Ramadan is more than a month in the Islamic calendar where Muslims all over the world are required to abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk, but an extraordinary journey that bonds the human heart, mind, and body, in a unique act of purgation, following the divine light of guidance.
Ramadan is more than a month in the Islamic calendar where Muslims all over the world are required to abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk, but an extraordinary journey that bonds the human heart, mind, and body, in a unique act of purgation and renovation, following the divine light of guidance and bounded by love for Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (pbuh).
“The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.”—Quran 2:185
The fact that the Quran, the source of guidance and light for humanity, was revealed unto the noble Prophet (peace be upon him) during Ramadan, is by far not coincidental- it’s for Muslims to revive the convention in that particular month and relive the Quran as if it were just revealed. Every Muslim should seize the holy month to grasp its blessings, unload the burdens brought along with “civility” and “modernity”, to engage in an all-encompassing, 30-day long journey of healing that enjoins the spiritual, physical, mental and psychological aspects of his/her whole being, nurturing them all.
Ramadan is time to break free from the shackles of worldly deliberation, engaging more in a kind of purgation that brings back the person to his original Fitra upon which he was created, thereby restoring a long deserted Servant-Lord relation with Almighty Allah with all that entails of committing the whole self in acts of Ibadat (worshiping) that include fasting, supererogatory prayers, supplication, reciting Quran and many more, the impact of which lasts for a complete year ahead, till the coming of next Ramadan.
Such acts of worship detoxify the heart by ridding it of any inclination towards that which is evil or detrimental to a genuine Muslim character, imbibing in it sincere and honest love for Allah and his creatures: man, plant and animal. And not just that, engaging in acts of worship polishes the psyche, asserting and renewing the believe in the Oneness of Allah, His Supreme Power and Supreme Control over the universe. And during Ramadan, time of daily fast that involves abstaining from all that feeds the physical needs for a required number of hours, the physical body is relieved of the daunting task of continuous eating it suffers in normal days; a predominantly bad habit of excessive eating that characterizes our modern age.
The result of all that is an invigorated and transparent soul that’s capable of transcending, grasping more of the divine light and getting more detached from base desires while more attached to its Creator (SWT) and that which earns it His love and satisfaction, Allah; the Master of the Day of Judgment.
Working towards this end, a Muslim should save no effort to make the most of this journey, enjoining all of his/her self to earn the satisfaction and blessings of Allah, the massive reward of the month, and thus attain salvation; that is the optimum goal of Muslims throughout Ramadan.
Seize the chance and embark on a unique 30-day voyage that will transform the whole of you. Live the month to the fullest. Read the Quran and reflect on its meanings. Pray like you have never prayed before. Appeal to Allah to grant you the reward in this life and the hereafter. Make Ramadan a reason for bringing forth much of the change you aspire for. Make it a starting point, and buy yourself a perfectly new life.
Have a Blessed Ramadan.
Wassalaam,
Maha Youssuf
maha@muslimtribune.org
Posted on: July 31, 2011
