Islam

Friday Sermon: Youth in Islam 1: Culture, Faith and Generational Gap

Published

4 years ago

April 8, 2022

Eric

By Babatunde Jose

The question of youth in Islam, culture, faith and generation gap, is a very demanding topic and very much in the realm of contemporary social issues. It is a new age phenomenon that goes beyond established traditional religious beliefs and transcends all religions, not only Islam. It is a topic that does not lend itself to set ideas of traditional religious socialization that involves the transfer of belief and faith from one generation to the other.

The first immediate question that comes to mind is: Who are the youths we are talking about? We are here talking of a generation that were born some 20 to 30 years ago; 60% of the population in many countries of the world are under the age of 25; here in Nigeria the figure is 62%.

This percentage tells a story of need and of where the opportunity is for the faith. People under 25 are the most open to the faith and it is a time in their lives when they are setting their world view. Numbers also talk about an opportunity to connect the emerging generations with the faith.

Are we prepared and ready to take up the challenge? Are we prepared to look at how we can connect with this younger generation? It is just about impossible to comprehend these figures because they represent so many people—a billion or two.

But the figures are there and they require a response; a generation that were born into the ‘Pentecostal Revolution’; a generation that were born, long after the Muslim Students Society had come of age; a people born when the religion of Islam had become synonymous with fundamentalism and terrorism; a generation born into an era of irreligiosity and the questioning of old belief systems; a generation born into the computer and internet age with all its attendant exposure to the new information age; a generation that was not born in the age of ‘ile kewu’, but whose contact with Islam is the IRK subject in the school curriculum; a generation that is more literate, more aware and better informed and more cosmopolitan than most of their Imams and Ustaz; a generation that is more questioning and less docile than their fathers; a group that does not accept the ‘mumbo jumbo’ of established religion without questioning; a generation of sceptics that does not see life through the myopic prism of their fathers.

There is no doubt it is a generation in ebullition and a non-conformist generation. It is a generation that does not lend itself to being easily moulded like plastic.

This generation constitutes a great problem to the tenets of established religion, especially Islam with its tendency to regulate totally the life of its adherents from cradle to grave.

It’s a generation that possess a great dilemma for the fathers of the faith. No doubt they pose a problem because they are not taken in by the dogmatism of religion, in particular Islam with many of the rituals that are more attuned to ancient times, and which have refused to change with time with many of its mode of worship enmeshed in medieval times and the youth of today are finding it difficult to reconcile with the old ways. Unfortunately for the youth, Islam is a religion that has its rituals cast in iron and there is no chance that it would bend. This accounts for the non-attractiveness of the faith to the youth.

Today, the churches and mosques are filled with old generation worshippers rather than the youth. With more issues to occupy their daily lives, it has become a herculean task to attract the youth to the path of faith.

Agnosticism bothering on apostasy is common feature of the new age. Peer group influence and the rapid breakdown of family values is weaning many of our youth from the traditional faith. Youths are the main game-changer. It goes without saying that prevailing attitudes among this demographic will continue to shape the faith map in the future.

According to the Pew Report, a United States Research body, “One of the most important factors in the growth of the ‘none’s’ (that is, the religiously unaffiliated) is generational replacement.” “As the Millennial generation enters adulthood, its members display much lower levels of religious affiliation, including less connection with religion, than older generations, “the report says.

We are talking here of a generation that wear their hearts on their sleeves, a generation that is as complicated that push against established and accepted practice of normality. A generation that is struggling to make choices in a world where there are so many more choices than their parents ever had.

A generation that demands freedom in everything they do; that loves to customize and personalize; they are the Net generation that believe in scrutinizing products, promotional efforts and corporate practices; a generation that wants entertainment and play at the same time in their work; they are the collaboration and relationship generation; a generation in a hurry that is in need of speed with a vast flow of information between friends and colleagues; they are the innovators rather than the inventors; they are the questioning generation with a culture peculiar to themselves and different from that in which their forbearers were born and grew into.

Yet, Islam does not give room for dissent not to talk of questioning. The Friday Sermon and the occasional Asalatus do not offer question and answer opportunities. However, this is not limited to Islam alone as the same could be said of the churches too. They, therefore, do not lend themselves to the yearning of the youths who are bound to ask questions.

There is therefore a great need to study and appreciate this generation in order to understand where they are coming from. In terms of religion, this is a generation that is ready to flow with their age, hence we experience a lot of decamping from parental faiths among this generation.

As it is in Islam, so do we find it in Christianity: Children born and bred into Catholicism or Anglican churches are decamping en mass to join the new age Pentecostal churches, while many born into Islam are today joining their peers in the new movements.

What are the attractions of these new age movements that preach prosperity and miracles? How can we prevent a wholesale decamping of our children? The answer to this poser is not farfetched. The attraction of new age religion to youth is that it offers them a freedom which the orthodox religions such as Islam and Christianity do not offer. The old religions are regarded as being too restrictive, dogmatic and unbending.

Despite the translation of the Quran into various local languages, services are still conducted in a strange and foreign language which majority of members cannot understand nor comprehend. Even where many have learnt to read the Quran by rote, the meaning and simultaneous translations become a problem. The result is that members rely on the Alfa to translate his reading or recitation. At any given time, many of those in the mosque do not understand what the Imam leading the prayer is reciting.

Yet, the Catholic Church overcame this same problem when it instructed its churches to conduct services in local languages. This makes membership more meaningful and inclusive. Like the Quran, the first Bible was written in a strange and restricted language, Old Hebrew, later Aramaic, Greek, and then Latin.

The dogmatism of Islam would not allow the conduct of services in any language other than Arabic. But Islam is not the only religion that is dogmatic in its ritual, worship, service, ceremony, rite, observance, celebration, ordinance, office, sacrament, solemnity and ceremonial: Orthodox Christianity is still like that.

Another issue has to do with the arrangement of the Quran which is not easy to follow as it is not compartmentalized like any other scripture. It does not render itself amenable to the restless spirits of youths who want a direct shot at God’s words. The truth is that they find it easier to read the Bible, hence, the ease with which the apostates jump ship.

But, even at that, the Quran has survived 1,400 years of fidelity, without change or revision. It is a great credit to the keepers of the faith; unlike the Christian Bible or better still Bibles that have not only additions and subtractions, revisions, and rewrites but also versions. The same cannot be said of Islam’s holy book.

Dos and Don’ts are too many. This is the complaint of the lazy congregant. They therefore seek accommodation in new age religions that are more liberal in their attitudes to youth peccadilloes. Here, they sing and dance and engage in non-segregated fellowships and other forms of activities. Even the seating arrangements in religious gatherings are not segregated like you find in Islam.

Unfortunately, we as leaders are not making efforts to accommodate youth culture. There was a time when it was erroneously believed that Islam is against singing and dancing. Yet, we see video footages of Arab communities, drumming, singing, and dancing.

In my old school at Ijebu Muslim College, Ijebu Ode, singing Arabic Hymns at the morning assembly was a daily ritual accompanied by electronic organ. This music segment of the school assembly enlivened the morning gathering and was much loved by students. Islam needs more of such innovative ideas to arrest the attention of our youth in the schools, from primary to secondary. It was the late Lefty Salami in one of his Sakara beats that sang “Ara Mecca njo, ara Mecca nlulu, bi’lu o besinje, ijo ‘ole besinje”.

Looking at the problems of youth and the attendant consequences for the faith, and what it portends for the religion, there is no doubt much lies in our relationship with our children and how we mould them into the larger society. Much depends on parental guidance, understanding and credible socialization. We need to give the younger generation the right leadership and direction.

We are the role models Allah created for them and it would be a gross dereliction of our sacred duty for us to fail in giving them direction. It is not only starting with the five daily prayers; we also need to give them training in the right path so that in the end they will grow into becoming good ambassadors of the Umma.

Many parents have abdicated their role and are not worth being called parents. They drink, fornicate and engage in lewd and immoral living very unbecoming of fathers and mothers. Some so-called mothers even sag their dress and encourage their daughters to do the same. They ‘costay’ their breasts and dance the dance of shame at parties to the seeing of their children. Such mothers cannot bring up good Moslem children.

Among us are some fathers who are known not to practice the tenets of Islam as prescribed by the Quran and Sunnah; yet they want their children to grow up as good Moslems. How many of us take our children to the Masjid for prayers? How many of us lead our family in prayers daily; particularly morning and evening prayers when we are at home?

How many of us insist that our children must attend Jumu’ah prayer on Fridays and Tafsir during Ramadan, not to talk of encouraging them to fast. There are some of us who believe that a glass of red wine is good for the heart; why won’t our children take ‘shepe’ when we the fathers imbibe Guilder? We are responsible in large part for the fate of our children. May Allah guide us aright.

Barka Juma’at, Ramadan Kareem and a happy weekend.

First part of a Ramadan Lecture to members of NASFAT, Ipaja Branch.

+2348033110822

Islam

Friday Sermon: Accountability on the Day of Judgment

Published

5 days ago

March 27, 2026

Eric

By Babatunde Jose

Accountability on the Day of Judgment is an interesting topic following the passing of the holy month of Ramadan and its demonstration of piety by the Umma. It was also the interesting topic of the Ramadan lecture by Dr. Christopher Otayemi, the Chief Imam of the Crescent Bearers, during their March 15^th monthly meeting at my residence.

There is no gainsaying the fact that man must account for his sojourn on earth at the end of the day. Good or bad, we will all account for how we spent our time on this divide of spiritual consciousness. There will be no escape, no parental intercession on behalf of their children, and no intersession of husband for his wife and vice versa. Those who have done well will reap the reward of their acts and the villains will reap the reward of their iniquities. That is why the there is need for all to do well with a view towards a pass on the Day of Qiyyamah.

It is interesting to know that many people have asked about the nature of that day. How will Allah assemble all those he had created in one place to question them and judge them accordingly? The answer to this and other questions are offered in several places in the Quran.

In Surah Al Baqara, Allah exemplified with the story of Uzair: Or like the one who passed by a town and it had tumbled over its roofs. He said: “Oh! How will Allah ever bring it to life after its death?” So Allah caused him to die for a hundred years, then raised him up (again). He said: “How long did you remain (dead)?” He (the man) said: “(Perhaps) I remained (dead) a day or part of a day”. He said: “Nay, you have remained (dead) for a hundred years, look at your food and your drink, they show no change and look at your donkey! And thus We have made of you a sign for the people. Look at the bones, how We bring them together and clothe them with flesh “. When this was clearly shown to him, he said, I know (now) that Allah is Able to do all things”. (Al-Baqarah, Quran 2:259)

See also Surah Al-Kahf, 9-26, People of the Cave, a people who were made to die for 400 years and then rose again.

The most important events that will happen on the Day of Judgment are when we will be held accountable for our deeds and when we will be questioned by our Lord, Allah (S.W.T.). There are many Quranic verses and Hadiths that tell us about these events so that the believers will prepare themselves for the most important, final test. They can prepare for this test with their strong faiths and with their righteous deeds. But are we prepared?

Allah (S.W.T.) says: For to Us will be their Return; Then it will be for Us to call them to account. (Quran 88: 25-26)

He also says: Then shall We question those to whom Our message was sent and those by whom We sent it. And verily We shall recount their whole story with knowledge, for We were never absent (at any time or place). (Quran 7:6-7)

Allah (S.W.T.) describes that Day: On the Day when every soul will be confronted with all the good it has done, and all the evil it has done, it will wish there were a great distance between it and its evil. But Allah cautions you (to remember) Himself. And Allah is full of kindness to those that serve Him.” (Quran 3:30)

The good believer will have an easy reckoning and Allah (S.W.T.) will cover up his sins after He reminds him about them. Then He will forgive him for his sins, and allow him to enter paradise. This is concluded from a Hadith reported by Imams Bukhari and Muslim in which the Prophet (SAW) said: “Allah will bring the believer very close and privately and ask him “Do you know this sin? Do you know that sin? The believer’s reply will be, “Yes Oh Lord,” until he is reminded about all of his sins, and he thinks he will perish. Then Allah will say “I covered up your sins during your life, and I will forgive your sins today. Then he will be given his book of good deeds. But the unbelievers and hypocrites will be asked about their deeds loudly in front of the creatures.

If We delay the penalty for them for a definite term, they are sure to say, “What keeps it back?” Ah! On the day it (actually) reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will be completely encircled by that which they used to mock at! (Quran 11:18)

Allah will confront His servant directly, without a mediator. The Messenger (SAW) said: “Allah will talk to everyone directly, without a translator. The person will look to his right, and will not see anything but his deeds. Then the person will look in front of himself and will see nothing but the hellfire facing him. So protect yourself from Hellfire even by giving a charity of half a date.” Reported by Imam Bukhari

Prayer will be the first thing a person will be questioned about on the Day of Judgment. The Messenger (SAW) told us in an authentic Hadith: “The first thing the people will be accountable for on the Day of Judgment is prayer, Allah will say to His angels (even though he already knows): “Look at my servant’s prayers. Were they complete or not?” If they were complete, it will be written as complete. If they were not fully complete Allah will say: “See if my servant has voluntary prayers, If he has them Allah will say: Complete his obligatory prayers shortage with his voluntary prayers.” Then the rest of his deeds will be dealt with in the same manner.” Reported by Imams Ahmad, Abu Dawood, An-Nisa’i, and Al-Hakim

We will be asked on the Day of Judgment about all of the blessings and bounties that Allah gave us in this life. Some of these blessings may include our good health, our wealth, our food and drink, our ride and our home, etc. Allah (SWT) says in the Noble Quran: Then, shall ye be questioned that Day about joy (ye indulged in!) (Quran 102:8)

Allah (SWT) describes that situation: On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. (Quran 24:24).

They will say to their skins: “Why bear ye witness against us?” They will say: “Allah hath given us speech, –(He) Who giveth speech to everything: He created you for the first time, and unto Him were ye to return. (Quran 41:21)

Also Allah (SWT) will ask us on the Day of Judgment about all of our covenants and promises that have been made in our lives. Those promises may be made to Allah (SWT) or made to people. Like the failed promises our leaders make to us about providing us electricity, water, healthcare, education, employment and security. Like the ‘Hope’ and ‘Renewed Hope’ hoax. Then they will know that ‘hope is not in a bag of rice, or vegetable oil. Hope is in a better life and life more abundant.

And so Allah (SWT) says: Come not nigh to the orphan’s property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength; and fulfill (every) engagement, for (every) engagement will be inquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).Quran 17:34)

Whoever they are, that are responsible for our woes should not forget that there will be a day of reckoning. A Day of Judgment when they would have to account for their stewardship.

The prophet Muhammad (SAW.) said: “The son of Adam will not pass away from Allah until he is asked about five things: how he lived his life, and how he utilized his youth, with what means did he earn his wealth, how did he spend his wealth, and what did he do with his knowledge?” – Reported by Imam At-Tirmidhi.

The sins and iniquities of our leaders have risen to high heaven and certainly, God will visit his wrath on them. It was a Catholic Bishop who once said that God will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah, if he fails to punish the iniquities of our leaders.

It is out of the Mercy of Allah (SWT), that he told us about these important questions ahead of time so that we can prepare ourselves. The good believer is the one who prepares himself for those difficult events by getting closer to Allah (SWT), by doing good deeds, and by staying away from what Allah has forbidden, and by fulfilling promises and covenants, so that he will be among those who receive their book of deeds on the Day of Judgment in their right hand and Allah will enter them into paradise.

As for those who have visited woes on their people, a special place in hell shall be reserved for them. Those who have ears, let them listen now, for, No sinner shall go unpunished.

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend

Islam

Friday Sermon: Reflections on Ramadan 5: Rejuvenation and Fulfilment

Published

2 weeks ago

March 20, 2026

Eric

By Babatunde Jose

What have we gained from Ramadan? Have we been spiritually cleaned, recharged and rejuvenated? Has it been morally and spiritually gratifying and fulfilling? Have we been able to shed many of our iniquitous baggage? Have we relinquished the sins of fornication, covetousness, and a life of deceit? Have we been able to move nearer God in an atmosphere of God-consciousness? Have we been doing the needful in our homes and to our fellow man?

Have we given the orphan his due? Have we entrenched Justice and Fairness in our daily living? What of compassion and empathy? Do we feel the pains of our fellowmen, our subjects, and followers? Have we taken steps to right the wrongs we wroth on the people around us? Have we been fair to our wives, children, relations, and neighbors? Are we satisfied with our new lease of spiritual awakening?

Must all the gains of Ramadan end today? Are we returning to our old ways of cheating, backbiting, slander, and wickedness? Today is therefore, a day of decision. Are we going to consolidate on the gains of Ramadan or descend back into the abyss of a sinful life? The choice is ours. Ihdinas siraatalmustaqeem.

Ramadan has rightly been described as a school of Iman and a stop to recharge our spiritual batteries. Must we alloy that battery to die by going back to the old ways? The choice is ours.

Unfortunately, the fall and descent into a life of sin and iniquity starts a few days after Ramadan; when we say ‘fasting is finished, the nightly prayers are over; the group gatherings to break the fast have vanished. We can eat, drink, and be merry again when we like.’ And that special feeling of God consciousness gradually fades away. The spiritual high evaporates, and all we are left with are the bad habits we tried to shed during Ramadan which mysteriously rear their ugly heads once it is over.

Ramadan is supposed to increase your faith and God-consciousness: “Believers! Fasting has been prescribed for you-as it was prescribed for those before you-so that you may be conscious of God.” (Quran 2:183).

The lessons learned and spiritual benefits gained during that month are intended to carry over for the rest of the year until next Ramadan.

Prophet Muhammad (SAW), said: “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions [while fasting], God is not in need of his leaving his food and drink.”

Ramadan is a month of training for us so that we may become doers of good and refrain from evil throughout the year. Each and every year this blessed month helps to train us to become better Muslims. But now that Ramadan is over are we going to continue doing the good we acquired from it or are we going to go back to the way we were before it started? That is the question.

Many of us did not say our prayers before Ramadan but during the blessed month we found it easier to pray. We cannot continue our lives without praying; otherwise, we are not fulfilling the purpose of our lives.

Allah says: “I have created the jinn and humankind only for My worship” (Quran 51:56)

We will not be successful in this life or the next without prayer. The Prophet (SAW) said, “The first thing that a person will be questioned about is his prayers.” Missing prayers intentionally is so serious that it is tantamount to disbelief: The Prophet (SAW) said: “What lies between a man and disbelief is the abandonment of prayer.” Muslim. Unfortunately, there will be many Muslims in Hell who did not say their prayers.

Many of us left the Quran on the top shelf throughout the year but when Ramadan came we picked up the Quran and blew off the dust and began to recite it again. By returning the Quran to the bookshelf, we will be missing out on receiving intercession from the Quran on the Day of Judgment: The Prophet (SAW) says: “Recite the Holy Quran as much as you can for It will come as an intercessor for its reciter on the Day of Judgment” (Muslim)

Allah the Most High said:

Establish regular prayers–at the sun’s decline till the darkness of the night, and the Morning Prayer and reading: For the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony. And pray in the small watches of the morning: (It would be) an additional prayer (or spiritual profit) for thee: Soon will thy Lord raise thee to a Station of Praise and Glory! (Quran 17: 78-79)

During the blessed days and nights of Ramadan we were given the opportunity to repent and ask Allah for his mercy and forgiveness and to thank him for his infinite favors upon us. But now that Ramadan is over we must not stop repenting to Allah for our sins and we must continue to be thankful to Allah for his infinite favors upon us.

They ask thee concerning women’s courses. Say: They are a hurt and a pollution: So keep away from women in their courses, and do not approach them until they are clean. But when they have purified themselves, ye may approach them in any manner, time, or place ordained for you by Allah. For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean. (Quran 2:222)

Our Lord! (They say), Let not our hearts deviate now after Thou hast guided us, but grant us mercy from Thine own Presence; for Thou art the Grantor of bounties without measure (Quran 3:8)

Merciful Allah, I acknowledge my sins and shortcomings before You. Your Word says I should not despair because You forgive all sins. I ask for Your complete forgiveness—cleanse my heart, erase my past mistakes, and renew my soul. Let this Ramadan be a turning point in my life, where I walk in Your mercy and grace. Ameen.

Ya Rabb, purify my heart from hypocrisy, pride, and hidden sins. Create in me a sincere heart that seeks only Your pleasure. Remove every evil intention and fill me with love for righteousness. Let my worship be genuine and my actions be pleasing in Your sight. Grant me a heart that will stand accepted before You on the Day of Judgment. Ameen.

O Allah, protect me and my family from the punishment of Hellfire. Shield us from sins that lead to destruction and guide us toward righteousness. Let our lives reflect obedience to You, and grant us safety in this world and the next. Make us among those who are saved by Your mercy. Ameen.

Ya Allah, bring peace, love, and unity into my family. Remove every conflict, misunderstanding, and division among us. Let our home be filled with Your presence and blessings. Make us a source of comfort and joy to one another. Guide each member of my family to righteousness and faith. Make our household an example of love and devotion to You, Ameen.

Ya Shafi, the Healer, I call upon You for healing and strength. Touch every part of my body and restore me to full health. Remove sickness, pain, and weakness from my life. Grant me physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Let Your healing power flow through me completely. Keep me strong to worship You and fulfill my purpose, Ameen.

O Allah, increase my faith and strengthen my belief in You. Fill my heart with tranquility and unwavering trust. Let my iman grow stronger with every act of worship. Remove doubts and replace them with certainty and conviction. Help me remain firm in my faith in all situations. Make me among those whose hearts are filled with light, Ameen.

Eid Mubarak and Jumuah Mufeedah!

Islam

Friday Sermon: Reflections on Ramadan 4: Empathy and Compassion

Published

3 weeks ago

March 13, 2026

Eric

By Babatunde Jose

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “You see the believers as regards their being merciful among themselves and showing love among themselves and being kind, resembling one body, so that, if any part of the body is not well then the whole body shares the sleeplessness (insomnia) and fever with it.” (Al-Bukhari)

We want others to put themselves in our shoes and view the world from our perspective. That is empathy – putting oneself in someone else’s shoes. We feel close to the person who is empathetic to us, find it easy to share our thoughts with them, go to him or her when we’re in trouble and seek solace. Each of us has a natural sense of empathy through which we connect to others.

There are two aspects of empathy: cognitive and affective. Cognitive empathy is about understanding another person’s point of view, their emotions and needs at the intellectual level. Affective empathy is about actually feeling an emotion that another person is experiencing.

If only our leaders would empathize with the suffering multitude, they would do the needful and set the country on the path of sustained development. But they would not. These are stone-hearted people who are bereft of the milk of human kindness. The Prophet (SAW) attested to this when he said: “None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself.” (Al-Bukhari) A man without empathy will therefore be devoid of faith.

This Hadith necessitates cognitive empathy. You have to firstly imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes and think from their perspective in order to understand what you would do in his situation.

A believer who has achieved excellence of faith will feel this special love for other believers. This is effective empathy.

The Quran stresses that righteousness is not in precise observance of the rituals but in acts of compassion and kindness. It says that the litmus test for true belief and genuine worship is that it leads to compassionate living:

Goodness does not consist in turning your face towards East or West. The truly good are those who believe in God and the Last Day, in the angels, the Scripture, and the prophets; who give away some of their wealth, however much they cherish it, to their relatives, to orphans, the needy, travellers and beggars and to liberate those in debt and bondage; those who keep up the prayers and pay the prescribed alms; who keep pledges whenever they make them; who are steadfast in misfortune, adversity and times of danger. These are the ones who are true, and it is they who are aware of God. (Quran 2:178)

This verse talks about a set of beliefs and then a set of good deeds, the intricate relationship between the two escapes many if not most.

Every Friday in the second part of the sermon, Muslims all over the world hear a verse, which stresses, justice, kindness and natural mutual love as among the closest blood relatives:

Indeed, Allah enjoins justice, and the doing of good to others; and giving like kindred; and forbids indecency, and manifest evil, and wrongful transgression. He admonished you that you may take heed. (Quran 16:90)

He makes His relationship or His Providence to the common man, conditional to common human compassion, by claiming that those, who wish to find Him, will succeed only if they are kind and compassionate to the common people:

Fasting cleanses your soul and makes you appreciate all your blessings. Fasting humbles you; it makes you feel compassion for the poor who experience that type of hunger every day. At the end of the day, however, we have a big dinner; the poor don’t have that luxury. That is why Muslims are required to give Zakat on an annual basis. Many choose to do this during Ramadan. This money is either given personally or through a charity. The main thing is that it must be paid.

We are taught to not only abstain from food and drink but to try to refrain from conflict, anger and mean words. Our prophet (SAW) says, “Saying a nice word is like giving to charity.” And he also said, “To smile in the face of your brother is like giving to charity.” We are to be kind and loving to each other. We are to be forgiving, not only in this month but in every month. But for some reason, this month brings out the best in everyone.

During this holy month, we spend a lot of time reading our Quran: We also spend a lot of time praying, trying to help those who are less fortunate and performing good deeds, which in turn cleanses our hearts and souls. For one month, we truly do become less selfish, less self-centered and more focused on what really matters in the world.

What then are the lessons of the month of Ramadan as it winds up? Ramadan teaches patience, self-discipline, empathy, gratitude, and spiritual mindfulness, offering lessons that extend far beyond fasting.

Ramadan is primarily a time to cultivate taqwa, or God-consciousness, through fasting, prayer, and reflection. Abstaining from food, drink, and other desires from dawn to sunset encourages believers to focus on their spiritual and moral essence rather than material needs, fostering mindfulness and a deeper connection with Allah. The month also emphasizes the importance of ethical behavior, as Muslims are reminded to avoid harmful speech and actions while maintaining integrity in all aspects of life.

Fasting during Ramadan is a rigorous exercise in sabr (patience) and self-control. By resisting hunger, thirst, and other impulses, individuals strengthen their ability to manage desires and make thoughtful decisions in daily life. This discipline extends to controlling emotions, refraining from anger, and practicing restraint in speech and behavior.

Experiencing hunger and thirst firsthand cultivates empathy for the less fortunate, motivating acts of charity such as Zakat (obligatory almsgiving) and Sadaqah (voluntary charity). Ramadan encourages believers to support those in need, fostering a sense of social responsibility and compassion.

Fasting highlights the blessings often taken for granted, such as food, water, and health. This practice instills humility and gratitude, reminding individuals that true contentment comes from appreciating simple blessings rather than material wealth. The shared experience of fasting also strengthens family and community bonds, reinforcing social cohesion and mutual support.

Ramadan provides an opportunity for self-reflection, helping individuals evaluate their purpose, actions, and relationships. It encourages mindfulness of the ‘Last Day’ and accountability for one’s deeds, promoting ethical conduct and a commitment to justice and fairness in interactions with others. The month serves as a spiritual “classroom” where habits of prayer, charity, and self-restraint are cultivated and ideally carried forward throughout the year.

In essence, Ramadan is not only a period of fasting but a transformative journey that nurtures spiritual awareness, patience, empathy, gratitude, and moral integrity. The lessons learned during this sacred month are intended to guide believers in their daily lives, shaping character, relationships, and a deeper understanding of their place in the world.

A few years ago, The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, in sharing his wishes, for all observing the holy month of Ramadan, urged action on behalf of millions of forcibly displaced people worldwide. His thesis remains valid today.

He said: “Through our reflection, we come to recognize that while words may reassure, it is only through action that we can truly see tangible change,” he said. “We continue to live in extremely complex times where violence is multiplied, conflicts are protracted and tens of millions of people are forcibly uprooted or on the move. This has created unprecedented levels of human suffering and desperation. “Millions of people like you and I are living in a constant state of conflict, insecurity and persecution: Their loved ones torn from them under inexplicable circumstances. Think of civilians in Syria or Yemen. Think of the plight of the Rohingyas in Myanmar, Bangladesh and the other countries to which they have fled”.

And I urge you to also think of the castrated and emasculated people of Palestine: Pray for them and remember them. May Allah make it easy for us; Ameen.

Let us remember those who prepared to participate in this Ramadan but did not make it to the starting line. There are also those who started but did not get to the finish line. May Allah grant them forgiveness and grant them Jannatul Firdousi.

Allahuma innaka afuwwun tuhibbul afwa fa’fu wanni. “O Allah you are most forgiving and you love to forgive so forgive us.” ‘May our hearts soften in sincere repentance, and may our souls be counted among those liberated from every chain of sin, embraced by divine forgiveness and grace. Write us among those forgiven completely, accept our prayers and worship, grant us good in this world and the Hereafter, guide us and our children against all evils and don’t let us cry over them.’Aamee

Barka Juma’at and Ramadan Karim