Ramadhan Reflection

“Oh you who believe, fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may attain Taqwa.“ (Surah Al Baqarah 2:183)

From the above verse it is evident that taqwa – piety is at the core of the Month of Ramadhan. Taqwa is the quality of the heart most valued by Allah (swt) as He says in the Quran: “Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the one who has the most Taqwa. Behold, Allah is all-knowing, all-aware.” (Surah Al-Hujurat, 49:13).

Taqwa causes one to long for Allah’s pleasure and fear His displeasure at the same time.  These simultaneous emotions then lead to one refraining from anything that would incur Allah’s anger and displeasure and cause one to strive towards that which gains His pleasure.  Once this becomes ingrained in us, our Ibadah increases and the quality of it becomes of a higher standard.

Ramadhan has given us the opportunity to cleanse our hearts, minds, bodies and souls of the pollution accumulated throughout the year.  The toxic build-up of sins is washed away, leaving us pure, at peace and content.  We have strengthened our bond with our Creator and loosened our connection to the material world.  Ramadhan is a time of intensive training, let us now not waste all our effort, but continue in the same vein for the rest of the year, until Allah blesses us once more with the gift of the month of Ramadhan.