Ramadan- a month of blessings and goodness

The month of Ramadan is once again with us; a beautiful season of fasting solely for the sake of Allah, the Almighty the creator of all, with its overwhelming sense of spirituality and dedication to Him alone. Muslims are about to experience having their spirits, spiritual welfare and personal development uplifted (although with some obligatory commitments on them) and to once again experience the opportunity of becoming a more refined and reformed human-being.

We all live our lives from one month to another, experiencing many changes, but the month of Ramadan introduces a different atmosphere and offers its own unique sense of direction. The Prophet has described this change in these words: ‘when the month of Ramadan enters, the gates of Paradise (Al-Jannah) are opened and the gates of hell are closed and the Satans (devils) are chained’. (narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)

In another narration it said: ‘and a caller calls: O seeker of goodness come forth, and O seeker of evils stop’. (Tirmidhi)

A change has taken place and a change in life is required. That is the spirit of Ramadan. It is an exciting moment for all those who enjoy the spirit of the month of Ramadan. It is very special and designed to further bless all who seek the blessings of Allah, their Creator, the Most Compassionate and Most Merciful Lord.

Fasting is the path we are obliged to follow if we wish to experience this big change and turn our lives around. It also represents a symbolic resistance against all that tempts us away from a pure and healthy life. Fasting must be a dedicated act and not just an expression of desire for what we personally want. That is why this religious obligation is placed upon all those Muslims who can afford to fast. It is one of five pillars of Islam and the act is so special to Allah that He said in a hadith Qudsi: ‘Every act of the son of Adam is multiplied, a goodness from tenfold to seven hundred folds, except the fasting. It is for Me and I will reward for it’.

A dedicated fast, assisted by the spiritual influence of Ramadan and directed by a personal religious commitment, are the right tools to employ if we wish to change the direction of our lives and to please Allah. Resistance against committing evil deeds or against any inclination towards any other temptation is made easier and more easily achievable. The building of a better human society is a task given to man by God, so that ‘He may put you to test to see which one of you is better in deeds’.

The Quran describes the purpose of fasting in this verse: ‘ O believers! Fasting is prescribed upon you as it was prescribed upon those before you, that you become God-fearing’. S2 V183

‘Taqwa’  has been translated as God-fearing, but it contains many other connotations within its meaning. The most important of these is the safeguarding of oneself from the path of wrongdoing and error. It is a form of self-consciousness which introduces discipline into our lives, in both a physical and spiritual sense. Taqwa is called ‘the essence of all goodness’ and the path of goodness is surely the best way to receive the blessings of Allah.

By fasting we may also experience health benefits, indeed, modern science has confirmed such benefits in great detail. We live in a world which is seen as very unhealthy and where, as a result, no one can describe themselves as completely healthy. The majority of our problems stem from either having too much or too little of something or indeed everything. This imbalance puts to the test our intelligence, dignity and compassionate nature and requires, in the Name of God, that we correct our behaviour.

This month also encourages charity and generosity towards each other, which in turn will lead to the creation of a more compassionate and equitable human community. A more noble purpose for life will emerge from this, which, in its turn, will strengthen bonds between God the Almighty and hopefully between all men.

A lot of people consider Ramadan purely as an exercise in survival.  They worry about the long days, a lack of food and drink, how they will survive the day, what will happen at their work-place and even whether they will still be capable or earning a living. This is just a mindset of dependency or defeatism and is what Ramadan is designed to tackle. It is all about gaining self-confidence and dedication to God’s command, the All-Knowing and All-Wise. Islam, as always, provides a solution for an abnormal situation.

The month of Ramadan is the month of the Quran as well. It was revealed during one of its odd numbered nights towards its end. The Quran describes it in this verse: ‘During the month of Ramadan the Quran was sent down as a guidance to the people with Clear Signs of the true guidance and as the Criterion (between right and wrong). So those of you who live to see that month should fast it, and whoever is sick or on a journey should fast the same number of other days instead.’ S2 V185

That beautiful and blessed night in which the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, is described as ‘lailatul Qadr’ or the Night of Power or destiny. According to the Quran this night is ‘better than the nights of a thousand months or roughly calculated the nights of 85 years. That is a pure and utmost blessing from Allah the Most Merciful and Compassionate to His servants.

The Prophet used to keenly look forward to this month and say: ‘O Allah! take us to Ramadan’.

To conclude this, I would like to finish with a hadith which says: ‘Ramadan has approached you, the month of blessings. Allah covers you in it and sends upon you His Mercy, remove from you your wrongdoing and respond to your dua (supplications). Allah looks out to your competition in it (in your good deeds and act of spiritual dedication) and takes pride with His angels. So show to Allah goodness from you. Because an unfortunate person is one who becomes deprived of the mercy of Allah in the month’.

May Allah grant us all the willingness and ability to benefit from the blessed month of Ramadan and may He accept from us all our good deeds and grant us forgiveness from all our wrongdoing and sinful acts.

Ramadan Mubarak to you all.

A world of turmoil needs a solution

Islamic teachings can bring calm and tranquillity into people’s lives if they are followed in sincerity and with guidance. Neither yoga nor mental and physical exercises or even the strongest tranquillisers are of any use if the world of a person has turmoil at its core.  The concept of ‘jihad bin-Nafs’ in Islamic theology is designed to encourage a combative spirit in people, assisting them in their fight against all that inspires evil and malicious acts within themselves or those provoked by the actions of others from the outside world. The Quran, in a half sentence of a verse, put it succinctly, says: ‘Allah loves not those who create mischief’. S28 V77

If this verse is properly understood, then all those who believe in God the Creator and the Master of the worlds, will also understand why ‘al-Fassad’ is so disliked by God. Al-Fasaad, translated as mischief or corruption, is at the root of all our problems. It steals into the world of human peace and tranquillity when we compromise our relationship with God. When Muslim pilgrims circle the Ka`bah, it evokes imagery of how our lives revolve around the One God and His Peace. When we break away from this circling movement around God, in an attempt to create our own imagery, stupidly thinking ourselves wiser than our own Creator, then we tear open the floodgates of mischief and corruption.

Although we are all looking for our own peace in this world of appalling turmoil we continue to fail miserably in our attempts to attain it. Indeed, the Muslim world, in general, appears unable to adopt an Islamic peace or to demonstrate that God’s guidance about peace is true or that we even believe in our own arguments.

In a beautiful hadith, the Prophet Mohammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, says: ‘I am the leader of a house in the lower Paradise (Al-Jannah) for people who leave argument even though they were right. And I am the leader of a house in the middle Paradise for people who do not lie even in joking, and I am the leader of a house in the upper Paradise for people who seek to beautify the moral (aspect of their) character. Narrated by Abu Daud in the Book of Al-Adab.

Even in the matter of inviting people to God, Allah guides us saying: ‘O prophet! Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation and reason with them in the best manner possible’. S16 V125

Further, it guides Muslims in how to treat their opponents: ‘Argue not with the People of the Book except in the fairest manner, unless it be those of them that are utterly unjust’. S29 V46

War is not sanctioned in Islam, except to suppress a warring party who is spreading mischief in the world and bringing misery and destruction to the lives of people. However, Islam does encourage the pacification of groups of people and nations by treaties and conventions, so that peace can be established among the peoples of this world.  The Prophet did just this when he arrived in Madinah, when he wrote the first treaty of nations (tribes and religious groups) and everyone agreed upon it.

The turmoil in our world is of our own making and the result of our actions, or inaction. It most certainly does not come from God. The Quran says: ‘corruption (al-Fasaad) has become rife on the land and at sea because of men’s deeds; this in order that He may cause them to have a taste of some of their deeds; perhaps they will turn back (from their evil deeds). S30 V41

Causing further turmoil to end a turmoil can never be the solution.  We need to reflect on the root cause for all the turmoil in our world. Allah’s beautiful Names contain one that is called ‘the Peace’. Allah is Peace, only He and His teachings and guidance will cause peace to happen and take root.

The leaders of the Muslim world, at every level and layer of the community, need to commit themselves to making the teachings of the Quran the most powerful tool in establishing harmony and peace in the world. The Quran is not a book of mythology nor is it a book aimed at the interests of any particular people. It is a Book containing guidance for the whole of humanity and every word is effectively and powerfully written. Its words should be delivered to all just as effectively and powerfully.

We Muslims appear to have taken a back seat and the Quran has been put on the back burner and neglected, even though we now desperately need it for the guidance it contains. Every group now appears to follow their own version of Islam and to have lost interest in the Islam of the Prophet, or the ‘Islam’ of others. This situation cannot be tolerated and must end, so that the blessed teachings of the Holy Quran take their rightful place in guiding the Muslim community.

We are fast approaching to the blessed month of Ramadan, the month in which the Quran was revealed. We should all make a commitment to understand and accept the powerful guidance of the Quran in the fight to end the turmoil in our own selves, in our lands and in the world as whole.