Time to ward off evils
The holy month of Ramzan arrives again. This is a training month. It trains mankind to ameliorate discipline, unity, fraternity, ethics and morality, and to guard against evils. Ramzan teaches mankind how to feel for the poor and the hungry men. In this month, the Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk.
Allah says in Verse No. 2/187, “Eat and drink until the whiteness of the day becomes distinct from the blackness of the night at dawn, then complete the fast till night.” The lesson of Verse No. 2/184 is: Whoso is unable to keep fasting on account of sickness or for a journey, he shall fast a like number of other days or will feed a poor man for those days only
One month fasting every year is compulsory. Allah decreed it upon the people of yore also. The relative verse is 2/183: O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard against evils.
The success of fasting has been tagged with refraining from evils. Greed, jealousy and vanity are the three humanity and morality destroying sins. Whoso practises these three sins, he is doomed for ever. Most people forgetting this lesson create chaos and disorder in the society.
The Prophet Muhammad (SM) has said, “Whoso practises falsehood and acts accordingly, to Allah, there is no need of him staying from food and drink,”-Bukhari Sharif. The Prophet again says, some lunar months are of 29 days. So, begin not fasting without sighting the moon. If it is not sighted on account of overcast sky, fulfill 30 days of the month (of Ramzan).
The substance of a Hadith in the Hadith-i-Qudsi is that Allah does not accept fasting of him whom (the Holy Spirit) Jibreel refuses to salute. He does not salute him, who is involved with sins and crimes.
So, let us swear that we shall lead peaceful and simple life and will inspire others to do the right things because Allah says in Verse No.3/133, “And race for the forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous.”
Ameer Hamzah
Dhaka
