Personal Jihad

During the month of Ramadaan Shaytaan the accused and his shayateen are all locked up, so any bad that we do is of our own personal naafs. We have no one to blame for them. So I find it is a good time to assess one's personal jihads and faith, and bump themselves up with a booster shot of knowledge and imaan before Shaytaan returns to peck away at us with his accursed nagging.

There was recently alot of controversy on Ange's Mama I Married a Masri blog (with some sisters being downright rude, profane, and catty all on two sides of the same subject) since she admitted she struggles to fast because she didn't like grouchy fasting people, headaches from dehydration, and being hungry. But she still fasts people. Personally, I don't like complaints without solutions also presented (or what is the point) but some people are asking for advice in the same breath as their complaint? You shouldn't freak. I know some sisters struggle with the jihad of hijab (ex. my head gets hot, people know I'm a Muslim if I wear it and I am not acting like a Muslimah yet ect), some people struggle with the jihad of praying on time (ex. fajr, ugh, I cannot meet you unless I stay up for you, and asr, you can be so easy to miss coming home from work), some people struggle with Ramadaan. Alhamdulilah, I have never had trouble with fasting. Sometimes I get colds and I have to work while fasting and that SUCKS, but other than that, it I eat a full meal at Magraib, drink a tonne of water after taraweeah time (I mean four bottles of) and eat say, a thing of Mr. Noodles for filler), then wake up for sahoor and eat a small bit of sliced peaches, a croisant, and three dates, and drink another bit of three medium glasses of water, I hardly get hungry at all, and I don't get thirsty. If you are eating overly salted food at 11 o clock at night you might anyways (sometimes I like to indulge in Saudi capsa oversalted cuz I love my salt) but fasting doesn't feel like jihad for me in the same way as learning Arabic is for me. Where I physically squirm and lose attention span pretty quick after my eyes start swimming in fluid script and a the KH I can't make in my throat without reducing any Arabic speakers present to a fit of girlish giggles. While I hang my head in shame. On the otherhand, I am TOTALLY one of those people that runs around skipping and jumping a month before Ramadaan comes singing, Ramadaan is coming, Ramadaan is coming, I can't wait!

Because on top of the rewards of salat and Qu'ran and the peace of the month, I feel an extended community spirit among my friends and other sisters, as well getting to eat lots of foods from different countries :p

What is difficult for us, often brings the most reward for us, so never call a sister out for saying something is difficult for her. Give her tips. Tell her what you do to make it easy for yourself. I know alot of sisters struggle with hijab and jilbab so they like to read this blog, and maybe some of my tips for that help, because these things are easy for me (if you've noticed, I haven't started a "learn to read Arabic perfectly" blog yet lol). I am still struggling to convince m husband that me wearing niqab here is a good thing because he's afraid that someone will hurt me or that being alienated by so many prejudiced people will make me less good at dawah because I might become resentful of non-muslims. LOL, make dua for me to become an Arabic whiz and to protect me in mind and spirit.

Also, Ramadaan is not just about food and drink. Swearing breaks your fast. Backbiting breaks your fast. Gossiping breaks your fast. Arguing breaks your fast (as in raising your voice and not being patient). (Now please don't be embarrassed but a brother on an online forum didn't know this) masturbating breaks your fast. Physically fighting definately breaks your fast. Lying breaks your fast. Cheating breaks your fast. After Magraib, halal things you refrain from for the duration of your fast such as legal (married) sexual intercourse, food, and drink, become available for you again, but unlawful (haraam things) such as alcohol, fornication (unmarried), lying, cheating, backbiting/gossip, arguing, swearing, ect (still remain forbidden for you during Ramadaan even after you are allowed to break your fast).

And if your break your fast in anyway, you STILL have to continue to fast the rest of Ramadaan, AND make up the spoiled day of your fast, AND to repent from the sin you have to free a slave (and if you cannot do that) you have to fast for two consecutive months (and if you cannot do that) you have to feed sixty poor persons ( and note, you have to fast the two months OVER feeding the poor people since that is mentioned first, if you are physically healthy enough to). So no more swearing and backbiting online my sisters!