{RAMADAN READY SERIES #2} What does Ramadan look like?

Alger

بِسْــــــــــــــــــــــمِ اﷲِارَّحْمَنِ ارَّحِيم

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Today is our second installment of a series of posts {Ramadan Ready}. There's a lot of things going on my house these days, with only few weeks until we welcome Ramadan. If you haven't subscribed to my newsletter, I invite you to take advantage of upcoming posts about preparing for Ramadan.

Ramadan is soon approaching. Ramadan is known as a strange yet sincere and loving friend which comes to visit after such a long while bringing with it countless blessings & gifts. The Salaf would spend six months preparing with fear of not living till Ramadan. Then after Ramadan, they wept for six months hoping their efforts were accepted. But for many of us in this modern age, the true meaning of Ramadan is a blurred one.

What is Ramadan? What does it look like?

Why do we fast? 

So we feel like we're poor?  ---- Ahhhh no!

The real reason has been mentioned by Allah in the Quran:

“O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious).” [Al-Baqarah (2):183]

Ramadan is the most important month of the year for Muslims, the believers, and followers of the religion of Islam.  It is the month that the believers await with eagerness. 

At the beginning of month of Rajab --- two full months before Ramadan --- the Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to supplicate thus:

"O Allah! Bless us during Rajab and Sha’ban, and let us reach Ramadan (in good health)."

During Ramadan the believers get busy seeking God's mercy, forgiveness, and protection from Hellfire. This is the month for renewing our commitment and re-establishing our relationship with our Creator. Ramadan is the spring season for the garden of Islam when dry grass can come back to life and flowers bloom. It's like the spring season for goodness and virtues when righteousness blossoms throughout the Muslim communities.  It offers every Muslim an opportunity to strengthen his Iman (faith), purify his heart and soul, and to remove the evil effects of the sins committed by him. 

For the faithful, Ramadan was indeed a very special month. In addition to fasting, mandatory Salaat (prayer), and extra voluntary prayers, Muslim spent the whole month in acts of worship like reciting of the Qur'an and charitable works.  They spent almost the entire night in prayers. They used to eat so little that one wondered how they could endure all this. These greats valued every moment of Ramadan and would not waste any of it in any other pursuit.  

Tlemcen

This emphasis on these acts of worship may sound strange --- even misplaced --- to some. It requires some explanation. We know that the term Ibadaah (worship and obedience) in Islam applies not only to the formal acts of worship and devotion like Salat , Tilawa, and Dhikr, but it also applies to worldly acts when performed in obedience to Shariah and with the intention of pleasing Allah.

Islam does not approve of monasticism. It does not ask us to permanently isolate ourselves from this world since our test is in living here according to the Commands of our Creator. But it does ask us to take periodic breaks from it, like for example to do the mandatory Salaat (five daily prayers). For a few minutes every so many hours throughout the day, we leave the affairs of this world and appear before Allah to remind ourselves that none but HE is worthy of worship and of our unfaltering obedience. Ramadan takes this to the next higher plane, providing intense training for a whole month.

The most important message of Ramadan is that we are not just body. We are body and soul. And that what makes us human beings and that determines our value as human beings is the soul and not the body. During Ramadan, we deprive the body to uplift the soul. This is all simple and familiar. 

Ramadan is our break from the materialistic hedonistic global pop culture enslavement that has engulfed every Muslim land today --- just like the rest of the world. It reminds that our greatest happiness isn't through the fulfilling of desires, but through the love of GOD. 

Beni Mesouss

During Ramadan take a break from the pop culture. Turn off the tube, the tunes and yes, even the social networks. Say goodbye to the endless and futile pursuit of happiness in sensory pleasures. Rediscover your inner self that has been buried deep under it. Reorient yourself. Devote your time to the reading of the Qur'an, to voluntary worship, to prayers and conversations with Allah. Reflect on the direction of your life and your priorities. Reflect on and strengthen your relationship with your Creator.

Through direct worship we "charge our batteries"; the indirect ones allow us to use the power so accumulated in driving the vehicle of our life. This is what Ramadan looks like ... to me.

Stay tuned for the next installment entitled "How to prepare  Ramadan". If you've missed the previous installment CLICK HERE If you've missed the first installment, you can read all about it HERE.

{RAMADAN READY SERIES #1} Ramadan Ready Introduction

{RAMADAN READY SERIES #2} What does Ramadan look like?

{RAMADAN SERIES #3} How to Prepare for Ramadan

{RAMADAN READY series #4} Ramadan Cleaning

{RAMADAN READY series #5} Ramadan Menu Planning & Shopping

{RAMADAN READY series #6} Tips for the Ramadan Kitchen

{RAMADAN READY series #7} Suhour Recipes

I hope you've found the information in this post of value and enjoyed the photos of famous mosques in Algeria. I'll leave you all with a video lecture discussing  Ramadan Fiqh by Abu Taubah.

Don't forget to check out my Ramadan boards on Pinterest. Ramadan Ready, Suhour Recipes, Iftar Dinner Recipes, Eid al Fitr and Oriental Sweets. Feel free to share your ideas on Facebook.

REMEMBER Ramadan is not about temporary change but rather a much needed jump start to a year of positive change, inshAllah! Bismillah.

If you liked or benefited from any part of this site, please consider commenting and letting me know! Your comments really encourage me and make smile. And don't forget to remember me in your dua and prayers. 

HOW ARE YOU PREPARING FOR RAMADAN? 

Tizi Ouzo