Fruitful Living
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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Saying no to sin becomes easier when love leads the way
Though each of us faces temptations periodically, saying no to sin should not always be a long internal debate. Saying no becomes easier when we remember that saying yes hurts someone whose love we cannot live without.
Love is a powerful motivator. When you deeply love someone, you do not want to disappoint them or break their trust. In the same way, when we truly understand God’s love for us, obedience becomes a response of love, not merely a religious duty.
Jesus did not die for us because we were perfect. He died for us while we were still sinners. His sacrifice at Calvary was the ultimate demonstration of personal, sacrificial, and unconditional love. Every drop of blood, every wound, and every moment of suffering was endured so that we could be forgiven, restored, and given eternal life.
When we keep the cross before our eyes, sin begins to lose its attractiveness. How can we casually embrace what nailed our Saviour to the cross? How can we take lightly what cost Him everything? This realisation does not produce fear—it produces devotion.
Living with eternal accountability
Romans 14:7–12 reminds us that we do not live to ourselves and we do not die to ourselves. Each of us belongs to God, and each of us will give an account of our lives before Him. This truth is not meant to terrify us, but to sober us.
Our choices matter. Our words matter. Our actions matter. Not because we are trying to earn salvation, but because our lives are meant to reflect the One who saved us. Christianity is not a casual commitment; it is a lifelong surrender.
Living with eternal accountability helps us make wiser decisions. It teaches us to think beyond the moment and consider eternity. It helps us resist temporary pleasures that can cause lasting damage to our spiritual lives and our witness.
Conclusion
No one is too wicked, too broken, too unlovable, or too far gone for Jesus to love. His grace reaches deeper than our failures, and His mercy is greater than our mistakes. The way to life is always open, and the invitation of grace still stands.
Walking in the way of life does not mean we will never stumble, but it does mean we will never walk alone. Christ walks with us, strengthens us, forgives us, and leads us forward. And as we keep our eyes on the cross, may our hearts remain anchored in the love that saved us and continues to transform us.
By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee
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Responsibility extends beyond our homes to our environment and communities.
Allah says: “It is He who has made you successors upon the earth.” (Qur’an 6:165)
As khalīfah (stewards), we are entrusted to protect and preserve the earth. Unfortunately, activities like illegal mining (galamsey), poor sanitation, and deforestation have become threats to our land and water bodies.
Dr Julian Agyeman and Bob Evans (2004) in Just Sustainability argue that environmental justice is deeply tied to social equity we cannot claim moral uprightness while destroying the environment that sustains others.
Every responsible man must see the environment as an amānah (trust). Picking up litter, planting trees, conserving water, and speaking against galamsey are all acts of faith. As the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
“If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person, or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as a charitable gift.” (Bukhari, Hadith 2320)
True responsibility therefore includes ecological consciousness for to destroy the environmentis to destroy the future we claim to build.
5.1 Environmental stewardship under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana
The 1992 Constitution of Ghana establishes environmental stewardship not merely as a governmental obligation but as a moral and civic duty of all citizens. It integrates environmental protection into the nation’s vision for sustainable development, justice, and intergenerational equity. Three key articles Article 36 (9), Article 41(k), and Article 269 outline this framework of responsibility.
1. Article 36 (9): Directive principles of state policy
“The State shall take appropriate measures needed to protect and safeguard the national environment for posterity; and shall seek cooperation with other states and bodies for the purpose of protecting the wider international environment for mankind.”
This article establishes that environmental protection is both a national and global responsibility.
It commits Ghana to sustainable use of natural resources including land, forests, water, and minerals for the benefit of future generations.
In essence, it means that every Ghanaian must act with intergenerational consciousness, ensuring that today’s development does not destroy tomorrow’s heritage. This principle directly condemns harmful practices such as illegal mining (galamsey), deforestation, and pollution.
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai
