May Allah Bless Us All!
Our Lord, Allah is very merciful and Forgiving and He has created different systems which He offers to his creation, the mankind, so that they repent, repent for their sins and wrong deeds. Its we who are so much capsized in this world that we even ignore and postpone this thing. A system of this kind is the Holy month of Ramadan which is I should say greatest opportunity provided by Him so that we may repent. While we enter this Holy month every year we should pray to Allah that “Praise be To Allah who kept sustaining our Life and provided us a chance to repent for our sins” We should thank him and fast the month of Ramadan with great devour and sincerity. Its not only that we will be only keeping our tummy empty and our tongue dry and at the end will we say, “O I have fasted the whole month without looking at food and drinks.” No, its not only food. The things that kept us away from the holiness of our religion and had darkened our souls and eaten up our minds, We have restrain from these things. In fact each and every part of the body has to observe fast and this thing should be echoing in our hearts that we have committed many sins and May Allah Forgive for that what we have done either in ignorance or in senses. We have to refrain from evil activities and purify our soul from evil dirt. We have to check over what we see, what we hear, what we speak and what we feel. Otherwise only remaining thirsty and hungry will obviously turn out to be futile.
According to a Hadith:
Narrated Abu Hurayrah, Allah's Messenger(SAW) said, "Many a one who fasts obtains nothing from his fasting but thirst, and many a one who prays during the night obtains nothing from his night prayers but wakefulness." (Hadith-Al-Tirmidhi#1989)Now lets begin the talk on this Holy month in which Allah, The exalted showers his mercy on mankind. Ramadan, the ninth month of Islamic calendar is the holiest month of the year in which the holy Qur’an was revealed to the Last Prophet of Allah (SAW), During this month Muslims from all continents unite in a period of fasting and spiritual reflection. The annual fast of this Holy month is considered as one of the five pillars of Islam.
According to Glorious Qur’an,
O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may ward off evil. (2:183)
All of you might have heard this verse hundred times but its importance lies in the ending where Allah describes it. It is the month which centrifuges you from the evil with holiness, sacredness, piousness spread through the air.
Allah is does not want his creation to fast the month of Ramadan at any cost or in any condition, but He wants us to be in ease as the following verse of Quran declares,
The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion of right and wrong. And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, let him fast the same number of other days. Allah desireth for you ease; He desireth not hardship for you; and He desireth that ye should complete the period, and that ye should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that peradventure ye may be thankful. (2:185)
Those who are sick, pregnant or suffering from chronic health problems, they are not liable to fast. While many of the general fasting requirements are the same for everyone, it is best to consult one of the many detailed fiqh resources for specific rules and special circumstances. Here is a link to find more detail. Ramadan Health - Safety and Health of Ramadan Fasting for Muslims
SOME BENEFITS OF RAMADAN
- Through fasting, a Muslim experiences hunger and thirst, and sympathizes with those in the world who have little to eat every day.
- Through increased devotion, Muslims feel closer to their Creator, and recognize that everything we have in this life is a blessing from Him.
- Through increased charity, Muslims develop feelings of generosity and good-will toward others. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once said, "A man's wealth is never diminished by charity."
- Through self-control, a Muslim practices good manners, good speech, and good habits.
- Through changing routines, Muslims have a chance to establish more healthy lifestyle habits -- particularly with regards to diet and smoking.
- Through family and community gatherings, Muslims strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood, in their own communities and throughout the world.
Ramadan is a very special time for Muslims, but the feelings and lessons we experience should stay with us throughout the year. In the Qur'an, Muslims are commanded to fast so that they may "learn self-restraint" (Qur'an 2:183). This restraint and devotion is especially felt during Ramadan, but we all must strive to make the feelings and attitudes stay with us during our "normal" lives. That is the true goal and test of Ramadan.
May Allah accept our fasting, forgive our sins, and guide us all to the Straight Path. May Allah bless us all during Ramadan, and throughout the year, with His forgiveness, mercy, and peace, and bring us all closer to Him and to each other.What Does Not Invalidate the Fast
Hadith - Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 3, Book 31, #154, Narrated Abu Hurayra
The Prophet(SAW) said, "If somebody eats or drinks forgetfully then he should complete his fast, for what he has eaten or drunk, has been given to him by Allah."
Narrated 'Amir bin Rabi'a, "I saw the Prophet cleaning his teeth with Siwak while he was fasting so many times as I can't count." And narrated Abu Huraira, "The Prophet(SAW) said, 'But for my fear that it would be hard for my followers, I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with Siwak on every performance of ablution."
The same is narrated by Jabir and Zaid bin Khalid from the Prophet who did not differentiate between a fasting and a non fasting person in this respect (using Siwak). Aisha said, "The Prophet(SAW) said, "It (i.e. Siwak) is a purification for the mouth and it is a way of seeking Allah's pleasures."
Breaking the Fast
· Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #1989, Narrated Abu Hurayrah
Allah's Messenger(SAW) said, that Allah Most High said, "Those of my servants who are quickest in breaking their fast are dearest to me."
· Hadith - Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 3, Book 31, Number 178, Narrated Sahl bin Sad
Allah's Apostle(SAW) said, "The people will remain on the right path as long as they hasten the breaking of the fast."
· Hadith - Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 3, Book 31, Number 182, Narrated Anas
The Prophet(SAW) said, "Do not practice Al-Wisal (fasting continuously without breaking one's fast in the evening or eating before the following dawn)." The people said to the Prophet, "But you practice Al-Wisal?" The Prophet(SAW) replied, "I am not like any of you, for I am given food and drink (by Allah) during the night."
The Night of Power-Leyla al-Qadr
During the last ten days of Ramadan, Muslims seek and observe the Night of Power (Leyla al-Qadr). The Qur'an describes this night in a chapter named for it:
Surah (Chapter) 97Al-Qadr (The Night of Power)
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
We have indeed revealed this message in the Night of Power.
And what will explain what the Night of Power is?
The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.
Therein come down the angels and the spirit, by Allah's permission, on every errand.
Peace! Until the rising of the morn!
The Night of Power is the night that in which the first revelation of the Qur'an was sent down to the Prophet Muhammad(SAW). Muslims are instructed to "seek" the Night of Power during the last ten days of Ramadan, particularly on the odd nights (i.e. the 23rd, 25th and 27th). It is reported that the Prophet (SAW)said: "Whoever stays up (in prayer and remembrance of Allah) on the Night of Qadr, fully believing (in Allah's promise of reward) and hoping to seek reward, he shall be forgiven for his past sins." (Bukhari & Muslim)
Taraweeh
Muslims worldwide spend the last ten nights of Ramadan in solid devotion, retreating to the mosque to read Qur'an (i'tikaf), reciting special supplications (du'a), and reflecting on the meaning of Allah's message to us. It is believed to be a time of intense spirituality, when the believers are surrounded by angels, the gates of heaven are open, and God's blessings and mercy are abundant.
When the month of Ramadan begins, Muslims enter into a period of discipline and worship: fasting during the day, and praying throughout the day and night. During Ramadan, special evening prayers are conducted during which long portions of the Qur'an are recited. These special prayers are known as taraweeh.
The word taraweeh comes from an Arabic word which means to rest and relax. The prayer can be very long (well over an hour), during which one stands upright to read from the Qur'an and performs many cycles of movement (standing, bowing, prostrating, sitting). After each four cycles, one sits for a brief period of rest before continuing -- this is where the name taraweeh ("rest prayer") comes from.
During the standing portions of the prayer, long sections of the Qur'an are read. The Qur'an is divided into equal parts (called juz) for the purpose of reading sections of equal length during each of the Ramadan nights. Thus, 1/30 of the Qur'an is read on successive evenings, so that by the end of the month the entire Qur'an has been completed.
It is recommended that Muslims attend the taraweeh prayers in the mosque (after 'isha, the last evening prayer), to pray in congregation. This is true for both men and women. However, one may also perform the prayers individually at home. These prayers are voluntary, but are strongly recommended and widely practiced.
Dates
Dates, my favorite fruit, well I don’t don’t know whether you like it or not but there is some thing special about this fruit in the special month of Holy Ramadan. Lets check it out.
Dates are a staple fruit of the
During the period of Ramadan, when fasting lasts from sunrise to sunset, the body can develop mild health problems such as headaches, low blood sugar, and lethargy. To avoid such problems, one should carefully monitor their eating habits once fasting for the day has ended. Dates are an excellent source of fiber, sugar, magnesium, potassium, and have carbohydrates which will aid the body in maintaining health. The carbohydrates found in dates also make the fruit a slower digesting food, much better than fried or fatty foods which digest fast and leave one hungry for more!
The whole month of Ramadan is a time of renewal. As the month winds to a close, we must pray that the spirit of Ramadan, and the lessons learned during it, last for all of us throughout the year!
May Allah bless us all and forgive our sins in this holy month and strengthen our faith so that we may not repeat them.
Amen!
