By the grace of Almighty, the holy month of Ramadan is here. With every beginning of Ramadan, the environment suddenly changes in Islamic world and the bond between Muslims gets stronger and more beautiful. It’s a month of virtues, repentance, charity, forgiveness and blessings.  The month gives us opportunity to reconnect with our family and friends as well and rethink about our priorities in life.  This month gives a chance to everyone to be closer  to the Lord.  The opportunity is for everyone to utilize; to reflect, repent and cleanse the inner self.

Prophet Muhammad SAWW delivered a beautiful sermon to welcome the month of  Ramadan which is narrated below.

On the authority of Salman al Farsi (May Allah be pleased with him) it is narrated that during the last Jumu’ah of the month of Sha’ban the Prophet (Peace be upon him) recited a Khutba (sermon) in which he said:

• ‘O people there comes over you now a great month, a most blessed month in which lies a night more greater in virtue than a thousand months. It is a month in which Allah has made Fasting compulsory by day, and has made Sunnah the Taraweeh by night. Whosoever intends drawing near to Allah by performing any virtuous deed, for such a person shall be the reward like the one who had performed a Fardh (Obligatory act) in any other time. And whoever performs a Fardh, shall be blessed with the reward of seventy Faraa-idh in any other time.
• This is indeed the month of patience, and the reward for true patience is Jannah (Paradise). It is the month of sympathy with one’s fellowmen. It is the month wherein a true believer’s rizq (sustenance) is increased. Whosoever feeds another who fasted, in order to break the fast at sunset, for the feeder there shall be forgiveness of sins and freedom from the fire of Jahannum (hellfire), and for such a feeder shall be the same reward as the one who Fasted (who he fed) without that persons reward being decreased in the least.”
• Thereupon we said, “O Messenger of Allah, not all of us possess the means whereby we can give a fasting person to break his fast.” (They were at the time under the impression that Rasullulah(saw) referred to a full meal). Rasullulah (saw) replied:
• “Allah grants the same reward to the one who gives a fasting person to break the fast a mere date, or a drink of water, or a sip of milk (for Iftar).”
• “This is a month, the first of which brings Allah’s mercy (i.e. the first 10 days), the middle of which brings His forgiveness and the last of which brings freedom from the fire of Jahannum.”
• “Whosoever lessens the burden of his servants (d cor those under his authority) in this month, Allah will forgive him and free him from the fire of Jahannum.”
• “And in this month four things you should continue to perform in great number, two of which shall be to please your Lord, while the other two shall be those without which you cannot do. Those which shall be to please your Lord, are that you should in great quantity bear witness that there is no deity to worship except Allah (i.e. recite the Kallimah Tayyibah Laa ilaha illallah) and make much Istighfaar (repentance, beg Allah’s forgiveness with Astagfirullah). And as for those without which you cannot do, you should beg of Allah, entrance into Paradise and ask refuge in Him from Jahannum.”
• “And whoever gave a person who fasted water to drink, Allah shall grant that giver to drink from My fountain, such a drink where after that a person shall never again feel thirsty until he enters Jannah.”  [Ibn Khuzaimah in his Saheeh]

This Hadith not only signifies the value of Ramadan but tells us how to behave during the holy month. Ramadan takes us out of the usual routine life and places us in a total different scenario while we are doing the same routine tasks. Our behaviour totally changes. Its like a breath of fresh air. Syed Maududi rightly said that it’s a litmus test to check the ‘life’ of a Muslim society.  If there is some life left in a society, it will be evident during Ramadan.

One thing which we should ensure is that we must continue the virtues even after Ramadan.  This is a training workshop of unity, tolerance and piety for 30 days for entire Muslim society and we should learn from it and continue these good habits throughout the year. If we can refrain from ‘Halal’ (permitted) things when ordered by Allah and when we work together in unison, then it’s not difficult to stop ourselves from the ‘Haram’ (forbidden) if we are willing to obey and please the Lord.

About the author

Muhammad Saad Khan is a Biomedical Engineer with a diverse background of engineering and management.

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