The Essence of the blessed month of Ramadhan

‘O ye who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become righteous.’ (2:184)

It is merely with the grace of God that we are currently experiencing yet another Ramadan; a month of limitless blessings. God states that fasting is made obligatory in this month not to simply remain hungry from morning till the evening but so that righteousness is adopted.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said: ‘A person who keeps fast should always have it in view that fasting does not simply signify remaining hungry. Rather such a person should engage in remembrance of God so that he can attain devotion to God and is able to forsake worldly desires.’ He said: ‘Fasting signifies this alone that man gives up one kind of bread, which is for physical sustenance and takes the other kind of bread which is a source of contentment for the soul. People who fast only for the sake of God and not as a mere ritual should stay engaged in hamd (glorification of Allah) tasbih (saying SubhanAllah) and tahlil (saying la ilaha illa Allah/there is no god but Allah) to have the other kind of sustenance.’

Indeed, true believers should engage in hamd and tasbih during Ramadan more than before and raise their standard of worship in order to attain the beneficence of the sacred month. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said that fasting is a shield and it is a strong fortress against fire. However this is so when everything man does is for the sake of God and his night and day is spent in remembrance of God and he treads the path of righteousness.

God states that when a person fasts with this mind set and also pays the dues of mankind his fast becomes for God and God is the reward for the fast. Virtues of such people are not temporary; they do not abide by them only during Ramadan. They have real insight of righteousness and they link one Ramadan with the next Ramadan. This is what we should aim for; not adopting righteousness temporarily and not fasting on a superficial level merely to remain hungry and thirsty. We should understand the essence of the spirit of Ramadan and not merely wish each other ‘Ramadan Mubarak’ and remain negligent. Attainment of righteousness should be ever present in our mind every day when keeping fast in the morning and when breaking fast in the evening. We should not respond in kind to anyone being aggressive to us. Rather, we should remain silent and simply tell them that we are fasting. We should be mindful that there is no esteem in showing someone down and retorting back to them, rather it is in gaining pleasure of God. We should be mindful as to who is honoured by God. As it is stated: ‘…Verily, the most honourable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most righteous among you…’ (49:14)

An extract of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) which would shake anyone with fear of God reads: ‘Only that person is honourable in the sight of Allah the Exalted who is righteous. God will only keep the community of the devout and will ruin the other. This is a sensitive aspect and two cannot be together here, that is, the righteous and the mischievous and foul cannot be in the same place. It is essential that the righteous is upheld and the wicked is ruined. Since God knows who is righteous in His sight, it is a grave cause for concern! Fortunate is the righteous and wretched is one who comes under [God’s] curse.’

Fasting promotes righteousness and thus is God’s favour and grace on mankind that He puts Satan in fetters during Ramadan so that righteousness can be attained with ease. However, if other matters are given importance during fasting and one is embroiled in a false web of egotism, then fasting will not avail. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) has said that it is duplicitous not to break away from such false webs after coming into his