by Amni Azizan
Edited by Hannaan Fuad
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Narrated by Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever established prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven; and whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven." Sahih al-Bukhari
Since Ramadan is right around the corner, it is appropriate to highlight the distinct features of the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. What exactly sets Ramadan apart from others like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha?
To start things off, Ramadan is the only month whereby Muslims must refrain themselves from eating and drinking during daylight and abide by a set of rules until the sun sets, in which Muslims are allowed to break their fast. Later that night, they will get the opportunity to perform the Taraweeh prayer in congregations. During this month, Muslims should take up the chance to perform many good deeds to improve their spiritual reflection and growth by reciting the Quran, performing sunnah prayers, and zikr. Besides that, Ramadan is also the month where the Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad SAW.
A Month of Fasting
Fasting during this month teaches us self-control since we have to refrain ourselves from eating or drinking during the day. It also serves as a reminder to us of the unfortunate circumstances some people are going through, which cause them to struggle to get essential needs in their daily lives like food, water resources, and shelter. Therefore, fasting helps us to be more mindful of Allah SWT and the blessings He has granted us. Be grateful and appreciative of what you have. Instead of sighing, please say Alhamdulillah.
Taraweeh Prayer
The word “tarawih” was derived from the Arabic form, which translates to “rest and relaxation,” due to the fact that the prayer is performed in a leisurely and relaxed manner, with intervals between each set of rak’ahs. For clarification, the taraweeh prayer is a Sunnah or voluntary prayer that is performed during the month of Ramadan. It is performed after the Isha prayer and before the Witr prayer. Praying Taraweeh is highly encouraged during Ramadan. According to the mazhab Shafie, it is highly recommended to perform the taraweeh prayer congregationally even though performing it alone is allowed. Praying the taraweeh prayer during Ramadan not only increases our connection with Allah (SWT), our Creator, but it is also a chance to earn more rewards.
We can only perform this in the month of Ramadan.
Laylatul Qadr
Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) said:
"Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan."
Sahih al-Bukhari
Laylatul Qadr is one of the most important and considered the most sacred nights in the Islamic calendar, also known as the Night of Power. Interestingly, we as humankind will never know the exact date of Laylatul Qadr. Ever. Only Allah SWT knows the real date of Laylatul Qadr. However, there are a few sahih hadiths that say that the Laylatul Qadr is likely to happen on one of the odd nights in the last ten nights of Ramadan (21, 23, 25, 27, and 29). Some of the signs of Laylatul Qadr are that the sun rises early in the morning without rays and is described as pleasant and calm. So, this is the chance for Muslims around the world to multiply their acts of worship like sunnah prayers (dhuha, tahajjud, hajat), zikr, and reading the Qur'an. It will be your biggest loss if you deliberately miss this, because this one night is worth more than a thousand. Thus, we have to grab the chance because if we miss it, we have to wait another whole year.
In conclusion, we as Muslims must grab every opportunity out there to multiply our good deeds during Ramadan because it will be a huge loss and waste if we let it go by like any other month. Plus, it is also the month that we grow closer to Allah SWT in this holy month, whereby we learn to be grateful for what we currently have. Additionally, I would like to encourage everyone to pray for our brothers and sisters of Islam in Palestine right now who are currently fighting for their lives, trying to survive against the brutal attacks from Israel.
Ramadan Mubarak.
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