Welcoming Ramadan, the month of mercy (Part 1)

Praise of Allah and benediction upon the Prophet (s.a.w.) ALL praise and gratitude are due to Allah, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of mercy and forgiveness. We praise Him for granting us life, guidance, and the blessing of Islam, and for allowing us once again to approach the noble season of Ramadan. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), the seal of the Prophets, his family, his companions, and all those who follow their path in righteousness until the Last Day.

Understanding Ramadan in the Islamic calendar
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar (Hijri) calendar, a calendar that is divinely rooted in the movement of the moon and deeply tied to Islamic acts of worship. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, the Islamic calendar revolves around lunar cycles, making Ramadan rotate through different seasons of the year. This variation itself is a manifestation of divine wisdom, ensuring that Muslims experience fasting under varying conditions, thereby reinforcing patience, gratitude, and resilience.

Ramadan occupies a unique position in Islam because it is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed as divine guidance for humanity, a criterion between truth and falsehood. Allah says:
“The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.” (Qur’an 2:185)

Thus, Ramadan is not merely a period of abstaining from food and drink, but a comprehensive spiritual season aimed at moral reform, spiritual elevation, and societal harmony.

The imminence of Ramadan and its spiritual significance
In just four to five days, Muslims across the globe will commence the observance of a month-long fast, from dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib). This nearness of Ramadan is a powerful reminder of the swift passage of time and the urgency of preparing oneself spiritually, mentally, and physically. The righteous predecessors used to supplicate to Allah for months, asking Him to allow them to reach Ramadan and to accept their deeds within it.

The arrival of Ramadan is not only a personal spiritual event but also a global manifestation of unity, as millions of Muslims, regardless of race, nationality, or social status, engage in the same act of worship at the same sacred time.

Ramadan as a sacred obligation and pillar of Islam
Ramadan holds a central place in Islam as fasting during this month is a divinely mandated obligation (farḍ) upon every eligible Muslim. Allah explicitly commands:
“O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may attain Taqwa (God-consciousness).” (Qur’an 2:183)

This verse establishes fasting as a means to cultivate Taqwa, a heightened awareness of Allah that governs one’s actions, thoughts, and intentions.

The obligatory nature of fasting is further emphasized in the well-known Hadith narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (r.a.), where the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said:
“Islam is built upon five pillars: bearing witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the prayer, giving Zakah, fasting Ramadan, and performing Hajj for those who are able.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

This Hadith firmly situates fasting in Ramadan as one of the foundational acts upon which a Muslim’s faith stands.

The Sermon of the Prophet (s.a.w.) as Reported by Salman al-Farsi
One of the most profound narrations highlighting the virtue of Ramadan is the Hadith of Salman al-Farsi (r.a.), who reported that the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) addressed the companions at the end of the month of Sha‘ban, saying:
“O people! A great and blessed month has cast its shadow upon you. A month in which there is a night better than a thousand months. Allah has made its fasting obligatory and standing in prayer during its nights voluntary. Whoever draws nearer to Allah by performing a good deed in it will be like one who performs an obligatory act in other months…” (Reported by al-Bayhaqī)

This sermon demonstrates the prophetic method of psychological and spiritual preparation, conditioning the minds and hearts of the believers to receive Ramadan with reverence, discipline, and optimism.

By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai
(Kpone Katamanso Municipal Chief Imam, Certified Counsellor and Governance Expert)

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