Ramadan is a month of fasting and fasting is a form of worship that is different from other forms of worship that Muslims practice to demonstrate their submission to their Creator. We know that the foundation of Islam rests on five pillars:
On the authority of Abu 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abdullah bin 'Umar bin al-Khattab, radiyallahu 'anhuma, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, say:
"Islam has been built upon five things - on testifying that there is no god save Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger; on performing salah; on giving the zakah; on Hajj to the House; and on fasting during Ramadhan." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
Each of the pillars of Islam which define our acts of worship is in a sense public, not entirely private. One can pronounce the shahdah privately but the shahdah is generally manifested in the person’s public and social interaction. One can perform salah privately but in a public gathering or in a congregation one is seen doing so or not doing so publicly. One can give zakah privately but one also does so publicly or there are public records of doing so. And of course one cannot perform Hajj privately. It is a very public form of worship. Fasting is different. One can fast and no one need to know or can actually know if a person is really fasting, even though that person publicly abstain from food and joins other in breaking fast and taraweeh prayers, etc. Only the individual in a state of fasting knows – and of course Allah swt does – that he or she is fasting. Thus fasting is a very private act of worship with personal responsibility and personal connection with Allah swt for whom one fast.
As we know, in Hadith Qudsi, fasting is mentioned:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:
" يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: الصَّوْمُ لِي، وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ، يَدَعُ شَهْوَتَهُ وَأَكْلَهُ وَشُرْبَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِي، وَالصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ(1)، وَلِلصَّائِمِ فَرْحَتَانِ: فَرْحَةٌ حِينَ يُفْطِرُ، وَفَرْحَةٌ حِينَ يَلْقَى رَبَّهُ، وَلَخُلُوفُ(2) فَمِ الصَّائِمِ أَطْيَبُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ رِيحِ الْمِسْكِ".
رواه البخاري (وكذلك مسلم ومالك والترمذي النسائي وابن ماجه)
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said:
"Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says:
'Fasting is Mine and it is I Who give reward for it. [A man] gives up his sexual passion, his food and his drink for My sake.' Fasting is like a shield, and he who fasts has two joys: a joy when he breaks his fast and a joy when he meets his Lord. The change in the breath of the mouth of him who fasts is better in Allah's estimation than the smell of musk."
[Bukhari (also by Muslim, Malik, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah).]
This concept of personal responsibility and a direct relationship between performance and reward is a theme that runs through our practice of Islam as a way of life. What we do we are responsible for, and what we are responsible for we must do. No one can relieve us of that responsibility. Indeed our burden is ours to bear. The Qur’an repeatedly emphasizes this sense of personal responsibility by saying in at least four verses that no one can bear our burden for us.
6:164 (Y. Ali) Say: "Shall I seek for (my) Cherisher other than Allah, when He is the Cherisher of all things (that exist)? Every soul draws the meed of its acts on none but itself: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another. Your goal in the end is towards Allah. He will tell you the truth of the things wherein ye disputed."
مَّنِ اهْتَدَى فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدي لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا وَلاَ تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولاً (17:15)
17:15 (Y. Ali) Who receiveth guidance, receiveth it for his own benefit: who goeth astray doth so to his own loss: No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another: nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent an apostle (to give warning).
وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى وَإِن تَدْعُ مُثْقَلَةٌ إِلَى حِمْلِهَا لَا يُحْمَلْ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَى إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالغَيْبِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَمَن تَزَكَّى فَإِنَّمَا يَتَزَكَّى لِنَفْسِهِ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ (35:18)
35:18 (Y. Ali) Nor can a bearer of burdens bear another's burdens if one heavily laden should call another to (bear) his load. Not the least portion of it can be carried (by the other). Even though he be nearly related. Thou canst but admonish such as fear their Lord unseen and establish regular Prayer. And whoever purifies himself does so for the benefit of his own soul; and the destination (of all) is to Allah.
إِن تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنكُمْ وَلَا يَرْضَى لِعِبَادِهِ الْكُفْرَ وَإِن تَشْكُرُوا يَرْضَهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُم مَّرْجِعُكُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ (39:7)
39:7 (Y. Ali) If ye reject ((Allah)), Truly Allah hath no need of you; but He liketh not ingratitude from His servants: if ye are grateful, He is pleased with you. No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another. In the end, to your Lord is your Return, when He will tell you the truth of all that ye did (in this life). for He knoweth well all that is in (men's) hearts.
| أَعِندَهُ عِلْمُ الْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَى (53:35) 53:35 (Y. Ali) What! Has he knowledge of the Unseen so that he can see? |
| أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَى (53:36) 53:36 (Y. Ali) Nay, is he not acquainted with what is in the Books of Moses- |
| وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِي وَفَّى (53:37) 53:37 (Y. Ali) And of Abraham who fulfilled his engagements?- |
| أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى (53:38) 53:38 (Y. Ali) Namely, that no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another |
But then what if we are incapable of bearing our burden or do not have the means or resources of bearing that burden or carrying out that responsibility. Allah being Just and Merciful does not impose on a responsibility that we cannot bear. For He says:
لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ
2:286 (Y. Ali) On no soul doth Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns.
Thus when we evaluate our capability and capacity to perform our duties and to know what to do and what not to do, we must be conscious of the fact that whatever Allah has asked us to do, we ought to be able to do. At the same time if after all our sincere efforts we find ourselves incapable of doing something that we ought to do, we must have confidence in the Mercy of Allah swt that He will not demand of us what we are no able to do, and that whatever we do good He will justly reward us for it and whatever bad we do – by neglecting our responsibilities, for example – we will earn just suffering for it. In all cases, we have in our own hands and mind the ability to earn reward or punishment without the excuse that something was beyond the limits of our capability. Allah does not demand more from us than what we are truly capable of doing as long as we are sincere and not playing tricks with Allah swt.
And on the Day of Judgment we will be again responsible for our own actions. No one will come to our aid, or help us answer for our deeds. Our responsibility on that day will also be personal. Allah swt stresses this in the Qur’an in many ways.
يَوْمَ لَا تَمْلِكُ نَفْسٌ لِّنَفْسٍ شَيْئًا وَالْأَمْرُ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلَّهِ (82:19)
82:19 (Y. Ali) (It will be) the Day when no soul shall have power (to do) aught for another: For the command that Day, will be (wholly) with Allah.
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ وَاخْشَوْا يَوْمًا لَّا يَجْزِي وَالِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِ وَلَا مَوْلُودٌ هُوَ جَازٍ عَن وَالِدِهِ شَيْئًا إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِاللَّهِ الْغَرُورُ (31:33)
31:33 (Y. Ali) O mankind! do your duty to your Lord, and fear (the coming of) a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. Verily, the promise of Allah is true: let not then this present life deceive you, nor let the chief Deceiver deceive you about Allah.
يَوْمَ لَا يُغْنِي مَوْلًى عَن مَّوْلًى شَيْئًا وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ (44:41)
44:41 (Y. Ali) The Day when no protector can avail his client in aught, and no help can they receive,
| يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ (80:34) 80:34 (Y. Ali) That Day shall a man flee from his own brother, |
| وَأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ (80:35) 80:35 (Y. Ali) And from his mother and his father, |
| وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَبَنِيهِ (80:36) 80:36 (Y. Ali) And from his wife and his children. |
| لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ شَأْنٌ يُغْنِيهِ (80:37) 80:37 (Y. Ali) Each one of them, that Day, will have enough concern (of his own) to make him indifferent to the others. |
| وَلَا يَسْأَلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًا (70:10) 70:10 (Y. Ali) And no friend will ask after a friend, |
| يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ يَوَدُّ الْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِي مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍ بِبَنِيهِ (70:11) 70:11 (Y. Ali) Though they will be put in sight of each other,- the sinner's desire will be: Would that he could redeem himself from the Penalty of that Day by (sacrificing) his children, |
| وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَأَخِيهِ (70:12) 70:12 (Y. Ali) His wife and his brother, |
| وَفَصِيلَتِهِ الَّتِي تُؤْويهِ (70:13) 70:13 (Y. Ali) His kindred who sheltered him, |
| وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ (70:14) 70:14 (Y. Ali) And all, all that is on earth,- so it could deliver him: |
| كَلَّا إِنَّهَا لَظَى (70:15) 70:15 (Y. Ali) By no means! for it would be the Fire of Hell!- |
This sense of responsibility extends to how we learn the practice of Islam and how we make decisions when we do not have sufficient knowledge. Most of us receive our basic knowledge from our parents or close friends and from community resources such as individual scholars and educational programs of various kinds. Some extend that learning by reading books or listening to lectures on Islam. In whatever way we receive our knowledge about how we live our lives as Muslims, we come to situations where we are not sure what we ought to do. At that point we become dependent on others who know more. While it is good and important that we receive guidance from those who know more, it is imperative that we consider the fact the we are personal responsible for what we do and have to explain on the Day of Judgment why we did what we did, and that Allah swt will hold us responsible only for what we had the capability of understanding and doing after having made our fullest effort in search of the Truth.
This means that even when we learn from others, we have the responsibility of understanding it and being convinced in our own mind that what we are being told and taught is the Truth. The Prophet sw said that knowledge is the lost property of the Muslim; he takes it where he finds it. But knowledge is not simply knowing what someone else says, however learned he or she might be, but knowledge is about understanding, absorbing, and internalizing what is heard and read.
We need to act on what we know in this sense - of a clear understanding of what we are being taught. No teacher, no murrabi, no scholar is going to stand by us on the Day of Judgment and defend our action. We have to do that on our own. We have to answer for actions and “I did this because so and so taught me this or said this was the right thing to do” will not be the right answer in my opinion, wa Allahu ‘alam.
Many of us sometime fall into the habit of accepting everything we hear or read, especially if it is from an authority that we respect or whose credentials we value. Unthinkingly we eliminate our personal effort and responsibility to critique and understand what is said or written. We neglect that Allah swt has given us a mind to think, a conscience to judge, and a heart to internalize. These are gifts of Allah swt and if we do not use them to critique, evaluate, sift, analyze, evaluate, and assess information that we are receiving, we are being ungrateful for the blessing of these gifts of our mind, our conscience and our heart. Once we get into the habit of accepting and following whatever is said or written by however high an authority, we begin sliding on the slippery slope of mindless followership. Very soon we are no longer conscious of the validity of the source of our information or the seriousness of unthinkingly following it. However, if we develop the habit of constantly critiquing and analyzing what we learn from however knowledgeable the source may be, we save ourselves from falling down this slippery slope. We will still be acting upon what we learn from those who have more knowledge but we will be doing so with two significant advantages. One is that we will be able to distinguish between who is really knowledgeable and who isn’t. The other is that on the Day of Judgment we will be prepared and comfortable that we did the right things because we knew these were right things to do. No one will have defend our actions, and no will be there to do so any way, as Qur’an has made so clear to us.
So, I urge myself and you to take the issue of personal responsibility to heart in matters of learning about and practicing our Islam – to constantly question, to constantly ask and analyze, and to be fully at ease when we accept what we learn through hearing or reading. Allah swt does not ask us to do more than we are capable of; we just have to make sure that we make exert fullest effort before we reach our personal limits.
Main part of Khutbah - August 13, 2010
