فى شهر رمضان

The Prophet reminds us, especially in Ramadan, to perform the great act of worship, meditation. This is because the servant’s transcendence that accompanies it is even stronger during the special times and the special places of worship. One of the most significant outcomes of praying in these places and times, is the submissive meditation which was a delight to the Prophet (s.a.w) about which he had this to say: “And raise your hands to Him in prayer during the times of your meditation, because it is the best of all times in which Almighty Allah mercifully looks unto His servants He answers their prayers a weather whispered or said a loud’.

The sealing sharia (Islam) always links the individual side of the acts of worshipping with its social side. It does not require us to be extreme in our devotion, rather, to experience collective servitude. An example of which is taking care of the affairs of the Moslem community whether in regard to their spiritual food (guidance) or their material food (invitation to a fast-breaking meal). The reward that the Prophet cites for this work is astounding: “ Whoso offers a fast-breaking meal to someone will be rewarded (by Allah) as the one who frees a slave is rewarded, in addition to the expiation of all of his past vices”.

It is imperative that we make our motto: ‘the best Ramadan we ever had’. He who aspires for high achievements must have an assertive and specific intent to reach that goal! Let it be obvious that there is a clear distinction between lay people’s fasting (abstinence from food and drink), the elite’s fasting (abstinence from all kinds of forbidden acts) and the fasting of the elite of the elite (which is turning away from everything save Allah). Let us ponder these enormous ranks to see how different will this year’s Ramadan be, for he who has two equal Ramadans is wronged.

The Prophet utilised every occasion to remind others with the obligation of following the line of wilayat (adherence) to ‘Ali (a.s) starting from the well-known event of Hadith al-Dar at the beginning of the call up until the last days of his blessed life, namely, the major event at Ghadeer Khum. At the conclusion of his speech, the Prophet wept which made ‘Ali (a.s) ask about the reason behind it. The Prophet replied, “ I am crying about what will be done to you in a month like this one! It is like seeing you before me and you are praying to your Lord when the most wretched of the ancients, the full brother of the hamstringer of Thamood’s Camel upraises, striking you on the summit of your head imbruing (colouring) your beard from (the blood that comes out of) it. Interestingly, ‘Ali subsequent question was: “ And will my faith be sound then?” The Prophet’s answer was affirmative which made ‘Ali delightful. Let’s take a look at the ultimate devotion to the massage and servitude to Allah in both the seal of the Prophets and the seal of the vicegerents, and hopefully we will follow through