Ramadan is now upon us; its dawn is near, as hearts eagerly await its radiant light. The month of Ramadan is the crown of all months and the foundation of worship. The Qur’an was revealed within its blessed days, Islam was honored under its shade, and rewards are dispersed throughout its nights.
Ramadan is like a racetrack for those who realize its true value, and it is a beacon of guidance for those who understand its wisdom. For those who are sincere, it is a time to be saved from the Hellfire. It is also a garden of faith for those whose hearts are pure and whose minds are enlightened.
This Ramadan brings abundant blessings and rewards. Good news awaits those who fast with true faith and hope for Allah’s reward, using this month as preparation for the Day of Judgment.
So, doesn’t this blessed month deserve that we get ready for it in a way that shows its great importance?
Shouldn’t we approach it with actions that reflect its honor and values.
The days of Ramadan are few, and its hours are limited. It passes by quickly, like a gentle breeze that does not stay for long. We prepare for Ramadan by readying our souls, purifying our hearts, and reviving our inner selves. The soul is prepared by minimizing distractions and clearing one’s mind.
By having a heart at peace, dhikr becomes more meaningful, tasbeeh becomes more profound, and the fasting person experiences a unique joy when reciting the Qur’an. It also provides renewed energy when standing for night prayer.
When the soul is at ease, it becomes enlightened. When it is calm, it draws closer to Allah, and as it draws closer, it experiences the sweetness of being close to Him.
The heart is prepared by cleansing it of any hatred and envy [towards others] and by purifying it from having any grudges while reconciling relationships that have been severed.
Possessing such [negative] feelings [towards others] are diseases of the heart, and they block it from the mercy of Allah and deprive it of the sweetness of worship.
There is no joy in fasting when the heart is preoccupied with hatred, and no light in prayer when the soul is filled with grudges. Ramadan is welcomed by lightening one’s attachment to permissible pleasures and organizing one’s time wisely. One should not waste Ramadan by getting distracted or caught up in trivial issues. The best way to prepare is with sincere du’a from a humble and devoted heart [by saying]:
“Allahumma a’inni ‘ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni ‘ibadatika”
(O Allah, help me to remember You, thank You, and worship You in the best manner).
The joy of breaking the fast follows a day filled with patience, leading to a delight that brightens the heart both during the day and night. The fasting person rejoices in the blessing of completing their fast, with a sip of water that quenches their thirst and food that satisfies their hunger. As for the greatest joy [they will ever experience], it is when they meet their Lord while He is pleased with them.
This is a joy that erases the years of burden that have passed, washes away the worries of this world, and opens the gates of Jannah before them, leading them to the door of Ar-Rayyan with a face that shines gladly and with a soul overflowing with tranquility.
Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an, and reciting it during this month brings a unique pleasure that fills the heart with joy and delight as its sweetness envelops the soul.
When verses of the Qur’an are recited, the chest glows with light, the heart finds peace in its words, and the spirit is moved by the sweetness of its recitation. It feels as though each ayah touches the soul for the first time, as every letter pulses with life.
In Ramadan, quiet prayers are cherished, hearts find comfort in the beauty of Du’a and souls are at peace under the shade of their closeness to Allah. Prayers rise [unto Him] in the stillness of the night to find an open door and a Lord who is near.
Be certain that Allah listens to your prayers even if they are faint, and He responds even if you feel distant from Him.
How many prayers in Ramadan were answered, and how many hearts found the key to happiness in a single prostration.
Ramadan is a school of willpower and a field of discipline. It trains the fasting person to control their desires, restrain their whims, and guard their tongue from anything that would spoil their fast. They learn to master their cravings, subdue their impulses, and plant the seeds of patience and steadfastness.
During Taraweeh, they stand for long periods, striving against their own selves in worship, resisting their own weakness.
In doing so, their resolve is strengthened, their willpower grows, and they become masters over themselves rather than captives to their desires. This willpower cultivated in Ramadan extends to all aspects of life.
Those who have tasted the sweetness of victory over their own selves rise with their faith and stand tall with their Islam. They no longer surrender to whims nor accept being lazy during worship. Without a doubt, the successful in this world and the winners in the Hereafter are those with high aspirations and flowing determination those who achieve true victory: victory over their own desires.
Ramadan serves as a station that elevates the rank of an individual through the acts of worship found within it and through the emotions that are felt, making it a means of enhancing life itself.
It shapes a person by teaching discipline and self-control, building integrity and moral strength. It inspires compassion and generosity, contributing to a just and prosperous society.
Fasting strengthens one’s identity as a Muslim and deepens their connection with Allah, while night prayer nurtures patience and humility.
The Qur’an fills the soul with honesty, sincerity, and a clear sense of purposes.
Ramadan unites the Ummah under the banner of worship. It gathers those who were separated, heals wounds, and mends differences among its adherents. It brings hearts together as they form rows in prayer.
The Ummah fasts as one, breaks their fast as one, and stands in prayer shoulder to shoulder, turning their hearts and bodies toward one Qiblah. Like a single body, when one part feels pain, the rest of the body shares in its discomfort and restlessness.
Ramadan reminds us of our brothers and sisters who feel the pangs of hunger and the exhaustion of thirst, hoping for just a piece of food to ease their hunger or a sip of water to quench their thirst.
Fasting makes one more compassionate, causing us to become generous and inspiring us to help those in need.