Awaken the Meta Human Within: Ramadan Podcast Series

You normally read a page or two of the Quran. In Ramadan, you effortlessly devour several pages each night- Jaihoon’s Ramadan Podcast series

Day 10

Ramadan: Poetry isn’t Excess Baggage for the Faithful

The life and times of the Holy Prophet was the celebration of the poetic era. On the bed and the battlefield, the Messenger and his companions used rhyming and riveting verse in their conversations.

Day 09

Ramadan: Faith is no kids play

Faith is a 24/7 state of vigilance and awareness. It is not, as some mistake, a lifetime membership without disqualification.

Day 08

Ramadan: Creator – Anytime, Anywhere

In the world of constantly changing relationships, we often aspire for the ultimate source of help and hope that we can rely on.

Day 07

Ramadan: Souls on Parole

Ramadan is giving our body a break and igniting our soul’s desires to commune and congregate with the Divine.

Day 06

Ramadan: Shop and Win Miles for Jannah

Only in Islam can one find the synthesis of the Earthly and Heavenly in such beautiful fashion.

Day 05

Ramadan: Interface-free Divine Connectivity

Humanity do not need any form of interface— be it light, electricity or other medium— to connect with the Creator.

Day 04

Ramadan: What would you let go

Today on the podcast, I am delving into a poem that explores a very specific kind of longing – a desire that perhaps shouldn’t exist. The title of the poem is “A Regretful Desire.” which is from my anthology called, The Maverick Dervish, published by The Other Press, an imprint of Islamic Book Trust, based in Malaysia.

So as you just heard, the poem opens with a series of questions, painting a picture of unspoken wishes and unmet desires. The poet begins by asking, “Did I ask for a dream, In your eyes, didn’t gleam?” It’s another way of expressing that yearning for something you know, deep down, might not be meant to be.
But the poem takes a turn. The poet assures the reader, “I am not sad, though, For what you didn’t bestow.” There’s a sense of acceptance here, a recognition that maybe these desires weren’t aligned with a higher purpose.

The poem concludes with a powerful plea, “Ya Wahhab! Ya Razzaq! Ya Fattah!” These are names of Allah, the Giver, the Provider, the Opener. The poet begs for the strength not to even crave what is ultimately not for them.

In this holy month of Ramadan, a time of reflection and self-improvement, “A Regretful Desire” examines our own wants and needs. Are they truly in line with what brings us closer to our faith? Perhaps this Ramadan, we can cultivate a sense of acceptance and gratitude for the gifts we are given, and surrender our desires to a higher will.
What are some desires you might choose to let go of this Ramadan?

Day 03

The Believer is a True lover as Well

The Holy Quran enumerates several telling characteristics of the believer. Interestingly, many of them are centered around love. He or she, according to the Creator, enjoys their good deeds done purely for the sake of Allah’s pleasure. A believer’s prayer includes asking Allah to endear and beautify faith in their hearts.

Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive your sins. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

In this verse, Allah offers a fair deal to the believers: if they truly love Him, then he or she may follow His Beloved Prophet and in return Allah will love them back. We may also understand this verse to mean that only those who follow the Prophet can only love Allah.

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن یَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَندَادࣰا یُحِبُّونَهُمۡ كَحُبِّ ٱللَّهِۖ وَٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوۤا۟ أَشَدُّ حُبࣰّا لِّلَّهِۗ وَلَوۡ یَرَى ٱلَّذِینَ ظَلَمُوۤا۟ إِذۡ یَرَوۡنَ ٱلۡعَذَابَ أَنَّ ٱلۡقُوَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِیعࣰا وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِیدُ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ۝١٦٥

Among mankind there are some who take up equals apart from God, loving them like loving God. But those who believe are more ardent in their love of God. If those who do wrong could but see, when they see the punishment, that power belongs altogether to God and that God is severe in punishment

Worship of Allah is synonymous with loving him as well. To bear thirst and hunger during Ramadan is a sheer act of love. Love creates new habits and destroys others.

Day 02

No Habits are Indispensable

We all get caught up in the daily grind – sleep schedules, constant snacking, you name it. But Ramadan asks us to step back. It says, “Hey, what if you could let go of some of those things?”

Imagine waking up before dawn, energized by a higher purpose, instead of that morning coffee.

And those three meals a day? Ramadan allows us to focus on quality over quantity, making each bite more mindful. Even our relationship with technology shifts. We’re encouraged to put down our phones and reconnect with the Divine.

It’s like hitting pause on the worldly noise and turning up the volume on our spirituality. That’s the magic of Ramadan. It shows us that the things we often consider essential are, in fact, dispensable.

And by letting go, we create space for a deeper connection with ourselves, with others, and with the Divine. In short, Ramadan acts as a reset button for the soul.

Day 01