ramadhan and manner

Hi everyone, I would like to welcome all of you to monthly talk of Sakinah Forum. Today inshaAllah we will discuss about month of ramadhan that is at the moment where we are.

If some of you have Muslim neighbour or watching program on TV or read newspaper then I am sure that you heard already about holy month Ramadan. What is Ramadan means for Muslim and what is the wisdom behind it?

Before hand I just wanna clarify that actually Islam has its own calendar, all in all is 12 month but with different name from general calendar, amongst those 12 months there is one called month Ramadan. Since the time of the prophet Muhammad SAW, Ramadan has been appointed as the holy month and the month of blessing.

It’s consisting of 29 or 30 days. Within that month God (Allah) has ordered all Muslim to fast. Not eating/drinking/having sexual relationship since the dawn until sunset. So they need to refrain themselves from things that are normally allowed during any other months and only during Ramadan it is forbidden. Of course there is lesson from this that God wants us to learn. Some of them are:

It shows the deep conscious to God because fasting itself is ordered by God and its very secret deeds. None can tell if you are fasting or not except you and God, so it’s different to any other deeds. People who do fast solely doing it for the sake of Him.

2. In that holy month, yes we have to fast from food and water but actually if we look it closely it teaches us a value of self control. The fasting is only can be done by Muslim who can control their desire and all bad side of them, it controls them not to do mischief, control them not to use bad language, control them not treat their family and neighbour unjustly. And the unique thing of this fasting is only for God, its connection between God and him, this is the highest spirituality level that human being can achieve because they don’t need to be seen by any other people but God.

3. Second point, yes in this holy month God order Muslim to fast but at the same time God has promised to replicate the rewards of all good deeds during Ramadan 700 times than other months. So it shows the mercy of God that can be gained by any people who wants to gain it.

4. In terms of health benefit, from the research that I’ve done the most scientifically proven advantage to fasting is the feeling of rejuvenation and extended life expectancy. Part of this phenomenon is caused by a number of the benefits such as A slower metabolic rate, more efficient protein production, an improved immune system, and the increased production of hormones contributes. All these benefits link to the long-term benefit of fasting. In addition to the Human Growth Hormone that is released more frequently during a fast, an anti-aging hormone is also produced more efficiently. (7) "The only reliable way to extend the lifespan of a mammal is under-nutrition without malnutrition." (5) A study was performed on earthworms that demonstrated the extension of life due to fasting. The experiment was performed in the 1930s by isolating one worm and putting it on a cycle of fasting and feeding. The isolated worm outlasted its relatives by 19 generations, while still maintaining its youthful physiological traits. The worm was able to survive on its own tissue for months. Once the size of the worm began to decrease, the scientists would resume feeding it at which point it showed great vigor and energy. "The life-span extension of these worms was the equivalent of keeping a man alive for 600 to 700 years

4. In this holy month, Prophet Muhammad SAW also commanded us to care more to needy people. There is special law that only done in this month that is paying zakah fitrah, zakah fitrah is giving out a little bit of wealth (£2.5) for The needy, the indigent, The collectors of Zakat, Winning over of hearts to Islam, Ransoming of slaves, Helping the debtors, Hospitality to wayfarers, etc. so this month is the month of generosity and again if we are generous in this holy month that God will give much more in reply. So this teach us to compete each other doing a good deed coz god has promised a huge reward for those who did it. In another hadith prophet Muhammad SAW said that whoever feed someone who fast them they will get reward as mush as someone whom they fed without reducing their rewards.

5. This month is the month where as a Muslim they have to be more care to their neighbour. Day in day out this should happen but again in this Ramadan, it’s more encouraged. It shows again how Islam is compassionate, generous and caring. (The Prophet (PBUH) said:
"He is not a believer who eats his fill when his neighbour beside him is hungry"; and: "He does not believe whose neighbours are not safe from his injurious conduct.”

6. Any other moral values that again and again stressed and emphasized in the Quran are Humility, modesty, control of passions and desires, truthfulness, integrity, patience, steadfastness, and fulfilling one's promises. God Said in the Quran
"And God loves those who are firm and steadfast." (3:146)
"And vie with one another to attain to your Sustainer's forgiveness and to a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which awaits the God-conscious, who spend for charity in time of plenty and in time of hardship, and restrain their anger, and pardon their fellow men, for God loves those who do good." (3:133-134)

7. One particular moral that is unique in Islam and I can say very important is the understanding of how children have to behave to their parents. There are so many books, program or anything about parenting and how to tackle all the arising number of ASBO in the last few years. No respect from children to parents, they dump the parents after years and years the parents spend time, money and energy to support the children, educate and feed them. How do you feel if you were the parents??? It must be sad and upsetting that’s why Prophet Muhammad SAW has reminded us 4 centuries ago about how we have to give respect and care to parents and it represent the expression of faith.
"Your Sustainers has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your lifetime, do not say to them a word of contempt nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility and say: My Sustainer! Bestow on them Your mercy, even as they cherished me in childhood." (17:23-24)

other than parents Islam teaches all Muslims to care, respect OTHER RELATIVES. God said in the Quran that
"And render to the relatives their due rights, as (also) to those in need, and to the traveller; and do not squander your wealth in the manner of a spendthrift." (17:26)

Actually, according to the Quran and Sunnah, a Muslim has to discharge his moral responsibility not only to his parents, relatives and neighbours but to the entire mankind, animals and trees and plants. For example, hunting of birds and animals for the sake of game is not permitted. Similarly, cutting trees and plants which yield fruit is forbidden unless there is a very pressing need for it.

so if we have heard a lot of accusation that Islam is Immoral or even barbaric religion then it completely wrong because the reality said that teaching of Islam is always and always stressed how we should conduct our self as a human being, as a neighbour, as member of society, as a citizen of any land/country.

From all the explanation above, we can see how the teachings of Islam concerning social responsibilities are based on kindness and consideration of others. Since a broad injunction to be kind is likely to be ignored in specific situations, Islam lays emphasis on specific acts of kindness and defines the responsibilities and rights of various relationships. In a widening circle of relationship, then, our first obligation is to our immediate family - parents, husband or wife and children, then to other relatives, neighbours, friends and acquaintances, orphans and widows, the needy of the community, our fellow Muslims, all our fellow human beings and animals.

Thus, on the basic moral characteristics, Islam builds a higher system of morality by virtue of which mankind can realize its greatest potential. Islam purifies the soul from self-seeking egotism, tyranny, wantonness and indiscipline. It creates God-conscious men, devoted to their ideals, possessed of piety, abstinence and discipline and uncompromising with falsehood, It induces feelings of moral responsibility and fosters the capacity for self control. Islam generates kindness, generosity, mercy, sympathy, peace, disinterested goodwill, scrupulous fairness and truthfulness towards all creation in all situations. It nourishes noble qualities from which only good may be expected.

In addition to that, In Islam the main mission living in this world is to please God. We are servant of God so we are obliged to obey Him. Islam sets God's pleasure as the objective of man's life; Islam has furnished the highest possible standard of morality. It makes morality reign supreme and ensures that the affairs of life, instead of dominated by selfish desires and petty interests, should be regulated by norms of morality.

Last but not least, all this teaching actually has to be carried out not just in ramadhan, and if we look closely we can conclude that in general, Islam is a very moral way of life and is completely different from what media has portrayed. Islam condemns terrorism and killing innocent people. But yes maybe there is such an action that is not from Islam carried out by Muslim such as event 7/7 if its true, but God Himself said in the holy Book

"Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do not transgress limits. God does not love transgressors." (Quran 2:190) "If they seek peace, then seek you peace. And trust in God for He is the One that heareth and knoweth all things." (Quran 8:61)

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