Ramadan: Month of Worship, Repentance & Brotherhood

By ALIEU BADARA GAYE, Santayala Mosque,  The Gambia 

Muslims praying during Ramadan

The nation of Muslims began the observation of the Holy month of Ramadan a fourth night ago. This is one of the greatest months in the history and religion of Islam ranking it the 4th pillar of our religion. It is also the month in which the noble Quran was revealed in piecemeal for a period of 23 years to the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Almighty Allah reveals in the Chapter of the Cow (Al-Baqarah) verse 182: "O ye who believe, Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you in that ye may become righteous souls.''

Ramadan is a period in which the Muslim should evaluate his/her religious self and check on his/her obligations towards the Almighty and his fellow beings. It is a month of brotherhood, sacrifice, excessive prayers and repentance. But such wonderful deeds should continue even after this blessed month. However, many Muslims believe they should only be religious during this Holy month after which they quickly return to their normal pre-Ramadan life. Back in The Gambia, many of our mosques and pray grounds fill to their gates for the daily prayers and notably the usual 'Tarawih' prayers commonly known as "Nafilla." However, each year, immediately after ''Laylatul Khadr", one could notice that these mosques would only be filled to the first row. In fact, there are certain people who pray only during Ramadan owing it to the large congregations in the mosques.

The venerable Sheikh Ebrahim Nyass (God bless him) taught that the Almighty ordained fasting in order to test His servants with hunger. He maintained that hunger is some ordeal that is equally felt by everyone- youth or adult; rich or poor; male or female; king or peasant. A rich God-fearing man, the Sheikh added, may realize the amount of starvation experienced by his poor neighbor or relative and eventually assist him with food aid even after Ramadan. The Sheikh also revealed that this Holy month contains all the pillars of Islam save Hajj: Prayers, Fasting, Zakat and the Shahada are all observed during this 29/30- day period.

Within the glorious month of Ramadan is a single day called ''Laylatul- Khadr" or  "The Night of Power." This was the actual night in this Holy month that the Arch-angel Gabriel revealed the first verses of the Holy Quran contained in Suratul Alaq. Many scholars and disciples have argued about the exact date of Khadr within the month of fasting. However, the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) said that this particular night falls within the last odd numbered days of Ramadan, viz: the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th. A good number of scholars and disciples agree that the 27th is the most likely date of Khadr. Even Sayidina Omar; the second Caliph of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) once said in the presence of the latter that the 27th is indeed the night of Laylatul Khadr. The Prophet only smiled upon hearing Omar’s statement, which compels many people to believe in the hypothesis of the 27th.

Ramadan, in conclusion, is not a month for Muslims to display their religiousness to one another. We do not pray or fast for people to arouse other people's attention just like the Wollofs put it 'Jamu Gislenma'' (Wollof for  “worshipping for attention”). We all owe our worship to God who is aware of whatever we do.

The less fortunate neighbours, friends and relatives should also be remembered during and after this prosperous month. The Islamic books have it that a single good deed is rewarded more than 27 times than the usual reward of 1:10 by the Almighty. The Prophet said in a Hadith related by Imam Bukhary that '' Man sawma Ramadana Imanan wahisaban, kufirah Lahou mata qadama wa min zamdika." Translated as: “He who observes Ramadan with faith and piety shall have all his past and future sins forgiven.”

My fellow Muslims, let us once again forgive one another and drive away hatred and malice amongst us in this noble month and ever after.

May Allah accept our fasting and prayers and grant us all the virtues of this blessed month through the blessing and grace of the seal of prophets, Muhammad Ibn Abdallah.