Ramazan a time seeking for forgiveness

By Mohammed NAALIR

Muslims world over are now observing fast following the command by Allah. Staying away from food and drink and hoping for reward from Allah. The fast is in order that the affluent may feel sympathy towards the poor and help them by way of donations and gifts to sort out their difficulties in life.

The objectives of Ramazan is to purify the heart and behaviour of believers.

During this month, Jib reel (alm) repeated the recital of the Holy Quran in full to Prophet Muhammad (Sal).

Fasting narrows the food and blood arteries. They are known to be canals of the devils, hence fasting reduces their insinuations. It further restricts carnal desires, thoughts and temptations of disobedience. It brightens the spirit.

Fasting was a delight and source of internal peace for early Muslims and the same spirit continues in the hearts and minds of million of Muslim male, female and children throughout the world. It extends a full month's training in restricting their bodies needs. Ramazan purifies the hearts of the Ummah and disciplines their soul.

In the early days numerous accounts confirm that they used to sit with their Qurans in the mosques, reciting, crying and protecting their tongues and eyes from unlawful things.

Fasting enhances bodily health. It gets rid of contaminated matter, eases the stomach, purifies the blood and eases the working of the heart.

When an individual fasts, his soul is humbled, his heart is subdued, his ambitions are curbed, Thus, his prayers are answered because of his closeness to Allah.

Allah says `It was in the month of Ramazan in which the Quran was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad as a guidance to man and is self-evident proof of that guidance, and the standard by which to discern the truth from false' (2:185).

The entire Quran was sent down from the `Preserved Tablet' in the heavens to the earth in the month of Ramazan. It was therefore, an honour for this month that the Quran should be recited, studied and adopted in the day-to-day life of a Muslim.

The Prophet once advised: `Read the Quran for surely it will be an intercessor for you on the day of judgement'. He also said; `The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teaches it to others.

Allah says: `For whatever good deed you may offer up in your own behalf, you shall truly find it with him' (73:20).

The Prophet (Sal) said `Charity extinguishes a wrong as water puts out fire'. Wrong doings create a heat and flame in the souls, and a burning fire in life. Only charity is a cooling for the heart and a fragrance for the spirit, erasing in the most complete way every wrongdoing.

Accordingly, in the same manner that your standing during the night for night prayers seeking the pleasure of Allah and performing rakath after rakath in prayer with the recital of Holy Quran will earn Allah's reward.

One of the main qualities of a believer is to get up during the early hours of the morning and engage in isthighfar-regretting his sins and seeking Allah's forgiveness.

Therefore let us utilise the remaining days of this holy month in standing for night prayers and engaging in isthighfar. Let us train our children to follow this path.