Ramadan (2024) and its essence

Tonight, the Muslim faithful, globally, will commence the yearly Ramadan fasting for 30 or 29 days (depending on the sighting of the moon) as the fourth fundamental pillar of Islam. The month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar, is regardedas a month of spiritual examination and rejuvenation.

It is a month of high social and communal value in which fasting, unlike in the other months, is mandatory for all healthy Muslims.

Ramadan helps the faithful to discover the human in them, the same way it awakens their spiritual potentials. Ramadan comes to bond the individual to and with his community; it functions in waking the community up to its strength in the individual. Ramadan frees Muslims from their appetitive and vegetative bondages; it raises them up to such heights as are open only to the angels and the chosen ones among the servants of the Almighty. If humanity gets to know of its huge blessings, so goes the prophetic saying, they would request that Allah (SWT) makes fasting a whole year mandate, not just a month or twenty-nine days, as is presently the case.

With the commencement of fasting in the month of Ramadan, Nigeria will be open to multiple divine blessings as sizeable number of her citizen in the Christendom have gone far in the observation of the Lent – 40 days, 40 nights of fasting – which began with Ash Wednesday on February 14.

This coincidence is aneeded therapy to cleanse the land of the hardship and hunger presently being experienced by many Nigerians.

Indeed, for Muslims, the most important consideration in embarking on fasting, as is the case with other acts of devotion in Islam, is to seek nearness to Allah; to seek His pleasure and forgiveness. Thus, a Muslim who fasts conscientiously during Ramadan would ultimately attain a status of piety.

He would walk “with” and work “in” Allah. When a Muslim works “in” and walks “with” Allah, he becomes the beloved of Allah. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) says that when a servant of Allah becomes the beloved of Allah, He, Allah becomes his hand with which he holds onto things. Thus, whatever he holds becomes strong; what he does becomes sanctioned by the Almighty.
When a Muslim observes fasting and other extra acts of worships like Nawafil, he becomes the beloved of Allah such that He, the Almighty becomes his tongue with which he talks.

Thus, whatever he says becomes encoded with divine gravitas; his wishes become the wish of Allah. Thus, fasting during the month of Ramadan providesthe opportunity to examine our spiritual status. A Muslim who forsakes the pleasure of food and drinks and embarks on this fasting, a Muslim who creates the conditions of hunger and thirst for him/herself, simply in obeisance to Allah is actually and indirectly sharpening his/her weapon of survival on the terrestrial earth where survival has become simply difficult if not impossible.

Thus, a Muslim who fasts is like a hunter who takes time off hunting in order to sharpen his weapon of hunt. Thus, he who fasts becomes an unassailable and an inimitable fortress against the devil and its agents; you cannot be a beloved of Allah and still become a prey to earthly principalities.

Generally, through the act of fasting, a condition is created of an artificial or temporary scarcity and want. This is meant to awaken humanity to the value of the bounties of the Almighty which human beings often take for granted. This inculcates in human a spirit of gratitude and consequent devotion to the Almighty.

After fasting during the day, we settle down at dusk to break the fast. The meal on our table should remind us of the perpetual scarcity and want in which some of our fellow human beings are presently steeped. In other words, each morsel we put in our mouth during this month should remind us of the life of penury and want in which many Nigerians are manacled.

That reminder should also inculcate in us the important ethic of moderation; that the real pleasure of Allah’s bounties lies in moderation and restraint and not in over indulging; not in stuffing our stomachs with food and drinks.

Fasting is like a school in which the Muslim is expected to receive training and skills in endurance, perseverance and tenacity. Fasting teaches the Muslim he should not quit difficult situations; that the war is won not through resort to escapism. When we fast, when we forsake the luxuries which Allah has endowed us with, we are indirectly affirming the slippery nature and essence of this world; that in between life of prosperity and austerity is a distance which is as long as the movement of our eyelids. A Muslim who fasts is preparing for possible changes in life; he is affirming that nothing in life is ever permanent.

Thus, fasting develops in the Muslim the ideals of courage, fortitude, and a fighting spirit to surmount the heavy odds in life with a tranquil mind. It sharpens the power of concentration and steels the will power and resolve.

One of the challenges confronting Nigeria is that her leaders are more like dealers, with lax moral status. This country seems condemned to that abyss of bad governance and corruption. Ramadan comes every year with that opportunity for our leaders, particularly those who are Muslims, to conquer their hedonistic and libidinous excesses.

It provides the servant with the mechanism to overcome anger; it seeks to imbue us with self-control. Is it not true that the vigorous effort required to put up with hunger and thirst can well be extended to conquer other infirmities of human character that often lead to error and sin?

Moreover, fasting inculcates a spirit of tolerance particularly in the face of unpleasant conditions and situations. Fasting helps a man become more tolerant despite his own discomfort. The Prophet says when a Muslim who is fasting is abused, he should say: “I’m Fasting”. Thus, it instils in us the spirit of forgiveness towards others, as we seek forgiveness of Allah for our iniquities.

What about the importance of time management? Islam expects its adherents to replicate this ideal of the strict schedules we operate with during Ramadan in our wakeful moments. Ramadan reminds us of the fact that everything in the cosmos is dated and timed; that to trifle with time is to trifle with our existence.

Above all, Ramadan comes with a lot of health benefits. It cleansesour system of impurities and fortifies our organs against what medics refer to as “radicals”. It reenergizes our organs, sharpens our intellect and enhances our well-being.

Nonetheless, the fact that fasting (during Ramadan) is for a number of days (Qur’an 2V184) should remind us of the real meaning of the datedness of human existence.Exactly what is not dated in our reality? Is it these days and nights in the phenomena which pass us by like the light of thunder? Is it the pleasures and pain that intervene in our daily life both of which make human life on earth full of glitz and grief? Give it a date, then you are immediately humbled by the fact that it will soon come to pass. Put an hour to the appointment, then you would realize that the appointment feels as if it has come and gone.

The Guardian wishes all Muslim faithful a fulfilling and rewarding Ramadan fasting!