“O people! There comes over you now a great month, blessed month in which lies a night greater in virtue than a thousand month. It is a month in which Allah has made fasting compulsory by day. And has made sunnah Taraweeh by night. Whoever commits one good deed in it shall be rewarded like the one who had performed an obligation (fardh) in any other time and whoever performs a (fardh) in it shall be given the reward of seventy in any other time.
This is indeed the month of patience, and the reward for true patience is Jannah (paradise). It is the month of sympathy with one’s fellowmen. It is the month wherein a true believer’s sustenance (rizq) is increased. Whosoever feeds another who fasted, in order to break the fast at sunset, for the feeder there shall be forgiveness of sins and emancipation from the fire of Jahannam (hell), and for such feeder shall be the same reward as the one who fasted (who he fed) without that persons reward being decreased in the least.”
Thereupon those listening to this fascinating and appealing message asked, “Not all of us possess the means whereby we can give a fasting person to break his fast.” The summoner replied, “Allah grants the same reward to the one who gives a fasting person to break the fast a mere date, or a drink of water, or a sip of milk. This is a month, the first of which brings Allah’s mercy, the middle of which brings His forgiveness and the last of which brings freedom from the fire of Jahannam. Whosoever lessens the burden of his servants (bonds-men) in this month, Allah will forgive him and free him from the fire of Jahannam. And in this month four things you should continue to perform in great number, two of which shall be to please your Lord, while the other two shall be those without which you cannot do. Those which shall be to please your Lord, are that you should in great quantity bear witness that there is no deity to worship except Allah (i.e. recite the Kalimah Tayyibah Laa llaaha illallaah) and make much Istighfaar (beg Allah’s forgiveness saying Astagirfirul-laah). And as for those two things without which you cannot do, you should beg of Allah for entrance into paradise and ask refuge in Him from Jahannam. And whoever gave a person who fasted water to drink, Allah shall grant that giver to drink from My fountain, such a drink where after that person shall never again feel thirsty until he enters Jannah.”
This was the heart inspiring address of our beloved Prophet, the Messenger to mankind, Muhammad, may Allah send peace and blessings upon him, to his companions (sahabah) on the last day of sha’ban, the day before the month of Ramadhan. We can see the highest level of preparation which the Prophet gave for this month. I am urged to ask my self: such a month which comes only once in a year, how do WE prepare for it? Ever thought? We have just seen a glimpse of the sahaba’s preparation for this month. How do we compare to it?
In our busy lives, it’s easy to miss out on the meaning of Ramadhan. We treat it like the other months; days go by in work and worldly business yet we are heedless of the immense blessings of the passing time. I make a little and humble effort in this short article to remind ourselves of the significance of Ramadhan in OUR lives.
Ramadhan is a gift. It’s a spiritual wash. Through hunger, thirst and abstaining from pleasures, we are reminded of many things. We are reminded that in the end, our life is not actually all in our control. Regardless of whatever we do throughout the year to make ourselves feel as though we are in control of our own lives; the gains and losses, the pleasures and gifts, Allah Most High reminds us that indeed you are not so. There is a sovereign above, a Lord above, an Almighty above who is the authority above you. With the Arrival of Ramadhan, our authority over our pleasures is restricted, and a greater authority illustrates to us how he overrules our lives. Because of his instruction, we cannot drink, we cannot eat, and must abstain from all prohibited acts even more those such as lying, swearing and ill talks.
We are also reminded of the hunger and thirst of our destitute brothers and sisters who are suffering in the world. Ramadhan reminds us of the pains of humanity. Do you ever ponder how it would feel like to be without food for a week? Could you feel it? I think the reply will be no, you do not know. All that you have ever experienced is hunger from morning to evening, from sehri to maghrib iftar and a tasty meal thereafter. But what about those who haven’t seen a drop of fresh water for a month? And what about those who haven’t smelt the freshness of a loaf of bread for months? Have you ever thought about their pain? Ramadhan reminds us of such world realities that we tend to be heedless of throughout the year. The Fitrana that every one of us gives on the morning of Eid is the material appreciation of this realization, that by the end we should have reached.
Embrace Ramadhan though it is your last! And be not heedless of it. Fast in the mornings to please your Lord and stand engaged in prayer in its evening to cherish his mercy. If you are a sinner, your heart, mind and body are bruised and ill with sins of this temporary life, Ramadhan is a healer and a bearer of forgiveness. In it, thousands are forgiven. If you are in financial troubles and are seeking pure and halal rizq and wealth, the nights of Ramadhan are filled with replies to your supplications and duas. If you are seeking a drop of mercy from the ocean of Allah in your life, then prepare for Ramadhan; make it the best experience of your life.
Muslims show communal solidarity in Ramadhan. By attending the prayers and iftari feasts, hearts are drawn closer and humanity learns to love and respect. The Noble Prophet spoke about the immense rewards of sticking together and taught us of many ways we can achieve this. He taught us that feeding a guest has endless reward brings much benefit to both. Giving Salam to people you know and people you do not know brings about compassion and sharing and exchanging gifts encourages love for one another. He also reminded us that human life is not all about human-relations but also about our relations with Allah, our Creator, Sustainer, and one who cares for us most. Ramadhan therefore is a month to help us restore our relation with people as well as with Allah Most High.
By the end of Ramadhan, you should feel a change in your life. You should reach a better realization of life and what it means to be human and love humanity. You should feel the urge to bow before Allah who gave YOU food, gave YOU Water, gave YOU all the pleasures to put your body at rest, and never deprived you of his gifts. By the end of Ramadhan, this realization should sink deep down into our thinking and emotional faculties and our lives should reshape to illustrate this.
For whatever action we do in Ramadhan, its only motive should be the pleasure of Allah. We Love Allah for what he made us, what he gave to us and what he does for us, and that is why we do things in return to seek his pleasure. To the smallest detail of good things that we do in this month, we should be reassured that Allah Most High records every detail and will recompense us for even the slightest good thought with his favours. Here I shall conclude with another fascinating teaching which should not be the end but a new beginning for the preparation for Ramadhan:
The Noble Prophet of Islam (may Allah give him peace and blessings) said, “My Ummah were given five things for Ramadhan which were not given to anyone except them.
1) For them, the smell from the mouth of a fasting person is sweeter to Allah than the fragrant smell of musk.
2) On their behalf the fish in the sea seek forgiveness for the fasting persons until they break their fast.
3) Allah prepares and decorates a special garden in Jannah everyday and then says (to it), “The time is near when faithful servants shall cast aside the great trials of the world and come to you”.
4) In this month (for them) evil-minded Shaytaan is chained so as not to reach unto those evils to which they normally reach during other months besides Ramadhaan.
5) On the last night of Ramadhan they are forgiven”.
The companions (sahabah), may Allah be pleased with them all, thereupon enquired, “0h Messenger of Allah, is that last night Laylatul Qadr? To which the Prophet replied, “No. But it is only right that a servant should be given his reward on having completed his service”.
(Reported by Ahmad, Bazzaar and Bayhaqi)
Written by: Allama M. Monawwar Ateeq Published in Hedaya (www.hedaya.org.uk)
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yeh right.. great post, Thank You
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Zoran