Allah (Glory be to Him). Shaytan totally controls him after falling into that state of deviation, corruption, misguidance, and heart-hardness. This is because that has psychological effects that lead to heart-hardness, boldness, the absence of humbleness and remembrance of Allah, the lack of fear and reverence of Allah, and the lack of consideration for the grave consequences of that in this world and the Hereafter and the ultimate outcome that can lead to in the Hereafter as a result of one's disobedience, which is Jahannam (May Allah be our refuge).
An important lesson from the story of the people of the Sabbath
In the Holy Quran, Allah (Glory be to Him) mentioned an important story that illustrates how serious it is for one to persist in disobedience and negligence, to lack Taqwa, to dare to commit transgressions, and to violate in practical matters. It also draws attention to the consequences of all of that in the worldly life and the Hereafter. It is the story of the people of the Sabbath: Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'Ask them about the town which was by the sea, who broke the Sabbath. During the Sabbath, fish would come to them clearly visible, but on other days the fish were never seen. In this way We tested them for their rebelliousness'}.
That village was a coastal village, and its people relied on fishing for securing their livelihood. They were from the Children of Israel, and that was at the time when they were the nation of divine revelation that was supposed to set an example for other nations by adhering to the religion of Allah, His law, and His commandments. They were meant to be role models for other nations during that period before the mission of the Prophet (PBUH&F).
So the people of that village, which was a coastal village by the sea where people relied on fishing for their livelihood, used to take lightly the instructions of Allah (Glory be to Him), kept away from adhering to Taqwa, and dared to disobey Allah and transgress His commands. They were disobedient, deviating from the teachings of Allah (Glory be to Him) and transgressing and violating them. As a result, they faced this serious test. This is something that can happen to individuals or societies when they become heedless, do not follow the instructions of Allah, and dare to commit sins and transgressions and to violate the commands and prohibitions of Allah. They are tested with what is more severe. And if they fail to succeed in that, the punishment will be extremely severe. So they were tested in their livelihood, and it was forbidden for them to fish on the Sabbath day. However, on the Sabbath, fish would come out openly in abundance, making the fishing process easy. But on other days, when fishing was permissible, the fish would disappear into the depths of the sea, making the fishing process very difficult for them. Why? Allah says, {'In this way We tested them for their rebelliousness.'}
In a state of Taqwa, Allah grants ease, assistance, and blessings, as He said, {'And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for him and provide for him from where he does not expect.'} Allah makes ease after hardship. However, when one falls into a state of disobedience and dares to violate the instructions and guidance of Allah, the test comes in the form of a difficult situation for such a person. It was a serious test for them when the fish would appear on the surface of the water on the day they were prohibited from fishing, but on other days, the fish would disappear into the depths of the sea, making it difficult for them to catch. So what happened next?
They went further and further in disobedience and dared to commit a violation in a practical matter. In other words, their violation was not related to worshiping idols or deviating from the path of monotheism. It was a violation in their practical commitment. They disobeyed and violated the prohibitions of Allah (the Almighty), and they practiced fishing on that day, which was forbidden according to their religious law. When they committed that violation, some advised, warned, admonished, and reminded them, urging them to Taqwa. But they did not respond. Some disassociated themselves from warning and criticizing them for what they were doing and ignored their actions. So people fell into three categories:
- a group that dared to commit that transgression;
- a group that neither participated in it nor warned or criticized them for it;
- another group that warned them, admonished them, reminded them, and feared Allah by protecting themselves from falling into that forbidden act.
{'When some of them questioned , "Why do you warn those who will either be destroyed or severely punished by Allah?" They replied, "Just to be free from your Lord's blame, and so perhaps they may abstain"'}. Those who fell short and remained silent used to criticize those who reminded others and denounced that wrongdoing—they reminded their people and condemned them for that practical violation. They made it clear to them that this was a fulfillment of a duty, that they must fulfill what was required of them before Allah (Glory be to Him), and that they should fulfill their obligation before Him (the Almighty): {'They replied, "Just to be free from your Lord's blame, and so perhaps they may abstain."'} That also had to do with reminding them, establishing the argument against them, and warning them so that some of them might benefit from that. However, it was in vain. Those individuals continued to go deeper and deeper in transgression and disobedience. Persisting in disobedience and transgression is a very dangerous matter for society as a whole and for individuals too.
{'When they ignored the warning they were given, We rescued those who used to warn against evil and overtook the wrongdoers with a dreadful punishment for their rebelliousness'}. When what they were reminded of (the guidance and instructions of Allah) became something that is worthless to them and that they no longer care about or adhere and respond to, the punishment came! But who was saved? It is those who warned against evil. {'We rescued those who used to warn against evil and overtook the wrongdoers with a dreadful punishment'}—they were punished with a severe punishment—{'for their rebelliousness.'} This was their problem: the state of rebelliousness, daring to commit transgressions, and defying divine instructions.
Nevertheless, it was of no benefit to them even after being reminded by the punishment. {'But when they stubbornly persisted in violation, We said to them, "Be disgraced apes"'}. When the reminder of Allah's guidance did not benefit them, not even the wretched punishment—that a specific punishment that comes before the ultimate punishment, serving as a reminder—the greatest punishment fell upon them as an immediate terrible punishment: They were transformed into apes (We seek refuge in Allah). It was a horrifying consequence when they were transformed from their human state into apes! And what was the reason for that? It was their transgressions and their practical violations that had not yet reached a point where they worshipped idols or deviated from the path of monotheism. It was the persistence in disobedience to Allah and in defiance of His commands by a nation that Allah (Glory be to Him) had blessed with His guidance and bestowed His instructions upon—a nation that, owing to its affiliation, had reached a covenant with Allah (Glory be to Him) to follow His guidance and adhere to His book and instructions.
This lesson shows us how serious it is to persist in transgressions and violating Allah's guidance and His commands. It is evident that such actions lead to punishment, and punishments are numerous and varied. Therefore, a person should be cautious as he certainly knows and believes that violating Allah's instructions, His guidance, and His teachings will inevitably result in immediate punishments in this worldly life. As for the Hereafter, the destiny is the fire of Jahannam (May Allah be our refuge)—a severe reckoning and the torment of Jahannam (We seek refuge in Allah).
This demonstrates what Taqwa means for us and its importance for us because through it we can be saved and safeguarded from Allah's punishment and from the consequences of our actions in this life and the Hereafter.
Allah willing, in the coming lectures, we will speak about the terrifying consequences in the realm of the Hereafter that arise from neglecting the state of Taqwa, as well as the positive outcome of Taqwa in the Hereafter.
We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to accept our fasting, nights of worship, and good deeds.
O Allah, have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. You are All-Hearing!
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.