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The Three Levels of Fasting - Sayed Ahmed Qazwini | Night 2 - 2026 MYC Ramadan
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26/02/20
Topic: The Three Levels of Fasting Speaker: Sayed Ahmed Qazwini Program: Night 2 of the 2026 MYC Ramadan Prorgam Location: Islamic Institute of America - Dearborn Heights, MI, USA #islam #shia #muslim #sunni #ramadan #ramadankareem #ramadanmubarak #hijab #lecture #shahrramadan #eid #qazwini #prophetmuhammad #devil #sins #deeds #quarantine #myc #mycmedia #levels #shiavssunni #islamicfigure #hijab #porphetmuhammad #muhammad #fast #fasting
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Transcript
[0:03]Alhamdulillah.
[0:49]Ali Muhammad respect.
[0:53]Ed scholars, brothers and sisters, I'd like to congratulate everyone on the
[1:03]commencement of the beautiful month of Ramadan, the holiest month out of
[1:11]the year.
[1:10]And I ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to enlighten us during this
[1:16]blessed month so that we can seek nearness to Allah subhanahu wa
[1:23]ta'ala and we can attain the ultimate pleasure of our creator inshallah
[1:28]ta'ala.
[1:30]If your non-Muslim friend asks you one day to explain fasting in
[1:38]one sentence, what would you say?
[1:41]If your non-Muslim friend asks you to explain Ramadan, what is Ramadan?
[1:49]Can you explain it very briefly?
[1:50]I think the majority of us would reply in this way.
[1:54]We would probably say that the month of Ramadan is a time
[2:01]where we fast.
[1:59]We stay away from food, from eating and drinking during the day.
[2:06]This is what the month of Ramadan is.
[2:10]And even though this is true, but explained Ramadan in a much
[2:21]more beautiful way, a way that we can learn from.
[2:23]It's a much more interesting and intriguing way.
[2:29]When the month of Ramadan was approaching in the famous sermon that
[2:33]Allah described what this month is all about, he defined and explained
[2:41]Ramadan in a different way, in a very unique way.
[2:44]Allah explained Ramadan as a banquet.
[2:50]Has anyone ever explained to someone when they're asked what is Ramadan?
[2:56]You tell them it's a banquet.
[2:57]Well, this is exactly what Allah said.
[3:00]He says it's a large banquet.
[3:03]The person or the entity that is inviting that is hosting this
[3:12]banquet is none other than Allahel.
[3:14]And every single one of you believers are guests.
[3:19]This is how Allah explains the month of Ramadan.
[3:29]It's a month where Allahel is holding a divine banquet and every
[3:39]single one of you believers is invited to attend this banquet.
[3:45]Now, let me ask you this question.
[3:47]If there's a banquet, there's an invitation and there's tens of thousands
[3:55]of people attending, are you going to go?
[3:57]What if it's millions of people are attending?
[4:00]I probably would not go because I'll think about the parking crisis.
[4:04]Where the heck am I going to park?
[4:06]Where am I going to sit?
[4:11]It's going to be so chaotic.
[4:12]Is there even going to be a seat for me?
[4:16]Will I be able to even see whoever the speaker is or
[4:19]whatever is being offered in this banquet?
[4:21]Will I even be served on time?
[4:24]I would not go to anar if I know there's 50,000 people
[4:28]invited to thatar because I'm not sure if I will have my
[4:34]meal byar time.
[4:33]It may be delayed by an hour, two hours.
[4:37]Maybe thear will turn into.
[4:40]But what's interesting about this banquet of Allah is that the prophet
[4:47]he quickly makes this explanation because if you think it's a huge
[4:51]banquet and every Muslim, every believer is attending this banquet, it's going
[4:56]to be chaotic.
[4:58]So the prophet quickly makes this explanation and then he says now
[5:08]what if they tell you that you're invited not as a normal
[5:13]guest but as a guest of honor and there's a private special
[5:17]invitation for you and you will be seated at the VIP table.
[5:23]Now are you going to go?
[5:25]probably yes because you're going to expect to be honored.
[5:30]You're going to expect VIP treatment in this banquet in this gathering
[5:33]in this invitation.
[5:34]Allah says that the month of Ramadan is a huge banquet that
[5:40]is hosted by Allah.
[5:41]But what's beautiful about it is it's not chaotic.
[5:44]It's the most calm and serene invitation and banquet that you will
[5:52]ever attend.
[5:51]How is that possible?
[5:54]Only Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala can pull that off.
[5:58]Have everyone attend and everyone is a guest of honor.
[6:05]Everyone will sit at the VIP table.
[6:07]When you arrive at the banquet, those that are supposed to greet
[6:14]you, they even memorize your name.
[6:18]Welcome, brother Ali.
[6:17]Sister Zanab Fatma.
[6:19]How does that make you feel?
[6:21]all these individuals and there's someone waiting for me specifically and then
[6:27]they will escort me to my table to my chairoolam says this
[6:35]is what the month of Ramadan is the reality of the month
[6:40]of Ramadan is that Allah is holding holding an ultimate divine feast
[6:45]banquet and he has sent a private invitation to every single one
[6:53]of It's not one of those mass invitations.
[6:54]You're not expected to come and attend as one random worshipper out
[7:02]of the millions of worshippers.
[7:04]No.
[7:05]Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala wants you specifically to attend.
[7:09]Allah will notice you specifically out of everybody.
[7:12]Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will appreciate and thank and reward you by
[7:18]your name when you attend this banquet.
[7:20]This is what Allah means when he says how honorable is this
[7:32]brothers and sisters when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala makes me feel that
[7:37]important.
[7:38]Now what have I done to earn this?
[7:41]Nothing.
[7:41]Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is inviting everyone.
[7:43]Whoever is willing to reply, Allah says, "I want you specifically and
[7:47]I will have you sit on that VIP table." And what Allahawel
[7:54]offers during his banquet is something unbelievable, something unique.
[8:00]While you fast during the month of Ramadan, this banquet of Allah,
[8:09]Allahawel will feed you something greater than food.
[8:14]He will feed you forgiveness.
[8:15]There's a from Bakam where he speaks about this.
[8:20]The fifth im says that there are angels that Allahawel entrusts during
[8:27]the month of Ramadan.
[8:30]They only show up during this month.
[8:33]Their job is to do one thing.
[8:37]They ask Allah to forgive the people that are fasting.
[8:41]Whoever fast during the month of Ramadan, Allah considers that as an
[8:49]as a an acception of his invitation.
[8:54]That means you've accepted.
[8:57]That means you've attended.
[8:58]And then allahel entrusts angels to forgive you or to ask Allah
[9:03]to forgive you throughout the day when you're fasting.
[9:08]So when you're fasting, Allah is serving you what?
[9:15]Forgiveness.
[9:13]The prophet says that when you have your not just having food,
[9:21]brothers and sisters says those same angels when you're having yourar they
[9:28]will feed you mercy and forgiveness of Allah and they will tell
[9:32]you this.
[9:37]You went hungry for a few hours from morning until evening.
[9:42]But now you will be satisfied for a long time.
[9:47]Not because of the food that you're eating, but because of the
[9:49]mercy and the forgiveness that Allah subhana wa ta'ala is giving you
[9:55]duringar.
[9:54]And if you want the ultimate forgiveness of Allah, there's a hadith
[10:00]from Allah where he says this.
[10:02]Listen carefully.
[10:02]See how generous Allah is in the month of Ramadan.
[10:06]Brothers and sisters, Ramadan is not just about fasting.
[10:09]Ramadan is not just aboutar and it's not just about the decorations
[10:16]and you know the the culture that's come with Ramadan in the
[10:20]last couple of years where we stay up late and we have
[10:25]food and we enjoy that.
[10:27]Ramadan is an experience between you and Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
[10:32]Ramadan is a marathon that Allahawel has provided for every single one
[10:40]of us.
[10:38]So the Imam says or the prophet says that if you want
[10:44]Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's full forgiveness, do this before you have your
[10:49]first bite ofar.
[10:50]I know you're very hungry.
[10:52]It's hard for you to to be patient, but just take 10
[10:54]seconds of your time.
[10:57]Allah says, "Whoever recites this dua before his, it's a very easy
[11:07]dua, three parts, takes you 10 seconds.
[11:07]Say this before you have yourar, not now.
[11:14]I hope you're not having yourar now.
[11:18]You should have had it three hours ago." You're doing dua to
[11:24]Allah.
[11:23]He's the great one.
[11:25]Say that twice.
[11:24]That's number one.
[11:32]You are my Lord and I have no Lord besides you.
[11:37]This is number two.
[11:40]And number three, I ask you to forgive my great sins.
[11:53]For only a great Lord can forgive great sins.
[11:54]How long does that take?
[11:58]You can read it off the paper.
[12:01]10 seconds.
[12:03]Allah says, "If you recite this dua before, Allahel will forgive all
[12:08]your sins such that you become like a newborn.
[12:14]You will come out of all your sins pure without any sins.
[12:22]And then you can enjoy yourar.
[12:25]What a beautiful opportunity brothers and sisters.
[12:28]So when you're fasting, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is feeding you forgiveness.
[12:32]When you break your fast, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is feeding you
[12:36]forgiveness.
[12:37]When you sleep, even your sleep during the month of Ramadan is
[12:42]blessing.
[12:43]The same sermon of Allah, this is something that we all know.
[12:49]He said about the month of Ramadan, when you sleep, your sleep
[12:57]is counted as worship as if you stayed up the night doing
[13:01]Quran dua of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
[13:05]What did you do?
[13:08]Nothing.
[13:08]You just slept.
[13:08]But Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala rewards you for that sleep in the
[13:11]month of Ramadan.
[13:14]Why?
[13:15]Because it's that sleep that gives you energy to fast the next
[13:19]day and thus because it's helping you worship Allah subhanaa tala Allah
[13:23]gives you a for it.
[13:26]So when you sleep Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is is feeding you
[13:29]mercy and forgiveness and blessings and this is probably one of the
[13:36]most beautiful ones of the most beautiful aspects of the month of
[13:40]Ramadan.
[13:40]And when you have when you have Allahawel feeds you forgiveness.
[13:45]You know our scholars state that it is recommended to have is
[13:51]what?
[13:52]It's just eating something before.
[13:53]It's your second meal.
[13:56]For some of us it might be the third meal because we'll
[13:58]have like a middle meal at like 11 12 but it's your
[14:03]last meal before.
[14:05]This is called the prophet sallallah.aihi Wasam is narrated saying Allah and
[14:22]his angels they send their pray for the person who has you
[14:29]know where we read this in the Quran when does Allah send
[14:33]his salawat to Allah.
[14:35]So it's something that Allah usually reserves for Allah says in the
[14:45]Quran.
[14:51]So Allah says that me and my angels we send our salawat.
[14:57]Salawat means our prayers, our dua, our my mercy, my blessings, my
[15:02]forgiveness.
[15:03]I send it upon Allah every day and he asks the believers
[15:06]to do the same.
[15:09]But the prophet says during the month of Ramadan when you have
[15:11]Allah will do salawat for you.
[15:13]And what are you doing?
[15:15]You're just having that's it.
[15:17]That's why the prophet says so do not miss in the month
[15:22]of Ramadan if you're not hungry.
[15:25]Something as basic as a drink of water do and allahel grants
[15:28]you great.
[15:30]So when you're fasting, Allah subhana wa ta'ala is rewarding you.
[15:33]When you break your break your fast, Allah rewards you.
[15:38]When you sleep, Allah rewards you.
[15:40]When you have, Allah rewards you.
[15:42]Does it get any easier, brothers and sisters?
[15:45]What more can we ask for?
[15:48]What more?
[15:48]When I breathe, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala gives me a for my
[15:55]breath.
[15:56]Even that the prophet said and that's why he used to say
[16:02]he says I'm surprised how is it that some people will not
[16:07]make it to heaven on the day of judgment.
[16:09]How how is it some people say that religion is difficult?
[16:12]How many times I see young people say it.
[16:15]It's so difficult to be religious.
[16:17]It's so difficult to please Allah.
[16:19]Allah says breathe and sleep.
[16:21]I'll give you a that's difficult.
[16:25]This is the easiest.
[16:28]Havear and I'll forgive you.
[16:30]Basically, Allah is telling you, do nothing.
[16:33]Be the laziest person and I'll forgive you.
[16:36]How can someone not be forgiven during the month of Ramadan?
[16:38]I don't understand.
[16:40]This is what used to say.
[16:46]How do some people not make it on the day of judgment?
[16:56]Look at how merciful Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is.
[16:59]And we see it so beautifully in the month of Ramadan.
[17:04]So appreciate this month, brothers and sisters.
[17:05]Appreciate every single second of it because it is the greatest opportunity
[17:11]that allahel gives us to seek nearness to him.
[17:16]And all you have to do to attain all of that is
[17:22]one thing just fast.
[17:26]Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says fast from until and I will give
[17:30]you all that all that good that we spoke about.
[17:33]Now fasting my dear brothers and sisters is much more than just
[17:40]not eating and not drinking.
[17:41]And this is what I'd like to speak about inshallah for the
[17:43]remaining of the time that I have.
[17:48]For many of us, fasting is a one layered act.
[17:55]It's basically stay away from food, stay away from drinking from until
[18:00]I imi in a beautiful tradition explains that there are three types
[18:09]of fasting and this is only the first layer of fasting.
[18:12]He says the first layer or type of fasting is the fasting
[18:16]that we do that we know.
[18:22]It's when your stomach fasts from food, from drinking.
[18:26]Allah in the holy Quran says Allah says that you can eat
[18:41]during the night but once you see you have to refrain and
[18:46]then you have to continue fasting until nighttime.
[18:49]So this first type of fasting, we only practice it during the
[18:54]day.
[18:55]At night, you're not fasting, correct?
[18:58]But you're only not practicing the first type of fasting, which is
[19:06]the fasting, refraining of food and drinking, the first type.
[19:09]But then I imam says this is only the tip of the
[19:14]iceberg.
[19:14]There's a second type of fasting.
[19:16]This second type of fasting, the Imam calls it, it's when your
[19:26]stom it's when your tongue fasts.
[19:28]The first type is when your stomach fasts.
[19:32]Your stomach refrains from eating.
[19:34]The second type, Imm Ali says, is when your tongue refrains from
[19:39]disobeying Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
[19:42]When your tongue fasts, this is the second level of fasting.
[19:47]When you prevent your tongue from backbiting, from lying, from profanity, from
[19:54]insulting others, from getting into arguments and gossip.
[19:58]This is a form of fasting.
[20:04]Imm says, now why does Im Ali only speak about the tongue?
[20:07]Because we know that the entire body can commit haram.
[20:12]So why does he only speak about your tongue fasting from haram?
[20:20]Possibly it's because the tongue brothers and sisters is the most dangerous
[20:25]of all our body parts.
[20:25]Look at how small it is.
[20:29]But it causes more damage than any other body part.
[20:32]There's a hadith from the prophet where he says most of our
[20:37]sins are because of our tongue.
[20:38]Such that if you can control your tongue, you'd be one of
[20:44]the best people on earth.
[20:44]Most of the sins and mistakes that we commit is because of
[20:47]our tongue.
[20:48]A young man came to Allah one day, the hadith says he
[20:55]told him give me short advice.
[20:56]Allah told him two words.
[20:59]He came the second day.
[21:02]He told him Allah I want advice.
[21:05]The prophet told him control your tongue.
[21:07]He came the third day because he was seeing that Allah is
[21:11]giving him something too basic.
[21:11]He wanted something that was much more you know much deeper than
[21:17]just control your tongue.
[21:18]But the prophet all three times he told him control your tongue.
[21:22]The prophet is trying to tell him that if you can control
[21:26]your tongue, then trust me, you will get yourself out of most
[21:29]of your sins, most of the problems that you fall into.
[21:34]And there's another tradition that's narrated about Adam, prophet Adam.
[21:39]The tradition says that prophet Adam towards the end of his life,
[21:46]he had many children and grandchildren.
[21:47]They were gathering one day and everyone was chatting and speaking.
[21:52]But prophet Adam was silent.
[21:54]He would not speak.
[21:55]So one of his children asked him, "My dear father, why do
[22:00]you not speak?
[22:02]Why are you so silent?" You know what he replied?
[22:06]He said, "Because Allah gave me advice." After I was taken down
[22:12]from Jenna paradise, brought to earth, Allah told me that if you
[22:18]want to regain your position that you used to have, then do
[22:22]one thing.
[22:24]Practice silence.
[22:23]For silence is what will elevate you to the old position that
[22:29]you have.
[22:31]And that's why indeed silence is a virtue.
[22:31]So when he speaks about fasting, he says when you fast, let
[22:38]all of your body parts fast.
[22:40]Not just the first level of fasting, which is the fasting of
[22:45]the stomach.
[22:44]He says, "Let your tongue fast.
[22:46]Let your eyes fast." Meaning refrain from seeing what is haram, the
[22:54]forbidden gaze, the endless scrolling.
[22:55]Let your ears fast during the month of Ramadan.
[22:58]Do not listen to music.
[23:02]Do not listen to others backbiting and gossiping.
[23:04]And every body part of yours, make sure that they are all
[23:12]fasting alongside your stomach, not just your stomach.
[23:14]This is only the first layer.
[23:16]This is only the first type of fasting.
[23:18]All of them together.
[23:21]And Im Ali Ali he says that the second type of fasting
[23:28]the fasting of the tongue or of the limbs he says this
[23:30]is much greater than the first type of fasting.
[23:33]And the reason is because the first type of fasting is only
[23:40]a means while the second type of fasting is an end.
[23:44]It's a goal.
[23:46]What do I mean?
[23:48]Many times we're asked this question.
[23:50]Why do we fast during the month of Ramadan?
[23:53]If someone asks you, why do you refrain from eating and drinking
[23:58]during the month of Ramadan?
[23:59]Well, obviously because Allah mandated this.
[24:02]But what's the philosophy behind it?
[24:03]What am I trying to achieve?
[24:05]The other day, my young son asked me, why do we refrain
[24:08]from eating and drinking for 12, 13, 14 hours?
[24:10]What's the point of that?
[24:13]Is there are we learning anything or is it just blind, you
[24:16]know, blind submission to Allah?
[24:17]It is submission to Allah.
[24:20]But are we learning anything?
[24:20]Allah answers this question in the Quran.
[24:23]We don't have to speculate.
[24:27]He tells us why he wants us to fast.
[24:30]Allah subhana wa ta'ala says, Allah says, "Oh you who believe, I
[24:38]want you to fast." Fasting has been prescribed upon you just like
[24:46]it was prescribed upon earlier nations and then Allah tells us why.
[24:52]So if I ask Allah ya Allah why do you want me
[24:53]to refrain from eating and drinking for 12 13 hours?
[24:58]What's the point?
[25:00]Allah says so that through refraining from food and water you can
[25:08]achieve tawa.
[25:08]So the question is what is tawa?
[25:13]Allah says don't eat and drink so that you can achieve tawa.
[25:15]Tawa my dear brothers and sisters is a very simple notion.
[25:22]Tawwa means discipline yourself for the sake of Allah.
[25:28]Taqua means control your body parts and your desires for Allahel.
[25:33]This is what tawa means.
[25:37]I desire something that Allah has banned.
[25:40]I tell myself no.
[25:41]This is tawa.
[25:41]My nfs doesn't want to pray.
[25:45]It's lazy.
[25:44]I tell my nfs no you have to pray.
[25:47]Discipline your naps for Allah.
[25:50]This is what tawa means.
[25:51]>> [snorts] >> So Allah in the Quran says practice the first
[25:56]type of fasting which is what?
[25:58]Stay away from food and thirst and and water.
[26:02]Why?
[26:03]So that you can achieve tawa which is the second type of
[26:09]fasting.
[26:10]So that you can control your body parts.
[26:14]So that your body parts and limbs can fast and stay away
[26:18]from haram.
[26:18]So one is a means and the other is an end.
[26:22]Allah only wants you to fast from water and food so that
[26:27]you're able to control your the desires of the nef and say
[26:31]no to haram.
[26:32]And that's why he says that the second type of fasting is
[26:38]greater than the first type.
[26:38]It's more difficult controlling your tongue.
[26:42]My brothers and sisters, fasting of the tongue is more difficult than
[26:48]fasting of the stomach.
[26:50]Let me give you an example that illustrates.
[26:53]If you have a sah with your friends tonight, can you have
[26:59]a sah with five 10 of your buddies of your friends without
[27:05]any food, but you're able to chat and speak and laugh and
[27:10]and and talk about anything?
[27:11]Can you have that sah?
[27:13]Yes.
[27:14]It might not be that that much fun because you want some
[27:16]food, you want some snacks, you want some drinks, but you can
[27:22]still have that sah, but imagine I invite you to a sah
[27:24]where there's every type of food, but you can't say a word.
[27:29]Just can look at each other and no iPhones.
[27:31]That's the most boring sah.
[27:35]No gossip, no backbiting, no making fun of other people.
[27:36]Come on.
[27:38]What a boring s.
[27:40]Trust me, after a few minutes, everyone would leave that s even
[27:43]if you have the tastiest food on the table.
[27:47]So, refraining from speech, brothers and sisters, is more difficult than refraining
[27:51]from food.
[27:53]Allahel is telling us if you want to teach your nephs to
[27:57]refrain from speaking to control your tongue to control your eyes to
[28:04]control your ears first start with the more simple fast which is
[28:08]the fast of the stomach refrain from eating and drinking and not
[28:13]the whole day only from this is a way that you can
[28:19]train your nevs to say know to be disciplined.
[28:24]Once you're able to do the first type of of fast, the
[28:29]second one becomes easier for you because you've trained it for an
[28:33]entire month.
[28:35]And that's why, if you've noticed during the month of Ramadan, how
[28:40]many of us accidentally eat or drink something because we forget we're
[28:44]fasting?
[28:46]The first day of Ramadan, it happens because you're not used to
[28:52]it, right?
[28:50]The second day it happens.
[28:53]But day 10, day 12, if someone comes and tells me, say
[28:56]it, today I completely forgot that I was fasting and I hate
[29:01]and I ate an entire burger.
[29:03]Come on.
[29:05]Completely forgot after the first bite, the second bite, the fifth bite,
[29:09]the first day of Ramadan.
[29:12]Okay.
[29:10]But the 10th day, we don't forget anymore.
[29:13]By the way, there's a hadith from the Imam where he says,
[29:18]"If you truly genuinely forget while you're fasting and you're and you
[29:22]eat and drink, there's nothing wrong with that.
[29:23]In fact, it's a gift from Allah." Meaning, your fast continues.
[29:29]It's valid and you got to eat.
[29:31]You got the best of both worlds.
[29:32]That's why if you see someone during the month of Ramadan, it's
[29:36]like 12:00 p.m.
[29:38]They're drinking, right?
[29:40]Don't tell them stop drinking.
[29:44]Why?
[29:42]because this is a gift from Allah.
[29:44]Sometimes forgetting is a blessing from Allah.
[29:47]Don't remind him because once you remind him or her, they can't
[29:52]eat or drink anymore unless you know no, they're intentionally doing it
[29:57]then obviously.
[29:57]But this is a gift from Allah.
[30:01]But the question is why is it that in the month of
[30:03]Ramadan usually we don't forget after the second third day.
[30:09]We're always alert.
[30:08]I see water.
[30:11]I remember I'm fasting.
[30:12]I see some snacks.
[30:15]I remember I'm fasting.
[30:15]I go to work.
[30:17]My co-workers are having coffee.
[30:19]I always remember that I'm fasting.
[30:21]Why is that?
[30:23]Because when we fast, brothers and sisters, during the month of Ramadan,
[30:30]we have a strong sense of selfawareness.
[30:31]We're alert.
[30:33]I'm always alert to the fact that I'm fasting.
[30:38]No one can come and and and make me forget that I'm
[30:40]fasting and then I'll eat something.
[30:42]Maybe the first day, but for the rest of the month, I'll
[30:47]always know that I'm fasting.
[30:48]I'm alert.
[30:50]And that's why you find that during the month of Ramadan, because
[30:54]of that alertness, even when you're hungry or thirsty and there's food,
[30:59]you won't eat.
[31:01]It's 4 p.m.
[31:01]I'm thirsty.
[31:02]I'm hungry.
[31:04]There's food in my kitchen.
[31:05]No one will see me.
[31:08]Why don't I take a bite?
[31:11]Why?
[31:09]No one's going to see.
[31:13]Because I know Allah is watching me.
[31:16]Allah is recording that I will eat and invalidate my fasting.
[31:19]So in the month of Ramadan, you're always aware that Allah is
[31:23]watching, right?
[31:25]You don't forget, hey, maybe Allah is not watching.
[31:30]Let me drink some water.
[31:31]No, you're always reminded of that.
[31:34]You're always alert.
[31:34]Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala wants to train you to use that level
[31:40]of alertness.
[31:39]Allah is watching.
[31:42]Allah is watching.
[31:42]I'm fasting.
[31:43]Allah is watching.
[31:46]And apply it to the second level of fasting.
[31:47]Imagine if you had that same alertness towards every haram.
[31:51]You know why many times we commit haram?
[31:54]Because we forget Allah is watching.
[31:58]We forget that Allah is recording everything.
[32:00]We forget that there's a day of judgment.
[32:03]We forget that one day Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will hold me
[32:07]accountable for everything.
[32:11]We completely forget this is what is we get distracted heedlessness.
[32:16]In the month of Ramadan you don't get distracted in the month
[32:21]of Ramadan.
[32:20]You're very alert to the fact that Allah is watching but you're
[32:26]only alert to two things and water.
[32:28]Right?
[32:29]Allah wants you to train on food and water.
[32:33]So you become alert to music all the time.
[32:36]As soon as music hits your ear, you remember Allah is watching.
[32:39]Just like as soon as you see water during Ramadan, you remember
[32:42]Allah is watching.
[32:44]That's why you don't drink.
[32:44]As soon as you see a haram scene, you say Allah is
[32:50]watching.
[32:51]Whenever your desires they drag you towards doing something haram, you remember
[32:59]Allah is watching.
[32:58]Yes, I know it feels good, but Allah is watching.
[33:02]I know it feels good to flirt with the opposite gender, but
[33:07]Allah subhana wa ta'ala is watching.
[33:09]Just like it feels good to drink water during the month of
[33:14]Ramadan.
[33:13]You don't think you have what it takes to say no to
[33:19]your desires?
[33:19]Just look at you during the month of Ramadan.
[33:21]For 30 days, you didn't drink anything during the day and you
[33:26]didn't eat anything.
[33:27]That's why non-Muslims, they're surprised.
[33:29]How do you guys fast for 30 days from until not a
[33:33]drop of water?
[33:34]That's not easy.
[33:36]That's difficult.
[33:35]This is tawa, brothers and sisters.
[33:38]This is how you discipline your nefs because you're always alert.
[33:44]Allah is watching.
[33:44]Allah says once you do the same thing with all the other
[33:51]harams, this is when you attain tawa and this is when you
[33:53]reach the second level of fasting.
[33:55]So imbal hadith says there's two types of fasting.
[34:01]He says the first type of fasting is the fasting of the
[34:07]stomach.
[34:06]When you refrain from eating and drinking from then he says there's
[34:13]a greater higher level of fasting which is the fasting of your
[34:16]tongue your limbs when your body parts they fast they stay away
[34:24]from haram for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
[34:25]This is the second type of fasting.
[34:30]And then says there's a third type of fasting.
[34:34]This is the highest level of fasting.
[34:37][snorts] That highest level of fasting according to Imam he says as
[34:48]the fasting of your mind of your soul and heart.
[34:53]That's when you prevent your mind and your heart from thinking about
[35:00]sins.
[35:02]This is the most difficult.
[35:05]This is the highest level because this is where everything starts.
[35:09]When you commit a sin, this didn't come from a vacuum.
[35:13]Why did I commit a sin?
[35:15]It started with a thought.
[35:18]That thought, you kept on entertaining it.
[35:21]It grew.
[35:22]It grew.
[35:24]It became serious.
[35:24]Once it became serious, that thought now became into an intention.
[35:30]That intention turns into action.
[35:32]So if you rewind, what got me into this mess?
[35:37]When I commit a sin, it was that thought.
[35:40]If I was able to disrupt that thought and prevent that thought,
[35:44]the rest of the chain would completely go away.
[35:49]But this is the most difficult for you to fast from that.
[35:56]Every time a bad idea, a bad thought comes to my mind,
[36:01]I flush it out and I say, "No, no, this is more
[36:02]difficult." But this is the most effective way for us brothers and
[36:06]sisters to stay away from sin.
[36:10]And that's why Shaitan, you know, the shaitan is clever.
[36:12]He attacks you at the very first step.
[36:16]He doesn't attack your body parts.
[36:19]He attacks your mind.
[36:20]You know that's the only weapon Allah has given him.
[36:25]He whispers in your mind.
[36:26]He plants ideas in your brain.
[36:28]Do this, do that.
[36:31]He just lays that idea.
[36:32]Your brain does all the rest.
[36:33]It starts thinking again and again and again until it becomes into
[36:40]a real serious idea and then you apply it into action.
[36:42]So that's why your thoughts in your head, brothers and sisters, don't
[36:45]think it's just an innocent thought.
[36:49]No, this is probably a whisper of the shaitan.
[36:50]He threw this idea in your mind because he knew he knows
[36:57]eventually it will grow and evolve into action.
[37:00]It will evolve into haram.
[37:02]And you know even psych psych uh psychologically it's proven that when
[37:06]you are afraid of something or you don't want to do something,
[37:09]the more you think about it, the easier you feel that idea
[37:16]is.
[37:16]Right now, let me throw a very wild idea.
[37:19]Who wants to try bungee jumping?
[37:22]Something scary, right?
[37:24]Or who wants to try um when they throw themselves from the
[37:28]planes?
[37:29]What do they call it?
[37:30]>> Skydiving.
[37:31]Looks very, you know, very uh scary.
[37:34]What if I die?
[37:36]What if my parachute doesn't work?
[37:38]Right?
[37:38]Obviously, I can say Ali in the last minute, but at the
[37:40]end of the day, it's scary.
[37:45]But the more you think about it, the easier it seems.
[37:47]Psych psychologically, you'll break that barrier.
[37:50]It's not such a big deal.
[37:55]So when you think about a sin, brothers and sisters, and you
[37:58]entertain it, this is when it gets serious.
[38:00]Im Ali Ali says, "The highest level of fasting is [snorts] when
[38:05]a thought comes into your mind, disrupt it.
[38:09]Empty your mind out of those bad thoughts.
[38:12]because that's the best way that you can prevent it from evolving
[38:17]into action.
[38:18]There's a famous hadith that im narrates from prophet Isa.
[38:23]He says, "Prophet Isa told his disciples, he told them this that
[38:27]MS used to tell his people, stay away from adultery.
[38:32]But I will go a step further and I'll tell you, stay
[38:37]away from thinking about adultery." Because if you stay away from thinking
[38:42]about adultery, that's the best way that you can guarantee that the
[38:50]act itself won't happen.
[38:51]And then he gave them an example.
[38:54]He told them thinking about haram don't think that this is innocent.
[38:58]Oh, it's just a thought.
[39:01]He says it pollutes your mind in the same way that the
[39:04]smoke of the fire damages its surrounding.
[39:06]You know the fire is the sin itself.
[39:10]The smoke of the fire that can that can kill you, right?
[39:17]The smoke of the fire is the thought of haram.
[39:18]Eventually it can pollute your mind.
[39:23]It can pollute your body and it will kill you.
[39:25]So stay away from the idea of committing haram.
[39:28]So every time an idea comes, fast from that idea means flush
[39:32]it out of your brain.
[39:35]Flush it out of your mind.
[39:36]And the easiest way brothers and sisters to act upon this third
[39:43]type of fasting which is the fasting of the mind which is
[39:46]to keep my mind free of evil thoughts.
[39:49]The easiest way is to draw a red line.
[39:53]Tell yourself this haram act I will never do.
[40:01]When you tell yourself that this is something that I will never
[40:07]do, the chances of you doing it becomes much smaller.
[40:09]Let me give you a quick example.
[40:11]When it comes to breaking the laws, there are some laws that
[40:16]I may break and there are other laws that I know I
[40:19]will never break.
[40:21]For example, speeding.
[40:21]This is something that I may do.
[40:23]I may speed.
[40:25]Not wearing the seat belt, right?
[40:27]Not parking in the perfect, you know, place.
[40:31]These are violations.
[40:33]I may do but then there are crimes that I will never
[40:36]perform like what I'm never going to kill someone I'm never going
[40:43]to steal right I'm never going to for example you know some
[40:47]some some more examples that you're never going to do commit fraud
[40:50]for example I don't know so if it applies to all of
[40:54]us but I would never commit fraud right why because the idea
[40:58]of of fraud or the idea of theft or the idea of
[41:02]murder scares me but the idea of speeding doesn't scare me.
[41:06]That's why I may do this but not that.
[41:10]So psychologically I've placed a barrier.
[41:10]I'll never do this but I may do that.
[41:14]That's why you end up speeding but you don't steal unless you
[41:19]reach you know a higher level of crime.
[41:21]When it comes to sins the same thing applies.
[41:25]There are sins that I may do but there are sins that
[41:30]I know I'll never do.
[41:30]Me personally, I know I'll never drink because in my mind I've
[41:36]told myself impossible that I'll go close to alcohol.
[41:38]Impossible over my dead body.
[41:41]But backbiting I'll try, but impossible no.
[41:49]I haven't told myself this is if you tell yourself impossible, you're
[41:53]never going to get close to it.
[41:55]Eating pork.
[41:57]I'm not even tempted by eating pork because in my mind I
[42:01]have said impossible never but lying but insulting someone else this is
[42:07]something that I may do because I have not trained and told
[42:12]myself that this is impossible even though which one is worse brothers
[42:16]and sisters backbiting is worse or some of the things that we
[42:24]will never do like for example zin Adultery.
[42:27]There's a hadith from the prophet where he says is worse than
[42:31]adultery because with the other person that you backbite has to forgive
[42:38]you before Allah forgives you.
[42:39]But with adultery you only have to turn to Allah subhana wa
[42:43]ta'ala.
[42:44]So why is it that is much easier for me?
[42:48]Because I haven't placed that barrier.
[42:50]It's all psychological.
[42:51]And finally, let me give you this example and I'll end.
[42:56]And fasting and praying.
[43:02]Which one is more important?
[43:05]Which one?
[43:06]Salah.
[43:07]Right.
[43:08]The prophet says salah is the pillar of religion.
[43:14]Without salah, Allah won't even count your other deeds.
[43:16]Fasting is important, but it's not the pillar of your faith.
[43:21]But look around in society.
[43:22]Do the people that fast are they are they more or the
[43:29]people that pray?
[43:29]I personally think 90% of Muslims at least in our communities they
[43:37]fast but probably only 30% they pray.
[43:39]Why is that?
[43:40]Why it's harder to pray?
[43:46]I think it's much harder to fast.
[43:48]13 hours don't eat and drink anything is more difficult or just
[43:54]pray 17 that takes 17 minutes.
[43:57]It's all about what it's psychological brothers and sisters because in my
[44:05]mind I've told myself I have to fast.
[44:07]Fasting is a must but I haven't told myself salah is a
[44:10]must.
[44:11]When you train yourself when you discipline yourself that this is a
[44:15]must you'll always do it.
[44:18]you will never go against it.
[44:19]When you don't place those barriers, salah won't be a big deal.
[44:23]That's why salat is so difficult.
[44:25]But waking up for work is not that difficult.
[44:27]Why?
[44:28]Because in one I've disciplined myself and the other I haven't disciplined.
[44:33]Im Ali Abisam says the highest level of fasting that will make
[44:37]the second level of fasting easier and the third level even easier
[44:44]is when you discipline your nevs psychologically to accept what Allah subhanahu
[44:50]wa ta'ala has wanted from you and to stay away from what
[44:52]Allah subhanana wa ta'ala has asked you to stay away from.
[44:56]It all starts in the mind.
[44:57]So in the month of Ramadan, my dear brothers and sisters, if
[45:01]it's only changing your meal times for some of us, lunch and
[45:08]dinner becomes becomesar and you're only focused on the first type of
[45:13]fasting.
[45:13]If in the month of Ramadan your treatment towards others change, you
[45:18]start sinning less, this is where you're practicing the second type of
[45:22]fasting.
[45:22]And if it changes your heart and the way that you think
[45:29]such that you want to always say no to what Allah subhanahu
[45:32]wa'ta'ala asks you to stay away from.
[45:35]You want to always keep yourself disciplined.
[45:37]You want to always remind yourself that Allah is watching.
[45:40]If this is what you focus on during the month of Ramadan,
[45:45]then this is the highest level of fasting and this is what
[45:48]will continue after Eid.
[45:52]The first type will only continue until Eid.
[45:55]After Eid, back to square one.
[45:57]The second type may carry on a couple of days after Eid.
[45:59]But when you focus on the third type of fasting, which is
[46:03]my mind focusing on Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala pleasing him all the
[46:07]time, this is something that will last for the entire year.
[46:12]I ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to bless us to give us
[46:14]the power that we are able to accomplish all three types of
[46:23]fasting during this beautiful month of Ramadan.
[46:25]Sallallahu alaihiar.
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