19 Oct 2011
27 Sept 2011
25 Sept 2011
Jipime kiasi gani unaijua Quran..
- Sura ngapi zimeteremshwa Makka na ngapi zimeteremshwa Madina?
- Sura gani haina Bismillah na sura gani ina Bismillah Rahman Raheem mbili?
- Sura gani inajulikana kama "Moyo wa Quran"?
- Sura gani ambayo neno Allah limetajwa katika kila aya zake?
- Sura gani imeshauriwa isomwe siku za Ijumaa kabla ya swalat Juma'a?
- Sura gani iliyoteremshwa ambayo haina mi'm?
- Sura gani imegawanyikakwa Malaika wakuu wanne wa Mwenyezimungu?
17 Aug 2011
Non-Muslim expats learning more about Islam during Ramadan
JEDDAH: Ramadan is a special month, and it is a very joyful time for Muslims who fast and celebrate this month. But how do non-Muslims living in the Kingdom feel about Ramadan? To find out, Arab News spoke to several non-Muslims, who said they saw Ramadan as a beautiful month and a good chance for them to learn about Islam firsthand.
Raju Phillips, a non-Muslim expatriate who works in a construction company, said that he was going to read an English translation of the Holy Qur’an. “It is a very good chance to learn about Islam.
Especially since I get some hours off work, because timings change in Ramadan,” he said.
Jedish Nair, who is also a non-Muslim expatriate, said that he was very amazed by Ramadan, and tries to learn more about Islam.
“In my municipality in India there are no Muslims, so I never even knew about Ramadan until I came to Saudi Arabia and saw Muslims fasting. They fast with such perfection! I don’t eat or drink anything during lunchtime, just to get a little of it. My Muslim friends invited me to iftar parties, which were very nice,” said Nair.
Special education consultant K.R. Jayachandran said that in Ramadan he listened to Muslim preachers who appeared on television.
“Ramadan for me and my family has been a very good experience. I see it as a good opportunity to learn about Islam. There are many Islamic speakers on television in Ramadan; I always listen to them after Maghreb prayers,” he said.
Mubeen Pervas said that he invited his non-Muslims friends to iftar parties, as he liked to share with them his happiness, and also help them become better informed about Islam.
“There are many misconceptions about Islam among non-Muslims. I try to clear these whenever I can. When I have iftar parties, I invite my non-Muslim friends to share with them my joy in this month.
And I also explain to them why Muslims fast, and how fasting helps us to show compassion toward the poor,” said Pervas.
Especially since I get some hours off work, because timings change in Ramadan,” he said.
Jedish Nair, who is also a non-Muslim expatriate, said that he was very amazed by Ramadan, and tries to learn more about Islam.
“In my municipality in India there are no Muslims, so I never even knew about Ramadan until I came to Saudi Arabia and saw Muslims fasting. They fast with such perfection! I don’t eat or drink anything during lunchtime, just to get a little of it. My Muslim friends invited me to iftar parties, which were very nice,” said Nair.
Special education consultant K.R. Jayachandran said that in Ramadan he listened to Muslim preachers who appeared on television.
“Ramadan for me and my family has been a very good experience. I see it as a good opportunity to learn about Islam. There are many Islamic speakers on television in Ramadan; I always listen to them after Maghreb prayers,” he said.
Mubeen Pervas said that he invited his non-Muslims friends to iftar parties, as he liked to share with them his happiness, and also help them become better informed about Islam.
“There are many misconceptions about Islam among non-Muslims. I try to clear these whenever I can. When I have iftar parties, I invite my non-Muslim friends to share with them my joy in this month.
And I also explain to them why Muslims fast, and how fasting helps us to show compassion toward the poor,” said Pervas.
The Shahada
The words that are spoken when one becomes a Muslim, are few but so significant. With the utterance of these words, a person acknowledges Allah as the Creator and Sustainer of all, and the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). With these words, which come from the heart, a person steps from disbelief and ignorance to knowledge, light and guidance. A person can only reach this state by the Mercy and Guidance of Allah the Almighty.
There is no god worthy of worship except Allah
and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Prophet
These are the words that a person says to enter the fold of Islam. The Shahadah, or declaration of faith, is a covenant that the person makes with Allah: that he/she will continue to obey Allah, and walk in the footsteps of our Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). It is the first step to complete obedience to the Lord of all.
From the time of making Shahadah, the person is treated and respected like a Muslim by all Muslims, even if he/she was previously an enemy of Islam. There are many examples of this in the history of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
The bond of faith is much stronger than the bond of blood. When a person becomes a Muslim they enter the community of Muslims, regardless of their race or background. A feeling of love and harmony abides between people who sincerely seek to practice Islam according to the Qu'ran and Sunnah. Such people are in a race to do good deeds and be those with whom Allah is pleased.
The significance of the Shahadah is further highlighted, when we ponder on the fact that we repeat it every time we pray. How many of us, really think about it during prayer? It becomes a usual thing and maybe sometimes we say the words without contemplating their meaning.
When we say there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, it means that we disdain obedience and servitude to anyone or anything except Allah. It means that we fear no one and nothing except Allah: that our greatest feeling of love and gratitude are kept for Allah, because we know that He is the real Provider of all we have. It means that we do not seek the pleasure or acceptance of anyone or anything except Allah. This means that the Muslim becomes strong and independent. The ridicule, scorn, sneers and insults of people bear no importance. The Muslim remains calm and secure in times of panic because they know that there is no help except from Allah. In times of grief and distress, the Muslim remains steadfast and courageous, knowing that calamity can only occur with the permission of Allah and that He, in His Mercy has promised not to bear a sincere soul, with more than it can bear.
When we say that Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah, we acknowledge his right to be respected, obeyed and revered. We follow in his footsteps, knowing that he was the best of creation and hope to achieve Paradise and be close to him and the other prophets, Inshaa Allah (God Willing).
Truly the Shahadah is not an empty phrase, it is not just a few words spoken but is coupled with sincerity of intention and determination to struggle, strive and sacrifice along the straight path.
«"The Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam"» (Qur'an 3:19) «"If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (Submission to Allah), Never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (their selves in the hell fire)"» (Qur'an 3:85)
There is no god worthy of worship except Allah
and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Prophet
These are the words that a person says to enter the fold of Islam. The Shahadah, or declaration of faith, is a covenant that the person makes with Allah: that he/she will continue to obey Allah, and walk in the footsteps of our Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). It is the first step to complete obedience to the Lord of all.
From the time of making Shahadah, the person is treated and respected like a Muslim by all Muslims, even if he/she was previously an enemy of Islam. There are many examples of this in the history of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
The bond of faith is much stronger than the bond of blood. When a person becomes a Muslim they enter the community of Muslims, regardless of their race or background. A feeling of love and harmony abides between people who sincerely seek to practice Islam according to the Qu'ran and Sunnah. Such people are in a race to do good deeds and be those with whom Allah is pleased.
The significance of the Shahadah is further highlighted, when we ponder on the fact that we repeat it every time we pray. How many of us, really think about it during prayer? It becomes a usual thing and maybe sometimes we say the words without contemplating their meaning.
When we say there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, it means that we disdain obedience and servitude to anyone or anything except Allah. It means that we fear no one and nothing except Allah: that our greatest feeling of love and gratitude are kept for Allah, because we know that He is the real Provider of all we have. It means that we do not seek the pleasure or acceptance of anyone or anything except Allah. This means that the Muslim becomes strong and independent. The ridicule, scorn, sneers and insults of people bear no importance. The Muslim remains calm and secure in times of panic because they know that there is no help except from Allah. In times of grief and distress, the Muslim remains steadfast and courageous, knowing that calamity can only occur with the permission of Allah and that He, in His Mercy has promised not to bear a sincere soul, with more than it can bear.
When we say that Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah, we acknowledge his right to be respected, obeyed and revered. We follow in his footsteps, knowing that he was the best of creation and hope to achieve Paradise and be close to him and the other prophets, Inshaa Allah (God Willing).
Truly the Shahadah is not an empty phrase, it is not just a few words spoken but is coupled with sincerity of intention and determination to struggle, strive and sacrifice along the straight path.
«"The Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam"» (Qur'an 3:19) «"If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (Submission to Allah), Never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (their selves in the hell fire)"» (Qur'an 3:85)
The Great Virtue Of Ramadan
All praise is due to Allah Who made the succession of day and night a lesson for those who reflect. I thank him for his bountiful blessings and I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. I equally testify that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his household and companions, and on those who are the people of righteousness and piety.
Dear brothers, fear Allah as He should be feared, for whoever fears Him earns his protection and he who follows his desires is doomed. It should be known that physical and spiritual felicity can only be attained by subjecting ones heart and body to the worship of Allah and that it is through worshipping Allah in complete sincerity that this mundane world can be of no importance.
Dear brothers, it is a manifestation of Allah’s mercy on His slaves that He ordained fasting for them in order to purify them from excessive tastes and to cleanse their hearts from lustful things. These days, Muslims all over the world are receiving the month of Ramadan; leader of all months; the month of forgiveness, merits and gifts; the month that gladdens the hearts of righteous people. No wonder that a pious man said in his death bed giving a reason for his weeping:
“I am only weeping for the fact that people will continue to be fasting and performing prayers after my death while I will no longer be in a position to do likewise.”
Ramadan is the month that contains the leader of all nights; a night that is better than a thousand months. Whoever spends the night in prayers with faith and hoping for Allah’s reward will have all his past sins forgiven. The Prophet PBUH said:
““When the month of Ramadan enters, gates of Paradise are opened, gates of Hell are closed and devils are chained.”
(Reported by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim). ”
Dear brothers, whoever wants eternal prosperity should endeavor to worship Allah and do good deeds sincerely. For, good deeds without sincere intention are of no use. Also, it is a glory for a believer to wake up in the night and perform prayers, for the best prayer after the obligatory ones are the prayers performed in the night. In fact, righteous people do compete with each other to make use of its darkness for doing acts of worship that bring them closer to Allah and they love this world only because of its nights. Aboo Sulaymaan Ad-Daaraanee said:
“By Allah! If not because of waking up in the night and performing prayers, I would not have loved this world; for, the night is precious because of its darkness and performing the prayers during the night is one of the characteristics of righteous people.”
Al-Hasan Al-Basree said:
“Nobody abandons night prayers except that it is regarded as a punishment for a sin he has committed.”
You should also endeavor to supplicate to Allah during the nights of this noble month because, supplication is the link between man and his Lord; it is an effortlessly clear profit and easy booty; it prevents calamities and brings forth Allah’s treasures and bounties. By supplicating to Allah during the night, He answers by granting the request generously, for His Hands never get tired of giving.
Dear Muslims, the Qur’an is Allah’s message to His servants and a light for the mankind. There is no way to Allah’s pleasure except through it. It is revealed in the best of all months. The best way you can spend your time during this month is to recite the Qur’an as frequently as possible. Read it, reflect on its meaning and work by its injunctions. This is because the Qur’an contains admonitions and lessons that increase one’s humility and humbleness.
As regards charity, the Prophet PBUH was the most generous of all people and his generosity manifested most during the month of Ramadaan. Whenever he gave, he gave in plenty as if he had no fear of poverty. He was never asked anything except that he gave it unless if he did not have it.
Charity, dear brothers, has its positive effects on the giver. It yields blessings to the giver's wealth and children, prevents calamities and brings forth bliss. Ramadan is a month of charity. Spend out of your wealth for the poor and needy and be aware that avarice and stinginess does not keep the wealth for eternity just as charity does not decrease it. Ibnul-Qayyim said:
“Nothing brings Allah’s blessings and prevents His punishment than obeying Him, moving closer to Him through acts of worship and being kind to His creatures.”
Therefore, spend in charity, for charity elevates one’s rank in front of Allah and know that, man is going to stay under the shade of his charity on the Day of Resurrection.
Dear brothers, make good preparation for this honorable month because it is a transient visitor. Receive it with a sincere repentance and spend your time during the month in acts of obedience to your Lord.
Further, try to perform ‘Umrah (smaller pilgrimage) during Ramadan, for an ‘Umrah during Ramadan is equivalent in reward to a Hajj (pilgrimage) performed with the Messenger of Allah . Also, provide food for fasting Muslims for whoever does that gets an equivalent of their reward without causing any deduction to the reward of the fasting Muslims.
I‘tikaaf (seclusion in a mosque for the purpose of worshipping Allah alone) is also a Sunnah (way of the prophet PBUH) that should be practiced during the last ten days of Ramadan. Ibn Shihaab said:
“It is a strange thing that Muslims should abandon I‘tikaaf while the Messenger of Allah never skipped it right from the time he entered Madinah until his death.”
Use this noble month to join the ties of kinship (by keeping good relations with your kith and kin). Also repent sincerely to Allah as long as the door of repentance is still open. Be cautious of an undesirable end because then leaving this world is actually painful.
Dear brothers, fear Allah as He should be feared, for whoever fears Him earns his protection and he who follows his desires is doomed. It should be known that physical and spiritual felicity can only be attained by subjecting ones heart and body to the worship of Allah and that it is through worshipping Allah in complete sincerity that this mundane world can be of no importance.
Dear brothers, it is a manifestation of Allah’s mercy on His slaves that He ordained fasting for them in order to purify them from excessive tastes and to cleanse their hearts from lustful things. These days, Muslims all over the world are receiving the month of Ramadan; leader of all months; the month of forgiveness, merits and gifts; the month that gladdens the hearts of righteous people. No wonder that a pious man said in his death bed giving a reason for his weeping:
“I am only weeping for the fact that people will continue to be fasting and performing prayers after my death while I will no longer be in a position to do likewise.”
Ramadan is the month that contains the leader of all nights; a night that is better than a thousand months. Whoever spends the night in prayers with faith and hoping for Allah’s reward will have all his past sins forgiven. The Prophet PBUH said:
““When the month of Ramadan enters, gates of Paradise are opened, gates of Hell are closed and devils are chained.”
(Reported by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim). ”
Dear brothers, whoever wants eternal prosperity should endeavor to worship Allah and do good deeds sincerely. For, good deeds without sincere intention are of no use. Also, it is a glory for a believer to wake up in the night and perform prayers, for the best prayer after the obligatory ones are the prayers performed in the night. In fact, righteous people do compete with each other to make use of its darkness for doing acts of worship that bring them closer to Allah and they love this world only because of its nights. Aboo Sulaymaan Ad-Daaraanee said:
“By Allah! If not because of waking up in the night and performing prayers, I would not have loved this world; for, the night is precious because of its darkness and performing the prayers during the night is one of the characteristics of righteous people.”
Al-Hasan Al-Basree said:
“Nobody abandons night prayers except that it is regarded as a punishment for a sin he has committed.”
You should also endeavor to supplicate to Allah during the nights of this noble month because, supplication is the link between man and his Lord; it is an effortlessly clear profit and easy booty; it prevents calamities and brings forth Allah’s treasures and bounties. By supplicating to Allah during the night, He answers by granting the request generously, for His Hands never get tired of giving.
Dear Muslims, the Qur’an is Allah’s message to His servants and a light for the mankind. There is no way to Allah’s pleasure except through it. It is revealed in the best of all months. The best way you can spend your time during this month is to recite the Qur’an as frequently as possible. Read it, reflect on its meaning and work by its injunctions. This is because the Qur’an contains admonitions and lessons that increase one’s humility and humbleness.
As regards charity, the Prophet PBUH was the most generous of all people and his generosity manifested most during the month of Ramadaan. Whenever he gave, he gave in plenty as if he had no fear of poverty. He was never asked anything except that he gave it unless if he did not have it.
Charity, dear brothers, has its positive effects on the giver. It yields blessings to the giver's wealth and children, prevents calamities and brings forth bliss. Ramadan is a month of charity. Spend out of your wealth for the poor and needy and be aware that avarice and stinginess does not keep the wealth for eternity just as charity does not decrease it. Ibnul-Qayyim said:
“Nothing brings Allah’s blessings and prevents His punishment than obeying Him, moving closer to Him through acts of worship and being kind to His creatures.”
Therefore, spend in charity, for charity elevates one’s rank in front of Allah and know that, man is going to stay under the shade of his charity on the Day of Resurrection.
Dear brothers, make good preparation for this honorable month because it is a transient visitor. Receive it with a sincere repentance and spend your time during the month in acts of obedience to your Lord.
Further, try to perform ‘Umrah (smaller pilgrimage) during Ramadan, for an ‘Umrah during Ramadan is equivalent in reward to a Hajj (pilgrimage) performed with the Messenger of Allah . Also, provide food for fasting Muslims for whoever does that gets an equivalent of their reward without causing any deduction to the reward of the fasting Muslims.
I‘tikaaf (seclusion in a mosque for the purpose of worshipping Allah alone) is also a Sunnah (way of the prophet PBUH) that should be practiced during the last ten days of Ramadan. Ibn Shihaab said:
“It is a strange thing that Muslims should abandon I‘tikaaf while the Messenger of Allah never skipped it right from the time he entered Madinah until his death.”
Use this noble month to join the ties of kinship (by keeping good relations with your kith and kin). Also repent sincerely to Allah as long as the door of repentance is still open. Be cautious of an undesirable end because then leaving this world is actually painful.
The Meaning Of Ramadan
Fasting during Ramadan, the Muslims holy month, was ordained during the second year of Hijrah. Why not earlier? In Makkah the economic conditions of the Muslims were bad. They were being persecuted. Often days would go by before they had anything to eat. It is easy to skip meals if you don’t have any. Obviously fasting would have been easier under the circumstances. So why not then?
The answer may be that Ramadan is not only about skipping meals. While fasting is an integral and paramount part of it, Ramadan offers a comprehensive program for our spiritual overhaul. The entire program required the peace and security that was offered by Madinah.
Yes, Ramadan is the most important month of the year. It is the month that the believers await with eagerness. At the beginning of Rajab -two full months before Ramadan- the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to supplicate: “"O Allah! Bless us during Rajab and Sha’ban, and let us reach Ramadan (in good health)." ”
During Ramadan the believers get busy seeking Allah’s mercy, forgiveness, and protection from Hellfire. This is the month for renewing our commitment and re-establishing our relationship with our Creator. It is the spring season for goodness and virtues when righteousness blossoms throughout the Muslim communities. "If we combine all the blessings of the other eleven months, they would not add up to the blessings of Ramadan," said the great scholar and reformer Shaikh Ahmed Farooqi (Mujaddad Alif Thani). Ramadan offers every Muslim an opportunity to strengthen his Iman, purify his heart and soul, and to remove the evil effects of the sins committed by him.
“"Anyone who fasts during this month with purity of belief and with expectation of a good reward (from his Creator), will have his previous sins forgiven," ”said Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). “"Anyone who stands in prayers during its nights with purity of belief and expectation of a reward, will have his previous sins forgiven." ”As other hadiths (saying of the Prophet) tell us, the rewards for good deeds are multiplied manifold during Ramadan.
Along with the possibility of a great reward, there is the risk of a terrible loss. If we let any other month pass by carelessly, we just lost a month. If we do the same during Ramadan, we have lost everything. The person who misses just one day’s fast without a legitimate reason, cannot really make up for it even if he were to fast everyday for the rest of his life. And of the three persons that Prophet (peace be upon him) cursed, one is the unfortunate Muslim who finds Ramadan in good health but does not use the opportunity to seek Allah’s mercy.
One who does not fast is obviously in this category, but so also is the person who fasts and prays but makes no effort to stay away from sins or attain purity of the heart through the numerous opportunities offered by Ramadan. The Prophet (peace be upon him), warned us: “"There are those who get nothing from their fast but hunger and thirst. There are those who get nothing from their nightly prayers but loss of sleep." ”
Those who understood this, for them Ramadan was indeed a very special month. In addition to fasting, mandatory Salat (prayers), and extra Tarawih Salat (congregational evening prayers in Ramadan), they spent the whole month in acts of worship like voluntary Salat, Tilawa (recitation of Qur’an), Dhikr (remembrance of God) etc. After mentioning that this has been the tradition of the pious people of this Ummah (Muslim nation) throughout the centuries, Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi notes: "I have seen with my own eyes such ulema (scholars) who used to finish recitation of the entire Qur’an everyday during Ramadan. They spent almost the entire night in prayers. They used to eat so little that one wondered how they could endure all this. These greats valued every moment of Ramadan and would not waste any of it in any other pursuit…Watching them made one believe the astounding stories of Ibada (worship) and devotion of our elders recorded by history."
This emphasis on these acts of worship may sound strange -even misplaced- to some. It requires some explanation. We know that the term Ibada (worship and obedience) in Islam applies not only to the formal acts of worship and devotion like Salat, Tilawa and Dhikr, but it also applies to worldly acts when performed in obedience to Shariah (Islamic law) and with the intention of pleasing Allah. Thus a believer going to work is performing Ibada when he seeks Halal (permissible) income to discharge his responsibility as a bread-winner for the family. However a distinction must be made between the two. The first category consists of direct Ibada, acts that are required for their own sake. The second category consists of indirect Ibada -worldly acts that become Ibada through proper intention and observation of Shariah. While the second category is important for it extends the idea of Ibada to our entire life, there is also a danger because by their very nature these acts can camouflage other motives. (Is my going to work really Ibada or am I actually in the rat race?). Here the direct Ibada comes to the rescue. Through them we can purify our motives, and re-establish our relationship with Allah.
Islam does not approve of monasticism. It does not ask us to permanently isolate ourselves from this world, since our test is in living here according to the Commands of our Creator. But it does ask us to take periodic breaks from it. The mandatory Salat (five daily prayers) is one example. For a few minutes every so many hours throughout the day, we leave the affairs of this world and appear before Allah to remind ourselves that none but He is worthy of worship and of our unfaltering obedience. Ramadan takes this to the next higher plane, providing intense training for a whole month.
This spirit is captured in I’tikaf, a unique Ibada associated with Ramadan, in which a person gives up all his normal activities and enters a mosque for a specific period. There is great merit in it and every Muslim community is encouraged to provide at least one person who will perform I’tikaf for the last ten days of Ramadan. But even those who cannot spare ten days are encouraged to spend as much time in the mosque as possible.
Through direct Ibada we "charge our batteries"; the indirect ones allow us to use the power so accumulated in driving the vehicle of our life. Ramadan is the month for rebuilding our spiritual strength. How much we benefit from it is up to us.
The answer may be that Ramadan is not only about skipping meals. While fasting is an integral and paramount part of it, Ramadan offers a comprehensive program for our spiritual overhaul. The entire program required the peace and security that was offered by Madinah.
Yes, Ramadan is the most important month of the year. It is the month that the believers await with eagerness. At the beginning of Rajab -two full months before Ramadan- the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to supplicate: “"O Allah! Bless us during Rajab and Sha’ban, and let us reach Ramadan (in good health)." ”
During Ramadan the believers get busy seeking Allah’s mercy, forgiveness, and protection from Hellfire. This is the month for renewing our commitment and re-establishing our relationship with our Creator. It is the spring season for goodness and virtues when righteousness blossoms throughout the Muslim communities. "If we combine all the blessings of the other eleven months, they would not add up to the blessings of Ramadan," said the great scholar and reformer Shaikh Ahmed Farooqi (Mujaddad Alif Thani). Ramadan offers every Muslim an opportunity to strengthen his Iman, purify his heart and soul, and to remove the evil effects of the sins committed by him.
“"Anyone who fasts during this month with purity of belief and with expectation of a good reward (from his Creator), will have his previous sins forgiven," ”said Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). “"Anyone who stands in prayers during its nights with purity of belief and expectation of a reward, will have his previous sins forgiven." ”As other hadiths (saying of the Prophet) tell us, the rewards for good deeds are multiplied manifold during Ramadan.
Along with the possibility of a great reward, there is the risk of a terrible loss. If we let any other month pass by carelessly, we just lost a month. If we do the same during Ramadan, we have lost everything. The person who misses just one day’s fast without a legitimate reason, cannot really make up for it even if he were to fast everyday for the rest of his life. And of the three persons that Prophet (peace be upon him) cursed, one is the unfortunate Muslim who finds Ramadan in good health but does not use the opportunity to seek Allah’s mercy.
One who does not fast is obviously in this category, but so also is the person who fasts and prays but makes no effort to stay away from sins or attain purity of the heart through the numerous opportunities offered by Ramadan. The Prophet (peace be upon him), warned us: “"There are those who get nothing from their fast but hunger and thirst. There are those who get nothing from their nightly prayers but loss of sleep." ”
Those who understood this, for them Ramadan was indeed a very special month. In addition to fasting, mandatory Salat (prayers), and extra Tarawih Salat (congregational evening prayers in Ramadan), they spent the whole month in acts of worship like voluntary Salat, Tilawa (recitation of Qur’an), Dhikr (remembrance of God) etc. After mentioning that this has been the tradition of the pious people of this Ummah (Muslim nation) throughout the centuries, Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi notes: "I have seen with my own eyes such ulema (scholars) who used to finish recitation of the entire Qur’an everyday during Ramadan. They spent almost the entire night in prayers. They used to eat so little that one wondered how they could endure all this. These greats valued every moment of Ramadan and would not waste any of it in any other pursuit…Watching them made one believe the astounding stories of Ibada (worship) and devotion of our elders recorded by history."
This emphasis on these acts of worship may sound strange -even misplaced- to some. It requires some explanation. We know that the term Ibada (worship and obedience) in Islam applies not only to the formal acts of worship and devotion like Salat, Tilawa and Dhikr, but it also applies to worldly acts when performed in obedience to Shariah (Islamic law) and with the intention of pleasing Allah. Thus a believer going to work is performing Ibada when he seeks Halal (permissible) income to discharge his responsibility as a bread-winner for the family. However a distinction must be made between the two. The first category consists of direct Ibada, acts that are required for their own sake. The second category consists of indirect Ibada -worldly acts that become Ibada through proper intention and observation of Shariah. While the second category is important for it extends the idea of Ibada to our entire life, there is also a danger because by their very nature these acts can camouflage other motives. (Is my going to work really Ibada or am I actually in the rat race?). Here the direct Ibada comes to the rescue. Through them we can purify our motives, and re-establish our relationship with Allah.
Islam does not approve of monasticism. It does not ask us to permanently isolate ourselves from this world, since our test is in living here according to the Commands of our Creator. But it does ask us to take periodic breaks from it. The mandatory Salat (five daily prayers) is one example. For a few minutes every so many hours throughout the day, we leave the affairs of this world and appear before Allah to remind ourselves that none but He is worthy of worship and of our unfaltering obedience. Ramadan takes this to the next higher plane, providing intense training for a whole month.
This spirit is captured in I’tikaf, a unique Ibada associated with Ramadan, in which a person gives up all his normal activities and enters a mosque for a specific period. There is great merit in it and every Muslim community is encouraged to provide at least one person who will perform I’tikaf for the last ten days of Ramadan. But even those who cannot spare ten days are encouraged to spend as much time in the mosque as possible.
Through direct Ibada we "charge our batteries"; the indirect ones allow us to use the power so accumulated in driving the vehicle of our life. Ramadan is the month for rebuilding our spiritual strength. How much we benefit from it is up to us.
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