The Spiritual Delights of Fasting Ramadhan (28)

Salaam everybody, and may God accept your sincere endeavours in this blessed month of Ramadhan. Since today is the 28 of the month of fasting, let us start with the special supplication of this day:

“O Allah, grant me this day a plenteous share of supererogatory devotions; favour me therein by carrying out my requests; and bring me near therein to the means of approach to You; O You Who are not held up by the demands of the importunate!”

All Praise belongs to God; we glorify Him, and seek his help and his forgiveness. This is what we have been taught by Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). This is the living message of the holy Qur’an, the Book of God that he left for our guidance, along with his Immaculate Ahl al-Bayt, whose life serves as practical models of emulation for us. The Qur’an, which God revealed in this month of Ramadhan to His Last and Greatest Prophet, is indeed the gifted to all humanity. See how it inspires us. "Read" is the very first word that commanded humanity. It is remarkably significant that the starting point of Islam starts with the word Read! This indicates that striving after knowledge and understanding it in the correct perspective has been emphasised in the holy Qur’an. Isn’t it reading that opened visit as of great intellectual heritage long before the advent of electronic media television etc. God says in ayahs 15 and 16 of Surah al-Ma’edah:

“O People of the Book! Certainly Our Prophet has come to you, clarifying for you much of what you used to hide of the Book, and excusing many [an offense of yours]. Certainly there has come to you a light from Allah, and a manifest Book.

“With it Allah guides those who follow [the course of] His pleasure to the ways of peace, and brings them out from darkness into light by His will, and guides them to a straight path."

The word Qur’an is derived from the word "lqra" which in Arabic means to recite and read – for gaining knowledge, for research and for study of all sciences. The Qur’an also has other names such as al-Huda - The Guidance, and al-Furqan – that is the Book which teaches us to distinguish between right and wrong. The Qur’an was revealed in eloquently pure Arabic language at a time when the Arabs, though ignorant in many ways, used to pride on the intricacies of the Arabic language. But the revelations are so unique that they are for all times and for all mankind. As Allah says ayah 3 of Surah Fusselat:  

“[This is] a Book whose signs have been elaborated, an Arabic Qur’an, for a people who have knowledge,”

At the same time Allah proclaims in ayah 256 of Surah Baqarah:

“There is no compulsion in religion: rectitude has become distinct from error. So one who disavows the Rebels and has faith in Allah has held fast to the firmest handle for which there is no breaking; and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”

While the Qur’an remains undoubtedly a book par excellence it is an immeasurable gift, and a “Mercy from the Lord Most High”. Thus, when we recite it, we yearn to read it, in order to listen to the Words of God, and get closer to the Creator. It overwhelms us and transforms us. It is the Book of such Majesty which contains the powerful message that launched a great movement to eradicate ignorance and inspire man.

The Qur’an has such exquisite style and its captivating language is almost poetical that Mohammad Marmaduke Pikthal who translated the Qur’an says" The Holy Qur’an in its original Arabic language has a sublime beauty and charm of its own. Couched in concise and exalted style its pregnant sentences often rhymed, possess an expressive force and energy, which it is impossible to convey by translating into any other language. The magical words of the Qur’an have a magnetic effect on the listener. Its rhetoric is unique that the Qur’an without posing a direct injunction reminds you for example by way of question, as in ayahs 6 to 9 of Surah Balad: "Have we not made for him a pair of eyes? And a tongue and a pair of lips? And show him the two ways (good and evil)". Allah asks in ayah 24 of Surah Mohammad: “Do they not contemplate the Qurʾān, or are there locks on the hearts?

As is evident by these ayahs, such is the majestic eloquence of the Qur’anic text persuasive beautiful, concise and most appealing. The figurative language used is poetical and lofty. Though the sentences end in rhyme it is neither poetry nor prose. Its powerful expressions would captivate the audience. This divine book revealed by the Lord himself is an excellent source of knowledge for those who seek to discover the secret of the universe. The Qur’an does not insist on anyone to accept dogmas without inquiry.  The Qur’an which was revealed on the Grand Night of Ramadhan continued for a period of 23 years contains all secular and moral laws that can guide mankind to lead a righteous life! There is nothing that the Quran has not elucidated. It admonishes the people on the rights of the orphans and of women, and gives to the orphans their property, warning against devouring of their sustenance. It also says "Let not the enmity and hatred for others make you avoid justice.” The Qur’an pinpoints even mundane affairs and admonishes the people, as in ayah 12 of Surah Hujuraat:

“O you who have faith! Avoid much suspicion. Indeed some suspicions are sins. And do not spy on or backbite one another. Will any of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. And be wary of Allah; indeed Allah is All-Clement, All-Merciful.”

Allah gave man the capacity to learn, which he did not give to the angels and other creatures. That’s the reason why the Prophet motivated with the profound saying "One hour of meditation on the work of the Creator is better than seventy years of prayer.”

Isn’t it amazing the mummy of the Pharaoh said to have been discovered as recently an in 1879 was specifically mentioned in the Qur’an. The Qur’an also gently recommends in ayah 267 of Surah Baqara:

"O you who have faith! Spend of the good things you have earned, and of what We bring forth for you from the earth, and do not be of the mind to give the bad part of it, for you yourselves would not take it, unless you overlook it. And know that Allah is All-Sufficient, All-Laudable.”

It is thus beyond any human capacity to write about the wealth of information the Qur’anic wisdom reveals to us, whether in seeking knowledge secular, research or any other sphere. The Qur’an encourages us to delve deeply into the realms of the secrets of the universe. The origin of life of space the alternation of the day and night, astronomy the human embryo various things that are manifest.

The fasting month of Ramadhan, in which we are the guests of God, thus affords us the opportunity to read and recite the holy Qur’an, and to ponder on its fathomless wisdom.

AS/MG