The
Glorious Month of Ramadhan
The holy month of
Ramadan enjoys a special importance in the Islamic calendar. As the Holy
Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "It is Allah's Own month." It is the chief
of all months and the most glorious one. As we already know, 'Fasting'
is one of the important pillars of Islam and it is the very month of
Ramadan during which fasting has been made obligatory for all adults and
sane Muslims. By fasting during Ramadan, a Muslim besides discharging an
obligation imposed upon him by Allah, becomes entitled to great reward
in the Hereafter. On the other hand, any lapse in the matter amounts to
a great sin. Fasting is an article of worship, the knowledge about the
performance or otherwise whereof rests only with Allah and the person
concerned. Hence, it is Allah alone who will reward that person for it,
on the Day of Judgment.
The blessings of
Ramadan are not limited to fasting alone, because the performance of all
sorts of worship and good deeds during this month is also a source of
great Divine favor. The revelation of the Holy Qur'an commenced during
this very month and it is therefore the duty of every Muslim to read and
try to understand the meaning of the Holy Qur'an and thereby gain an
insight into the Divine secrets enshrined therein. It brings peace and
illumination to the mind and imparts purity to the soul.
Ramadan is the month of
fasting, intensive prayer, sacrifice and Divine worship. Throughout this
month a devout Muslim fasts during the day in the true sense of the
word, that is, he had merely denies himself food and water, but as
explained by the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), exercises strict control over
his tongue, eyes, ears, thoughts and deeds and does everything possible
to seek the pleasure of Allah.
Devout supplications to
Allah and repentance of one's sins during Ramadan are the sources of
Divine blessings and mercy. Some nights, among the last ten nights of
Ramadan, are called the
'Nights of Glory' (Laylatul Qadr).
These are the 19th, 21st, and 23rd nights. Muslims keep awake during
these nights and offer special prayers. Even among these nights, the
23rd enjoys excellence over all the others. It is accompanied by great
blessings, and he usually grants the supplications made to Allah during
this night.
The holy month of
Ramadan, besides being the month of worship and Divine blessings,
carries a historical importance as well. As already mentioned above, the
revelations of the Holy Qur'an commenced in this month. The epoch-making
'Battle of Badr' and the 'Conquest of
Mecca' also took place during the holy month of Ramadan. |