14th Ramadan - Desires & Prayer

Suhor was a piece of banana, dates, a cup of milk and water. Then I proceeded with reading the Quran. Today’s reference is from surah Maryam 59 and surah Ta Ha 16. 

Both relates to desires, lust and lost in order to remind about keeping solat, repentance and doing things for the sake of Allah and not just to follow own desires or lusts. Because those who do and do not repent will be those among who will burn in the fires of hell.

The list considered lustful acts were defined in the tafsir of these 2 ayats as follows:

Lusts: like drinking alcoholic drinks; 

giving false witnesses; 

eating unlawful things - meat of edible animals not slaughtered according to Allah's Order; 

taking intoxicants; 

narcotic drugs like opium, morphine, heroin, cannabis; 

committing crimes; 

evil wicked deeds like illegal sexual acts, murdering, taking others' rights unlawfully, robbing, stealing, betraying, backbiting, slandering, telling lies.

It is almost similar to the 10 commandments in Christianity which was given on a tablet to Prophet Moses. As the stories were related to the prophets Noah and Moses respectively.

Then there is beautiful prayer by Prophet Moses to Allah (Surah Ta Ha 20:25-35)

قَالَ رَبِّ ٱشۡرَحۡ لِى صَدۡرِى

وَيَسِّرۡ لِىٓ أَمۡرِى

وَٱحۡلُلۡ عُقۡدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِى

يَفۡقَهُواْ قَوۡلِى

وَٱجۡعَل لِّى وَزِيرًا مِّنۡ أَهۡلِى

هَٰرُونَ أَخِى

ٱشۡدُدۡ بِهِۦٓ أَزۡرِى

وَأَشۡرِكۡهُ فِىٓ أَمۡرِى

كَىۡ نُسَبِّحَكَ كَثِيرًا

وَنَذۡكُرَكَ كَثِيرًا

إِنَّكَ كُنتَ بِنَا بَصِيرًا

[Moses] said, "My Lord, expand for me my breast [with assurance]

And ease for me my task

And untie the knot from my tongue

That they may understand my speech.

And appoint for me a minister from my family -

Aaron, my brother.

Increase through him my strength

And let him share my task

That we may exalt You much

And remember You much.

Indeed, You are of us ever Seeing."

May our efforts be eased for the right intentions and purposes. Allah knows best.