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Significance of Ramadan for a Mu’min

“O you –the faithful to the truth, I had made Saum (Fasting), obligatory to you just like I had made it obligatory to your predecessors.”(Aalu Imran-183)

Rasoolullahi (S.A) as reported by a sacred hadith (tradition) says. Gabriel (A) approached me and requested ameen for the three prayers he made before me. Whoever witnesses the holy month of Ramadan and still not exempted from his sins shall enter the hell fire. When requested by Gabriel (A.S). Rasoolullahi (S.A) said ameen to this prayer.

Whoever not offering their duties to their parents or one among them and dies in such a state shall enter hell fire. Gabriel (A.S) requested again to say ameen to Rasoolullahi (S.A) which was granted.

Whoever faces death in a state where he/she is not offering salath even after hearing the name of Rasoolullahi (S.A) shall enter hell fire. Upon request Rasoolullahi (S.A) said ameen to this prayer too. From this sacred tradition the significance of Ramadan is evident because it is referred to in the first place.

Now that what Allah says in Qur’an and what Rasoolullahi (S.A) says as reported by the sacred hadith are quoted here we can start our discussion on the topic of “Significance of Ramadan in a believer’s life”.

For mu’min the Ramadan is not for savouring the specially prepared delicacies after the dusk or to make excuses to make the day time idle for not having food and other pleasures meant for the gratification of his flesh; neither is it a month for midnight shopping. For a Mu’min Ramadan gives him an opportunity to realize the proximity of almighty Allah by purifying one of all the sins and the veils which happens to occur during a year’s life. Each moment of Ramadan is truly savored by the Mu’min.

Rasoolullahi (S.A) says as reported by Tirmudhi (R.A). “Anyone who is fortunate enough to witness the holy month of Ramadan and still not exempted from hell fire shall perish”.

Rasoolullahi (S.A) says, “Allah releases the specially chosen by him on every night of Ramadan from the hell fire”.

Ramadan- A month for purification:

Ramadan is a month revered for the day time abstinence-“Saum” which is one among the five pillars of Islam. This aspect of Ramadan makes it prominent keeping in mind the revelation of Qur’an is also in this month. All Muslims who had come off their age and with proper clear intellect are bound to observe saum on this month. A special feature of this form of worship is that Allah himself has assured that this is only for him and he himself would be the one who gives the reward.

There is yet another tradition reported from Baihakki (R.A) that the prayers of anyone who observes “saum” will never be rejected by Allah-the almighty.

Literally the term “Ramadan” means to get something charred. Any individual who reveres Ramadan and fulfils his duties with a true heart will have all his sins charred by the divine light of Allah. This is the state of a mu’min who with his purity in all sorts of dimensions of the soul, heart and the body attains the proximity of Allah.

Real significance of Ramadan is not a subject which can be understood by vast reading and memorizing thick volumes of books. Many of the today’s Ummah have gone astray in this regard. For them Ramadan is a month to display their religious prowess by regurgitating what they had swallowed without knowing. Saum is just a day of fasting for them. From dawn to dusk they will not gain anything from Ramadan other than to endure hunger and thirst-which of course might be helpful to the individual’s health but only for a much lesser value and purpose intended by Ramadan. They will have a characteristic eagerness to find the flaws and faults of others and to waste their precious moments in Ramadan.

The term used for this special mode of worship in Arabic is “Saum”. Saum literally means to “refrain” or to “withhold”. Refraining or withholding from all thoughts and deeds which Allah has asked the human race to reject. For a mu’min his whole life is in “Saum” because he will refrain his body, heart and soul from all impurities which acts as a veil between him and the almighty Allah.

The sacred words of Sulthan-ul-Auliya Abdal Khader (R.A) are apt to be quoted here. “My true disciple will observe saum in all day time and they will sparkle like lustrous gems in the depth of nights”. This means that the righteous- those in the true path will only be concerned about their Lord’s gratification in all moments of their life. It is them who make the world lustrous.

A mu’min may feel Ramadan like a pleasant shower of cool rain. The mu’min after striving to germinate the seed of Iman sowed upon his soul by his murshid with dikrullah and righteous duties, experiences Ramadan as a seasonal rain which favors the growth of Iman and divine knowledge which sprouts from purity.

Rasulullahi (S.A) is reported to increase the alms giving in this sacred month. A mu’min strives to fill each and every moment of Ramadan with righteous deeds as though he is not going to experience it a next time.

The bounties of Ramadan:

A sacred tradition as reported by Muslim (R.A) says. ”Observer of saum will experience two pleasures. At the time he breaks his saum he will get one and the other is the ecstasy he gets when he meets his Lord and rejoices due to the saum observed by him”.

Another sacred tradition says that saum will recommend for those who observed it with relevance on the Day of Judgment. ”O lord- I forbid him from all carnal desires at day time. Please accept my recommendation for him”.

A tradition reported by Muslim (R.A) says “The odor emitting from the mouth of an individual observing saum is dearest to Allah than the fragrance of musk”.

A tradition reported by Ahmed (R.A) says. Saum is a shield and a fortress which protects the individual from hell fire. A tradition reported by Bukhari( R.A) says. Rayyan is a gateway leading to heavens. Only those who had observed saum will pass through it. When all those who had observed saum enter heaven passing through, it will be sealed forever.

Almighty Allah rearranges everything in his creation which might stand as a hurdle between him and his servant in the month of Ramadan. Doors to the hell are closed, evil spirits and devils are chained. This month is a special occasion Allah has bestowed upon human kind to realize the very purpose of their existence, i.e. to know him and to realize the status of servant within him.

Almighty Allah created the Ins(humans) and Jinn only for the purpose of being his abd(servant). Verily for that reason a mu’min will always be in ibadath each moment of his life till he meets his death. The death of a mu’min occurs only when he meets Allah. When this is read adjoined to the ayah “Do ibadath to Allah till you are offered Yakhin- Solid testimony” (Surah-Al-Hajj) is a clear pointer to what is achieved by a mu’min observing saum.

May Allah include us with those for whom the sacred month of Ramadan will offer its positive verdict!

Raheem Mahboobi
Translated by Arshad Sulthani