إدريس عبدالله
_19 _June _2015هـ الموافق 19-06-2015م, 11:43 PM
There is no doubt that everyone expresses joy and happiness when Ramadan approaches. That is the month that appears upon us yearly at its fixed time immediately or predate, though the reasons of this joy may defer from one person to another. The believer for instance becomes joyous because he had the opportunity to observe this month, as it is the month repentance and forgiveness and emancipation from the hell. They, hence, prepare themselves {for it} and regard that as an act of obedience and making provision for the hereafter. As for other than the believers, they see not Ramadan except the month of laziness and taking leave from work, eating and drinking. The month therefore passes away and they have not taking any benefit from it except with their bodies gaining weight and their hearts becoming hard with their faces becoming dark. They indeed wasted such opportunities that may likely not repeat itself in their life again.
The condition of people in Ramadan has a strong link with their life before it. This is so because; Ramadan is not a mere guest to be welcome without preparation and readiness. Nevertheless, it is compulsory we welcome it perfectly so that it can bestow upon us its goodness and depart from us whiles it has bestow upon us honor and leaving our hearts in earnest anticipation of its return the following year.
The Islamic researcher; Dr. Wasfi Abu Zaid mentioned certain fundamental conditions that help one to take benefit of Ramadan. He says: a Muslim family must get ready to welcome the month of Ramadan in various levels. Among these include spiritual, social and economic, but for spiritual, it is incumbent for them to fast frequently in the month of sha’ban, daily routine in the recitation of the Glorious Qur’an and develop a strong determination to come out of the blessed month with the best of all provisions. However, for socially, one must create the awareness of all neighbors and family relations and by displaying flowers to create the conscious of children that we are expecting a great and dignified event. With regard to economical preparation, the Muslim family should not specially arrange food items and drinks for the month but rather, it is encourage that they reduce their food and drink consumption in order to prepare the soul adequately to receive the blessings since taking much food and drinks make the soul heavy and hardens the heart.
In conjunction with Dr. Abu Zaid, Isaam Zaidaan said: the Muslim family should hasten towards the month of Ramadan by preparing for it in order to fully take benefit of it.
It must be noted that, preparing for Ramadan is in two folds; spiritual preparation (with faith) and material preparation. Material preparation means making available all needed provisions during the entire course of the blessed month of Ramadan without extravagance nor shortage in order to save his time from being wasted. Spiritual preparation however is achieved by training oneself on worship and being steadfast therein in order to train the hearts and to achieved the anticipated benefits by Allah’s permission
As previously seen, professor Zaidaan made it clear that among the spiritual preparation before Ramadan is to have a daily routine of the recitation of the Qur’an in order to finish its recitation before the month of Ramadan sets in.
It is also very befitting for it as it comes after Sha’ban that a lot of optional fast be done in Sha’ban in obedience to the Prophetic Sunna as was informed by Aaesha may Allah be please with her that: he used to fast most part of Sha’ban and would say “ such is the month most people are negligent about which is between Rajab and Ramadan, it is the month in which actions are raised to the Lord of the worlds and I wish that my deeds be raised up whilst I am observing a fast.
Among the spiritual preparation towards Ramadan is to revive the ritual of night prayers even if it is only two raka’at daily, which is observed by the Muslim family in congregation before bedtime. This suffices for the family to be written down with Allah as the Qaa-imun (those who stand in prayers at night). This makes standing in the night prayers in Ramadan to become easy.
Another Islamic researcher; Abdul Aziz Ashaamii was of opinion that the Muslim family is the first nursery for the upbringing of children. Their success and happiness is the aim of every father and mother, hence, the family must mutually partake in doing good and actions of righteousness, seeking knowledge and taking opportunity of blessed seasons and abandoning the unlawful. Among the important things to be done by the Muslim family are as follow:
1. Making sure every hour in the day and night is filled with an act of worship of a kind or at least with a good intention.
2. Making good use of blessed times in fulfillment of the Prophetic tradition: “make good use of five things before five others: your youthful age before your old age, your health before your sickness, your affluence before your poverty, your leisure before your busy time”
3. Reducing the time spent in watching television especially corrupt satellites and stopping television stations that play drama to make time towards the Glorious Qur’an, its recitation and cogitation, listening to it and memorizing it.
4. Teaching the family that the Lord of Ramadan is the same Lord for other than it, hence, is not appropriate for the youth to populate the Masaajid during the entire days of Ramadan and to desert it after the Eid prayer; rather we must teach the children that fasting is followed with guidance, light, mercy and righteousness.
Professor Shaamii also draws our attention to a big problem which has to do with the Muslim woman in Ramadan for there are some woman who want to devote their time in worship and prepare herself all times in making devotional provisions but in reality, she find herself in many problems as house chores activities becomes burdensome on her in addition to the long hours she has to spend in the kitchen in preparing meals and drinks, not forgetting about the many visitations likely to be received. In this way, the entire time is wasted and she may not be able to be constant with her prayers and her daily routine of the recitation of the Qur’an. Hence, the woman must be careful not to waste her time in Ramadan but rather, she must exercise stinginess of her time and deen from going waste.
The condition of people in Ramadan has a strong link with their life before it. This is so because; Ramadan is not a mere guest to be welcome without preparation and readiness. Nevertheless, it is compulsory we welcome it perfectly so that it can bestow upon us its goodness and depart from us whiles it has bestow upon us honor and leaving our hearts in earnest anticipation of its return the following year.
The Islamic researcher; Dr. Wasfi Abu Zaid mentioned certain fundamental conditions that help one to take benefit of Ramadan. He says: a Muslim family must get ready to welcome the month of Ramadan in various levels. Among these include spiritual, social and economic, but for spiritual, it is incumbent for them to fast frequently in the month of sha’ban, daily routine in the recitation of the Glorious Qur’an and develop a strong determination to come out of the blessed month with the best of all provisions. However, for socially, one must create the awareness of all neighbors and family relations and by displaying flowers to create the conscious of children that we are expecting a great and dignified event. With regard to economical preparation, the Muslim family should not specially arrange food items and drinks for the month but rather, it is encourage that they reduce their food and drink consumption in order to prepare the soul adequately to receive the blessings since taking much food and drinks make the soul heavy and hardens the heart.
In conjunction with Dr. Abu Zaid, Isaam Zaidaan said: the Muslim family should hasten towards the month of Ramadan by preparing for it in order to fully take benefit of it.
It must be noted that, preparing for Ramadan is in two folds; spiritual preparation (with faith) and material preparation. Material preparation means making available all needed provisions during the entire course of the blessed month of Ramadan without extravagance nor shortage in order to save his time from being wasted. Spiritual preparation however is achieved by training oneself on worship and being steadfast therein in order to train the hearts and to achieved the anticipated benefits by Allah’s permission
As previously seen, professor Zaidaan made it clear that among the spiritual preparation before Ramadan is to have a daily routine of the recitation of the Qur’an in order to finish its recitation before the month of Ramadan sets in.
It is also very befitting for it as it comes after Sha’ban that a lot of optional fast be done in Sha’ban in obedience to the Prophetic Sunna as was informed by Aaesha may Allah be please with her that: he used to fast most part of Sha’ban and would say “ such is the month most people are negligent about which is between Rajab and Ramadan, it is the month in which actions are raised to the Lord of the worlds and I wish that my deeds be raised up whilst I am observing a fast.
Among the spiritual preparation towards Ramadan is to revive the ritual of night prayers even if it is only two raka’at daily, which is observed by the Muslim family in congregation before bedtime. This suffices for the family to be written down with Allah as the Qaa-imun (those who stand in prayers at night). This makes standing in the night prayers in Ramadan to become easy.
Another Islamic researcher; Abdul Aziz Ashaamii was of opinion that the Muslim family is the first nursery for the upbringing of children. Their success and happiness is the aim of every father and mother, hence, the family must mutually partake in doing good and actions of righteousness, seeking knowledge and taking opportunity of blessed seasons and abandoning the unlawful. Among the important things to be done by the Muslim family are as follow:
1. Making sure every hour in the day and night is filled with an act of worship of a kind or at least with a good intention.
2. Making good use of blessed times in fulfillment of the Prophetic tradition: “make good use of five things before five others: your youthful age before your old age, your health before your sickness, your affluence before your poverty, your leisure before your busy time”
3. Reducing the time spent in watching television especially corrupt satellites and stopping television stations that play drama to make time towards the Glorious Qur’an, its recitation and cogitation, listening to it and memorizing it.
4. Teaching the family that the Lord of Ramadan is the same Lord for other than it, hence, is not appropriate for the youth to populate the Masaajid during the entire days of Ramadan and to desert it after the Eid prayer; rather we must teach the children that fasting is followed with guidance, light, mercy and righteousness.
Professor Shaamii also draws our attention to a big problem which has to do with the Muslim woman in Ramadan for there are some woman who want to devote their time in worship and prepare herself all times in making devotional provisions but in reality, she find herself in many problems as house chores activities becomes burdensome on her in addition to the long hours she has to spend in the kitchen in preparing meals and drinks, not forgetting about the many visitations likely to be received. In this way, the entire time is wasted and she may not be able to be constant with her prayers and her daily routine of the recitation of the Qur’an. Hence, the woman must be careful not to waste her time in Ramadan but rather, she must exercise stinginess of her time and deen from going waste.