Asalamoalaikum!
So it's official, RAMADAN MUBARAK! Helllooooo multiplied reward and ta-ta the biggest loser known to humanity! (yea, Shaitaan, Jao jail mein saro... hmph!). All year round we wait for this wonderful and blessed month and it's finally here!
Prophet (saw) said: "When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up." [Narrated by al-Bukhari, 3035; Muslim 1793] *SSWWWWEEEEET!*Here are some awkward moments you might have experienced in Ramadan:
- When you hear blasting music at the mall and feel like breaking the speakers and the heads of people who think you would enjoy shopping under such conditions when you can't even hear your conscience talking.
- When your coworkers ask you the most interesting questions in the lunchroom...
"Oh.. Ray-ma-den... Is that how you say it?"
"What!? you can't eat from dawn to dusk?... You know, I wouldn't do that if I were you!"
"You can have water though right? I know my other friends can do that when they're fasting. No? How about juice then?"
"Can you swallow your saliva when you're fasting? But I thought you said you can't swallow anything!"
"Can you shower when you're fasting? Okay, with or without your hee-jaab?"
"You don't mind if I eat here and talk to you with my mouth full while you try to block out the munching and crunching sounds, do you?"
- When you enter the cafeteria and your non-Muslim friends try to hide their food.
- When you're busing home and it's time to break your fast: You take out a date from your backpack, close your eyes, cup your hands to make dua, and then eat it. You open your eyes and realize the people around you were witnessing this entire episode... and they're still staring. You decide to keep the date seed in your mouth to avoid the awkward moment of spitting it out.
- You're writing your summer final and there's "pin-drop-silence" in class. Your stomach growls so loudly that the entire row turns around to look in your direction while you pretend to still read that question with full concentration... hoping that they'd blame it on their imagination.
- When your friend comes really close to have that secret conversation and you step back continuously to try to avoid any bad breath encounters!
- When you're on your "break from fasting" and Muslim uncles passing by see you eating and give you dirty looks... thinking you're that bad girl who doesn't fast! Astaghfirullah! Or when a younger sibling catches you eating in the darkest corner of the kitchen and tells on you for "breaking" your fast!
Despite these moments, we still love Ramadan... and hey, that's the least this month deserves. Allah (swt) says in the Quran:
"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed upon you as it was obligated for those before you so that you may attain Taqwa" [Al-Baqarah: 183]
The Arabic word taqwa means moral conduct or righteousness. We are obligated to fast so we may become more righteous by avoiding all sin. In other words, we should give our soul the much needed "soul food" a.k.a ibaadah and give ourselves a break from all the sins we indulge in for the rest of the year (and hopefully, never go back to them).
Some loved ones who were with us last Ramadan aren't with us today... and that should be enough to understand that nothing, including this month, should be taken for granted. We should make the best of it inshallah because we don't know if we'll make it to the next. I've got the perfect hadeeths to motivate you:
The Prophet (saw) said, "Fasting and the Quran will intercede for the slave on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, 'O My Rabb! I prevented him from food and desires, so accept my intercession for him.' And the Quran will say, 'I prevented him from sleep during the night, so accept my intercession for him.' And they will be allowed to intercede." (Ahmed, At-Tabarani, Al-Hakim, Sahih)
Prophet (saw) said: "Whoever fasts Ramadan out of sincere faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven." [Narrated by al-Bukhari and al-Imam, 37]
That's right!!! ALL sins forgiven... SubhanAllah, and all we gotta do is fast sincerely :) Let's all try to do that to the best of our ability. I will be posting some really important information during the entire month so be sure to check it out and share with others to earn multiplied reward inshallah.
Sincerely,
D.M.
P.s. I'd love to hear about your awkward moments!
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