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Allah the Most High said: "The month of Ramadhaan in which the
Quraan 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 Ramadhaan, 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 Ramadaan." (1)
He sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said:
"There has come to you Ramadaan, 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." (2)
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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." (3)
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).
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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." (4) 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." (5) 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." (6)
The Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said:
"Whosoever reaches the month of Ramadaan and does not have his sins
forgiven, and so enters the fire, then may Allah distance him." (7)
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. (8)
[3] Acquiring Patience
Imaam Ahmad (d.241H) rahimahullah said: "Allah has mentioned
sabr (patience) in over ninety places in His Book." (9)
The Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said: "The month of
Patience, and the three days of every month, are times for fasting."
(10)
Ibn `Abdul-Barr (d.464H) rahimahullah said: "What is meant by
the month of Patience is the month of Ramadaan
So fasting is called
patience because it restrains the soul from eating drinking,
conjugal relations and sexual desires." (11)
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." (12)
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." (13)
[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." (14)
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." (16)
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." (17) 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." (18)
[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." (19)
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." (20)
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." (21) 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
Allaah the Most High said: "And hold fast altogether to the rope
of Allaah and do not be divided." [Soorah Aal `Imraan 3:103]. Allaah
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." (22)
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 Ramadaan, 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. (23) 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." (24) 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." (25) 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!" (26) 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. (27)
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Thus, Ramadaan 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
Islaamic Ummah and to establish the Islaamic society that every
Muslim aspires for so that the Sharee`ah (Prescribed Law) of
Allaah is applied upon His earth." (28) So we must examine ourselves
during the Ramadaan 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? |
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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.
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