Getting closer to Allah in Ramadan
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Ramadan
Ramadan Explorer
Almighty Allah says, {And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and
chooses...} [Al-Qasas 28:68]
{وَرَبُّكَ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيَخْتَارُ} القصص: 68
Transliteration: Warabbuka yakhluqu ma yashao wayakhtaru
Allah is the Creator of everything visible and invisible. Everything in the
heaven and earth belongs to Him and serves Him. Allah is also the Creator of
time and space. As Allah chose some persons to be His Prophets and Messengers,
and as He chose some places to become the sacred spots on this earth,
similarly He also chose some time to become the sacred time. The sacred
personalities teach us about Allah, His will, His rules and commands. The
sacred places and times remind us about Allah's special favors and blessings.
In Islam we worship only Allah. We neither worship any person other than
Allah, not any space or time. But certain spaces and times inspire us and
motivate us to do good things. One of those important and sacred moments for
us is Ramadan. It is a special month and a special time. Allah says in the
Qur'an:
{The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind
and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong).
So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of
Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month,
and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not
observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allah intends for you
ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that
you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah
[i.e. to say Takbir (Allahu-Akbar; Allah is the Most Great) on seeing the
crescent of the months of Ramadan and Shawwal] for having guided you so that
you may be grateful to Him. (185) And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad SAW)
concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge).
I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without
any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that
they may be led aright.} [Al-Baqarah 2:185-186]
{شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ
وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ
فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ
أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ اللَّـهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ
وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّـهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ
وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥﴾ وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي
قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي
وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ} البقرة: 185-186
Transliteration: Shahru ramadana allathee onzila feehi alquranu hudan
lilnnasi wabayyinatin mina alhuda waalfurqani faman shahida minkumu alshshahra
falyasumhu waman kana mareedan aw AAala safarin faAAiddatun min ayyamin okhara
yureedu Allahu bikumu alyusra wala yureedu bikumu alAAusra walitukmiloo
alAAiddata walitukabbiroo Allaha AAala ma hadakum walaAAallakum tashkuroona
(185) Waitha saalaka AAibadee AAannee fainnee qareebun ojeebu daAAwata
alddaAAi itha daAAani falyastajeeboo lee walyuminoo bee laAAallahum
yarshudoona
The blessed month of Ramadan is a great time and a beautiful time as well. We
thank Allah that He is giving us another occasion to witness this blessed time
in our life. May He help us to benefit from this season of virtues and
blessings and may He grant us His love, mercy and forgiveness now and forever,
Ameen.
Ramadan is a great month. This is the month of the Qur'an, and in this month
is the Night of Qadr, which is better than one thousand months. Allah chose
this month and a particular night in this month to grace humanity with His
Final Testament, His Last Message, the Qur'an. The moment of this revelation
became a sacred moment, and that time and month became an eternal time for us.
Allah chose this time, and He has filled it with His countless blessings. In
this month we have a greater urge and desire to do good deeds. This month
becomes the month of virtues and blessings for us. This is the month about
which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
''When the first night of Ramadan comes, the devils and rebellious jinns are
put in chains and the doors of hell are closed, none of them remains open. The
doors of heaven are open and none of them remains closed. And a caller calls,
'O seeker of goodness, come forward, and O seeker of evil, desist. And Allah
has many (in this month) who will be freed from Hell.' This announcement is
made every night.'' [Reported by al-Tirmidhi, authenticated by Al-Albani]
«إذا كان أول ليلة من شهر رمضان: صفدت الشياطين ومردة الجن، وغلقت أبواب النار
فلم يفتح منها باب، وفتحت أبواب الجنة فلم يغلق منها باب، وينادي مناد يا باغي
الخير أقبل، ويا باغي الشر أقصر ولله عتقاء من النار، وذلك كل ليلة» رواه الترمذي
وصححه الألباني
Ramadan is meant for our moral and spiritual training and for the purification
of our bodies, minds and souls. This is an annual training program for all
believers. It is a special time to get closer to Allah and to seek His
blessings and bounties. It is a time to learn taqwa (God-fearing), piety,
self-discipline and patience. It is a time to give more charity and become
more generous. It is a time to seek Allah's forgiveness and to forgive each
other. It is a time to be thankful to Allah for His gifts and bounties and
especially His gift of iman.
I urge you, my brothers and sisters, do not miss any day of fasting and do not
miss any moment of the blessed month of Ramadan. This is a very precious time
and Allah will give us many benefits if we use it in the proper way.
Let us keep the following things in our mind when we observe this month:
1. Intention: Remind yourself again and again that you are fasting in
obedience to Allah. Be sincere in your intention. You want Allah to accept
your fasting. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ''Whosoever
fasts in Ramadan with faith and seeking Allah's reward, all his past sins are
forgiven.'' [Agreed upon]
«من صام رمضان إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه» متفق عليه
2. Sunnah: Observe the Sunnah in fasting. Take the suhur meal a little before
dawn and end your fast at sunset. As much as you can, try to fast as much like
the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) fasted. There was no
prayer better than his prayer and no fast better than his fast. Try to follow
his way of fasting. That is the most acceptable way of fasting to Allah.
3. Wara` (Avoiding everything haram or makruh): Keep your body and mind very
clean. Fasting is not just avoiding food and drink. Fasting is to learn how to
avoid bad words and bad deeds. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
said: ''Whosoever does not leave bad words and bad actions, Allah does not
care if he leaves his food and drink.'' [Reported by At-Tirmidhi and
authenticated by Al-Albani]
«ن لم يدع قول الزور والعمل به، فليس لله حاجة بأن يدع طعامه وشرابه» رواه
الترمذي وصححه الألباني
4. Qur'an: Fasting and revelation are inter-connected. Prophet Musa fasted
when he received the Torah. Prophet `Isa fasted when he received the Gospel.
Prophet Muhammad fasted when he received the first message of the Qur'an. Let
us do the same thing. You must fast and spend more time with the Qur'an. Read
the Qur'an every day. Try to finish at least one time the whole Qur'an during
this month by your own personal reading.
5. Prayer or Salah, Du`a' and Dhikr: Pray on time and observe all the prayers.
Do not ignore the Tarawih or Ramadan night prayers. Make more extra and
voluntary prayers. Do as much worship as you can. Do more dhikr (remembering
Allah) and du`a' (supplication) for yourself and for others. Repent and seek
forgiveness for yourself and for others as much as you can. This is the best
time for devotion and seeking Allah's forgiveness. Seek the Night of Qadr by
special devotion during the last ten nights of this month.
6. Zakah, Sadaqah and Generosity: Ramadan generates the spirit of giving and
sacrifice. When we deprive ourselves of food and drink we understand and
realize well what it means to be hungry and thirsty. We realize the pain of
those who cannot find the basic necessities of life. Be very charitable and
generous. Give more to help the poor and needy. Contribute generously to
useful social and community projects.
7. Family: Goodness must begin at home. Be very good to your family, immediate
family and the extended family. Spend more time and quality time with your
family members. Try to have suhur (pre-dawn meal) together. Break your fast
together and pray together as much as you can. Do this more at this time.
Ramadan should bring you closer to each other. Allah's special mercy comes on
the families that are united, harmonious and peaceful.
8. Good Conduct: Fasting should transform you and should make you a different
person. Try to be extra kind and courteous during this month. Forget your
quarrels and disputes. Reconcile and forgive. Do not get involved in
backbiting, lying, cheating and anything that is wrong. Be very good to
Muslims and to all human beings. Be good to your friends and neighbors. Let
your non-Muslim neighbors and co-workers know that this is your blessed and
sacred time.
9. Tafakkur (reflection): Think, reflect and plan to improve the moral and
spiritual condition of your own self and your family. Think about any wrong
things and sins you might be doing and decide to correct yourself. Think about
any deficiencies you have in your Islamic observances. Plan to change
yourself. Think what you can do for the Ummah and for humanity to make this
world a better place for everyone. Think about the life after death and the
Day of Judgment.
10. Be cheerful and happy: Ramadan is not a time of mourning or sadness. It is
a time of thankfulness to Allah.
Do not feel tired and miserable. Feel alert and relax. Take things easy. This
time is for your own good. Give the greetings of Ramadan to each other and
enjoy this beautiful time.
Source: Islamonline.net
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