Ramadan: Embracing the Sacred Journey of Fasting and Spiritual Growth
The consecrated month of Ramadan is knocking on the door. Allah is ready to flare the door of forgiveness and latch Shaitan. During the month of Ramadan, Allah showers his slaves with benefits. One of the five pillars of Islam is fasting, which is observed during this month. During this month, the Prophet (peace be upon him) fasted and commanded his disciples to follow suit. He briefed us that anyone seeking Allah’s reward through a faith-filled fast this month will have all of his previous sins forgiven. It is upon us to be well prepared for embracing the sacred journey of fasting in the way that yields the best results.
As a Gen-Z youngster, I entirely apprehend that in this modern era, we have a lot on our plates but can’t we take out some time for the sake of the Greatest, The Merciful Allah SWT who has made us capable of having those responsibilities on our plate? But unfortunately we cannot manage time for our creator. The fast should not be practised as a ritual or competition, rather we need to practise this pillar of Islam for the sake of Allah and his forgiveness.
The fast is rich in knowledge and offers us numerous benefits. It strengthens and purifies our hearts. It purges us of our baser inclinations, such as conceit, stinginess, and exuberance. It helps us in our internal battle to become closer to Allah and win His favour. This makes us capable of Allah’s nearness. Ramzan is as important as the air we breathe. This is the month when the dearest, the holy book Quran Majeed was sent to earth furthermore, the sacrilegious night Lailatul Qadr also takes place in this fruitful month.
This is the month which can bring me, you and other deviated Muslims to Sirat e Mustaqeem. We should pray more wholeheartedly, shed dust from the holy book which is kept in the topmost corner, give sadqa to our brothers and sisters in need, repent more and more, do dhikr every day, forgive and forget, and practise forbearance and gratitude. Ramzan is like moderate showers where Allah showers blessings on his slaves. In addition to being a magnificent act of piety in and of itself, fasting is a terrific way for us to become more pious in both our religious and secular lives.
For some of us, it could be the most anticipated first Ramadan and for some of us, it can be one of the toughest Ramadan due to various reasons etc. Either way, I hope and pray that this Ramadan will heal us, bring us closer to our faith and unite our Ummah as one:
“O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard against evil.” (Quran, 2:184)