A Month of Mercy, Forgiveness, and Renewal

All praise is due to Allah - the Creator, Sustainer, and Lord of the entire universe. He has granted us the ‘Month of Ramadan’, abundant in mercy, forgiveness, and salvation.

May endless blessings and peace be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him - who has guided believers and Muslims towards becoming ‘Insan-e-Kamil’, meaning individuals with truly complete human qualities, through various acts of worship throughout the month of Ramadan.

Therefore, let us all, with heartfelt emotions and love, embrace the divine blessing ‘Mahe Ramadan’ that brings the precious gifts of mercy, forgiveness, and salvation. Welcome - O month of fasting, Welcome - O month of the revelation of the Quran, Ahlan wa Sahlan - O month of Laylatul Qadr.

The month of Taraweeh, Sahri, Iftar, and countless virtuous deeds, I welcome you with open arms. O month of friendship and love - May your arrival in the lives of us sinners be auspicious, fortunate, and endlessly blessed.

Today marks the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, which brings the gifts of mercy, forgiveness, and salvation. Adult believers and Muslims, irrespective of gender, have commenced fasting today in accordance with the commands of Allah Almighty and the beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

It is narrated by the esteemed companion Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), who reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated - The foundations or pillars of Islam are five. These are - 1. To bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. 2. To establish prayer. 3. To pay Zakat. 4. To perform Hajj and 5. To fast during the month of Ramadan (Bukhari and Muslim).

By instituting fasting as mandatory during the month of Ramadan, Allah Almighty proclaims: ‘O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous.’ In this verse, Allah Almighty succinctly articulates the purpose of making fasting obligatory in a single term (tattaqun, meaning to be righteous). Essentially, ‘fasting’ is not merely a vow of abstinence; rather, it represents a divine training aimed at transforming an individual, who is engulfed in various sins and impurities, into a ‘golden person’ endowed with human virtues.

The more adeptly and thoroughly an individual can navigate this training, the purer they can become. Just as a man of the earth can evolve into a golden individual, a person steeped in grievous sins can attain piety, and someone perpetually engaged in causing harm to others can redirect their efforts towards the welfare of others - all of this becomes vividly apparent during the month of Ramadan.

Indeed, the lifestyle prescribed by Allah and exemplified by the beloved Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) serves as a definitive assurance of peace in this world and salvation in the hereafter, a truth that Muslims who observe fasting can deeply comprehend during the month of Ramadan.

May Allah bestow upon us the capacity to fully honor the obligations of the month of Ramadan and to observe the fast. Amen, Bihurmati Rahmatulliil Alameen (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

Author: Abshar Tayyabi, Author, scholar, and Islamic intellectual. Founder and President of the Expatriate Journalists Association (PRASAS) based in Dubai, UAE. Chairman of the Islamic Research Center located in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Email: muntyping@gmail.com