Islamic months also called lunar months are based on the sighting of the moon. There are twelve months in a lunar year namely Muharram, Safar, Rawial-Awwal, Rawial-Sani, Jamadal-Awwal, Jamadal-Sani, Rajab, Shaban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhu Qada and Dhu Hijjah. The name “Ramadan” is the name of the ninth month; the word itself derived from an Arabic word for intense heat, scorched ground, and shortness of rations. Almighty Allah has set the moon for mankind as a means of keeping record of months and years. Based on this, therefore, the Islamic month does not exceed thirty days. Abdullah bin Umer (RA) said that Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAW) said: Do not fast until you see the hilaal (crescent), and do not end (the month of) fasting until you see it. It is not allowed in Islam to fast a day or two days before month of Ramadan, except for a Muslim whose regular fasting coincides with these days. It is essential that the beginning and the end of the month is established if two just Muslims witness the sighting of the moon. The Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAW) said, Whoever does not determine that he will fast before Fajr will have no fast (that is, it would not be accepted). Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. The others being declaration of faith, praying five times daily, performing acts of charity and making a pilgrimage to Mecca. Fasting is a Quranic order, after Imaan, Salaah and Zakaat, the most important pillar of Islam is Sawm (fasting) during the month of Ramadan.
Fasting in the month of Ramadan is amongst the fundamentals of Islam; one who denies its obligation goes out of the fold of Islam. One who does not fast during this month is a faasiq (an immoral and flagrant transgressor) of the highest degree. Such a faasiq completely destroys his spirituality and morality. Sawm (fasting) in the terminology of Shareeiah, means to refrain from eating, drinking and cohabitation from Sub’h saadiq to sunset, with the intention of fasting (Baqarah, 2:187). Allah assigned the blessed month of Ramadan for every adult and healthy Muslim as a period of fasting. In essence, Ramadan is an auspicious opportunity for believers to renew their commitment to Allah, their creator and the Sovereign of the day of Judgment. It is reported in Bukhari Shareef, that when Prophet Mohammad (SAW) came to Madeenah, he (SAW) commanded the people to fast on the 10th of Muharram, but when fasting during the month of Ramadan was made compulsory, our Prophet (SAW) said, Now fasting on the 10th of Muharram is optional (alongwith 9 or 11th Muharram). According to Holy Quran, O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint (Quran, 2:183). It is appropriate that every Muslim should receive the blessed month of Ramadan with sincerity. He/She should make the intention to perform extra acts of devotion and worship therein, including the Night prayer (qiyam), recitation of Holy Quran, and abundant charity to the poor and needy.
The Holy Prophet (SAW), used to say the following when the month of Rajab begin. “Oh Allah! Bless us in Rajab and Shaban, and bring us, Oh, Allah to Ramadan (Tabarani and Ahmad). The Messenger of Allah (SAW) addressed his companions on the last day of Shaban; saying,”Oh people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a 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 time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. This is the month of patience and perseverance (Sabr) and the compensation of Sabr is paradise. This is also month of mutual love and sympathy, a month in which the livelihood of a believer is blessed and amplified. One who treats a fasting person to breakfast (offering just a date or a plain water drink) (iftaar) in this month, it earns him forgiveness of his sins and freedom of his neck from Hell fires. In this act social aspect is involved.
The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Holy Quran was sent down, a guidance for the people, and clear verses of guidance and criterion (Quran, Chapter,2:183). It is known that Holy Prophet (SAW) was the most generous of people, and in the month of Ramadan he (SAW) was even more generous. His companions described him as a wind that bears gifts. The Holy Prophet (SAW) said, that the best charity in Ramadan is setting things right between people who are in conflict and those who harbour hatred for each other. The month of Ramadan is the month of great gains and profits, whose beginning is Mercy, whose middle is forgiveness and whose end is deliverance from Hell. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to seclude himself for the last ten days of the month of Ramadan. Zakat-a-fitr (i.e., a charity) must be paid at the end of Ramadan and Zakat-a-mal (i.e., a charitable tax) must be paid every year based upon your wealth, if paid during Ramadan is more rewarding. The Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAW) said, the smart man is the one who takes stock off himself and strives to do that which will benefit him after death, and the helpless one is the one who follows his own whims and desires and engages in wishful thinking (assuming that Allah will forgive him regardless of what he does and that he does not need to strive to good deeds) (Reported by Al-Bukhari). The month of Ramadan is superior to others because in it there is the best night of the year, which is Laylat Al-Qadr, worship on this night is better than worship for a thousand months.
Almighty Allah says: Lo! We revealed it on the Night of Power. Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Night of Power is! The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein, by the permission of their Lord, with all decrees (That night is). Peace until the rising of the dawn (Quran Sura Al-Qadr, 97:1-5), the best book i.e., Holy Quran (a guidance for mankind) was revealed to the best of the Prophets (SAW). The Battle of Badr and the conquest of Mecca also took place during the holy month of Ramadan. The gates of paradise are opened and gates of Hell are shut, and the devils are chained up also there are many kinds of worship in Ramadan, such as fasting, praying Qiyam Al-Layl (Night vegil prayer), feeding the poor, performing itikaaf (religious retreat), giving charity, and reading the Holy Quran. This means evil actions and sins become less for those who observe the conditions and etiquette of fasting. The Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAW) said, the Scriptures of Ibrahim (AS) were sent down on the first of the month of Ramadan, the Tawrah was sent down on the sixth of Ramadan. The Injeel was sent down on thee thirteenth of Ramadan. The Zaboor was sent down on the eighteenth of Ramadan, and the Quran was sent down on the twenty-fourth of Ramadan (Reported by Ahmad). Allah neither wishes to punish His subject nor starve them because neither of these benefits Him.
Cultivation of righteous and humility is the wisdom behind fasting. The real purpose of fasting is to value the tremendous blessings of Allah and realize that a large percentage of people in the world do not have what we take for granted everyday. Every Muslim must remember and be firmly aware that the month of Ramadan is only a means, not an end which can help one to become a better person, both in the eyes of others and in Allah’s. One must uphold the state of Imaan and Taqwaa and perform righteous action after the month of Ramadan until one dies. May Almighty Allah bless us all and forgive all our sins and make us good Muslims and good human beings.
(The authors write on Islamic topics exclusively for “Kashmir Horizon”. Their views are personal)