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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

I work overtime after regular working hours and may become occupied with my phone or the work computer for personal matters — what is the ruling on this?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is obligatory upon an employee to abide by the instructions and regulations governing overtime hours, and equally obligatory to uphold honesty and avoid all forms of deception and dishonesty. Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "O you who have believed, be mindful of Allah and be with the truthful." [Al-Tawbah/ 119]
Whoever is assigned to work overtime must be present at his workplace — even if he has no specific tasks to carry out at that time. In such a case, he should strive as best he can to spend that time in a manner that benefits the institution he works for. If there is genuinely no work for him to do, there is no objection to occupying his time with something beneficial — such as reciting the Holy Qurʾān, reading, or listening to educational lessons — provided he has already completed all the responsibilities assigned to him.
If, however, he does have work to complete, he must spend that time fulfilling it. He may attend to phone calls or other personal matters to the extent that is customarily acceptable, as long as this does not result in delaying or postponing his work. If he delays his work on account of personal preoccupations, the wages he received for that wasted time are not lawfully his to keep, and he is obliged to return the equivalent amount to the institution by whatever means available to him. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law regarding one who purchases a sacrificial animal (uḍḥiyah) and it then develops a defect before slaughter?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
If a defect that invalidates the sacrifice (uḍḥiyah) arises after its purchase — for example, if one purchased a sound, defect-free animal, and it then developed a limp, blindness in one eye, or a similar defect before slaughter — it does not fulfill the requirement of a valid uḍḥiyah, according to the Shāfi'ī school.
It is stated in Asnā al-Maṭālib fī Sharḥ Rawḍ al-Ṭālib (Vol.1/P.535): "Even if the limp develops [in the animal] while the knife is upon it, it still does not fulfill the requirement, because it is lame at the moment of slaughter — this is analogous to a case where a sheep's leg breaks and one hastens to slaughter it [in that condition]."
The Ḥanbalī school, however, held that if the one offering the sacrifice purchased the animal while it was sound and defect-free, and a defect then befell it afterward, the sacrifice remains valid and there is no obligation to replace it.
It is stated in Masā'il al-Imām Aḥmad, one of the Ḥanbalī reference works (Vol.8/P.4021): "I said: If a person purchases the sacrificial animal while it is sound, and it is then afflicted with illness, blindness in one eye, or a broken limb [before slaughter]? He [Imam Aḥmad] said: It is said that it still fulfills the requirement. Isḥāq said likewise, because he purchased it while sound, and the defect befell it only afterward, so it remains sufficient on his behalf." [End of quote]
Accordingly, a sheep afflicted with a defect that invalidates the sacrifice does not fulfill the requirement of a valid uḍḥiyah — whether the defect arose after purchase or during the slaughter itself — according to the Shāfi'ī school. However, there is no objection to following the Ḥanbalī position on this matter [as a valid alternative]. And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

If someone starts the day sick or traveling while fasting, is it permissible for them to break their fast?

● A sick person who finds fasting difficult is allowed to break their fast, whether they began the day fasting or not.
● As for a traveler:
○ If they were still at home at dawn and then traveled after Fajr (dawn), they must continue fasting unless they experience extreme hardship, in which case they may break their fast.
○ However, if they were already traveling when dawn broke—meaning they had left their town before Fajr—then they are permitted to break their fast. This is what the Prophetﷺ did during the year of the conquest (of Makkah).

Is it incumbent on the fiancée to obey her fiancé?

When the woman settles in her husband`s house, it is incumbent on him to provide for her and it is incumbent on her to obey him. Before that, and if the marriage contract had been concluded, then she is lawfully his wife and thus she should abide by custom in treating him, but if the marriage contract hadn`t been concluded, then she should treat him as a non-Mahram (Marriageable).

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