Ramadan, the Month of Love

Alhamdulillah, it is a tremendous blessing that we still have the opportunity to meet with the glorious month, Ramadan, this year. In the midst of successive tests, both disasters that have befallen several regions in our country or disasters that have occurred in all parts of the world, namely the Covid-19 Pandemic. Hopefully, Ramadan in this year will bring blessings and become a syifa (healer) for all difficulties.

In the month of Ramadan, for a whole month, Allah obligates Muslims to fast, which is accompanied by more worship such as reciting and tadabbur Al Quran, tarawih at night, other worship. The month of Ramadan is also an arena for us to train, forge and refine our character.

Fasting indirectly gives us the energy to share the similarities of fasting during the day. It is even more difficult for our brothers who live in more difficult circumstances, such as our brothers in Palestine who do fasting under restrictions on electricity, clean water and access to basic necessities such as food as a result of the Israeli occupation. Also the fate of the Syrian refugees and Rohingya, our brothers and sisters in Yemen who have experienced famine due to war and many of our brothers who are fasting in the midst of mounting difficulties.

Furthermore, in the manners of fasting we are prohibited from lying, cursing, swearing falsely and other bad deeds. It also reminds us to always pay attention to others so that they don’t get hurt. In the end, Ramadan is the right time for us to cultivate our sympathy, empathy and compassion for others. Where love itself is one of the characteristics of a believer, as Allah says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وُدًّا

“As for those who believe and do good, the Most Compassionate will ˹certainly˺ bless them with ˹genuine˺ love.” (Mary/19: 96).

For that, to welcome this month full of grace, let us clean our hearts, forgive each other, eliminate all envy, then replace it with compassion, not only with Muslims but also for all creatures on the earth.

“الرَّاحِمُونَ يَرْحَمُهُمْ الرَّحْمَنُ ، ارْحَمُوا مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ ؛ يَرْحَمْكُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ “

“People who are compassionate will be loved by Allah, the Most Merciful. Love who is on the earth, surely you will be loved by who is in the sky. (narated by Tirmidhi).

Hopefully, our hearts will be sharpened for a full month to give the colour of love and affection in the following month. It doesn’t stop during Ramadan. Because real worship is the effect of what is taught when fasting. This includes increasing empathy, solidarity and compassion for our brothers and sisters who are being tested by life’s difficulties, especially in Palestine, Kashmir, Rohingya and other places.

Finally, hopefully we will be able to get through this one month of worship in Ramadan by bearing the title of people who have compassion. So that we have the nature of believers, namely mutual compassion for one another, as mentioned in the hadith:

عن أبى حمزة أنس ابن مالك رضى ألله عنه جادم رسولألله ص.م عن النبى ص.م قال: لايؤمن أحدكم حتى يحب لأخيه ما يحب لنفسه (روه البخارى ومسلم

“On the authority of Abu Hamzah Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) – the servant of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) – that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said : “None of you will believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself.” (narated by Bukhari and Muslim).

Hopefully we can achieve various virtues in this month of Ramadan. Aamiin. Wallahu a’lam. (A/R7/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)