In this month of Ramadan, it is especially important that we look at our hearts. Who do we have a problem with? Who do we have an issue with? Whose ties have we cut off?
Allah commands us in Quran 8:1:
Fear Allah and reconcile the bonds that have been broken between you.
Keeping Ties
So Allah commands us any bonds that have been broken, any ties of kinship, any friendships that we had Allah says join them back together again. Reconcile them back together.
And this is an Islamic concept. The Quran and Sunnah are full of this concept.
If you have a problem with your brother, your cousin, your uncle, your friend, if you have a problem with an acquaintance and you have broken off ties with them, you’re no longer on speaking terms, you have a problem in your heart!…
Allah is commanding you to form those ties again. Get rid of that evil that you have and be as you were.
Therefore brothers and sisters, in this month of Ramadan let us look at our hearts, let us look at our relationships. Our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, and this hadith is so relevant in Ramadan as we’re praying, as we’re fasting, as we’re giving charity…
The hadith is narrated by Abu Dawud. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
Do you want to know what is far better than charity, praying, and fasting?
They said:
“What could be better?”
He said:
Bringing those ties of kinship.
Or the ties that were broken you bring them back together again. So here we are standing in prayer, fasting every day, inshallah giving charity… and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
There is something far better than all of this and that is to form the bonds back together again.
The Hadith
The Prophet said:
Shall I not inform you of something more excellent in degree than fasting, prayer and alms giving (sadaqah)?
The people replied:
“Yes, Prophet of Allah!”
He said:
It is putting things right between people, spoiling them is the shaver (destructive).
(From Discovering Islam archive)