Levels of Fasting - As Imam Ghazali (rahimahullah) concludes the secrets of fasting, he mentions that there are 3 levels of fasting. Number 1 he says is the level of Muslims who are very basic in their practice. They suffice with the bare minimum of fasting. They simply abstain from eating, drinking, etc from Fajr until Maghrib, that’s what they suffice with. Imam Ghazali (rahimahullah) mentions the higher level of fasting is the fasting of Muslims who are elite in their practice. They don’t simply suffice with this, but rather, they abstain using any part of their body, any limb in a manner that distances them from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). As they are fasting, they actively ensure that they protect themselves from anything that’s going to distance them from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and they only use their body, the limbs, the parts of their body in activities that’s going to bring them closer to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). Imam Ghazali (Rahimahullah) mentions, they protect their eyes from seeing anything that is blameworthy. He brings a beautiful Hadith that our Beloved Messenger ﷺ is reported to have said - the blameworthy gaze is a poisonous arrow from the arrows of Iblis. And the Beloved Messenger ﷺ continues - any person who abstains from this blameworthy gaze out of fear of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) is going to bless him with such Iman that he’s going to taste the sweetness of that Iman in his heart. Imam Ghazali (Rahimahullah) says the elite Muslim abstains from using his eye as he is fasting in any way that distances him from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). Similarly, he doesn’t simply not eat and drink, but rather he ensures that his tongue is not going to be used for any speech that’s going to distance him from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). He’s not going to backbite or gossip, he’s not going to lie, he’s not going to make false promises, he’s not going to use any speech that brings pain upon others or hurts their feelings. A beautiful Islamic ruling is that to hurt the feelings of another person is worse than destroying the Kabah or any mosque in the sight of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). Similarly Imam Ghazali (Rahimahullah) mentions he’s very careful as he’s fasting especially careful as he’s fasting in how he uses his ears. If someone is backbiting or gossiping, he’s not going to partake in it. Imam Ghazali (Rahimahullah) mentions, if one person is backbiting and you are that person’s audience, you are complicit in this major sin. You are his partner in the major sin of backbiting because that person would not be able to backbite if it wasn’t for the fact that you are giving him your ear. Imam Ghazali (Rahimahullah) says a person, the elite Muslim ensures his ears are protected from any blameworthy speech, profanity, music, inappropriate speech, mean or hurtful words or rude comments, anything, a person is also careful from abstaining from that. And from the Hadith we know our Beloved Messenger ﷺ is reported to have said that backbiting is even worse and bigger sin than zina (fornication and adultery). Sins that involve wronging another person or even another animal are worse and bigger sins than a major sins that are only between the person and Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). Imam Ghazali (Rahimahullah) also says this elite Muslim protects every part of his body. This is the 2nd level of fasting. The 3rd level is the highest level of fasting and probably the level that requires the most work and time to get into. He says this is the level of those Muslims who are the elite of the elite. What is it? - As they are fasting, they don’t just simply suffice with protecting all of their limbs but rather they protect their hearts from being in any state, from entertaining any thought that’s going to distance them from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). These are Muslims who are at such a high level, they have control even over the thoughts that occur to them, the state that they are in spiritually, they protect their hearts from engaging in any thought, being in any state that’s going to distance them from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and these are people who love Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and his Messenger ﷺ so much that they engage in everything that’s pleasing to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and they do it for so long that then eventually that they gain even mastery over their thoughts. That’s the highest level of fasting. As we are now in the blessed month of Ramadan, let’s be very wary, let’s be conscious when it comes to the schools that we get into, the education that we provide to our children, the food that we eat, the jobs that we want to get, we want the best of the best, the best school, we want the best food that we enjoy, we want that we have the highest paying jobs. When we have such a high standard for everything that we do at a worldly level, a temporary worldly level, why should we not have the highest standard aspirations for our afterlife? Even if we don’t reach that level, at the very least have a high standard, have high aspirations and that’s what’s eventually going to raise our levels one by one
8 months ago (edited) | 0
IQRA CARTOON - Islamic Prophets & Quran Stories
Ramadan is the month of the Quran! The simple tafsir explaining Surah Al-A'la is out now! ➡️ https://youtu.be/VvDHGONw2YU
8 months ago | [YT] | 158