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We reserve the abode of the Hereafter for those who do not seek exaltation on earth, nor corruption. The ultimate victory belongs to the righteous. (28:83)
As believers in God alone, our priority in this life should be to fulfill God’s expectation of us. We should live a life that will please God. What pleases God is not our utterances, but our actual intentions or actions to carry out His commandments. When pleasing God becomes the most important aspect of one’s life, God will make every thing wonderful for him or her:
God promises those among you who believe and lead righteous life, that He will make them sovereigns on earth, as He did for those before them, and will establish for them the religion He has chosen for them, and will substitute peace and security for them in place of fear. All this because they worship Me alone, without setting up any idols besides Me. Those who disbelieve after this are the truly wicked (24:55).
If you want to become a “king” or a “queen” on earth, then, you have to examine yourself sincerely at every opportunity. Anytime you have a problem in any aspect of your life—money, health, relationships, any problem—you must search for the lesson. As soon as you understand the lesson, everything will be all right. The problem will simply go away, and, more importantly, God will make it up to you. All bad effects of the past will be wiped out.
If you are sincere, God will perfect your relationship with Him, by putting you through tests, based on your weaknesses (3:14; 8:28). For example, if you hold anything to be more important than God, He might take it away from you, in order to test you. Therefore, one must ask himself, “What is the most important thing in my life?” If your job is the most important thing, it may be taken away. If your children are the most important aspect of your life, they may be taken away.
The number one priority in everyone’s life should be to please God. No one or nothing else should take priority before God. What is the number one priority in your life? Is it pleasing God, or your boss? Is it doing your five daily prayers to please God, or pleasing your friends who may not understand why you bow and prostrate? Is it going to the Friday prayer or taking care of your business? Is it to be with the believers in Quranic study or fulfilling your own desires by seeking recreation on Friday nights? What is it? You have to examine yourself carefully, and you must correct the situation immediately. If you put pleasing your friends ahead of pleasing God, God will embarrass you in front of those friends. However, if you put pleasing God ahead of pleasing your friends, God will shower you with dignity and respect in front of those friends. He will make them, force them, to respect you, and even love you. God controls the minds and hearts of all the people. God is the one who makes them love you, or hate you, or respect you.
Do you act differently with the believers than you normally act? Do you speak up and give your opinion to other believers because you honestly want to share your thoughts and understanding with them, or do you simply want them to be impressed by your knowledge? If the reason you speak out is to be respected by the believers, God will take away that respect. Whereas, if you speak out from an honest and sincere desire to express Quran and learn with those around you, God will shower you with admiration from the believers.
Once you make pleasing God the most important thing in your life, you will possess the most valuable thing one can ask for—God’s support. But, if you make anything more important than pleasing God, you will be tested over and over. If you do not realize that fact after all the tests, you will lose both in this world and in the Hereafter.
Source: Submitters Perspective July 1990
[2:183] O you who believe, fasting is decreed for you, as it was decreed for those before you, that you may attain salvation.
God willing: Fasting in Ramadan begins April 24 for most of USA and Canada (though some places in western states may begin fasting April 23). Most other countries also get to start fasting on April 24. The last day of fasting is May 22 for USA and Canada. The Night of Destiny will start, at sunset on May 19 for places that begin fasting on April 24 (May 18 for places that begin fasting on April 23).
Fasting is a great gift from God—an opportunity for our souls to grow and develop. Full details of fasting are given in 2:183-187.
The New moon times for determining the beginning and ending of Ramadan are below for GMT/UTC (Universal time).
April 23: 2:26 AM (UTC/GMT)
May 22: 5:39 PM (UTC/GMT)
The local new moon time can be calculated by adjusting for your time-zone relative to UTC. To calculate the Ramadan start date, compare the local New Moon time with the local Sunset. If the new moon is before sunset, we fast the next day, God willing. Similarly, to determine the last day of fasting, compare the time of the next new moon with the local sunset. If the new moon is before sunset, the Ramadan month is complete on that day. Otherwise one fasts the next day. For more details on how dates are calculated, please see the September 2009 issue of the Submitters Perspective
For more details or to use a tool to assist you in verifying Ramadan fasting dates for your location, please visit: https://masjidtucson.org/Ramadan/