The purpose of Ramadan

Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) ordered us to have His taqwa, to fear His displeasure and be aware of the fact that one day we will meet Him, when He subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) said:

“O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him].” [Qur’an: Chapter 3, Verse 102]

Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) told us that He made fasting fardh (compulsory) upon us so that we can develop taqwa. But does that happen to us in Ramadan? Do we really develop more taqwa? Is this reflected in our lives? And if not, is Ramadan anything more for us than a date change? Perhaps a social event at best; an enjoyable time but nothing more in terms of the blessings that it comes with for the one who has wisdom.

Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) said:

“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.” [Qur’an: Chapter 2, Verse 183]

As we can see, Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) ordered us to have taqwa and then showed us how to develop taqwa: by fasting. Only once a Muslim develops taqwa, can his submission to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) be assured and so the second part of the ayah becomes possible:

“…do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him].” [Qur’an: Chapter 3, Verse 102]

A month of increasing in obedience

The secret of obedience is to obey without question. It is not obedience without understanding. The understanding when obeying Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) is to understand who Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) is, not what the command is or the logic behind it. This is a major trap that most of our so-called intellectuals fall into. They get lost in trying to understand the logic of the command and forget who is commanding it. That is why Ramadan comes to emphasize the fact that the Muslim obeys because Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) commanded it, not because it makes ‘sense’ to him. Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) made some things halal and some things haram. But in Ramadan during the hours of daylight, He subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) made even the things which are ordinarily halal, haram. When the Muslim obeys Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) and fasts he is essentially doing something which makes sense only when one he understands whose command it is. It is emphasized for the Muslim that if he obeyed Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) during Ramadan and stayed away even from halal then how much more important it is for him to stay away from what Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) prohibited and made haram?

That is why it is so critical to know Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), to be connected to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), to be conscious of Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) and to be concerned about His pleasure and approval for all that we say or do because to Him is our return. Ramadan comes to reiterate this to us every year: that we are the slaves of Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) and in being true to that is our salvation. Ramadan comes to teach us obedience. It comes to teach us the meaning of uboodiya (slavery to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He)). It comes to teach us the meaning of being servants of Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) and to do that because we love Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) above all else.

Are we ritually rejecting Ramadan’s blessings?

My brothers and sisters, I remind myself and you that Ramadan comes to us every year as an opportunity to change ourselves, our habits, our ways and our lives so that we become people of jannah. Ramadan is a special time when Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) relaxes the rules and gives us special advantages with respect to our actions so that we get a chance to change. He chains the shayateen (devils) so that we don’t have to fight against the odds. He increases the reward for good deeds so that we get a handicap advantage and a much higher return on our actions. He gives us fasting which makes every action we do during it, including sleep, ibadah (worship). He gives us taraweeh in the night where we get from 10-100 rewards for every letter of the Qur’an we listen to. He gives our dua a special place of acceptance, especially duas at the time of iftar. He shuts the doors of jahannam (Hellfire) and opens the doors of jannah. He opens the doors of His Mercy and Kindness and Forgiveness for all those who actively seek it. In the last ten nights, He increases all this even more in keeping with His Majesty and Grace.

But what do we do with all these bounties? Do we take the maximum benefit from them or do we squander them in the name of socializing and self-indulgence? I remind myself and you to use Ramadan to change our lives. Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) said about those who will be successful on the Day of Judgment:

“Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.” [Quran: Chapter 3, Verse 185]

I remind myself and you that it is we who need Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) and all His bounties, like Ramadan, for our own salvation and success in this life and the Hereafter. What sense does it make to be reminded year after year about the bounty that Ramadan brings and still ignore it and squander it instead of taking its benefit?

Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) does not need us and can replace us if we don’t pan out. He warned us and said:

“O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion – Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him [who are] humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers; they strive in the cause of Allah and do not fear the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allah ; He bestows it upon whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.” [Qur’an: Chapter 5, Verse 54]

Ending the ‘iftar party’ trend

Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) created us to teach others how to live. He didn’t create us to live in a way that others can laugh at. That is what is happening today, especially with respect to iftar parties. They are a spectacle that others laugh at us for. They laugh at our antics of trying to get invited to high profile parties; at our pretensions of piety while gorging on food like there is no tomorrow. Political parties and politicians use iftars as carrots for Muslims who are so anxious to be invited to an iftar party being given by this or that leader, no matter whether he is Muslim or not, no matter what his own track record of oppression is, no matter anything except that he is temporarily in power. All power is, after all, temporary. But we scramble for the invitation shamelessly. It’s time to change before we reach the end of our own line.

What do we do about iftar and wanting to invite family and close friends?

Invite family and close friends for iftar. You have the rest of the year to host others and socialize.
Eat what you normally eat. Don’t do anything special.
Make sure all activity in the kitchen is ended 30-45 minutesdo anything special.
Make sure all activity in the kitchen is ended 30-45 minutes before the time of iftar and the people who cook for you are free to wash up and prepare for iftar and dhikr and dua. Remember that Ramadan is for them also and if you give them duties that prevent them from worship you will answer to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) for that.
When your guests come, remember Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) and remind each other of Him. No other conversation. Then close to the time of iftar, maintain absolute silence and engage in individual dua.
Once the adhan is called, break your fast with a date or two and a drink of water and the men go to the masjid for salah. Make shukr to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) for granting you Ramadan and the fast and the food. After salah return and eat a light meal and go back to the masjid for Isha and taraweeh.
Be concerned about the poor and ensure that they have enough to eat in Ramadan and after it. After all, they don’t eat only in Ramadan so I’ve never understood the rush to give hampers in Ramadan and then forgetting about them for the rest of the year. Charity is not restricted to Ramadan. Let us be charitable all through the year.


I ask Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) to make this Ramadan the best Ramadan of your lives and enable you to especially please Him and ask Him to forgive your faults and never be displeased with you. Aameen.

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Moorihaba Ya Ramadan

welcome Ramadan month dat supersede all other month.
Month of Blessing.....

barakallahu fihi OP....

^^^ Aamin. Wa antum.

Jazakhallah

Marhaba Bikum Ya Ramadhan

Alhamdullilahi it's coming soon, we shall all witness this year Ramadan insha Allah.

Thanks for the soft reminder

Just hope Boko Haramites are reading this!

Asalamu Alaykum My Brothers and Sisters, please like when Exactly should we be expecting the Ramadan?

May Allah make it easy for us

Samirana360:
islam religion of piss

u better not waste ur mb if you have nothing better to post

Allhamdulilla..

الله‍م بآلغنآ رمضآن Oh Allah let us Reach The month of Ramada (holly month) Ameeen

Barakallahu Fih

wow!!! Islam is wonderful Allahu Akbar

Mor'haba Yaa Ramadan...

Oboy..very soon. no more chawing oooo

Jazakhumlah khayran

@OP JAZAKUMLLAHU KHAYRAN KEDHIRAN, MAY ALMIGHTY ALLAH IN HIS BOUNTIFUL MERCY MAKE IT EASY FOR US

daily show on Ramadan starting on the 16th of this month.

host will be Dr Zakir Naik

24/7 stream

http://www.peacetv.in/live_peacetv.html

In Sha ALLAH

Allahumaa baalignaa Ramadhan (Aameen)

My fruits are chilling awaiting the most glorious mouth 'RAMANDAN KREEM'

Aamin to all the du'as above. May we all witness this coming Ramadan and many more in good health and happiness.