Ramadan mubarak. Part 1 of 2. Warning: Not Vegan but friendly enough

The first port of call to learn about God and Religion, Prophets and Islam and more to the Topic of Ramadan is from its One & only core text; the Guidance – The Quran. Gods Book conveyed to mankind by the last prophet Muhammad (sawt: peace and blessings upon him). Similarly to learn about baking a sponge cake you would read a book on ‘How to bake Sponge Cakes’.

Before we turn to secondary or supplemental sources of Hadiths and scholars and muftis and books and peers or sheikhs and old wives tales and scientific research or the wisest of them all – the search engine Google. Directly from The Quran in a handful of five precise verses grouped together in a feast like manner we learn about fasting Ramadan. Quran 2:183-187. (Fasting and Ramadan are also mentioned in passing in verses 33:35, 97:1-5). The month in which The Quran was bestowed upon mankind for guidance, as The Guidance and A mercy to mankind (Quran 17:86,87). 

Directly from God,  we learn reasons and purpose of fasting for a month; to become God-cognizant -‘taqwa’ conscious of God, mindful of God, remember God. To celebrate The Quran. Encouraging mankind to exalt and glorify God, to invoke God and to become grateful and contented.  A test of faith (fitna) In so doing we better ourselves to develop patience and learn to trust God and improve our faith, become better people, sober and humbled and charitable by reconnecting to The Qur’an:- 

I. O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was prescribed upon those before you that you may become God-cognizant. Quran 2:183

II. Fasting for a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey during them – then an equal number of days are to be made up later. And upon those who are able to fast, but with hardship – a ransom as substitute of feeding a poor person each day as redemption. And whoever volunteers excess charity – it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew better. Quran 2:184

III. The month of Ramadhan is that in which was revealed the Qur’an – a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights the new moon of the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then make up an equal number of other days. God intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and wants for you to complete the period so that you glorify God for that by which you’ve been guided; and perhaps you will be grateful. Quran 2:185

IV. And when My servants/believers ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me by obedience and believe in Me so that they may become rightly guided. Quran 2:186

V. It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to have marital relations. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. God knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which God has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread of night. Then complete the fast until the sunset. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques”?. These are the limits set by God, so do not approach them. Thus does God make clear His ordinances to the people that they may become God-cognizant. Quran 2:187

Along with two related verses which mention fasting and Ramadan and The Quran;

Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their chastity and the women who do so, and the men who remember God often and the women who do so – for them God has prepared forgiveness and a great reward. Quran 33:35

God revealed The Qur’an during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what the Night of Decree is? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. Descend the angels and the Spirit by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn. Quran 97:1-5

The table is set

God explains fasting in a nutshell. To fast without food or water from sunrise to sunset for a month of Ramadan if you are able to, otherwise be charitable or makeup missed days later.

Let’s tackle the How’s mentioned in these verses.

How do we become God-cognizant and mindful of God, develop taqwa referred to in 2:183 and 187? How do we get grateful referenced in 2:185 or guided by The Quran? How do we exalt and glorify God mentioned in 2:185? From 2:186 Where is God, how near? How do we invoke God and how do we trust God intends ease not hardship and develop patience? No mention of how much charity in 2:184?

How to.. ? How is..? How can.. ? How do.. ? How much..?

Answers: The Quran.

The Quran and Ramadan are like Strawberries & Cream

Deemed insufficient it seems the world over. Muslims have written and published aplenty about fasting Ramadan, books and hadiths laced with folklore and theories by schools of thoughts and scholars and sermons. Best taken with a pinch of salt. Detracting further and further away from The Quran and Gods verses – a perfected religion (5:3). Churning out sermons and publishing books aplenty, incentivising muslims with Gold stickers and The Golden Ticket even, motivating them with clean plates and repatriation of sins, innovating extra tara-wee prayers and setting new protocols, ritualistic. Worship ought to be unconditional.

Sometimes we can learn so much more by reflecting upon a handful of verses, keep things simple.S and get the basics right. To focus on them, to hold fast to The Quran and contemplate, not just at one sitting. Go in for seconds, it’s a buffet. Perhaps we didn’t need to know what or how our forefathers did fasting for Ramadan from traditions and hearsay and hadiths peppered with folklore and rituals, legends of the former peoples. Or what they didn’t do!

Verily, each Quranic verse is like a date, the more you chew it, the more of its sweetness is released. [Source: Undisclosed] Suppose, we don’t need to know how this individual lived or bathed, what he did or didn’t do. How he ‘established prayer (salah)’ or ate his food or kept his hair or moustache. How he brushed his teeth and what he used. It’s nevertheless a powerful statement, which we can appreciate and relate to, you too.

God encourages mankind and muslims alike to reflect upon the verses of The Quran (4:82 23:68 38:29 47:25) to contemplate and mull them over. 5 Precise and comprehensive verses presented by God containing all that we need to know about fasting in Ramadan. Boundaries set, allowing muslims to exercise some discretion and colour-in the stencil to their individual preferences and colours and flavours and tastes and Stripes.

Eat up

The Quran is the only Guidance (2:2). God describes The Quran using a relatable example of trees as pens and seas as ink. From this pair of themed verses (18:109 and 31:27) we learn God could’ve revealed volumes and volumes of The Quran with infinite writing resources at Gods disposal. Ramadan could’ve had its own book VOLUME: RAMADAN containing every specific detail with ingredients measured out. Even how many dates are optimal and how best to drink water, standing or sitting. Religion is not rocket science. For the most part it’s pretty logical.

Reinforced by oft-repeated verses throughout The Quran in which God confirms The Quran is a completed Book of Guidance, a manuscript for life. Sufficient is The Quran. We also learn because God created mankind it was incumbent upon God to ensure mankind has/had its Guidance (2:38, 20:123, 92:12).

Each and every soul endowed with free-will and faculties to be guided aright by the Guidance – The Quran. God explains only God can guide a soul by The Quran – The Guidance.(35:32)

Muslims however became/are enthused to provide greater clarification on Gods already simple but clarified verses (75:16-19).  Because they became better informed somehow, better qualified to diagnose mankind as incapable to think for themselves. Eating out of their hands. Lemmings. Despite being empowered with faculties of eyes to see the verses, to read and understand The Quran; ears to hear the verses, with intellect and minds and hearts to find logic and reasoning. To chew the cud.

The Human Machine

Cattle-like, humans too have eyes and ears and brains and lungs and hearts. Like cows we keep eating, munching and digesting. Looking forward to becoming steak – a relief from groundhog day, chewing and regurgitating the same green grass all their lives. Like sheep we graze, laying eggs and making babies like chickens. Camels walk a few weeks without water in the scorching desert, up to 100 miles without without topping up every day, or twice a day. Able to drink a hundred litres in one sitting. Other animals, hedgehogs and bears are designed to hibernate for months on end.

It is proven from extensive scientific studies and conclusive research that the human body can survive 2-3 weeks without any food whatsoever, and 2-4 days without any water whatsoever. By weight, the average human adult male is approximately 60-63% water, and the average adult female is approximately 52-55% water.

Realising our capacity and capability, makes us grateful to God. Appreciative of the many different systems and processes within us running simultaneously, machine-like.

Which we didn’t give a second thought too, to name but a few; The Nervous System, Circulatory/ Cardiovascular System, Endocrine and Immune Systems, Reproductive and Digestives Systems, Renal and Respiratory Systems and Integumentary System, the Muscular System and Skeletal System – too complicated for mankind to replicate despite the advancement in Science & Technology in the 21st century. Books are still being writen on discoveries about The Human Body. Nonetheless with the audacity to spend trillions on reaching out for the Galaxy into the MilkyWay and Mars.  Beyond the comprehension, of mankind, yet muslims alike are Ego-ridden and contentious to challenge or question Gods decree of fasting and health and wealth and status and ranks and life and death and children and everything and anything in between.!?

A piece of cake

Consider if we had to control and regulate each of these systems and processes in operation around the clock without our in-built Auto-pilot provided courtesy of God. Akin to an instrument panel in an aeroplane cockpit with pressure gauges and dials and buttons. Or having to switch on our eyesight and zoom in manually, camera like using focus rings above each eye.

Our bodies are a clever piece of kit, designed to self-regulate by God, Quran-like. Which regulates itself by oft repeated and diversified verses and relatable examples (17:89 18:54 20:113). It’s Peerless – too powerful a Book to be misconstrued except by Pick’n’Mix or setting it aside!.  We’re Self-healing too. Regulating hormones and blood sugar levels and blood pressure and so much more.

Ramadan is a great reminder for Muslims that we don’t have control over much in our lives, but for our souls (nafs).  To appreciate most things are by God’s decree, life and death, children and wealth, even our vision and hearing is by God’s decree, every heartbeat.. BLINK.  What we do exercise control over is what and choose to do with our faculties of intellect and eyesight and hearing, thinking and feeling and doing, coordination. And what we can’t. We can breathe to a certain extent but can’t even stop breathing, try it. Go Ahead. Deep breath – inhale and ..

SYSTEM UPDATED 100%

After several hours and a few days of introducing a new eating plan with meal times changed; breakfast, brunch and elevenses skipped, lunch, tea, supper and dinner times changed, and drinking times altered, the body adapts.

SYSTEM UPDATE COMPLETE… Tummy stopped rumbling for food after a day or so, less grumbling and hunger pangs gone, thirst quenched. It’s recalibrated its settings and expectations and demands, adjusted itself accordingly.

Let’s not sugar-coat it

We didn’t really do much to warrant reward , nevermind a clean slate for fasting a month by having only one to two meals a day. A whole years sins supposedly expunged from doing something we ought to have done unconditionally in the worship of God – which has become proven 1,400 years later to be in our best interests. Until the next year.. Stack em High.

Easy as pie. Neither did we need multiple cups of coffee or tea every day – to feel alert, or that cheesecake after every meal. The Human Body produces its own feel good hormones found from binge eating, and caffeine fixes and even the equivalent of nicotine. From exercise, a simple walk, endorphins are released. Cutting back to eating once or twice a day cuts away the junk intake window and sweets and sugars and snacks. Didn’t need that heavenly desert either.

We live in consumerism, a materialistic world. Constantly bombarded with subliminal messages in advertisements and everything we see and hear and scroll through online. Effectiveness of Repetitive Advertising and Marketing, Branding. You know, you didn’t think you needed that Wispa chocolate bar until you saw that advert. Neither did the Hundreds & Thousands of generations which passed before you, who did just fine with the simple things in life.

You’ve been reminded about God and The Quran.. XZIKKR. Lest you say..

Ramadan serves as an Reminder for mankind – Remember God and become God-cognizant. For anyone new to the religion and muslims alike – to learn about fasting Ramadan we are drawn back to The Core text – The Quran. And from The Quran we learn that Gods mercy and forgiveness is available for Christians and Jews alike, for all mankind. Their existence is living proof. So God reminds every soul atleast once a year – to turn back to God, to remember God.

We learn from the parables of Adam that mankind is weak and forgetful, we are of Adam. We forget, and Satan has the capability to make us forget God, distract us, and mislead us. Satan making Josephs cellmates forget (12:42), Moses and the boy forget the fish (60-64 ) and Adam (20:115) forgot.

Cherry Lips

Muslims have re-interpeted and re-defined xzikkr as chanting and wailing – from the heart they say.  However it is scientifically and biologically proven, logically too that the heart does not remember – its emotional and pumps blood.  Memory works from the brain using neurons – to think about God, to contemplate, to reflect upon the verses of The Quran. Not lip service.

It can be understood, Ramadan is one of the Annual reminders prescribed in The Quran by God. And Hajj serves as the other Annual reminder. God explains The Quran has been distributed throughout the earth to remind mankind (25:50-52) and that its been repeatedly conveyed (28:51-59) Not to spoil the Picnic or to distress you (20:1-3) but to remind you of the reality. It’s easy to remember, then will you be reminded? Otherwise every soul is reminded about God through trials and tribulations, fitnah of children, and wives and parents and family and wealth and health (26:78) and nature too, the sky and trees, a leaf falls.. BLINK.

God explains each and every soul could’ve not only been reminded but forced into submission in a similar way to bringing together the heavens and earth (44:11) and sun and moon. (22:18) Choice – submit to God willingly or by compulsion, willingly they said.  Paralysed everyone on earth or blinded them all (36:65,67). Or replaced mankind with a better creation, angels even (43:60) Then the matter would be ended. (6:8,9 15:7,8)

And what better way to be reminded of God then fasting?

The quickest way to a mans heart is through the 3rd 4th rib

There is many a theory, that the key to a mans heart is through his stomach. Said to mean that a woman can make a man love her by cooking him good meals. Studies have shown it works both ways for women too. Date night. Its also proven from scientific research that food or lack thereof has effects on our moods, getting Hangry. Getting angry because of hunger, bad-tempered or irritable as a result of hunger, cranky before a late lunch. and crabby when you skip breakfast.

Thinking you can’t concentrate. That piercing headache. Stomach is growling so loudly that everyone near you can hear it. And if you don’t get something to eat soon, you just might bite the head off of the next person who talks to you (and then chewits up and swallow it). Toddlers may be the demographic most often associated with such empty-bellied crankiness, nevertheless it’s a feeling that people of all ages experience – so the story goes.

EXPIRY DATE: NONE

Neither did God stamp an EXPIRY DATE unto The Quran. It worked 1,400 years ago as Guidance when it was revealed over many years and guided mankind aright by teaching them to become God-cognizant, and it works just as well today – as Guidance. Its timeless. God explains it’s The Only Guidance for mankind until Judgement Day.  For Yesterday, for Today, Forever. Sealed and protected by God from ever becoming changed or edited or manipulated ot distorted.

With the greatest of respect to the final prophet Muhammad (sawt) who was a Great moral character (68:4) and an Excellent pattern of conduct (33:21) honoured in the worldly life and the Hereafter (22:15). There’s so much more to Islam & being a ‘Muslim’ than Muhammad per se, which can only be learned directly from The Quran. Not from Hadiths and Sunnah taught widely in mosques/ Islamic centres – the practices & teachings about the way of the prophet Muhammad, in his footprints. Breadcrumb trail.

Too many cooks spoil the broth

Religion and History are two different subject matters taught separately in education systems. Quran is Religion, Hadiths are History. Historical accounts about the prophet Muhammad & his family are not religion – its History. Like chalk and Cheese. Religion is The Quran.

God describes The Quran as the ‘Best Hadith’ (39:23). The Arabic word  ‘hadith’ is translated into English as ‘statement/report’. Mankind too has published libraries of ‘Hadiths’ – historical reports about the prophet Muhammad and/or his family – for whatever reason. In fact Hundreds & Thousands of hadiths; Sahih al-Bukhari has atleast 7,275 hadiths upon which atleast 400 books have been written and published. Sahih Muslim consists of atleast 9,200 narrations of the prophet written in 3rd person accounts. (Not exhaustive). Sunan Abu Dawood 43 chapters, Jamie al-Tirmidhi offers 50 chapters with 3,956 hadiths, Al sunan al-sughra with 52 chapters and 5,270 narrations and sunan ibn Majah 34 primary books, 12 secondary books. Next door, Shia collections consists of Kitab al-Kafi of atleast 16,199 hadiths, further to 9,044 hadiths of Man la yadur al-faqi, 13,590 hadiths of Tadhis al-akham and atleast 5,511 of kitab al-intisar and 18 primary hadith collections and secondary books and books of the infallibles..(Not exhaustive).. and on and on it goes.

Every little detail of Muhammads existence continues to be scrutinised in microscopic detail, discoveries that he may have had a fistful of beard, without moustache or trimmed. His music preferences, how he may have bathed even how he ate and drank and on and on and on. Even his tooth and hair and clothes are purportedly preserved in museums a boon for tourism revenues. Over the last decade the image of his sandals has become holy and iconic used for celebrating his birthday.

Sweet & Sour

Most Hadiths either contradict or conflict with each other, either because they are diluted or (Not) From concentrate. In fact God challenged/challenges mankind in several verses known as The Challenge verses (2:23,24 10:37 11:13 17:88 52:33) to try their utmost to replicate anything similar to the Quran should they doubt its authenticity to set aside its verses. Even with the jinns as aides they wouldn’t be able to, for nothing compares. From Surah 72 titled Jinn we learn a party of jinns stopped in their tracks to listen attentively when they heard The Quran, becoming believers in God, guided aright by One Book. Yet muslim children and adults alike are incensed by it? Enraged? Like garlic to vampires. Muslims by birth, i.e born to parents proclaiming to be ‘muslims’ by tradition and into the fold of Islam as an identity. However religion is not inherited – DNA and genetics or family names are. It’s biologically proven.

dib-dab

Religion of Islam and faith is either learned directly from The Quran by reading to understand it as guidance or its adopted from being born into the fold of Islam and Sunnah. From the influence of parents whose identity was ‘muslim’. infused with culture and traditions and hearsay and hadiths and folklore – fathers ways passed down from one generation to another.

For sure a single verse about Muhammad presented by God in The Quran outweighs the Hundreds & Thousands of books and volumes of Hadiths – Hearsay by definition written and (re)published by mankind hundreds of years after Muhammad’s death, watered down to varying in degrees of accuracy, legitimacy too. Because its Gods Divine Speech, which does not compare to even the best of mankinds writings because mankind is susceptible to Satan. Consensus is Muhammad authored or published nothing himself – he simply taught mankind The Quran – he lived it, preached it, reflected upon its verses.

Muhammad was a living, breathing, talking Quran, he taught mankind The Quran

From more than a Dozen (3:32, 132 4:13,59,69,80 5:92 8:1,20,46 9:71 24:52,54,56 33:33,71 47:33 48:17(20-24) 49:14 58:13 64:12) diversified verses throughout The Quran which are themed. Oft-repeated and diversified, thereby becoming self-regulating to confirm and support each other to reinforce Gods counsel. Its clear and rather obvious, logical too that God is counselling muslims and mankind alike to firstly obey God i.e by The Quran and secondly to obey the prophet/ messenger i.e by The Quran. To become God-cognizant. Muhammad conveyed The Quran and taught mankind The Quran, by The Quran.

Double Decker

Muslims however are selective to bite off a few favourites and disregard the others. Resulting in division and discord, focusing wholeheartedly on only the ‘. Obey prophet/messenger’ part of these verses to glorify Muhammad and invoke him by salawat in exchange and hoping for his intercession. To follow in his footsteps by the Hadiths and to obey and follow and try to recognise him through 3rd person transmissions. Chinese Whispers.

Muhammad does not know the unseen (6:50) and does not know about the arrival of the hour (7:187,188, 79:42-46). In his absence we still have The Quran to learn from. Only by going back to basics – The Quran, do we learn about Muhammad. That Muhammad was not there when they disputed against Mary and cast pens against her for giving birth ot Jesus (3:44). Muhammad was not there when Noah disembarked (11:48,49), that is news of the unseen presented by God. Muhammad was not there when Joseph’s brothers plotted and conspired against him (12:102). Muhammad was not on the western side of the mountain when God revealed to Moses the command, nor was Muhammad a resident among the people of Madyan, reciting to them Our verses (28:46,47) or when the exalted assembly of angels were disputing the creation of Adam (38:67-70). Along with important virtues from twenty or more prophets including Mary and Jesus and Moses and David and Joseph, Noah and Abraham to name a few – Peace be upon all prophets messengers (37:181, 182) and more importantly we learn about God – directly from Gods counsel & guidance.

The Quran is the Mother of Books (13:39, 43:4) From the pair of themes verses 2:146 and 6:20 we are encouraged to become learned of The Quran to recognise it as you recognise your mother and children. (21:50) The Quran is a blessed Guidance – than are you with it unacquainted?

Hand-in-hand. Quran-in-Ramadan

Ramadan presents a great opportunity to dust off that Quran which became a mascot, most muslims have a Quran typically shrouded in a green cloth to validate their identity: Born Muslim. For pakindians it’s become sacramental to ward off Evil and Magic and superstition. Dipping Quran verses into water to drink or tying verses into amulets around their body parts and blow. Displayed around their houses and cars and anywhere and everywhere as charms. Even when they read it devoutly, many don’t understand it, and don’t bother with translations. Somehow they benefit spiritually by reciting it melodically in an alien language, ritualistic. May aswell be reading Beano. Fascinated with Chapter 36 Surah Ya’sin – which is about peer worship and shirk, and 2+1 unnamed prophets/ messengers. We know nothing about these 3 prophet/messengers God left them unnamed and undescribed, would you believe? Along with many others which haven’t even been mentioned in The Quran (40:78). Maybe it was about The Message – The Quran not The Messenger/Prophet who delivered The Message?

God explicitly states The Quran was revealed as Guidance (1:6 2:2 38,97,159, 3:138 6:71, 88, 185 7:203 10:57 12:111 16:64,89,102 25:30 27:2,76,77 31:3 34:6 39:23,27 41:44 45:11,20 47:17 51:6 72:2,13 92:12) during the month of Ramadan as Instruction for mankind (3:138 10:57).

You’d be fooled to think Ramadan is all about The Quran by muslims caught up in traditions and rituals and hearsay, observing customs passed down from generations, their father’s ways.

Jammie Dodgers

Claiming in defence and mitigation that they are incapable to understand One Book, or that it’s not for them because it’s not in their language.  Although sufficiently endowed and proven capable to study and work, read books and get jobs and degrees and educate themselves and learn and become fluent in different languages, careers and professions, to organise and arrange travel, run errands, do chores and shopping, manage households and businesses too. But dumbstruck when it comes to The Quran? Flumps

God explains The Quran is ‘Cure & Healing’ for mankind. Using the word ‘shifa’ (10:57, 17:82, 41:44). Which muslims have transformed and reinterpreted and redefined into ‘spiritual healing’ – in the sense that they recite a few verses of The Quran in a language they understand not and then blow.  A ritual of sorts, probably passed down from generation to another, associated with ruqya and exorcism and jinns, culture. The Quran makes no such endorsements of spiritual healing.

Love Hearts

In fact God explains The Quran is a Cure ONLY by understanding & reflecting upon its verses. That is where the cure & healing is, therapy like – The Quran heals our souls and gives us guidance and understanding, counsel and wisdom, soothes and comforts us.  Its mental therapy. As it counselled and cured and healed Muhammad each time he faced difficulties and became distressed by mankind spreading propaganda and slander about him being a madman/poet. Soothing verses which remind mankind of our purpose and bigger forces at play. It soothes grief, and heals pain. Promotes tolerance and encourages forgiveness, to foster peace, the olive branch.

Whatever issue or problem you’re experiencing, grief or sorrow, betrayal or divorce or tribulations – The Quran offers you verses which you can relate to, wisdom which you can draw from of first hand experiences and real life examples. Which make firm your heart (11:120) Giving you comfort and hope and healing, like bandaid. Plasters to heal your wounds inflicted by worldy life and mankind. Helping with anxiety and depression and stress.. Nevermind first world problems and DUMDUMs.

Like medication, The Quran works best if taken as directed. Dosage: As much as possible, as frequently as possible. To counteract forgetfulness and remain conscious of God by understanding its verses.

By far The Quran is Best Self-Help Book you’ll ever find in the Worlds.

What was it you were doing? Was Gods only Guidance – The Quran not sufficient for you? Didn’t you get it? Couldn’t understand it? Too busy, ran out of time?

You had Gods Guidance The Quran?

The Quran was made available for you and accessible anywhere, everywhere on earth and online, translated into every language and Audio too – for all mankind

You had free will and faculties?

You were endowed with faculties of eye(s) to see & read the Quran; ear(s) to hear and listen to The Quran, hearts to feel and find reasoning; intellect to think, contemplate over its verses and find understanding, reflect upon it.

You had life and time aplenty?

Takes only a few days to read The Quran from cover to cover. You had 24 hours each and every day for x number of years. Along with sustenance and provisions, resources and rizq.

Couch potato. Ramadan offers a great chance to free up your hands and eyes and brains to break away from the TV and movies and Netflix and boxsets and Bollywood you became addicted to. press PAUSE on worldly life, and pick up The Quran and study it, Press PLAY. (Also available in audio format translated into every language). GUARANTEED your TV and Box sets and Netflix Programmes and Internet and etcetera etcetera, etcetera will still be there in 30 days time… You may not be.

Jelly Beans. Gourmet.

God encourages muslims in many verses not to become divided (including 3:103-105 6:65,159 28;52-54 30:31,32 42:13 41:14 ) To remain united. Not to become sects, to hold firmly to the rope of God. One rope (3:103-105). One God.

Which one of the following describes you best? Select One only. (Not exhaustive of the 72 leagues and divisions).

□ Muslim ■ Mu’min □ Shia □ Sunni □ Wahabi □ Hanafi □ Hanbali □ Zahiri □ Fivers □ Seveners □ Twelvers □ Zaydis □ Rafidis □ Alawites □ Alevis □ Batinyya □ Kwarij □ Salafi □ Zikris □ Ahle hadith □ Ismailism □ Sufi □ Berelvi □ Jamaat e Islami/ Ahle Sunnut/ Dawaat Islam/ Madani / Tablighi Jamaat □ Deobandi □ Ahmadiya □ Other.

Teach mankind to fish

God informs us that The Quran teaches mankind consciousness of God. It’s a DIY type of Book, to learn for yourselves, figure it out. After all, that is why God endowed you with faculties of intelligence and hearts to think and reason. Or did you think you were created aimlessly, without purpose? Pointless? To make Jelly Babies and collect and hoard wealth? God is proven capable to create life without man, as demonstrated by Mary. And without a womans reproductive system as demonstrated by wives of Abraham and Zachariah. Be and it is (Kun Fayakun). Neither does God need mankind to sustain the barrier between the two seas (55:19,20).

Becoming mindful of God and taqwa: God-cognizant can only be learned from The Quran. The Quran is not a Q & A format and doesn’t provide every answer/ solution to every specific issue/ problem – ever. >More than, it teaches mankind what they knew not piecemeal, Wisdom. In so doing, how to think – it teaches logic & reasoning. Thereby, empowering mankind to deal with any/every possible scenario – Ever.

Catch a man a fish, feed him for a day. Masgouf. Teach him how to fish, he can feed himself for life. Sushi.

Fishing takes patience

Like fishing, faith requires the right equipment (The Quran), the correct mindset (Taqwa: conscious of God 2:2). Serendipity – in the right place at the right time, environmental factors. To invest the time, energy and effort, and patience aplenty. Muslims are capable to invest time and energy and patience into relationships and businesses and desires and wants but quick off the mark to turn to anyone and everyone because they couldn’t understand a verse or two at first bite. Seeking guidance and clarification from imams, peers, books, ustads, scholars and google even – which does not help to reflect upon a verse – to develop your understanding – to increase your faith. Differerent agendas, some wearing two caps of Hadith and Quran, sellouts and others sponsored or affiliated with schools of thoughts or patriotism. Resulting in information overload, misdirection and assumption.

Companion for life

Gods Book The Quran answers itself. Without doubt there is similar themed verse. Or verses which support and explain each other. All you need to do is keep faith and perseverance until you come across them. Some verses are (un)specific, others are diversified or oft-repeated. Some are clear cut commands, others allow discretion, and some best left brewing for a while. Some verses are life-experience and situation related, By holding fast to The Quran and to trust God is true to his promise stated in The Quran – That you’ve been provided with all the guidance that you need.

Pearls of wisdom/ Ruby and coral

In many ways The Quran is like an ocean, there’s something for everyone. Some pass by it, some notice it, others go on a boat tour, most appreciate its existence. Some take a paddle or go in for a dip, others take a swim. Some go fishing whilst only a few manage a deep dive – only to then discover more than 6,000 pearls of wisdom to become God-cognizant and appreciate its beauty and magnificence. Developing a relationship with God, to love God. Detached from worldly life, bliss.

The Quran requires time and effort – giving back tenfold in wisdom, reasoning and peace of mind. Understanding the verses of The Quran purifies the soul.

From The Quran (9:128 25:30) we learn Muhammad expresses his upset and grievance because mankind abandoned The Quran. Sadly today, most Muslims are occupied and live by Sunnah i.e. hadiths and hearsay about Prophet Muhammad instead of The Quran taught by Muhammed.

The Quran upsets the powerful and elite and illiterate, the wealthy and ignorant alike

Understandably because The Quran is not an easy pill to swallow.

Its Direct, not very Ego-friendly, its Black & White – No grey areas. Which corrects and confirms previous scriptures and contains hard truths about peers and traditions, superstition and shirk, hadiths and hearsay, wealth and finance and interest, intercession-or-not that is the question?

The Quran is Anti-racist, It bruises egos on family matters, criticizes arranged marriages & inbreeding (Prohibited from marrying the sons/daughters of your maternal/paternal uncles/aunts 33:50). The Quran in fact champions diversity (30:22 49:13) and interracial marriages, encourages adoption of orphans and sets out womens rights for inheritance and divorce.

Smarties

God informs us throughout the Quran that Children are a ‘fitna’, marriage and family are a fitnah, as too are friends and relatives. Wealth is a fitnah for us along with our health. All of which are referenced to as ‘Fitnah’. Along with divine calamities, war & peace, religion and mankind in general. Ego-ridden mankind and muslims alike prefer a different rhetoric of “..self-made..” and/or “..grafted harder..” and/or “..smarties is we..”..blesseth are we..”. Otherwise inherited wealth and claiming ownership of luck and serendipity – flash in a pan “.” or “..got lucky.”

Schisms, sectarianism are not prescribed by The Quran. Neither is the MIN setting of 2.5% for charity/ almsgiving or Prohibition of Music, Nor punishment of stoning to death for adultery or LGBTQ commonplace in Muslim countries. It’s all gone multicolour.

Rather The Quran encourages a MAX setting for charity and promotes tolerance with other religions and mankind – each to their own. To let them be satisfied with their disbelief and eat themselves rotten and drink themselves merry.

☆ Taqwa. God consciousness.

From The Quran we learn much about being God-cognizant. To become conscious of God is Paradise ready. In Arabic, the word ‘taqwa’ is used, in the plural ‘mutaqeen’ or variations thereof. Its demonstrated from examples, illustrations, commandments and counsel to mankind and by prophets who passed before which we come to learn about throughout The Quran. 

If we become conscious of God in all that we do, not only are we protected from Satan in a state of xzikkr – Remembrance of God, but we are unlikely to do wrong, commit sin or partake in transgressions. White lies included. Let alone cardinal sins of shirk, peers and magic and witchcraft and jinns and superstition. It’s a state of spiritual purity, complete submission to God becoming detached from worldly life, anticipating the Hereafter. We trust God with our affairs. At peace.

Before we whisper and speak or shout and curse, let alone lie or slander and blaspheme or spy and backbite we are conscious God is listening. From more than forty verses we are reassured beyond doubt God is All-Hearing. (including (9:78). Slurp Even the popping and cracking of that mouthful of Fizz Wiz Candy.

Before we conspire or plot and betray and scheme against others we are conscious God is All-Knowing. We are reassured from atleast fifty verses (including 57:3) that God knows our every thought and intention let alone our plans and conspiracies. Reinforced by The Bible (Psalm 139:1–7.)

Before we use our eyes, to see and watch and notice wrongdoing – we are conscious God is All-Seeing. From more than thirty verses (including 6:103) we are reassured beyond doubt that God perceives all vision.

Funny Feet

Consider a Witch seeking protection in God from a Wizard.

We are conscious of Worldly life as a temporary abode every second of our being, a testing ground. Fast approaching Judgement Day when each and every single thought, word, action, and feeling we ever had will be presented as evidence against us long after they’ve come to pass. Even as much as a mustard seed or thread on a date seed will not be left unaccounted. 

Conscious of that Day fast approaching when our tongues and eyes and ears and hands and feet and skin – will testify against ourselves.(17:36, 24:24, 36:65, 41:20-22)

The greatest thing since sliced bread

From The Qurans more than 80 verses about taqwa we learn about ‘taqwa’ mentioned in 2:183 and 187. How each and every prophet/messenger conveyed the same message “Be God-cognizant”. God advising and reminding mankind to be conscious of God, mindful of God, including;

Noah (71:3 and 26:106-110) to Eber (26:124-142), Salih told his people to become God cognizant (26:142-150). Elijah too (37:124) and Abraham (26:86, 29:16) and Lot (26:161-163) and Jethro (26:177-179) and Jesus (43:63,64). Moses was sent to the Pharaoh to tell him to be God-cognizant 26:109,110.  And the last of prophets Muhammad too (41:43) told his people the same as each and every prophets messenger which passed before him – to “be God cognizant” (23:84-87). Should there be left any doubt and to prevent any misunderstanding, God commands mankind and Muslims alike to be God-cognizant directly (7:35 and 23:52).   For further clarity (39:28) God explains the purpose of The Quran is to teach mankind God-cognizant, taqwa. A Book for the God-cognizant (2:2), for those mindful of God

Cherry picking

it would come as no surprise that muslims have written much about ‘taqwa’ and continue to do so, because they became better qualified than God somehow. Slicing and dicing verses. Fanciful Books and Hadiths and Hearsay and sermons. It seems every man and his dog or cat has its own re-interpretation of a word which has been already been defined and clarified by God repeatedly throughout The Quran. ‘Fitnah’ like, muslims seems to be putting a real twister on another simple word and concept to offer up varying degrees of re-definition and mincing. Hadithified & hijacked by schools of thoughts re-interpreted as everything and anything, including but not limited to ‘righteousness’ (‘saliheen’), piety (‘al-birr), fear (‘kauf’) and barriers and veils and ..?

Celebrations

Muslims are increasingly divided by sects and carved-up by schisms so agree on little, except for a good old party that is. Many are in denial to the fact that Shias and Sunnis are much like a Twix Bar, manufactured in the same wrapper. The left Twix and right Twix taste the same, look the same, same core with different imperfections whether the caramel flows or cascades. Both sweet and crunchy.

To celebrate the End of Ramadan – Muslims go party for Eid. So indulge in luxuries and get stuffed, hire cars, drink and drugs, suppose pick-up from where they left off. Get back into the swing of things. Extended to 3 days, Christmas-like. Muslims buy presents for one another and treat themselves to new apparel and gifts. To celebrate their rebirth, sin-free.. Again.

None of which is set out in The Quran by God – (therefore dear Watson we can deduce its either folklore and traditions, customs and rituals and/ or hearsay and hadiths passed down from forefathers and previous generations). God simply told muslims to fast a month by eating/drinking only twice a day at sunrise and sunset – not to throw a party to say good riddance to a blessed month of obedience and humility, humbleness and charity – the month in which was revealed the blessed Qur’an.

Brownie Points

Mankinds intervention and incentivising muslims into fasting Ramadan by dangling a carrot and rewards is not fruitful. Promising them Gold Stars and Golden Tickets and rewards of either Paradise or A Deep Clean by which all/any sins or wrongs accumulated since the previous years Ramadan are expunged. Coming out the other end as a new born baby, sinless. Fresh. Wishful thinking developing into complacency.

Icing on the cake

Religion for muslims has become transactional, a bargain, deal-like. Trade-off bad deeds with good. Taking a few Quranic verses out of context, most muslims make-belief “..but it’s Okay..” to do wrong and evils and sin – providing that they offset their transgressions with an equal number of good deeds. Counter-balance their wrongs with 30 days of fasting in Ramadan using weighing scales. You too are no doubt familiar with muslims who do evil with the one-hand, good deeds with t’other. To spill the beans, God informs us in the Quran that the only way to ‘guarantee’ sins expunged is either The Golden Ticket or to Repent/ Refrain/ Reform asap, when conscience comes knocking.

Clean plate..

Most muslims believe devoutly that their sins are expunged from fasting a month of Ramadan. In return of 30 days of fasting any/all sins they racked up since the previous year, slate wiped clean, gone. That’s a sweet deal if ever there was one. 330 days worth of evil and sin and transgressions and wrongdoings whipped off for 30 days fasting by having two-meals a day. Motivated.

Lucky Numbers

Mankind and muslims alike can speculate, plucking numbers and make assumptions of 72 virgins or Fire-Exit(s) or bridges and flyovers or Pass the buck and Get out of Jail cards and new routes to entry into Paradise, Quick Wash and Spin-Dry programmes to self-cleanse. Innovations of Build a Mosque scheme (in the small former cotton mill town of Blackburn there are more than 50 mosques, fifty and counting.. ) or shrouded into Paradise by wearing a hijab or covering up. Furtherstill to try to scratch out the  ‘ADMIT ONE’ text of The Golden Ticket, and write over with strawberry pencils to extend it ‘The intercession of a martyr will be accepted for 70 members of his family’.  That’s a Seventy-fold increase not stipulated by God. Fact remains none of which are set out by God in The Quran. You’d think God knows better right?

Paradise is not attained by wishful thinking.

Liquorice allsorts

There’s a packetful of 70 verses in The Quran regarding Martyrdom and/or to Emigrate for the cause of God – The Golden Ticket. Liquorice like in Allsorts, picked away and separated from the colourful and sweeter layers of sugar and aniseed and coconut. To make religion more palatable for muslims or more mankind friendly, progressive and socially or politically correct.

Disregarding or ignoring these verse is like scraping away the chocolate layer off Hobnobs Chocolate biscuits.

That’s the way the cookie crumbles

There’s only One Golden Ticket – same one offered up to Christians and Jews (Quran 9:111). To emigrate for the cause of God.

What can my enemies do to me? Paradise is in my heart, it is with me wherever I go. If they imprison me it is seclusion with God [the Quran.] If they exile me its a chance for me to travel in the lands, to emigrate in the Path of God. And to kill me is to make me a martyr. Ibn Taymiyyah

Chicken(s)

Today, it’s become Charlie & The CHOCOLATE Factory. Willie Wonka and Muslims have formulated and innovated ‘The 25+ Guaranteed ways to enter paradise’ (not mentioned in The Quran) and in excess of ‘The 29 ways to self-cleanse, expunge your sins: DIY’. Just SIN/ SELF-CLEANSE/ REPEAT Code and you’re good to go again (none of which are mentioned in The Quran).

From hundreds of oft-repeated and diversified verses throughout The Quran we learn about Gods forgiveness and mercy. That mankind needn’t despair and can hope for Gods forgiveness providing they repent when conscience comes knocking to reform and refrain from re-committing that sin again. Its pretty logical, once is a forgivable but twice probably not. Once is a mistake or error or ignorance or recklessness or intoxication but twice is a choice – White lies included.

For if God were to hold mankind accountable for their wrongs – The World would’ve ended, leaving not a single soul on earth (35:45).  Rather mankind exists only because of God’s grace and mercy, despite their continued blasphemy, ignorance, transgressions and wrongdoings and sin. Pity.

No silver bullet

Sins are not rinsed off or washed away or wiped clean or flicked off – rather they’re carried as a burden untill death. Responsibility. In so doing we are humbled and repentant, avoid complacency, better people and muslims too.

Sins can only be forgiven by God on ‘Judgement Day’, clues in the name.!! The Day of ‘Judgement’. To break it down some more, The Day when you’ll be judged for everything you did/ didn’t do. Rather obvious you’d think?

We also learn from The Quran there are a two cardinal sins which are unforgiveable. Understandably, Firstly shirk – associating anything/anyone in worship to God, i.e. to take Prophets or Saints as Lords. All praise is (over) due to God and nothing should be associated with God. A long running theme in religion dating back to Abraham and his father.  Which explains the purpose of prophets to teach mankind to Worship only God.

Secondly any involvement in magic and/or witchcraft, i.e. peers and jinns, either commissioning it or participating or even dabbling into superstition and fortune telling and amulets and Lucky Charms for evil eye and coffee cup/ palm readings and on and on and on it goes . I.e. Anything which puts Gods divine decree into question and claims to take the supreme authority away from God unto mankind. There is no excuse or pardon for magic/supersition/shirk. Can never be forced into witchcraft for even a child knows its wrong from childrens TV and rhymes, can never be justified.

Fact remains muslims wish to roleplay God, to enter realms of jinns and inflict misery upon others. For revenge, for greed, for envy, for prosperity and for love. Even to conceive children – to change their fate and try to force Gods hand. And so they lost faith.

When one door closes another opens

We learn much about Paradise from The Quran, and much about eternal hell fire too, which does not have Fire Exits or escape routes, it’s an eternal abode, No way out. God provides significant detail about Paradise too, of four gardens as wide as the heavens and earth. Of rivers of milk the taste of which never changes, rivers of pressed grape delicious to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey (47:15) Making your mouth water. With every fruit just ripe, succulent and ready for the picking at an arms length not restricted to season. Purified humans not harbouring a single evil thought, nice people. difficult to imagine, requires much faith in the unseen and trust in God.

Pie in the sky

Specific details about the colour of green garments and residences described – but Nothing whatsoever about Gates of Paradise being flung open during Ramadan. In fact we come to learn that there are 7 Gates of Hell – Unassigned. No mention whatsoever of gates or doors to the 4 Gardens of Paradise. Only repeated mention of 7 Heavenly Skies (2:29 (7:40) 17:44 23:17,86 41:12 (54:11) 65:12 67:3 71:15 78:12) leading upto Paradise – created in 6 days. The Gates of Paradise will not be opened for anyone deluded away from the verses of the quran until a camel passes through the eye of a needle (7:35-40).

Overcooked

Similarly, nothing is stated in The Quran by God about the fires of Hell being switched-off for the month for Ramadan. Nothing about the 7 Gates of Hell shutting down for a month, Lockdown, or temperatures lowered or Gas Mark.

Max Flaming Hot

Muslims seem to be becoming increasingly better informed than God about The Unseen. From over hundred verses in The Quran we do learn about Hell, specific detail. Including The 7 Gates of Hell (15:44, 16:29, 40:76) Pre-Heated Hell fire guarded by 19 angels of Hell (74:30,31). Skins roasted, burnt though and replaced like grilled aubergines (4:56). Thirsty.. .? Drink yourselves merry on foul scalding water like thirsty camels (56:55) melting your bellies. Eat yourselves rotten on food that chokes from the tree of zaqum (37:62-68) which neither nourishes nor avail against hunger (88:5-7). Wearing garments of fire (22:19) and shackled in chains which are 70 cubits in length (69:32), equivalent to 32 metres of movement. For eternity.

No mercy. No closing times. No Fire Exits. No Revolving doors. No Escape Routes. From atleast 53 verses (including 2:80 3:24 6:128 11:107) we learn that Hell is an eternal abode, for perpetuity. No way out.

Satans Annual Vacation

Mankind and muslims alike have published much about Satan – The Devil. Hearsay and Hadith Reports and Cartoons and books and movies – the world over. Yet no-one has ever had him/ he/ his/ she/ her/ hers/ they /them/ their/ it around for tea. Muslims have written hundreds of books about Satan’s modus operandi, sermons about accessing bodily cavities and passages. Annual holidays, chained a month. How to protect themselves and about magic and superstition. Making a pigs ear of religion.

The concept of Satan is not a new one, nor is it specific for muslims and the religion of Islam. Which like Christianity and Judaism is an Abrahamic, monotheistic faith. In fact we learn about Satan’s debut in The Bible and Torah as well The Quran. Maybe the 3 Abrahamic religions can agree on something perhaps? Worse still, could be that they each have their own Satan too. Trio. God help us. Supposing the Satan for muslims is chained and locked up, what about The Satans for Hindus and Sikhs and Buddhists? Nevermind the Atheists.

Waffles

Mankind and its imagination have depicted Satan as physical species. From The Quran we learn, Satan is more angel-like, spirit-form, supernatural, beyond mans creativity. Jinn-like, speed of light/sound, a super being, unimaginable. Satan’s capability to infiltrate souls and minds and thoughts, hearts and feelings, memory and desires.

God explains clearly throughout The Quran that the only protection against Satan and Evil and Magic & Witchcraft and Jinns and Peers – is God consciousness and holding fast to The Quran (15:40-42 and 38:82-85, 2:38 and 20:123). Which is learned only from The Quran.

To jump out of the frying pan into the fire

Most Muslims have been led to believe devoutly Satans away on its Annual Vacation during Ramadan. Perhaps it worked too hard and needed/ wanted some TimeOut, or maybe it rewarded itself with a Break-Away. Not mentioned in The Quran, proving someone somewhere popped (not fried;) over to SATAN HQ only to be greeted by an ‘out of office’ sign, ON VACATION FOR RAMADAN, BACK SOON.

Many books written and folklore passed down from generations and sermons churned out that Satans been chained up somewhere by someone? Strong enough to detain him for 30 days – 31 days Max. Possibly due to the limited grade of steel available or logistical and shipping restrictions. Physically trapped?

On/to the contrary Satan has declared his agenda set out in The Quran to mislead mankind into disobedience (15:39) and make them forget God. To ambush muslims from the left, right, front and behind (7:16,17) targeting those on the straight path and living in accordance to The Quran i.e. Ramadan? No mention of its Annual Vacation.

Lambs out to the slaughter

A flawed theory which is easily disproven by using your eyes and ears for observation. Have a look around to see mankind and muslims alike are just as evil – if not more so during Ramadan. Increasing their Dr Evil setting believing they can get away with more wrongdoing and transgressions and sin against others – offset by fasting. Snaps. It’s open season and one-upmanship.

Fish & Chips

Evidently ‘Fake News’ because something so fundamental has not been set out in The Quran. For God states and confirms and assures us and reassures that The Quran is Complete Guidance. Containing everything and anything we need to know to be guided aright. Seemingly Satan has been super-devious spreading fake news and whispers, through the grapevine. Believing Satan’s on Holiday serves little but to encourage complacency. To lower your guard, not to be as weary or worry too much about being played for fools by the master deceiver, the top banana.

The Quran and praying salat are like apples and oranges

Being ‘Muslim’ has become a checklist of 5 prayers/ pillars: TIC TAC tic tac TICK…..DONE. A few ever pass this kindergarten level of faith taught in schools and Islamic centres. Most muslims identify as ‘born muslim’ and do not know the Quran. Islam, and being Muslim is so much more than actions. Of saying, repeating, fasting, going and doing – without sincerity. No doubt you too are familiar with ‘muslim(s)’ who’ve travelled to Hajj; they fast a month of Ramadan (extras too for bonus credits); they pray robotically 5 times a day on time – every time; they take pride in giving 2.5% charity (100-97.5%=2.5%); and even dress the part in hijab or bearded without moustache/trimmed – Yet they’re proper evil for want of a better word. Proven rotten to the core because they are unlearned of The Quran – It wasn’t on their checklist of 5 A Day. “we’re (born) Muslim but unlearned about The Quran”. Eh? It is only from the Quran that we learn about worship and God-cognizant, taqwa, tawakal, sabrr, shukr, xzikkr and so much more. To grow veggies you would read a book on Farming or ‘How to grow Veggies’ or YouTube it. To learn about the religion of Islam and become muslim and mu’min you would understand The Quran.

☆ SABRR. Patience.

Fasting, or abstaining from anything is great way to develop patience. Resilience. To remain patient and overcome the urge to eat or drink when you feel or think you are hungry or thirsty. To refrain from doing something which you can, all too easily. Not to succumb to temptations or cravings but to exercise discipline. To control, restrain your soul(nafs), resist the urge. To forfeit a little something of the Worldly Life for The Hereafter.

Steadfast

We can draw a little wisdom from 2:155,156 in which God reminds us that our faith will be tested by trials and tribulations, including hunger. To patiently persevere for a few hours every day, and then for the whole month. To practise and develop the Art of Patience. To do something for God despite thinking that you know yourself better – You don’t.

A watched pot never boils

Which can be rolled out to every aspect of our lives from finances and wealth and relationships. To control and break free from any addictions or vices. Not to opt for get rich quick schemes or finance, RIBA interest % and BNPL or credit plans or gambling and games of chance, stocks and shares and lottery. Instead to accept your rank and position. Not to curry favour or butter-up somebody or be the Apple polisher to acquire more but for your Lord be patient.

There’s much to be learned about patience from The Quran; how prophets/messengers were put to the test and tried and persevered. Making our complaints seem trivial. Patience tested through adversity and challenges and sacrifice, by wealth and health and family and lives. Muhammad tried and tested for holding fast to The Quran through battle and war, love and marriage and divorce. Reassured to be patient and Jonah in the Belly of the whale. Adam’s two sons, one loses faith to kill the other. Not to be distressed or grieved by what they do, as Jesus put it ‘forgive them God for they know not what they do”. Joseph’s faith tested by his siblings, betrayed by his eleven brothers. Life is like a box of chocolates.

☆ FITNA- A test of faith.

Fasting in the month of Ramadan, in fact anything and everything we do is a “Fitna” – A Test of Faith. Fasting comprises of a physical and mental element, likened to actus reus (act) and mens rea (mind) in the legal world. Intention generally refers to the mental aspect behind an action. Similarly the 5 pillars each have an action based part and an intention/ psychological element. Do they not know that God knows what they know? And say, and do, and think and feel.

Physically – the act is to refrain from eating and drinking. However fasting can be done for many different reasons and intentions, motivating factors and expectations.

How do you eat yours?

Few are fasting solely for God – Unconditionally as an act of worship because God told them to in The Quran and God knows best, they trust God with their affairs and expect nothing in return. Others are fasting for conformity and peer group pressure. The Collective; its a group thing, be part of the club-Muslim, everyone else is fasting so tag along for PR and credibility and fit in. Herd mentality, born muslim. Many are fasting conditionally, for purpose and reward, in return they hope and make-believe their sins become expunged and wiped clean, to be forgiven for something, everything. Even as a plea bargain or to build a buffer up in advance against an evil or transgressions they are plotting and planning. Others hoping and expect their prayers are answered by God for fasting Ramadan. Some are fasting to lose weight, become leaner and detox. Otherwise to exercise their discretion to opt-out and feed the poor and give charity as recompense and to be rewarded for that too. Whilst children and those unlearned of The Quran are fasting because they are following their fathers ways, too young to understand religion or God.

HALF WAY MARK

Custard Creams or Bourbons

In The Quran Godsmakes us aware of many muslims who pray Salah/t in mosques or give charity – only to be seen of physically praying (4:142,143 8:35 9;54 107:4,5) and to be seen of doing. The Hypocrites (Chapter 63). Its great networking and PR in the community. Muslims pray salah/t for different reasons, some pray to supplicate for wants and needs, others are praying for good deeds and reward, and most because they have been led to believe their sins are falling off their backs when they prostrate in prayer (Source:Hadith). Sin/ Self-cleanse/ Repeat psychology. Only a few, the mu’mim prayer salat as unconditional worship (Source: Quran) – not wanting anything from their act of worship, no strings attached. God explains the purpose of praying salat is in fact xzikkr – the remembrance of God (6:162 and 20:14). That praying salat prohibits immorality and wrongdoing for those few minutes whilst you’re in an act of worship – but the remembrance of God is greater (29:45). Throughout the day, being mindful and conscious of God.

From a few of the many verses regarding praying salat we learn Mary prostrated with those who bowed in prayer (3:43) as did Jesus (19:31), Ishamel too (19:55) and Moses instructed his people to build their homes in the direction of Kaba in Mecca constructed by Abraham to pray salat (10:87). Evidently praying salah/t pre-dates Muhammad.

From the Quran we also learn Charity can be given for many different reasons. Either unconditionally because wealth was on trust to us for almsgiving. Or to be seen of giving charity or helping others for benefit and reward, PR and reputation (2:261-267, 271- 4 4:38 13:22 14:31 16:75 23:60 35:29 36;47 76:7-10 89:15-20 92:5, 18-21). Encouraged not to expect favor or return or reward.

Growing a beard without a moustache, or frequenting a mosque daily are physical acts, great PR and networking also. From atleast 35 verses throughout the Quran we learn about such people and musims alike – the cream of the crop, who did good deeds aplenty but their deeds rendered worthless (6:88, 18:102-106) like Zero scoreboards. [0] [0] [0] [0] [0]. POLO

Bounty. Multipack.

Simarly most muslims believe hungrily ‘Paradise lies at your mothers feet’. Not according to God & The Quran, in which mothers are mentioned in half dozen verses. But enshrined into religion by Hadiths and books written about prophet Muhammad in third person 200 years after his death. It was reported that someone had heard another to have heard Muhammad may have said this and that. Unverifiable by the Blessed prophet Muhammad sawt.

From The Quran and we also learn about parental relations and father’s ways. From the parables of Abraham and his father, Luqman and his son. Joseph and his father Jacob, fine examples of Jesus and John (19:14, 32), from Noah & his son and from Jethro too. We learn little from Muhammad because he lived without a father or mother, an orphan (43:31 93:6)

Cooked the goose

Consequently in the asian community not being devoted to your mother is much frowned up, in fact expelled as the black sheep and becoming outcast. Slander, causing reputational and economical damage, plagued and followed by the black mark across the country. Propaganda. Anyone not doting on their mother is considered as “..Not a stand-up guy…”. Most would agree when you were born you signed up to only a mother, not a package deal of an evil one armed ego-ridden uncle – Buy one get one free. Maternal relations and family ties ought not to sabotaged or severed for rejecting arranged-in marriages, instead marrying out-out. Burnt toast.

Theres much to learn from animals and nature. The Cuckoo, the Panda, the Harp seal and black bear are some of the worst parents on earth. They’re just not very maternal, rejecting or abandoning their children. Bad mothers, fathers too.

Duo bar. Say not uff to your parents. God counsels children riled up against God by their very own parents and led astray into disbelief and evil. The Quran set aside Raised to associate with God by shirk and peers and supersition and magic and jinns. Not to disrespect them but to be kind and good treatment, leave them to God, do not obey them (29:8 and 31:13). Indeed a beautiful God.

Once upon a time ‘Paki’stan was ‘Hindu’stan

For Pakindians, its a cultural mix and infusion of Hindu-Indian rituals and traditions and ancestry. Pakistan as a nation is just older than your nan at 75 years old. Pre-1947 Pakistan was in fact India/ Hindustan – for hundreds of years. Today, similarities are too obvious in the pakistani language, cuisine, clothing, culture and rituals, ie weddings etc, magic, superstition and folklore, darbars and shrines, worship too. A cultural hotpot of ‘fathers (mothers) ways infused into religion – ignorant to The Quran, it wasn’t in their language they say. Blended with inbreeding and political entanglement.

For Arab muslims its a bedouin and pagan culture and traditions and customs and rituals and witchcraft and superstitions of reading palms and blue eyed charms passed down many generations entangled into religion. Akin to picking away the nougat pieces out of a bar of Toblerone.

Strawberry Laces

On the surface it may seem an advantage or blessing to be ‘born muslim’, converts however are fortunate to have a blank canvas onto which they can develop their faith by understanding and absorbing the Quran to become God-cognizant. Free from entanglement and becoming exposed and embroiled by traditions and cultures, hearsay and rituals of previous generations – The force is strong.

Bubblegum Screwball

The faith of every soul is tested by Ramadan. Even the disbelievers are tested by their attitude towards those fasting. Will the Jews and Christians not turn back to God for forgiveness, to worship God and become God-cognizant? (4 39, 5:74) What would they lose if they worshipped only God?

‘Fitnah’ has become a dirty word for muslims, it’s been hadithified & hijacked by schools of thoughts and scholars, by anyone and everyone and reinterpreted as ‘civil strife & sedition/ persecution/ evil/fables of dajjal’ a fictitious one eyed Monster Munch.

You shall certainly be tested with fear, hunger, loss of properties and lives and fruits. Give glad tidings, then, to those who remain patient; Who, when afflicted by trials & tribulations say, “Indeed we belong to God, indeed to God we will return.” Quran 2:155, 156

Skittles

From over 101 verses in The Quran containing the actual Arabic word “fitnah” we come to learn that religion (sects, schisms, traditions, ccustoms, peers), trade-off between the worldly life and hereafter, the soul – what a piece of work is mankind, wealth +/- rizq, health, family ties and children and parents, war and peace, divine calamities and punishment – are all examples of ‘FITNAH’. Each specific one, detailed and laid bare in The Quran by many examples and Gods counsel.

Abraham tested by the sacrifice of his only son in old age, Mary and Job and Jacob and Noah and the mother of Moses all tested by their children. Religion is a fitnah – tested by sects, schisms, traditions and peers, do we hold fast to The Quran or follow our fathers ways and prefer folklore and hearsay and hadiths offering greater flex and different shades of grey.

From The Quran we learn about God and our purpose to worship God. Not to dispute with other religions about God. Nor to insult or war with them. Rather to live and let live, each to their own. There is no compulsion in religion, Only God guides or leaves astray whomever He wills by The Quran.  Your God is our God (2:139, 6:106-108, 19:36, 29:46, 42:15).

In a stew

Intercession or not to be? A hot topic left simmering, which has become divisive pertaining to which God presents 70 different verses about the concept of intercession, put simple Piggybacking. Several affirmative, overwhelmingly in the negative and a few Maybe’s – thereby serving as a test of faith. The Believer firm in faith will accept all verses and find a good, fair balance (2:26 3:7 74:31) – not to Pick’n’Mix and select what suits them best, placing all their eggs in one basket. Besides, if you are alive or reading this or able to use logic, you can repent/reform/refrain, thereby not having to rely on wishful thinking and something or someone else to help you, to kick the can down the road when you can help yourself. Trade-off: Wordly life – Hereafter. Ignorance is (not) bliss.

From Job and Jacob we learn health is a fitnah, family ties too. Wives are a fitnah as we learn from the betrayal of Noah’s wife and Lots wife (66:10) Job’s and Muhammads wives too (66:3-5), to give them a gracious release by divorce (33:28, Chapter 65 Divorce). Along with the fine examples of Mary and the wife of Pharaoh (66:11,12).

When things go pear shaped

Either by Gods decree or divine calamities/ punishment or self-sabotage. From The Quran we learn about Gods Power. Creator of the heavens and earth in 6 days. Absolute control over the elements, weather, the land, above and beyond. Mankind prefers to dismiss Gods Supreme Authority over the earth. From the floods of Noah, God opens the skies and lets loose the seas. Earthquakes to droughts, famines in the days of Joseph, plagues of Egypt (7:133-136) and seas parted into two for Moses are all well documented in The Quran and The Bible and The Torah – Yet mankind still thinks viruses and climate change are powered by man and man-made? Mankind cured and/or created, beat cancer?

Whatever the true reason behind divine calamities, lightning strikes and bush fires (36:80) and rising sea levels which are reported to have happened pre-industrialisation also. Seem to be a form of reminder or punishment or correction. Mustnt disregard the Reset aspect to a Restart – To begin again, afresh. Pastures anew. They serve as a test of faith ‘fitnah’, so that mankind may become grateful, humbled, contented. To worship God and help them, reach out and show compassion and mercy. From the wealth which God entrusted upon them by charity and almsgiving. Assured by God that no soul is ever overburdened beyond its capacity and that we are to be tested through one another. There’s so much above and beyond our comprehension, God knows best. What we do know, you and I were not there 100 years ago and for sure won’t be here in another 100 years ttime to reflect and say “Wow, that’s what all that was about.. A Better Restart..” God is Great. God is Subtle. God is Merciful.

From The Quran we learn about Divine Decree – ‘Qadr’ or Deus vult. Predestination. If God wills, God willed and for whom God wills. Certain aspects governed by divine decree, preordained like milestones. Believers should respond to the good and bad which befalls them with thankfulness or patience.

Lion

From oft-repeated verses throughout The Quran we learn our birth, wealth and properties, intellect and faculties of eyesight hearing, being formed in the womb to the number of children, male or female or barren, every heartbeat and Death, the time and place, in which land you will die (31:34) – are matters predestined. Qadr.

Recently in 2022 Blackburn born and raised Faisal Akram buried in “Blackburn-Sharif” (as its come to be known in some circles for the grave of a martyr aged 44) died across the world in Texas USA after emigrating from the UK. Lived all his life not knowing his ending. Deep.

From The Quran we learn God destroyed many cities (7:94-99) and nations and generation after generation. Cities of Aad and its people (51:42 69:6), Thamud (69:5), Hurricanes (11:82) to reference a few. Floods of Noah. Demonstrating Israel too could be destroyed in a heartbeat. But it serves a purpose as bait. Israel is like a maggot at the end of a fishing hook, a fitnah. By which God will test mankind – every soul who hears or sees the plight of Palestinians. Mostly Sellouts, nations and muslims like the western world will put on their blinkers and be ignorant to innocent children incarcerated, maimed and killed for protesting and throwing stones – only because they were born muslim and evicted from their homes and oppressed. Resembling the Holocaust, the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and genocide.

Few muslims will lose faith reeling off the classics of blasphemy, ignorant to the Qurans counsel. Some will broker peace and make reconciliation, others will get rich by proxy wars and self-preservation. Some will offer up charity and aid, compassion and sympathy, others will stand up against injustice, few with their lives in exchange for Paradise. WIN;WIN.

Red m&m’s Orange.

Millions flee war to live or emigrate for prosperity (8:15 62:8). Drowned at sea, found dead washed up on the beach front or lofty towers (4:78). Every soul shall taste death (3:185 21:35 29:57). Death rate of 2 deaths/second, 120 go dead every minute. Otherwise crammed into refugee camps living in tents and inhumane conditions. Or finding refuge in the West cleaning toilets or driving taxis and menial labor, illegal work and exploited.

It’s no use crying over spilt milk

God explains the concept of Qadr in many verses throughout The Quran for muslims, Christians and Jews, and mankind alike to correct previous scriptures of The Quran and Torah and Psalms. The concept of predetermination or predestination, reconciling free will with God’s decree is a delicate affair, easily misconstrued. How much of a part did God play and how much is mankind to be held responsible. Causation and causal factors. Mankind is quick to blaspeheme and lose faith to blame God for everything seemingly wrong in this world. ,

As cool as a cucumber

From The Quran (4:163 21:83,84  38:41-44) and the Bible: Book of Job we learn about prophet Job’s faith tested through the loss of his wealth and properties and status, then the loss of his children and family, then by the loss of his health, then his wife abandons him too, and then his closest and dearest friends/ aides betray him and kick him when he’s down, one after another after another (and then some) to add salt to his wounds and twist the knife, except for one.  Who reassures JOB that God tests his beloved, it’s a test of faith — and being tried & tested by God does not interpret into being punished or penalised or cursed as per mankinds preferred rhetoric.

To take the biscuit

Today, anyone who has wealth and many children is deemed ‘blessed’ and respected and normal, but anyone barren or with less children, disabled or estranged children deemed ‘cursed’ or ‘doomed’ or ‘punished’ – for mankind and muslims alike. Still unsure where celibacy fits into mankinds half-baked wisdom? Choosing not to have children – forfeiting the right to. As you can probably agree – (in)breeding and creating children is hardly a challenge or feat or accomplishment in any way whatsoever. Particularly with state support and child benefits, its cheap too, in fact a livelihood for many in Western countries such as the UK. A money-spinner. In the long term, a reliable source of income and dependency and support that is if you live to become old and grey. Children for many are an investment.

Tangfastics

Dummies. Look as us “blesseth is we, I’ve got four children, that’s Four kids, How many? I said Four and I love story marriage with 4 Precious kids, What to do” (Not to mention my children are inbreds and live in my dads house all my life mortgage free, gangsta innit)” Family Pack. Zing. Look at me so blessed is I, I have houses and business and cars and money and children and family and buffalo farm in pakistan” (“i” represent 20 inbreds working the system). Suckers.

Fried Eggs

Without argument mankind is endowed with faculties to reproduce, have babies. But that is not our primary purpose. Jesus and John were celibate, guarding their chastity. We also have faculties to eat & drink, to see, to hear, to think, and to reflect upon The Quran – which many don’t.

We learn from The Quran that children happen – by Gods will. (Birth rate: 4 births/second 250 newborns every minute)*. God creates and forms children in the wombs, male or female, down to every precise detail. Some are born blind or deaf, fitna for mankind – Not as punishment or cursed as per mankinds malevolent interpretation of Gods decree beyond mankinds comprehension.

We learn from the verses surrounding ‘Kun Fayakun’ Be & It is (Gods will), that Mary was a virgin – yet she conceived Jesus without a man. Zachariah was old and his wife unable to give birth – yet they conceived John. Abraham and his wife was old and barren – yet they conceived Ishamael, Isac. Adam & Eve multiply into descendents and generations. Not necessarily incest & inbreeding per se. Similarly nature happened, forests the world over – before man ever planted a seed.

In ample verses throughout The Quran God reminds mankind and muslims alike, children are a “fitnah”. A means to test your faith in God. Thats all.

After Eight

Some are born without an arm, and for others it was self-inflcited for being greedy. Double-shifting and moonlighting, clocking in the hours and working tired for an extra tuppence for deodorant. God could’ve intervened to prevent it or even worse costing him a leg too? Consequently cashed in with generous compensation payout and sympathy and pity in abundance. Peer worshipping ego-ridden hillbilly, turning his hand to bullying taxi drivers on the rank for peanuts, backhanding them with his prosthetic. Cabbing every possible hour for every scrap and squabbling for a better fare and short changing customers. Millionaires Shortbread. Asset rich/ cash poor.

It all boils down to faith

It may seem like cruelty but that disabled person too is being tested in faith, God reassures us that no soul is over burdened beyond its capacity to possibly secured the Hereafter at the cost of Worldly life. Putting to test the faith of hundreds and thousands of others who saw or heard about it. To humble them, perhaps they might return to faith and become grateful instead of being busy with first World problems playing Monopoly or Hungry Hungry Hippos. For sure that wheelchair bound person served a much better and bigger purpose then someone privileged or abled. Working for the cash machine and living their best life spending on a dog to follow it around and scoop the poop.

Dog eat dog

There are 140 million orphans worldwide. £350 per annum can provide food & shelter, welfare and support, nutrition and health, education and training – for One child. 24% of UK adults have a cat. Estimated 10 million cats in the UK. Research suggests cat ownership costs £1,000 per annum (Source:Battersea.org) 26% of the UK population have a dog. Thats 10.9 million dogs. Research suggests cost of having a dog is £1,183 per annum (Source: Battersea.org)

Bread and butter

Many are quick to blaspheme, encouraged to do so by media controlled by atheists and polytheists churning out half-cooked wisdom and conspiracy theories and Flying Saucers and role playing God. “..how could God be so cruel..” and commonly heard muttered “..if God was good how could he let this happen..” Yet can’t see the forest for the trees. Most things are above and beyond mankinds comprehension, a leaf falls Gods knows.

The Quran encourages mankind and particularly ‘muslims’ to adopt children and help the orphans. Case in point prophet Muhammad was himself an orphan – What better an example for ‘muslims’ to adopt? You’d be fooled to think. Sadly you too can probably count on one hand the number of orphans adopted by muslims that you know of, in your community or further afield. It just doesn’t happen. Let alone adopting interracial children.

Most muslims prefer the sunnah and Hadiths to the Quran – all want heirs to continue their bloodline and leave a legacy with mini-me’s and better-me’s in the image of themselves. In fact, Muslims are discouraged from adopting orphans by historical Hadiths and Sunnah and traditions and customs. In desperation turning to medical intervention and IVF, even magic & witchcraft, peers and jinns and shirk and supersition and amulets and charms and cupping and anything and everything. Heirs at any cost, in this worldy life at the expense of The Herafter.

Cut and dried

All in all proving muslims can change the meaning of Arabic words from The Quran such as “fitnah” or “taqwa” or “shifa” or “xzikkr” or try to reinterpret or redefine them to suit their agenda better. Rebranding is commonplace I.e “Alcohol as ‘Spirits’ or ‘Steroid as Supplements. In so doing misleading and influencing anyone (wilfully) ignorant to The Quran. Forming new movements and cults and schools of thoughts and innovations by printing mass publications and books and sermons the World over. Or distinguish themselves from other muslims and sects. But The Quran is a fact of life. It cannot be re-edited or removed from the earth, it’s still here fourteen centuries later and self-regulating, Crossword like.

Alphabet Soup

Even by misinterpreting or manipulating a verse or two and chopping off verses. Proven by ‘Kanzul Iman distortion of 2:146 and 6:20. The Urdu paraphrased translation’ of the Quran Made in Pakistan, championed by pakindians. Cannot remove the preceding and subsequent verses which support each other. Linked together sharing the same bowl. Which are reinforced by oft repeating and diversified verses. More than 6,000 pearl like verses, it’s Self-Governing, Genius. The Quran makes falsehood disappear, like the foam from the ocean. Even when its learned from translation without speaking Arabic. So let’s hold fast to it, learn from it & be representative to it and Gods words, glorify and celebrate it for being A mercy to the worlds.

☆ Invoke God. God is near.

From the handful of verses about Ramadan akin to a Limited Edition 5-fingered Kit Kat. Four fingers regarding Ramadan attached to a fifth (2:186) in a set of grouped verses.

A powerful reminder in 2:186 for those fasting Ramadan and in general that God is near.  God reassures us throughout the Quran and reinforces in oft-repeated verses God is Near;  to remember God so that God will remember you (2:152); Unquestionably The help of God is near (2:214); that God intervenes between a man and his heart (8:24).  Prophet Salih reminded his people of the same that God is near and responsive (11:61), and Muhammad is told to remind mankind God is near and All-Hearing thousands of years later (40:60), on the battlefield (9:40)  That God is with you wherever you are (57:14).

Even when you’re not praying, performing salat in mosques. Standing or Sitting or lying on your sides (3:191, 4:103) Or whilst devouring that mango.

We also learn from previous scripture which God revealed unto David for the Jews and Christians, from The Bible Psalm 139 : God know your thoughts.

Crystal clear

We learn from The Quran God is closer to us than we are to our own jugular veins (50:16) and souls. Our every thought, every feeling, is witnessed by God and recorded for one day come to pass . Never mind our actions and deeds, words and private conversations (58:7).

From The Quran we are encouraged to invoke God, to call upon God – directly. (17:46, 39:45, 40:11) Like the many not to lose faith and turn to other deities or statues or shrines or peers or saints or prophets or etcetera’s – to invoke God through them as key decision makers and aides or delegates for their closeness to God in a hierarchy, like Gatekeepers.

From many examples in verses God demonstrates and teaches mankind and Muslims alike God is listening to each and every prayer and knows every intention and leaf falling. Glance at that tree yonder, too many leaves to count. let alone the number of trees in the World. Ponder. Each leaf falls God knows and every grain in the land. That’s Power. Beyond mans comprehension. God is All-Seeing, All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

Rest assured. Our souls are taken every night (6:60 39:42) and everything we do or say or think or feel is being noted by recorders – at all times. (58:7) Every soul has a direct connection to God- whether you choose to believe that or not is your prerogative, a question of faith. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. Faith cannot be spoon-fed.

You can’t have your cake and eat it (too)

If your prayers for a bigger house and/or faster car and/or progeny and/or love and/or wealth and/or cure and/or bla bla bla are unanswered – that’s not to be (mis)interpreted as God has abandoned you. As we learn from Muhammad in Chaper 93 Morning Brightness That you need to step it up a gear and Better Call in a favor to next man to pray on your behalf. Maybe God has a better plan for you and I. For your Lord be Patient. Besides what you’re praying for and wanting and needing and wishing for, is maybe pointless – its worldly affairs. A temporary abode, a testing ground. The Herafter is better for you and more enduring.

Over-egg the pudding

Both Sunnis and Shias alike invoke God through prophets or saints or peers, angels even. The sunnis invoke God through Muhammad, they pray to him, praise him, love him and glorify him by Salawat. So that God would answer their prayers because they referenced and hash-tagged Muhammad. Like minded Shia muslims invoke Ali and his family known as Waliyah. Visiting graves and shrines of the dead to invoke God in a ritualistic manner. Sunnis perform pilgrimages to Muhammad’s grave/ shrine in Medina along with caliphs. The Green Dome, Masjid Al Nabawi. Averaging 2.5 million a year. 230 miles journey, 6 hours travel away from Mecca and The Kaaba. The Shiahs do pilgrimage to Alis grave/ shrine in Iraq along with his sons and family members and caliphs – known as ziyarat. Surpassing 13 million attendees.

Like a Bakewell Tart.

Both denominations believing physical proximity and by visiting their shrines to invoke God, will improve the odds to ensure their prayers will be answered or Paradis guaranteed by their intercession. Otherwise, muslims have redefined the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca to The House of Abraham. Which attracts 2.5 million muslims a year. To invoke God and devoutly believe their physical proximity will ensure their past sins expunged and prayers answered – curses too. Recently in March 2022 a peer (and his companion wife) were caught red-handed. Arrested for performing Black Magic and witchcraft, blowing into knots and casting spells in Meccas holy site during the pilgrimage.

Spoilt for choice

In Pakistan there are atleast 52 shrines and Darbar-“Sharif”s across the country, graves of saints and peers and awlia and martyrs and sheikhs with atleast 582 similar durgahs and tombs and mausolea scattered accross India. Which muslims visit to invoke God and worship God through the grave or for intercession. In fact every other muslim country has atleast a dozen shrines, but nowhere as many offered by the pakindians.

Like a chocolate coin, God tells mankind in the Quran that the dead cannot and do not hear your prayers or invocations (27:80, 35:22). Only God hears you. Flipside – supported by hundred of verses advising mankind to worship only God, to associate nothing with God. Reinforced by verses refuting intercession. Exalted is God above what they associate (9:31) (10:31). In its simplest form to say “anything/anyone” instead of “God” in worship is shirk, association. Only takes a second. God compares taking associates/ allies “awlia” to a spiders web (29:41). Weak.

Use your loaf

From oft-repeated verses in The Quran we learn about God. Only God is your only protector, your only helper, your only intercessor. Only God can help you. Nothing/ No-one can help you in this Worldly life or the Hereafter (intercession) not your family or your children, angels or prophets or saints or peers or amulets and charms.  But mankind, and muslims alike remain unconvinced.  Quick to lose faith when things don’t go to plan. To their plan atleast, case in point no-one planned for Covid19.  God’s plan is above and beyond mankinds limited scope.

In a pickle

Turning to Peers and Witchcraft and Magic and Jinns and Superstition, to try and force Gods hand to increase their wealth or children, better health.  Taking prophets and saints as Lords, singing their names in praise and wailing and invoking upon them.  Mankind is encouraged by God to devote their worship to only God – directly. Not to associate anything or anyone in worship to God. Nothing compares, not prophets or saints or angels. Only God is worthy of worship. Encouraged to invoke God, to call upon God. To pray and submit ourselves to God in worship. Devoutly in the fine examples of all prophets/messengers including Muhammad and Jesus son of Mary, Moses, JOB and Jonah when he called out to God from the whale’s belly.

Had God willed they would not have associated (6:107) they would’ve forgotten what they associated to God. (6:41)

Quality Street

From The Quran we learn God commissioned prophets from among the people to convey Gods message. God uses the terms ‘prophets’ and ‘messengers’ interchangeably, referred to as ‘nabi’, ‘rasul’, ‘nazir’ To God it matters not. Mankind however has had quite a lot to say about it alright. Spewing out sermons and books picking favourites. All prophets/messengers taught mankind the same thing: to be God-cognizant, worship one God and follow Gods Guidance. Not to pick and choose or discriminate between them (2:136, 3:84, 4:150-152). Same message to generation after generation conveyed by prophets and messengers. A duty of notification, Follow The Quran (6:155) To remind mankind who is forgetful and weak. What was that meal you had t’other day?

The apple of your eye

Muhammad does not need muslims praise and prayers and worship and salawat- He is blessed. Already made 100%, in Paradise along with all other prophets messengers (22:15 66:8 94:4), Jesus too. Muhammad cannot help you or anyone out of hell (2:119) or forgive you, only God forgives (9:80) Muhammad is dissassociated with what you do and you from him (10:41 26:216 46:9). In fact he and all prophets will stand to witness against mankind when messengers are assembled. (4:41) Muhammad was an excellent pattern of conduct for mankind (33:21) as was Abraham (60:4-7). Muhammad’s in Gods watchful gaze, guardianship (52:48,49) and Moses too (20:39).

Muslims are encouraged to confer peace and blessings upon the prophet (33:43, 56). To respect and honor the prophet Muhammad (48:9) and glorify God morning and afternoon. Muhammad is not your Manager, walli or wakeel (6:107 39:41) or controller (88:2). Not an angel (6:50). Muhammad cannot intercede for anyone (46:9 & 70 reinforced and supported by seventy verses on Intercession)

From several verses in the Quran (including 7:52 7:203 10:57) we learn The Quran is a mercy to mankind. Muhammad too (21:107 28:46) was a mercy to mankind. The Quran was not bestowed upon you that you be distressed (20:2).

Raisins in a mince pie

From atleast 23 verses scattered throughout the Quran we learn about the purpose of prophets/messengers – A duty of notification. To convey Gods message. We also learn each and every prophet/messenger successfully fulfilled their duties by observers (72:27,28) .

And Currants

From The Quran and specifically atleast 67 verses we learn about Prophet Muhammad and prophets messengers are Warner(s). To warn mankind (25:1, 27:92 35:23 38:65) further to notifying them – you Muhammad are a warner. (nazira). Aswell as Bringer of glad tidings to give mankind of details about Paradise. If God had willed each and every city a Warner (25:51)

Comparable to other prophets/ messengers (2:136 3:84 41:43 46:9,19 53:56)

Extracting selective verses about the Prophet Muhammad to support an agenda or cult like sect has resulted in the religion of Islam becoming divided into hundreds of branches and sub branches and sects. In trying to elevate him to a higher level. A rotten apple spoils the whole barrel. Like trying to seperate the dates from dibis, sesame seeds from tahini, chick peas from hummus or the milk from yoghurt.

Fudged

Someone somewhere decided in their better judgement Muslims need 5 posts to be guided. Hadiths and History and Hearsay, upon which many books and sermons and schools of thoughts have been strained out. It was reported that someone had heard another to have heard Muhammad may have said this and that. Unable to be confirmed by the Blessed Prophet Muhammad sawt.

Evidently from The Quran we learn about praying Salah/t in many verses, mostly paired with giving Charity. Hajj has its own chapter, surah 22 Hajj. The declaration of faith ie shahdah to say “there is no God but God” La ilaha illallah is mentioned in atleast 73 verses. To which has been added “Muhammad” is God’s prophet (3:144, 33:40, 47:2, 48:29, 61:6). Peace be upon all prophets messenger (37:181). The Arabic word “Allah” has finally been translated into the English word “God” by The Quran Project. For God is beyond vision and comprehension except for what we learn about God from The Quran itself, One God.

As we’ve established Ramadan is set out in the handful of verses above. All 5 ‘pillars’ have been extracted from the banquet of The Quran. From pillars to post.

Rocky

For some reason someone somewhere decided that The Quran itself as The Guidance wasn’t deserving of its own pillar? Nevermind post, it ought to have been labelled as ‘The Foundation’. A solid base, upon which the 5 pillars are built upon. For without The Quran, there is no five pillars. Without the five pillars remains The Guidance – The Quran.

☆ Glorify God.

From 2:185 we come to learn the purpose of fasting Ramadan is to glorify God for The Guidance – The Quran.

We are also reminded from many oft-repeated verses throughout The Quran to exalt & glorify god. That mankind was not created aimlessly in play for amusement – but to worship God. (51:56) until there comes to you the certainty of death (15:99) In so doing our faith is tested, and our worthiness determined for the Hereafter.

God is not a jealous God, needy and wanting, God does not expect anything in return from mankind. From many verses we learn and assured and reminded that God is Free of Need (2:263,267 3:97 4:131-133 6:133 10:68 14:8,19 22:64 27:40 29:6 31:12, 26 35:15,16ѵ 39:7.47:38 57:24 60:6 64:6). God doesn’t need you or your worship or lack thereof.

Proven by your very existence!!

Mankinds worship or lack thereof does not sustain God – if that were so the worlds would’ve ended already.

It is mankind who is in need.

Further proven by God’s mercy upon the atheists and polytheists and mankind and every single creature on the earth and in the seas. All provided for with provisions regardless of what they do, or do not do. Gods mercy and forgiveness and grace is apparent everywhere. Look around.

From a few of the verses from The Quran presented below we learn whatever is in the heavens and on the earth exalts God (57:1, 59:1, 24, 61:1, 62:1, 64:1, 42:4.) Willingly (17:43,44, 59:24:) devoutly obedient to God (2:116) but you do not know their way of exalting and glorifying God.

All praise is (over) due to God

Birds twittering away in worship (21:79) glorifying God. Relentless and with wings spread in flight (24:41). Never seen birds living in it up in treetop mansions with balcony. They tire not from exalting and glorifying God, humbled living in twig make-shift nests. Human-like they too have eyes to see, ears to listen, brains to think with hearts beating. Like us they sleep, move around and fly, eat food and drink water from Gods sustenance. Suppose difference, they didn’t forget their purpose with egos in check.

The Sun and Moon and stars glorify God, (16:48,49) the trees and shadows in submission to glorify God (55:6). Thunder exalts God (13:13). Most animals and Giraffes stand tall and proud until humbled back to ground for a drink. Ants too have eyes to see, and brains too think and worship God (27:18,19).

Wings – 2, 3 or 4 (35:1) Angels too, exalt and glorify God day and night, relentless in their worship – Unconditionally (40:7-9) . They expect or want or need nothing. Not food or water or homes or progeny or etcetera etcetera. Self-less. Keeping the heavens from breaking (42:5) and praying for the forgiveness of mankind. Flawless (43:60).

Muslims are encouraged to glorify God with great glorification (17:111)

The favor upon mankind has been great.

The Quran. Because God created mankind, it was incumbent upon God to provide Guidance for mankind, The Quran (2:38, 20:123). A light which guides mankind out of darkness ((6:104 42:52 45:20). Lest they say (6:157) we didn’t know, or we didn’t get the memo. Had God willed The Quran could have never been recited or conveyed by Muhammad (10:16). God could’ve removed and done away with it (17:86,87) Then mankind would have gone astray, destined for hellfire. To paraphrase, every soul could have been pre-programmed with its own Quran as guidance (32:13). For only God guides whomever He wills by The Quran & leaves astray anyone deluded away from understanding The Quran. Verily Gods favour upon mankind has been great. (4:113).

Furthermore, God has ensured the The Guidance of The Quran remains available everywhere and anywhere on the earth and online. transiated into every language, in audio too. Protected and sealed from being changed or edited (6:34,115 10:15 18 27 69:43-48 85:22) with God is its custodian. (15:9 56:77-80). To ensure its remains unchanged by mankind, not for love nor money unlike the previous scriptures of Toprah and Gospel.

The power of the quran is encapsulated by a pair of themed verses (13:31 and 59:21) using mountains as relatable and visible examples. Which would break apart and crumble at the majesty of The Quran. Humbled.

5-A-Day

On average performing the 3-5 salat prayers takes a total time of an hour/ day. Some a few minutes others 20 minutes or so. At dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and night. Different sects have different volumes and different protocol depending on their interpretations and schools of thoughts they identify with. The Quran sets out the 3-5 prayers but does not expand on its actions. Only explaining the purpose of praying salat – to remember and glorify God aforementioned. Hand on heart, from the 24 hours you’ve been granted today, and every other day of your life, an hour is neither fair or reasonable?

God encourages mankind and muslims alike to exalt God much (20:33) night and day (21:20) morning and afternoon (33:42) so that you may become satisfied (20:130). In the examples of all the messenger prophets Zachariah (3:41, 19:11) , Jonah (21:87, 37:143). To glorify God with the best names (7:180, 17:108-110, 20:8 59:24)

So Exalt the name of your Lord (56:74,96 ), the most Great.(69:52), The most High (87:1),

For the love of God – Love God (2:165 3:31 5:54 9:24). Muslims in their better judgement feel they should set up cults and movements to Love Muhammad. Increasingly imported by pakindian immigrants from third world countries who are unlearned to The Quran. Reciting The Quran and revering it but failing to understand its verses. Yet most muslims would struggle to understand his namesake Chapter 47 Muhammad comprising of only 38 verses. In which Muhammad does not tell muslims to love or glofiy him. Rather to hold fast to The Quran and accept the decree of God. To Love God and God will love you. Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an, or are there locks upon their hearts? (47:24).Muhammad does not need mankind to pray for him or love him.

☆ S111UKR. Gratitude. Contentment

From fasting a month of Ramadan and cutting back to only two meals a day, at sunrise and sunset, we come to appreciate the 7 meals/fruit a day we may have become accustomed to. Otherwise one meal a day and for those who don’t wake up at sunrise to fill up their tanks for the several hours of fasting ahead. Only from deprivation do we learn appreciation.

There are many people living in poverty across the World who eat/drink only once a day, Every other day even – That’s life for them. It’s the norm. Consequently some have better health too, obesity for sure is not such an epidemic or drain on medical health resources.

From The Quran we learn about gratitude, and contentment, to become grateful to God for the (un)apparent favours, most importantly for the greatest blessing of all the revelation of The Quran (17:86,87)(2:18-)

Lemongrass

When was the last time you appreciated your tastebuds? Or eyebrows for protecting sweat (salt) from running into your eyes during your last workout? Or your eyelashes which are a first line of defence keeping airborne dirt, dust, lint and other debris from reaching the delicate eye tissues.

Or the succulent melons melting in your mouth, juice packed oranges, pineapples and many other hard-shelled fruits and vegetables. Taking several years to grow to produce fruit and months, weeks, days for each fruit to ripen. Squirrel-like abled to gnaw away at the goodness and benefit from the delicious textures and tastes. Nuts. Pistachios, pine and hazelnuts, almonds and cashews, pecan and walnuts. Baklava.

Then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny? (x31 in Chapter/Surah 55) Repeated Thirty One times in the same chapter, poetic reminders. We would fail to list all the (un)apparent favours even if we tried to (15:34), try it.

Fruit Salad

Everything we eat or drink or consume traces back to God. If you remove all the fluff and packaging and marketing and advertising and branding and manufacturing and padding added by ego-ridden mankind – back to God we arrive, every time.

Rose syrup and Turkish Delight from Rose Petals. Rainbow Drops comprising sugar coated puffed maize and rice.

From farm to fork

Either to crop from the ground and harvest to vegetation and fruits from trees and bushes. Even Ice cream and desserts and sweets are traced back to the sugar cane. Quarter Mix of Pear Drops, Kola Cubes, Pineapple Chunks, Rhubarb and Custard, Sasparilla drops,

Dairy Milk. Chocolate from cocoa or butter and milk – grown across the World. A small yellow flower with five petals becomes a watermelon (in several weeks). Mouth watering. Pomegranates from a bright red flower (taking 6 months to fruit). Figs pollinated by wasps. Honey from bees. Milk and cheese from cows. Grazing livestock and Meats from poultry and clothing too, wool from sheep’s back or leather from sheepskin and cowhide for shoes and sandals. Simply too much to list. Tabbouleh. To get you started.

Tip Tops.

Even water, rain. Bottled and branded and distributed and transported, commercialised. (16:8:18, 56:63-74). It came from God, it fell from the skies forming seas. From The Quran we learn about Moses and the 12 springs gush forth as drinking water (2:57-60, 7:160, 20:80) along with manna and quails Abrahams family provided for by God (14:37,38) in the desert and Jesus with the disciples and The Last Supper (5:110-116).

Imagine if everything tracing back to God was attached with a label: MADE BY GOD, ORGINATED FROM GOD, or GODS WATER, or PRODUCED BY GOD, COURTESY OF GOD, or CONTAINS MATERIALS PROVIDED BY GOD. To remind us of Gods (un)apparent favours. What a Wonderful World. Humbled.

Ruby and pearls. Oysters.

Wealth too. Gold nuggets and silver and every metal and iron ore and building materials and plastics from organic materials of the earth, diamonds and oil and gas. All wealth is traced back to God in one form or another. Monetised.

Otherwise we draw so much inspiration from Gods creation of birds to aeroplanes. Cygnets piggybacking on Swans to boats. Tree trunks rounded as telegraph poles to the internet. From donkeys and horseys carrying loads to transportation. Reflections on the surface of lakes to mirrors.

Tree tops – the best part of a tree. Untouched by mankind. Pruning and cutting and trimming and meddling and shaping and intervening. Everything and anything within reach.

We owned it – All.

So much we just took for granted. Appreciation for the obvious faculties we rely upon of eyesight, hearing, intellect, coordination, touch and taste. And the Biggest favor of the all – The Guidance – The Quran. (100:6) Verily mankind, to his Lord, is ungrateful.

F(e)asting

Ramadan has become a greasy affair of kebabs and samosas and pakgoras and burgers and Cola Bottles. Feasting twice a day and eating like a horse. Most muslims will add a few pounds, kilo or two in Ramadan. Cooking and grilling and splurging out on fatty foods and meats and hotpots etc…which the body was hoping to get a rest from breaking down in Ramadan.

Gutted

Your stomach was not designed for excessive eating, drinking and indulgence. Agreeably it’s expansive to allow you a splurge once in a while, possibly to build up a little stock for a long journey ahead, obesity is medically proven to be a burden on the body and soul.

Munchies

The Quran teaches us much about moderation, to find the middle ground. Not to be stingy or withholding – Not to be excessive or extravagant and not to be greedy. Gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins in Christianity and most other religions too. Chewing more, eating slowly and breathing in between mouthfuls.

Water never tasted so good

Refreshed. To put things into perspective we learn about Mary from her namesake Chapter 19 Mary, giving birth to Jesus. secluded under a palm tree, alone, in anguish and exhaustion. God reassures her to shake the tree for dates and reach for water to drink from the stream nearby. Eat and be contented (19:16-(26)-34). Dates and water after childbirth. For most muslims, dates and water is a fast opener before the starters before the feast – for fasting without food and water for several hours.

Hibernation

Many muslims book their holidays during Ramadan, to make Ramadan more palatable or go part-time. Flipz. Taxi drivers changing their shift patterns to work nights, along with others so they can sleep all day whilst fasting – multi-tasking. Muslims alike, stay up later and later at night puffing away and drinking and watching and praying, controlled by vices of smoking and drugs and alcohol and nicotine and vaping.

Hedgehogs and marmots from the squirrel family, are enabled to reduce their metabolic rate to a tenth of its normal level: it breathes only once or twice per minute and its heart beats a maximum five times per minute. Yours 70-100 beats-per-minute (bpm).

The bear, on the other hand, reduces its circulation, breathing and heartbeat and restricts kidney function to go into hibernation for weeks and months. The bear can switch its kidney function ‘on and off’ when necessary, which largely remains a mystery. Before their winter rest, bears must eat enough to form a decent layer of fat since they lose around a third of their body weight during this sleeping phase. This layer of fat enables their survival in winter, under the condition of reduced energy consumption. For the latter, rest is an important precondition.

Sober up

We learn from The Quran that it was revealed in Ramadan when mankind was fasting and sober, that’s no accident or fluke. With due consideration to nature’s vices of wine and drugs and intoxicants.

Dolma

From grapevines is made wine by fermentation, pressed grape alcoholised. From the flower of the opium poppy comes Heroin – a drug made from morphine. Cocaine is produced from the Coca plant with some added chemistry. Marijuana from the Cannabis plant. From the leaves of Nicotiana tabacum plant comes tobacco. Beer, cider from apples and yeast fermented, alcoholised.

God explains in (each) of them is much good (depending on application for medicinal purposes, antiseptic, painkillers and treatments, industry and commerce) and much harm/ evil also (intoxication, psycho-active, forgetting God). That the harm/ Sin is greater than the good (2:219, 4:43, 5:90,91, 16:67). Same applies to Fruit Machines, gambling and games of chance because of their addictive nature, thereby forgetting God.

To consider The Quran with a clear mind. And maybe break free from the vices and addictions by changing habits too.

Dumb-bells

And for the gym-goers jacked up lifting the same dumb-bells again and again and again, over and over and over and again and over again. Ramadan present a great chance to deflate your Ego’s and detox from addictions of steroids/ supplements/ protein intakes to let your body just be, and brains too!.. Which are increasingly proven and associated with mental health and psychological problems, memory impairment and depression and hormonal damage. Side effects of vanity and building street-cred.

Two peas in a pod

Clear your heads, allow your hormones and systems to normalise, egos to deflate and give the mirrors a rest too. Courage does not come from weightlifting, it comes from the heart. Case in point Soldiers of God, Mujahedeen. Gods design – the Achilles heel, regardless of your dimensions cut to the jugular drop like a sack of potatoes. Mushy peas.

Weightwatchers

Some 1400 years after The Quran was blessed upon mankind by God, and from scientific studies, extensive research and development of science and technology. Mankind has only recently discovered the health benefits of fasting and intermittent fasting. A detox for the body, books and TV programmes aplenty, Fasting is actually good for you.. who would’ve thought!? Islam(ophobia). Fasting was also prescribed upon all Abrahamic faiths which branched off from Islam, the Jews and some Christians fast for lent, Chocolate Easter Egg(s). Gold Bunny.

Cooking on Gas

Mash potato. Soon enough, celebrities including Angelina Jolie, Sandra Bullock, Hugh Jackman, Charlize Theron, Gigi & Bella Hadid, and Madonna all reportedly adopted some form of the Fasting diet. For muslims, fasting has become all about weight loss. Many fast devoutly twice a week, on a Monday and Thursday throughout the year because of folklore or hearsay or culture and traditions dissolved into Hadiths. Because it was reported that someone had heard another to have heard the prophet may have said this and that. Unsubstantiated by The Blessed Prophet Muhammad sawt.

Crunchie. That Friday feeling

Supposedly the Gates of Paradise are also flung open every Monday and Thursday’ throughout the year and every week sins are forgiven on Mondays. Not to draw parallels but 75 years ago Paki-stan was Hindu-stan. Hindus and devotees of Shiva tend to fast on Mondays, while devotees of Vishnu tend to fast on Thursdays. Reputedly sins are also erased/ cancelled on Fridays too during Jumma congregational prayer held at mosques. Although not mentioned in The Quran, not even in Surah Jumma. Chapter 62 of The Quran consisting of eleven verses which explains the purpose of Friday prayers is to remember God all day, leave off trade to worship God.

Tara-wee

During Ramadan, Muslims organise and attend daily sessions of congregational prayers at the mosques in the late evening with much vigor and devotion. Packed in like sardines. Not religion per se because it’s not mentioned in The Quran. Therefore its al-Hadiths and traditions or customs passed down from previous generations.

Boost . After muslims have been refilled with their second meal of the day. Bursting with energy, off they go into the mosques for their daily session of praying salat for Extras. Which in fact amounts to more than the five daily prayers combined, both in physical exertion and time taken. Bonus credits.

Dolly Mix

The Quran is recited in Arabic in most mosques – without translation.  You’d think it would be atleast recited with translation into the language of the land for non-Arabic speaking muslims i.e. in English in the UK or into Chinese over in China. (If muslims managed to evade mass concentrations camps to re-programme muslims and erase the Quran from their hearts and minds, power-trim their beards and and force feed them pig and get them merry on alcohol.  For non-muslims and the homeless it’s a great destination to be at and pretend to be Muslim.) Some imams are Turbo-charged on Fast Forward mode to recite as much of the Quran as possible on Repeat – as many Qurans possible, others prefer a much slower or moderate pace.

Most muslims would be unable to explain or paraphrase the 7 oft-repeated verses of Chapter 1 Quran. Because its recited so quickly in a language they understand not, in limited time frame before the congregation bows in prostration.

It seems, although not according to God in The Quran, any rewards for good deeds are multiplied during the month of Ramadan, the rewards for Tara-wee are even greater – all your sins since last years Ramadan are forgiven. Double Dip.

CLUB Mosque

Sins falling off backs. The sprawling one, the daddy and son one, the biryani-burp – aromatic one, uff. The loud-ameen one, the yawning one. The heavy-breathing one, the really bad BO one, and wass-Whispering one. The flick of shalwarkameez one, and the curry smelling one. The really obese one, the splashed a full bottle of attar one. Not to forget the day-dreaming one and the sleepy one and the swaying one. The adrenaline rushed one and the kebab burp–toxic one. The rocking one. The Hubba-bubba one.

You too will be familiar with muslims for whom for tara-wee salat has become about calorie burn and reps, a work out for many. Robotic, mechanical actions of salat consisting of sitting, standing, bowing, prostrating – push/press-ups. Burn off that one too many kebab you gorged earlier in haste, samosa too .. burping away. The Anglo Bubbly one.

Hold your horses

Tis supposed to unconditional worship, to develop a mental and spiritual connection with God and become God-cognizant. Not a race of who gets in the most units fastest and leaves quickest. Before the next feast fast approaching in a few hours’ time at sunrise. The fast-track one.

In God we trust

Fasting Ramadan also develops trust in God at a very basic level, tawakal (26:217 29:51 33:3)  Best developed by learning from The Qurans many verses illustrated by examples of prophets (8:2) We learn from The Quran that God never overburdens a soul beyond its capacity. And intends ease not hardship. To put your trust in God, to let go of yourselves and what you thought you knew best, God told you to do something – so Just Do It. Expect nothing in return.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Less theories and wisdom and rationales and rewards and incentives. Learn to trust God again. Mu’mins do not question Gods decree, for they are assured at the remembrance of God, hearts find rest. To trust God always knows better for you.

Food for thought

What’s good for the body is often good for the brain as well. Studies show intermittent fasting improves various metabolic features known to be important for brain health. Helping to reduce: oxidative stress, inflammation, blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, fasting increases the growth of new nerve cells, with benefits for brain function

Fasting also increases levels of a brain hormone called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). A BDNF deficiency has been implicated in depression and various other brain problems.

Brain food

By fasting your body has less toxic materials flowing through the blood and lymphatic system, making it easier for you to think. Whilst fasting the energy normally used to digest food is available to be used by the brain.

This mental change is noticed after a few days of fasting because our body takes time to adjust. After its cleared itself of toxins, our brains have access to a cleaner bloodstream, resulting in clearer thoughts, better memory, and increased sharpness of other senses.

Up to speed

Numerous studies shown that fasting has powerful benefits for your body and brain:

When you fast, insulin levels drop and our cells also initiate important cellular repair processes. When you don’t eat for a while, hormone levels in the body are changed to make stored body fat more accessible which initiates important cellular repair processes. Blood levels of insulin drop significantly, which facilitates fat burning. The blood levels of human growth hormone (HGH) may increase dramatically which facilitate fat burning and muscle gain, and have numerous other benefits. The body induces important cellular repair processes, such as removing waste material from cells. There are beneficial changes in several genes and molecules related to longevity and protection against disease.

Like a duck to water

Intermittent fasting helps you eat fewer calories while boosting metabolism slightly. It’s a very effective tool to lose weight and visceral fat. Shown to have major benefits for insulin resistance and to lead to an impressive reduction in blood sugar levels. To reduce oxidative damage and inflammation in the body. To improve numerous risk factors for heart disease, such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and inflammatory markers. Fasting triggers a metabolic pathway called autophagy, which removes waste material from cells. Proven to help prevent cancer and reduce side effects caused by chemotherapy.

QUESTION: So, What was it that you actually did again?

Charity. Payback

Charity is prescribed upon mankind, by the religion of Islam and Christianity and Judaism – The Abrahamic faiths. We learn from The Quran that God entrusted wealth upon mankind for one purpose only – almsgiving. Not to hoard wealth or get greedy, not to spend excessively and extravagance. No mention is made of sins being expunged by Zakah/Charity, for it was never yours to begin with.

God prescribed charity as obligation – not for reward. Cashback.

For most muslims charity has become a transaction and reward some. To offset or erase their sins by doing charity. In a SIN / CLEANSE/ REPEAT cycle,.  No doubt you too are familiar with muslims who rush to the mosques to pray or give charity after a pint in the pub or following a transgression and wrongdoing.

No compulsion in religion, so if you can’t fast for the days in the months of Ramadhan then feed the poor or make it up later – if you think you can. God intends ease and does not intend difficulty. Instead of imposing a penalty or heavy fine or spelling out hellfire, God gives mankind counsel in a friend-like manner, and further chance to do some good with their existence. Feed the poor and give charity and help the orphans.

On a plate

From The Quran we learn wealth, properties are a Fitna – a test of faith.  Muslims believe God extends & restricts provisions to mankind. Rizq is from God, 100% of it – predetermined. God extends & restricts provisions for whomever He wills. (Key verses: 13:26 +/- 17:20-30 +/- 28:82 +/- 30:37 +/- 34:36,39 +/- 39:52 +/- 42:12,19 +/- 89:15-20 (Not exhaustive)) God made some wealthier others poorer. Splits. Muslims in their better wisdom and Judgement strike a re-distribution deal of 97.5% for them and give-back 2.5% to God.

A small slice of the cake

From The Quran we learn about Muslims who did much good, they amassed deeds aplenty. But because they failed to get the basics right their deeds were rendered worthless, like dust on a smooth stone. Compared to people who were restricted in doing good, but for a little charity they managed to do which outweighs much of what others did. In its simplest form, a well-to-do person can do much good by giving more charity. Whilst living a best life and so less conscious of God, lacking taqwa and faith. A poor person or downtrodden is unable and restricted, but holds fast to The Quran and becomes God-cognizant. WIN:WIN.

Paradise cannot be purchased. Not for all the tea in China.

Proof is in the pudding

Case in point, no doubt you too have met wealthy people and familiar with millionaires and billionaires who are plain and simply donuts for want of a better word.

Got lucky, or inherited wealth, equity rich from rising property prices or EG debt-laden and leveraged to the hilt, otherwise proceeds of crime and illicit activity or serendipity. Getting paid for groundhog day and doing the same thing over and over and over again – all your life is not entrepreneurial or genius!! Its service, supply & demand. The gravy train – maybe if they had persevered and kept faith in God – they would have earned the same amount by legal and honourable means, dignified too . They’ll never know…

White Mice

So many factors contribute to being wealthy. If you’re White and in the UK, odds are already in your favour when you were born. White privilege and institutional racism sets you in good stead. Inherited wealth and serendipity to ride the wave of rising property prices.

Anyone who bought a property in London or other areas of the UK atleast 20 years ago – is today a Millionaire by default. Hardly praiseworthy. Status comes with an ego ie most taxI drivers in the Southeast!!. Otherwise working their skin to the bone whilst living ten to a loo for the American dream. Apple pie.

God is subtle in the distribution of provisions and wealth (6:103, 12:100, 22:63, 31:16, 33:34, 42:19, 68:14). God is the provider. God is the Sustainer.

The poor tested by poverty. Complaining, wanting, needing more wealth – at any cost. Most poor people are quick to lose faith and blaspheme. They see and hear the grass is greener on the other side. Feel they’ve been let down by God or abandoned, exclaiming God is cruel. Turning to get rich quick schemes, RIBA interest % credit and finance and debt, gambling, picking sherbet straws and lottery, crime and illicit activity. Sell-outs, many turning to shirk and peers and jinns and witchcraft. And so forgot God, the Quran was set aside.

On a silver platter

The wealthy tested by richness. Ego-ridden and deluded to convince themselves they got wealthy on their own merit, off their own backs. From using the faculties and ability and intellect and health the wealth and opportunities bestowed upon them by God. Troubled because they’re losing their wealth, consumed by the leaking bucket syndrome. Distracted and obsessed, the grass is not greener they profess. Hoarding and watching every penny counts or trying to live like Kings and keeping up with the Joneses. There’s always someone wealthier. And so forgot God, the Quran was set aside.

It’s a wrap. Ramadan Mubarak, more than third passed by already, first draft, time waits for no one. Deluded away from The Quran are the deluded (51:9)

END

Any/ all references made above contained in brackets are to The Quran in numerical format of (Chapter : Verse). In some places references provided are not exhaustive and further references to all/ any of the above available upon request.

sawt – abbreviation of ‘salu alehi wasalamu taslima’ Ask ‘God to confer blessing upon Muhammad 33:43,56. And peace be upon all prophets messengers (51:9)

This article does not intend to offend or disrespect anyone or anything whatsoever and contains many idioms and wordplay and examples to illustrate points and develop understanding. Simply reflecting upon The Quran. Quranic references contained are comparable to the sprinkles over the top of the 1/3 layer of whipped cream, before the custard, into the jelly and goodness of fruit pieces and sponge cake of Trifle.

If you do have a problem or do take issue or offence with any of the content than kindly take it up with God directly – its Gods Book and references to verses have been provided to assist with your complaint. Being non-denominational muslim, free from biases, I do not identify with particular sect or subscribe to schisms and stereotypes or cults and do not prefer or lean towards one over another, iNeutral – Each to their own.

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