The blessed month of Ramazan has arrived.
While there might not be any significant material difference between this month and the others, in reality, this is the sacred month in which even small deeds are rewarded with immense blessings.
Ramazan is a great gift from Allah, during which the rewards of every good deed are multiplied many times over.
We should welcome the month of Ramazan through sincere and true repentance and renew our understanding of its message and purpose so that we can fully benefit from its blessings. We should renew our commitments related to the rights of Allah and the rights of others and then make a list of those deeds to be performed during this blessed month. If you are overwhelmed with responsibilities and cannot free up time for worship, then prioritize which tasks can be postponed and which activities can be left behind. In this blessed month, we should consider the opportunity to make use of our life, health, and youth to sincerely repent for all our sins. On the Day of Judgment, the most unfortunate and impoverished person will be the one who comes with his prayers, fasting, and zakat but is burdened with claims from others—someone he has harmed, insulted, or disrespected. Therefore, his good deeds will be taken away and given to those who claim them.
Allah Almighty has granted people the blessed month of Ramazan, in which they are given the chance to come closer to Him through fasting, prayers, and charity.
In Pakistan, every year, before the arrival of Ramazan, and at its onset, the government informs the public that the prices of essential goods will be reduced, and efforts will be made to ensure that no shortages or price hikes occur during this month. However, as soon as this blessed month begins—or even before it—the hoarders become active, leading to inflation and forcing the public to face difficulties during this sacred month.
Most of us ignore the true purpose of this blessed month and become engrossed in unnecessary shopping. Ramazan provides an opportunity to turn away from worldly distractions, turn towards Allah, seek forgiveness, and reform ourselves. However, today, many Muslims have reduced this sacred month to just a time for eating, drinking, and shopping. As Ramazan begins, markets get overcrowded, and extravagance becomes more evident. The rush for shopping makes it seem as if purchasing goods has become an obligation rather than worship. This is the reason inflation increases during this month.
Did the Holy Prophet (PBUH) spend Ramazan this way? No, rather, he and his companions spent this month in worship, prayer, and charity. It is essential for us to change our behavior and understand the true purpose of Ramazan. We should reduce unnecessary purchases, adopt simplicity during Sehri and Iftar, and focus on having simple meals instead of preparing elaborate dishes. Ramazan provides us with a golden opportunity to live our lives according to Allah’s will. Those who take advantage of it will succeed in both this world and the Hereafter, while those who waste it will be in loss.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Faisalabad.
