“Remind for the
Reminder benefits the believers”.
Indeed,
Ramadan is about more than just abstaining from food and drink. It is a time to
reflect, revive and reform one-self for the better. Reformation of the self is
best achieved through reflection; reflecting on life and death, reflecting on
human relations, reflecting on true meaning of happiness and most importantly
reflecting on what it means to be good. As part of my journey to reform myself
this Ramadan I have chosen to share on this blog my own reflections. I will post short comments – containing either
a verse from the Quran or a saying from the Prophet (SAW) – with the aim of
reminding for the purpose of reforming. I am sure many of you will
be very familiar with the verses and sayings I will use however, as the Quran
says ‘Remind! For the reminder benefits
the believers’. Thus, through these posts I aim to remind, so to reflect, so
to reform. This Ramadan aim to become a reformed person. Ramadan Mubarak to you
all.
Ramadan Reflection Day
1:
Prophet (SAW) said: “Al-Quran
lima quri’a” /”The (blessings of) Quran is with the reciter”.
As all of
make efforts to attend taraweeh prayers, we tend to go home feeling quite good
with ourselves. We have fasted a full day; had delicious iftar; gone to the
masjid and prayed taraweeh with fellow brothers and sisters who have undergone
the same rituals we did during the day. But stop for a minute and sincerely ask
yourself; how much of the Quran that was recited in tonight’s prayer did you actually
listen to attentively, how many verses did you feel with the core of your
being? Knowing the fact that today was the first day of Ramadan most of us
probably stuffed ourselves too much and went to the masjid to “do the duty” of
praying taraweeh but really spent most of our time wishing the Imam would hurry
up a bit so we could go home and sleep! You may ask yourself – so what, does it
make me a bad person to behave like this?
Well, no it doesn’t.
But it does highlight to you how unaware you are of your worship – which I am
sure you aimed to perfect during the month of Ramadan. OK, so what is the
solution you ask? Follow the Prophet (SAW)’s advice above; “The (blessings of
the) Quran is with the reciter”. For instance, you can bring a Quran with you
when you go and pray taraweeh and read with the Imam leading the prayer. You
can also pick up the Quran when you get home and read half a chapter or more – depending on your
ability and time.
The month of
Ramadan is the month when the Quran was revealed, thus it has more right upon
us than any other month. Spend time with it, reflect on it, reform yourself
according to it, hold it against your soul as you would hold a mirror to your face
to correct any defects. But most importantly, take time to read it – even if it
is for a page. Gain the full blessings of it, focus on it so you can find the wisdom you need to become that better person YOU wish to be…..
