Ramadhan, the Month of God (27)

Welcome to the 27th of “Ramadhan, the Month of God”. We first present you the special supplication of the day:

 “O Allah, grant me in it the grace of the night of ordainment, and turn about my affair therein from hardship to ease; accept my excuses, relieve me of the burden of sins; O You who are compassionate to Your righteous servants!”

We are in the last days of the blessed month of Ramadhan. We have experienced beautiful acts of worship. We experienced the sweetness of keeping vigil during the nights, seeking repentance, reciting the holy Qur'an, sitting at the Iftar table for breaking the day’s fast, and so on. We have been overwhelmed in the divine mercy.

One of the main goals of religion is guide mankind toward the real goal of life. That's why, religious teachings prevent believers from ruin and self-destruction by smoothing the path of the course of life as a continuous current. According to the holy Qur'an the entire creation is moving. Those who engage in various acts of worship by wafting in the fresh breeze of supplications for developing proper cognition of God Almighty, find new and interesting vistas of knowledge opened for them. Islam is the religion whose injunctions, whether individual or social, instill inner satisfaction in the believers. Performing obligatory acts like the daily ritual prayers, fasting in the month of Ramadhan, undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage for those who can afford, purifying their earnings and assets through giving of khoms and zakat for the deserving and the eligible, and waging Jihad, which means striving in the way of God, etc. have positive impact on the believers. The Islamic recommendations for improvement of social affairs, too, strengthen friendship, cooperation, and affection. These positive developments are in the interest of both the individual and the society.

In dealing with pleasures we come across two kids: Spiritual pleasures and material pleasures. Spiritual pleasures do not necessarily imply material benefits. These pleasures are more lasting and effective. But material pleasures are very short-lived and sometimes harmful. Ayah 124 to 126 of surah Ta Ha stresses that whoever disregards God's remembrance will surely have a wretched life. Remembrance and consciousness of God prevents a person from that cause stress and anxiety.

But whoever disregards My remembrance, his shall be a wretched life, and on the Day of Resurrection We shall raise him blind.’

“He will say, ‘My Lord! Why have You raised me blind, though I used to see?’

“He (God) will say: ‘So it is. Our signs came to you, but you forgot them, and thus you will be forgotten today.’”

 On the contrary, strengthening one's bond with God leads to spiritual perfection and fulfill the purpose of life with full satisfaction. Thus, those who adhere to religious values and beliefs, will not lose their hope and faith even in the adverse circumstance.

We all have seen people who possess excessive money and wealth; but they keep complaining of life. On the other hand, there are people who may lack many material resources and amenities; yet they are thankful and satisfied. This means the sense of happiness is not necessarily linked to material enjoyments. Islam always leads human beings toward spiritual happiness. For a believer, there is no greater delight than supplication and communion with God. Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) says, "Two rak'ats of prayer at midnight is lovelier for me than whatever is there in the world."

A fasting person avoid eating and drinking and recites the holy Qur'an for the sake of God. This strengthens faith and trust in God and will automatically bolster internal happiness by remove grief and anxiety.

Imam Ja’far Sadeq (AS), the 6^th Infallible Heir of Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny) has said, "A fasting person has two times of happiness: at the time of Iftar and when meeting his Lord on the Day of Judgment."

Waking up at midnight is highly recommended in Islam as it inculcates inner energy in the individual. At pre-dawn, the mind and bodily organs are more ready for activity. Performing midnight prayer and recitation of the holy Qur'an have many benefits. Although recitation of the holy Qur'an is good, it is better to be close to the Heavenly Scripture by putting into practice its precepts.

It is narrated from a learned man that: "If you walk with a basket of apples on your head, not only it won't energize you, it will rather reduce your physical ability. But if you eat just one of those apples, it will energize and enliven you."

We should strive to implement in our family and in the society the dynamic concepts of the holy Qur'an by practicing them.    

AS/ME