{JUMAT SERMON} Ramadhaan: Meaning And Characteristics

 

By Imaam Muhammad Abdulalimi

ALL praise is due to Allaah, and may His peace and blessings be upon the final Messenger, His pure family, noble companions, and all those who follow them with righteousness until the day of Judgment.

Ramadhaan is considered the ninth month of the Hijri year, and it is one of the best months of the year for all Muslims, because it has a great reward and reward for Allaah Almighty, and it is the month of fasting, where the fasting Muslim refrains from eating food and drink and all other things that break the fast from dawn to dawn-sunset prayer.

The word Ramadhaan is derived from the original “ramad”, which means the intensity and strength of the heat, and its derivation is based on the weight of the souring of Ramadhaan, that is, it got hotter, and the heat fell in the sense that the heat increased in intensity on them, and at that time they transferred all the names of the months from the language that prevailed in ancient times, and they began to call them names related to the times, and this coincided with Ramadhaan , as it was days of great heat, and from that time it was called Ramadhaan

In Ramadhaan, a Muslim performs fasting, which is one of the obligatory duties imposed on Muslims, and it is one of the five pillars of Islaam, in which the Islamic religion is not valid without it, and fasting is defined as the Muslim’s abstinence from eating and drinking and all other things that negate the fast from dawn until sunset. That is, when the time for the sunset call to prayer comes, and this timing is specific to all parts of the world because of time difference.

One of the most important benefits of fasting is that it works to purify and purify the human soul, and draw us closer to Allaah Almighty by adhering to the obligation of fasting, and in this great month, all the gates of Hell are closed, and the doors of mercy and forgiveness are opened for Muslims, and many Sharia evidence has confirmed fasting. Allaah Almighty says: “…..and eat and drink at night until you can discern the white streak of dawn against the blackness of the night; then (give up all that and) complete your fasting until night sets in.” Quran 2:187.  Before fasting, Muslims wake up before the ears of dawn, and in this period, eat light and healthy food, and it is called suhur. It is one of the most important actions that a Muslim does during Ramadhaan, because of its benefits and blessings, and our honorable Messenger – may the blessings and peace of be upon him – urged us to adhere to it.

 

Night Of Power And The Revelation Of The Qur’aan

The most characteristic of the month of Ramadhaan is the presence of the greatest night, which is the Night of Power , in which the Noble Qur’aan was revealed to our Master Muhammad – may Allaah Almighty bless Him and grant Him peace – and it was revealed in the year 610 AD, and at that time the Messenger – was present in the cave of Hira, and in this place The revelation came down to him, and the first verse revealed to him was the Allaah Almighty saying: (Read in the name of your Lord who created).

 

TARAWIH PRAYERS

Tarawih prayer is one of the Sunnahs that Muslims perform in the month of Ramadhaan , and the time for this prayer is between the night prayer and before the dawn prayer, and the number of its rak’ahs is not specified. Tawawih is two-two rak’ahs (as long as a Muslim can go), and after completing the prayer, the Muslim prays the Witr prayer after which there is no prayer. Taraweeh prayer is valid collectively or individually, depending on the ability of the Muslim.

 

ZAKAT AL-FITR

Zakat Al-Fitr is one of the basic things that Muslims do in the month of Ramadhaan, which is given to the poor and needy people in order to meet their needs and requirements. Zakat al-Fitr is paid before the time for Eid al-Fitr prayer begins, after the end of the blessed month of Ramadhaan , and it can also be paid before the end of the month of Ramadhaan as well. It is an obligation on every Muslim man and woman, and zakat al-Fitr differs from other zakat in that it is obligatory on the soul of a Muslim and not his money, and it aims to purify the souls of Muslims and purify their bodies.

 

EID AL-FITR

After the end of Ramadhaan, Muslims receive the happy Eid al-Fitr – where Muslims celebrate on the first day of the month of Shawwal, and it is the first day that Muslims break their fast after fasting the whole month, and that is why it is called Eid al-Fitr. The day of Eid is a day of joy and happiness, in which Muslims rejoice with the grace of Allaah Almighty.

May Allaah Almighty make this sermon a beneficial one for me, the writer, the readers, and the entire Muslims. And our last prayer, is praise be to Allaah Almighty, Lord of the worlds.