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The Catalyst for Ramadan's Change
Author : Dr. Mufti AbdulHakim Tawfeeq
Date Added : 22-10-2024

The Catalyst for Ramadan's Change

 

All praise is due to Allah, The Lord of all Worlds, Who changes and does not change, Who alters and is not altered. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the one who came with a path toward positive change, our master and beloved Prophet Muhammad, and upon his noble family and pure companions.

Undoubtedly, the principle of change in an individual’s life, and thus in society, is firmly established in the religion of Allah and is deeply rooted in the elevated Islamic education. This occurs through the ability granted to individuals to change what is within themselves. When individuals change themselves for the better, it leads to the betterment of society as a whole.

Change begins and emanates from within, that is, within the self. It starts by transforming one's beliefs, values, principles, and thoughts. When this transformation aligns with what pleases the Lord, it reflects on the external behavior of the individual, and consequently, on society. Thus, the transition occurs from one state to another, from the reality we live in to the ideal state we aspire to.

The most significant factor in changing oneself is faith when it firmly resides in the heart. It prepares the soul to accept principles, no matter the duties, sacrifices, or challenges they entail. It changes the objectives, means, direction, behavior, tastes, and standards, making them different from what they were before.

How does Ramadan contribute to the desired change?

No one can deny the significant impact Ramadan has on the change we seek, through the following points:

1. Taqwa (Consciousness of Allah): Fasting during Ramadan plays a key role in creating and strengthening taqwa. The Qur'anic verse explicitly states that the purpose of fasting is to achieve taqwa, it states (What means): "O you who have believed, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous." [Al-Baqarah/183].

2. The motivational factors in Ramadan: Ramadan provides a spiritual atmosphere that encourages one to rise and pursue positive change. The hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasize the rewards of fasting and those who fast, such as the forgiveness of past sins, the acceptance of prayers, entry through the gate of Rayyan, and the many other opportunities for good deeds. During Ramadan, the hearts turn to Allah, the rebellious jinn are chained, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, Laylat Al-Qadr (the Night of Decree) is present, and the opportunity for freedom from Hellfire is granted. Are these not enough to urge people to hasten toward good deeds, compete in coming closer to Allah, and abandoning sins and desires?

3. Willpower and patience in Ramadan: Willpower is crucial for change, and Ramadan serves as a school that teaches practical discipline in willpower and patience. Through fasting, Muslims learn to endure hardship, build resilience, and train themselves to obey Allah’s commands and control their desires for an entire month. They graduate from this intensive course successful and victorious in their struggle against their own souls, ready to channel their energy and talents toward fighting their enemies. After Ramadan, they are capable of abandoning what is forbidden and disliked habits.

4. Adopting good deeds and noble morals: Ramadan is a station where people recharge their commitment to good deeds, such as being diligent in the five daily prayers. Many who previously neglected or delayed their prayers, or failed to attend them in congregation, find themselves, during Ramadan, praying with the congregation, frequenting mosques, and filling them with remembrance, recitation of the Qur’an, and night prayers (Taraweeh). From a moral perspective, Ramadan is an opportunity to abandon vices such as selfishness and stinginess.

5. Repentance and turning to Allah in Ramadan: Many sinners seize the opportunity in Ramadan to repent, return to their Lord, and rush toward righteousness, declaring their repentance to their Creator.

In conclusion, those who fast and stand in prayer during Ramadan, with faith and seeking Allah's reward, will find their lives renewed. The positive change they experience will be achieved, and the most important thing afterward is to maintain it, remain steadfast, and strive to increase it in the coming days.

May Allah grant us success in making the most of Ramadan and in experiencing true and lasting change.

 

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

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Summarized Fatawaa

A man insulted the Divine Essence; is it obligatory for him to perform Ghusl?

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Insulting or blaspheming the Divine Essence (Dhat al-Ilahiyyah) constitutes apostasy (Riddah). The perpetrator of this grave sin must immediately repeat the two testimonies of faith (Shahadah) and sincerely repent to Allah the Exalted. It is recommended (Sunnah) for them to perform a ritual bath (Ghusl), though it is not a mandatory condition [for the validity of their return to Islam]. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What should one do if they see a fasting person eating or drinking forgetfully during Ramadan?

If someone sees a fasting person in Ramadan eating or drinking forgetfully, they should gently remind them to stop. Although the forgetful person is neither sinful nor has their fast broken, their action outwardly appears as something impermissible. Therefore, we should kindly remind them to refrain.

If a person enters a mosque and finds the congregation in the final tashahhud, which is more virtuous — joining them or waiting for a second congregation to catch the opening takbīr (takbīrat al-iḥrām)?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
If a worshipper finds a congregation that is about to finish its prayer, and he hopes to catch the entire prayer from the beginning with another congregation, it is more virtuous for him to pray with this first congregation and then repeat the prayer with the second one — provided he does not intend to confine himself to a single prayer. If, however, he intends to perform only one prayer, then it is more virtuous for him to wait for the second congregation rather than joining the first, so that he may attain the reward of congregational prayer for every single rakʿah.
Al-Khaṭīb al-Sharbīnī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "If members of a congregation enter the mosque while the imam is in the final tashahhud, al-Qāḍī Ḥusayn held that it is recommended for them to join him in prayer, and that they should not delay in order to form a second congregation. Al-Mutawallī, however, affirmed the opposite view, and al-Qāḍī's own statement elsewhere supports this latter position, which is the relied-upon view. In fact, it is more virtuous for a person who has missed part of the prayer with one congregation, and who hopes to catch another congregation with whom he can attain the entire prayer within its proper time, to delay so that he may catch it in full with them. This applies when he intends to confine himself to a single prayer; otherwise, it is more virtuous for him to pray with the first group and then repeat the prayer with the others." [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj,Vol. 3/P.186] And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on offering a sheep as a sacrifice (Udhiyah) if its fat-tail is sound, except that when it was young, the tip of its fat-tail was cut so that it would grow larger? And what is the ruling in case of doubt regarding the amount that was cut?

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Cutting a minor, insignificant portion from the tip of an animal's fat-tail (al-alyah) to encourage it to grow larger is not considered a defect, and it does not prevent the animal from being valid for sacrifice (Udhiyah).
 
It is stated in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (Vol.9/P.352): "There is some scholarly deliberation regarding the common practice of cutting the tip of the fat-tail so that it grows larger. It could potentially be likened to a partial cut of the ear—supported by the jurists' general rule: 'even if it is a small amount.' On the other hand, if it is an exceptionally minor cut, it might have no effect on validity. This is explicitly clarified by the juristic exception to the general rule, which states that cutting a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm. This latter view is more well-founded.
 
Furthermore, I found that some scholars investigated this matter and concluded: 'It should not affect validity if a custom-sanctioned portion of its fat-tail is removed during its youth to make it grow larger and look better, just as castrating a male animal causes no harm.' However, applying this unconditionally contradicts the established texts of the jurists, as understood from what I have laid out; thus, the restriction I specified is what must be relied upon."
 
Similarly, it is mentioned in Nihayat al-Muhtaj (8/135): "If a small piece is cut from the fat-tail to help it grow larger, the most well-founded view is that the sacrifice remains valid, as was given in a formal legal verdict (Fatwa) by my father [Shihab al-Din al-Ramli], may Allah be pleased with him. This is proven by the jurists' maxim: 'The loss of a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm.'"
 
In cases where there is doubt as to whether the portion cut was large or small, the animal is still deemed valid for sacrifice. It is noted in Hashiyat al-Shubramallisi ‘ala Nihayat al-Muhtaj (Vol.8/P.135):
 
"This matter requires careful consideration, but the closer and more correct view is that it is valid. This is because soundness is the default state for the animal from which the piece was cut, and it aligns with what usually occurs—namely, that the part removed to help the fat-tail grow larger is naturally very small." And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

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