As Salaamu 'alaykum and Peace to all,
The shorter version of this article was published on the 24th September 2006 in newspaper based in Canada
Within My Limitations
Aaliya was reading her emails and saw a reminder from one of the groups she joined. “Ramadhan countdown” was the title in the subject column. She smiled. Her heart was filled with happiness. . It was going to be that month again, and it was just around the corner.
“Alhamdulillaah, Ya Allaah, my Lord, please allow me another chance to taste the beauty of your Holy Month; and please allow me to benefit from it. Ameen.” she found herself making du’aa silently in her heart.
Carefully, Aaliya opened up her diary and started to calculate the days to mark the auspicious month.
“First day of Ramadhan, second day, third, fourth…” She began marking the boxes on her monthly planner “…and twenty”. She stopped. And, her heart sank.
“Oh no, not again” she shook her head left and right. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Twenty first Ramadhan is going to be the day when her menses should start. It has been three years in a row that she has missed the last ten days of Ramadhan. She felt like crying. Allaah’s powerful words in Surah al-Qadr flashes before her.
Allah Almighty says, "Truly We sent it down on the Night of Power. And what will convey to you what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. In it the angels and the Spirit descend by their Lord's authority with every ordinance. It is Peace – until the coming of the dawn." (Qur’an, Surat al-Qadr: 97 : 1-5 )
The Grand Night. The Night of Power. Better than a thousand months. And she will missed it again, this year. She couldn’t contain her tears. She wanted so much to be able to bow to her Creator, asking for forgiveness, pleading for His Mercy and begging so that her repentance is accepted on those nights.
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had mentioned in a hadith narrated by al-Bukhaari that “Whoever spends the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven”
But, Aaliya knew that this is the decree, that Allaah, the All-Knower has bestowed upon all woman. She knew she had to accept it because He knows what is best for His creations. Aaliya reflected on an incident where Lady ‘Aa’ishah was found crying when she discovered that she had her menses just before she reached Makkah to perform her pilgrimage.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered upon ‘Aa’ishah when she was with him during the Farewell Pilgrimage. She had entered ihraam for ‘Umrah, then her period came before she reached Makkah. He entered upon her and found her weeping. He asked, “Why are you weeping?” and she told him that her period had come. He told her, “This is something which Allaah has decreed for the daughters of Adam.” (Sahih Bukhari)
Aaliya took a deep breath and decided to look for other ways for her to spend those last ten days of Ramadhan besides fasting and prayers. She had gone thru this many times, and she knew exactly what to do.
She listed down all her dua’aa’ for du’aa is an act of worship. And the best du’aa’ that she can recite has been explained by Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
‘Aa’ishah said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, if I know which night is Laylat al-Qadr, what should I say on that night?’ He said, ‘Say: Allaahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibb al-‘afwa fa’affu ‘anni (O Allaah, You are forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me).” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi)
Then, she would make lots of dhikr such as saying Subhaan-Allaah, La ilaaha illa-Allaah, al-Hamdu Lillaah, Subhaan-Allaah wa’l-hamdu Lillaah, wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, wa Allaahu akbar (Glory be to Allaah, praise be to Allaah, there is no god but Allaah and Allaah is Most Great), Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdihi, subhaan Allaah il-‘Azeem (Glory and praise be to Allaah, glory be to Allaah the Almighty) and Astaghfir-Allaah (I ask Allaah for forgiveness).
And not only that, she can also listen to or recite the Qur’an from her memory to enable her to gain the hasanat from it, enter into i`tikaf at home in her place of prayer, send blessings upon the Prophet (SAW), read books of beneficial knowledge, and listen to inspiring or educational Islamic talks and lessons and also increase her acts of charity.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the most generous of people and he was at his most generous during Ramadaan. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari)
In the end, Aaliya took comfort in knowing that any virtuous acts shall be compensated by Allaah as in the hadeeth below.
Prophet (peace be upon him) gave a sermon and said: “O people! A great and blessed month is coming upon you, a month containing a night better than a thousand months. Allah has made fasting in its days an obligation and observing prayer in its nights a voluntary act. Anyone who seeks nearness to Allah in this month through any virtuous act will be like one who carried out a religious obligation at another time, and anyone who performs an obligatory act of worship in this month will be like one who performed seventy such acts at another time. It is the month of patience, and the reward for patience is Paradise.” [Sahîh Ibn Khuzaymah]
“Insya’Allaah” Aaliya said to herself. “I will do my best within my limitation” and she smiled whilst looking at her plan of action for her last ten days of Ramadhan.
Sis Zabrina
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