"O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those
before you, so that you may guard against evil." Holy Qur'an 2:183
The holy Ramadan is back, Alhamdulillah! Being able to fast the month of Ramadan is truly a gift but how many we can go back to Allah? – It is also a trust that needs to keep with care and concern. If we wish to truly benefit from this gift and protect this trust, then some sacrifice and determination is must.
It is Allah’s greatest mercy that He has bestowed on this ummath, the holy month of Ramadan. Scholars say that it is due to Allah's love for His beloved Prophet Muhammad that resulted in this month being bestowed on us. Allah wanted to make His habeeb (beloved) happy by giving a chance to his followers to cleanse themselves of all their sins and become purified. We should all be very happy about this and continue praying to Allah that we attain His blessings completely during this month of Ramadan.
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) used to pray for the month of Ramadan two months before its arrival, speaks of the importance of this holy month. Moreover, in a different saying our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has said that if a man knows the real worth and greatness of Ramadan, he would want every month to be Ramadan. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) delivered a khutbah on the last day of Sha'ban saying: "O people: You are about to enter the shadow of a great blessed month. A night therein is better than a thousand months. Allah (swt) made fasting during this month an obligation and encouraged people to perform extra prayers during its nights. Seeking nearness to Allah (swt) through a good deed would be considered like performing an obligatory act of worship. In turn, performance of an obligatory act of worship during this month would be rewarded seventy times more than during any other month. It is the month of patience, and the reward for patience is Jannah. It is the month of comforting others, and the month during which believers would enjoy plentifulness.â€
Islam is submission to Allah and His will. We will have to respect what Allah has ordained us to. Allah has asked us to respect the holy month of Ramadan. The best way to respect the month of Ramadan is to do everything what Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) have asked us to do during this holy month. Dear all, and one thing we should always keep in our mind, our life is very short & uncertain too; so this could be our last Ramadan ever. This month may just be our last month of mercy, forgiveness, and freedom from the Fire, and we might never be able to see another one again. Let’s not let it go to waste, insha’Allah.
Farhana Helal Mehtab
Associate Professor & Head
Dept of Law