An Insight on Ramadan

There’s so much to be understood about this holy month where God’s mercy falls upon us.

When the gates of paradise are open, the gates to hell fire are shut, and Shaytan (Satan) is

chained up. Yet a common misconception about Ramadan is that it is just a month of fasting.

Once you delve deeper, you discover that there’s much more to it than that. People assume

all that goes on is abstinence from nutrition and intimacy but that isn’t all there is to the

month. Ramadan is a holy month of the Islamic calendar usually tracked with the

appearance of a new crescent moon. To Muslims, it isn’t just a month to stop eating from

dawn and gorge on food at dusk. The sole purpose of the month is to connect with Allah

(SWT) more. 

It revolves solely around pleasing him and remembering him. Ramadan is a

beautiful moment where blessings can be acquired and sins can be cleared if observed

properly. Something people often forget however, is the criteria that surrounds the promise

of sins being cleared. Those criteria involve making intentions and carrying out the deeds

that are required of us. The main goal of the month is to also ensure that our Ibadah

(worship) has been accepted. It is recorded that the prophet (peace be upon him) said,

‘Whoever fasts with faith and seeks rewards will be forgiven of their sins’. 

We can deduce from this that just depriving ourselves from nutrition isn’t enough to assume our fasts have been accepted. Muslims must try their hardest to ensure that they refrain from activities that are disapproved and lean towards the good deeds they’ve been encouraged to perform. They must also incorporate the six articles of our faith within the days of this month.

It’s a beautiful period where hundreds of thousands of Muslims are united. The concept of

everyone being in sync and coming together every year on this blessed month is a beautiful

thing. People answering the call and finding others who are similarly in that state. Small

good deeds carried out during this period are exaggerated and recorded as greater than

their usual value. Similarly, minor sins are listed as more scandalous. Allah (SWT) has

created a space for Muslims to garner rewards from him and to willingly choose to do that

which he discourages from borders on disrespect. We have been told to refrain from holding

grudges as well as participating in falsehood during this period. Just like those who came before us, Ramadan has been offered to us as a form of practicing restraint.

With this restraint comes from the realization of gratitude, empathy, recognition and awareness. I become grateful for what I have that I often take for granted. I begin to realize that not everyone has access to food and comfort the way I do, and the moment of fatigue I feel when I’m famished is a norm to so many others. Another great takeaway from abstinence, is the feeling of contentment and satisfaction only about ten minutes after being in discomfort for a few

hours. I begin to understand the concept of desire more and how little you truly need to

satiate you.

The last ten days of the month of Ramadan are important to Muslims. It is generally known

that within one of these days, a night often referred to as ‘Laylatul Qadr’ resides. The belief

is that this night dictates the rest of a believer’s year. Laylatul Qadr is an auspicious night

that Muslims take very seriously, depending on how you treat this night, your fate can be

rewritten to favour you. Although this night is always unknown, there are many signs to

identify it. The night is most likely to be an odd night (odd numbered day on the calendar i.e

25, 27, 29...), the night is often calm and peaceful with temperate weather, or a possibility of

rain, a bright moon, and the sunrise that follows this night appears as a white, soft-rayed,

pale disk. 

This does not mean however, that the night cannot fall on an even date or a day

that doesn’t align with the signs, these only increase the probability. Observing appropriate remembrance and glorification of Allah (SWT) on this night can change one’s destiny and

ensure the acquisition of desires and erasure of sins.

For Muslims, Ramadan isn’t just a month of abstinence, it’s a month that can define the

entire year. It’s important to make our focus of the month ensuring that our fasts are

accepted and we do all we can to please Allah (SWT). So to all Muslims practicing and those

who can’t practice for certain reasons, may Allah (SWT) accept our duas, and may we

please Him with our actions.

Written by, Amina Abdulkareem