RAMADAN RESOLUTIONS ✔

DAY 24 - POST WORSHIP CONVO

While we’re on the subject of being silent, it is authentically narrated in Bukhari and Muslim by Abi Bardah that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) used to dislike sleeping before the Isha prayer and speaking after it. Now obviously back then, the people used to plan, function, and schedule around the sun. Therefore, they would start their days bright and early and sleep early also. These days, speaking after Isha is for many the only time of the day we can socialize and gather with friends and family. But that’s not the point of this resolution. What I’m concerned with is why the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) disliked speaking after Isha. There are several reasons and the scholars also mentioned that this dislike did not include beneficial speech. Imam Al Nawawi (ra) says in his explanation of the hadeeth:

“As for speech which serves a good interest, it is not disliked. Such speech includes seeking knowledge, telling stories of the righteous, speaking to a guest or to a bride to put them at ease (ie. Give advice), speaking kindly to your spouse and children, speaking to travellers in regards to their accommodations or luggage, speaking to reconcile between people and intercede between them for a good cause, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, guiding people to goodness, etc. All of these are not disliked after Isha.”

So obviously the type of speech that is disliked is idle speech and harmful speech which is always prohibited. The scholars mentioned many reasons for that. Amongst those reasons is that a person should go to sleep in a state of goodness and remembrance as he may not wake up the next morning (reference #ramadanresolution day 14).

Another reason though is that at times you depreciate your worship by speaking afterwards, and that’s what this resolution is about. Sometimes you attend a khutbah, lecture, prayer, even a janaza, and just as you’re in the zone, your friend starts talking to you about things that are of no benefit (though they may be permissible in their nature). As a result, even though you were crying 5 minutes ago, you lost what could’ve been an hour of reflection.

So my recommendation to myself and to everyone, is that whenever we attend a lecture, prayer, etc. we avoid talking about useless things immediately after so that we can let what we’ve attained settle in. If you were able to cry in a lecture or prayer, don’t spoil those tears by immediately replacing them laughter. Go home and capitalize on that moment. Likewise, when you go to a lecture or class with family and friends, try to use the ride home to share points of benefit so that the lecture doesn’t go to waste. This will actually build bonds for the sake of Allah and transform that lecture into a meaningful turning point in our lives.

May Allah keep our hearts firm and our sincerity intact. Ameen