Ramadan Has Made Us Responsible All. Let Being Responsible Continue | Dr Adekunle Mikail

Ramadan Has Made Us Responsible All. Let Being Responsible Continue

No doubt, the blessed month of Ramadan has proved itself and lived up to its names viz the Redeemer of souls; the Refiner Of character; the month of Reading the glorious Qur’an; the Hour of Alms-giving, the Time of the highest spiritual consciousness and attainment as well as Restorer of people’s health.

The focus of the fasting in the hallowed month of Ramadan as informed us by Qur’an 2: 183 ,is for man to be guarded against evil as follows :

” O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you , so that you may guard against evil” .

And if truth be told, man has been indeed guarded, even if for a month; away from evil of all kinds and counts!

He has been saved from the evil of his own stomach which has prodded him on to steal, lie and maim prior to Ramadan. He has been prevented from his own stomach which goads him to fill it either in moral way or otherwise.

Obviously, man has been safeguarded from the immoralities of his private parts and mouths in the concluded month of honour through the month many spirited lines of activities ranging from qualitative and quantitative recitation of the Qur’an, constant remembrance of God through the three Ts of God’s remembrance in Islam; Taskir, Tahlil and Tasbih , and every day night prayers islamically known as the Tarawih prayer in addition to the five daily canonical prayers which are compulsory.

In addition, the dirty garment being worn by man previously has been made clean by the abandonment of social vices in the just concluded Islamic fasting.

Social vices such as backbiting, slandering and unnecessary hoarding of wealth for selfish ends which kill human souls spiritually faster than biological diseases and which the prophet( salla-llahu alehi wasalam) has metaphorically depicted as ‘a lice that which eats man’s deed as fire eats log !’

As fasting in Islam is not anchored on abstinence from food ,drink and sexual intercourse from dawn to dust alone, but moved a step further from abstinence from vices which can kill man privately such as heavy eating through the day, senseless sexual orgy and insensate drinking; to habits which can maim his natural social inclination such as avarice, backbiting, stinginess and thuggery, this has made it a panacea to every private and public concerns of humanity

In Sural -Al-Humazah , Qur’an 104 :1-7 alone, three social vices are condemned in the strongest terms: (1) scandal-mongering ,talking or suggesting evil of men or women by word or innuendo, or behaviour, or mimicry , or sarcasm ,or insult ; (2) detracting from the people character behind their backs, even if the things suggested are true, where the motive is evil; (3) piling up of wealth, not for use and service to those who need it, but in miserly hoards, as if such hoards can prolong the miser’s life or give him immortality ; miserliness is itself a kind of scandal!

For the evil embedded in these social behaviours which lead to the disturbance of public goods and human relationships, the glorious is strong in their condemnation as follows :

” Woe to every kind of scandal-monger and backbiter ,

” Who piles up wealth and lays it by,

” Thinking that his wealth would make him last forever!

” By no means! He will be sure to be thrown into that which breaks to pieces,

” And what will explain to you that which breaks to pieces?

” It is the Fire of Allah kindled to a blaze,

” The one which does mount right to the Hearts!”

In the tradition of prophet Muhammad ( salla-llahu alehi wasalam) we have also read :” he who does not abandon careless talks and deeds which predetermined them, Allah will have nothing to do with his fasting except that he ( the observer of the fast) has just wasted his own time on suffering the pangs of hunger and thirst !”

Furthermore, fasting has also just offered free of charge services to its observers in that it has helped them killed deadly viruses and bacterias in their bodies which may have unnecessary raise or lower their blood pressure which in turn may have predisposed them to many diseases of the heart and bodies!

During fasting, according to experts in the fields of medicine and biological sciences, starvation cells break down proteins and other cell components and use them for energy.

This is what is known biologically as AUTOPHAGY! During autophagy, cells destroy viruses and bacteria and get rid of damaged structures. It is a process that is critical for cell health, renewal and survival.

This is the path the Japanese cell
biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi has trodden and on which he had won the Noble prize in medicine in 2016 for his research on how cell recycle and renew their content, a process called autophagy.

According to him, he said that ” fasting activates autophagy , which helps slow down the aging process and has a positive impact on cell renewal”!

Wonderfully, the benefits of Ramadan fasting does not also end on Autophagy! It has also covered the private and recess homes of the fasters!

Hitherto, some of those who fasted the month had been in conflict with their wives, family members , friends and relatives. Fasting has reunited them all for it has inculcated in them the spirits of loving one another without conditions, forgiveness and sacrifice for the peace of humanity.

The prophet ( salla-llahu alehi wasalam) has educated the faithful who are fasting to offer the statement :” I’m fasting” for whomsoever wants to instigate rancour in their midst.

This statement and other teachings, have overall effects on the observers of fasting to the extent that those that had abandoned their partners , love ones, children and friends had reconciled with them and made them more united than before.

The one who did not know the sweetness in marriage and the blessing in enjoying the family bond with their partners have also changed a new leaf. Proper feeding of the family, children and wards are the order of the day in the Muslims’ homes these days.

Pointedly, Ramadan Karim has occasioned this _ it has added good vibes and seriousness to family cohesion and profile! Wives are enjoying their husbands much more than before now ,since the husbands have not returned yet to the streets which made them exchanged gold for ordinary iron prior to Ramadan!

I had seen a family in which the children are praying Ramadan should be going on till eternity asking if their parents can really come to the same table to eat and take decisions on matters affecting them like this unlike before when their mother was the only player on how the lives of the children can be salvaged now and in the future!

Truth be told, Ramadan has made us responsible all, please let being responsibile continue! Let continue enjoying the grace the just concluded month has brought to us in abundance. Let’s continue worship Allah who is at the top of every grace and blessing. Let worship Him earnestly and sincerely while we follow the tradition of his prophet ( Salla-llahu alehi wasalam), as espoused in his Sunnah.

Let’s continue being responsible by following our fasting with the six days fasting in the new month of Shawwal addressed as Shittah-Shawwal in Islamic law and jurisprudence!

The prophet (salla-llahu alehi wasalam) has opined that : ” he who fasts Ramadan and follows it with the six Shawwal , will be giving the reward of fasting for 365 days ( one year)!

Let continue being responsible by applying the lessons learnt in Ramadan for another eleven month before the coming of another one. Let us know that it is the month of Ramadan that has just been concluded but not Allah. Alas the Lord of the world, Allah, Has no end ; He is existant while His reign is continuously forever!

Let the recitation of the words of God described in one of its references as ” blessed remembrance” stop not now and in the ensuing months. The reading of the words of God truly ennobles its readers. It is ‘ a tremendous tidings from which man still turns away from’!

The message contained therein is of supreme import to mankind ,_ from that they turn away . Instead of profiting by it, they turn away to side issues, or unprofitable speculation: such as : what is the origin of Evil; when will judgement come? etc.

Scholars of Islam, when they were asked of the signs to know when one’s good deeds have been accepted by God gave continuous and perpetual engagement in more good deeds as one of the signs which signify that the one being worshipped ( Allah) Has accepted the good deeds of the worshipper! Meaning that, cessation of good deeds you had conveniently done during Ramadan afterwards is a bad omen to your faith in God and your general well being as Muslims for it portends that your deeds are being rejected and not being pleased with in the estimation of the Lord, exalted is His name!

Therefore Brethren, let us know that the benefits accrued by many of us in the Ramadan can also be agglomerated, attained and accomplished if we can get ourselves sincerely and squarely in the service of Allah and His Apostle Muhammad (salla-llahu alehi wasalam), afterwards, when we are more into it ! It is our slothfulness and sincerity that have been paid put to not enjoying maximally the grace and blessing of Allah all years round which has been making us thinking that it is only in the blessed month of Ramadan we have the grace to enjoy being true servants of the Lord of the universe Allah but indeed, the matter is not like that!