President of the MJC (SA) Shaykh Irafaan Abrahams- Ramaḑān 1443

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious Most Merciful

RAMAḐĀN, A GIFT FROM ALLAH

Assalamu Alaykum Warahmatullahi WaBarakatu

All thanks and praise are due to Almighty Allah, our Creator and Sustainer. Peace and salutations upon the most beloved of Allah, our master and leader, Sayyidinā Muhammad, al-Mustapha (SAW).

Beloved Ummah of Islam, a great month has indeed dawned upon us, a month of tremendous blessings and unimaginable benefit. Ramaḑān is indeed that month, a beautiful and precious gift from Almighty Allah to the believers.

I am reminded of the Arab poet’s words, ‘Ramaḑān oh Ramaḑān, oh season of the Qurān, you come with glad tidings and goodness and forgiveness.’ These words are a beautiful description of how most people receive the month of Ramaḑān, with enthusiasm, happiness and hope. I would like to share some advices with my brothers and sisters in Islam on how to gain maximum benefit from this beautiful month.

Taqwa or Allāh consciousness, this is something we should strive extra hard to obtain or increase in, it is the purpose of the fasting during the month of Ramaḑān.  Almighty Allah teaches us that the most lucrative thing one can increase, is taqwa, (Surah al-Baqarah v197). We nurture our consciousness of Allāh by increasing in good deeds. The desire to do good deeds for the sake of Allāh in itself suggests a heightened level of consciousness of that fact that Allāh is indeed aware of our actions and intentions. So replace your hunger for food and drink during Ramaḑān with a hunger and thirst to do good deeds.

Charity, Ramaḑān is a month designed to make us experience the reality of many who do not have food to put on their tables. It is ironic that many only become aware of this reality in Ramaḑān whereas in reality, this should be in the forefront of our minds. Nabi Muhammad (SAW) says: ‘Nobody has true belief until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself’. In Ramaḑān this is even further emphasized by the words of our beloved prophet (SAW) “Whoever feeds a person breaking his fast will earn the same reward as him, without anything being lessened from the reward of the fasting person’ We should therefore look for every opportunity there is to feed a fasting person.

Strengthen your relationship with the Quran. Ramaḑān is the month in which the Quran was revealed. It is the Divine Speech of Allah that guides to that which is most righteous. Our beloved Nabi Muhammad (SAW) said ‘Whoever reads a letter of the Quran, receives one reward, and that reward is multiplied 10 fold…” Our reward for reciting the Quran is established and in addition to that, the Quran will testify and intercede for those who spent their time reciting, and reflecting upon its meanings.

Occupy your nights during Ramaḑān with Salāh. Perform the Taraweeh and Tahajjud prayers and increase your rewards during this great month. The Nabi Muhammad (SAW) said ‘Whoever stands (in voluntary prayer) in the month of Ramaḑān, out of faith and in hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven’. The month of Ramaḑān hosts Laylatul Qadr, a night better than a thousand months of worshiping Allah. This great night is to be searched for in the last ten nights of Ramaḑān and it is indeed a prize worth striving for. So start your month of Ramaḑān with the intention of increasing your awareness of Allah. Be charitable and increase in your recitation of the Noble Qurān. Liven up your nights in Ramaḑān with Taraweeh and Tahajjud prayers and In Sha Allah! You will be from those who crown their month of Ramaḑān by obtaining the blessings and rewards of Laylatul Qadr.

May Almighty Allah bless the Muslim Ummah during this blessed month. May He forgive all our shortcomings and may we all bask in the comfort and warmth of His Mercy. We pray for the Ummah who are in difficulty wherever they may be, may Almighty Allah ease their plight and grant them relief. For those of the Ummah who have left this world, may Jannatul Firdows be their final abode, Aamin.

Ramaḑān Mubarak

Your brother in Islam

Shaykh Irafaan Abrahams

President.

Ramaḑān 1443H