Ramadan: Most favorite month…Yes! It is here, and it is the most awaited month for almost all Muslims. It is commonly known for being the month of fasting and the month of giving. In short, Ramadan is a month if properly accomplished by a Muslim, will help to purify his/her soul and bring him/her closer to the Almighty. The Quran also mentions on the eminence of Ramadan:
“The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.” (Al Quran 2:185)
Ramadan is also significantly known as the month when the Quran was sent down to the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) as a guidance to mankind. But apart from this, there are also several other reasons that made a Muslim fall deeply in love with this month!
The Night of Decree
The first verse of Quran was sent down on the night of Laylatyul Qadr (The night of decree). It falls in one of the odd nights on the last ten days of Ramadan. The night of Laylatul Qadr is known to be better than a thousand months; good deeds performed in this one night are better than those performed over thousand months. With that, it is highly encouraged to increase devotion and prayer during this particular night.
Forgiving of Sins and Increasing Rewards
Abstaining food and drink from dawn to dusk for the sake of Almighty makes the Muslims stronger in their iman and brings them closer to Allah. As Allah has promised to all Muslims in the Quran that,
“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous” (Al Quran 2:183)
There are Hadiths that encourages Muslims to fast with faith so that all their past sins can be forgiven and they are rewarded immensely.
Narrated Abu Huraira(r.a): The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:”… whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari).
Rasulullah (saw) says: ”Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah will receive a hasanah (good deed) from it (i.e. his recitation), and the hasanah is multiplied by ten. I do not say that Alif-Laam-Meem is (considered as) a letter, rather Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter, and Meem is a letter.” (Tirmidhi).
May the Almighty accept our prayers! Ameen.
