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In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful
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In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful
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Allah the Most High said: "The month of Ramadhan in which the Quran 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 Ramadhan, he must fast that month." [Soorah al-Baqarah 2:185]
Allahs Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi
wa sallam, said:
"Islam is built upon five: Testifying that none has the right to be worshipped
except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the
Prayer, giving the Zakaah, performing Hajj to the House, and fasting in
Ramadhan."
He sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said:
"There has come to you Ramadhan, 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 truly has
been deprived."
From the many important lessons to be learnt from fasting are:
[1] Gaining Taqwaa
Fasting has been legislated in order that we may gain taqwaa, as Allah the
Most High said: "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was
prescribed upon those before you in order that you may attain taqwaa." [Soorah
al-Baqarah 2:183]
Talq ibn Habeeb (d. 100H) rahimahullah said:
"When fitnah (trial and tribulation) appears then extinguish it with taqwaa." So
he was asked as to what taqwaa was, so he replied: "Taqwaa to act in obedience
to Allah, upon a light (i.e. eemaan, faith) from Allah, hoping in the Mercy of
Allah. And taqwaa is leaving the acts of disobedience to Allah, upon a light
from Allah, due to the fear of Allah."
This is one of the best definitions of taqwaa. For every action must have both a
starting point and a goal. And an action will not be considered as an act of
obedience, or nearness to Allah, unless it starts from pure eemaan (faith in
Allah). Thus it is pure eemaan and not habits, desires, nor seeking praise or
fame, nor its like that should be what initiates the action. And the [goal of
the] action should be to earn the reward of Allah and to seek His good
pleasure." So fasting is a means of attaining taqwaa, since it helps prevent
from many sins that one is prone to. Due to this, the Prophet sallallahu `alayhi
wa sallam said: "Fasting is a shield with which the servant protects himself
from the Fire." So we should ask ourselves, after each day of fasting: Has this
fasting made us more fearful and obedient to Allah? Has it aided us in
distancing ourselves from sins and disobedience?
[2] Seeking Nearness to Allah
The Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam 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."
The Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said:
"Whosoever reaches the month of Ramadhan and does not have his sins forgiven,
and so enters the fire, then may Allah distance him."
So drawing closer to Allah the Most Perfect in this blessed month, can be
achieved by fulfilling ones obligatory duties; and also reciting the Quraan
and reflecting upon its meanings, increasing in kindness and in giving charity,
in making du`aa (supplication) to Allah, attending the taraweeh 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 Lord 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.
Imam ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751H) rahimahullah said:
"Allah also prescribed I`tikaaf for them, the objective being that the heart
becomes fully preoccupied with Allah the Most High 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 hearts 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 and what leads
him to feel contended 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.
[3] Acquiring Patience
Imaam Ahmad (d.241H) rahimahullah said: "Allah has mentioned sabr
(patience) in over ninety places in His Book."
The Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said: "The month of Patience, and the
three days of every month, are times for fasting."
Ibn `Abdul-Barr (d.464H) rahimahullah said: "What is meant by the month of
Patience is the month of Ramadan
So fasting is called patience because it
restrains the soul from eating drinking, conjugal relations and sexual desires."
He sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam 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."
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 lifes 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
souls 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 disbelievers, 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 sings of hardship. Allah the Most High 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 weakness, 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 sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam: "And know that victory
comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship."
[4] Cultivating Good Manners
The Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam 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."
He sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam 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." (15)
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 sallallahu `alayhi
wa sallam said whilst describing the true Believer: "A Muslim is one from whom
other Muslims are safe from his tongue and his hand." 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 sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam
aspiring also for the excellence which he mentioned in his saying: "I am a
guarantor for a house on the outskirts of Paradise for whoever leaves off
arguing, even if he is in right; and a house in the centre of Paradise for
whosoever abandons falsehood, even when joking; and a house in the upper-most 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 Allahs Messenger sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said:
"It may be that a fasting person receives nothing from his fast, except hunger
and thirst."
[5] Sensing Muslim Unity
The Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said: "Fast when they fast, and break
your fast when they break their fast, and sacrifice the day they sacrifice."
Imaam at-Tirmidhee (d. 275H) rahimahullah said: "Some of the People of
Knowledge explained this hadeeth 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 many days as occurs today to many of the
Muslims in Africa." Indeed, the unity of the Muslims and their aiding and
assisting one another is one of the great fundamentals upon which the Religion
of Islam is built, as Allah the Most High said: "And hold fast altogether to
the rope of Allah and do not be divided." [Soorah Aal `Imraan 3:103]. Allah
the Most High also said: "The Believers men and women and friends and
protectors of one another." [Soorah al-Tawbah 9:44]
Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728H) rahimahullah said: "The welfare of
people will not be complete neither in this world, nor in the Hereafter
except with ijtima` (collectiveness), ta`awun (mutual co-operation), and
tanassur (mutual help); mutual co-operation 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."
Thus we see that Islam lays great importance in bringing hearts together and
encouraging ijtima` (collectiveness). This is not only reflected in the month of
Ramadhan, but also in the other acts of worship as well. So, for example, we
have been ordered by the Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam to pray the five
daily Prayers in congregation, and that it has been made twenty-seven times more
rewardful 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 Allahs Messenger
sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said: "No people gather in a house form the houses
of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it amongst themselves, except
that tranquillity descends upon them, mercy envelops them, the angels surround
him, and Allah mentions them to those that are with Him." Likewise, even in our
everyday actions such as, eating, Islam teaches us collectiveness. Thus, when
some of the Companions of the Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said to him:
O Messenger of Allah, we eat but to 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 etiquettes of sitting the spirit of collectiveness is
demonstrated. So, one day the Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam came across
the Companions who were sitting in separate circles, so he said to them: "Why do
I see you sitting separately!" Similarly, Abu Tha`labah al-Khushanee radiallahu
`anhu said: Whenever the people used to encamp, they used to split-up into the
mountain passes and valleys. So Allahs Messenger sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam
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, Ramadhan 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 work together as required by Islam as sincere
brothers not due to hizbiyyah (bigoted party spirit), nor sectarianism in
order to realize that which is of benefit to the Islamic Ummah and to establish
the Islamic 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 Ramadhan 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 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.
