We thank Allah who has shown us His path and made us worthy of being a Muslim. This gratitude becomes more incumbent upon us when we reflect that Allah told His Prophet (SAW) to inform us all: “count not your Islam as a favour to me (the Prophet). Nay, but Allah has conveyed a favour upon you that He has guided you to the Faith if you indeed are true.”
O brethren! Gratitude has become our lot beyond the Faith Allah has given each and everyone of us. To delight His Prophet and show abundant magnanimity to his Ummah, we have been given the month of Ramadan, which Rasulullah calls “the month of my ummah”. It is so titled because the amount of rahmah and reward that the servant receives is beyond his imagination. To underscore the greatness of Ramadan, Allah categorically state that: “fasting is for Me and I will reward it”.
Alhamdulillah for the level of awareness and preparedness of the Ummah for this august (indeed August) visitor. I am aware that we have received many illuminating nasihah on the Ramadan. My concern here is an exposition of the objective of the fast and all activities associated with the Ramadan.
Allah admonishes that “O Believers, fasting is prescribed for you just as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious”. Q2:183 The operating words in this verse are:
- Prescribed: This means ordained and it is mandatory for all qualifying adults but children/minors can be encouraged as part of the training before attaining adulthood.
- Piety: This is the objective of the whole gamut of rites performed in the month.
The purification of the heart, which scholars called tazkiyatun-nafs, is the centre of spiritual training that translates a Muslim to a Mu’meen and eventually a Muhsin. Fasting is one tool that Allah has ordained for soul training in order to restore the wavered soul to its pure origin to enable it attain the essence of its creation. So each and every soul who wishes to engage in the activities of Ramadan should have ikhlas (sincerity) and ensure that everything is done for seeking Allah’s ridwan (pleasure). When and only when we do this that we reap all the bounties that Allah promised. Aside from the Ramadan, one who has attained taqwa is promised thus:
Verily, those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, the Most Gracious (Allah) will bestow love for them (in the hearts of the believers). Q19:96
Verily, Allah loves the Muttaqun (the pious). Q9:7
And whosoever fears Allah and keep his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And will provide from (sources) he never could imagine. Q65:2,3
And whosoever fears Allah and keep his duty to Him, He will make his affairs easy for him. Q65:4
The benefits of taqwa are numerous as can be seen from the above Qur’anic verses. As we prepare for the fast, we must be guided by its objective of getting better and closer to Allah by incorporating the quality of taqwa into our lives. It is this approach that will lighten the burden of hunger and denial fully assured of Allah’s ridwan.
- Contributed by Ustaz Suleiman Zubair, Abuja, Nigeria.
Subhan'Allah a beautiful post barak'Allahu fikum. Really important to understand - Islam, Eman, Ihsan and Muslim, Mum'in and Muhsin. We should strive to be Muhsineen Ameen.
ReplyDeleteExcellent reminder Allah shower you all with blessings for these articles and grant all your duas and give even better than what you ask Ameen.