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10 Aug 2010, NewAgeIslam.Com
Ramadhan: The month of blessings and promises

By Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani

 The sacred month of Ramadhan has arrived with a lot of blessings and promises for the Muslims. The most important aspect of this month is fasting. The author says that fasting prepares human beings mentally and physically to sacrifice everything to seek God’s blessings. Fasting is the manifestation of the man’s resolve that he will renounce all physical pleasures and comforts for the pleasure of God. He will reign in the unbridled horse of physical pleasures because all the earthly pleasures revolve round the stomach and physical emotions. The fasting controls both. And it’s only the fear of God and the sense of liability in the hereafter that drives this resolve or control. Another important practice during the month is namaz-e- taraweeh. The holy Prophet (PBUH) offered this prayer for some days in Masjid-e-Nabwi but later stopped offering namaz-e-taraweeh in the mosque due to the thought that this might become mandatory for the ummah and if it happened, it will be a cause for the hardship for the ummah. Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Shafai and Imam Ahmad are of the opinion that namaz-e-taraweeh consists of 20 rik’ats. Moreover, since Hadhrat Umar’s period, 20 rik’ats of  taraweeh have been a routine in the Harmain Sharif. So, 20 rik’ats of taraweeh are sunnah. Some scholars are in favour of only 8 rikats of taraweeh. But we should not make it a bone of contention. We should offer the taraweeh according to our beliefs.The third important practice of this month is the recitation of the holy Quran. The revelation of the holy Quran started in this month. The month of Ramadhan is, therefore, the anniversary of the revelation of the Quran.

Ramadhan: The month of blessings and promises

By Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani

The sacred month of Ramadhan has arrived with a lot of blessings and promises for the Muslims. The most important aspect of this month is fasting. The author says that fasting prepares human beings mentally and physically to sacrifice everything to seek God’s blessings. Fasting is the manifestation of the man’s resolve that he will renounce all physical pleasures and comforts for the pleasure of God. He will reign in the unbridled horse of physical pleasures because all the earthly pleasures revolve round the stomach and physical emotions. The fasting controls both. And it’s only the fear of God and the sense of liability in the hereafter that drives this resolve or control. Another important practice during the month is namaz-e- taraweeh. The holy Prophet (PBUH) offered this prayer for some days in Masjid-e-Nabwi but later stopped offering namaz-e-taraweeh in the mosque due to the thought that this might become mandatory for the ummah and if it happened, it will be a cause for the hardship for the ummah. Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Shafai and Imam Ahmad are of the opinion that namaz-e-taraweeh consists of 20 rik’ats. Moreover, since Hadhrat Umar’s period, 20 rik’ats of  taraweeh have been a routine in the Harmain Sharif. So, 20 rik’ats of taraweeh are sunnah. Some scholars are in favour of only 8 rikats of taraweeh. But we should not make it a bone of contention. We should offer the taraweeh according to our beliefs.

The third important practice of this month is the recitation of the holy Quran. The revelation of the holy Quran started in this month. The month of Ramadhan is, therefore, the anniversary of the revelation of the Quran.

Source: Hindustan Express, New Delhi

URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamUrduSection_1.aspx?ArticleID=3265