Peripatetic Wayfarer’s Blog

The Coming of Ramadhan and Getting Geared Up for Starvation.

August 17, 2009 at 7:33 pm (Uncategorized)

Hang on bro, I'll keep you company for one whole month!

The habit of enjoying the extra snooze just before day break will soon become extinct. Alarm clocks will be ringing long before the rooster has even warmed up its throat to do the Cock a doodle doo. Your Muslim co-worker will reach office earlier than usual and take more time out during the lunch break for prayers followed by an afternoon snooze. If you’re a Non-Muslim surrounded by Muslim neighbours, then you have the right to expect platters laden with Samoosa’s and bowls of Kanji (porridge) at your doorstep in the evenings.

Kids will be knocking at your gate screaming “Uncle, can we come in to your yard to take our cricket ball?” during the hours of the day in which only owls are awake. The grocery stores will be overcrowded and products such as onions, potatoes, cooking oil, dates and wheat flour will be the Mudalali’s trump card for price hikes. Monkeys will become malnourished because Muslims would have purchased all of their Bananas.

We could go on and on about the Ramadhan Culture endemic to Sri Lankan Muslims. There is very little to choose between the Global Ramadhan Culture and the Sri Lankan version. My question to you is whether the Ramadhan Culture’s adapted by us are in line with that which was practiced by Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) and the pioneers of Islam – the Sahaba’s?

No doubt Ramadhan is about starvation, but merely being exempt from food and drink constitutes to be only a tiny part of Ramadhan. The essence of Ramadhan is formed by intentionally starving oneself from worldly pleasures and lengthening the hand that gives in charity by manifolds.

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)”

(Sahih Bukhari: Book 31: Hadith 27)

Ramadhan is the 9th month of the Islamic Calendar governed by lunar cycles. Muslims have been ordered to fast from dawn to dusk during this entire calendar month which typically consists of 29 days. The first ten days of Ramadhan is dedicated for attaining Allah’s mercy, the second ten days for seeking his forgiveness and the final nine days for ensuring exemption from the fires of hell.

This month for Muslims is a month filled with bonuses. Each good deed carries blessings worth many times that of doing the same deed in any other month. The impulses to indulge in evil acts are greatly reduced during this month. Muslims believe that Satan the misleading one is tied up during this month. Only the blind and limping Satan’s are free to carry out their day to day acts of mischief.

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.”

(Sahih Bukhari: Book 31: Hadith 27)

 This is an explanation as to why we witness many Muslims turning over a new leaf during Ramadhan. If a Muslim still continues to carry out his routine acts of evil, then it is purely the blind and limp Satan’s who are influencing his actions. This is a clear indicator of the strength of one’s Iman (belief) in his lord almighty.

Ramadhan is a month of importance due to various other reasons. We will briefly mention some and Insha Allah (God willing) will explain each reason in close proximity to the occurrence of each during the month to come.

1. The Holy Quran was revealed during Ramadhan.

2. The Battle of Badr considered being the first clash in Islamic history between Paganism and Monotheism was fought during Ramadhan.

3. The “Night of Power” – Laylat-ul-Qadr occurs during Ramadhan.

In a nutshell we Muslims should reap maximum benefit of this month and not let it go to waste. Wasting this month is somewhat similar to the situation where a poor man uses a lottery ticket with the winning combination as fodder to light the cigarette parked in his mouth. In other words he is sending up in smoke million dollars worth of goodness for the cause of an evil worth two cents. Who knows, the Ramadhan which is round the corner may well be our last chance to fill up our souls with good deeds. There is no guarantee that we will survive through Ramadhan or the eleven months after that.

I beg all Muslims to strive to achieve the best out of this blessed month and work towards re-defining the Ramadhan culture in a more Islamic perspective.

The month of Ramadân in which was revealed the Qur’ân, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadân i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allâh intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allâh [i.e. to say Takbîr (Allâhu-Akbar; Allâh is the Most Great) for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.

(Al-Quran 2: 185)

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