Important Lessons To Be learnt from Ramdhan

by **Noor'e Sahar** Fri Aug 06, 2010 1:02 am

Allah - the Most High - said:
"The month of Ramadhan in which the Qur'an 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 Ramadhan, he must fast that month." [Surah al-Baqarah 2:185].
Allah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said:
"lslam is built upon five: Testifying that none has the right to
be worshipped except Allah and the Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,
establishing the Prayer, giving the Zakah, performing Hajj to the House,
and fasting in Ramadhan."
l1
He sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam also said:
"There has come to you Ramadhan, 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 has truly been
deprived."
2
From the many important lessons to be learnt from fasting are:-
[1]: GAINING TAQWA
Fasting has been legislated in order that we may gain taqwa, 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 taqwa." [Surah al-Baqarah 2:183].
Talq ibn Habib (d.100H) - rahimahullah - said:
"When fitnah (trial and tribulation) appears then extinguish it with
taqwa." So he was asked as to what taqwa was, so he replied: "Taqwa is
to act in obedience to Allah, upon a light (i.e. iman, faith) from
Allah, hoping in the Mercy of Allah. And taqwa is leaving 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 taqwa. 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 iman (faith in Allah). Thus, it is pure iman - and not
habits, desires, nor seeking praise or fame, nor its like - that should
be what initiates an 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 taqwa, since it helps prevent a person 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 'alayhi 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 Ramadhan and does not have his sins
forgiven, and so enters the Fire, then may Allah distance him."7
So drawing closer to Allah - the Mort Perfect - in this blessed
month, can be achieved by fulfilling one's obligatory duties; and also
reciting the Qur'an and reflecting upon its meanings, increasing in
kindness and in giving charity, in making du'a (supplication) to Allah,
attending the tarawih 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 there 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'tikaf (seclusion in the mosque in order to worship Allah) - for
whoever is able.
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (d.751H)- rahimahullah - laid:
"Allah also prescribed i'tikaf for them, the objective being that the
heart becomes fully preoccupied with Allah - the Mort 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 heart's 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. This leads him
to feel contented 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'tikaf."8
[3]: ACQUIRING PATIENCE
Imam 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 Ramadhan ... 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 life's 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 Zakah
(obligatory charity). With patience we are able to subdue the soul's 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 jihad 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 signs 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." [Surah
al-Anfal 8:65-66].
Thus, without knowledge and patience, nothing remains, except zeal
and uncontrolled emotions, shouts and hollow slogans, speech that doer
not strengthen, but rather weakens, 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 laying 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 doer 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 ray: I am fasting, I am
fasting."15
There narrations point towards the importance of truthfulness and good
manners. Thus, this blessed month teacher 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
whosoever leaves off arguing, even if he is in the right; and a house in
the centre of Paradise for whosoever abandons falsehood, even when
joking; and a house in the upper-mort part 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 Allah's 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
Imam at-Tirmidhi (d.275H) - rahimahullah - said:
"Some of the People of Knowledge explained this hadith by saying: Its
meaning is to fast and break the fast along with the jama'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 units 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 Allah - the Mort High - said: "And hold
fast altogether to the rope of Allah and do not be divided." [Surah
al-'lmran 3:103]. Allah - the Most High - also said: "The Believers -
men and women - and friends and protectors to one another." [Surah
al-Towbah 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 cooperation), and tanasur (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 Ramadhan, 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 Allah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said:
"No people gather together in a house from the houses of Allah, reciting
the Book of Allah and studying it amongst themselves, except that
tranquility descends upon them, mercy envelops them, the angels surround
them, and Allah mentions them to there that are with Him."24 Likewise,
even in our everyday actions such, as eating, Islam teacher 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 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-Khurhani radiallahu 'anhu said: Whenever the people used to encamp,
they used to split-up into the mountain passes and valley's. So Allah's
Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Indeed your being split-up
in there mountain passes and valley's is from Shaytan." 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
Thus, Ramadhan 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 all work
together as required by Islam as sincere brothers - not due to hizbiyyah
(bigotted party spirit), nor sectarianism - in order to realise that
which is of benefit to the Islamic Ummah and to establish the Islamic
society that every Muslim aspirer for - so that the Shari'ah (Prescribed
Law) of Allah is applied upon His earth."28 So we must examine
ourselves during the month of Ramadhan 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 own character and actions and ask. Are they aiding the process
of unity and brotherhood, or are they a harm and a hindrance to it!
So we ask Allah to grant us the ability to change ourselves for the
better, during this blessed month, and not to be of there who are
prevented from His Mercy and Forgiveness. Indeed He is the One who Hears
and He is the One to Respond.
1. Related by al-Bukhari (1/48) and Muslim (no.16), from Ibn 'Umar radiallahu 'anhu.
2. Sahih: Related by an-Nasa'i (no.1992), from Abu Hurayrah radiallahu
'anhu. It was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albani in Takhrijul-Mishkat
(no.1962).
3. Related by Ibn al-Mubarak in Kitabul-Zuhd (p.473) and Ibn Abi Shaybah in his Kitabul-Iman (no.99).
4. Risalatut-Tabukiyyah (p.26) of Imam Ibn al-Qayyim.
5. Hasan: Related by Ahmad (3/241). from Jabir radiallahu 'anhu. It was
authenticated by Shaykh al-Albani in Sahihut-Targhib (no.910).
6. Related by al-Bukhari (11/481), from Abu Hurayrah radiallahu 'anhu.
7. Sahih: Related by Ahmad (2/246) and al-Bayhaqi (4/204), from Abu
Hurayrah radiallahu 'anhu. It was authenticated by Shaykh 'Ali Hasan
al-Halabi in Sifatus-Sawmin-Nabi (p.24).
8. Zadul-Ma'ad (2/81) of Ibn al-Qayyim.
9. Related by Ibn al-Qayyim in Madarijus-Salikin (2/152).
10. Related by Ahmad (2/261) and an-Nasa'i (1/327). from Abu Hurayrah.
It was authentitated by al-Albani in Irwa'ul-Ghalil (4/99).
11. At-Tamhid (19/61) of AI-Hafidh Ibn 'Abdul-Barr.
12. Related by al-Bukhari (123) and Muslim (no.123), from Ibn Mas'ud radiallahu 'anhu.
13. Sahih: Related by Ahmad (1/203) and at-Tabarani in al-Kabir
(11/100), from Ibn Abbas radiallahu 'anhu. It was authentitated by
Shaykh Salim al-Hilali in AsSabrul-Jamil (p.43).
14. Related by al-Bukhari (4/99), from Abu Hurayrah radiallahu 'anhu.
15. Sahih: Related by Ibn Khuzaymah (no.1996) and aI-Hakim (1/430) who authenticated it. Refer to Sahihut-Targhib (no.1075).
16. Related by al-Bukhari (1/53) and Muslim (no.40), from 'Amr ibn al-as radiallahu 'anhu.
17. Sahih: Related by Abu Dawud (no.4800) and al-Bayhaqi (10/249), from
Abu Umamah radiallahu 'anhu. It was authenticated by al-Albani in
as-Sahihah (n0.273).
18. Sahih: Related by Ahmad (2/441) and Ibn Majah (1/139), from Abu
Hurayrah radiallahu 'anhu. It was authenticated in Sahihut-Targhib
(no.1076).
19. Related by at-Tirmidhi (no.693), form Abu Hurayrah radiallahu 'anhu.
It was authenticated by al-Albani in as-Sahihah (no.224).
20. Jami'ut-Tirmidhi (3/312).
21. From the words of Shaykh 'Abdul-'Aziz bin Baz, as occurs in Majmu' Fatawa wa Maqalat Mutanawwi'ah (5/211).
22. Al-Hisba fil-Islam (p.9) of Shaykhul-lslam Ibn Taymiyyah.
23. Related by al-Bukhari (2/109) and Murlim (no.650), from Ibn 'Umar radiallahu 'anhu.
24. Related by Muslim (no.339). from Abu Hurayrah radiallahu 'anhu.
25. Hasan: Related by Abu Dawud (no.3164), from Wahshi ibn Harb
radiallahu 'anhu. It was authenticated by al-Hafidh al-'lraqi in
Takhrijul-lhya (2/4).
26. Related by Muslim (no.331). from Jabir ibn Samurah radiallahu 'anhu.
27. Sahih: Related by Abu Dawud (1/409) and Ibn Hibban (no.1664). Shaykh
al-Albani authenticated it in Takhrijul-Mishkat (no.3914).
28. Sualu wa Jawabu Hawla Fiqhil-Waqi' (p.24) of Shaykh Nasirud-Din al-Albani.
Source: Al-Istiqaamah Magazine, Issue No.5 ,Jan 1997