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Lessons
for Ramadhan
"The month of Ramadhaan in
which the Qur'ân was revealed, a guidance for mankind and clear
proofs for the guidance of the Criterion between right and wrong. So
whosoever of you sights the crescent for the month of Ramadhaan, he
must fast that month." [Soorah al-Baqarah 2:185]
Allah's Messenger (SAW) said: "Islaam is built upon five: Testifying
that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and the
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the Prayer, giving
the Zakaah performing Hajj to the House, and fasting in Ramadhaan."
[Bukhari (1/48) and Muslim (no.16)]
He (SAW) also said: "There has come to you Ramadhaan, a blessed
month, in which Allah has made it obligatory to fast. During it the
gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hellfire are closed,
and the rebellious devils are chained. In it is a night (Laylatul-Qadr)
which is better than a thousand months. He who is deprived of its
good has truly been deprived." [al-Nasai (no.1992]
From the many important lessons to be learnt from fasting are:
GAINING TAQWA
Fasting has been legislated in order that we may gain taqwa as Allah
(SWT) said: "O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you,
as it was prescribed upon those before you in order that you may
attain taqwa." [Soorah al-Baqarah 2:183].
Talq ibn Habeeb (rh) said: "When fitnah (trial and tribulation)
appears then extinguish it with taqwa." So he was asked as to what
taqwa was, so he replied: "Taqwa is to act in obedience to Allah,
upon a light (i.e. Iman, faith) from Allah, hoping in the Mercy of
Allah. And taqwa is leaving acts of disobedience to Allah, upon a
light from Allah, due to the fear of Allah." [Ibnul-Mubaarak]
"This is one of the best definitions of taqwa. For every action must
have both a stating point and a goal. And an action will not be
considered as an act of obedience, or newness to Allah unless it
sluts from pure Iman (faith in Allah). Thus, it is pure Iman - and
not habits, desires, nor seeking praise or fame, nor its flee - that
should be what initiates an action. And the preparation showed, to
earn the reward of Allah and to seek His good pleasure." So Fasting
is a means of attaining taqwa, since it helps prevent a person from
many sins that one is prone to. Due to this, the Prophet (SAW) said:
"Fasting is a shield with which the servant protects himself from
the Fire." [Imam Ahmads Musnad (3/241)] So we should ask ourselves,
after each day of fasting: Has this lasting made us more fearful and
obedient to Allah? Has it aided us in distancing ourselves from sins
and disobedience?
SEEKING NEARNESS TO ALLAH (SWT)
The Prophet (SAW) said: "Allah said: Whosoever shows enmity to a
friend of Mine, I shall be at war with him. My servant does not draw
near to me with anything more beloved to me than the obligatory
duties that I have placed upon him. My servant continues to draw
nearer to Me with optional deeds so that I shall love him." [Bukhari
(11/48I)]
The Prophet (SAW) said: "Whosoever reaches the month of Ramadhaan
and does not have his sins forgiven, and so enters the Fire, then
may Allah distance him."[Ahmad (2/246) and Bayhaqi (4/204)]
So drawing closer to Allah - the Most Perfect - in this blessed
month, can be achieved by fulfilling one's obligatory duties; and
also reciting the Qur'ân and reflecting upon its meanings,
increasing in kindness and in giving charity, in making du‘aa
(supplication) to Allah, attending the Taraaweeh Prayer, seeking out
Laylatul-Qadr (the Night of Power and Pre-Decree), a night which is
better than a thousand months, attending gatherings of knowledge,
and striving in those actions that will cause the heart to draw
closer to its lard and to gain His forgiveness. Our level of
striving in this blessed month should be greater than our striving
to worship Allah in any other month, due to the excellence and
rewards that Allah has placed in it. Likewise from the great means
of seeking nearness to Allah in this month is making I‘tikaaf
(seclusion in the mosque in order to worship Allah) - for whoever is
able.
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (rh) said: "Allah also prescribed i’tikaaf for
them, the objective being that the heart becomes fully preoccupied
with Allah (SWT) concentrated upon Him alone, and cut-off from being
preoccupied with the creation. Rather, the heart is only engrossed
with Allah - the Most Perfect - such that loving Him, remembering
Him, and turning to Him takes the place of all the heart's anxieties
and worries, so that he is able to overcome them. Thus all his
concerns are for Allah, and his thoughts are all directed towards
remembering Him and thinking of how to attain His Pleasure and what
will cause nearness to him which leads him to feel contented with
Allah instead of people. This, in turn prepares him for being at
peace with Allah alone, on the day of loneliness in the grave, when
there will be no one else to give comfort, nor anyone to grant
solace, except Him. So this is the greater goal of I‘tikaaf." [Zaadul-Ma‘aad
(2/87) - Ibnul-Qayyim]
ACQUIRING PATIENCE
Imaam Ahmad (d.241H) (rh) said: "Allah has mentioned sabr (patience)
in over ninety places in His Book."
The Prophet (SAW) said: "The month of Patience, and the three days
of every month, are times for fasting." [Ahmad (2/163) and al-Nasai
(1/327)]
Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr (rh) said: "So fasting is called patience because it
restrains the soul from eating, drinking, conjugal relations and
sexual desires."
He (SAW) said: "O youths! Whoever amongst you is able to marry then
let him do so; for it restrains the eyes and protects the private
parts. But whoever is unable, then let him fast, because it will be
a shield for him." [Bukhari & Muslim]
So fasting is a means of learning self-restraint and patience. With
patience we are able to strengthen our resolve to worship Allah
alone, with sincerity, and also cope with life's ups and downs. So -
for example - with patience we are able to perform our Prayers
calmly and correctly, without being hasty, and without merely
pecking the ground several times! With patience we are able to
restrain our souls from greed and stinginess and thus give part of
our surplus wealth in Zakaah (obligatory charity). With patience we
are able to subdue the soul's ill temperament, and thus endure the
ordeal and hardships of Hajj, without losing tempers and behaving
badly. Likewise, with patience we are able to stand firm and fight
Jihaad against the disbeliveers, hypocrites and heretics -
withstanding their constant onslaught, without wavering and
buckling, without despairing or being complacent and without
becoming hasty and impatient at the first signs of hardship. Allah (SWT)
said: "O Prophet, urge the Believers to fight ... So if there are
one hundred who are patient, they shall overcome two hundred; and if
there be one thousand, they shall overcome two thousand, by the
permission of Allah. And Allah is with the patient ones." [Soorah
al-Anfaal 8:65-66].
Thus, without knowledge and patience, nothing remains, except zeal
and uncontrolled emotions, shouts and hollow slogans, speech that
does not strengthen, but rather weakens, and actions that do not
build, but rather destroy! So in this month, we should strive to
develop a firm resolve for doing acts of obedience, and to adorn
ourselves with patience - having certainty in the saying of our
Messenger (SAW): "And know that victory comes with patience, relief
with affliction, and case with hardship." [Ahmad (1/203)]
CULTIVATING GOOD MANNERS
The Prophet (SAW) said: "Whosoever does not abandon falsehood in
speech and action, then Allah the Mighty and Majestic has no need
that he should leave his food and drink." [Bukhari (4/99)]
He (SAW) also said: "Fasting is not merely abstaining from eating
and drinking. Rather, it is also abstaining from ignorant and
indecent speech. So if anyone abuses or behaves ignorantly with you,
then say: I am fasting, I am fasting." [Ibn Khuzaymah & Haakim]
These narrations point towards the importance of truthfulness and
good manners. Thus, this blessed month teaches us not only to
abstain from food and drink, but to also abstain from such
statements and actions that may be the cause of harming people and
violating their rights - since the Messenger (SAW) said whilst
describing the true Believer: "A Muslim is one from whom other
Muslims are safe from his tongue and his hand." [Bukhari & Muslim]
Thus it is upon us as individuals, to
examine the shortcomings in our character, and to then seek to
improve them - modelling ourselves upon the character of the last of
the Prophets and Messengers, and their leader, Muhammad (SAW) -
aspiring also for the excellence which he mentioned in his saying:
"I am a guarantor for a house on the outskirts of Paradise (or
whosoever leaves off arguing, even if he is in the right; and a
house in the centre of Paradise (or whosoever abandons falsehood,
even when joking; and a house in the upper-most part of Paradise for
whosoever makes his character good." So by shunning oppression,
shamelessness, harbouring hatred towards Muslims, back-biting,
slandering, tale-carrying, and other types of falsehood, we can be
saved from nullifying the rewards of our fasting - as Allah's
Messenger (SAW) said: "It may be that a fasting person, receives
nothing from his fast, except hunger and thirst." [Ahmad (2/441) &
Ibn Maajah (I/539)]
SENSING MUSLIM UNITY
The Prophet (SAW) said: "Fast when they fast, and break your fast
when they break their fast, and sacrifice the day they sacrifice."
[Al-Tirmidhi]
Imaam at-Tirmidthee (rh) said: "Some of the People of Knowledge
explained this ahaadeeth by saying: Its meaning is to fast and break
the fast along with the Jamaa’ah and the majority of people."
Thus, in this blessed month we can sense an increased feeling of
unity and of being a single Ummah due to our fasting and breaking
our fast collectively. We also feel an increased awareness about the
state of affairs of the Muslims and of the hardships that they
endure, because during the fast a Muslim feels and experiences what
his needy and hungry brothers and sisters feel, who are forced to go
without food and drink for many days - as occurs today to many of
the Muslims in Africa, Afghanistan and Iraq. Indeed, the unity of
the Muslims - and their aiding and assisting one another - is one of
the great fundamentals upon which the Religion of Islaam is built,
as Allah (SWT) said: "And hold fast altogether to the rope of
Allah and do not be divided." [Soorah Aal-‘Imraan 3:103].
Allah (SWT) also said: "The Believers - men and women - and
friends and protectors to one another." [Soorah at-Tawbah
9:44].
It has been said:"The welfare of people will not be complete -
neither in this world, nor in the Hereafter - except with ijtimaa‘
(collectiveness), ta‘aawun (mutual cooperation), and tanaasur
(mutual help); mutual cooperation in order to secure benefits, and
mutual help in order to ward off harm. It is for this reason that
man is said to be social and civil by nature." [Al-Hisbah fil-Islaam]
Thus we see that Islaam lays great importance in bringing hearts
together and encouraging ijtimaa‘ (collectiveness). This is not only
reflected in the month of Ramadhaan, but also in the other acts of
worship as well. So, for example, we have been ordered by the
Prophet (SAW) to pray the five daily Prayers in congregation, and
that it has been made twenty-seven times more rewarding than praying
it individually. Likewise, this similar collective spirit is
demonstrated in the act of Hajj (Pilgrimage). Even in learning
knowledge and studying it, blessings have been placed in
collectiveness, as Allah's Messenger (SAW) said: "No people gather
together in a house from the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of
Allah and studying it amongst themselves, except that tranquility
descends upon them, mercy envelops them, the angels surround them,
and Allah mentions them to those that are with Him." Likewise, even
in our everyday actions such as eating, Islaam teaches us
collectiveness. Thus, when some of the Companions of the Prophet
(SAW) said to him: O Messenger of Allah, we eat but do not become
satisfied. He replied: "Perhaps you eat individually?" They replied,
Yes! So he said: "Eat collectively and mention the name of Allah.
There will then be blessings for you in it." Indeed, even in the
etiquette’s of sitting the spirit of collectiveness ' is
demonstrated. So, one day the Prophet (SAW) came across the
Companions who were sitting in separate circles, so he said to them:
"Why do I see you sitting separately!" [26] Similarly, Aboo
Tha‘labah al-Khushanee (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) said: Whenever the people
used to encamp, they used to split-up into the mountain passes and
valleys. So Allah's Messenger (SAW) said: "Indeed your being
split-up in these mountain passes and valleys is from Shaytaan."
Thereafter, whenever they used to encamp, they used to keep very
close together, to such an extent that it was said: If a cloth were
to be spread over them, it would cover them all.
Thus, Ramadhaan is a time to increase our sense of unity and
brotherhood, and our commitment to Allah and His Religion. And there
is no doubt that this sense of unity necessitates that: "We all work
together as required by Islaam as sincere brothers - not due to
hizbiyyah (bigoted party spirit), nor sectarianism - in order to
realize that which is of benefit to the Islaamic UMMAH and to
establish the Islaamic society that every Muslim aspires for so that
the Sharee‘ah (Prescribed Law) of Allah is applied upon His earth"
So we must examine ourselves during the month of Ramadhaan and ask:
What is my role? - and each of us has a role - in helping this
precious Ummah to regain its honour, and return to the Ummah its
comprehensive unity and strength, and victory that has been promised
to it? Likewise, we should reflect upon our own character and
actions and ask: Are they aiding the process of unity and
brotherhood, or are they a harm and a hindrance to it?
So we ask Allah to grant us the ability to change ourselves for the
better, during this blessed month, and not to be of those who are
prevented from His Mercy and forgiveness. Indeed He is the One who
Hears and He is the One to Respond. |
