Ramadan Articles, - Registering in the School of Righteous Generations

A noble guest is soon to arrive and a great season is to start -- the
month ofRamadan, which is a month praised in the Quran
andtheSunnah)Prophetic tradition(. It has many virtues; for example,
when it starts it is said:"O seeker of goodness, go ahead! O seeker of
evil; desist!"
TheUmmah)Muslim nation( has witnessed this month 1430 ]1[times and the
month that is upcoming is1431. Many generations have graduated fromits
school. It gives an opportunityfor serious people to change themselves
from wrong to right, from misguidance to guidance, from failure to
success, from defeat to victory and from every defect to every
perfection. This not only takes place only in one aspect of life;
rather, it occurs in many fields: religious, social,
economic,Jihad)struggle(, and others.
It is sufficient that during this month the Muslim overcomes thecalls
of the soul which is a persistent enjoiner of evil. By fasting, the
strong will of the Muslim wins over his base desiresin a way that he
savors its taste and feels its joy everyday at sunset. The Prophet,,
said:"There aretwooccasions of joy for one who fasts: one when he
breaks thefastand the other when he willmeethisLord."]Muslim[
For example, you may notice the sinning Muslim who is addicted to
drinking alcohol and nothing deters him from drinking day andnight;
but inRamadan, if someone were to compel him to drink a sip of lawful
pure water while he was fasting, he would be extremely antagonized!
Ramadanis a school that calls people to every virtuous manner, as
Allaah The Almighty Says)what means(:}O you who have believed, decreed
upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you
may become righteous{]Quran 2:183[
However, this chance is only for those who are sincere and serious.
The school ofRamadanisopening its doors for registration. This chance
may notbe available in the future. There are many people who hope to
witness tomorrow and do not witness it. There are many people who were
among the living in the morning and in the night they are among the
dead. There are many people who hopeto witnessRamadanbut they do not.
*.How are the "1,300,000,000" inRamadan?
One billion 300 million is the approximate number of Muslims nowadays.
They have the same ablution, the same way of praying, the same
fasting, and the sameHajj.
They worship One God: no one is truly worthy of worship but Him. They
submit to Him.
However, what about their feelings towards each other? What is their
concern with regard to supporting their religion? What are their
goals?
The answer is represented in the tragic suffering of Muslims in the
four corners of the world. Year after year, their suffering has become
even greater and the state of affairs has become even more turbulent
for the IslamicUmmah)Muslim nation( and its unity.
With the advent ofRamadan, themonth during which sublime virtues
become manifest and people benefit therefrom, you are invited to take
your share from this great bounty while you sit around the table
)ofRamadan( which Allaah The Almighty designated for the believing
people of the IslamicUmmah.
The most important thing to be adopted and followed is to achieve
brotherhood of faith among Muslims. Accordingly, they would support
each other, putting into action the verse in which Allaah The Almighty
Says)what means(:}The believing men and believing women are allies
ofone another.{]Quran 9:71[ And theHadeeth)narration( of the
Prophet,:"The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and
sympathy are just like one body; when one of the organs suffers, the
whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever."
Unity of faith is enhanced in the legislation of fasting as the
Prophet,said:"The start of the fast is the day you start and the end
of the fast is the day you end it, and the day of sacrifice is the day
you offer your sacrifice."]Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah[
Commenting on thisHadeeth, At-Tirmithisaid,"Some scholars interpreted
this Hadeethsaying that it means that fasting and breaking the fast
should be with the community of Muslims and most people."
Contemplate, O Muslims, on the unity of faith which brings your hearts
together even though you are of different countries, languages and
colors. It is an unmatchable unity on the face of the earth. So, why
do we overlook and neglect it? Allaah The Almighty Says )what
means(:}And brought together their hearts. If you had spent all that
isin the earth, you could not have brought their hearts together; but
Allaah brought them together. Indeed, He is Exalted in Might and
Wise.{]Quran 8:63[
Why are people undutiful to theirparents?
Why do people sever their kinship ties?
Why do spouses quarrel and fight?
Why do neighbors desert each other?
Why are the bonds of brotherhood among Muslims untied?
The outcome of these misfortunes is that anUmmahof one billion three
hundred million lost its advantage and effectiveness and became as it
is mentioned in theHadeeth"you will be scum like that carried down by
a torrent."
O IslamicUmmah, why do we seek this humiliation and pantingbehind
other nations seeking glory and pride by imitating them? Why do we
forget the Quranic verse where Allaah The Almighty Says )what
means(:}This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed
My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.{]Quran
5:3[
What a great religion is Islam! Why do people neglect this great blessing?
*.Breaking the Fast inRamadanand "Globalization"
The Prophet,, said:"Religion will continue to be dominant as long as
people hasten to break the fast, because the Jews and the Christians
delay doing so."]Abu Daawood[
Contemplate this discrepancy anddistinction between the MuslimUmmahand
other nations even in the aspects of eating.
The purpose of instituting distinguishing features in theUmmahwas not
intended as an end in itself. Rather, it was legislated for a great
goal ofSharee'ah)Islamic legislation( that many people do not
observenowadays and take it lightly; namely, distinguishing
thisUmmahfrom other nations in order to be independent in every field
-- religious, social economic,political, moral, and so on.
The Jews, since the dawn of the Message of Muhammad,noticed this
matter and were extremely annoyed. They said,"This man does not want
to leaveanything we do without opposing us in it."]Narrated by Anas,
may Allaah be pleased witgh him, inSaheeh Muslim[
Is it appropriate, after all this, that some of our brothers and
sisters become affected by the claims of the naïve and respond to the
calls of globalization?
Globalization in which aspect?
They want globalization in economy, policy, ethics, and so on. They
even call for religious globalization in order to mix all religions
including the true religion of Allaah The Almighty, Islam. Then, they
impose a new world order or a new world religion or the so-called
unity of religions in accordance with deviant Western perceptions in
the same way that they corrupted their religions, and designed after
the pattern of the godless life they live.
The Quran and theSunnah)Prophetic tradition( are replete with texts
enhancing the distinction of the members of thisUmmah, males and
females alike, with their true religion; andthe generations of
theUmmahcomprehended this distinction well, which indicates its utmost
importance. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:
*.}O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as
allies. They are ]in fact[ allies of one another. And whoever is an
ally to them among you - then indeed, he is]one[ of them. Indeed,
Allaah guides not the wrongdoing people.{]Quran 5:51[
*.}And never will the Jews or theChristians approve of you until you
follow their religion. Say,"Indeed, the guidance of Allaah is the
]only[ guidance." If you were to follow their desires after what has
come to you of knowledge, you would have against Allaah no protector
or helper.{]Quran 2:120[
The Prophet,, said:"You will follow the ways of those who preceded you
inch by inch and cubit by cubit so that if they should go into the
hole of a mastigure, you will follow them into it." We said, "O
Messenger ofAllaah! Do you mean the Jews and the Christians?" He
replied,"Who else?""]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
He also said:"Whoever imitates a people, becomes one of them."]Ahmad
and Abu Daawood[ ]Jayyidchain of transmission[
The wholeUmmah, males and females, are asked to review their course of
life and the extentof their negligence towards this strategic issue in
order to regain their lost pride and honor.
]1[Until the time of writing theselines