The Darkest Hour and the Coming of the Dawn - Ramadan (Yasmin Mogahed)

Yasmin Mogahed
Jul 19, 2011

According to a well-stated proverb, the darkest hour is just before the dawn. And although astronomically the darkest point is much earlier, the truth of this proverb is metaphoric—but in no way less real.

So often we find that the darkest times in our lives are followed by the most precious. Often, it is at the moment when everything looks broken that something least expected lifts us and carries us through. Did not Prophet Ayoub lose everything one by one, before it was all given back and more?

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But like the sun that rises at the end of the night, our dawn has come. In His infinite mercy, Allah has sent the light of Ramadan to erase the night. He has sent the month of the Qur’an so that He might elevate us and bring us from our isolation to His nearness. He has given us this blessed month to fill our emptiness, cure our loneliness, and end our soul’s poverty. He has sent us the dawn that we might find from darkness – light. Allah says, “He it is Who sends blessings on you, as do His angels, that He may bring you out from the depths of Darkness into Light: and He is Full of Mercy to the Believers” (Qur’an, Al-Ahzab 33:43).

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Allah is the Owner of mercy, and there is no time when that mercy is showered more upon us than in the blessed month of Ramadan. The Prophet ﷺ has said regarding Ramadan: “Its beginning is mercy, its middle is forgiveness, and its ending is liberation from the Hellfire.” (Ibn Khuzaymah, al-Sahih)

Every moment of Ramadan is a chance to come back to Allah. Whatever we are now going through in our lives is often a direct result of our own actions. If we are humiliated, or feel low, it is our own sins which have lowered us. It is only by Allah that we can ever hope to be elevated. If we are consistently unable to wake up for Fajr, or if we find it increasingly difficult to stay away from haram (the forbidden), we must examine our relationship with Allah. Most of all, we must never be deceived. We must never allow ourselves to think that anything in this world succeeds, fails, is given, taken, done, or undone without Allah. It is only by our connection to our Creator that we rise or fall in life, in our relationship with our world—and with all of humanity.

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...Know why you’re fasting...

...Don’t make fasting just hunger and thirst...

(click here to read the full article on Yasmin Mogahed.com)

Purpose of Fasting in Ramadan

Purpose of Fasting…..in ISLAM
Posted by hasnain
July 19, 2012

“(The month of Ramadan) is the month of repentance, month of forgiveness, month of reward”. (Holy Prophet) The month of Ramadan is called the “month of God” It strengthens the relation between a man and his Creator. Think of a person abstaining from necessities of life, like food and water (to say nothing of other pleasures) 16 hours a day, for one month at a stretch; think

again that he does so not because of any external pressure, but by his own free will; and remember that he expects no worldly reward and that his only wish in fasting is to be nearer to Allah – and then you may appreciate how strong is the relation between a Muslim and his Lord.

By fasting, a Muslim subjugates his worldly desires and strengthens his spiritual powers. He learns a lesson most relevant to his spiritual well-being; he comes to realize that nothing (not even his body and soul) is his own. After this realization, he can appreciate the freedom given to him by God in almost all walks of life during the past eleven months.

He will know that he can never claim of that freedom of action as a matter of right. It is just a grace of God for which he should ever remain thankful to Him. That appreciation will lead to gratitude, and that gratitude will show itself in his behavior and deeds all his life, making him a trustworthy friend and a lovable companion. As the month of Ramadan prepares a Muslim to become a perfect man, it is called “the shield against the Hell”. Also, the Holy Prophet said: “God says that fast is for me only and I Myself will give its reward”.

10 Points on Excelling in the month of Ramadan

10 Points on Excelling Ramadan
Posted by: KING-slave of ALLAH!
IslamGreatReligion.Wordpress.com
July 15, 2012

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How can we prepare for the arrival of Ramadaan?

MuslimFaith.Wordpress.com
Posted on July 13, 2012

Q: How can we prepare for Ramadaan? What are the best deeds in this blessed month?

[click here to read the answer and full article]

The coming of Ramadan ...

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to give glad tidings to his Companions of the coming of Ramadan. 


It is narrated from Imam Ahmad and An-Nasaai from the hadith of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them) who said: "Allah`s Messenger (peace be upon him) said to his Companions:


'The month of Ramadan is coming, the blessed month wherein Allah has made fasting binding on you. In it, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of Hell are locked, and the devils are enchained. In it is the benefit night of a thousand months (i.e. Laylat ul-Qadr). Whoever denies goodness in it has indeed been deprived.'"