As Ramadan Moves On, Do We Move Up
| Khatib : | Sadullah Khan |
| Khutbah No: | 248 |
| Khutbah Date: | 09/21/07 |
إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
Surely the most honorable of you are those most pious.
Certainly Allah is All-Knowing, Well-Informed. [Qur’an 49:13]
The Fasting Experience
Fasting in Ramadan develops in a person the real spirit of social belonging, of unity and brotherhood, and of equality before Allah. This spirit is the natural product of the fact that when people fast they feel that they are joining the whole Muslim society (which makes up more than one fifth of world's population) in observing the same duty, in the same manner, for the same motives, and for the same end.
Fasting is a symbolic act whose meaning becomes gradually apparent through experience; whose benefits are unveiled when one fully immerses one’s self in the act.
Even though the real purpose of the dynamic institution of fasting is to discipline our soul, to upgrade moral behavior, and to develop sympathy for the less fortunate and attain unto piety, it is a multi-functional and a comprehensive tool of change in various spheres of our lives, including: social and economic, intellectual and humanitarian, spiritual and physical, private and public, personal and common, inner and outer ---all in one!
The Taqwa Factor
The essence of fasting Ramadan and its primary goal is summed in the Qur'an in one word: taqwa. "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may attain taqwa." (Qur'an 2:183)
But what is taqwa? And how does it relate to the physical act of fasting?
Taqwa is a recurring theme in the Qur'an and a paramount Qur'anic value. Taqwa is both an attitude and a process.
- Attitude: It is the proper attitude of the human toward the divine that denotes love, devotion, and fear of incurring the displeasure of Creator. The attitude of taqwa is ultimately revealed in the sublime values such as patience, righteousness, generosity, compassion …
- Process: Taqwa is the process by which believers internalize the sublime values of revelation and develop their character. Thus the Qur'an reminds the believers that they should not reduce religious practices to a set of blind rituals, of religiously ordained procedures performed at the level of physical movement, and that they should always be mindful that religious practices, like praying and fasting, ultimately aim at bringing about moral and spiritual uplifting: "It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards East or West: But it is righteousness to believe in God and the Last day, and the Angels, the Book, and the Messengers; to give out of the things you hold dear to your kin, the orphans, the needy, the wayfarer, the one who asks, and to free the slave. And to be steadfast in prayer and to give for charity. To fulfill the covenants you have made, and to be firm and patient in times of pain, adversity, and panic. Such are the people of truth, and such are the God-conscious." [Qur'an 2:177] Similarly with sacrifice [Q22:37]
So when will the change come?
Most of us have encountered many months of Ramadan in our lives. Unfortunately, it is a reality that many of our lives have not been positively affected by this month of fasting in a permanent way. Though every ceremonial aspect is performed, no real lasting transformation takes place. It seems that the critical connection between our life and ever-increasing Taqwa rarely is made. Often a gap remains even in the life of those who sincerely and meticulously perform the ritualistic aspects of Ramadan, but forget that piety comes not merely from a ritual-oriented life, but a value-based, action-oriented life.
We increase the reading of the Qur’an but forget that beyond the barakah of reading there is the greater objective of learning and understanding that should lead to implementation of the teachings of the Quran in the full spectrum of our lives. Only then would we understand and be better motivated to pursue taqwa in the month of the Qur’an and the month of siyaam (fasting).
This gap is in terms of our failure, both at the individual and collective level, to utilize the Quran as huda /guide and furqaan/criterion in our life and to embrace the month of fasting as a period to build and improve our commitment to take this Divine guide and use it to channel our Aakhirah-bound life to a dynamic, constructive, and practical direction.
Development of Moral Character
Fasting Ramadan is an ideal occasion for pursuing moral excellence. Nothing empowers a community more than the development of the moral character of its members. Both the Qur’an and Prophetic tradition clearly indicate; إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ that the truly most honorable are those with greater degree of taqwa.
Ramadaan moves on. (One third is gone tonight); but as it moves on, did we move up?
We all know we need to improve, but we must realize that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.
Consider all avenues leading to taqwa; all expressions of inner purity and outer excellence; and with understanding and dedication … contextualize it, internalize it, personalize it and live by it.