Last days of Ramadan

We are approaching the end of Ramadan and will shortly wave goodbye to our blessed month.

When Ramadan first arrives, many Muslims enjoy a renewal of their emotional and spiritual attachment to their religion and with their Creator. They try to live a life of goodness and spirituality, and attempt to avoid evil deeds and acts of misconduct. This attachment and feeling are sometimes so strong and so visible that, even if no spiritual benefit or outcome is received, Muslims can still be seen psychologically respecting the month.  Muslims who had already lived in a Muslim society and experienced the spiritual atmosphere of Ramadan that exists in their society, know very well how beautiful are those moments, and how greatly they have missed them. Even the air becomes sober and the smells of spirituality. Everyone seems to be involved in the Khairaat and Barakaat (goodness and blessings) of those fine moments.

When the month finishes, a sense of emptiness and deprivation will take-over the feelings of many believers who have enjoyed the spiritual moments experienced in fulfilling their religious obligations. Those who could see, and understand the benefits and blessings of this month, will not easily avoid these feelings. If a Muslim's personality and sense of integrity could not develop in this month, they should not be expected to change in the rest of months of the year. Equally, if a Muslim could not learn self-restraint in this month, he could never possibly learn it in other months, and if a person is not healed spiritually in this month and did not seek tawbah (repentance) and forgiveness, they could not be expected to change at any other time of the year..

Ramadan is a very special month, when the rewards for every righteous deed are generously multiplied, indeed every good deed is multiplied by seventy times or more. So, if one has made a charitable donation of one pound, it carries the same rewards as a charitable donation of seventy pounds. Similarly, if one has done a good deed to someone or fed one poor person, the rewards will be as great as if we had done the same for seventy. Where else could we find such generosity but in Islam? Do you not think that Allah is Merciful? Do you not think that He is generous and Forgiving to His servants?

In addition to the rewards for our good  deeds, are those we receive from  fulfilling our religious obligations, which are multiplied by the same figure. One supplementary prayer is rewarded, during this month, as one obligatory prayer, and one obligatory prayer incurs the rewards of seventy obligatory prayers. Reading the whole Quran once is as if we had read it seventy times. Any, and every, good deed you can think of will be rewarded seventy-fold. This demonstrates the generosity and merciful nature of our religion. To those who were unfortunate enough, through age, illness or disability, not to be able to fast, and not to accumulate rewards, forgiveness may still be given. But, those who chose not to take advantage of the opportunity, or deliberately ignored it, will surely come to regret it.

It was made easier for us in this month to attain forgiveness, than in other months. This divine forgiveness is coupled and combined with 'Freedom from the Fire'. This month seems to be a sifter or a sifting time, where, if the proper effort is made and forgiveness is sought, one’s wrongdoing and sins can be examined and cleared away annually. How privileged we will be if our wrongs are so sieved and forgiven? Wouldn’t we be saved from moral bankruptcy and retribution?

We will miss many of the characteristics of this month; after all, it was a month of honour and strength for all those who realised its true values and benefits. Unfortunately, we may not understand fully the meaning of the honour afforded to us as our approach to it is regrettably often very mundane.

To fill the atmosphere at the end of this month with dignity, spirituality and with a sense of achievement the Quran has asked us to glorify Allah for His Guidance to us. The Quran has described the month of Ramadan, and all of its devotional acts as Guidance from Allah. In return, it has asked us to glorify Allah, which is an act of thanksgiving.

Every Muslim should thoroughly examine and accept their own accountability before this month disappears.  Where were we unable to make any changes in our life? How can we do more? One of the acts of glorifying Allah is to intensify our devotional acts and remember Him more frequently.

Eid al-Fitr

Eid al-Fitr, or the celebration of breaking the fast, is a true celebration and expression of joy after fasting the month of Ramadan. The Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, says: ‘For a fasting person there are two occasions of joy; one when he breaks his fast and another when he would meet his Lord’. Eid al-Fitr is one of those occasions when a person truly celebrates the happiness and joy for what he has achieved in that blessed month.

Altthough the Eid prayer is a Sunnah prayer and not an obligatory prayer, every Muslim should attend it, as we all know the importance of this event and this day. It is a keenly awaited and because of Ramadan the joy and delight of Eid is eagerly sought.  One should start his or her Eid festivity with the Eid prayer, and should not miss it on the basis of any pretext or excuse.  Our Prophet, peace be upon him, has highly emphasised that everyone of the Muslim community should attend it, including men, women, the old, the young, even a woman in her monthly period is asked to attend. Umm Atiya says: 'We have been commanded to take young girls and the ones who are in their periods to Eid prayers, so they can share the goodness of that day, and attend the Muslim congregation, but the women in her periods should not pray'. It has become the practice  among some Muslims that they do not allow or encourage their women to come to the mosque either for Friday prayers or for Eid prayers. This was definitely not the case in the time of our Prophet, when Islam was alive and fresh and every one was taking part in its implementation. So we should ensure that every one attends the Eid congregation. 

Unlike Friday prayer, the  Eid prayer  precedes the sermon, and there are some manners for Eid prayer which our Prophet observed on that day, and which every Muslim should follow. We should take a bath on that day and cleanse ourselves thoroughly. We should wear the best of our clothes, as it is an occasion for manifesting happiness. We should also use perfume and Itr. Before we go out for the prayer, we should eat an odd number of dates and not go to the mosque for Eid prayer with an empty stomach. As soon as we leave our homes, we should start reciting Takbeer which should continue until just before the Eid prayer. Wherever possible we should take one road to travel to the place of Eid Prayer and another to return.

We all need to ensure that the spirit of this month lives on after it has ended. Our experience of Ramadan is not something to be lightly discarded. Allah grant us the will-power and sincerity of purpose that we may keep the spirit and message of this month alive for the next eleven months.

Happy Eid to all Muslims!

The last ten days of Ramadan

The close of Ramadan is fast approaching, indeed the Muslim community is fasting its final ten days, and at its conclusion Muslims will celebrate Eid al-Fitr (the celebration of ending the fast).

These last ten days are extremely important in terms of Allah’s bestowing of blessings upon believers. These blessings come in many forms and Muslims should take advantage of them, as much as they can, while they are still able to earn them.

The first and foremost time in these days is the Night of Power (lailatul Qadr). This particular night has been glorified by Allah in the Quran in this verse: 'We revealed this Qur'an on the Night of Power. And what would make you understand what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. Angels and Gabriel descend therein, with the permission of their Lord, with every matter. It is peace until the break of dawn’. (Surah Al-Qadr)

The Quran was sent down in this month, from the seventh heaven to the lower one, and from there it was revealed to the prophet Muhammad, peace and Mercy of Allah be upon him. The Quran contains the blessed speech of our Lord, the Creator, and blessed it is, as is He. It was revealed as the final and complete guidance from the Lord of the worlds to the last of His Messengers and Prophets.

The importance of this particular night is highlighted as the night in which our dedication to Allah, through prayer, worship, the recitation of his last book, charitable deeds, charity and every good deed, seeking His Pleasure only, receives the same benefits as would be gained by fulfilling all these actions every night for a thousand months (more than the average lifespan of a human being). Muslims are, therefore, encouraged to seek the Night of Power  on the all odd nights of these last ten days, starting from 21^st night.

Muslims, traditionally, appear to favour the 27^th night of the month, which may appear more likely to be the one, according to the texts of Prophet’s hadith. However, there are many hadith which suggest otherwise and we are encouraged to look for it in all five odd nights.

This night is so important that a Muslim, who is keen to take advantage of this huge opportunity to receive the vast blessings and generous rewards offered by  Allah, should rather seek it throughout  all ten of these nights, in order that he is not deprived of these benefits.

A further benefit is described in following hadith to encourage believers to seek out this blessed opportunity. It says: ‘whoever spent the night of Power, out of belief and in pursuit of reward, would be forgiven for his past sins’.

All human beings, by their very nature, commit sins and errors, and Allah recognises man’s weakness. However, Allah out of His Mercy, provides this opportunity for people to have their wrongdoings forgiven by Him and sins removed while they are still in this world, so that, when they return to their Lord, they are less burdened with them and receive Allah’s blessing of forgiveness in the Afterlife.

Further, Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, says that 'I asked the prophet saying: ‘O Messenger of Allah! If I find the Night of Power, what would I supplicate for?  He replied: 'say: O Allah! You are forgiving and love to forgive so forgive me’.

Another hadith tells us that, when the Prophet delivered a sermon on the eve of Ramadan, he divided the month into three very distinct parts; the days of mercy, the days of forgiveness, and latterly, the days of freedom from hell-fire. Building on the mercy and forgiveness of Allah, these last ten days are the days when Allah frees his believing servants from the hell-fire. It is important that believers actively seek out the Night of Power, through their prayers and active intentions, and not sit back idly and expect to receive these rewards automatically.

This month is deeply connected with the revelation of the Quran, the final words of God to humanity. The Quran says: ‘the month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur`an was sent down, guidance for mankind and clear signs of guidance and the Criterion’.  These last ten days, in which the ‘Night of Power’ lays, are more about celebrating the Quranic guidance, understanding it, and embracing it to enhance our self-development, personal morality and the welfare of humanity. People should read and strive to understand more of this sublime revelation and guidance from Allah, in these days, than ever before. 

Ramadan has been described as a month of reflection, self-restraint and a time in which we can attain piety and taqwa. This may, of course, entail introducing changes to our personal lifestyles, but we must also recognise what we must do if we are to improve our characters and our worldwide view. It is a month which brings people closer to Allah and in which souls are cleansed and our direction is changed. As  a result people are more likely to achieve a properly balanced lifestyle, benefiting them not only in their own lives, but also bringing them closer to their creator and receiving future rewards for their good deeds.

Ramadan revives all aspects of the human spirit, especially those of goodness, kindness and generosity. It never brings harm to people. It also brings people together and, by so doing, reinforces the universal bonds of humanity and submission to God. It subdues negative urges and purges the evil tendencies ever present in humans.

This is the reason the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, described the act of fasting as ‘shield’. By fasting a believer shields himself, or herself, from everything that may cause suffering and the eternal displeasure of God.

Fasting is a very exclusive personal dedication and by refraining from indulging in the pleasures that surround us, even for this short period of time, we can demonstrate a real commitment towards Allah’s guidance and our faith in His teachings. It makes a fasting person very special in the Sight of his Creator and Sustainer, and so everything he does becomes very special too, as do the rewards that may be bestowed upon him. Prayers and dua, in this time, receive special treatment when they are accepted. This month re-energises our whole life with God’s guidance. Treating it with great care, and making it more special for ourselves and for all those around us, would be a rightful outcome from this blessed month.