Which is God fearing. A Muslim asks himself when refraining (temporarily) from lawful things during Ramadan days, “why should then I commit permanent prohibitions all through the year?”
Observing the Mercy of Allah
When HE made fasting only one month among the 12 months.
When HE made fasting only part of 24 hours day, and not the whole day.
When HE allowed someone who forgetfully ate or drank to continue his fasting.
When HE allowed the traveler or sick to break their fast.
When HE allowed nursing or pregnant mother to break fast if fearing any harm to herself or the child.
Bounty of Allah
Fasting Ramadan grows in Muslims mind observance of enormous bounties of Allah, when he forgives sins, and frees many of HIS slaves from hellfire.
Learning Patience
Ramadan teaches Muslims the art of patience, and tolerance.
Learning the Love of Allah
When a Muslim observes the bounties and mercy of Allah in this month, his love and devotion to Allah will increase.
Pondering on the Greatness of Fasting
When a Muslim knows fromverse 183 of surah baqarah, that fasting was obligatory to all nations on this earth, then he knows the greatness of this act of worship.
Learning the art of being Generous
Ramadan teaches Muslims to be generous, to help others and spend in charity and extend once money and heart to the poor and neighbor.
Renewal of Intention
Niyyah (intention) is very important in Islam. With our daily monotonous life, we often do acts of worship without remembering the intention of doing an act of worship. Ramadan comes to teach Muslims the association of intention before and while performing fasting, and at the time of breaking fast. This will help him associate good intention throughout the year.
Strengthen the bond with Quran
Ramadan teaches Muslims to strengthen ties with Quran. It teaches them to have this relationship maintained throughout the year.
Pondering on the Meaning of Quran
With frequent recitations, Muslims grow the habit of looking into the meaning of Quran. This will for sure help them to practice this Quran in their real life.
Learning Ikhlas (Sincerity)
Fasting only for Allah, will teach Muslims to perform all acts of worship to Allah alone.
Practice wide range of Noble works
Usually, Muslims perform few routine works of worship throughout the year. Ramadan comes and breaks this routine acts, and introduces lots of new interesting acts like: fasting, recitation of Quran, prayer of Taraweeh, visiting friends, inviting friends for breakfast, etc. All these will create in a Muslim the habit of performing multiple acts of worship per day.
Learning the Mercy of our Prophet
When our Prophet did not continue praying Taraweeh prayer in congregation, fearing that it would cause this prayer to be obligatory. This shows the extent to which Prophet Muhammad –peace be upon him- loves his Ummah.
Practicing Night Prayer
Night prayer is an act of worship that brings a Muslim very close to Allah. This practice will cause the love of Allah. Allah has kept in secret prizes for those who pray at the middle of night.
Practice the fruit of Change
Ramadan brings change to the daily life of the individual and a Muslim society as a whole. This change will remind a Muslim and a community that: Change is good and healthy. Change leads to betterment. Allah does not bring a better change to a society until the society themselves bring change to them.
Learning Unity
Ramadan comes to teach the Ummah the fruits of unity. The whole nation from Indonesia to Morocco and the Muslim communities in Europe, Australia, America, and everywhere perform this action. They all fast together and break fasting together at the month of Ramadan. At the end of Ramadan, they observe the Eid-ul-fits, and celebrate this occasion. They greet each other, they visit each other. All these symbols will strengthen the tie and bond between Muslims.
Learning to Check Emotions
Emotion and urge for food and sex. Ramadan comes to regulate this innate human emotion and need. Too much drive towards food and sex is harmful. Ramadan comes to teach Muslims to regulate the lawful drive towards lawful foods and legal wives. Control over excess food and sex will surely bring Muslims towards active participation in building civilization encircling higher goals and objectives.
Learning the practice of following Allah’s instruction
Muslims do not refrain from lawful food and sex, except because Allah said so. These is no wisdom behind holding back from lawful food or sex, except that Allah ordered so. This practice of obeying Allah’s instruction –blindly- even if that is to keep away from lawful things, will cultivate in Muslims to keep away –in the first place- from unlawful things that Allah abhors.
Learning Punctuality
Ramadan teaches Muslims to schedule their life with the clock to the precision of seconds. They break fast immediately after sun-set. They start fast immediately at Fajr. They perform the prayers on time in Masjid. They start fasting at the beginning of a month, and end at the beginning of the next. All these time bound activities teaches a Muslim to be punctual in this life.
Observing the fruit of Sinless community
Ramadan shows the fruit of society, when they give up a good percentof sinful actions. We observe within our homes the fruits of fasting, reciting quran, night prayer, etc. Mental health problems, social problems, family problems , corruption etc, all these are nothing but results of our sins. Ramadan comes to let up appreciate the evil of sin, and appreciate the good of keeping away from sin.
Learning Moral Character
In Ramadan seldom people engage in bad characters. They show the best of their characters in Ramadan. This surely helps in keeping these characters throughout the year.
Learning to Check Tongue
Tongue brings so much trouble to a person, when this person leaves his tongue un-checked. It caused trouble to George Bush and recently Pope Benedict XIV. Ramadan teaches a Muslim to abstain from foul talk.
Learning the fruits of Duaa (supplication) Ramadan comes to teach Muslims the habit of attachment with Allah through duaa (supplication). At the time of Taraweeh prayer, at the time of Iftar, at the time of Suhur, in the middle of the night, and every time. Duaa it self shows the weakness of man in front of Allah, and shows the real feature of a slave. This is why, hadith mentions that dua is worship. This is why asking a dead is considered a major shirk in Islam. The most beautiful verse in Quran about dua was mentioned in the context of verses of fasting Ramadan. (see verse 186 of surah Baqarah)
Habituating Fasting
Ramadan makes fasting a habit for Muslims. This will help Muslims to go for voluntary fasting throughout the year: days of Monday and Thrusdays, Ashoora (10th Muharram), the day of Arafah, 3 days at the middle of the month, etc. all these are voluntary fastings that cause great reward. Ramadan paves the road for Muslims to enter through the door of Rayyan (which is the door in Jannah dedicated for those who excel in fasting).
Triumphing the Victory over Satan
Satan in the greatest enemy of a Muslim. Ramadan comes to show victory over this enemy. Muslims feel very proud when they defeat their enemy. This month reminds Muslims about the battlefield concept of life. Man is in continuous battle with Satan of Jinn and Satan of Mankind. There are lots of enemies around each of us. We can not stay in peace with these enemies. The very nature of our life is a battlefield.
Health Benefits
Regulating food, drink, sex and sleep will have good impact on our health. Smokers must thank Allah for this great opportunity to get rid of this addiction.
Optimism About Allah
When a Muslim knows the mercy and bounty of Allah in this month and outside this month, he starts to think optimistically about Allah –the most high. Many people think pessimistically about Allah, and that HE is the cause of hardship and trouble. Good idea about Allah will cause Allah to be close to us. The mercy of Allah is very close towards those to think good about Allah.
Breaking the Arrogance of the Soul
When a practicing Muslims see all the crowd praying taraweeh, fasting, going to Makkah for Umrah, raising hands in supplication towards Allah with tears pouring from their eyes, etc. all these scenes will cause a practicing Muslim to think humiliated. He will not think that he is the best worshipper of Allah. He will be sure that there are so many others who shed tears and pray to Allah more than he does. This will cause him devout more towards worshipping Allah.
Knowing the Beautiful Names of Allah
Knowing, thinking, pondering, and supplicating with the beautiful names of Allah is a great act of (heart) worship. Ramadan comes to help a Muslim ponder on the some of the attributes and names of Allah like Tawwab (who accepts and loves those who repent), Raheem (the Most Merciful), Kareem (the Generous), Hakeem (the wise who puts things in right place), etc.
Learning the art of Good Competition
Compete with others to pray taraweeh, to provide iftar to the poor, to complete reciting the whole Quran in this month, to go for Umrah, to give charity, etc. This cultivates into Muslims the practice of racing for Jannah and for reward. Quran mentions noble Prophets and concludes that one of their noble character was that they compete in doing good. Ramadan helps to be Prophet-like and help up to avoid being Satan-like.
Learning the Art of Prioritization
Our life is very busy. Often we are flooded with lots of good works, and we get puzzled over so many options. Ramadan creates such an environment where lots of good deeds are crowded. This teaches Muslims the art of prioritizing good actions and picking the best, then the next best, then the better, then the good, etc. A conscious Muslim will pick for example breaking the fast of a poor over reciting Quran, because the former good deed has a transitive benefit (that goes to others), where reciting has benefit for himself only. This example might be the opposite in certain cases however.
Learning the Art of Dispute Management
Dispute arises on sight of new Moon of Ramadan. Ramadan comes and creates this environment, so Muslim know how to manage dispute under the shade of Islam. The Companions of our Prophet used to have different point of view, but their dispute and view points never went to the extreme of fighting or declaring enmity with a Muslim brother. The science of dispute management is something we Muslims need to study well these days. With the style of poor dispute management of today’s Muslims, our enemy are the ones to get fun and ridicule us and exploit our weakness.
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Do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true) believers. [Quran aal-Imran (3):139]
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