Ramadhan: A Month Of Love

Ramadhan is coming soon and here we are counting down the days, weeks and months.

Ramadhan has its own unique aura that will pull everyone into it. Every moment in Ramadhan is a blessing and we will find a never ending bliss in those moments of Ramadhan.

Our heart will be at peace, knowing that this is a month of love. It is a month where love is ought to be spread.

A divine love which is sacred that should be spread among the human race regardless of race and religion. We must show more compassion to others especially the needy.

Can you just imagine, the brothers and sisters in Islam working together hand in hand to convey the message of peace, the message of love which is Islam?

The month of Ramadhan can be a great platform to initiate love. We want the love to reach the hearts of mankind. We want them to acknowledge that Ramadhan is not only about abstaining from eating and drinking, it is beyond that.

We enjoy Ramadhan as much as we want it to last because Ramadhan is a gift from Allah to all mankind.

Due to Ar-Rahmaan, Ramadhan exist. It is a sign of the love of Allah to all the believers.

The Messenger of Allah (saw) addressed his companions on the last day of Sha`ban, saying, “Oh people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a month in which is a night better than a thousand months; month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night.

Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time.

It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer’s sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast, shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Fire of Hell, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all.”

(Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah)

If we go back in time, which was during our childhood days, when the month of Ramadhan arrives, we will be looking forward to celebrate ‘Eid Al Fitr.

It was like as if Ramadhan was just a crossing bridge to reach ‘Eid. We kids, never had the thought of celebrating and enjoying Ramadhan, because we assumed that Ramadhan was only a month of difficulty where you were not allowed to eat or drink.

For us kids, it seems like we had to hold back our desires which appeared to be something hard for us. Most children do not understand the wisdom behind the noble month.

When I was a child I was so busy thinking about new clothes and shoes to be worn on ‘Eid and how much money I will receive during ‘Eid.

Never once the benefit of Ramadhan came to mind.

Well obviously because we were just children, the least we should know was that if we fast in the month of Ramadhan we will gain good deeds and we will also be considered as tough kids because kids rarely fast so to be honest it seems really surprising and heartwarming to see a child fasting .

I can still remember when I was a kid during Ramadhan. I tried fasting from dawn till dusk, but sadly I would always end up breaking my fast at noon.

There was this one incident when I did not wake up for suhoor that day but I just choose to fast and then I failed due to my constant growling tummy.

Unfortunately I had to break my fast at noon that day because I was very hungry and I had rice and a sunny side up for meal, my late grandma prepared it for me, Al- fatihah for she was kind and lovable and I miss her so much beyond words can describe.

So, I had my meal at the living room and there was actually the presence of my uncle in the living room, he came to visit my grandma because my grandma used to live with my family.

I think it was probably because of the way I ate. Maybe the way I fed myself seems like I had never ate for a year so my uncle just shook his head and said “child, you seem like as if you want to eat up the whole plate”.

I slowed down a little bit and felt embarrassed. But there were also days when I managed to fast until dusk and when I achieved that kind of achievement at that time, my dad will take me out so I could choose to eat wherever I want.

There was also a day when I finally succeeded to fast perfectly and during fast breaking I ate until I could barely get up due to my greediness, I was so full at that time and It made getting up difficult so I just let myself rest on the couch in the restaurant and I got a long lecture from dad that day.

It was a lesson that I learnt. Being greedy leads you to waste.

Now when we are all grown up, we will see Ramadhan in a new perspective. We will perceive it in a new way .We will see Ramadhan as a real blessing from Allah .

We will feel like as if we don’t want to let it go. Ramadhan seems to be more interesting than ‘Eid itself.

I admit it, even we no longer complain on being hungry and thirsty like we do in our early days (childhood years) but still we do feel slightly worn out especially for those who work and study.

We are tested. We do feel tired but we don’t give up, we persist because we know the good deeds that we will obtain from sabr.

My utmost respect for those who practice sabr in every situation besides fasting, for you are my murabbi, a teacher, for I am still learning to be like you.

My mother is a great example when it comes to practising sabr. At times I do wonder how she can do it. But then again her answer will always be,

“Allah is in control of everything and being sabr won’t hurt you except for bringing you a sense of peacefulness in your everyday life, when you have sabr it means you believe in him completely, he will guide you and if you fall he will always be the one to make you bounce back in life, so do work on the things that you are lacking.”

“Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you many learn piety and righteousness.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:183)

Furthermore, Ramadhan is a time for us to strengthen our ties with friends, families and our loved ones. Ramadhan brings togetherness, we are gathered in the name of love to find closeness.

We focus on the existed bonds. We mend what’s broken and we cherish what’s given. The month of Ramadhan is the month where we should say “love is in the air”.

A love that is so pure which is the love for the sake of Allah spreading vast among mankind .Seek knowledge about Ramadhan so we can absorb the aura and feel the presence of Ramadhan.

“…But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.” (Surat Al-Baqarah 2:184)

May we will have the chance to experience this year’s Ramadhan, a month of honor filled with blessings that brings solace to the living soul. God wills.