If you have never heard of the following hadith or heard it but needed a reminder then make sure to make dua’a for me and the entire team who help send this information to you. Ask Allah to grant us the (Firdaws Al-‘alaa), the highest level in Jannah  for how amazing is the information you’re about to learn.

In a hadith that is classified as authentic in Saheeh Al-Jami, the Prophet Muhammad said:

whoever recites ayatal-Kursi (Verse 255 from Surat Al-Baqarah Chapter 2) after every obligatory prayer… which is the following verse:

Transliteration:

Allahu la ilahaillahuwaalhayyualqayyoomu la ta’khuthuhusinatunwalanawmunlahu ma fee assamawatiwama fee al-ardi man thaallatheeyashfaAAuAAindahuilla bi-ithnihiyaAAlamumabaynaaydeehimwamakhalfahumwalayuheetoonabishay-in min AAilmihiillabimashaawasiAAakursiyyuhuassamawatiwal-ardawalayaooduhuhifthuhumawahuwaalAAaliyyualAAatheem

Translation:

Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great. (From Sahih International)

OK what will happen if I recite this verse after every obligatory prayer? ” then nothing is stopping him or her from entering Jannah except… Meaning that the only reason you are not in Jannah right now if you were a person who practiced or will practice, in shaa Allah, reciting ayatal-kursi after every obligatory prayer is, “”, that you are not dead yet. Allahuakbar! How amazing is that! How generous is Allah and how powerful is that verse!

So brothers and sisters go ahead and perfect the pronunciation and the memorization of that one single verse and remember to recite it after every obligatory prayer and, in shaa Allah, we get to see each other in Jannah.

May Allah bless you. Feel free to “share” this article with your friends and family and may Allah make you means for many people to enter Jannah.

Allah talks about the reason for fasting, and the goal and objectives of fasting. Verses 184, 185 and 187 talk about the process of fasting: who, what, where, when and how. The scholars have elaborated on these extensively in different works over the last fourteen centuries. My focus in this article will be the reason, goal and objectives of fasting and how awesome and compelling these verses are in establishing the truth of Allah’s words.

Reason and Purpose

In 2:183 Allah tells us:

“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous”

in a way introducing fasting as something well known to previous generations of believers.

In 2:185, the reason and the purpose are explained:

“The month of Ramadan [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 an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.”

Thus fasting in Ramadan is to commemorate the Guidance (Qur’an) that Allah sent to mankind through Prophet Muhammed, as the revelation commenced in the month of Ramadan. This is a paradigm shift as previous messengers/prophets were sent primarily to their respective nations but this final message (Qur’an) is guidance meant for all nations till the last day (10:47). Allah also promised to protect the Qur’an for later generations as opposed to previous messages which were lost in their pristine form (15:9).

It is noteworthy that Allah highlights clear proofs and criterion being sent along with the Guidance. What I really find amazing is Allah’s succinct style as these three items – guidance, clear proofs of guidance, and criterion – are found in these verses establishing fasting in the religion of Islam.

As guidance, fasting in Islam means abstaining from food, drink and sexual intercourse with your spouse from dawn to dusk, with the intention of pleasing Allah (IbnKathir). Thus starvation or other forms of fasting (e.g. prior to surgery etc.) or fasting without the intention of pleasing Allah is not included as fasting described within the limits of the Islamic or Quranic guidance.

To understand the value of guidance, we need to be able to conceptualize its purpose and appreciate the link between guidelines, standards and outcomes. For instance, like other guidelines such as aviation and financial guidelines, NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) practice guidelines provide recommendations for good practice, based on best available evidence with the aim of developing quality standards and improving (healthcare) outcomes (NICE).

After creating the world and humans, Allah did not leave us without the guidance required to achieve a good life and the best outcomes. He states this categorically in AyatulKursi and Surah Al ‘Ala:

“His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.” 2:255

“Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High, Who created and proportioned, And Who destined and [then] guided” 87:1-3

Basically, our preservation as a species depends on following our Creator’s guidance. The Qur’an asserts that guidance has been provided to humans since the creation of the first man, Adam, but not everyone utilizes it (2:38). The Qur’an confirms that this diversity about following the guidance or not is part of Allah’s will.

“And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed – all of them entirely. Then, [O Muhammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers?” 10.99

“There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.” 2:256

We live in a world where the dominant contemporary philosophy is the pursuit of happiness, and this can be traced back to Greek philosophical ideas. Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, taught that virtues (courage, temperance, generosity etc.) and prudence (practical intelligence) are prerequisites to achieving true happiness or living a good life (Nicomachean Ethics).

As stated above, the Quran confirms that every nation had a prophet to guide them, but as evidence suggests that Aristotle was secular in his thinking, the more correct view Islamically would be that his thoughts were based on the remnants of the teachings of prophet(s) sent to his nation. In 17:97, Allah talks about the good life:

“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.”

In Islam, virtue (righteousness) means following the guidance of Allah (2:177) and not the mere doing of ‘virtuous deeds’. Sheikh IbnUthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) explained that ‘the Good Life’ means “satisfaction” (The Islamic Awakening). It suffices to say that Allah guided humanity but even if each person or group has a different take on guidance, there is unanimous agreement that guidelines with high standards lead to good outcomes including satisfaction.