Importance of Ramadan in the light of 5 Pillars

Muslims throughout the world observe Islam with a devotion visible to everyone. We can conclude the importance of Ramadan by the overall increase in good deeds the adherents of the Islamic faith perform throughout the month. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. Muslims fast from dawn till sunset. They quit eating, drinking, and refrain from intercourse. It is considered the most sacred month in the Islamic calendar. About Ramadan, fasting is the point of concern.

People get connected by saying the greetings of Ramadan to their loved ones, family members, and friends. The best dua for Ramadan is seeking forgiveness from hellfire. There comes a difference of time by around 10 ten days between Gregorian calendar and Lunar calendar every year.

Five Pillars of Islam outline Ramadan as the top-notch element for a complete structure of Islamic monotheism laid by the holy prophet Mohammed and signify the Importance of Ramadan.

Muslims are those who submit their will to God. In Islam, every prayer and the religious sermon requires fellowship of prophetic sayings (Ahadeeth) and prophetic ways (Sunnah), which are a physical expression of sacred revelations, the holy book of Islam; Quran.

12 Key points to derive maximum from the month:

• Do not keep ill-feelings and bad-thoughts about other humans.
• Offer 5 daily prayers and extra-prayers with the congregation, including Taraweeh.
• Pray during the daylight hours and in the nights of Ramadan.
• Create ease for others and make them smile.
• Visit your relatives and forgive your rivals.
• Be nice and respectful toward others.
• Read a lot from the sacred book Quran.
• Stay productive and try to remain calm.
• Find laylat al qadr
• Perform Good deeds.
• Give a lot of charity.
• Don’t overeat. 

Essence of Ramadan

Ramadan is a month of forgiveness, and spiritual contentment. The understanding of the meaning of life, the purpose of life, and the creator of life is what Ramadan is all about.

It introduces the feelings of love, harmony, and peace for fellow human beings. It introduces one with the feelings of sacrifice and patience.

“Allah is with those who restrain themselves.” 

16:128 Al-Quran

Three Stages Of Ramadan And Dua of Ramadan

The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: The month of Ramadan, the ninth Islamic-calendar month, is divided into three categories. The first ten days of Ramadan are considered as the days of mercy. The second ten days are considered forgiveness, and the third nine or ten days are emancipation from the hellfire.

History and Importance of Ramadan:

Islam is the religion of God from the day of deployment of the first human on the surface of earth i.e. Adam and Eve (peace and blessings be upon them both). On previous nations and followers of sacred laws revealed on the prophets of the time, it gave Fasting as a gift to mankind. Still,  the followers of Abrahamic-religions observe fasting as a prayer with a slight difference. 

“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous”

2:138 al-quran

The behavior of Muslims during the month of Ramadan signifies the importance of Ramadan. The spike in alms-giving, charity, prayers, religious harmony, and brotherhood is not new. Muslims have been following the traditions during the month for centuries. Muslims consider it a good deed to offer anything to break the fast when the dawn sets.

Psychology of Ramadan:

This month can play a vital role in bringing one’s mind, and conscious to follow and practice the best habits, and thoughts. In this month it gives humans a chance every year to clean themselves from all the hectic and monotonous routine they capture themselves into. The human mind comes into rest, makes himself get familiar with the lighter and spiritual side of life.

Humans are into bad living-style, eating-habits, thinking-disorder, jealousy, enviousness, lust, wanderlust, and greed, etc. Our society and personal urges make our mind trickle down into the darkest traps of the negativeness and horrible crimes against ourselves. 

This month is a source of escape to none but all bad activities. We get introduced to a new lifestyle and recall the actual purpose of life.

This month proves itself as a mind-opening, and mind-changing tonic.

Philosophy of Ramadan:

Any section of life and its followers can’t fully describe the purpose of life except by spiritual beings. Life appears as an always on-go scheme of activities. There appears no end and no start. And, this is what all the casual seekers find in life. But those who work hard and go deep down into the Philosophy of life come to know the real essence of life. Only superior thinkers can taste this warmth of God and Existence. Ramadan offers us a great opportunity of changing our lives.

God and His love can’t go side-by-side with the desires and seeking the way of Satan and Evil. The more one restrains him/herself from the submission to will, the more one gets to know the reality of life.

How to Fast in Ramadan?

Sehri or Suhoor:

Billions of Muslims around the world
fast in the month and it is easier than one might think.
Before the Fajr prayer, it recommends one to take a reasonable amount of light food, and refreshing liquids. No eating or drinking is allowed after sehri.
Prophet Mohammed (may peace and blessings be upon him and his family) never over-ate.
The only difference between the Fasting of Muslims and people of the book is the intake of food in sehri.

Iftar or Aftar

As soon as the sun sets in the West, the fast should be broken. The breakage of fast should be observed in a similar manner, and spirit as that of sehri/suhoor. It is recommended to eat as much as required and not desired. This is another blessing, Ramadan brings with it. It enables people to restrain themselves from desires. People break their fast with family and friends.

To-do’s in Ramadan

Improve your grip on knowledge:

It’s the right time to learn your religion in depth. The more you get to know about Islam, the more you want to get closer to Islam. It’s time to read about the great and merciful character of the holy prophet Mohammed (peace and blessing be upon him and his family). Its time to know about the history of Islam and quench from it the golden rules of success in here and hereafter. It’s time to improve the thinking style and introduction to new dimensions of thinking you were unaware of.

Improve your Practice of knowledge:

The crucial next part of knowledge about anything is to practice upon them. It’s the best time and occasion with maximum benefits to putting things you know into practice. To improve the level of thinking, and deriving accurate results the practice of known things is crucial. By practicing we evolve our mind and prepare it to invent and gather new ideas.

Understand the worth of your knowledge:

The worth of knowledge strengthens you in your convictions and observance i.e. the practice of your acquired knowledge. It also maintains your sustenance on the right path and informs you about the necessary elements from the future and entertains your soul to decide, and deflect towards the best. To learn the rulings on Ramadan, and the way of living life my priority Ramadan activity books are the books of hadith and Quran translation.

Virtues Of Ramadan

Results are the Improvement of Character.

In case, one starts observing this sacred month of Ramadan. There is a highest-level chance of improvement of character in many otherwise-impossible ways.

• Improvement of relationship with God.
• Improvement in knowing the “Purpose of Life.”
• Decreased Greed and increased Satisfaction level.
• Social-circle growth and improved understanding.
• Familiarity with the pain of deprived people.
• Adoption of good eating habits.
• Improvement in thinking style.
• Observance of patience in life.
• Weight-loss and healthy lifestyle.
• Improvement of marital life.
• Improved daily dealing activities.

Soon after the last day of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate eid ul fitr. The eid day brings a message of reward from God in form of happiness. The eid celebration includes the preparation of different foods to serve during daytime, visiting relatives, and enjoying Muslim holidays during Ramadan.

Conclusion:

The month of Ramadan keeps inside it a huge number of benefits. It’s impossible to cover all those aspects of Ramadan in this much small writing. Whereas even if one can embrace this much amount of goodness in the sacred month of Ramadan, his/her life will change a lot.