Transition moment; the month of forgiveness
“O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may develop God-consciousness”.
(Quran 2: 183)
The cloud got agitated; the wind blew through the hairs on the skin. The sky was pale and cloudless. It seems a heavy rain is coming to shower its blessing. We looked deep into the sky with beholding promises, expecting a transition moment’s arrival. Soon we caught a glimpse of the crescent moon of the holy month of Ramadan. It was a joyful moment with an open-end opportunity to get closer to your lord and ask for forgiveness. Ask, and you shall be given. This has been the promise we behold, and then why can’t we rush and race towards being among those to be given and forgiven.
I open this page with a verse from the holy book (Quran), which has been a light and guidance to humanity, reflecting on the lives of those before us so that we can look back and reflect on our mirrors to create our future towards the right path. A path towards endless joy with the reward of patience towards obeying the duties assigned to you by your maker.
Ramadan fasting has been prescribed upon us, just like it was prescribed upon those before us so that we develop God-consciousness. It is a moment of transition when worshippers keep longing for forgiveness and blessings from the lord almighty. This has been an avenue to restore our system of faith and service our bodies through a series of activities so that we can be among those servants to be forgiven, who are opportune to witness the moment. It will be a big loss for someone to witness the holy month, observe the fasting and after all the good deeds, end up not repenting from the unlawful act he has committed. This shows that he is yet to develop God-consciousness.
Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam, which is observed in this holy month of Ramadan, becomes compulsory to any believer who has reached adulthood, unless under some conditions. This is done from the break of dawn to sunset, filled with worship, righteous deeps, seeking forgiveness, reciting the Quran, helping the needy and other activities to make you closer to your lord.
In this month the Holy Quran was revealed to the last prophet of God, Prophet Muhammad (SAW), who came with guidance and light to shine our path towards righteousness. And it was in this month, that Angel Jibril often visited the prophet to revise the Quran, to have it intact in his heart. With this, some of the Imams address the month as the month of the Quran. In it comes a night, which is better than one thousand nights. When you are opportune to witness that night while doing Ibada (the act of prayer), you have succeeded in doing such activities for over 83 years and some months, when we have no certainty if we can reach tomorrow or even the writer finishing this piece.
What is required of us is to use this opportunity and ask for guidance, to die on the right path of the companions of the prophet, whom we learn from as the prophet said, we should learn from them what is righteous that comes from him.
We need to use this opportunity to pray for peace in our society and have an atmosphere conducive to humanity, where we will be proud of creating and leaving it in harmony for the next generation coming. A life filled with tranquillity, compassion and love of humanity and our development as a nation. May our end be the path the prophet and his companions live on, the right path of livelihood.