TAG: Ramadan
Prophet’s Special Deeds In Ramadan
When the holy month of Ramadan arrives, everyone in the Muslim Ummah feels a delightful uplift in faith. They feel less inclined towards sins and wasteful pursuits and more towards keen, soulful worship and contemplation of the Qur’an.
They change their routines according to the new schedule of eating, sleeping, and standing in prayer and look forward to great rewards in the Hereafter for their month-long ritual of abstinence and piety.
It is interesting to note the diversity that prevails in our Ummah regarding worship during Ramadan, which arises from everyone’s unique circumstances. The office-going executive might not be able to pray long, soulful Qiyam Al-Layl every night before Suhoor because of having to get enough sleep for his strenuous weekday work hours, but can zealously attend Taraweeh with the Imam after Isha to get the same reward.
School and college-going youngsters might find it difficult to tear themselves away from studies, but they might read some Qur’an every day before Iftar. The elderly grandmother might spend long morning hours reading the Qur’an and revising her memorization, whilst the young housewife who is inundated with housework for the rest of the day might attend a ladies’ morning Halaqah at a neighborhood home to study one Juz of the Qur’an daily.
This lovely diversity lends extra beauty to the flexibility of our Deen, Islam, which caters to each individual according to what he or she is capable of. Let us take a quick look at three of the main Ramadan activities that authentic Ahadith attribute to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
More generous than the fast wind
Narrated Ibn Abbas: “The Prophet was the most generous amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadan when Jibreel visited him, and Jibreel used to meet him on every night of Ramadan till the end of the month. The Prophet used to recite the Qur’an to Jibreel, and when Jibreel met him, he used to be more generous than a fast wind (which causes rain and welfare).” (Al-Bukhari, 3/31, no. 126)
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to be so generous in Ramadan that this action of his was particularly notable to onlookers. Imagine for a minute what fast winds achieve: they feel good, firstly, in addition to filling our hearts with excitement about imminent rain.
They assist in pollination that brings forth vegetation in the land (fruit, grains, cereals, and vegetables) that we eat. Now use this simile to imagine what the Prophet must have been like during Ramadan – a generous man spreading the wealth, goodwill, hope, and happiness everywhere with his big-hearted spending for the sake of Allah!
Reviewing the Qur’an with Jibreel
Archangel Jibreel would visit the Prophet (peace be upon him) every night in Ramadan to listen to the Qur’an. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would recite the Qur’an to him, i.e. the entire Qur’an that had been revealed to him till then. In a way, he used to “revise” or “review” the Qur’an with the Archangel.
Ten-day secluded worship
“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would go into seclusion for (the last) 10 days during the month of Ramadan, but the year in which he passed away he went into seclusion for 20 days.” (Al-Bukhari)
For a man who was always busy leading the Ummah in all its affairs and attending to his family and companions, it is indeed poignant to note that he withdrew in seclusion every year to be close to His Lord. So much so that he did not communicate, or spend time, with his family except for meeting their basic needs.
Narrated Ayesha: “Allah’s Messenger used to practice I’tikaf in the last 10 nights of Ramadan and used to say, ‘Look for the Night of Qadr in the last 10 nights of the month of Ramadan’.” (Al-Bukhari)
Lessons for us
By keeping in mind these three specific Sunnah of our dear Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we can devise an action plan for our worship during the holy month that incorporates, if not in entirety, their spirit, and essence in our schedule.
We can try to give charity every day, even if it is little. We should review the Qur’an for our angels, the Kiraman Katibeen (Honorable Scribes), to record in our book of deeds on a daily basis, and in the last 10 days seclude ourselves socially from our family and friends for devoted worship and prayer to Allah. By this, we will earn a reward of following the Sunnah and emulating our Prophet’s actions during Ramadan, Insha Allah.
Qur’an: Witness The Miracle
Night after night in Ramadan, the believers witness a unique spectacle at mosques around the world. They stand in special Taraweeh prayers in which the prayer leader will recite the entire Quran from memory. Those who have accomplished this extraordinary feat of memorizing all of the 6246 verses are not a handful of devotees but there are hundreds of thousands of them. Most, just like most Muslims in the world today, do not speak Arabic. Yet they have painstakingly learnt to pronounce each and every word of the Quran correctly. The phenomenon is not a result of some religious resurgence that would pass. From the very first day that the Quran was revealed, it was memorized. And the number of those who have memorized it has been increasing ever since. Memorization of the Quran has been going on all through the centuries, all over the globe wherever Muslims are.
There are other religions that claim to possess the Word of God. There are none that can show a book that has commanded anything remotely comparable to this level of devotion. Quran is the most read and the only completely memorized book in the whole world. It is also the most studied book in the world. It has stimulated the development of entire disciplines of knowledge dealing with its reading, writing, and interpretation.
Miraculous as it is, this is not the only unique aspect of the Quran.
Quran was the first book in the Arabic language. Yet fourteen centuries later, its language is as alive as it was when it was revealed. And there is no other example of when the very first book in a language became any masterpiece let alone the eternal masterpiece that the Quran is.
This Book is meant to command and guide humanity until the end of time. That the passage of fourteen centuries has not made the slightest dent in its language or literary beauty is only one evidence of that unique role; its contents have also been unassailable by the passage of time. It makes statements of scientific facts that science would discover centuries later but none that science could ever refute. It tells about ancient histories, like the civilization of the ‘Aad people in the Empty Quarter of the Arabian desert that no other historical sources, then or since, contain any information about. Yet, its veracity has only recently been verified by scientific discoveries. Above all, it provides a system of beliefs and a code of conduct for life that is as relevant, illuminating, and true today as it was fourteen centuries earlier and during all the centuries in between.
The believers know that this Book had to be above space and time because this is the Word of the Creator of space and time. And He has promised that it will always be above space and time. But those who are looking from the outside and are just curious may consider these additional facts:
Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, did not go to any school, study from any teacher, or even learn how to read and write. He even had no interest in poetry, which was one of the most prized disciplines of his time. Yet suddenly at age forty, he began to recite this marvelous revelation.
The style of the Quran is very distinct from the words of the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, himself, which also have been preserved in Hadith collections. His own sayings are embodiments of eloquence, but they have a different style. Moreover, they clearly are the words of a human being. Although never deviating from the truth, they do show human emotions and the effects of the circumstances in which they were said. Quran, on the other hand, never shows the slightest trace of these effects. It always speaks from above.
It was revealed over a twenty-three-year period and covers a very wide range of subjects yet it shows neither a gradual development of style nor any self-contradictions in the voluminous text.
The twenty-three years of Prophetic life was not a period spent in isolation. He did not retire to a cave to produce this miraculous work. The Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, did spend long periods of time in quiet meditation in Cave Hira before becoming a Prophet. But after Prophethood was conferred upon him, his life was one of constant struggle with the pagans, and later the Jews, of Arabia who spared no effort to stop and persecute him. It was during this period of persecution, wars, campaigns, and solving problems associated with the bringing about of the greatest civilizational revolution of all times — an extremely busy and challenging period — that Quranic Revelation was also received and compiled.
The Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, himself was most deeply moved by the Book. He used to stand for hours in solitary midnight prayers reciting from the Book until his feet used to get swollen. How preposterous that one should attempt to attribute the Book to him. Has there ever been another example of somebody getting so moved by his own words?
This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all the evidence that proves the Quran to be the Word of God. Scholars have written books expounding the miracle of miracles that the Quran is. But even this small sampler may propel an inquiring mind to go and read the Book himself.
To read this book with an open mind is to believe in it. Those who sincerely seek guidance will find their questions answered, their confusions removed, their problems solved in its pages. From the beginning until the end, every word in the Quran tells the reader that it is the Word of Allah. And those who ignore it do so at their own peril.
“And if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a Sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides Allah, if your (doubts) are true. But if you cannot – and of a surety, you cannot – then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones which is prepared for those who reject Faith.” [Al-Baqarah 2:23-24]
By Khalid Baig
Ramadan: Itikaf
The Most Exclusive Blessings Is Ramadan From Allah
Sahl Ibn Sa’d radi Allahu anhu narrates that RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said: “In Jannah, there is a gate called Ar-Rayyan: a door which the Saa’imoon will enter from, no one else except them. It will be announced, ‘Where are the Saa’imoon?’ and the Saa’imoon will stand. No one except them will enter from the gate called Rayyan.”
Have you ever heard of a weekend warrior? They are employees who sit in cubicles and relax at a coffee station, weighed down with donuts all week long. Then on the weekend, they rip off their suits bearing their Reebok gear underneath and spend the entire weekend playing basketball, hang gliding, and mountain climbing. What happens? They break their knees, pull a dozen muscles, and are hospitalized on Monday.
This is in relation to the physical body. But there are people that should be known as Ramadan warriors. They are those that haven’t fasted all year long and then shock their bodies with a whole month. Or haven’t prayed in the masjid or haven’t woken up to pray in the night all year long. What happens to them? As one Muslim doctor said, “In normal days, we have about 5 to 7 patients a day. On the first day of Ramadan, the patients increase to over 50!”
Ramadan warriors were rare in our Islamic history. To illustrate, let’s all remember where we were at the beginning of Safar. We were probably praying for work to end, or just finished up with exams, or looking through brochures for a holiday getaway.
Interestingly, if we were sitting beside a Tabi’oon over a thousand years ago in a simple masjid, we would have heard him raising his hands asking Allah to grant him the blessing of being around when a guest comes, a guest called Ramadan!
There are different ways that we can ‘warm up’ for Ramadan. One of those ways is by increasing the frequency of our du’a. Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala says in the Qur’an, with the verse before it talking about Ramadan and the verse after it speaking about Ramadan, and right in the middle we read:
And when My servants ask you, (O Muhammad), concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me (by obedience) and believe in Me that they may be guided (Al-Baqarah 2/186).
Every goodness on earth is from Allah. And one of the most exclusive blessings is Ramadan. So let us ask the Lord of Ramadan to help us find His mercy in the coming days.
The early generations of the ummah used to make du’a 6 months after Ramadan that Allah accept their deeds in Ramadan. And for the next 6 months, they would make du’a to Allah to grant them the blessing of being alive in the coming Ramadan.
Cleanliness – Whenever a guest comes, we prepare in advance for his arrival by vacuuming the carpet, dusting the shelves, and scrubbing the sinks. We should do this for our guest called Ramadan. But the scrubbing should not just be of our physical surroundings; it should include the scrubbing of our sins.
Listen to the words of RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam speaking about those people that don’t want to clean up for Ramadan:
“Whoever doesn’t desist from speaking falsehood and acting upon it, Allah has no need that he desist from his food and drink” (Bukhari).
Fasting in Sha’baan (the month before Ramadan) – The biggest downfall of the weekend warriors was that they were not properly warmed up for the exercise, which caused the injuries. Similarly, when fasting, some people only do it once a year, making their bodies very foreign to going without food and drink.
From here we see the following Sunnah: Umm Al-Mu’mineen Aisha radi Allahu anha observes, “Allah’s Messenger never fasted an entire month other than Ramadan and I haven’t seen him fast more than he did in Sha’baan.”
When we look at the celebrations of ‘the holy days’, we see that they put all their time and effort, and spirit into preparation. I tell you, go to any store outside this masjid and you will see preparations of candy canes, red and green bouquets, even eggnog all in the wait for the annual celebration of the birth – as they falsely claim- of Prophet ‘Eesa alayhis salaam. They are preparing for their falsehood almost 2 months in advance! One of the ways to prepare for Ramadan is to educate ourselves in the Fiqh of Ramadan. Alhamdulillah, sitting in this masjid today are many brothers and sisters for whom this will be their first Ramadan. Allahu Akbar! May Allah accept it from them and allow them and us to share in the blessing of Ramadan for many years to come.
Let us briefly review what fasting is:
Fasting in Ramadan is not optional – it is a must. The evidence for this is found in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Allah says:
O you who believe! Observing as-sawn (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become al-muttaqoon (the righteous) (Al-Baqarah 2/183).
The Prophet said: “Islam is built on five (pillars)…” among which he mentioned fasting in Ramadan (Bukhari).
The Arabic word for fasting is sawm. In Arabic, it literally means to abstain from something. And in Islamic Law, it is to abstain from those things that break the fast starting from dawn (Fajr prayer) and ending with sunset (Maghrib prayer) having first made the intention to do so.
The things which break one’s fast, the things which he or she must abstain from, from dawn to sunset, are as follows: eating and drinking, and marital relations.
These apply if 3 conditions are met: that the person is not ignorant that this thing breaks one’s fast, that he is aware that he is doing something that breaks his fast (meaning he did not do so in forgetfulness), and he does so out of his free will and no one forced him to break his fast.
In conclusion, as the month of Ramadan draws nearer, we should prepare for this special guest by preparing a Ramadan program (‘Operation: Valuable Time’) in our homes and at our masajid. The program should include:
1. Locked times of the day when we will consistently recite the Qur’an, learning its meanings and memorizing new surahs.
2. Something useful for the time before Taraweeh prayers and the time after Taraweeh. And how to increase our worship in the last ten nights – i.e. what will we do extra.
3. We should make sure that there are days of this month when we feed people. Bring dates or milk to the masjid for Maghrib. Invite people over to have dinner with your family. Organize a dinner in the masjid and invite people that don’t normally get invited because they are new. Take care of the new Muslims in your community and for the sake of Allah ta’aala make their Ramadan special.
4. Make the intention to double and triple the amount of sadaqah we give, the worship we normally do, the dhikr we do, and the deeds that’ll help us purify our souls.
5. And finally, for those that can afford it, plan an Umrah to the Ka’bah in Ramadan!
After returning from the Farewell Hajj, RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam saw an Ansari woman who had not made the Hajj. He asked her, “What kept you back from joining in the Hajj?”
She said, “We had a camel that we used to ride which Abu Fulan and his son went on, and another we used for farming.”
So, RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Verily, Umrah in Ramadan is the same (reward) as performing Hajj with me” (Bukhari and Muslim)!
The Demise Of Fatimah Radhiyallahu Anha
Fatimah was the youngest daughter of the Prophet, peace, and blessings be upon him, and her mother was Khadijah Bint Khuwailid. Fatimah was born five years before prophethood, i.e. before Muhammad, peace, and blessings are upon him, was sent as Allah’s Prophet.
She was engaged to `Ali Ibn Abu Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, in the second year after Hijrah (the Prophet’s Migration to Madinah) in Ramadan, then they got married in Dhul Hijja. She gave birth to Al-Hasan, Al-Husain, Zainab, Umm Kulthum, and Muhsin who died when he was a child.
She was very dear to the Prophet, peace, and blessings be upon him. `A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated: “Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, was coming towards our home, walking exactly like the Prophet, peace, and blessings be upon him. The Prophet said: ‘Welcome, my daughter!’ He seated her to his right or left. Then he told her something in secret, and she cried. I (`A’ishah) said to her: ‘The Prophet discloses his secrets to you and you cry, how come? Then the Prophet, peace, and blessings be upon him, told her another thing in secret and she laughed. Hence I (`A’ishah) said: ‘I’ve never seen a sad mood turning in a moment to happiness as I see today’. I asked her about what the Prophet told her, but she said: ‘I am not to reveal the secrets of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.’
Later on, when the Prophet, peace, and blessings be upon him, passed away, I asked her again. She answered: He (the Prophet) told me: ‘Gabriel used to reveal the Qur’an to me once a year. Yet he did it twice this year. So I think it is a sign that my days are numbered, and you will be the first one of my folk who will die after me. What a good predecessor I am to you!’ Hence, I cried. Then he told me: ‘Doesn’t it gladden you to be the master of believing women in Paradise?’ Hence, I laughed.” This incident is agreed upon.
It is said that she never laughed after the Prophet’s demise out of overwhelming sadness and eagerness to follow her father, peace, and blessings be upon him.
Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, died on the third of Ramadan, the night of Tuesday, 11 A.H. May Allah be pleased with her.
Ramadan: The Month Of The Qur’an
Allah says that the Last Revelation of His was sent down in the month of Ramadan on the Night of Power Lailatul Qadr. (Qur’an, 91:1-3.) It is the month of Ramadan that Allah has honored it by revealing the Qur’an. Because of this strong relationship between the Qur’an and the month of Ramadan, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to read the Qur’an to Archangel Jibreel every Ramadan.
Therefore it is the right place to discuss the purpose and objective of the revelation of the Qur’an, its importance, the various hostile campaigns against it, and the do’s and don’ts of the Qur’an.
First of all, Allah the Highest created man and gave him the gift of expression. For the guidance of mankind, Allah sent Prophets to every single community. It is stated in the Qur’an, which means that there has been no community to which God’s Messengers have not come and that Muslims should make no distinction between Allah’s Messengers. So it is the duty of a Muslim to honor all the Prophets equally.
The Qur’an represents the culmination of all earlier Revealed Books. It is the last of the Revealed Books sent down by Allah for the guidance of mankind. The Qur’an is the only scripture, which requires the belief in other revelations, as part of the Islamic Faith.
This Sacred Book was revealed to the last Messenger, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the month of Ramadan as Allah Himself said in the Qur’an: “Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong).” (2:185) Allah the Most High has especially mentioned the exact date and month of the revelation: “We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power.” (97:1) So the purpose of the revelation of the Qur’an was to provide true guidance to mankind.
The Qur’an is emphatic in proclaiming that Islam is the religion of all Prophets: the religion of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon him). It stresses that Prophets Moses, Jesus, and all others were not Jews but Muslims. “Surely those who believe (in that which is revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabaeans – whoever believes in Allah, and the Last Day and does good, surely their reward is with their Lord, and there is no fear for them nor shall they grieve.” (2:62).
“A Guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and judgment (between right and wrong),” is the most important characteristic of the Qur’an, the Book that Allah has revealed to His last Messenger to serve as the only Book of man’s guidance till the Day of Judgment. It is guidance for mankind having clear proof of judgment between right and wrong in all matters of human life.
Before the revelation of the Qur’an, it was preserved and guarded from every kind of corruption in the “Mother of the Book.” Allah Himself said: “Nay this is a Glorious Qur’an (inscribed) in a Tablet Preserved” (85:21-22).
When Allah wanted to give this Trust to someone, the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, i.e. other creatures of Allah, besides man, shirked from shouldering this Trust or responsibility. They preferred to submit their will entirely to Allah’s Will, which is All-Wise and Perfect, and which would give them far more happiness than a faculty of choice, with their imperfect knowledge. Allah says in the Qur’an: “We did indeed offer the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains; but they declined to bear it, being afraid thereof: but man undertook it: He was indeed unjust and ignorant of its results.” (33-72).
So it was the man who took the responsibility of the Trust without realizing its importance and consequences. The Qur’an is the revealed book of God which has been in existence for more than 14 hundred years and the Word of Allah is preserved in its original form.
There has not been an iota of change in this unique Divine revelation. Its originality and authenticity have been guaranteed by no other than Allah the Almighty who challenges in the Qur’an itself on various occasions.
Allah said, “This Qur’an is not such as can be produced by other than Allah: on the contrary, it is a confirmation of (revelation) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book – wherein there is no doubt – from the Lord of the Worlds.” (Qur’an, 10:37).
In another verse of the Qur’an Allah challenges, “Or do they say, “He forged it?” Say: “Bring then a Surah like unto it; and call (to your aid) anyone who can, besides Allah if it be you speak the truth!” (Qur’an,10:38) “Or they may say, “He forged it.” Say, “Bring you then ten Suras forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever you can, other than Allah! – if you speak the truth!” (Qur’an,11:13)
Allah said in the Qur’an, “And if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant then produce a Sura like thereunto, and call your witnesses and helpers (if there are any) besides Allah if you are truthful.” (Qur’an, 2:23)
People of every age have been challenged to produce a Book like it and they were unable to produce one. It is the only Revealed Book whose text stands pure and uncorrupted today. Allah said, “Say: “if the whole of mankind and jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.” (Qur’an, 17:88)
Since the revelation of the Qur’an, the enemies of Islam have been trying to distort its life-giving messages. Firstly, they said, it is not Allah’s revelation, it has been dictated to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by someone.
Then they started attacking its authenticity and originality. In spite of their conspiracies, the Qur’an has been preserved in its original form.
The Qur’an is the only Divine revelation that has remained for the past 14 centuries uncorrupted and pure without any human interpolation or change and will remain so till the Last Day as Allah has guaranteed its purity. (Qur’an,15:9).
The purity, preservation, and propagation of the Qur’an was maintained by two methods: memorization of the Qur’an in the Qur’anic schools and the recitation of the complete Qur’an in Ramadan. In the month of Ramadan every year, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) would Qur’an with Archangel Jibreel.
Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet used to repeat the recitation of the Qur’an with Jibreel once a year, but he repeated it twice with him in the year the Prophet (peace be upon him) died. The Qur’an was recited in the Taraweeh for the first time during the era of Caliph Omar (may Allah be pleased with him).
Though many Huffaz and Islamic scholars were killed in the different parts of the world at different times, still there is no dearth of Islamic scholars who can recite the complete Qur’an from memory. Severe campaigns have been launched against the Qur’anic schools, which teach the study, recitation, and memorization of the Qur’an.
The Qur’an is the main Book of the Muslims and it is the duty of the Muslims to learn the Qur’an, which contains their code of life and ethical values whose benefits have been experienced by mankind throughout the ages.
We have discussed the objectives and importance of the Qur’an and how its originality and purity have been maintained. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions dedicated their whole lives to the worship of Allah. Their lives revolved completely around the Book of Allah, the Qur’an, reciting it in and out of Salah.
The Qur’an is the basis of the religion of Islam, and on the preservation and propagation of Allah’s Book depends the very existence of this Faith. Hence the virtues of learning and teaching the Qur’an are self-evident and do not need further elucidation.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The best amongst you is he who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.” (Bukhari, Daud, and Tirmidhi).
Namaz-e-Taraweeh Aur Rakat
Preparation Of Ramadan
Every Muslim should prepare himself/herself to welcome the blessed month of Ramadan by strengthening his relationship with the Qur’an, busing himself with the spirit of fasting, and recharging his spiritual battery to prepare himself to make the whole blessed month of Ramadan a real occasion of sincere obedience.
Ramadan is an event that occurs in the life of the faithful, as individuals and as an ummah, once a year. It is intended by Allah to help us to recharge our spiritual batteries and thus prepare us for the great mission of realizing his will on earth. Therefore, in order to benefit from Ramadan, we may do well to prepare for it by opening our hearts and minds to embrace it. let me offer a few tips:
1… We should empower ourselves by learning as much as we can about the precise laws as well as the benefits of fasting.
2… We should ensure that we gain true benefits from our fasting, let us make sure to realize the spirit of fasting: this can only be done by abstaining, not only from food, drink, and sex, but also by strictly restraining our minds, hearts as well as our eyes, ears, hands, tongue, and so on.
3… We must embrace the spirit of fasting as stressed in hadith: to be charitable and compassionate as much as we can.
4… We should strengthen our relationship with the Qur’an; for Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an.
5… We should engage in dhikr and condition ourselves to make it second nature.
6… Last but not least, we should build up our community through acts of charity and compassion and extending help to those in need as much as we can.
Let us pray that we come out of Ramadan with our faith recharged, gaining strength in our faith and commitment and relationship with Allah.
Ya Allah!
Surely we have heard a preacher calling to the faith,
Saying: believe in your Allah, so we did believe;
Ya Allah!
Forgive us therefore our faults,
And cover our evil deeds and make us die with the righteous.
Ya Allah!
Grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter,
And save us from the chastisement of the fire.
Ya Allah!
Accept from us;
Surely thou art the Hearing, the Knowing
Ramadan: Ruet-e-Hilal
