Keeping the Spirit of Ramadan Alive
Keeping the Spirit of Ramadan Alive by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah ‘alayh) In a world that has become rather strange and peculiar, we find in the quest for peace that nations of the world are waging wars of devastation and destruction against each other. World governments look towards war as the solution for peace. Greed and selfishness are considered the key to the success of man. In the clamour for justice, injustice towers over and above, in all its ugliness. Instead of peace, freedom, success and justice, man finds himself shackled under the yoke of more and more tribulations. Despite the billions of dollars spent on sophisticated technology to establish law and order and eliminate crimes of theft, murder, bribery, corruption, rape, fraud, hijackings and so forth, crime has not been eradicated nor reduced by any percentage. Instead, there has been, and there is, a daily escalation in all criminal offences. Frequent get-togethers of the so-called masterminds of the world, summit conferences and high-level discussions have all failed to provide a solution to man’s economic, political, cultural and social problems. Man is a created being, and only Divine guidance can solve his problems. The reality is clear: The heavy arm of the law on its own, just legislation, the imposition of fines and jail sentences, cannot and will not solve problems that face mankind. The only sure deterrent to crimes of all kinds is firm conviction and belief in our Creator, a life hereafter and a day of judgement, where complete justice will be meted out. These are long-term solutions and solutions that were proven to give the best results and create the best societies on the face of the earth. The obligation of fasting in the month of Ramadan for the Believers —men and women, who are sane and healthy, is a clear message to mankind that unrestricted indulgence in fulfilling the desires of one’s base or animal self has to be curbed for some time to give an upliftment to one’s spiritual self. The object of fasting, as described in the Holy Qur’an is: “O you who believe, the fasts have been enjoined upon you as they were enjoined upon those before you, so that you may be God-fearing.” [ Surah Al-Baqarah 2:183] During the auspicious month of Ramadan, a fasting person abstains from food, drink and sexual relations from dawn until sunset in obedience to the command of his Creator. The month is a training whereby the Believer’s trait of being God-conscious is nurtured. Even though he may be in place of total privacy and seclusion on the hottest day of the year, he does not submit to the temptation of sipping even a few drops of water because he is convinced that he cannot evade the sight of the All-Observing Almighty. If the spirit of fasting were to become a reality in the society of Muslims who have observed the fasts of Ramadan, and it has advanced our piety, then mankind would see a society in which every person becomes the guardian of respect, honour, a society in which the needy, poor, destitute, and the under-privileged are taken cared for. A society in which honesty, chastity, nobility, kindness, compassion, mercy and forgiveness shine forth like the midday sun; a society in which no harm is caused to any human or animal without a just reason; and a society in which material progress does not bring about a moral collapse. Eidul Fitr signifies the end of this fasting period and is a day of joy and thanksgiving. Still, despite being a day of celebration, the day commences with an additional prayer after sunrise, reminding the believers that the object of fasting must be entirely borne in mind even after Ramadan. A believer must be aware that he was made to observe the fast to become God-conscious, pious and self-restraining. His natural inclinations to eating, drinking and fulfilling his sexual passions were curbed for a month from dawn to sunset – the willpower to abstain from all evil and submit himself to the will of the Creator should now be easy for the months to follow. Ramadan was a golden opportunity for the Muslim community to bring about a total transformation in all spheres of their lives. Eid and the days to follow are opportunities to demonstrate the moral upliftment and spiritual elevation gained through fasting by showing compassion, mercy and kindness towards the creation of the Almighty. Whilst conveying to the Muslim community best wishes for a Happy Eid, I make a humble appeal to every Muslim brother and sister to keep the spirit of fasting alive – Let obedience of Allah Ta’ala shine forth from this day forward. Let the rest of mankind observe the effect that fasting has in changing the outlook of a believing Muslim. Let the world observe a community free from all sins, crime and vice and let us be an example which is worthy of emulation and of others accepting Islam.
After Ramadan
The blessed month of Ramadan came like seasonal rain and passed by. This rain did not water the plants and crops – it showered upon the hearts of the Believers. It is sad but true that the hearts of the majority of Muslims were stricken with spiritual drought and spiritual decadence. It was a drought caused by excessive indulgence in un-Islamic activities, immoral behaviour, unjust actions, unfair dealings, etc. Drought caused by lack of rain destroys crops – drought caused by lack of piety, fear of Allah Ta’ala, and lack of Allah-Consciousness destroys the spirituality of the heart. Ramadan’s spiritual rains brought to life the Masajid and other prayer places. Ramadan had fanned the dying spark of charity. Ramadan had awakened the spirit of tolerance, patience and sympathy for the less fortunate. Now that we come to the end of Ramadan, the big question is: What to do? Did we go through all the spiritual exercises in Ramadan so that we may have the freedom to indulge, on Eid day, in all types of immoral, shameless and indecent entertainment and amusement? Did we restrain ourselves from Halal food, drinks and other pleasures from dawn to sunset throughout Ramadan so that we may return with renewed vigour to gambling, drinking, adultery and fornication? Will the spirit of tolerance, mercy, patience, charity, sympathy and the nurtured quality of piety and Allah-Consciousness still be evident, or will these noble qualities be shelved until the dawn of the next Ramadan? Will the Masajid, which were filled on most nights in Ramadan, remain the same, or will they become empty, wondering where the faithful have gone? Our lifestyles after Ramadan will show whether we used the month to bring about a total reformation within ourselves or whether we wasted the valuable opportunity. The National and international position of the Muslim communities is something we are all acquainted with. Muslims are lamenting the loss of lives, destruction of property, oppression, tyranny, injustice and a host of other problems afflicting Muslims all over the world. They are questioning why the promised help of Allah Ta’ala to the Believers is nowhere in sight. However, just one glance into the lifestyles of the overwhelming majority of Muslims is sufficient to answer the question. Millions of Muslims do not have much to their credit besides Muslim names. Allah Ta’ala’s help comes with ‘Amal (action) and true Islamic qualities, not with names or faces – or whether Arab or non-Arab, African or European, Chinese or Indian. On the other hand, every group, organization, society or individual who talks about Islam seems to have got its own brand of Islam. The Islamic teachings which were left behind for us, crystal clear and pristine pure, have become so adulterated with foreign customs, alien practices and un-Islamic ideologies that a new Muslim has to make an effort to search for the Qur’an and Sunnah brand of Islam or remain confused and ignorant. May Allah Ta’ala grant us Hidayah and grant us the ability to make the Qur’an and Sunnah our guiding lights and practise Islam as much as possible. If the non-Muslim inhabitants of our country see Islam in the lives of Muslims, they will not require much persuasion to accept our beautiful Deen, Aameen.