Appreciation of Ramadan

Ok guys I know that there still about 1 month to go before Ramadan, but the heat is coming J! For girls, make sure our debt have repaid k. Actually this is a piece from me to be slipped into my faculty's Islamic monthly mini magazine.

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"Islam has been built upon five things – on testifying that there is no other god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger; on performing salah; on giving the zakah; on Hajj to the House; and on fasting during Ramadhan." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Month of Ramadan is synonym with the word of fasting for Muslims all around the globe. But if you see fasting as abstaining one from eating, drinking, having sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk, and reducing the wrongdoings of gossiping what so ever… that is the definition of fasting. But it only explains the mechanism of fasting as ritual. In Islam, fasting is not just merely can be physically measured. Fasting is a way to achieve Taqwa. Taqwa is a very important spiritual and ethical term of the Qur'an. It is the sum total of all Islamic spirituality and ethics. It is a quality that keeps Muslims aware of Allah all the time. A Muslim who has Taqwa loves to do well and to avoid evil for the sake of Allah. Taqwa is piety, righteousness and consciousness of Allah. It is meant to teach the Muslim patience, modesty and spirituality. The most important of all, is unity of brotherhood and purposeness that has to be learnt throughout fasting as fasting would teach the superior about the inferior.

Muslims were commanded starting to fast during Ramadan in the second year of Hijrah. However, the sawn (fasting) only obligatory upon every muslim who is capable (mukallaf). Fasting in Ramadan constitutes a great reward as stated in many sound Hadith. One of them reads: 'When Ramadan starts, gates of Paradise become open, gates of the Hell-fire become closed and the devils are chained.' [ Bukhari & Muslim ]. Thus, when Muslims fast believing that Ramadan is one of their obligations, that they will be rewarded by Allah alone, then they will have sins forgiven.

"O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become the people with the quality of Taqwa" (Al-Baqarah 2: 183)

Ramadan is a month full of blessing for Muslims. As through the ages, many great histories of Islam were pictured during the month. The winning battle of Badr, conquest of Mecca, battle of Tabuk, landing troops of Thariq ibn Ziyad led Muslim in Spain and the capture of Jerusalem by Muslim forces led by Saladin al-Ayubi were among of them.

It is also the month when Qur'an was bestowed on our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), revealed as guidance for mankind, and clear proofs among guidance and the Criterion (of right and wrong). During this holy month, despite of just fasting obligatory at daytime, Muslims are encouraged to perform Tarawih prayer. Tarawih prayer is one of 'Sunnah Al-Muakkadah', a salaat that was performed by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) very consistently but only limited during Ramadan night after isya prayer for worshipping Almighty Allah.

I heard Allah's Apostle saying regarding Ramadan, "Whoever prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven." (Abu Huraira)

On top of that, Ramadan is a month where there is a night that greater than 1000 months.

Laylatul Qadr is the most blessed night which marked the beginning of the revelation of the Qur'an to Muhammad (PBUH), an event unparalleled in the history of mankind.

It is a night that can be found in the last 10 nights in Ramadan.

Lo! We revealed it on the Night of Power. Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Night of Power is! The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein, by the permission of their Lord, with all decrees. (The night is) Peace until the rising of the dawn. (Al-Qadr :1-5)