According to Ibn Qayyim, there are 14 modes of Jihad, subdivided into 4 categories, and Jihad is one of the best actions we can do as Muslims. If we want to earn the pleasure of Allah, we need to strive in His path with our hearts, wallets, tongues, and bodies.

O you who have believed, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord and do good – that you may succeed.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ارْكَعُوا وَاسْجُدُوا وَاعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمْ وَافْعَلُوا الْخَيْرَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ۩

And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. Allah named you “Muslims” before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakah and hold fast to Allah . He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper.

وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ ۚ هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ ۚ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ۚ هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِي هَٰذَا لِيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ۚ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِاللَّهِ هُوَ مَوْلَاكُمْ ۖ فَنِعْمَ الْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ

Al Haj, 77-78

(Note: there is a sajda in the first ayat.) Continue reading “Ramadan: Jihad of the Self”

The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allah . It is those who are the truthful.

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ

Al Hujurat, 15

Don’t be afraid: Allah’s not telling us to go off to war, much less to participate in any of the so-called jihads being perpetrated by various political groups around the world. And insofar as there is no Muslim Caliphate there’s no opportunity for western Muslims to physically fight fisabilillah (for the sake of Allah). Instead, we have to strive and struggle in the path of Allah and in whatever ways He presents to us. This struggle is the third best action that we can perform. Continue reading “Ramadan: Best Actions (3)”

The prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, told us that the next best of all actions is to be dutiful to and honor ones parents, and, again, this same commandment is clearly spelled out in the Quran.

And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], “uff,” and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.

وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا

Al Isra 23

Continue reading “Ramadan: Best Actions (2)”

Rasoolullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that the best of all actions is to pray at the fixed times, and no wonder: Allah azza wa jall wa jall commanded us to pray at fixed times:

And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.

وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ ۚ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّاكِرِينَ

Surah Hud, 114

These 5 daily prayers give us an opportunity to pause whatever we’re doing and connect with Allah azza wa jall, and if we try a bit, they can also help us improve our character. Continue reading “Ramadan: Best Actions (1)”

All praise and thanks be to God for allowing us to witness another Ramadan, and may He guide us to be better slaves in this beautiful month.

Here partway through the second half, just beginning the last 10 days and nights, many of us (me included) have gotten distracted, lost some of our early enthusiasm, and we’re lagging a bit. InshaAllah, with a bit of work, we can pick ourselves back up and get refocused. Continue reading “Ramadan: Distractions, and overcoming them (2)”

All praise and thanks be to God for allowing us to witness and participate in another Ramadan, and may He accept our fasts, our charity, and our worship, Ameen.

And all praise and thanks be to God for chaining the devils in this beautiful month, and giving us the opportunity to examine ourselves and our behaviors, and to see the errors that we make and know that they’re all from us alone, from our habits and the conditions of our hearts, and may He guide us to recognize a few things about ourselves, and to work on changing them. Continue reading “Ramadan: Distractions, and overcoming them (1)”

Allah azza wa jall, the Only Creator, the Only Sustainer, the Only Judge guided me to this beautiful religion, and may he guide me to the right path and keep me fastened firmly to His Rope, Ameen.

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ إِذَا دَخَلَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ فُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ، وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ جَهَنَّمَ، وَسُلْسِلَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ ‏”‏‏

reported by Abu Huraira

So I spent 2 days wondering about the many gates through which we move as Muslims and citizens. What are these other gates? Continue reading “Ramadan: different gates (3)”