Reflection delivered after Tarāwīh on the 9th of Ramaḍān
In this reflection, Shaykh Amin reminds us that these first ten days of Ramaḍān are the days of Raḥmah (Divine mercy). “All that exists has a shade of Allah’s ﷻ Raḥmah.” This is how we understand Allah’s ﷻ generosity and magnanimity, as all-encompassing. The “fact that a thing exists is only because of His ﷻ Raḥmah.”
Yet, there are so many degrees of His ﷻ Raḥmah that the Qurʾān speaks of. However, exclusive to the Muslim is the mercy of Islam. Islam is the “highest level and most sublime grade of Raḥmah that any being can acquire.” And it is here, in Ramaḍān, when the Prophet ﷺ said these are the days of mercy in which the most desired mercy is Islam. In these first ten days, Shaykh Amin reminds us, using the Prophet’s ﷺ advice, to shift our focus towards our ṣalāh, sawm, zakāt, and all ʿibādāt in order to improve and enhance this Raḥmah, which is Islam. We must ask ourselves,
“Am I improving my Islam? Am I allowing Allah’s ﷻ supreme Raḥmah to enter me?”
These first ten days of Ramaḍān are a mindset. It is a focus changing event in which we must focus on seeking Allah’s ﷻ Supreme Mercy. “Allah ﷻ is in the most generous mood ever. When you knock on His ﷻ door what do you ask for?” One should ask for goodness and for Allah’s ﷻ special Raḥmah that raises your ranks in Jannah (paradise).
“The good news is if a Muslim changes his or her focus in Ramaḍān and asks for the most special brand of Raḥmah, He ﷻ will give it to you. Why, because He ﷻ is in the most generous mood of all. If you sleep in Ramaḍān Allah ﷻ rewards you!”
As the first ten days are coming to an end, Shaykh Amin’s timely reflections and advice forces us to re-focus on “what Ramaḍān is and why Ramaḍān is special to me?” Only then will we begin to attract the higher levels of Raḥmah that are specific to this blessed month.