Welcoming Ramadan

Come Ramadan and the atmosphere everywhere is like jubilation. With a bent of mind towards virtuous living and abstaining from sins, every Muslim welcomes Ramadan, with all fervour, to perform good deeds and earn immense blessings.

With the onset of Ramadan, people begin to greet each other with ‘Ramadan Mubarak’ (Blessed Ramadan) or ‘Kul ‘aam wa antum bi khayr’ (May you be in a good state every year). Such special and courteous expressions manifest one’s feelings of love, respect and unity.

Perhaps, the first visible sign of Ramadan one can notice is by seeing the unusual multitude of worshippers in the mosques. Revering this blessed month, every Muslim becomes punctual to offer obligatory prayers five times a day, besides joining special prayers each night, called Taraweeh, during which long portions of the Holy Qur’an are recited.

Aha…How fasting brings in diverse changes in some Muslims. As if they were in oblivion during rest of the eleven months, and with Ramadan, they all become prompt in prayers, regular in reciting Holy Qur’an, remorseful with supplications, returning with remembrance of their Lord, self-effacing away from sins, devoted towards upright deeds and discourses, congenial for charities, prepared to pardon others, passionate to practice patience and fervent in giving out feasts to near and dear ones.

Even the mosques get ready prior to the beginning of Ramadan, with broad arrangements that include cleaning up the prayer rugs, refurbishing walls, doors and racks, ensuring ample supplies of water and power and catering free meals at the time of breaking of the fast. In absence of separate prayers halls for women, even mosques make separate temporary partitions for women who wish to come to the mosques for special congregational prayers (that’s called Taraweeh).

With the flow of worshippers hurrying up for compulsory prayers in rows, every mosque bears a radiating, serene and spiritual atmosphere. And then... after the prayers, worshippers scatter around either for pensive glorifications or to offer optional prayers, and some settle down for recital of portions from the Holy Quran.

Let’s fast and be upright this blessed month of Ramadan with faith in the Almighty Lord and hope in His forgiveness. It’s time to ask ourselves how well we are going to spend Ramadan in terms of clear austerity, modest devotion, recurring repentance and sincere supplications. A lifestyle that’s so austerely adopted in Ramadan should be practiced throughout the year. That’s the prime lesson of Ramadan.