Blessings of Ramadan

Narrated Abu Huraitah (ra) : I heard Allah's Apostle (saws) saying regarding Ramadan "Anyone who stands in prayers during its nights (in Ramadan) with purity of belief and expectation of a reward, will have his previous sins forgiven."

[Bukahri]

Explanation: Once again the holy month of Ramadan has returned with all its blessings. It has come with the message of salvation and forgiveness

During Ramadan the believers get busy seeking Allah’s mercy, forgiveness, and protection from Hellfire. This is the month for renewing our commitment and re-establishing our relationship with our Creator. It is the spring season for goodness and virtues when righteousness blossoms throughout the Muslim communities.

 It offers every Muslim an opportunity to strengthen his Iman, purify his heart and soul, and to remove the evil effects of the sins committed by him.

In addition to fasting, mandatory Salat, and extra Taravih Salat, Muslims should spend the whole month in acts of worship like voluntary Salat, Tilawah (recitation of Qur’an), Dhikr , Charity, Itikaf etc.

Allah increases the reward for deeds in this special month. For an optional (nafl) act, a person is rewarded according to the reward of a mandatory (fard) deed, and the reward for a fard is multiplied at least seventy times.

The first ten days of Ramadan are days of mercy; the second period of ten days is for forgiveness, and the final period of ten days is for seeking refuge from Hellfire.

Every Muslim should cut all negative ties with society at least for this month and view it as the month of working diligently on oneself. This is the month of earning and we should work hard to earn reward and righteousness.

Ramadan is the month for rebuilding our spiritual strength. How much we benefit from it is up to us..

Reasons For Fasting in Ramadan

O ye who believe! Fasting is ordained for you, even as it was ordained for those before you, that ye may guard yourself (against evil)”

[The Holy Qur’an: Chapter 2, Verse 183]

Explanation : Ramadan is a month of fasting and prayers for the Muslims. The fast consists of total abstinence from food and drink from dawn to dusk. There is, however, a greater significance to fasts than mere abstinence from eating and drinking. The real objective of fasts is to inculcate in man the spirit of abstinence from sins and of cultivation of virtue. Thus the Qur’an declares that the fasts have been prescribed with a view to developing piety in man, as is clear from the verse quoted above.

How are the many facets of piety sought to be cultivated through the fasts?

1.The prime consideration in undertaking fast, as in any act of devotion, is to seek NEARNESS TO GOD and beseech HIS PLEASURE and FORGIVENESS. This itself generates a spirit of piety in man.

2.The wilful creation of the stringent conditions of hunger and thirst for one’s own self, simply in obedience to the Divine Order, measures the FAITH of man in God and helps to strengthen it by putting it to a severe test.

3.Fasting enhances through creation of artificial non-availability, the value of the bounties of God, which man is apt to take for granted in the midst of plentiful availability, and thus inculcates in man a spirit of GRATITUDE and consequent DEVOTION to GOD. Nothing else can bring home to man the worth of God’s bounties than a glass of water and a square meal after a day‑long fast. This also reminds man that the real joy in enjoying God’s bounties lies in MODERATION and RESTRAINT and not in OVER INDULGENCE.

4. Fasting makes us deeply conscious of the pangs of hunger and discomfort suffered by the less fortunate among our brethren, who may have to put up with such stringent conditions all through their lives ‑ it thus enkindles in man a spirit of SACRIFICE leading to CHARITY towards his suffering brethren.

5. Fasting affords man an unfailing training in ENDURANCE ‑ i.e. a SPIRIT OF. ACCEPTANCE of the inevitable, which could well prepare him to put up with the unchangeable situations in life in the same spirit of RESIGNATION as cultivated during the fasts.

6. Fasting develops COURAGE, FORTITUDE and a FIGHTING SPIRIT IN man to surmount the heavy odds in life with a cool and tranquil mind. It sharpens his, power of CONCENTRATION to overcome obstacles, through a vigorous exercise all through the month, leading to a steeling of his WILL POWER and RESOLVE, which could help him in trying situations in actual life. It is seen that many an undesirable habit which is found hard to leave, is more easily left off during the days of fasting.

7. Fasting teaches man RELIANCE on God and CONFIDENCE in HIM in facing the bitter situations in life with the comforting thought that these too, ordained by Him, could well be surmounted through His assistance alone, even as the rigorous state of fasting for a complete month. For, fasting develops the quality of PATIENCE in man, with the realisation that, as the days of fasting, though seeming unending do have a successful and, so are all the bitter situations in life. It therefore infuses a spirit of GOOD CHEER, (driving away BITTERNESS and DESPAIR) in his attitude towards life and in his demeanour towards others.

8. Through quick alternation of the state of plenty and of scarcity, fasting seeks to inculcate in man the right type of attitude in different situations in life‑ of GRATITUDE and THANKSGIVING in plenty and of PATIENCE and FORBEARANCE in difficulty.

9. Fasting is meant to CONQUER ANGER, not to augment it, and to develop SELF‑CONTROL in man; for the vigorous effort of wilfully putting up with a continued state of hunger and thirst can well be extended to conquer other infirmities of human character that lead man into error and sin.

10. Fasting inculcates a spirit of TOLERANCE in man to face unpleasant conditions and situations without making his fellow-being the victim of his wrath on account of his adverse conditions, such as deprivation of his basic needs of life, which constitutes the common cause of dissension among men.

11. Fasting MELLOWS a man and enhances his character, giving jolt to the human instincts of ‘PRIDE, HAUGHTINESS, ENVY and AMBITION, for when fasting, a man’s energies are too sapped to follow these instincts which are the chief causes of discord and conflict among men.

12. Fasting exposes the weakness of man in the event of his being deprived of but two of the bounties of God ‑ those of food and drink; it thus infuses in him a spirit of MEEKNESS and SUBMISSION,
generating HUMILITY and PRAYER in an otherwise arrogant man.

13. Fasting breathes the spirit of FORGIVENESS in man towards his subordinates, as he himself seeks God’s FORGIVENESS through fasts and prayers.

14. Fasting affords lessons in PUNCTUALITY through man’s strict adherence to various time‑schedules in the observance of fasts and offering of prayers.

15. Fasting can be made to effect ECONOMY in an individual’s life, which can be extended to wider spheres.

16. Fasting enforces in man rigid DISCIPLINE ‑ mental, spiritual and physical ‑ a trait of character which forms an essential ingredient to success in human life.

17. Fasting provides LEISURE, that could he gainfully employed in devotional or intellectual pursuits. The month‑long duration of fasts creates a proper climate for the SPIRITUAL REFORMATION in man, infusing in him a spirit pf enthusiasm and zest to turn over a new leaf ‑ an opportunity provided every year.

18. On the physical side, fasting cleanses the human system of the accumulated impurities of uninterrupted eating throughout the year. It prepares the body for toughness and hardihood to face disease or conditions of scarcity. The rigid abstinence that the fast provides, regulates man’s HEALTH, sharpens has INTELLECT, gives spurt to his SPIRITUALLY and enhances the qualities of his HEART. With the cleansing of the human body, it paves the way for its easy and effective rebuilding through meals at the end of the day or after the month is over.

Repel Evil With Good...

The Holy Qur'an states : "Repel evil with what is best, then the one, between whom and you there is enmity, shall become as if he was a fast friend."

(41:34)

Explanation: The Holy Qur'an teaches the great moral of doing good to those who do evil and establishes how enemies turn into friends through this noble method.

This was the supreme measure of the moral training given to His noble Messenger by Allah Almighty. The guideline given to him was:

Join with him who severs relations with you and forgive him who does injustice to you and do good to him who is bad to you.

The moral grandeur of the Holy Prophet, may the peace and bless­ings of Allah be upon him, is unique and eminent. We can only think of the blessing of his teachings which so successfully ingrained even in his servants morals and traits of character similar to his own.

Being the distinctive feature of a true Islamic society, there are hundreds and thousands of models visible in the lives of the Companions, their successors and among the venerated elders of the Muslim community.

There is an apt incident in the life of the great Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah. Someone accosted him in a busy market place and heaped all sorts of insults and invectives on him. The great Imam controlled his anger and said nothing to him. He went home, took out a considerable quantity of gold and silver coins, put them in a gift-wrapped tray and went out to the home of his confronter. He knocked at his door. When this person came out, he presented this tray full of coins before him saying: 'Today, you did something very good to me. You gave me (something) of your good deeds (that you had done). It is in gratitude of this great favour of yours that I am presenting this gift to you.'

The Imam's unusual conduct naturally affected the man. He repented and got rid of his bad habit for ever. After asking for Imam's forgiveness, he entered into his circle as a disciple and finally became a great scholar.

Thank Allah For Divine Mercies

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said , "He who thanks Allah after eating earns the same reward as one who fasts and desists from eating".

 [Bukhari and Tirmidhi]

Explanation : Thankfulness to Allah is a supreme act of worship which requires only a few moments . One must thank Allah for all his boons and mercies, whether big or small. One should thank Allah when on returning home, he finds his family safe and well, when he eats food when his hot brow is fanned by cool breeze, when he sees his child happily at play; in other words everything which pleases and comforts should be acknowledged with thanks to the One Allah who is the Real and the Ultimate Source and intone his thanks, he should do it in his heart.

Our learned elders have instructed that upon going to bed and before falling asleep, one should think of Allah's gifts and boons and thank Him for everyone of them. For instance, one should think of the good health of his family and himself; of the house which he lives in, of the comfortable bed lie sleeps in, of his own safety and that of his family and thank Allah for these Divine mercies before closing his eyes in sleep.

Real and true thankfulness to Allah implies changing ones ways to into those that please the Almighty, but if one merely expresses his thankfulness in his heart or by mouth, it too is an act of great worship. This can lead to a change for the better in other deeds.

Shaikh Sa'di has said that if one ignores other boons and mercies, life itself is a boon of highest order, in so fir as the act of breathing itself has two boons of inhalation and exhalation; if breath, goes in and does not came out it is death and if breath goes out and does not cone in it is again death. Hence every breath has two boons for which Allah must be thanked. However even if one thanks Allah once with every breath, it is still insufficient; so how can one adequately thank Allah for other boons and mercies? 

Though it is impossible to thank Allah adequately. but thanking Him to the best of ones ability is a pleasing to Allah and earns countless merits, and also leads to the grant of further boons and mercies, one also get closer to Allah.

Two Great Rewards to Those Who Follow Divine Guidance

Allah states in the Holy Qur'an :

فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ مِنِّي هُدًى فَمَنْ تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

"Those who follow My guidance shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve."

[Surah Baqarah 2: 38]

Explanation : Verse 38 promises two great rewards to those who follow divine guidance - they will have no fear, and they will not grieve. Fear is the anxiety one feels in apprehending some trouble or pain in the future. Grief is the sorrow arising from the loss of something valuable or from one's failure in attaining a desired object.

One can see that these two rewards comprehend all the possible forms of comfort and peace. Then, the text of the Holy Qur'an makes a subtle distinction between the two. In saying that those who follow divine guidance will have no fear, it speaks in general terms and uses a noun - the Arabic phras "La khawfun alayhim" is to be translated literally as 'no fear upon them'.

But in the next phrase "Wala hum Yahzanoon", the Holy Qur'an employs a verb, placing before it a pronoun as the subject. The literal translation of the phrase is: 'they shall not grieve'. The implication here is that being totally free from all sense of loss is possible only to Men of Allah or the saints (the friends of Allah) who follow divine guidance in all its details; as for the others, no man whether an emperor or a billionaire, can help being grieved at the loss of a valued object or the frustration of a desire, all of which is but a necessary part of the scheme of things.

The 'friends of Allah' do not have to grieve, because they annihilated their own desires and their very will in submitting themselves totally to the will of Allah.

The Holy Qur'an also tells us that those who go to Paradise will thank Allah for having removed from them all regret and sorrow: "All praise belongs to Allah who has put away all sorrow from us." (35:34)

Be Considerate of Your Host's Circumstances

The Messenger of Allah (saws) has said that it is not proper for the guest to stay too long, as it may cause hardship to the host.

[Mishkat]

Explanation : If you visit a relative or friend, you should be considerate of yourhost’s circumstances and work commitments. Shorten, as much as possible, the duration of your stay by him, since every person has various duties, obligations and responsibilities, some of which may not be known to you. Be considerate of your hosts and help them with their duties, house chores and obligations. While at your host’s house, do not inspect and examine every corner, especially when you are invited beyond the guest room, lest you see something that you are not supposed to see. In addition, do not bother your guest by asking too many questions.

On the other hand, if you are having a guest overnight, be hospitable and generous. This does not mean you should exaggerate when providing food and drink to your guest. Moderation without excess is the sunnah. You should try your best to make your guests’ stay pleasant and comfortable during their state of being awake or asleep. Inform your guests of the direction of qiblah and show them the way to the bathroom and place for wudhu etc.

When you offer your guest a towel after a shower, wudhu or washing hands after meals, make sure that the towel is clean. Do not offer towels, you or your family members have used. It is also a good idea to offer guests some perfume and a mirror. Make sure the toiletries and bathroom accessories they will be using are clean and sanitized. Before leading your guest to the bathroom, inspect it and remove anything you dont want your guest to see.

Your guest may need some rest and a quiet sleep. Spare them the noise of the children and the noise of the house as much as possible. Remove female clothing and belongings from their view. This is a desirable practice that will leave you both feeling comfortable. When meeting your guests, serve them with tact and respect.

Unfailing Recipe of Happiness and Good Social Relations

It is related by Sayyidah Ayesha (rd) that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Exchange presents with one another. Presents remove ill-will from the hearts."

[Tirmidhi]

Explanation: Gift is a form of transaction in a civilized society. The holy Prophet (saws) has laid a great stress on it in his Traditions and indicated that it is helpful in the promotion of mutual love and affection and conducive to the growth of friendly relations which, doubtlessly, are a great blessing.

A gift is an offering made as a token of goodwill, and with the object of making the other person happy and winning the good graces of the Lord. If the present is made to anyone younger in age, it is a gesture of affection; if to a friend, it is a means of strengthening the bond of love; if to a needy person, it is a source of solace and comfort; and if to a superior, it is a mark of regard and respect.

In case something is given to anyone for the sake of God and with the intention of earning the reward of the Hereafter, considering him to be poor and indigent, it will be charity (Sadqa), not a gift (Hadiya). It is only when an offering is meant to be an expression of love and fellow feeling, and, through it, the good pleasure of the Lord is to be sought, that it becomes a girt.

If, however, a gift is made with sincerity, the reward, on it, is no less than on charity, and, sometimes, even greater. It was owing to this difference between Hadiya and Sadqa that the holy Prophet accepted a Hadiya (gift) with prayer and thankfulness and made use of it, while in case of a Sadqa (charity), his practice was that though he accepted it, too, with gratitude and blessed the giver, he did not use it himself, but gave to others.

Unfortunately, the habit of giving presents to one another, with an earnest heart, is fast disappearing among the Muslims, as a whole, and though it is still done, to some extent, it is seldom that one offers a gift to a friend, relative or neighbour despite the fact that it is an unfailing recipe handed down to us by the Messenger of Allah (saws)of happiness and good social relations and a sure means to earning the countenance of the Lord.

Abu Hurairah (ra) relates, saying that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Give presents to one another. Presents remove malice from the hearts, and a female neighbour should not regard the gift of a part of the feet of a goat to another female neighbour as of no value." [Tirmidhi]