Islamonweb

By Shaikh Ibrahim Barnawi & Dr. Muhammed Madappally

 Al-Hamdulillah, we are in Ramaḍān. It is about to open eight paradises widely to embrace the one who observes fasting, pray and perform Rukūʿ and Iʿtikāf. Ramadan covers up the one who invocates, gives charity, and seeks forgiveness before the sun rises, with heavenly fragrance and pleasures.Its air streams are sensed from very far. None of those who pray and observe fast, who spend on charity and contributions, would touch the terrible blazes and horrendous flames of hell fire and its heat, fatality and storms.

How beautiful is the poetic verses of Sheikh Aid al-Qarni:

“Warm welcome to the fasting

Oh, the beloved which visits us year after year

We meet you with hefty love

before which all other love except to Allah is vain.

So, oh Allah, accept our fasting,

and bestow us with your heavy gifts.

Don’t punish us, for our heavy hearts did it

And, cover of darkness made us sleepless

Verily, choking desires are at my heart

Tears of love flows in my eyes”.

Oh, the fast-moving days, come fast!Oh, the clock hands, hurry up. For, our hearts come out of joy, excitement, eagerness, and longing to meet the great month which Allah glorified and specialized to become the month of descending the Holy Quran. Allah says, “Ramadan is the month in which Quran was descended as guidance to the people and proof and standard of distinction between good and bad”(2:185)

Ramadan would boast on other months for Allah had chosen it for descending Quran. Moreover, Allah chose this month to complete the pillars of Islam. Then, He designed this month well, which is outwardly hurdles and difficulties and inwardly beauty, fragrance, rewards and paradise. Then He called with “Oh the people who believed”.What an amazing way of call which creates a mesmerizing tide in the hearts of believers!! Allah says, “Oh those who believe, fasting has been made mandatory on you”(2:183).

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See another complacency in Allah’s expression: We know fasting is difficult and heavy on people. But, any difficulty would be mitigated if it is shared. Allah says that fasting is not something unique to this community of Rasool ﷺ, rather it was made mandatory to every community before it. Allah says, “as it was made mandatory on the bygone communities” (2:183). See the beauty of divine mercy!! What is the purpose of making it compulsory? He conceals the reply: “so that you may become God conscious”. How many days are you to observe? Allah says, “some countable days” (2:184).

Yes, it is the month knitted with our hearts, the month that our bodies long for, our souls look forward and conscience quenched from. “Oh, the believers, fasting has been made mandatory on you” (2:183). This is the month which we prepared for days and nights and months. Ramadan!! Good tides to those who attained it!! Victory to those who reached it!! Lost those who wasted it!! Lost those who misused it!!

Once, Rasool ﷺ ascended on the steps of the pulpit in his Masjid saying “Āmīn” thrice. The companions asked him: Oh, Prophet of Allah, we heard you repeating “Āmīn” thrice? Rasool (s) replied: The angel Jibreel (A. S) came to me and told: Get lost the person who reached Ramadan and was not forgiven, say Āmīn. Then I said Āmīn. Jibreel (A.S.) again told: Get lost the person in front of whom your name was spelt out and did not say swalat on you. Say Āmīn. Then I told Āmīn. Jibreel (A. S) told third time: Get lost the person who got chance to live with his aged parents - both of them or either of them – and they didn’t cause him enter the paradise. Say Āmīn. Then I said Āmīn. (Tirmidhi)

Think how heavy is the loss that a person gets instances of favor and grace, spaces for profitable transactions and chances of honest competition, and then ends up with an empty hand? Verily, none can blame Allah but a loser.

We should understand that if Ramazan approaches, the doors of paradise will be opened, doors of hell will be closed, and devils will be tied up. And declarer will voice from the heaven that “Oh the needy of virtue come forward, and oh the needy of evil go away. Allah has aplenty of saviors from the hell fire”. That, too, every night.This is the month when we actualize such a unique worldly affair.It is only a starting of grace because the grace of Allah is endless.

(Shaikh Ibrahim Barnawi, Sudan, is an Imam and Khatib under the Ministry of Auqaf and Islamic Affairs, Qatar.Dr Muhammed Madappalli currently works as Post Graduate Teacher at Birla Public School in Qatar. He is also a Section Editor of Islam onwebEnglish edition. He started his career as an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Lovely Professional University, Punjab, India.)