Islamic Culture & Photo Blog – Muslim Blog

The opportunity to defeat evil spirit and get uncountable virtue is the month of Ramadan

August 26th, 2012
by Sufia

All Muslims share the basic belief that all human beings are mortal and this life is the preparation for the world hereafter. This belief creates a hunger in Muslims to perform the maximum number of good deeds they can perform in their lifetime since their hereafter purely relies on their performance in this world. Therefore, the arrival of Ramadan is cherished in every Muslim house as Ramadan is seen as the month of blessings since it offers a great amount of chances to do well.

ramadan eve turkey The opportunity to defeat evil spirit and get uncountable virtue is the month of Ramadan

All Muslims are promised a handsome reward by Allah if they surf their abilities in serving Allah and His mankind. This is why Ramadan is always seen as a great opportunity in all Muslim community.

Ramadan is ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is considered to be the holiest of all. In Quran and Hadith, there are several verses quoting the significance of the Ramadan. All Muslims believe that this month provides them with an ideal opportunity to fight the evil spirit and get uncountable virtue. This is because, firstly, in the month of Ramadan Allah fetters Satan and as a consequence Satan cannot whisper bad ideas in the minds of believers. Secondly, as all Muslims observe fasting so they spontaneously learn tolerance and patience. Fasting also teaches them how to learn self-restraint.

Allah declares this learning of self-restraint the purpose of fasting, the Quran says:

“Fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was prescribed upon nations before you so that you may learn self-restraint. “

In this way the month of Ramadan serves as the training platform for fight against evil, as individuals learn self-restraint, commit good deeds and follow the right path. This makes the person a stronger believer and even when the Satan is set free again, the Satan does not finds it easier to make a believer indulge in any wrongdoing. Ramadan purifies believers spiritually as Allah forgives the mistakes of believer and awards them with great reward for their good actions.

Furthermore, Muslims are also blessed with the uncountable virtue in this month. Allah blesses believers seventy times more than he blesses them, for the same deed, in other months. A Nafl prayer is rewarded with a reward equivalent to Farz prayer and Farz prayer is rewarded with the reward of 70 Farz prayers.

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “Whoever fasted the month of Ramadan out of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the prayers in the night of Qadr out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.”
Such are the blessings of Allah in this month and hence it can be concluded that Ramadan is the key to defeat evil spirit and avail uncountable virtue.

The month of Ramadan is the best for practicing tolerance and patience

August 26th, 2012
by Sufia

ramadan1 The month of Ramadan is the best for practicing tolerance and patience

Have you ever repented on your poor behavior with anyone? Have you ever wanted to control your anger? Have you ever wished to gain patience to avoid this anger? If yes, Ramadan comes as a perfect solution for you. Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar calendar and the whole year for Muslims revolves around this one month.

Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory for Muslims, but this fasting is not meant to test them physically, but it is meant to prepare them for the mercy, blessings and forgiveness which form the essence of this month. To understand this you must be aware of the basic rules and regulations of a fast. This short essay will brief you about these rules and it will present an overview of how to use this Holy month for acquiring patience and tolerance.

Let us first understand what patience is, essentially. Shams Tabrezi, a famous Muslim scholar, defines patience as follows:

“Patience is not sitting and waiting, it is foreseeing. It is looking at the thorn and seeing the rose, looking at the night and seeing the day. Lovers are patient and know that the moon needs time to become full.”

This is what a Muslim exactly does in fast, it’s not that he cannot feel material instincts; it’s just that he is waiting for the dusk.

Allah says in the Holy Quran

“Fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was prescribed on nations before you so that you may learn self-restraint”.

In the light of this verse it can be concluded that the sole purpose of fasting is to make an individual learn self-restraint. The fundamental rules of fasting in this month are meant to extend the control if human mind over human instincts like food, hunger, sex, anger and frustration. Abstinence from all these things creates an individual who spreads love and tolerance at all times, and practices self-restraint to prevent anger or material desires to overtake his intent.

While fasting, a Muslim has to wait from dawn to dusk to eat or drink anything. He bears this hardship patiently just to acquire the love, mercy, forgiveness and blessings of Almighty Allah. He refrains from abusing or insulting anyone no matter how much angry he is. At times, he bears the misconduct of others but does not use his hand or tongue to act against it since Allah has not allowed this in fasting. He looks for divine justice or forgives the other person, but never commits any wrongdoing since he has to obey the commandments of Allah. All these things actually make him learn patience and tolerance. Not only, he learns them but also applies them during a fast. In everyday life, a man is likely to lose his temper occasionally. However, during fasting since he has to abide by the rules and regulations of the fast so he holds his temper

Thus, it can safely be concluded that Ramadan provides individuals with an ideal opportunity to learn and practice tolerance and patience.

The reward of Ramadan: Eid

August 26th, 2012
by Sufia

In Ramadan, Muslims all around the world observe fasts and carry out various other practices just to acquire the love of Almighty Allah.The month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and Muslimcommunity unanimously believes it to be the month of blessings, mercy and forgiveness.During Ramadan, a good deed is rewarded with seventy times its normal reward. The month of Ramadan is the only lunar month whose name has appeared in the Quran, and it was also the month in which the Holy Quran was revealed. Such are the blessings of Ramadan and all Muslims must strive to make the most of these blessings.

happy EID The reward of Ramadan: Eid

At the end of Ramadan, Allah blesses the believers with the festival of Eid. Eid follows the month of Ramadan, and it is purely a reward for those Muslims who observed fasting and pushed their material instincts under control during Ramadan, to attain a state of greater mental purity. This Eid is known as EidUlFitr, which is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal.
When the month of Ramadan ends, Allah asks the believers to celebrate.It must be ensured that the underprivileged are kept a part ofEid celebrations. Therefore, Muslims distribute ‘Fitrana’ before Eid. Fitrana is a special charity donated at the end of Ramadan amongst poor people so that they can enjoy Eid in a similar manner as the rich.
It is narrated that the Holy Prophet would not sleep in the night before Eid. That night is termed as the night of reward so it is desirable to offer Nawafil prayers and pray to Almighty Allah.One can also engage in other forms of worship, for example, recite of Holy Quran. Muslims start their Eid day by offering a special Eid prayer. This Eid prayer must be offered any time between the Fajr and Zuhr prayer. However, many Muslim scholars suggest that the Prayer should not be delayed and should be offered early morning.

Ideally, Fitrana should be paid before the commencement of Eid prayer, to allow the poor with ample time to buy new clothes and food stuff. Eid prayers are congregational prayers; therefore they are a symbol of unity in Muslims.This prayer help in laying down a relationship of brotherhood as all Muslims, whether poor or rich, stand shoulder to shoulder with one another and offer the prayer.

Eid day is reward for Muslims, and Muslims are forbidden to fast on this day. It is narrated that “Allah’s messenger prohibited two fasts: Fasting the day of Adha and the day of Fitr”. Muslims are not supposed to offer any Nawafil after or before the Eid prayer as well, as the messenger of Allah, Muhammad (S.A.W) never practiced this in his life.

This Eid is the happiest day for Muslims around the world as they celebrate finally after their one month long hardships.

RAMADAN: The Month of Fasting before the Feast

August 14th, 2012
by Sufia

Ramadan is ninth month of the lunar calendar and is considered to be the holiest of all. In the light of several Quranic verses and ahadith it can safely be termed as “The month of blessings”. Muslims all around the world show great sanctity towards this month; they observe fasting throughout this month and bade farewell to it by Eid-ul-fitr, one of the two grand festivals of Muslim calendars. Historians say that the importance of Ramadan was present even before the arrival of Islam. The month was then called Natiq.

Corbis 42 29318010 RAMADAN: The Month of Fasting before the Feast

Ramadan is a month of special significance to Muslims because of a number of reasons. It is the month in which the holy Quran was revealed to the final Prophet of Allah and this is the month which is home to the Lail-at-ul-Qadar. Allah rewards believers seventy times more for a good deed than in any other month; the reward of Nafl prayer is raised to the reward of a Farz prayer and the reward of keeping a single fast in this month is more than the reward of keeping fasts in the entire year. Such are the blessings of God during this Holy month. To make things further convenient for believers, Allah orders to fetter the Satan and to close the doors of hell.

Ramadan is truly the month of spiritual purification as it provides every individual with a chance to purify him from the wrongdoings he commits during the entire year. Fasting in the month of Ramadan requires Muslims to practice self-restraint as Allah says in the Holy Quran “Fasting has been prescribed to you as it was prescribed to nations before you so that you may learn self-restraint“. This verse also suggests that fasting is an article inherited from the previous Sharias.

The month of Ramadan has been divided in three different decades.  Ashra is the Arabic term for a decade (a period of ten days). Each decade has its own significance and its own purpose. The first decade is the decade of Mercy, the second decade is the decade of Forgiveness and the last decade is the decade for freedom from the hell fire.

At the end of Ramadan comes the day of Eid – the day of joy and celebrations – on the first of Shawwal, the month following Ramadan. Muslims are rewarded with this day as a reward of their profound worship during the holy month of Ramadan. Allah asks Muslims to celebrate the day of Eid with liveliness, joy and cheerfulness. However, He also orders them to look after the underprivileged on this day and to provide them money so that they can buy new cloths and share the happiness of the Eid day with rest of the society.

Why Ramadhan is a Month of Blessings

August 14th, 2012
by Sufia

Muslims consider Ramadhan a month of blessings. They keep fasts in this month along with offering special prayers and many Muslims also go for an Umrah in this month. Fasting is the special feature of Ramadhan, as fasting in Ramadhan is obligated in Islam.

The Holy Quran says: ”O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was prescribed on those before you so that you may learn self-restraint“.

blessing month ramadan 480x468 Why Ramadhan is a Month of Blessings

In the light of this Quranic verse, we can conclude that  fasting is an old tradition and it was a part of previous religions as well. What makes the month of Ramadhan a month of blessings? This short article will give you a brief answer to this question.

Ramadhan is the Holiest month of Islamic calendar in the respect that this is the month in which the Holy Quran was revealed to the final prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W) .The Holy Quran says “Ramadhan is the month during which the Quran was revealed, providing guidance for the people, clear teachings, and the statute book. Those of you who witness this month shall fast therein.

Those who are ill or traveling may substitute the same number of other days. God wishes for you convenience, not hardship, that you may fulfill your obligations, and to glorify God for guiding you, and to express your appreciation”. Several Hadith are narrated by Sahih Bukhari and other Muslim scholars signifying the importance and the blessings of Ramadhan.

One hadith says that in this month of Ramadhan the doors of paradise are opened and the doors of hell are closed. The Holy Prophet also said

”Surely, the month of Ramadhan, the blessed month has come to you. The month whose fasts Allah (has) made obligatory upon you. In it the doors of paradise are opened up and the Satan fettered, and in it is the night of Qadr, which is more virtuous than a thousand months”.

Another Hadith says “ The month of Ramadhan has come to you with blessings, wherein, Allah turns towards you and sends down to you His special blessings, forgives your faults, accepts dua (prayer), appreciates your competition for the greatest goods and boasts to the angels about you. So show to Allah your righteousness, for truly, the most pitiable and unfortunate one is he, who is deprived of Allah’s mercy in this month. “

By analyzing the above Hadith one can come to the conclusion that this month is surely a month of great blessings. Several other ahadith also tell that one good deed in this month is rewarded with the reward of 70 good deeds and offering one Nafl is equivalent to offering a Farz prayer in reward.

The month of Ramadhan is divided in three periods. The first ten days are a period of mercy, the second ten days are a period of forgiveness and the last ten days are a period of being freed from hell. To conclude in the light of all these quotes, surely, this month is a month of blessings as Allah reveals His favor on us far more in this month than in any other month.

What is the Concept of Ramadhan in Religions Other Than Islam

August 14th, 2012
by uLhaq

Ramadhan is one of the twelve months of the Muslims calendar. It is the ninth lunar month and holds special significance as Muslims all around the world fast during this month. Ramadhan is the month of blessings, sacrifice and sympathy for all Muslim community. Has this month anything to do with Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism too? This short article is about the concept of Ramadhan in religions except Islam.

Let’s begin with seeing what the Islam has to say about this concept. The Holy Quran addresses Muslims and says: ”O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was prescribed on those before you so that you may learn self-restraint “. Analyzing this you can see that at the time of Prophet (S.A.W), the concept of fasting already existed, and nations before Islam used to fast.

ramadan praying 480x468 What is the Concept of Ramadhan in Religions Other Than Islam

But did they fast in Ramadhan? Ramadhan, historians claim, was a month whose significance existed even before Islam the arrival of Islam. It was called Natiq at that time, a month that fell in the warm seasons. However there is no cogent evidence supporting the claim that Ramadhan held the same importance at that time that it enjoys these days. It only gained importance in the era of Holy Prophet because of the fact that the last revelation Holy Quran was sent down in this month. The Holy Quran has also emphasized on the importance of Ramadhan on many occasions.

If you compare the concept of fasting in all religions, you get to know that all religions prescribe fasting in one way or the other. In Christianity, Christians have been advised to fast. In fact, the Bible says that fasting does not only mean abstinence from food and water, and a fast in which one does not care for the poor is unacceptable. Christian historians have chronicled incidences when the Christ himself kept fast too.

The nature of fasting varies for different sects of Christianity, i.e. some sections abstain from meat and milk only while others fast for an entire day, but the essence remains the same. Even in Islam, a fast is meant to experience the sufferings of underprivileged and for learning self-restraint.

In Hinduism, the concept of fasting is slightly different. However, fasting has been prescribed for them too. Some Hindus fast on Mondays while others fast on Tuesday. Some fast on Thursday too the reason for this variation in fasting is because Hindus fast particularly for a certain goddess or god. Followers of Hinduism fast from after the sunset of previous day to 48 minutes after sunrise. Non-vegetarian Hindus cannot even touch any animal product during fasting; milk is an exception though.

Similarly, the concept of fasting is also present in Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism and other religions. Ramadhan is of enormous importance to Muslims only but fasting has its roots in most religions.

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