Part 2

During this time, he limited his contacts with people and intensified his supplication and prayers to Allah, the Lord of all Majesty and Glory. His heart, therefore, indulged purely in the contemplation of Allah’s attributes and qualities. It reflected upon His clear signs in the universe and of Allah’s creation in the heavens and the earth. With all this in mind, it would be very difficult to determine how much knowledge Prophet & acquired, or how much light was revealed to him, or how many realities were exposed to him. He was, without doubt, the most knowledgeable person about Allah, the most fearful of Him, and the one who trusted and depended upon Him the most. Indeed, he was the most pious of all men and sacrificed himself the most for the sake of Allah! May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him as long as musk continues to give its sweet fragrance and as long as pigeons echo their mournful cries and nightingales sing out their melodies.

Why was fasting ordained?

To Allah Almighty there are certain secrets in His laws, insights in His rulings and objectives in His creation. In these secrets, insights and objectives are things which minds perceive and others that confound human understanding. With regard to fasting, Allah declared: ‘O you who have attained to faith! Fasting is ordained for you as it was ordained for those before you, so that you might remain conscious

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Accordingly, fasting is the way to piety and the fear of God. The fasting person is thus among the closest people to Allah, be He exalted. The stomach of the faster becomes hungry while his heart is purified. When he breaks his fast and quenches his thirst, his eyes overflow with tears. The Prophet & said: ‘O youth, whoever is able from among you to pay the dowry, then he should marry for it is the

best way of restraining the eyes and protecting one’s private parts. Whoever is unable to do so, he should fast because it will be for him a shield.’

Fasting narrows the food and blood arteries. They are known to be canals of the devils, hence fasting reduces their insinuations. It further weakens carnal desires, thoughts and temptations of disobedience. It lightens the spirit. Fasting reminds the individual of his brothers who are also fasting, some of whom are poor and needy. He empathizes with them and extends the hand of help to them.

Fasting is a school for the training of the soul, purification of the heart, lowering of the gaze and protection of the limbs. It is a secret between the servant and his Lord. In an authentic hadith the Prophet 4 said: ‘Every act of the son of man is for himself except fasting; it is for Me and I shall reward it.’ That is because only Allah knows the extent of one’s fast. It is quite different from other forms of worship such as prayers, Zakaat (the poor due) and pilgrimage, all of which can be witnessed by others.

The righteous predecessors acknowledged fasting as a means of drawing closer to Allah. To many it was accepted as a sphere of competition and a season for goodness. They cried for happiness when it arrived and wept out of sadness when it departed. Our ancestors knew the essence of fasting; hence they loved Ramadan and made unparalleled efforts and sacrifices in it. They stayed up during its nights, bowing and prostrating themselves in tears and humility. They passed its days in remembrance, recitation, learning, propagation and giving counsel.

Fasting was a delight and source of internal peace for the early Muslims. It expanded their bosoms. Hence, they trained their spirits towards its objectives, purified their hearts with its teachings and disciplined their souls with its wisdom. Numerous accounts confirm that they used to sit with their Qurans in the mosques, reciting, crying and

protecting their tongues and eyes from unlawful things.

Fasting ensures the unity of Muslims. They fast and break their fast at the same time. They fee! the pangs of hunger and eat together in a spirit of brotherhood, love and devotion. Fasting atones for errors and wrong-doing. Hence the Prophet # said: ‘From Jumu’ah to Jumu’ah, ‘Umrah to ‘Umrah, and Ramadan to Ramadan there is atonement for what occurred between them as long as no major sin was committed,’

From a physical point of view, fasting enhances bodily health. It gets rid of contaminated matter, eases the stomach, purifies the blood, eases the working of the heart, brightens the spirit, refines the soul and disciplines the character. When an individual fasts, his soul is humbled, his heart is subdued, his ambitions are curbed, and his carnal desires are dispelled. Thus, his prayers are answered because of his closeness to Allah.

There is a great secret in fasting: that is to worship Allah and seek His pleasure by submitting to His orders and surrendering to His laws by forsaking one’s desires, food and drink. Fasting therefore represents the triumph of a Muslim over his desires and the predominance of a believer over his inner self. It is half of patience. Whoever is unable to fast without any good reason, will never master his self or conquer his desires.

On the whole, fasting is a great training for the soul, so that it would be able to bear hardship and carry out its great duties such as jihad, sacrifice and initiative. Thus when Saul wanted to fight his enemies, Allah tested his people with a river. Saul said to them: ‘Behold, God will now try you by a river: he who shall drink of it will not belong to me, whereas he who shall refrain from tasting it — he, indeed, will belong to me; but forgiven shall be he who shall scoop up but a single handful’ (2:249).

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Those who were patient and mastered their desires were successful. On the other extreme, those who worshipped their base desires turned their backs on the jihad.

The wisdom of fasting can thus be summarized in the following: that it realizes God-consciousness, submission to His orders and subjugation of one’s desires. It ensures a triumph over self and the preparation of a Muslim for situations of sacrifice. It enables him to control his limbs and desires. It ensures good physical health and atones for wrong-doing. It brings about togetherness, brotherhood and a sense of empathy for those who are hungry and needy. And Allah knows best.

The Majestic Quran and the month of Ramadan

The Quran loves Ramadan and Ramadan loves the Quran. They are two beloved friends. Allah Almighty says: ‘It was the month of Ramadan in which the Quran was [first] bestowed from on high as a guidance unto man and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by which to discern the true from the false’ (2:185).

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The entire Quran was sent down from the ‘Preserved Tablet’ to the heavens of the earth in the month of Ramadan. It was, therefore, an honour for this month that the Quran

should be revealed in it. For this reason the Prophet 2 used to study the Quran with the angel Gabriel during Ramadan. He used to listen and reflect upon its meanings, recite it, live with its calls, allow his heart to roam in its fields and release all his love in its treasures.

The person who reads while fasting combines Ramadan with the Glorious Quran. He, therefore, lives this month with the Noble Book about which Allah says: ‘All this We have expounded in this blessed divine writ which We have revealed unto thee, [O Muhammad,] so that men may ponder over its messages, and that those who are endowed with insight may take them to heart’ (38:29).

‘Will they not, then, ponder over this Quran? Or are there locks upon their hearts?’ (47:24).

‘Will they not, then, try to understand this Quran? Had it issued from any but God, they would surely have found in it many an inner contradiction!’ (4:82).

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eke lashes Alte redhat SE In Ramadan, the Noble Quran has its own special taste and flavour. It offers exceptional inspiration and distinct rationales. Still besides, the Quran bestows fresh vitality. Ramadan brings back memories of the Quran’s revelation, its days of collective study, and the periods of attention devoted to it by our predecessors. The Prophet & once advised: ‘Read the Quran for surely it will be an intercessor for you on the Day of Judgement.’ He also said; ‘The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it.’ And:

‘Read the two flowers, Surah al Bagarah and Al Imran. They will come as two clouds or as a barrier of crowded birds that would shade their readers on the Day of Judgement.’

The Prophet # also said: ‘The one who reads the Quran and is expert in doing so will be with the noble and virtuous angels. And the one who reads the Quran and stutters with it, he will have two rewards.’

When Ramadan came, our forefathers used to disengage themselves and set out on a spiritual journey with the Glorious Quran. It was said that when Ramadan came Imam Malik never preoccupied himself except with the Quran. He used to suspend teaching and issuing legal rulings during this time, pointing out that this was the month of the Quran. And so the homes of our forebears had a special buzz as that of bees. Their homes radiated light and filled hearts with happiness. They used to recite the Quran in the most melodious voices, stopping at its wonders and crying because of its admonitions, becoming happy with its tidings, enjoining its commands and forbidding its prohibitions.

It was confirmed that Ibn Mas’ud once read the first part of Surah al Nisa for our Prophet until he reached the verse: ‘How, then, [will the sinners fare on Judgement Day,] when We shall bring forward witnesses from within every community, and bring thee [O prophet] as witness against

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Then the Prophet # stopped him saying: ‘That is enough for now.’ Ibn Mas’ud said when he looked at the Prophet, his eyes were flowing with tears. Clearly it was the admirer hearing the words of his beloved and crying.

Still according to another account, the Prophet # once listened to Abi Musa reciting the Quran while the latter was

unaware that he was being listened to. Then the Prophet #& said to him: ‘Did you not see me listening to your skilful recitation? You were given a flute from the flutes of David.’ Abu Musa replied: ‘If 1 knew, O Messenger of Allah that you were listening to me, I would have embellished it considerably.’ Meaning that he would have beautified his voice more than ever, thereby making the Quran more effective, impressive and elegant.