In
the name of Allah, the beneficent the merciful Ramadan
is the best of the months of the years. The Qur'an was revealed
in it as stated in the Qur'an. Also the rewards are greatly
multiplied in Ramadan if the intention is sincere. The gates of
Paradise (Jannah) are open, the gates of Hell (Jahannam) are
closed, and the Shayatin are tied up as the Prophet (s.a.w.)
told us. Also the fasting of Ramadan can wipe out all the wrong
doings committed before if we avoid the great ones (Kaba'ir)
that need repentance (Tawbah). Qiam (praying at night) in the
month of Ramadan can also wipe out all the wrong doings
committed before if the great ones are avoided. This does not
mean than we cannot do wrong in Ramadan because Shaitan is tied
up; people can make the job of Shaitan much easier by coming to
him rather than he comes to them. There are so many Hadiths that
talk about reward in Ramadan; just to quote some, the Prophet (s.a.w.)
said: "Whoever fasted Ramadan out of belief in it and sincerely
seeking the reward from Allah, all his past wrong doings will be
forgiven". He also said: "Whoever prayed Qiam throughout
Ramadan, all his past wrong doings will be forgiven". It is a
good idea to pay Zakah of assets during this month since the
reward will be multiplied Insha Allah.
Ramadan: The Month of Glory
The great lessons which Allah Ta'ala wanted human beings
to derive from His Commandments and guidelines are not fully
understood by many of them. That is why, some of them turn their
faces away from the absolute Light of Allah and some of them who
abide His orders do not comprehend their significance.
Understanding the religious precepts will provide with insight
into the reality which moves a person closer to the truth.
The order of Allah to the believers to keep fasts in the
holy month of Ramadan possesses manifold benefits. The element
of hunger and thirst is only one aspect of this spiritual
exercise, which is inclusive of a total experience of one's
being at the personal, social, universal and metaphysical
levels.
Some of the great benefits of fasting can be briefly
outlined as under:
01. While fasting, the believer abstains from eating and
drinking even when he is alone. This is a reminder of the fact
that Allah Ta'ala looks at him and is aware of his every
movement wherever he may be. Remembrance of Allah at all times,
secretly and openly moves a believer closer to Allah.
02. Fasting gives practice to control and to be stronger
than one's desires, which has been the cause of ruin of millions
of people in the history of mankind. This inside enemy called
desire should be subjugated to reason and intellect without
letting oneself be governed by desire. Fasting teaches a
believer not to be a slave of one's desire for the sake of
goodness and piety.
03. Fasting inculcates patience and tolerance in the face
of hardship, temptation, sin; and in showing greater eagerness
to be obedient to the orders of Allah. Tolerance is a great
blessing which can transform a human being if one can make
purposeful and constructive efforts.
04. Fasting makes the intentions stronger in doing good
work. We will not be weak, hesitating and reluctant in
situations where we have the choice of selecting piety and
leaving aside sin.
05. Fasting makes one humble of heart in front of Allah. A
heart full of mercy and sympathy. Such a heart is closer and
dearer to Allah.
06. It teaches our tongue to abstain from lies and to
speak only the truth. Telling lies on Allah, the Holy Prophet
(SAW) and the Masoomeens (A.S.) will make a fast void, which
itself is a big sin. So a month of uttering and speaking only
the truth is a vital lesson in avoiding lies and becoming
virtuous. In fact fasting cannot be meaningful without the
fasting of every other organ of the body along with the stomach
from all prohibited actions.
07. Fasting makes believers remember the hunger and
starvation of the poor and initiates empathy for the deprived
people. It is an opportunity to experience hunger so that people
will understand the pain of the hungry and will go forward to
help them.
08. Fasting being a continuous situation of hunger, thirst
and tiredness in the way of Allah teaches us the virtue of
sacrifice and the ability to suffer. And to know that this
sacrifice and suffering is noting but our salvation.
09. Fasting makes the believer know the value of the
bounties which Allah Ta'ala has bestowed on us. The various
bounties of Allah will be appreciated more clearly when one
fasts.
10. Fasting is a state of worship which lasts throughout
the whole day. This prolonged form of worship makes Muslims
familiar with the situation of true believers whose life as a
whole is the embodiment of Allah's worship.
"Say: surely my prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my
death are (all) for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds." (Holy Qur'an,
6: 163)
These are some of the benefits which every believer can
get from fasting. At the social level, fasting establishes a
bond of co-operation between the rich and the poor. It helps in
removing ill-feelings from the heart of people and brings them
closer to each other. Fasting is a proof of Allah's concept of
the unity amongst all Muslims. All believers begin and end their
fasts at the same time in the same city. It teaches them to help
each other in way of Allah and to keep away from evil.
Clearly the great lessons of fasting can make a society
humane and civilized to a great extent if people were to derive
maximum benefit from this remarkable form of worship and try to
implement the orders of Allah Ta'ala with understanding. Those
who treat the fast as a customary practice fail to get much out
of it. As the Holy Prophet (SAW) remarked: "There are people who
fast and get nothing from their fast except hunger and thirst."
May Allah Ta'ala bless us with His remembrance and worship
in a manner leading to forgiveness of sins and earning bounties
of Duniya and Aakherat. Ilahi Aammeen. ALHAMDO LILLAHAY RABBIL
AALAMEEN.
Many persons get nothing out of their fasts but
hunger and thirst; many more get nothing out of
their night prayers but exertions and sleepless
nights. Wise and sagacious persons are
praiseworthy even if they do not fast and sleep
during the nights. Imam Ali (A.S.) |
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DUA - The magical hotline to Allah
After belief in God, prayer comes ask the innate function
of man and the basis of his worship, for man is subjected to
endless calamities and attacked by numerous enemies in spite of
his infinite impotence, and has limitless needs and requests in
spite of his infinite poverty.
Remember how a child expresses his need for something he
cannot reach: he either says that he wants it or simply cries,
that is, he asks for, in word or in action - in either case with
the tongue of his weakness and indeed, reaches his goal.
Belief requires prayer as a certain means of attainment,
the nature of man strongly calls for prayer, and God Almighty
also decrees:
"Say, My Lord would not concern Himself with you but for
your prayer." (Qur'an, 25:77)
"Call on Me; I will answer your prayer." (Qur'an, 40:60)
If you say, `We pray many times, but our prayers are not
accepted'. The meaning of the above verse is general; it states
that there will be an answer for every prayer. To answer is one
matter, to accept is another.
Suppose that a sick child is asking a doctor to give him a
certain medicine, the doctor may give him that exact kind of
medicine or he may give him an injection for the benefit of the
child (which the child doesn't like) or he may give nothing at
all. In the same way, God Almighty, the one of Absolute Wisdom
answers the supplication of his slave, but His answer is not to
be dictated by the wishful thinking of man. Rather, He answers
the prayer of His slave conforming to His Wisdom, and therefore
gives either what is requested, or what is better, or nothing.
Moreover, prayer is a kind of worship and worship yields
its fruits in the Hereafter. Worldly causes of prayer,
therefore, cannot be its purposes; they only mark the time of
prayer. The prayer for rain, for example, is a worship; and the
lack of rain is its time. It is not to be aimed at bringing down
rain, in which case it will not be sincere and acceptable. One
should exhibit in prayer one's impotence and take refuge in Him
and should not interfere with His Lordship. That is, one should
not so act as if accusing His Compassion, but should leave the
arrangement of the matter to Him, with a complete trust in His
Wisdom.
The Holy Qur'an says, "Such is your Lord. To Him belongs
all dominion and those whom you invoke besides Him have not the
least power". (35:13)
Hence, if a calamity or hardship has not been lifted
despite many prayers, one is not supposed to say, "The prayer
has not been accepted" but is supposed to say, "The time of
prayer is not yet over. "If God Almighty lifts the calamity,
that is the result of His Grace and Mercy, and indicates the end
of the time of supplication.
Basically for worldly goals, one must strive and move
actively in that direction and simultaneously request His Help
and Guidance. Sometimes, Dua is the only element missing to
bring His Favors down.
Supplications, invocations and Istigasa [i.e. seeking the
intercession of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and the Holy Imams (A.S.)
in asking for God's Help] are the recommended forms of optional
prayer which have no constraints of time, place or state of
cleanliness. It is only preferable to ask for one's wishes in
the last Rak'at of night prayers, before sunrise, when the wind
blows or when rainfall starts. Needless to say that the whole
process of acceptance is expedited when a person has a lawful
goal in mind and prays with sincerity of intention.
Prayer is such a tree that it gives abundant fruits
throughout the year. Prayer gives man hope and courage, prevents
calamities, removes the enemy from one's path, brings friends
together, helps cure sickness, replaces poverty with abundance,
and earns forgiveness of God, etc, etc. Not surprisingly, losing
hope in receiving any Mercy from God is considered a major
prohibited act and a sin.
Prayer is not a medicine to be taken during difficulties
and hardships alone. Recognition of blessings enjoins thanking
the Bestowed of the blessings. "If you are thankful I will give
you more, but if you are thankless, My punishment is surely
terrible". (Qur'an, 14:7) Thus, Prayer is a powerful means of
seeking nearness to God. Only the ungrateful avoids prayers &
the ignorant ignores it. |