Today is 17 Jumadul Awwal

Assuming each month has 29 days (to calculate the minimum number of days left) :

We are atleast 100 days away from Ramadan bi-idhnillah.

Qur'an has 604 pages. To atleast finish 1 Khatm you need to target for 6-7 pages per day, from now on.

Thus, when you read the Qur'an, you are presented with a wide array of characters and their characteristics, ranging from the very best of humanity to its very worst. And al-Hasan al-Basri said: "Those who came before you saw the Qur'an as a collection of messages from their Lord. They would ponder over them by night and implement them by day." So, now ask yourself: which of these people do I want to be? What choice am I going to make? This is the challenge that the Qur'an puts before you.

- taken from a letter by tarek Mehanna

al-Fudayl bin 'Iyad said: "The memorizer of the Qur'an carries the flag of Islam. He shouldn't waste his time in vain amusement, distractions, and pointless matters with those who do so, out of respect for the Qur'an."

Such a person implements by opening up the Qur'an and seeing, for example, that the believers "turn away from pointless matters" (23:3) and "if they pass by pointless matters, they pass by while dignifying themselves above them" (25:72), while on the other hand seeing that "among the people are those who purchase pointless talk" (31:6). Looking at this, you ask yourself: where do I want to stand? Then you make a choice.

You come across those who "do not encourage feeding of the poor" (89:18) and "have an extreme love of wealth" (89:20), but also those who "don't feel in their hearts any need for what they've been given, and prefer the welfare of others over themselves even if at the risk of poverty" (59:9).

You find those who, "if they stand up to pray, do so lazily and for show, and don't remember Allah except little" (4:142), but also those who "are humble and focused in their prayers" (23:2).

You come across shallow disbelievers who simply "indulge in this life, and eat like cattle eat" (47:12), but also the deep thinkers who "reflect over the creation of the heavens and Earth" (3:191).

You come across "he who takes his own desires as his god" (45:23), but you'll also meet those who "intensely love Allah more than anything else" (2:165).

And you even find the Qur'an telling the story of today's world - our story. You come across the leaders and governments who are "tyrannical on Earth, and made its people into subjugated groups, oppressing a group of them by slaughtering their sons" (28:4), who threaten them with prison if they refuse to submit (26:29), and who target Muslim women and children with fire (85:5) for "no reason other than that they believe in Allah" (85:8). These tyrants claim to represent the civilized world, and are materially wealthy and technologically advanced (28:76). Thus, those who are duped by this world choose to ignore their disbelief and oppression of others to instead admire them, their society, and culture with awe, thinking to themselves "if only we had what has been given" to them (28:79). A few sincere scholars stand up to try to open people's eyes (28:80). As a result, some Muslims wake up and migrate to the lands of Islam after their suffering in the lands of the enemy (16:110). A few of them are even inspired to "fight in the path of Allah, and the oppressed men, women, and children," to defend them in various parts of the world (4:75). But many choose to remain in the land of the enemy, who is ever-increasing in oppressing them (4:97). Not only this, but such house slaves, "while sitting back, they say to their brothers: 'If only they had listened to us, they wouldn't have been killed'" (3:168). As if that wasn't bad enough, and despite the fact that the tyrants are clearly "allies of one another" (5:51, 8:73, 45:19), and want to tempt us into watering down Islam (68:9), and will only be pleased with us if we totally abandon it and follow their ways (2:120), and do not love us even though some of us love them (3:119) - despite all this, the scholars-for-dollars assure their disbelieving allies from the People of the Book that they are their reliable partners in the War on Terror until the end (59:11). But because they are "swaying between this and that, not fully here or there" (4:143), they of course also assure us that they are believers (2:14) and sort of, kind of want victory for the Ummah. So, you have to put up with he who, "if tested, turns back on his heels" (22:11), but you also have the pleasure of meeting the "men who have remained true to their covenant with Allah" and "have not changed in the least" (33:23).

While having interest in wealth and children are from significant matters the Deen impresses upon individuals, Allāh ﷻ‎ has cautioned us not to allow them to distract us from His remembrance. He ﷻ‎ Said:

لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَلَآ أَوْلَـٰدُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ

"Do not let your wealth or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allāh." {63:9}

What can then be said of engaging in discouraged, or unlawful matters entirely?

#ذكر_الله

For those looking for aayaat almutashaabihaat.

How to complete the Qur'an in the first 8 days of Dhul Hijjah:

? 1 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة الفاتحة - سورة ال عمران

? 2 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة النساء - سورة المائدة

? 3 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة الأنعام - سورة التوبة

? 4 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة يونس - سورة الإسراء‎

? 5 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة الكهف - سورة النور

? 6 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة الفرقان - سورة فاطر

? 7 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة يـس - سورة الحديد

? 8 Dhul Hijjah:
سورة المجادلة - سورة الناس

9 Dhul Hijjah- Day of Arafat (spend it by making lots of supplication and takbir)

And 10th is Eid ?

Some trials, along with the damage they caused, remain fresh in your mind for years. Sometimes, you relive small moments and experiences that remind you of those difficult tests you endured. Tests that broke every ounce of strength you had within you, except that small bit which Allāh سبحانه وتعالى allowed to persevere.

The memories and feelings come rushing back. The anxiety begins to heighten. The tears begin to well up. The wounds that had just began to heal start to bleed again. And just as the page began to get blurry and my racing thoughts caused me to lose any Khushū’ I may have had, my mind snapped back, and all the fear and anguish came to a halt as my worries clashed with the Āyāt:

وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

And rely upon the Exalted in Might, the Merciful,

ٱلَّذِى يَرَىٰكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ

Who sees you when you arise (alone at night for Tahajjud prayers).

وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِى ٱلسَّـٰجِدِينَ

And your movement among those who prostrate.

إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ

Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

Such magnificent Words — are my eyes even worthy to behold them? Is my heart even eligible to preserve them?

The Qur’ān got me through it before, it will get me through it again.

and again.

and again.