warnings for those who do not pay Zakat:

1. Three people will enter Hellfire before anyone else. One of these is the wealthy person who does not fulfil the right (Zakat) of Allah Almighty.

2. Whoever owns gold or silver and does not fulfil its right (i.e., Zakat), slabs of fire will be laid out for him on the Day of Judgement, which will be heated in the fire of Hell. His sides, forehead and back will be branded with them. Whenever they begin to cool, they will return to their original state. (This will continue to happen) on that Day whose length is 50,000 years; until judgement is made regarding people. He will then see whether his path leads to Paradise or Hell. ^[1]

Encouragement to perform ‘IꜤtikāf

اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه, the month of Ramadan is fast approaching. What can be said of the blessings found in this sacred month? It becomes very easy to increase the amount of good deeds and worship we perform whenever this month comes around. One of the best ways to increase our good deeds, safeguard ourselves from sins, and learn Islamic knowledge is IꜤtikāf., as the great excellence of this act has been explained in blessed hadith of the final Prophet of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

Sayyida ꜤĀˈisha al-Ṣiddīqaرَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا  narrates that the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “مَنِ اعْتَکَفَ اِیْمانًا وَّا ِحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَلَہ مَاتَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِہٖ” “Whoever performed IꜤtikāf with faith and whilst remaining hopeful of reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” ^[2]

Dear Islamic brothers! If not every year, we should perform IꜤtikāf for the entire month of Ramadan at least once in our lives. Our beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم taught us to always seek the pleasure of Allah, and especially in the month of Ramadan, he himself would perform extensive acts of worship.

As Laylat-ul-Qadr is kept hidden within one of the nights of Ramadan, he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once spent the entire month in IꜤtikāf in search of it.