Ramadan

Ramadan

In the minds of many Muslims, the name ‘Ramadan’ is associated with shopping and eating. They celebrate the fasting month of Ramadan as a month long festival of feasting and spending.

In today’s modern world where the real meaning of so many important things love, humanity, kindness and sympathy seems to be changing, so the essence of Ramadan has completely changed in the eyes of many Muslims.

It is noticeable that at the beginning of Ramadan most people are very excited and enthusiastic, looking very specifically on the significance and sacredness of this holy month.

Fasting offers generous spiritual opportunities to believers, such as performing the five daily prayers on time as well as the long Taraweeh prayer and the avoidance of all forbidden acts.

However, as soon as the sixth or seventh day of Ramadan approaches, this interest, respect and spirituality appears to fade and most people just start returning to their previous routine.

In most Muslim homes, the shadow of Ramadan can be perceived solely through their preparation for iftar. For many, perhaps, the month of Ramadan is just about focusing on eating, sleeping and shopping.

It seems that nowadays Ramadan is being transformed from a religious month to a cultural or social event. People fast just because most people around them are fasting.

The most common activity witnessed during this month is people indulging in an excess and extravagance of shopping. Men and women shop day and night as if the month of Ramadan were not for fasting and worshipping but for shopping.

New malls and shops open their doors, exclusive and attractive advertisements are made to attract customers. Special offers are presented to consumers. The streets are filled with beautiful and attractive food stalls.

People just keep on buying everything and anything. Many families are concerned whether their budget be sufficient for this month of spending.

They rush to the market as if everything were free: instead, rates double during Ramadan.

One of the shopkeepers once told me that in a whole year they cannot earn the amount they earn just during the month of Ramadan.

In many Muslim homes, the first fifteen days of Ramadan are focused on eating and preparing different dishes. The days are spent in readying for iftar feasts and the nights in shopping and partying.

Then the next valuable fifteen days are occupied in deciding and searching for what will be worn on the day of Eid. Men and women search from mall to mall and shop to shop for unique, trendy clothes. Most women’s focus is on, “nobody should be wearing what I am wearing”. And for this, their hunt goes on till the end. And yet still they complain that they couldn’t find something new in the market.

Perhaps you have observed that the main topics of discussion during the entire month of Ramadan are: “What else have you prepared for iftar?”; “How many dishes are you making today?” and “What sort of dress and jewelry are you planning to buy for this Eid?’

However, spiritually, Ramadan is not only about keeping ourselves away from food and drink; it is also about developing self control over our basic desires.

It is believed that if people can control their desires over food and other things, they can develop control over every aspect of their life. Ramadan is about cleansing our inner soul of all worldly pleasures. During this month we must try to learn to be patient, blissful and pleased with what Allah has given. Instead, we see people searching the markets for food, clothes and other unnecessary things.

Shopping does not only waste our money but also our precious time. For the whole of this valuable and pious month, instead of the time we should be using in worshipping, praying, pleading and asking forgiveness from hell fire we waste in shopping and pursuing other objects of worldly desires.

Ramadan is truly a school of personal training for all Muslims around the world. The holy month is meant to train ourselves to refrain from overindulgence in the essentials of life.

A strong personality is needed to exert self control, self discipline and selfrestraint. Thus fasting cultivates sel fcontrol and helps overcome greediness, self indulgence, anger, arrogance and other ethical transgressions. The proper observance of Holy Ramadan revives in Muslims the capacity to fully carry out their duties towards Almighty Allah.

Fasting during Ramadan is a vital aspect of worship in Islam and provides an essential platform for the acquiring of self control, modesty, devotion, humbleness, kindness to the poor, submission to Allah and victory in the Hereafter. However, especially during the last treasured ten days of Ramadan, people crowd more into shops than they do at mosque doors.

We should strive to stay up at least on the odd numbered nights of the last ten days known as lailatul qadr (Night of Decree); this is the most blessed night of the year. Almighty Allah says, “The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.” (Sura A Qadr, ayat 3). This means that worship accomplished during this night brings more reward than that performed for the period of a thousand months.

Thus instead of wasting the precious nights of lailatul qadr shopping for Eid, availing oneself of bargains and chasing new trends, one should strive and do one’s utmost to gain the mercy of Allah.

Clearly this month is given to teach us patience, persistence and tolerance. During this month, we must also limit our striving for worldly livelihoods and increase our devotions and supplications. We must place our emphasis on the life of the Hereafter and rush to perform righteous deeds that will make us successful in the Hereafter.

We should remind ourselves that we can shop, eat and rest all year long, but that Ramadan is only going to be here for a single month.

Some years ago Muslims paid great attention to celebrating fasting with their families, relatives and friends. Now we witness an altered trend. Many people who are able travel abroad to some new place to celebrate their last days of Ramadan, including Eid.

Thus the last precious ten days of the month which should be utilized in restraining ourselves from worldly greed and desires, instead may sadly be spent in exploring new places, innovative mall ventures and shops, new hotels, different foods and cultures.

Fasting is a means of spiritual training for Muslims which helps them control and restraint their desires in this world, as well as to raise their level in the sight of Almighty Allah: it opens a door of Paradise for them through which they may enter. Therefore, it is better to focus on the things and food we need, rather than that we want.

Hence, it is time to think about how we may control our earthly desires, to eat moderately, and to earn the enormous rewards of Ramadan through extra hours of worship day and night.

It is time for us to aspire to sincere devotion during this month of mercy and not be carried away with obsession, greed and self indulgence in shopping.

Indeed the blessings of Allah the Almighty are innumerable, but fortunate are those who acquire and honour them as significant.

MARYAM HEDAYAT