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WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT RAMADAN?
By: Gofin Kosia (6466519476)
We should all be grateful to the All Mighty Allah for sparing our lives to observe today’s date. There were many of our beloved ones who were with us last year but could not live to see this blessed day. Some are being fed now through tubes at the hospitals. Some are on life-support; some, due to other difficulties, prefer death to life as I press my key boards now. Some are living but deprived of every basic need in life. Neither did those honorable ones incurred those status for any committed crimes nor do we, “the relatively lucky and surviving ones” were spared to enjoy the fruits of any bribery or other wise given to Allah. Every one/thing is just subject to His divine decree and ordinance as ordained by Him thousands of years before our creation.
As my duty as a servant, I see and feel the expedience of once more reminding our selves of the importance and merits of the holy month of RAMADAN. “Therefore remind them, it benefits those who hear/listen” Qur’an 97:9
What Is Ramadan (Linguistic Meaning)
The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic root “rmd” as in the word “ramida or ar-ramad, denoting excessive heat, scorched ground and shortness of rations. Ramadan, being a name of a month, is of Arabic origin. Before modern Islam (prior to the advent of Prophet Mohammed, pbuh) and the exclusion of intercalary days (insertion of leap day, week and month into some calendar years ...), the month was called “Natiq” and it always fell in the warm season. Ramadan is the ninth and one of the four holiest months in the Islamic calendar year. It is the month in which Muslims are commanded by Allah (swt) to fast for the entire month.
Origin:
The practice of Fasting is as old as the creation of Mankind, but peoples of different times and generations fasted differently .Fasting was also practiced by Jews and Christians even before modern Islam, which you and I practice today that was re-introduced by Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) in 610 AD.
“O! You who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you so that you can fear God” Quran 2:183.
Fasting was prescribed to us on the second year of the HIJRA (The Prophet’s migration from Mecca to Medina).
The first four (4) pillars of fasting in Ramadan are; 1. Being a sound Muslim, 2. The intention to fast and 3. The timing of the fast (date&time) and 4. Eligibility (your status/condition during Ramadan)
IMPORTANCE
Allah says that all the good deeds that are done by a Muslim is for the doer, except for the fast, which is uniquely for Allah and He (Allah) will reward you for it, beyond your realm of imagination. This is the only month which Allah (SWT) says that it’s first ten-days is a period of mercy, the second ten-days is a period of forgiveness and the last ten-days is extrication (freedom) of believers from the Hell Fire to
Paradise.
NB: Let’s consider the severity of the “hundred degrees plus” hot weather without drinking when you are not supervised by any one not to, neglecting the delicious lunch you normally have, not having sexual intercourse with your married spouse during the days of this month, leaving your usual gossips and malicious deeds voluntarily only to seek the pleasure of your creator, having sleepless night only to worship Allah, reading the Holy Qur’an and increasing your generosity, forgiving those who wrong you. That’s why Allah will reward you in His own and discretional way. Your reward will be quadrupled by
Allah (S w t).
(1) This is the month in which the Holy Qur’an was sent down from Allah (swt) to the first layer of the heavens and then to Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) at the same time, Qur’an 2:185. The subsequent periodic revelations of the Holy Qur’an continued for the scope of twenty three years (23 years).
(2) There is a single night in this month (Lailatul Qadr/night of power) that worth a thousand months (83 yrs and 4 months), Quran 97:1-5. Let’s ask our selves, how many of us in recent time would live all that long?
(3)Fasting, during the month of Ramadan is the fourth (4th) pillar of Islam.
(4) Abu Huraira quoted the Prophet (a s) to have said, “who ever spends Lailatul Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward from Allah, Allah (swt) will forgive his/her previous sins” Albukhari: 1910
(5) In this month, Allah (swt) chains up the devils, opens all the gates of paradise and closes all the doors of hell fire and gives his servants the choice as to which city of paradise he wants to enter. Albukhari: 1898 and Muslim: 1079
(6) Allah (swt) redeems people that should have been destined to hell and redirect them to paradise. Imam Ahmad 5:256
(7) Fasting in the month of Ramadan serves as a means of expiation for previous sins committed.
(8) Your fast and prayer will be your only deeds that will intercede on your behalf during those lonely and helpless days in your grave and those intercessions will be granted by Allah.
(9) Studies have proven that the physical and medical benefits make one’s body flexible and to reduce obesity which is mostly caused by excessive and uncontrollable consumption of foods and drinks.
10. Fasting increases your level of TAQWA (conscience of Allah) which is closer to salvation. God’s willing, subsequent articles will follow soon.
11. All previous messengers and Prophets fasted at certain points in their life.
12. When Prophet Moses (a s) and the Israelites were saved by Allah from Pharaoh, on their way to the Promised Land, Moses had fasted in preparation to meet his Lord. Allah told him that his (Moses’) spiritual proximity to Him (Allah) after forty (40) consecutive days of fasting was like that of the followers of Mohammed (a s) who fast sincerely to get the blessings and pleasure of Allah.
Analysis: Consider Prophet Moses (a s), he was both a Prophet and a Messenger of Allah (swt), one of the ULUL- AZIM (the big five) that were chosen by Allah (s w t) out of the 313 messengers, being described as the KELAMUL- ALLAH (one to whom Allah communicates directly). This humble and honorable prophet, who dedicated his entire life to the service of Allah is been compared to us, as ordinary as we may be. Allah loves us most, so let’s please maximize this opportunity.
13. The Prophet (a s) said that “if only his followers had known the importance of Ramadan, they would have wished every day being a Ramadan.
In conclusion, every day when we enter our rooms to go to sleep, we never forget to fix our bed and make them comfortable for sleep, some people even change their entire bed set on a periodic basis just for comfort and fantasy. The average maximum time the relatively normal person will sleep for will not exceed eight (8) hours per night. Let’s consider the lengthy and difficult years we will spend in that grave of degradation, loneliness before the Day of Judgment. Can we please prepare that before it gets too late?
May Allah increase our faith.