By Dr. Hamid Barra

Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar calendar. It is during this month that the fourth pillar of Islam, sawm or fasting, is required to be performed by every able Muslim. Sawm refers to complete abstinence from food, drink and sexual knowledge with ones spouse from early dawn to sunset. The daytime of Ramadan is spent in fasting while its nighttime is spent in prayers, constant remembrance of Allah, reading and studying the Glorious Qur’an and sharing ones blessings with others. Muslims are required to learn self-restraint during this blessed month. Allah Almighty says in the Glorious Qur’an to the effect:

O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you so that you may learn self-restraint.( Sûrah al-Baqarah 2:183)

Ramadan is significant not only because it is during this month that Muslims are required to fast but also because it was during this month that the Glorious Qur’an was revealed. Allah Most High says in the Glorious Qur’an:

Ramadan is the month in which was revealed the Qur’an as a guide to mankind and clear signs for guidance and criterion (between right and wrong). So everyone of you who is present at home during this month should spend it in fasting… Sûrah al-Baqarah 2:185

The revelation of the Qur’an took place in two stages according to a tradition of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). The first stage was its revelation in whole from the Lawh Mahfuz (Guarded Tablet) to the Baytu ‘l-‘Izzah (the heaven near the earth). This revelation was made during the month of Ramadan. The second stage was its revelation in piece meal to the Holy Prophet for a period of twenty three years, beginning with the first revelation in the Cave of Hira which took place during the month of Ramadan.

Thus, Ramadan is not only a month of fasting but also of the revelation of the Glorious Qur’an. It is the month when a Muslim is trained to learn patience and perseverance, to practice sharing, caring and being compassionate to others. It is also the month of triumph and victory for Muslims as all major battles fought between the Muslims in pursuance of the truth and their enemies who tried to block that struggle happened during this holy month. It is the month of worship and remembrance of Allah, of learning attitudinal change. It is a training institute for self-restraint and Allah-consciousness.

Ramadan is the month of worship and remembrance of Allah, of learning attitudinal change. It is a training institute for self-restraint and Allah-consciousness. Every year, Muslims are trained during Ramadan to renew their ‘Muslimness’.

The lessons that a Muslim learns during the fasting month can be summed up in the following:

1. Fasting strengthens the intellectual foundation of a Muslim through a renewed attachment to the Glorious Qur’an by reading, studying, understanding and meditation on the message of the Holy Book. Ramadan is the month upon which was revealed the Glorious Qur’an as a guide to humanity. Hence, a Muslim seeks guidance from his Creator by personally communicating with Him through a thorough study of the Glorious Qur’an.

2. Fasting revitalizes the ideological foundation of a Muslim through constant Allah-consciousness. When a Muslim fasts without anyone supervising him, he renews his commitment to his testimony of faith that Allah is the only Overseer of his thoughts, words, and actions, and that He alone is the One a Muslim serves and worships.

3. Fasting reinforces his sense of communal belongingness and social consciousness. During the month of Ramadan, a Muslim is enjoined to share and care for his brothers, relatives, and neighbors. He will only become a true believer if he loves for others what he loves for himself.

4. Fasting renews a Muslim’s commitment to Islamic moral values. Such values and virtues as sabr or patience, taqwa or self-discipline and Allah consciousness, rahmah or mercy, ukhwah or brotherhood, ITQAN or excellence, nashat and juhd or being active and exertion of one’s efforts, ‘ilm or love for seeking knowledge are learned from the performance of fasting.

5. Fasting establishes a Muslim’s economic consciousness. The love for wealth is being diffused from the mind of a Muslim by encouraging him to share whatever he has for others. He learns that wealth is only a trust from Allah. While striving for economic affluence is encouraged, a Muslim is made to realize that wealth is not an end in itself but only a means to seek the pleasure of Allah through serving others. Fasting teaches a Muslim the value of budgeting. While during ordinary days, a Muslim may have normally three major meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and two minor ones (snacks at around 9:00 am and at around 4:00 pm), during the month of Ramadan, he has only two major meals (sahur or early dawn meal and iftar or breaking the fast after sunset, and one snacks after the Tarawih prayer.

6. Fasting teaches a Muslim the actual practice of jihad. During the days of fasting, a Muslim learns that he dedicates his prayers and sacrifices, his life and his death only for Allah. Without a guard, a checker or a supervisor, a Muslim suffers the pangs of hunger and thirst, survives the rigors of fasting only to seek the pleasure of Allah. During the fasting season, a Muslim is able to establish Allah’s ultimate power and sovereign authority in his heart. Thus, a Muslim becomes a liberated person who does not submit to the authority of any being except the authority of Allah.

7. Fasting lays down the universality of Islam and the oneness of the Ummah. When Ramadan comes, Muslims all over the world welcome the month with joy and commitment to the faith. Every Muslim, rich or poor, educated or not, exercising political authority or not, shares the pangs of hunger and thirst felt during the daytime of Ra­madan, and vies with one another in seeking the pleasure of Allah through prayers, remembrance of Allah, sharing blessings with others, reading the Glorious Qur’an and contemplating on its meaning and message.

Source: Morotimes

	1. Written by Norhania Pumbaya Montila on 03-11-2007 04:27 - Registered
	For over a billion of muslims in the world, Ramadhan is a special month of the year. During the month of Ramadhan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset every day. Ramadhan was the month in which the first verses of the holy Qur'an were revealed to Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W). It is a time for inner reflection, devotion to God and self-control..

	2. Written by Norhania Pumbaya Montila on 03-11-2007 04:32 - Registered
	RaMADhAn is a blessed month ordained by God. It is tHE moNTh in which Satan Ang hiS minons are saId to be  locked away in Hell to prevent them from misleading, deceiving and whispering in the ears of believers.   This doesn't mean that sin and bad deeds will completely disappear for a month but it  will mean that if bad deeds are done and sins committed, they will be from the hearts of people alone and the devil cannot be blamed.

	3. Written by Norhania Pumbaya Montila on 03-11-2007 04:44 - Registered
	For US A Muslims, somE tHings aRe proHibited aLL the time, nOt just in RamADhan but if abstiNence isn't being oBserved, Ramadhan iS a goOd tiMe to sTaRt or try and impLement cHange in life.

	4. Written by Norhania Pumbaya Montila on 06-11-2007 06:17 - Registered
	ang iBA KC..RAmadhan Lng ngsisimba..pro pgkatpos ng ramdhan wla na..binalikan na nmn ung mga dating gawain na masasama

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