Alhamdullilah, Allah (SWT) has blessed us to witness and reach another Ramadan. The Prophet (PBUH) has called this month – a blessed month (شهر مبارك) and a great month (عظيمهر). In this article we will focus on “How can we fully benefit from this season of blessings”.
The Huge Responsibility Requires Big Commitment
Allah
says in Surat Al-Baqara [2:143]
says in Surat Al-Baqara [2:143]
“And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people …” [2:143]
The responsibility of being witnesses over the people is what is at stake here. The higher the goal, the more difficult and rigorous is the training. To become a navy seal, you are required to go through extremely difficult training. To enter into space an astronaut goes through a long and hard physical and mental training before being qualified to take up the responsibility. Similarly, to be a witness over the people, one has to reach a level of piety, maturity and love for Allah and his prophet, which is no small task. You are being prepared to be able to withstand physical, mental and emotional challenges. For this assignment you are required to exhibit amazing levels of selflessness, sacrifice of time and wealth and will be required to endure great hardship. All this only for the pleasure of Allah and attainment of eternal life in Paradise.
and his prophet, which is no small task. You are being prepared to be able to withstand physical, mental and emotional challenges. For this assignment you are required to exhibit amazing levels of selflessness, sacrifice of time and wealth and will be required to endure great hardship. All this only for the pleasure of Allah and attainment of eternal life in Paradise.
It is from the mercy of Allah that opportunities to train for this great task are presented to the believer during their life over and over again. The fact that the believer stands to gain so much from this season, makes the preparation for this ever more important.
that opportunities to train for this great task are presented to the believer during their life over and over again. The fact that the believer stands to gain so much from this season, makes the preparation for this ever more important.
What we must understand as we prepare for this season
In the Quran Allah presents some of the most beautiful metaphors and parables which gives us great insight on how to prepare for this blessed season. In Surat Al-Hajj, Allah says:
presents some of the most beautiful metaphors and parables which gives us great insight on how to prepare for this blessed season. In Surat Al-Hajj, Allah says:
“… And you see the earth barren, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and swells and grows [something] of every beautiful kind” [22:5]
These verses from Surat Al-Hajj and several others use the metaphor of rain, which when falls on the right piece of land produces vegetation of trees, flowers and fruits that benefit everyone. Through this metaphor Allah is inviting the believers to prepare the land (their hearts and soul) for this rain (guidance) that has been sent to them in this blessed month of Ramadan. The month of Ramadan is analogous to the season of spring. In this month, a believer prepares the garden by removing the weeds, seeding the soil and watering the ground in hopes of beautiful flowers and tasty fruits later in the year.
is inviting the believers to prepare the land (their hearts and soul) for this rain (guidance) that has been sent to them in this blessed month of Ramadan. The month of Ramadan is analogous to the season of spring. In this month, a believer prepares the garden by removing the weeds, seeding the soil and watering the ground in hopes of beautiful flowers and tasty fruits later in the year.
The same goes for the heart of a believer. The more prepared the heart is, the better it is able to receive and retain this divine guidance. A deep understanding of this aspect of purification of the heart goes a long way in attaining our goals during the blessed month of Ramadan.
No comments:
Post a Comment