Ramadan a month of many facets

Ramadan is coming, and Muslims around the world are eagerly awaiting its arrival. While we all know Ramadan is a month of obligatory fasting, abstaining from food, drinks, and marital acts, from dawn to dusk, there are also many reasons why Ramadan is considered the holiest and most blessed month.

Ramadan is dear to the hearts of Muslims for many reasons, as this holy month holds many benefits for the believers that they may gain in this world and the next life. Here are the main reasons why Ramadan is a month of many benefits.

1 – Ramadan a month of blessings

Allah s.w.t. in the Quran the purpose of fastings:

“O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you—as it was for those before you—so perhaps you will become mindful ˹of Allah (taqwa)” (Quran 2:183).

“In Ramadan, Gates of Paradise are opened, Gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained up, ” hadith of Rasulallah, (s.a.w) in Sahih Bukhari.

“Allah s.w.t has said that. ‘He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake. The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times” ‘, hadith of Rasulallah, (s.a.w.) in Sahih Bukhari.

“Indeed, ˹it is˺ We ˹Who˺ sent this ˹Quran˺ down on the Night of Decree” (Quran 97:1)

This is the month of blessings is because Allah makes it easier for believers to do good deeds and restrain from evil and that there are numerous rewards for doing just that. Ultimately, it is about Allah making it easier for us to be closer to Him, and making us obtain God-Consciousness (taqwa).

Ramadan is also a month of blessings because the Quran, was first revealed in the month of Ramadan, although the entire Quran was revealed in stages during Rasulallah’s (s.a.w.) prophethood.

2 – Ramadan a month of forgiveness

“Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.” hadith of Rasulallah, (s.a.w.) in Sahih Bukhari.

“Indeed, We sent the Quran down during the Night of Decree.And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” (Quran 97: 1-5)

On the night of Laylatul Qadr (meaning: night of Decree), where our du’a are accepted, and our prayers are equal to 1,000 months, we are asked to seek forgiveness.

“Whoever stands (in the voluntary night prayer) in Laylat Al-Qadr out of faith and in hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven”, hadith of Rasulallah, (s.a.w.) in Sahih Bukhari.

We are asked specifically in Ramadan to seek forgiveness for our past sins, even if the Muslimahs are in menstruation, which prevents them from praying and fasting. The du’a for forgiveness is in the video below.

3 – Ramadan a month of giving

The narrators of hadiths of Rasulallah (s.a.w.), decribing the characters of our blessed Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) during this month.

Ibn `Abbas (r.a) narrated:

“Rasulallah (s.a.w) was the most generous of all people, and he used to become more generous in Ramadan when angel Jibril (Gabriel) met him. Jibril used to meet him every night during Ramadan to revise the Qur’an with him. So, Allah’s Messenger then used to be more generous than the fast wind.” (Sahih Bukhari).

A’ishah (r.a.) reported:

“Rasulallah (p.b.u.h.) used to strive more in worship during Ramadan than he strove in any other time of the year; and he would devote himself more (in the worship of Allah) in the last ten nights of Ramadan than he did in earlier part of the month. (Sahih Muslim)

Summary

In summary, the benefits of Ramadan are many for us to get, for our life in this life, and in the next life. When we understand the many benefits of Ramadan, then we understand how to make the most of it. If we find ourselves in another Ramadan lockdown, we can still practise the ibadah fully to gain Allah’s s.w.t. blessings.

May we all have the benefits of Ramadan!

Farah I, Writer & Researcher

Farah Ishak is a Content Writer at Halalop. She grew up in the United Kingdom where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Management. Later, she completed her MBA and held senior-level positions in Malaysian based MNC. She left the corporate world to be with her young kids. She is passionate about issues concerning Muslim women, Startups and Muslim businesses in general.