Ramadan Notes #18: Choose Intently and Be Guilt-free this Ramadan

As-salamu’alaykum,

Alhamdulillah, we had our 2nd Ramadan check-in today and I just wanted to give a huge shout out and thank you to those who signed up and particularly those of you who showed up today. 

We discussed individual progress - wins, challenges and next steps heading into the #Best10 of Ramadan 1445H. May Allah SWT allow us to reach Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power). Ameen.

The idea of having a healthy relationship with the choices that we make as healthcare professionals in the context of Ramadan and year round was something that we honed in on today. 

We acknowledged the very real tension in all of our hearts and minds when we are presented with the choice to go and serve at the bedside on one hand versus a virtuous religious ritual such as staying on after Isha’ prayer for the full extent of Taraweeh to experience that out of this world experience when we are able to connect with the Quran in the prayer. 

This tension and the often uncomfortable choice to leave what is at face value more virtuous - Salah in the mosque in Ramadan versus serving at the bedside and potentially saving a life can leave us feeling a sense of loss (or even failure like one of us expressed earlier today) when we “miss out” on some of these experiences but should we?

Consider the following questions if this applies to you;

1. Who are the most beloved people to Allah?

Ibn Umar reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to people. The most beloved deed to Allah is to make a Muslim happy, or remove one of his troubles, or forgive his debt, or feed his hunger. That I walk with a brother regarding a need is more beloved to me than that I seclude myself in this mosque in Medina for a month. Whoever swallows his anger, then Allah will conceal his faults. Whoever suppresses his rage, even though he could fulfill his anger if he wished, then Allah will secure his heart on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever walks with his brother regarding a need until he secures it for him, then Allah Almighty will make his footing firm across the bridge on the day when the footings are shaken.” [Source: al-Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ lil-Ṭabarānī 6026]

Your service to others means a lot to our creator as it is evident in this hadith and while it may not be readily apparent sometimes a less virtuous deed can become more virtuous depending on the circumstance. 

2. Who are you serving? 

Al-Ma’idah v32: “That is why We ordained for the Children of Israel that whoever takes a life—unless as a punishment for murder or mischief in the land—it will be as if they killed all of humanity; and whoever saves a life, it will be as if they saved all of humanity. ˹Although˺ Our messengers already came to them with clear proofs, many of them still transgressed afterwards through the land.” 

Allah SWT Himself reminds us all about the immense value of serving humanity through the healthcare professions where preservation of human life is central and alleviation of pain and suffering is at the core of what we do. It behooves us to keep this front and center and to let this drive our passion to serve and the tough choices we have to make knowing that Allah SWT is the Most Just and the Most Merciful and that this is factored in to a much greater degree than we can readily fathom.

3. What is my Niyyah (Intention)? 

Like we discussed in a recent newsletter and highlighted above, the niyyah behind our actions is truly what makes it count so we cannot overemphasize taking the time to carefully craft our intentions and to often re-examine and renew them so that our choices are always (at least most of the time) aligned with our intentions of service to humanity for the sake of Allah such that this drives our pursuit of mindfulness of Allah SWT this blessed month and beyond.

Dear colleagues and friends, remember that the transformation that we seek this month is a matter of being more rather than simply doing more. Let’s prioritize choosing more intently over checking off tasks on our to-do lists that drives a sense of instant gratification without the transformation that we yearn for.

May Allah SWT keep us grounded in our pursuit of His mindfulness this blessed month. Amin

Sincerely,

Sulyman

P.S. Join like-hearted #HealthCareWorkers on Zoom every Thursday this Ramadan for weekly check-ins at 4.15pm CST/9.15pm GMT/10.15pm WAT . Register and join with this link.

P.P.S. What other suggestions do you have for me and others in this regard? Share in the comments section or reply to [email protected]

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