This Is My Last Ramadan 1 | Ramadan Special Talk PART ONE| Ustadh Mohamad Baajour | EPIC Masjid

This Is My Last Ramadan

So Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen, with the help of Allah, we were able to finish the tafsir of Surat Al-Insan last week. And just a quick note, people like me are not qualified to make tafsir. When we say we are making tafsir, it means I am reading all the tafsir of the real Mufassireen and I am bringing it to you. But people like me are not qualified to make tafsir of the words of Allah. And to me, the people who are qualified are very few on earth. So Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen, I just want to clarify this.

So the title of tonight's talk and next week's talk is, this is my last Ramadan. Brother Faisal, I don't know if he is here, when he saw the title he texted me, he said, are you leaving Epic? Well, Insha'Allah Ta'ala, the day I leave Epic, it will be to Farmersville.

We Don't Know When Our Time Will Come

All the people we took to the janazah, since Shawwal first till now, they did not know that last Ramadan was their last Ramadan. The 19-year-old, the 10-year-old, the 29-year-old, Brother Saif's mom 105 years old, all of them, they did not know. They were expecting, especially the 20 and the 30 and the 35, the 1987 born, 1992, 2006. They were expecting that, oh Subhanallah, I have so many Ramadans, so many Ramadans to come. They did not know that actually it was their last Ramadan.

And to be honest with you, ya akhwan, wallahi, similarly, all of us, if we make it to Ramadan, if Allah blessed us and we witness Ramadan, this could be, right, anybody can deny and say, no, no, no, sheikh, I'm 26. Nobody, nobody with their complete mind and complete belief would say that, no, no, no, I have many, many Ramadans to go, subhanallah.

So the point is, I myself, wallahi, and you, I want you to treat this Ramadan as if it's your last. How would you behave? How would you worship? How would you fast and pray knowing that this is my last Ramadan? So go in there with that mentality. Every day in Ramadan that we are alive, Allahu akbar, one more day. Allahu akbar, ya Allah, thank you. So if we go into this month with this kind of mindset, wallahi, it will be the best Ramadan ever.

Imagine Your Last Prayer

I'll give you an example that we could all relate to. Let's say, I say, brothers, sisters, get up and pray your last two raka'as ever. The hearse is outside and we're all going, yalla, to bury each other. We're going to, khalas, this is it, this is your last salat. How would that salat be? You want to focus on every single ayah. Your سبحان ربي العظيم will be completely different. Your sujood, you don't want to get up. Ya Allah, this is my last sajda.

So, similarly, this is my last Ramadan. No, no wasting time. I'm cutting off on social media. I have no time, habibi. Anybody who comes to distract you by any plans, brother, I love you, but this is my last Ramadan. Can you imagine? It's my last Ramadan. Let's go, there's a nice party, there is Ramadan fest. Habibi, fest, test, last, best, we're not going to any Ramadan, anything that has to do. Subhanallah, I want to focus on my ibadat because this is my last Ramadan. From the beginning, from the beginning of the month.

Why This Ramadan Is Such a Blessing

Okay, so, why? Subhanallah, many reasons. If Allah kept us alive to witness this month, I want you to feel what a huge blessing it is if I made it to two more weeks. You have to feel how blessed you are. Imagine that we are in a huge, huge land and they are choosing people to be saved. And they chose you from those 17 billion people. How do you feel? You've been chosen. So, if I and you made it to witness the month of Ramadan, we have been chosen. We have been chosen, you have to believe that. We have been chosen.

Three Powerful Ahadith

What is so special? Listen, I'm going to mention three ahadith, subhanallah. First:

A man came from a place called Qada'a to Rasulullah and he said, "Ya Rasul Allah, I have witnessed, I believe that there is no ilah except Allah and I believe that you are the messenger of Allah. And I pray my five daily prayers. And I fasted Ramadan and I performed the qiyam of Ramadan." What is the qiyam of Ramadan called? Tarawih. "And I gave my zakat." The man is asking, "Ya Rasul Allah, if I do these things, who am I? Who will I be among?" Rasulullah said, "Whomsoever died performing what you just mentioned, he is among the الصديقين والشهداء - the truthful ones and the martyrs."

So that is the first gift. If Allah kept us alive, we have the possibility to be upgraded, to be among the الصديقين and the الشهداء. Because the intention, bi idhnillah for all of us to fast the month of Ramadan and to perform the qiyam of Ramadan.

Second hadith that we all know:

"Whomsoever fast the month of Ramadan with iman." Iman means believing that this is a fard. This is not an option. Muslim cannot even utter or think that I'm not fasting Ramadan. I'm talking about healthy Muslim, not traveling resident. I am a Muslim, I believe without a speck of doubt that I am supposed to fast the month of Ramadan. واحتساباً - And I am expecting for this fasting a reward from Allah. I have ihtisab of the reward of fasting. What happens if I do those two things? غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه - All the previous sins are forgiven.

So number one, I will be among the الشهداء والصديقين. Number two, all my sins are forgiven. Number three, look at the honor to be alive, to witness this month, and of course, do our ibadat in this month. Third:

Rasul Allah said, "Allah every day and night in Ramadan will select certain people that they will be freed, their necks are freed from the hellfire." Iyad, you are free from the hellfire. What does that mean? That means next year Allah is going to change his mind? Astaghfirullah, khalas. You're done. You're out from the hellfire and forever. Allah for the rest of your life, you will do the a'mal of the people of Jannah. Because you have been decreed. Some of us in 2009, some in 2012, some in 2020, some in 1995, this was recorded for them. So maybe if I missed it in the previous years, I want my name to be on the list in this year. Right? So this is another huge blessing for me to be alive to witness. Because only the people who witness Ramadan will be chosen. Because Rasul Allah said, every day and night in Ramadan, people will be selected to be saved from the hellfire.

That's number four. Number five, Subhanallah لكل مسلم في كل يوم وليلة دعوة مستجابة - For every fasting person, every day and night, he has one answered, not yalla maybe, answered dua.

So الصديقين والشهداء, saved from the hellfire, forgiveness of sins, dua mustajab, all of that, if Allah kept us alive to witness this month and do what we are supposed to do in this month as believers.

So, my dua and your dua from now till the beginning of Ramadan is: "O Allah, allow me to reach Ramadan and make me among those who fast in it and make me among those who stand in prayer in it and make me among those You free from the Fire, O Most Merciful of the merciful."

Every day, every day, every sajdah, look at this offer, look at this offer, free from the hellfire, forgiveness of sins, ya'ni subhan Allah what an offer. This is why it's a mubarak month. I cannot make anything mubarak. You cannot make anything mubarak. It's only Allah and His Messenger. And Allah honored this month to reveal the Quran in it. And Rasulullah told us in the first night of Ramadan, he stood up and told them جاءكم شهر مبارك.

That's why people ask, should I say Ramadan Kareem or Ramadan Mubarak? Which one is better? Mubarak. Because Rasulullah used mubarak. I'm not saying kareem is haram, kafir. No, but Ramadan is mubarak. Because Rasulullah جاءكم شهر مبارك. It's full of barakah. Everything in it is multiplied. Everything is multiplied. It's a blessed month.

Three Categories of People in Ramadan

Now in this month, people are divided into three groups. Allah divided us in the Quran into three groups. In Surah Fatir, Allah said:

Allah said from the believers because the ayah before it - some of them are in the middle, and some of them, they wrong themselves, and some of them سابقون بالخيرات - they race and they rush to do khair. Those are three people. In every ibadah, those three categories apply. Now in fasting also the same thing.

There are people who have, they call it the fasting of the public, of the awam. We will explain each one. And then there is fasting of the khassah, the special people. The special fasting. And then there is fasting of خاصة الخاصة - the elite of the elite. May Allah make us among them.

The First Group: Fasting of the Masses

So the first group which is the fast of the masses, of the majority. What is that fast? That fast of the majority is where people, they stay away from eating and drinking. He is fasting. Did you fast? Check. But only his stomach fasted. His tongue is still lying, cursing, foul language, backbiting, slandering. The tongue did not fast. The eyes did not fast. They're watching all day long. The games all day long. Watching movies all day long. Listening, the ear did not fast. From music.

This is a person, literally like Rasul Allah said: There are fasting people, all they get from their fast is hunger and thirst. All they get from their fast is hunger and thirst. I don't want to be from these people.

There are people, ya akhwan. There are people who break their fast on a cigarette. When the imam says, when the adhan says, Allahu akbar - اللهم لك صمت وعلى رزقك أفطرت - ya habibi! You fasted from halal for 18 hours. You're breaking your fast on haram. إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون.

The fasting of the awam is his fasting. I am a Muslim, I'm supposed to fast. And by the way, is his fast accepted or not? Only Allah knows. But to us, we do not call him, "Oh, you're not fasting." No, no, no. This is not your job. He is fasting. We have to advise him and tell him, "Habibi, the fasting is not just..."

The ayah that you're going to hear all the time:

So, Allah is telling us, "Siyam has been prescribed. Just like it has been prescribed to the people before you." And then he told us the reason, the goal, the aim of siyam. What is it? لعلكم تجوعون? لعلكم تعطشون? لعلكم لا تناموا? No. لعلكم تتقون.

He did not say, "The siyam has been prescribed so you can get hungry." So the siyam is prescribed to get thirsty. The siyam is prescribed to have fun and have fest and best and mess. No. The siyam has been prescribed for one reason. So you can become a muttaqi, a pious person. How can I become or improve in my taqwa if nothing has changed except my diet? Except my eating habits. How is that going to lead me to taqwa?

So, in the first category, the first group of people, only the fast is from food and drink and maybe sexual intercourse. And Rasulullah told us:

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

"Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it and ignorance, Allah is in no need of him giving up his eating and drinking." There's no need. What are you doing? You fast from eating food and you are eating your brother and sister's flesh by riba. Does not make any sense. There are some people, Rasulullah said, all they get from fasting is hunger and thirst.

Levels of Fasting

And there are people, all they get from their qiyam, from their tahajjud, is qiyam al sahr. All he gets is just sleepless nights. That's all he gets from qiyam. And subhanAllah, one of our greatest scholars, Maymun ibn Mahran, he said:

The easiest part of fasting is to leave eating and drinking. That's the easiest part. The other part, lowering your gaze, controlling your tongue. This is really the real fasting.

The Fasting of the Elite

The second level or group of fasting is the fasting of the elite. Fasting of the elite. Jabir used to say:

He used to say, when you fast, then let your ears fast. Let your eyes fast. Let your tongue fast from false statements. Refrain from harming those who serve you. And be defined by elegance and composure on the day that you are fasting. And do not make the day that you fast and the day that you do not fast equal.

I fasted today, tomorrow should be different. The day of fasting is always better. I'm doing extra stuff than the day I'm not fasting. It's not the same. It should not be equal.

So those people of the second group, they have fulfilled the fasting of staying away from eating and drinking. But they added to it the fasting of the rest of the body parts. They added the fasting of the eye. They are busy with things that are halal. They are not listening to anything that is haram. They kept themselves in ways to increase their distance from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Getting closer to Allah azza wa jal.

The Elite of the Elite

Now, the level three of fasting, may Allah make us from these people, is a level that do what the second group is doing. And also, they have divorced the dunya. They have completely, he leaves the masjid and his heart is inside the masjid. He cannot wait to come back. He puts the Quran down because he was busy a little bit. He cannot wait to take the Quran back and start reading. There is no minute in their time except it is in ibadah.

When he or she goes to the market to pick up something, they are already making an intention, I'm doing this to serve my family and serving my family is an act of worship. The sister is preparing the dinner for Ramadan, the iftar, and she's saying, Ya Allah, I'm expecting with this iftar, the reward of fasting for people in my family. Because she is feeding a fasting person.

My sister, please, many people miss this intention. You are feeding fasting people. If it's your husband and your children, that does not mean you don't get the reward. You are feeding fasting people and you will get the reward of everybody that you have fed, subhanAllah.

This Is My Last Ramadan

So these people are always busy. Oh, my brothers and sisters, subhanAllah, in Bangladesh, in India, they are suffering. I have to do anything I can in this month to support them. My brothers and sisters in Yemen, in Syria, they're always thinking how can I take advantage because this is my last Ramadan. What am I gonna do with this money? This is my last Ramadan. Let me give as much as I can because this is my last Ramadan.

My kids are gonna take the money and maybe buy some cars and some home and that's it. And what about me? Let me sponsor some orphans in Pakistan. Let me do something. This is my last Ramadan. This is it. I'm done. SubhanAllah, this is the elite of the elite. This is the fasting of the elite of the elite. That is all their concern.

Brother, do you know any group, anybody who is having a hard time finding food in Ramadan? Please, Allah, please, I beg you. Let me know, please. Your family, the whole month of Ramadan on me. Please, I beg you. You are begging the person, not he's begging you to give him money.

The True Spirit of Charity

In order for your sadaqa to be accepted, you have to feel that you are in more need of the sadaqa than the person you're giving it to. You are in more need of the ajr than that person I'm giving it to. Because usually when we give sadaqa, unfortunately, we feel like we're doing the guy a favor. Wallahi, he's doing you a favor. Imagine there are nobody to accept our sadaqa. A pillar of the deen is gone. They are doing us a favor.

When someone tells you, brother, there's a brother behind in his rent. There's a sister needs money for her cancer treatment. Really, ya habibi, thank you so much. May Allah bless you and reward you for giving me this opportunity. How much do you want? Let me see what I can afford and I'm ready. This is the elite of the elite. This is how they're thinking.

And in Ramadan, Allahu Akbar. And Allah is watching, you know. This is why they reach that level. Because every move they make, every act they do, every word they utter, they're always thinking Allah is watching. Allah is witnessing all that. That's why they reach that level. May Allah make us all among them, ya rabbal alameen.

The Plan for Our Last Ramadan

Tayyib, what's the plan? You know, if it's going to be my last Ramadan, there has to be a plan. There has to be a major plan. Because this is it. That's it.

So, the plan is next week, inshallah. Shaykh, you just told us you might not live to the next day. Yeah, because inshallah, the week after it will be Ramadan, bismillah.

So next week, inshallah, we will discuss what is the plan. And I want everybody to come with a piece of paper, your phone, your iPad, and the title on top. Ya Allah, if you kept me alive to witness the month of Ramadan, one, two, three, four, we will go through them all of us together.

Closing Du'a

May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala keep us alive to witness the month of Ramadan. May Allah make us in it from the people who are very active in His pleasure. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala free our necks from the hellfire. May Allah azzawajal give us the shafa'ah of Rasulallah ﷺ.