Ramadhan, the Month of God (24)

Welcome to the 24th episode of “Ramadhan, the Month of God”. Here is the special supplication of this day:

 “O Allah, I beseech You to grant me this day what You approve, and I invoke Your refuge from what You regard as offensive! I beseech You to grant me success in obeying You and refraining from disobeying You, O You who are generous to the petitioners!”

The Messenger of Mercy, Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) said, "Everything has a door and the door of worship is fasting."

Fasting is thus a bridge for reaching infinities and practicing doing good deeds. The blessed month of Ramadhan instills in the believers the spirit to think of others, beside personal needs. A fasting person becomes familiar with the suffering of the poor and the needy; that is, those who fail to meet their ends despite working hard. Is there any other way to feel the suffering of these people and sympathize with them? The month of Ramadhan is the time of deepening spirituality and strengthening altruism. One of the most important virtues in Islamic ethics is to render service to people. According to the hadiths of the Prophet and his Infallible Successors, the strongest way of attaining proximity of God, after faith in God, is to cater to the needs of people and solve their problems. The Prophet of Islam was asked as who is the best of the people, to which the Prophet answered, "He who is more useful to people."

In addition to being social, human nature requires that we ought to be in constant contact and interaction with people. There are various ways of doing good to people, and includes doing good to parents, relatives, orphans and the destitute. Ayah 90 of surah Nahl reads:

"Indeed Allah enjoins justice, kindness and generosity toward relatives, and He forbids indecency, wrong and aggression."

A famous hadith reads, "God has servants on earth who strive to meet people's needs. They are safe on the Day of Judgment."

Doing good is better if it is carried out without expectation of gratitude or worldly reward. God likes the doers of good. This virtue fosters sincerity and friendship. Benevolence and kindness makes the society warm and calm.

One day a man from Medina called Tha'laba came to the Prophet and asked him, "O Messenger of God! Beseech God to grant me wealth and property. The Prophet said, "Tha'laba, go and be content with what God has provided you. Be thankful of God as you will fail to thank for greater wealth."

Tha'laba left but he came back a few days later and repeated his request. The Prophet of Islam repeated his reply. Tha'laba came to the Prophet for the third time, saying, "O Messenger of God! Beseech God to grant me vast wealth. If God grants me the wealth of the world, I will pay its due right and will help the destitute and my relatives in need."

Seeing the man's insistence, the Prophet of Islam prayed for him. Within a short time, Tha'laba's sheep were multiplied. Then they reached a number that he had to leave Medina as his sheep needed to graze on vast meadows. Since Tha'laba was a shepherd who tended his own flock of sheep he failed to attend the congregational prayer with the Prophet in Medina. Later on, he even resided outside Medina and would perform his ritual prayers individually. Soon, he became unable to go to the mosque even once a week. When the Prophet was informed of his whereabouts, he said three times, "Woe upon Tha'laba!"

After a while, the ayah of zakat was revealed to the Prophet and God commanded the Prophet to take zakat from the rich and give it to the poor. Thus, he sent delegates to the rich in Medina, including Tha'laba. When Tha'laba saw the Prophet's letter for gathering zakat, he said, "This does not include me. This is the jizya (tax) which the People of the Book should pay. Go to others till I think on this. The delegates of the Prophet returned to Tha'laba once more but he refused to pay zakat.

The delegates then came back and informed the Prophet of the event. At this point, the Prophet said, "Woe upon Tha'laba!" Then ayahs 75 and 76 of surah Tawba were revealed on Tha'laba's refusal to pay zakat:

"Among them are those who made a pledge with Allah: 'If He gives us out of His grace, we wil surely give the zakat and we will surely be among the righteous.' But when He gave them out of His grace, thy begrudged it and turned away, being disregardful"

Tha'laba heard of the revelation of ayahs on his defiance to pay zakat. He went to the Prophet sadly and remorsefully. But the Prophet told him, "O Tha'laba, God has commanded me not to accept your zakat." Tha'laba stood up, smeared mud on his head and raised his voice in regret. But the Prophet said, "You have disobeyed God's Command."

It is narrated in history that Bozorgmehr, the minister of the Sassanid king, Anushirvan, was engaged in conversation with a Roman philosopher and an Indian sage. They were talking as to what is the hardest thing in the world. the Roman philosopher said, "I think oldness along poverty is very hard and intolerable." The Indian sage said, "In my opinion, nothing is hardest than a sick body and a sad spirit." Then Bozorgmehr said, "In my view, there is nothing harder than this that man's time of death has approached but his hand is empty of good deeds." This statement was interesting and both the Roman philosopher and the Indian sage praised him.     

AS/ME