Ramadan: a month of pure blessings

Ramadan is once again with us, with its pure blessings providing an opportunity for us to turn to Allah, our Creator and maker, and to make more of our lives, both for ourselves and humanity. Ramadan, the month of fasting from dawn to sunset, is dedicated solely for the sake of Allah, and is designed to teach us righteousness and self-restraint. During this month we come to recognise, accept and alter any excesses in our lifestyle and demonstrate our responsibility towards others by our generosity and kindness.

In accordance to Islamic teachings, the month is regarded as very special and is a time when Allah opens up His doors of mercy and forgiveness for those who seek them out. The duty of fasting in this month is obligatory and is regarded as one of the five pillars of Islam. It requires all believers to pay special attention to this opportunity by doing good and refraining from evil deeds.

The Quran contains verses which highlight its importance and manner in which we should go about receiving it in our life. It says: ‘O believers! Fasting is prescribed upon you as it was prescribed upon those who were before you in order for you to learn ‘Taqwa’ (righteousness and self-restraints).

It is an obligation upon those who are able to fast for the month, and it is purely a matter of obedience and complete submission to Allah’s will upon us. It should not be ignored for invalid reasons, neither must we attempt to find loopholes by which we may seek to avoid it.

During his lifetime our Prophet Mohammad, Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon him, would make a special point of delivering  guidance just before the start of Ramadhan, so that people would be reminded of its very special nature and purpose, and make special efforts to gain from its blessed days and nights. In one of his sermons, which is narrated by Obadah ibn Saamit, he says: ‘People! The month of Ramadan is on you; it is a month of blessing, Allah covers you in this month with His mercy, removes sins from you, and accepts your dua and supplications. Allah looks towards your acts of competition in it and take pride with His angels, so show to Allah your goodness, because ill-fated is one who is deprived of Allah’s Mercy’. 

This is very important guidance from the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, with seven special features of this month mentioned in it. If only people would take into  consideration, prior to entering the month, those seven points mentioned in the hadith above, they would benefit immensely from a life changing experience that would bring blessings to them, to their families, and the whole of humanity.

If a list of the possible effects of fasting is drawn up, even solely from a medical perspective, we see that it does no harm to fast and abstain from such routine acts such as meals and feasting, but rather that the benefits are innumerable.

However, from the Islamic perspective, the occasion has two main benefits: first, the benefit of the discipline and reflective mindset necessary to complete the fast, and the wider and larger benefit this brings to families, communities and humanity. Secondly, the special spiritual nature of this month, with its blessed days and nights, and Allah’s special mercy to the believers. Both categories contain multi- dimensional benefits derived from fasting and the season.

The Quran simply says: ‘and that you fast which is good for you, only if you could know’.

The special blessing of the fast is that this dearly regarded act is very especially rewarded by Allah. In a hadith Qudsi, narrated by Abu Hurairah, the Prophet, Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon him, says that Allah, Most Sublime and Glorious, says: ‘Each single deed of the son of Adam is for his own sake except the fasting; it is for me and I would reward for it.’ Fasting is a shield. So when it is a day of fasting for you let him not speak of indecent speech, or get involved in idle talks. If he is sworn at by anyone or anyone attempts to induce him to fight, he should respond saying: I am fasting….’

When people fast, they should keep the greater purpose of the fast in the forefront of their thinking, or they may easily spoil it without realising it. The Prophet has delivered a warning for such people saying: ‘anyone who did not abandon lies and their action accordingly then Allah has no need for him to abstain from food and drink’. Even further, the prophet warned: ‘many of people who fast do not get anything out of it except hunger and thirst’.

Ramadan should not be a month of accelerating violence and negative characteristics. It requires calmness, serenity and a spiritual posture. We need not only to benefit from it ourselves, but to also show the world the real benefits of fasting. By our own actions, we must demonstrate the serenity of the occasion and our marking of the importance of the spiritual season.

If only we Muslims could truly demonstrate the positive impact of the five pillars of our Islamic life and Allah’s purpose in human guidance, we would be the best spiritual nation, ever raised, to guide humanity. But if, in the practice of our faith, our acts are only superficial, and we subscribe the very minimal effort to them, then the blessings of Allah will pass us by and we will be forever deprived of them.

Every day of the month of Ramadhan is blessed and every night draws special blessings from Allah on to the believers. It disciplines the Ummah, closing their ranks in goodness and against evil, makes people serene and reflective, shows them the paths of generosity and compassion and brings them back to the Path of Allah.

 Muslim brothers and sisters, let the purpose of Ramadan shine on our lives and when we fast, rather than dwelling on the length of time that we have to fast, focus instead on our obligation and on the real benefits of our fasting.

May Allah bless you all in this most honoured month and a very blessed and Happy Ramadan for all of you.