Roshd Islamic Shia Website : Ocassion Letters 2005/10/04
The Arrival of the Holy Month of Ramadan : Ramadan and Our Habits 

In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

 

Ramadan and Our Habits

 

We, as human, wander among certain moods and desires. Despite our fluctuant life and uncertainties we face, we remain in a constant struggle to achieve calmness.  But after enduring years of suffering and difficulty in work, study, and scheduling, we realize that we are faced with an even greater problem in our way: “the routine”.  This routine fashion of life slowly separates us from our daily tasks and prevents us understanding the true essence of worship, love, and wisdom. All aspects in life become a boring, regular habit; and of course anytime habit is involved, love and wisdom retreat. 

The auspicious month of Ramadan enters our life at this very point. It changes our most obvious habits of eating and sleeping. And it is from this revolution in our habits that we can rejuvenate our beliefs and perspectives, and as a result free ourselves from our ignorance towards the realities in life. 

When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) experienced Mi'raj, Allah (SWT) asked him: "O! Muhammad. Do you know what the legacy of fasting is?" The Prophet (PBUH&HP) answered no, and Allah (SWT) said: "The legacy of (a proper) fast is eating little and talking less." Allah (SWT) then continued, "Silence is followed by wisdom, and wisdom will bring insight and cognition, and as a result insight will be followed by certainty.  And once certainty is attained, he will not fear the way time passes. Hardships and comfort will not differ for him, and this is the state that is achieved by the owners of “satisfaction”. Three characteristics always accompany him who acts according to My will: 

 

1.        Thanks and appreciation that is not infected with ignorance

2.        A remembrance that prevents forgetfulness from entering it

3.        An affection that never prefers another to it

 

And as he loves Me, I too will love him, and make my creatures love him too." (1)

 

On behalf of Roshd website, we congratulate all Muslims, and especially you dear friend for the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan, the spring for Quran, and the month for closeness of the heavens and the earth.

 

Roshd Islamic Shia Website

 

Footnote:

 

1- Irshad al-Qoloob, Chapter 54, p.154 and Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 77 p.27-29