As Ramadan terminates
- Details
- Category: Philosofaith
- Written by M. U. Ndagi
- Hits: 625
Gratitude is due to Allah (SWT) whose mercy brought us to the concluding stage of this year’s Ramadan. The last ten days of Ramadan, according to the prophet (SAW), is a period during which Allah (SWT) emancipates His righteous servants from Hell fire. We pray that Allah (SWT) puts us among those who are not only delivered from Hell fire but also forgiven in this Ramadan. While also thanking Allah (SWT) for the rains so far, our prayers as we intensify our acts of devotion during this tail end of Ramadan fast should include asking Allah for more blessed rain that will enhance bumper harvest of crops. Although flood is reported in some northern states of the country, there are others including Niger state where rainfall has remained irregular this season. May Allah (SWT) forgive our sins and make it a blessed rainy season for us.
At this tail end of the Ramadan fast, we need to ask ourselves some questions including how we have taken good advantage of the golden opportunity provided by Ramadan to get closer to Allah (SWT). How many times, we should ask ourselves, have we completed the recitation of the holy Qur’an in this Ramadan? How constant have we been seeking Allah’s forgiveness and mercy from our sins? How spiritually purified have our minds and character become since the beginning of this Ramadan?Ramadan is a unique opportunity for believers to reinforce their relationship with their creator. It is an occasion for those who have been unrighteous to repent; and for those who have been presumably righteous to improve upon their acts of righteousness. Ramadan should make women more obedient to their husband in the same way it should make husbands more tender-hearted and obliging to their wives. It is a season that avails believers with the opportunity to foster the spirit of brotherhood among themselves and also the mend fences where relationships have not been healthy.
With only few days to the close of this year’s Ramadan, sincere believers are already missing this sacred month. As we prepare to observe the Eidl fitr that marks the end of Ramadan, we encourage believers to resolve to continue with all the good acts of worship they undertook in the last four weeks. Let us decide individually and collectively to repent and resolve not to go back to our past misdeeds which we deserted since the Ramadan fast commenced. The righteous life of a true believer during Ramadan should be the same life he lives after Ramadan. Only a hypocrite would live a life after Ramadan different from that which he lived during the holy month. He is not a true believer who thinks he requires being devoted to religious duties only during Ramadan.
One major act of worship that signifies the end of Ramadan is the Zakat ul-fitr. It is a Sunnah that is considered compulsory on every Muslim, big and small, male and female, free-born as well as slave. The cost of paying the Zakat ul-fitr is to be borne by the person responsible for individual’s sustenance and upkeep. A man would give the Zakat ul-fitr of his wife/wives, child/children, and every other person under his care including domestic servants and maids. The Zakat ul-fitr is to be paid in the food item that is generally eaten by members of one’s community. This could be maize, millet, rice, wheat or similar grains or cereals. It could also be beans or groundnut where such is the dominant or common food generally eaten by the people of a particular community.
The quantity to be given out per head, as Zakat ul-fitr, is four measures of the food item (grains or cereals) using the Sa’a (cubic measure) of the prophet (SAW). The two palms of a man put together and filled with grains or cereals are equivalent to a full measure of the prophet’s Sa’a (cubic measure) where the latter is not practically available. It is Sunnah of the prophet (SAW) to pay Zakat ul-fitr after daybreak of the day of Eidl-fitr, before going for the Eid prayers. Malik (RA) relates that the people of knowledge used to pay the Zakat ul-fitr after dawn had broken on the day of the Eid before they went to the prayer ground. However, there’s no harm if it is paid a day or two before the day of Eidl-fitr. If a Muslim were unable to pay the Zakat ul-fitr before leaving his house for the Eid prayers for reasons of indigence, he/she would still pay it when it is affordable. Zakat ul-fitr has no waiver or substitute. It is obligatory on all Muslims.
Zakat ul-fitr gives the poor and the needy a sense of belonging. It is a comforting consolation to the underprivileged members of the Muslim community. Like the Zakat of wealth, Zakat ul-fitr is a wholesome form of internal security against selfishness and greed. While it is an effective instrument for cultivating the spirit of social responsibility in the giver, it provides a feeling of security in the recipient. In other words, it is an epitome of altruism. Zakat ul-fitr is an expression of the general philosophy of Islam, which adopts a moderate or middle but positive and effective course between the individual and society; between capitalism and socialism; and between materialism and spirituality.
Zakat ul-fitr implies a believer’s will to care for others. Those eligible to receive Zakat are listed in Qur’an 9:60 “Alms are for the poor, and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to the Truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah; and for the wayfarer: (Thus is it) ordained by Allah and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom”.
Apart from paying the Zakat ul-fitr before going for the Eid prayers, every Muslim is enjoined to break his fast in the morning of the Eid day. The sighting of the crescent of Shawwal (tenth month of Islamic lunar calendar) marks the end of Ramadan. It is therefore expected that everyone who observed the Ramadan fast should eat or drink in the morning before leaving the house for the Eid prayer ground, or before leaving the mosque in respect of those who were in seclusion (i‘tikaf) during the last ten days of Ramadan. Refusing to eat or drink after daybreak on the Eid day does not really make an individual more pious than others. Such an act is rather a contradiction of the provisions of Shari’ah which requires a Muslim to eat before going for the Eid prayer. A believer who does that seeks to extend Ramadan fast beyond and against Allah’s will. It is wrong for anyone to believe that Ramadan ends only when he/she sights the moon with his /her own eyes. Receiving confirmed news about the sighting of the crescent either through the radio, television, mobile phones, e-mails, and similar means of communication from genuine and reliable sources brings the Ramadan to an end.
As we look forward to observing the Eid next week, we appeal to authorities concerned with moon sighting from among our royal fathers and Muslim scholars in the country to put Islam and the unity of Muslims above sentiments and personal interests. While we wish Muslims all over the world a peaceful celebration of the Eidl-fitr, we ask Allah (SWT) to guide us to make effective resolutions such that our private and public life would remain virtuous as it were during the holy month, amin. Ramadan Kareem! Eid Mubarak!! Kullu Aamin wa Autum Bi Khairin!!!
Articles
As Ramadan terminates
Category: Philosofaith Written by M. U. Ndagi Hits: 625
Gratitude is due to Allah (SWT) whose mercy brought us to the concluding stage of this year’s Ramadan. The last ten days of Ramadan, according to the prophet (SAW), is a period during which Allah (SWT) emancipates His righteous servants from Hell fire. We pray that Allah (SWT) puts us among those who are not only delivered from Hell fire but also forgiven in this Ramadan. While also thanking Allah (SWT) for the rains so far, our prayers as we intensify our acts of devotion during this tail end of Ramadan fast should include asking Allah for more blessed rain that will enhance bumper harvest of crops. Although flood is reported in some northern states of the country, there are others including Niger state where rainfall has remained irregular this season. May Allah (SWT) forgive our sins and make it a blessed rainy season for us.
At this tail end of the Ramadan fast, we need to ask ourselves some questions including how we have taken good advantage of the golden opportunity provided by Ramadan to get closer to Allah (SWT). How many times, we should ask ourselves, have we completed the recitation of the holy Qur’an in this Ramadan? How constant have we been seeking Allah’s forgiveness and mercy from our sins? How spiritually purified have our minds and character become since the beginning of this Ramadan?Ramadan is a unique opportunity for believers to reinforce their relationship with their creator. It is an occasion for those who have been unrighteous to repent; and for those who have been presumably righteous to improve upon their acts of righteousness. Ramadan should make women more obedient to their husband in the same way it should make husbands more tender-hearted and obliging to their wives. It is a season that avails believers with the opportunity to foster the spirit of brotherhood among themselves and also the mend fences where relationships have not been healthy.
With only few days to the close of this year’s Ramadan, sincere believers are already missing this sacred month. As we prepare to observe the Eidl fitr that marks the end of Ramadan, we encourage believers to resolve to continue with all the good acts of worship they undertook in the last four weeks. Let us decide individually and collectively to repent and resolve not to go back to our past misdeeds which we deserted since the Ramadan fast commenced. The righteous life of a true believer during Ramadan should be the same life he lives after Ramadan. Only a hypocrite would live a life after Ramadan different from that which he lived during the holy month. He is not a true believer who thinks he requires being devoted to religious duties only during Ramadan.
One major act of worship that signifies the end of Ramadan is the Zakat ul-fitr. It is a Sunnah that is considered compulsory on every Muslim, big and small, male and female, free-born as well as slave. The cost of paying the Zakat ul-fitr is to be borne by the person responsible for individual’s sustenance and upkeep. A man would give the Zakat ul-fitr of his wife/wives, child/children, and every other person under his care including domestic servants and maids. The Zakat ul-fitr is to be paid in the food item that is generally eaten by members of one’s community. This could be maize, millet, rice, wheat or similar grains or cereals. It could also be beans or groundnut where such is the dominant or common food generally eaten by the people of a particular community.
The quantity to be given out per head, as Zakat ul-fitr, is four measures of the food item (grains or cereals) using the Sa’a (cubic measure) of the prophet (SAW). The two palms of a man put together and filled with grains or cereals are equivalent to a full measure of the prophet’s Sa’a (cubic measure) where the latter is not practically available. It is Sunnah of the prophet (SAW) to pay Zakat ul-fitr after daybreak of the day of Eidl-fitr, before going for the Eid prayers. Malik (RA) relates that the people of knowledge used to pay the Zakat ul-fitr after dawn had broken on the day of the Eid before they went to the prayer ground. However, there’s no harm if it is paid a day or two before the day of Eidl-fitr. If a Muslim were unable to pay the Zakat ul-fitr before leaving his house for the Eid prayers for reasons of indigence, he/she would still pay it when it is affordable. Zakat ul-fitr has no waiver or substitute. It is obligatory on all Muslims.
Zakat ul-fitr gives the poor and the needy a sense of belonging. It is a comforting consolation to the underprivileged members of the Muslim community. Like the Zakat of wealth, Zakat ul-fitr is a wholesome form of internal security against selfishness and greed. While it is an effective instrument for cultivating the spirit of social responsibility in the giver, it provides a feeling of security in the recipient. In other words, it is an epitome of altruism. Zakat ul-fitr is an expression of the general philosophy of Islam, which adopts a moderate or middle but positive and effective course between the individual and society; between capitalism and socialism; and between materialism and spirituality.
Zakat ul-fitr implies a believer’s will to care for others. Those eligible to receive Zakat are listed in Qur’an 9:60 “Alms are for the poor, and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to the Truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah; and for the wayfarer: (Thus is it) ordained by Allah and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom”.
Apart from paying the Zakat ul-fitr before going for the Eid prayers, every Muslim is enjoined to break his fast in the morning of the Eid day. The sighting of the crescent of Shawwal (tenth month of Islamic lunar calendar) marks the end of Ramadan. It is therefore expected that everyone who observed the Ramadan fast should eat or drink in the morning before leaving the house for the Eid prayer ground, or before leaving the mosque in respect of those who were in seclusion (i‘tikaf) during the last ten days of Ramadan. Refusing to eat or drink after daybreak on the Eid day does not really make an individual more pious than others. Such an act is rather a contradiction of the provisions of Shari’ah which requires a Muslim to eat before going for the Eid prayer. A believer who does that seeks to extend Ramadan fast beyond and against Allah’s will. It is wrong for anyone to believe that Ramadan ends only when he/she sights the moon with his /her own eyes. Receiving confirmed news about the sighting of the crescent either through the radio, television, mobile phones, e-mails, and similar means of communication from genuine and reliable sources brings the Ramadan to an end.
As we look forward to observing the Eid next week, we appeal to authorities concerned with moon sighting from among our royal fathers and Muslim scholars in the country to put Islam and the unity of Muslims above sentiments and personal interests. While we wish Muslims all over the world a peaceful celebration of the Eidl-fitr, we ask Allah (SWT) to guide us to make effective resolutions such that our private and public life would remain virtuous as it were during the holy month, amin. Ramadan Kareem! Eid Mubarak!! Kullu Aamin wa Autum Bi Khairin!!!