From lecture by Sheikh Muhammad Cheppih and Sheikh Tawfique Chowdhurry
"O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (Fasting in the month of Ramadhan) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become the ones who have taqwa (piety, love, fear and consciousness of Allah)" (Al-Baqarah 2:183)
- Fasting is not just about hunger and thirst. The whole objective of fasting is to attain Taqwa - the love, fear, and consciousness of Allah. If you haven't attained this, then ask yourself: "what are you really trying to achieve?"
- many amongst mankind live their lives on 'auto pilot' - they eat, drink, work, play, sleep - every day, living on routine. When is the last time we took a step back and live our lives consciously, actually taking control of our life? When is the last time we stopped to ponder about the true purpose of our existence?
Allah did not create men to eat, drink, work, play and sleep - this is what cows do. We are not cows. We are created to live our lives in connection to the One who Created us.
Ask yourself: gauge yourself and ask : when is the last time I was thankful to Allah for the little blessings in my life? When was I last conscious that Allah had declared "If you give thanks (for My blessings), I will add more - but if you are thankless, verily! My punishment is indeed severe" (Ibrahim 14:7) - and I realized that the more I give thanks for these things, the more He adds?
This is the whole spirit and objective of Ramadhan - a small dose of pain for us to have that bit of realization, to snap out of our auto pilot and live in consciousness, and connection with Allah. In realization of our objective in life.
- Allah has chosen the month of Ramadhan - the one special month out of 12 months, to be the most blessed, beloved and beneficial of all months, just as he chose Yusuf (Prophet Joseph) above his 11 other brothers to be the best, the most blessed, beloved and beneficial to his family, and the rest of mankind - what is our attitude towards this special treatment Allah has given us?
- Companions narrated that the Prophet was most generous during Ramadhan (literally "like a whirlwind") - Towards attaining taqwa, this teaches us a feeling of selfness in generosity - giving to others, even when we are in need (of food).
- Fasting teaches us to have empathy, soften our hearts to feel what our less-fortunate brothers and sisters around the world feel - ones who have been deprived by Allah in this world, to taste the delicious foods that we taste - who, insha Allah, if were believers will taste much greater blessings in the Hereafter.
- Abstaining from sexual intercourse with the spouse teaches us to also empathize with our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters who are imprison - some for life, perhaps will never get the opportunity to experience that pleasure
- Feelings of generosity in sadaqah and zakat in Ramadhan - are training for us to detach us from the fake and temporary life of this world, and direct our attention and focus to the everlasting and beautiful abode of the Akhirah
Love of dunya (this worldly life) vs Love of Akhirah are on two opposite sides of a scale: if one gets heavier, the other one gets lighter.
If the past 11 months has not allowed us to attain those feelings - make this Ramadhan is that mental, emotional and spiritual training to do so!
- Advice: Don't jump into Ramadhan full-swing without training. Even if you were to compete in a badminton/soccer match, you would do prior training beforehand - else you would have cramps all over! Similarly, the Prophet's sunnah is to fast a lot for the 2 months preceding Ramadhan (Rajab and Sha'ban) - this is highly encouraged!
If we have readied ourselves to be used to this abstinence, by the time Ramadhan comes, we will not feel exhausted and over-eat - so we can focus on one of the best blessings of Ramadhan - TARAWIH prayers! Allahu Akbar.
And then of course when Ramadhan over, we finish off with the 6 days of fasting in syawwal - the Prophet said (the meaning of which) "The one who fasts the month of Ramadhan AND THEN fasts 6 days in syawwal is as if he has fasted a year"
Scholars say that this is to make up for whatever deficiencies that we may have made in Ramadhan which we've invested our greatest efforts.
There is an amazing Wisdom behind this arrangement of voluntary and obligatory fasting (2 months of recommended vasting, 1 month obligatory and 1 month of recommended) - this is similar to prayer for zuhur - 4 rakaah of recommended prayer before, 4 for actual obligatory Zuhur prayer, and 2 recommended rakaah after Zuhur prayer.
So here is the sequence of the "best of deeds" :
1) preparation & training for the act of worship
2) actual act, and
3) additional act in covering up for deficiencies
- build your relationship with Allah with your du'aa - while waiting for breaking the fast, make lots of prayers, du'aa and request from Allah - this is the best time to do it. Rather than stare at the food while waiting for the adzan, utilize that opportunity to make du'aa and request as much as you can from Allah.
Again, going back to the initial point: get out of auto-pilot mode, and build up on that taqwa and piety
Q: If Shaytan is chained up in Ramadhan (as mentioned by the Prophet), then why are "some" people still committing evil and wrongdoings?
A: Because there are "some" people - out of carelessness and/or following their desires - have allowed Shaytan to train them well for the other 11 months - so when Ramadhan comes, 'Auto-Pilot' kicks in!
So snap out of it and become the change that YOU need!
(okay, this point i added - sorry, too tempting)
May Allah make this Ramadhan the best, most beneficial and the most blessed means of attaining love, fear, consciousness and piety of Allah
summarized, cherry picked, somewhat paraphrased and a bit tokok tambah (minus fiqh part) from live lecture @ UIA on 13/07/2011
- Why Islam? Why NOT!?
