Ramadan Lecture Series 1446 A.H. Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi …Lecture One

Saturday, 1 Ramadan 1446 A.H. (1 March 2025 A.D.)
Piety
The Most Important Benefit of Fasting Ramadan
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.
O Allah! Confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad’s good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.
O Allah! Guide us and grant us acceptance, for You are the Hearing, the Knowing; accept our repentance, for You are the Relenting and the Merciful.
Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
In this blessed month, we usually begin our speech by focusing on the importance of piety because it is one of the fundamental aims of fasting during the blessed month of Ramadan. In fact, it is one of the topics that have received considerable attention in the Holy Quran due to its significance for every one of us. We truly need to grasp this concept fully and strive to uphold it in our everyday lives.
Because of its importance, piety occupies the second rank after faith as a key attribute of the believing servants of Allah. This is why Allah describes His servants who respond to His message and His call and follow His guidance as the believers and then mentions the quality of piety as one of the most notable characteristics of these believers. Also, many promises in the Holy Quran—including the divine promises related to Jannah, forgiveness, and the pleasure, success, and guidance granted by Allah—are all founded on the principle of piety. Regarding the promises of Jannah, great bliss, eternal happiness, and ultimate success, the emphasis is on piety. Allah (the Almighty) declares that it is {‘prepared for the people of piety”}[Ali ‘Imran 3:133], and He also says, {‘Such is the Jannah [the Paradise] which We shall give as an inheritance to those of Our slaves who have been pious”}[Maryam19:63].
There are many other divine promises. Some of them are of immediate outcomes in worldly life: Allah says, {‘And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for him and provide for him from where he does not expect’}[At-Talaq 65:2-3]. Some others are about the Hereafter, including easy reckoning, Jannah, and ultimate triumph. There are also those ones about attaining spiritual elevation and divine guidance: {‘If you become mindful of Allah, He will give you a criterion’}[Al-Anfal 8:29].
Thus, many verses focus on piety, which is a matter of utmost importance. When Allah (the Almighty) prescribed fasting in the month of Ramadan with the verse, {‘O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you (as it was for those before you) so that you may become mindful of Allah’}[Al-Baqara 2:183], this allows us to recognise the significance of piety in terms of what it means to us and the positive outcomes it brings us. In fact, we are in dire need of these results and effects that stem from piety.
Allah (the Almighty) has guided us through His Holy Book and through the words of His Messenger (PBUH&F) towards the means by which we can achieve piety and those that protect us from dangers and evils. Therefore, we can attain all these outcomes through adhering to Allah’s commands and prohibitions. In fact, piety is fundamentally about adhering to Allah’s commands and prohibitions. Essentially, it is a psychological state that drives a person to show commitment, for he recognises his accountability towards everything he does: He realises the significance of his deeds and the consequences they entail.

Allah (Glory be to Him) is the One Who created and blessed us, desires goodness for us, and intends for us to attain great success and eternal happiness. Therefore, He did not leave us to wander aimlessly in this life and to build our own visions, ideas, and plans based solely on our personal notions of what might benefit us. Instead, He ensured that we are not left in a void devoid of His guidance. Allah (the Almighty) did not leave us to experience a state of emptiness from His guidance. Indeed, He is our Lord, our Owner, our Sustainer, and the Giver of all our blessings, and we are His servants, accountable before Him. Thus, He guided us, without any merit on our part, towards what is good for us and what serves as protection for us. This guidance not only safeguards us from the negative consequences of wrongful deeds and from the neglect of significant responsibilities (which bring about severe repercussions in this world and even grave consequences in the Hereafter), but it also leads us to great deeds that yield substantial benefits, such as a good life in this world—as Allah promised— and everlasting happiness in the great bliss with regard to what He promised in the Hereafter.
One of the most important factors that helps a person to give attention to piety and adhere to it
Therefore, one of the most important factors that helps a person to give attention to piety and adhere to it is his awareness of the significance of deeds, the outcomes they bring, and his belief in Allah’s promise of reward and punishment. This is an extremely important matter.
When we consider the reality of our lives, we notice a prevalent phenomenon among many people: Many people fail to give attention to deeds that hold great importance—great deeds that Allah refers to as a form of trade, such as performing jihad in His cause. They are deeds through which immense benefit to humanity can be achieved. We also notice that many people take some bad and dangerous deeds lightly, although such deeds can lead to severe consequences for an individual in this world and, even more terrifyingly, in the Hereafter. All of this stems from a deficiency in piety, and as we have noted, what we lack as a Muslim Ummah, as an Islamic world, and as adherents of this religion, is piety; the deficiency here is in piety.
The blessing of Islam and belonging to it is a tremendous gift. It offers us the chance to navigate our life’s journey based on the guidance of Allah and His teachings and instructions. Herein lies all goodness. Our belonging to Islam means we believe in Allah, the Day of Judgment, His books, and His messengers. This foundation allows us to build our lives and actions on this faith and belonging. However, problems arise when people become heedless, as many follow their own desires. This is the case when a person acts and behaves instinctively, driven by their impulses, personal whims, desires, or lusts. Indeed, this could stem from lusts, a state of anger and agitation that may drive a person towards specific actions or reactions, or fears that often affect people’s sense of piety.
Through the Quran, Allah’s guidance, and the teachings of His Messenger (PBUH&F), we gain awareness that is essential to achieve piety, as we become aware of the importance of our actions and the need to take what we do or say seriously and to be mindful of our responsibilities in this life.
This is also true when it comes to our belief in Allah’s promise of reward and punishment, which receives great attention in the Holy Quran because one of the primary roles of Allah’s books and messengers is to warn and give glad tidings:
to warn by alerting against the negative consequences of evil deeds and the punishments they entail in this life and the Hereafter;
to warn about the Hereafter and the recompense it holds; and

to give glad tidings for good deeds.
Therefore, during the month of Ramadan, as one recites the Book of Allah, one should reflect, contemplate, and focus on Allah’s promise of reward and punishment in the Holy Quran, as well as on the profound guidance it provides.
One of the core principles in the divine promise of reward and punishment is the principle of recompense: We will be rewarded for what we do. This is a vital principle. Allah says about every accountable human soul, {‘In its favour is what it has earned, and against it is what it has obtained’}[Al-Baqarah 2:286]. This principle must be deeply rooted in our hearts and minds, and we should keep this principle in mind in every aspect of life, in every situation, and under all circumstances. Neglecting this principle leads to recklessness in our actions, as if we were not to be held accountable or rewarded for them. This can also lead one to fail to give attention to deeds of great importance that carry immense rewards and bring great good.
Due to the importance of this principle, it is frequently mentioned in the Holy Quran as one of the fundamental principles linked to Allah’s justice and wisdom. This principle reflects Allah’s justice and wisdom, as well as His sovereignty. He is the King of the heavens and the earth and the King of mankind. He did not create us aimlessly in this life to act as we please, driven by our desires, without being held accountable for our actions.
The more a person brings this principle to mind and instils it within himself, the more he will adhere to piety, for he realises that he will be rewarded for everything he does—if it is good, then good; if it is bad, then bad. It is not a trivial matter; a person is not free to do whatever he likes without responsibility. This is why Allah says in the Holy Quran, {‘Allah created the heavens and the earth for a purpose, so that every soul may be paid back for what it has earned. And none will be wronged’}[Al-Jathiyah 45:22]. The creation itself is built on this great principle: the creation of the heavens and the earth, the creation of human beings, and the creation of all living beings that are to be held accountable. There has to be recompense. Every person will be rewarded or punished.
The same applies to the Hereafter, the Last Day, Allah says: {‘The Hour is sure to come’}[Taha 20:15]. It is certainly to arrive, and we are the last of the nations. Human life is nearing its end, and the Day of Resurrection is drawing near. {‘The Hour has drawn near’}[Al-Qamar 54:1]. {‘The Hour is sure to come. My Will is to keep it hidden, so that every soul may be rewarded according to their efforts’}[Taha 20:15].
Allah also says, {‘and that man can have nothing but what he strives for’}[An-Najm 53:39]. Your destiny is tied to what you do— your deeds; it’s a matter of destiny. Your actions are not trivial, for your eternal destiny depends on them and is tied to them. {‘And that his effort is going to be seen. Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense’}[An-Najm 53:40-41]. The results and consequences of one’s actions will be according to the kind of those actions. This means that if your path is based on faith, righteous deeds, responding to Allah, uprightness, and piety, then your path is a great one, in accordance with the promise of Allah (Glory be to Him), and you will be rewarded by Allah. You will not be wronged; not even the smallest amount of your righteous deeds will be lost, not even the weight of a mustard seed, nor anything at all.
Allah says, {‘Whoever does righteousness, he does so for the benefit of his own soul. And whoever does evil, it is to their own loss. Your Lord is never unjust to [His] creation’}[Fussilat 41:46]. Therefore, when a person is called to engage in righteous deeds and perceives it as an additional burden, as if it does not concern him or is something burdensome, this indicates that he has not fully grasped the truth that these deeds are for his own benefit.

Indeed, this truly benefits him and brings about good results for him, some in this world and others in the Hereafter, in his eternal and lasting future, at a very high level, bringing him immense bliss, honour, and reward.
If a person were to fully understand and instil this important principle within himself, he would never view good and great deeds or what Allah calls us to as a burden and a problem to escape from, nor would he view them as something secondary or irrelevant to him.
{‘ And whoever does evil, it is to their own loss.’}[Fussilat 41:46]. Similarly, a person’s boldness in committing bad deeds and actions and speaking ill words stems from heedlessness or a lack of faith. This may happen because the person forgets and ignores the fact that he is harming himself and that he burdens himself with sins through his bad words. Every bad word carries consequences that affect you. The same applies to the actions and behaviours that arise from:
desire, following one’s passions and whims;
anger and emotional outbursts, where actions are driven by a state of rage; or
fear—any of the driving factors can affect many people.
However, this is not like when a person realises that he is harming himself and bearing the consequences of his wrongdoings—whether through an action, a stance, words, or anything else. {‘ And whoever does evil, it is to their own loss.’}
The reward—be it good or evil—reflects the great importance of our responsibility and deeds!
The greatness of the reward reflects the great responsibility placed upon a person. This means that the matter of reward is not a trivial one; part of the reward that Allah has promised is granted in this world. This is something of great importance to the individual. Allah has promised the pious believers a good life, dignity, victory, and many other things in this world, including goodness, and blessings. All of These are significant and represent essential needs for the individual and society as a whole.
But this is not all; there are also rewards in the Hereafter. What one receives in this world is just a small part, a limited portion of the reward, as a person will receive his full reward in the Hereafter, which is an eternal destiny. The goodness of the Hereafter is pure and immensely great. Its goodness is at the highest level imaginable, in terms of spiritual honour, material bliss, material resources, and physical life. This is in addition to the honour that will be granted during the reckoning, in the arena of resurrection, and in what is found in Jannah—the Jannah that Allah described as: {‘a Jannah as wide as the heavens and earth prepared for the people of piety’}[Ali ‘Imran 3:133]. In this Jannah, one will find every pleasure and delight anyone could wish for: {‘There will be whatever the soul’s desire’}[Az-Zukhruf 43:71]. This will even be at the highest level imaginable; as the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F) described it, ‘In it, there is what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and the mind of no man has conceived.’ This is the ultimate form of bliss, a truly magnificent and eternal reward: {‘Where they will live forever.’} One {‘will not wish to move from there’}[Al-Kahf 18:108]. He will settle there eternally, enjoying continuous happiness, with immense, everlasting joy, free from ageing, sickness, worry, sorrow, or any distress.
Likewise, the evil of the Hereafter is absolute and unrelenting. There is no moment of relief, not even an instant of respite from the pain, whether physical or psychological. It begins at the great gathering on the Day of Resurrection, in the sheer terror of reckoning, the severity of reckoning, and the overwhelming humiliation of that day, which is filled with deep regret and unbearable remorse. It continues with the journey to Jahannam, the herding into it, the torment of the Fire (Allah forbid), and the constant burning in its flames! The torment there encompasses everything: its drinks of boiling water and pus and its food of Zaqqum, which {‘will boil in the bellies like the boiling of hot water’}[Ad-Dukhan 44:45-46].

The severe agony there never ceases—not even for a single moment, not even for the briefest second of relief. They will seek a single day when their suffering might be alleviated, but their pleas will not be answered. It is a dreadful evil, set in stark contrast to pure goodness and eternal, everlasting happiness: {‘Where they will live forever}, {‘And they are never to get out of the Fire’}[Al-Baqarah 2:167]
The great recompense in the Hereafter—which is an eternal destiny—indicates the significance of our responsibility in this life and our deeds, which we often carry out carelessly, indifferently, or without realising their true importance. A person must correct his perspective on good deeds and appreciate their great importance and the outcomes that follow, as well as on bad deeds and what they entail.
That is why Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {‘Surely those who believe and do good will have the Gardens of Bliss’}[Luqman 31:8]. In return for faith and righteous deeds, there is this great reward: {‘They will have Gardens of Bliss.’} These are deeds of immense value and great importance for your eternal and everlasting future—a future in the Gardens of Bliss. {‘They will abide therein forever, as a true promise from Allah. And He is the Almighty, the Wise’}[Luqman 31:9]. So how can you not desire this? How can you lack the motivation to pursue righteous deeds that Allah has called you to, which are great and honourable for you in this life and made accessible in this world? Allah has facilitated good deeds for people; they are not inherently difficult especially when compared to the immense difficulties associated with bad deeds. Their difficulty may be at the usual level of life’s circumstances. Yet, even within this level of difficulty, there is still ease provided, even though they fall within the ordinary difficulties of people’s lives, as this applies to all aspects of life, including very ordinary tasks related to people’s livelihoods and everything that comes with it.
These deeds, which hold great significance, are all accounted for by Allah (Glory be to Him) as part of His great promise—Jannah and all bliss within it. Every good deed you perform is a credit to your account with Allah: {‘And whatever good you send forth for yourselves, you will find it with Allah far better and more rewarding’}[Al-Muzzammil 73:20]. This means it is for you—you are the one who gains from it. Do not think of it as though you are doing a favour to Allah (Glory be to Him). He stands in no need of you, nor of your deeds. It is you alone who benefits from this.
Allah says, {‘Those who do good will have the finest reward and [even] more’}[Yunus 10:26]. This is because Allah grants them more from His bounty. In return for your good deeds, you are granted an immense, significant reward. This is true if you have been benevolent in this life—performing good deeds and treating Allah’s servants kindly. After all, true beneficence means that our actions are virtuous rather than wrongful; that we avoid misconduct in our behaviour, speech, and deeds. This is achieved by following Allah’s guidance, teachings, and commandments and by steering clear of what He forbids. In doing so, your actions become truly good, and you become, through your actions, a doer of good instead of a doer of bad. Similarly, when it comes to the value of beneficence to Allah’s servants—doing good to them, being kind to them, giving to them, and all other forms of benevolence—Allah promises an increase. This increase is a vast and abundant addition from His immense favour, a reward far exceeding what your efforts alone might merit. Allah will reward you for that.
Even though Allah (Glory be to Him) with His immense generosity has decreed rewards for deeds—in fact, from the very start, He multiplied rewards: A good deed is rewarded tenfold. Moreover, there are categories of actions that come with significantly higher multipliers for reward.

For instance, in spending in the way of Allah the minimum reward is seven hundred times, and during special periods like the month of Ramadan the minimum multiplier is seventy times. Even though He granted increases from the beginning, there is also an additional outpouring of Allah’s favour in the Hereafter, on top of these rewards for good deeds!
{‘Neither gloom nor disgrace will cover their faces’}[Yunus 10:26]. On the ground of reckoning and resurrection, while the evildoers find themselves in a terrible condition, overwhelmed by sadness, regret, remorse, sorrow, and fear, with the dark colour of their faces revealing that state of great sorrow, the righteous ones, who responded to Allah, are filled with joy and happiness. They recognise the value of their deeds and the great outcome that Allah promised as reward for their efforts. They will be reassured by Allah’s angels with one glad tiding after another. They are in a state of joy and delight, so that joy will be manifested on their faces as they are in a state of happiness.
{‘It is they who will be the residents of Jannah. They will be there forever’}[Yunus 10:26]: Their destiny is Jannah, living in the realm of Jannah, where they will remain forever. So the result is this: eternal happiness and the bliss of everlasting life.
{‘As for those who commit evils, the recompense of each evil shall be similar to that evil, and disgrace shall cover them. They will have no protector from Allah. It will be as if their faces were covered with pieces of the night’s deep darkness. Those are the people of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally’}[Yunus 10:27]. This is the fate that awaits you if you accumulate wrongdoings in this life through your actions and by disobeying Allah’s commands. Because you chose to yield to the whims and desires of your soul and the whispers of Satan and to follow a bad path, you have brought upon yourself a collection of evil deeds that will lead you to Jahannam (Allah forbid). Your regrets on the Day of Resurrection, your sorrow and remorse, and your intense fear will be evident on your face to such an extent that {‘It will be as if their faces were covered with pieces of the night’s deep darkness.’} Your face will be as if it were covered with pieces of dark night—a reflection of the turmoil, grief, regret, and deep fear within you. Yet, you will see no opportunity to escape your situation at that moment because you have missed the only chance you had: your life in this world—with no opportunity left beyond it.
A person will definitely recognise the value and importance of deeds at the moment of death: {‘When death approaches any of them, they cry, “My Lord! Let me go back, so I may do good”’}[Al-Mu’minun 23:99-100]. However, this will never benefit a person in the Hereafter nor during the judgment and resurrection.
Therefore, through our reflection on the Holy Quran and our recitation of the Book of Allah during this blessed month, we must deeply understand the importance of good deeds and piety for our lives and the consequences of our actions in the Hereafter. Moreover, we must strengthen our faith in Allah’s promise of reward and punishment and reflect on such a divine promise in the Holy Quran. Indeed, this is extremely important for us in order to recognise the importance of piety and focus on it during this month as a profound and significant achievement that we gain from fasting in the month of Ramadan.
That is enough for today. Allah willing, we will begin in our upcoming lectures to continue our journey with the Quranic stories we started last Ramadan.
We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to accept our fasting, night prayers, and good deeds and to grant us success in being among His pious servants.
O Allah! Grant us victory, have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, and set free our captives. You are the Hearer of Prayer!
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.