The Spiritual Delights of Fasting Ramadhan (29)

Today the 29th of the blessed month of Ramadhan is probably the last day of fasting, and if the new crescent is sighted tonight, tomorrow would be the 1st of Shawwal, that is the auspicious day of Eid Fitr. If the new moon is not sighted tonight, then tomorrow will be the 30th of Ramadhan, and Thursday the day of Eid.

Anyway, let us present to you the special supplication for the 29^th of Ramadhan, before we embark on bidding farewell to the blessed month of fasting, which indeed created a spiritual and transformation in our life.

“O Allah, O Allah, cover me this day with Your mercy; grant me therein success and protection (from sin); and purge from my heart the darkness of suspicion, O You who are merciful to Your faithful servants!”

May God accept our fasting, prayers, supplications, recitation of the holy Qur’an, participation in mourning ceremonies for the Great Martyr of the month of Ramadhan, the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (AS), and all other acts of worship, including contributions to charities, and educational, social and cultural works! As we said earlier, today is the 29^th day of Ramadhan, and may or may not be the last day of fasting, depending on the sighting of the crescent tonight. Anyway let us thank God Almighty on Whose Wise injunctions we lead life as Muslims, whether we fast, eat, study, work, play, travel, socialize, and engage in all other lawful and legal activities. It means, the end of Ramadhan is indeed a time for reflection for our acts of the month, and whether or not we have been successful. We in the Islamic Republic of Iran and in countries where peace prevails, should consider ourselves fortunate to have spent Ramadhan in a calm atmosphere, while in our neighbourhood, Muslims have been uprooted from homes and hearths, terrorized, traumatized, killed, mutilated, and their organs savagely tore from their bodies and eaten raw by cannibals on the payroll of the US, Israel, and certain reactionary Arab regimes. In Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Myanmar and other places, peaceful Muslims, while in the state of fasting and busy in the acts of worship, are targeted by terrorists in mosques, husseiniyehs, bazaars and homes. This is the height of hypocrisy by those who call themselves Muslims but worship at the altar of devils in human form such as the Crusaders, the Zionists, and the Salafis. The Wahhabi regime of Saudi Arabia does not respect any religious sentiments, and continues to mercilessly bomb the men, women, and children of Yemen.

Nonetheless, we have hope in the Mercy of God Almighty. We know that sooner, than later, the Divine Promise of the end of oppression and corruption on earth will come true. We are eagerly waiting for the reappearance of the Redeemer of humanity, Imam Mahdi (AS), the 12^th and Last Successor of Prophet Muhammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny) for materialization of the global government of peace, prosperity and justice. In the meantime, let us recite to you the special supplication for the last eve of Ramadhan, on whose words and phrases we ought to ponder properly:

“All praise belongs to Allah, Who has no partner; may Allah’s praise be celebrated in the manner that befits His magnanimous visage and His supreme majesty and in the manner of which He is worthy! O All-holy, O Light, O Light of holiness, O Immaculate, O Ultimate End of all glorification, O All-Beneficent, O Dispenser of all mercy, O Allah, O All-Knowing, O All-Great, O Allah, O All-Attentive, O Majestic, O Allah, O All-Hearing, O All-Seeing!

O Allah, O Allah, O Allah! O You to Whom belong the Best Names, the loftiest descriptions, and all supremacy and bounties! I beseech You to bless Mohammad and the Progeny of Mohammad, and to place my name this night among those of the felicitous, my spirit among those of the martyrs, my good works in the cIlliy£n, and let my offences be forgiven.

Grant me a conviction that will animate my heart, and a faith that will dispel all my doubts, and make me pleased with whatever You have apportioned for me. Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the burning Fire!

These supplications are the immortal legacy of the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt, bequeathed to the seekers of truth who strive in the path of Allah the All-Merciful. There is a highly eloquent and thought-provoking supplication in the Divine Court taught to us by Imam Ja’far Sadeq (AS), the 6^th Infallible Heir of the Prophet, and to be recited on the last eve of Ramadhan. It has been recorded on the authority of the Imam’s companion, Abu Baseer, in the famous book “al-Kafi”, compiled over a millennium and a century ago by the eminent Iranian Islamic scholar, Shaikh Kulayni. The faithful punctually recite it and by pondering over its contents awaken their conscience. Here is a passage for you:

“O Allah, You have said in Your Revealed Book, “The month of Ramadhan is one in which the Qur’an was revealed.” And this is the month of Ramadhan and it has elapsed. So I beseech You by Your noble Face and Your perfect Words that, if there has remained any of my sins that You have not forgiven me, or one for which You intend to punish me, or one whereby You would judge me, forgive me before the rise of the dawn this night and before the passage of this month, O Most Merciful of the merciful!

Whether or not it is the last day of Ramadhan, while bidding you goodbye in the 29^th edition of Spiritual Delights of Fasting Ramadhan, let us recite to you another passage from this excellent Ramadhan Farewell Supplication which is indeed a food for thought.

“Exalted be Your praise, for Your help in observing it, by enabling us to fulfill the duty of carrying out its fasts and performing its players and acts of piety, thanksgiving and remembrance.

O Allah, accept that from us with Your most gracious acceptance, disregarding our faults, with pardon, forgiveness, forbearance and Your true approval, so that we are blessed therein by You with success in obtaining every coveted good and Your plenteous gifts, and are protected therein from every outrage, affliction and sin.

“O Allah, I beseech You by the greatest of Your noble Names by which any of Your creatures has besought You, and with their beautiful praises and choicest of supplications, to bless Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad, and to make this month the best Ramadhan that has passed for us since You have sent us into the world in its blessedness with regard to the safety of my faith, the deliverance of my soul, the fulfillment of my needs…”

AS/MG