What was Ramadan meant to change - Part 1

 

Part 1: Ramadan, You, and the Ummah

Ramadan is always a time of reflection and exertion — a period where we push ourselves to become more conscious of Allah. But the year 1447 in the Hijri calendar brought with it real challenges, not just for individuals, but for the Ummah at large. It reminded us of something important: you cannot separate yourself from the Ummah. And that, in itself, is a blessing.

What you do as an individual matters. It reflects on the wider Ummah. The question is — what are you doing with that responsibility, especially in Ramadan?

Allah tells us in Qur’an 2:183 (interpretation of the meaning):

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

That is the purpose of fasting — to develop consciousness of Allah, to become more aware of your actions, to actively pursue good and avoid sin. Now imagine if every Muslim truly lived this reality. The level of spirituality across the Ummah would be something else entirely.

Allah says in Qur’an 3:110 (interpretation of the meaning):

You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah

But this is not a title we inherit automatically. It comes with responsibility. You are only the best when you live by what Allah has commanded. Your background, your language, your ethnicity — none of that defines your status in the sight of Allah. Your actions do.

Now that Ramadan has passed, the question becomes more real. What changed?

Yes, physically you may feel a bit weaker after fasting. That’s expected. But what about spiritually? Did you grow? Did you become more disciplined? More aware of Allah?

The goal now is simple: hold on to that spiritual momentum while you rebuild physically. Look after your health. Improve your nutrition. Work on your fitness, even if it’s small steps.

Because being part of the Ummah is not passive. It requires effort — spiritually and physically. And it starts with you.

See next part:The Cape Muslim Dialogue: What was Ramadan meant to change - Part 2

The Condition of the Ummah - Part 2

 

When you read the Qur’an, have you ever paused to reflect on its perfection? Every verse flows without error, for it is the word of the One who is perfect—Allah. This is Allah who created us and sent us guidance. He it is who created us, informing the angels of our role on earth when He said (interpretation of the meaning):

˹Remember˺ when your Lord said to the angels, “I am going to place a successive ˹human˺ authority on earth.” They asked ˹Allah˺, “Will You place in it someone who will spread corruption there and shed blood while we glorify Your praises and sanctify You?” Allah responded, “I know what you do not know.” [Quran 2:30]

This then is our role that we must implement the laws of Allah and establish His authority. This role is to call to good and to forbid the evil. The knowledge of what is right and wrong comes from the Qur’an and Sunnah, and every Muslim is required to live by that standard. The implementation is dependent on that knowledge. Knowledge, however, is not enough. What gives it life is sincerity—because actions are judged by intentions. When the heart is sincere, Allah opens the path to good. The fruits of your intention will certainly be exposed and will weigh heavily for you or against you. You are responsible for your flock, your household, and therein lies a test whether you are Allah-conscious or wavering on that front. The same measure applies to leaders and rulers.

You and your household must incline to Allah and ward off outside influences to do otherwise. Likewise, those in positions of authority must protect their people from harm and injustice. With the Qur’an and Sunnah in their care, they are entrusted to uphold fairness, defend rights, and preserve the freedom to worship Allah. They should be the protectors of the rights and freedoms of people just as you are responsible for the wellbeing of your family. These are matters that cannot be outsourced or ignored.

In conclusion: man was created to implement the authority of Allah on earth, and Muslims bear that responsibility because we submit to His laws. Falling short in protecting our families—or, on a broader scale, the Ummah—is a failure of duty. It reflects a weakness in sincerity and consciousness of Allah. Is it not time to renew our intentions, strengthen our faith, and act upon what we know to be true? If we begin with sincerity in our homes and hearts, imagine the impact on our communities, and on the oppressed people of Palestine. True change begins when we live by the guidance of Allah.

See Next Part: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-condition-of-ummah-part-3.html

See also part 1: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-condition-of-ummah-part-1.html

 

The Condition of the Ummah - Part 1

 

Are you a failure because you failed at something before — perhaps an exam or a marriage? For the believer, those are not failures, but tests, lessons, and reminders. You are not immune to shortcomings, for only Allah is perfect. He is the One who created everything, including you and me, and to Him we shall all return. He is the Most Merciful, and the believer does not despair in His mercy. Rather, he repents and returns to Allah, seeking closeness to Him and striving to earn His love.

Allah tells us in the Qur’an (39:53):

Say, ˹O Prophet, that Allah says,˺ “O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

The real failure is to not repent and seek the mercy of Allah.

Today, many are analysing the first phase of the peace agreement between the Palestinians of Gaza and the Zionists. Questions arise — some spoken, others unspoken — about the catalyst for the genocide that took place over the past two years. Various explanations will be offered, even drawing comparisons to the Treaty of Hudaibiyah. Yet the more serious question is: what about us? What role have we played, or failed to play? Before blaming others, introspection is needed. What will be our condition before Allah on the Day of Reckoning?

If we fail that test on that Day, then it may well be because of our condition right now. It is not enough to believe that we are “the best community raised for mankind” when we neglect what follows in the same ayah of the Qur’an.

Allah says in the Qur’an (3:110):

You are the best community ever raised for humanity—you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah.

It is the responsibility of those who claim to belong to this best community to enjoin good and forbid evil. Collectively, are we not failing in this duty? And on an individual level, are we truly playing our role in being of that best community? Therein lies the measure of success or failure.

Is our failure to come to the aid of the Palestinians not, in reality, a consequence of our failure to live by the laws of Allah?

Before anyone — especially non-Muslims reading this — suggests that Sharee‘ah can be implemented fully in lands ruled by non-Muslims, that is not the point being made here. It is the responsibility of majority Muslim nations to implement Sharee‘ah. Nevertheless, each of us must strive to live according to it — following the Qur’an and Sunnah and advising others with goodness.

When we do so sincerely, we will earn the love and mercy of Allah. Success belongs to such people — both in this life and in the Hereafter.

To summarise: we failed the Palestinians because we failed ourselves. Yet this failure is only temporary — if we return to Allah in repentance. If we then live up to being the “best community for mankind,” we will improve our own condition, call others to good, and work to prevent evil.

 See part 2: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-condition-of-ummah-part-2.html

Also see: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-help-of-allah-is-near-part-8.html

 

The Hejaz Railway

 

A century ago, the Ottoman empire came to and end and so did the caliphate. With that came to an end the singularity of the ummah (the followers of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ). I dare not say unity of the ummah, because it was the gnawing away, by the enemies of Islam, at this singularity that caused division in Muslim lands. The enemies needed to end the caliphate.

How is this important to us in Cape Town. Firstly, we are part of the global ummah. Now that word “global” with reference to “ummah” is redundant because a Muslim naturally is attached to the body of Muslims. Secondly, as an illustration of our connection to the Caliphate, the Muslims of South Africa, although under British rule in the early twentieth century, sent a monetary contribution towards the Hijaz railway project. Now, we (our forebears of the time) were not going to benefit from this project because it was from Istanbul to the Hijaz. However, that singularity in that when the Caliph (Abdul Hamid II) called for financial assistance, Muslims the world over responded, even those who were not under the Ottoman Empire.  Two things become important in our discussions. Firstly, it is the singularity that we are one when we have a single leader. This is something clearly seen through a “political” structure. Unity is the manifestation in our hearts and minds of this singularity and that this ummah is a single brotherhood. The caliphate fell because the unity was disturbed when love and understanding became secondary to selfish interests – to put it in a simplistic way. While the unity was brittle, the singularity gave hope that this unity can be mended. Today, we have neither learned from history, largely because we are ignorant and oblivious of the past, nor have we a sense of moving beyond the yoke of what these same colonisers have placed upon us. Accepting a system which challenges our morals, our values and our beliefs means that we are not preparing for this singularity. All this is possible because unity is a mere ball being kicked around and its benefits have not translated beyond lip service.

Your intention is what matters most and then which team you join. If you want South Africa great or America great, then that’s your intention. Ultimately, you can only join one team. You decide but the right team will win, with or without you. Our forefathers sent money for the Hijaz Railway Project because they wanted to be part of the right team.

 

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Picture courtesy: https://commons.wikimedia.org