I begin with the Name of Allaah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
“Ha Mim. By the manifest Book (Qur’an) that makes things clear. We sent it down on a blessed night.”
Ramadan beckons and the Muslim Faithful are excited and are in a state of spiritual readiness to welcome the month. In the lunar calendar, there is no any other month with such spiritual extravaganza like Ramadan. However, it will be worthwhile to understand the concept of fasting in order to maximize the benefits of fasting the Month of Ramadan.
Linguistically, siyaam means to abstain from something, such as abstaining from speaking. It was used in this form in Qur’an 19: 26 when Allaah told us about Maryam (may peace be upon her), she said, “Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (Allaah) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.”While in the Shareeah, it is a direct reference to abstaining from food, drink and sexual intercourse during the days of the month of Ramadan. It is one of the pillars of Islam.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) in a narration which has been authenticated by al-Albani in Saheeh at-Targheeb said, “There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month which Allaah has enjoined you to fast, during which gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.”
Ramadan is a month like no other because it has been termed a blessed month by the Prophet (peace be upon him) and it is the only month in which fasting the whole month has been legislated. Allaah Exalted be He says, “O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain taqwa (self-restraint, piety and God-consciousness).” Qur’an 2: 183.
Ramadan is a month like no other because in it the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed. What does this translate to? It means by the Mercy of Allaah, it is far easier for the Muslim to enter Paradise by the virtue of the blessings of the Month of Ramadan than in any other month. The doors of Hell are closed hence; actions that lead to Hell are less during the Month.
Additionally, in a narration recorded by al-Bukhari, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said; “Fasting is a shield. If it is a day in which one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual contact and quarrelling. If somebody should abuse him or fight him, he should say, ‘I am a man who is fasting.”
In his commentary on the above-referenced hadith, Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali makes the point that if fasting is not a shield from committing sins in this world, it will not be a shield form the Hell-fire in the next. Another commentator, al-Baitaar said that fasting is a shield from Hell-Fire, from Allaah’s anger, from the disease in this world, from straying from the Straight Path, from becoming arrogant and so forth.
Ramadan is a month like no other because in it there is a night, which is better than a thousand months. In a narration recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever spends Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, will be forgiven his previous sins.
Ramadan is a month like no other because fasting Ramadan is a means of expiation for the sins committed since the previous Ramadan, so long as one avoids major sins as was proven in the hadith of Muslim.
To take full advantage of Ramadan, Muslims must avoid major sins such as associating others with Allaah (shirk), witchcraft (sihr), killing a soul whom Allaah has forbidden us to kill, consuming riba (interest), consuming orphan’s wealth, fleeing from battlefield, and slandering chaste, innocent women among others.
In the hadith referenced above, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.” Let every Muslim take full advantage of this Month. May Allaah spare our lives to witness it in goodness.
Mr Abdullah can be reached on twitter at: @Penabdull, Instagram: @Penabdul
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