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Reality and Obligation in
Ramadan
Al-Jumu`ah Magazine, Vol.
8, Issue 9
During this Ramadan do not
let the sweetness of our deeds vanish into the night,
leaving only emptiness. When one contemplates the texts on
fasting, its wisdom and goals in Shari`ah, and
looks at the reality of the Muslim communities, one
realizes a wide gap between the reality and our
obligations. Remember that Ramadan is a bounty that Allah
blessed His servants with, to strengthen their faith, and
increase their piety (Taqwa). Allah said: "O you who
believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was
prescribed for those before you, that you may become
pious." (Al-Baqarah: 183) This article is an attempt to
present the essential causes of this gap, and to some
remedies. Primary reason for the gap is ignorance about
the goals of fasting and the wisdom behind it. Many
Muslims ignore the purpose and wisdom of fasting. Fasting
is done merely to conform to the social environment
without contemplation. If one is not aware of the divine
wisdom of Shari`ah and its fruits in this world and
in the hereafter, one will not apply it in the right way.
Goals of Fasting
Achieving Taqwa: is
one of the most important wisdom of fasting. Fasting
brings on Taqwa as it lessens the desire of the stomach
and mutes the sexual appetite. Whoever fasts frequently
would overcome these two desires more easily. This deter
against committing abominations and sins and assist in
controlling life leading to Taqwa.
Strengthening willpower and
acquiring patience: The Prophet, peace and
blessing be upon him, called Ramadan the month of patience
as it increases one's will power to control his desire and
the selfishness of his soul. This training allows him to
be strong in following Allah's commands. The most
important being to carry the Message and propel it
forward. The person trains himself to be patient in
obeying Allah by stopping at the limits set by Allah both
by way of action and abstention. Allah said: "These are
the limits set by Allah, so approach them not." (Al-Baqarah:
187)
Fasting is pure worship:
The fact that he is abstaining from food and drink both in
public and in secret shows his honest faith and strong
love of Allah, and his knowledge and feeling that Allah is
all-knowing of everything. For this reason Allah has made
the reward for fasting greater than for any other type of
worship. Allah said in the Hadith Qudsi: "Every deed of
the son of Adam will be multiplied [in rewards], the good
deed by ten of its like, up to seven hundreds, up to
whatever Allah wills, except fasting, it is for Me and I
will reward it. He abandons his desire and his food for My
sake…" (Related by Muslim) Ibn Al-Qayyim said: "...And
people may see that a person is not eating in front of
them, but the fact that he is really abandoning his food
and his desire for the sake of Allah is a thing that
nobody can find out about, and that is the essence of
fasting." (Zad Al-Ma`ad 2/29)
Relieving Muslims from life's
distractions: Eating, drinking, and socializing
all distract a person and weaken ties with Allah. It is by
the Mercy of Allah that Muslims are ordered to fast so as
not to be bothered by the intrusion of these activities.
Nor by the thought about them nor the anticipation for
them when devoting themselves to the all types of worship
Either reading the Qur'an, offering additional prayer or
making I'tikaf. For this reason the Prophet, peace and
blessing be upon him, said: "Fasting is a shield, and a
secure fortress against Hell fire." (Related by Ahmad)
Discovering Allah's Blessings:
A person experiences the hardship of the poor. He should
then be thankful to Allah Who has blessed him with His
bounty while others are deprived. This should make him
more sympathetic and willing to share this bounty. The
poor rediscovers that fasting helps a person be more
devoted to worship. More able to concentrate and meditate.
He should then be able of this devotion all year long, a
blessing he should thank Allah for.
Acquiring strength and
endurance: It has been discovered that
depriving the body of food for a period of time helps its
defense and endurance mechanism. This in turn this
protects the body from certain diseases.
Remember that fasting is not
only dependent on abstentions: Many believe
that fasting consist only of certain abstentions,
forgetting that Allah established certain acts of worship
with fasting. Among which are:
Qiyamul-layl: The
Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: "Whoever
performed the night prayer during Ramadan out of belief
and anticipating Allah's rewards, will be forgiven his
previous sins."(Related by Muslim). Performing `Umrah:
The Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: "An
`Umrah during Ramadan is like a Hajj with me."
(Related by Al-Hakim)
Offering Iftar (meal) to those
who fasted: The Prophet, peace and blessing be
upon him, said: "Whoever feeds a fasting person has the
same reward as him, except that the reward of the fasting
person will not be diminished." (Related by Ahmad)
Reading and completing the
Qur'an: The Prophet, peace and blessing be upon
him, said: "Fasting and [reading] Qur'an will intercede
for the person: fasting will say: O Lord I forbade him
eating and drinking so let me intercede for him, and the
Qur'an will say: I deprived him from his night sleep so
let me intercede for him," he then said: "So they will
intercede." (Related by Ahmad) The Prophet, peace and
blessing be upon him, used to recite the whole Qur'an to
Angel Jibril each Ramadan.
Giving in charity:
Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The
Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, was the most
generous among people, and he was more generous during the
month of Ramadan." (Related by Muslim)
I`tikaf: which is to
confine oneself in the Masjid for prayer and invocation
leaving the worldly activities. Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be
pleased with him) said: "The Prophet, peace and
blessing be upon him, used to perform I`tikaf during the
last ten days of Ramadan." (Related by Muslim). It is
surprising that many people have abandoned I`tikaf though
the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, never
abandoned it from the time he arrived to Madinah until he
died.
Supplication: In the
verses dealing with fasting, Allah said: {And when My
slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then answer
them, I am indeed near to them. I respond to the
invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me}. (Al-Baqarah:
186) This is an encouragement for the fasting person to
increase his invocation. The Prophet, peace and blessing
be upon him, said: "Three invocations will be answered:
The invocation of the fasting person, the invocation of
the oppressed, and the invocation of the traveler."
(Related by Muslim).
Repentance: Ramadan
is the time of repentance and return to Allah, for it is a
time when the devils are chained, and when many people are
saved from hell fire every night by the grace of Allah.
Applying oneself in all good
deeds in the last ten days of Ramadan: `A’ishah
(may Allah be pleased with her) said: "When the last
ten days come, he, peace and blessings be upon him, would
pray most of the night and wake his family, and apply
himself, and tighten up his loincloth.", and she also
said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be
upon him, used to strive in the last days of Ramadan more
than he did during the other days." (Related by
Muslim).
Abstaining from vain talk:
Sins decrease the reward of fasting although they do not
annul it. The Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him,
said: "Fasting is not [only] abstaining from eating and
drinking, but abstaining from vain and obscene talk, so if
someone insulted you or wronged you say: I am fasting."
(Related by Al-Hakim) and he also said: 'Whoever does
not abandon lying, then Allah does not need him to abandon
his food and drink." (Related by Al-Bukhari)
Common Errors Made
During Ramadan
Excessive spending:
Ramadan should be a time to avoid being wasteful, and
learning to be prepared in facing harder times by
distinguishing the needs from the luxuries. Unfortunately,
many people go beyond their limits to spend during
Ramadan. Whether in the varieties of food that they savor
each night, or by the other types of spending.
Staying awake during the night
and sleeping during the day: Some people sleep
during most of the day when they are fasting. Ramadan is
not a time of being lazy, and this do not allow the full
benefit from the experience of fasting. It is as if they
have only inverted their nights into days and vice versa.
In addition, some may spend a great portion of the night
indulging in eating and drinking and socializing
Spending more time in
socializing: Because people invite each other
more often during Ramadan they do tend to spend more time
socializing with friends, and relatives. While it is a
good deed to feed the fasting person, this should not
result in precious time lost in vain talk. Use the
occasion for remembering Allah and offering additional
prayers, and for the Da`wah to Allah.
Insisting on performing a
certain number of Rak`ahs during the Taraweeh (night)
prayer to the point of not praying behind the Imam and
thus forfeiting the benefit of congregational prayer.
This might also bring hatred and disagreement between the
Muslims of one community.
Reading Qur'an too fast:
Some insist on finishing the whole Qur'an once or more,
even if they have to read very fast. Although reading the
Qur'an many times is desirable, this should not be done
hastily, especially during the Taraweeh prayer without
pondering upon its meaning. Allah ta'ala said: {This is a
Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings
that they may ponder over its verses}. (Sad: 29), and the
Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: "Those
who read the Qur'an in less than three days do not grasp
[its meaning]."
Socializing in l`tikaf:
Many people are eager to do I`tikaf but some confine
themselves in the Masjid not to pray and worship Allah but
to talk and socialize.
The ways of doing good are
numerous in Ramadan. Many people try to perform more than
they are able to. By going beyond their
capabilities, they end up not performing any deed in the
desired way.
Scholars and Da`iyas should
assume a more prominent role in educating the people
- both by talking to them and by giving the best example
in their behavior which should comply to the Shari`ah
and following the Sunnah.
The
Muslim should realize that his priorities dictate that he
does what benefits him in the Hereafter and should not put
worldly interests first.
The Muslim should apply himself
to deepen his sense of following the Sunnah of the
Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, in
every aspect of his life, at all times and especially
during the month of Ramadan. This necessitates seeking
more knowledge about the Fiqh of fasting and its
etiquette, assimilating the wisdom and goals of fasting,
and facilitating the means that allow all the Muslims to
benefit from their fasting.
We
ask Allah to accept our fast and our good deeds.
Excerpted from
www.islaam.com with slight modifications.
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