The
holy month of Ramadan enjoys a special
importance in the Islamic calendar. As the Holy
Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "It is Allah's Own
month." It is the chief of all months and the
most glorious one. As we already know, 'Fasting'
is one of the important pillars of Islam and it
is the very month of Ramadan during which
fasting has been made obligatory for all adults
and sane Muslims. By fasting during Ramadan, a
Muslim besides discharging an obligation imposed
upon him by Allah, becomes entitled to great
reward in the Hereafter. On the other hand, any
lapse in the matter amounts to a great sin.
Fasting is an article of worship, the knowledge
about the performance or otherwise whereof rests
only with Allah and the person concerned. Hence,
it is Allah alone who will reward that person
for it, on the Day of Judgment.
The blessings of Ramadan
are not limited to fasting alone, because the
performance of all sorts of worship and good
deeds during this month is also a source of
great Divine favor. The revelation of the Holy
Qur'an commenced during this very month and it
is therefore the duty of every Muslim to read
and try to understand the meaning of the Holy
Qur'an and thereby gain an insight into the
Divine secrets enshrined therein. It brings
peace and illumination to the mind and imparts
purity to the soul.
Ramadan is the month of
fasting, intensive prayer, sacrifice and Divine
worship. Throughout this month a devout Muslim
fasts during the day in the true sense of the
word, that is, he had merely denies himself food
and water, but as explained by the Holy Prophet
(S.A.W.), exercises strict control over his
tongue, eyes, ears, thoughts and deeds and does
everything possible to seek the pleasure of
Allah.
Devout supplications to
Allah and repentance of one's sins during
Ramadan are the sources of Divine blessings and
mercy. Some nights, among the last ten nights of
Ramadan, are called the
'Nights of Glory' (Laylatul Qadr). These are
the 19th, 21st, and 23rd nights. Muslims keep
awake during these nights and offer special
prayers. Even among these nights, the 23rd
enjoys excellence over all the others. It is
accompanied by great blessings, and he usually
grants the supplications made to Allah during
this night.
The holy month of Ramadan,
besides being the month of worship and Divine
blessings, carries a historical importance as
well. As already mentioned above, the
revelations of the Holy Qur'an commenced in this
month. The epoch-making
'Battle of Badr' and the 'Conquest of Mecca'
also took place during the holy month of
Ramadan. |