The holy month of Ramadan has returned after an eleven-month wait for the faithful, ushering in a “springtime of deeds” filled with mercy, blessings, and salvation.
Throughout the month, believers engage in a competition of good deeds, marked by late-night Sehri, evening Iftar, and the melodious recitation of the Holy Quran during Tarawih prayers.
Divine significance and the Quran
Ramadan holds a unique status compared to other months, as it is the period during which the Holy Quran was revealed as a guide for humanity and a clear direction for those on the true path.
According to Surah Al-Baqarah (185), the Quran serves as the criterion to distinguish between right and wrong, and Allah has commanded that whoever witnesses this month must observe the fast.
The path to Taqwa
Fasting, one of the five pillars of Islam, is described as more than just an act of fasting; it is a means of spiritual purification and a path to achieving proximity to Allah.
By teaching the lessons of Taqwa (piety), Ramadan seeks to cleanse the inner soul. As stated in the Quran, fasting was prescribed for believers just as it was for those before them, so that they may attain Taqwa.
Multiplied rewards for deeds
The sources highlight that while every good deed typically receives a ten-fold reward, the rewards in Ramadan are multiplied significantly, sometimes up to seventy times.
Hazrat Salman Farsi (RA) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said “Whoever performs a voluntary (Nafal) act in this month will receive the reward of an obligatory (Farz) act in other months. And whoever performs an obligatory act will receive the reward of seventy obligatory acts in other months”.
Fasting is uniquely favoured by Allah because it is an act free from ostentation. Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (RA) reported that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said Allah has declared “All the deeds of the son of Adam are for himself, but fasting is for Me, and I am the one who will give the reward for it”. The breath of a fasting person is described as being more fragrant to Allah than the scent of musk.
The final ten days of the month contain Shab-e-Qadr (the Night of Power), a night of worship that is superior to a thousand months. The Quran confirms this significance in Surah Al-Qadr, noting that the Holy Quran was revealed on this precious night.
