Al-Hilu: We Should Make Most of Ramadan by Doing Good, Drawing Closer to Allah

Sheikh Ahmed Al-Nour Mohammed Al-Hilu, Member of the Muslim Council of Elders and Grand Mufti of Chad, emphasized that Allah created humankind to be stewards of the universe, guiding their actions toward what benefits both themselves and all living beings.

He stressed the importance of nurturing the soul over merely tending to the body and cautioned against being swayed by worldly desires.

Speaking in an episode of the Ramadan program "Human Values with the Elders," broadcast on the Muslim Council of Elders' platforms during the holy month, Sheikh Al-Hilu highlighted that a person’s true essence lies in their soul, not their physical form. When the soul is pure and elevated, a person becomes a force for good rather than harm. He echoed the wisdom of a poet who once wrote: "O servant of the body, how much you toil for its sake!

Do you seek profit in what is doomed to perish?

Turn to your soul and perfect its virtues,

For you are human by your soul, not your body."

Sheikh Al-Hilu further underscored the importance of obedience to Allah, fulfilling obligatory duties, and engaging in voluntary acts of worship (nawafil), which carry hidden blessings beyond even those found in obligations. He cited the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, who conveyed Allah’s words in a Qudsi hadith:

“And My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more loved to Me than the religious duties I have obligated upon him. And My servant continues to draw near to me with nafil (supererogatory) deeds until I Love him. When I Love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to seek refuge with Me, I would surely grant him refuge.’”

In closing, Sheikh Al-Hilu urged Muslims to embrace Ramadan as an opportunity for self-improvement and spiritual renewal. He prayed that Allah accepts their worship, purifies their souls, and makes their good deeds a source of reward in this life and the Hereafter.