Ramadan: A Quranic narrative, a gift for the muslim.

When i say the Quranic narrative of Ramadan , some muslims might be confused given the fact that in the Quran, there is only one ayah of Ramadan. It is located in surah al baqarah.

The aim of this thread is to provide an insight into the profound argument the Quran brings up leading up to that point. What informs its placement in the surah. This would give us a bigger perspective of what Ramadan is and the larger wisdom embedded in the holy month.
Surah al baqarah is essentially divided into two parts,

i. The first conversation is about the previous nation and their mistakes: This first part talks overwhelmingly about the children of Israel and the mistakes that they made. Basically, we are told about how Allah favoured the children of Israel and how they made monumental mistake after monumental mistake after monumental mistake. After the crimes are read out, a verdict is made.

Majority of the Jews of medina rejected the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) primarily because he was not among the children of Israel. He was from the sons of Ismail. So towards the end of the quranic conversation with the jews, Allah gives us the statements of the original (direct) children of Israel (other name is Jacob):

Were you [Jews] there to see when death came upon Jacob? When he said to his sons, ‘What will you worship after I am gone?’ they replied, ‘We shall worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac, one single God: we devote ourselves to Him. (We are muslims to Him) ’ (Surah 2:133)

Jacob (Israel ) is on his death bed and he is about to give parting advice to his children, The actual sons of Israel. The sons of Israel responded emphatically to Jacob's question about who they were going to worship: We are going to worship your God and the God of your fathers.

Then they mention the fathers: Ibrahim, Ismail and Ishaq (peace be upon them). The sons of
Israel are grandsons of Ishaq but before they mention their own grandfather, they mention his elder brother Ismail.

The Quran is arguing that you claim to be sons of Israel but the actual sons of Israel had more respect for Ismail than they even had for their grandfather as they mentioned him first. So what is making you turned off because he is a son of Ismail.

It is also chronological from the oldest to the youngest. This is important because their book says sacrifice the ‘only son’ and if Ismail is older, there was never a time when Ishaq was an only son. To resolve this, the jews referred to Ismail as the illegitimate son (Ma’adh Allah). An accusation against both Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them)

Allah is showing them the regard in which the direct sons of Israel had for Ismail. Not only that, the sons of Israel described themselves as Muslims to Allah. The sons of Israel described their religion to their father by saying : we are muslims.

So these are the closing arguments of Allah to Israelites: You have always been muslim and when Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is preaching Islam to you, nothing is truer to your tradition than what he brings to you. Who is truer to your tradition since even the direct son of Israel made that testimony?

What does have to do with Ramadan?? You will see.

After this, the case is closed. There is no more arguments left to be made. Allah addresses the jews and Christians then announces His verdict.

Just before this, Allah talks about the Ibrahim and Ismail building the house. The children of Israel know about Ibrahim and they also know that Ismail was located in Arabia. Allah establishes the legitimacy of the house.

After Allah establishes the legitimacy of the house and he closes the case on the Israelites, a verdict is made.

The second conversation is that verdict. Allah says:

……..Turn your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: wherever you [believers] may be, turn your faces to it……. (Surah 2:144)

The inauguration of a new ummah… Before this the muslims used to face masjid al aqsa in
jerusalem for their prayers. The muslims used
to pray towards Jerusalem. Musa and Eesa (peace be upon them) prayed in that direction and since the Quran is a confirmation of previous scripture, it did not contradict that until new instructions came.

The qibla was changed. The capital was changed. Today, we all recognize the capital of Islam as Mecca.

When you talk about a capital, you are talking about a nation. The capital of Islam before Mecca was Jerusalem. Allah changes the capital as he inaugurates the new nation. Just before the ayah of turning your face, Allah says:

We have made you [believers] into a balanced nation………. (Surah 2:143)

A new nation is born!

This change of the qibla got the jews into a fit… Allah records it:

The foolish people will say, ‘What has turned them away from the prayer direction they used to face?’ Say, ‘East and West belong to God. He guides whoever He will to the right way.’ (Surah 2:142)

Imagine yourself praying in an airport, do the non-muslims care about the direction in which you are praying? Obviously not, they probably think you are praying to the wall or something… Your direction of prayer means nothing to them. They don’t care.

Now if the jews of medina saw themselves as a separate religion, the change of direction should not bother them so much since the muslims are supposed to be the ‘misguided ones’. But immediately the muslims changed directions to Mecca, the jewish community in medina was in an uproar. They were offended by it.

The fact that they were offended by it shows that deep down inside, many of them knew that this was the right religion. This is why Allah called them fools in this ayah.

So the summary is: Allah tells the Israelites that you were the preferred nation, you were given the opportunity to be the example to the rest of humanity of what a nation under God looks like and you squandered it. And as a result, you have been deposed from that position. Your capital is no longer the capital. The capital goes back to the house built by Ismail and Ibrahim. That is the new capital.

Now the muslims are told that the responsibility of been a role model to humanity falls on you.

Alright, so the muslims are a new nation but what make us different from the previous nation. Surah baqarah began with that point. Allah says:

This is the Scripture in which there is no doubt…. (Surah 2:2)

Quran is what makes us a separate nation. So our capital is Mecca and our constitution is the Quran.

So what happens to a nation the day the constitution is ratified? Nigeria celebrates October 1st, The US celebrates July the 4th…

This leads us to the ayah of Ramadan.

Ramadan

Allah Says:

It was in the month of Ramadan that the Quran was revealed …… (Surah 2:185)

The book that makes you a separate nation was sent down in the month of Ramadan. The FIRST definition of Ramadan is the fact that Quran came down in it.

Point 1

So just like every nation celebrates its independence.

The inauguration of this ummah is the entire month of Ramadan, we are celebrating the fact that we are an ummah as a result of this incredible constitution that came from the skies drafted by Allah himself.

We celebrate for 30 days.

Ramadan is the celebration of the Quran and the fact that we are a new ummah, first and foremost. It is a recognition that the previous nation did not fulfill its responsibility and this nation will.

SubhanAllah!!

This is the first thing a muslim should think about. How many muslims think like this?


Point 2


Allah says: It was in the month of Ramadan that the Qur_an was revealed as guidance for mankind…. (Surah 2:185)

The previous revelation was for Jews only, Allah says this Quran is for humanity.

The Quran is a guidance for all people. This revelation is an open invitation to all people, not only for believers.

Allah is reminding us in this month of the Quran that this is a guidance for all people. Your job is to spread this word.

Ramadan is a reminder that the Quran must be spread by muslims. It is a reminder that we , as a nation are obligated to share the word of Allah with the rest of humanity.

First thing: Month of Quran
Second thing: it is guidance for humanity

When you share this with humanity, they are going to ask for proof so Allah continues:

It was in the month of Ramadan that the Qur_an was revealed as guidance for mankind and a set of proofs from guidance…. (Surah 2:185)

When people are convinced of the message they will know the difference between right and wrong.

So Allah continues:

It was in the month of Ramadan that the Qur_an was revealed as guidance for mankind and a set of proofs from guidance distinguishing between right and wrong…. (Surah 2:185)

SubhanAllah

So we have ;

i. The month of the Quran
ii. give the book to the rest of humanity


Point 3

Allah said:

i. It is guidance for humanity

The muslims of the time already knew that..

He said:

ii. It has proofs from guidance

The muslims already knew that

iii. It makes a distinction between right and wrong.

The muslims already knew that.

Allah gave us a very basic introduction to the Quran in this ayah of Ramadhan. This teaches us that every Ramadan we have to go back to the Quran as though it is the first time we are reading it.

We are been reintroduced to this book all over again.

Think of how enthusiastic a new muslim is about the Quran. That is the enthusiasm every muslim is expected to display in this month, like we are just learning the book.

A prelude to point 4

Not only did we pray in the same direction as the jews, we also fasted on the same days. Before this ayah came, we also fasted on the same days as the Jews. Like i said earlier, our revelation is a confirmation of previous scripture so until there is an instruction from Allah, we maintained the legitimate practice of fasting of the previous nation.

The muslims fasted for a number of days (less than 10 days) before the ayah of Ramadan was revealed.

Allah says:

You who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may be mindful of God. (Surah 2: 183)

In other words, your fasting is no different from their fasting. This is the ayah before Ramadan.

So before Ramadan we had to fast less than 10 days,

Allah said:

Fast for a specific number of days, but if one of you is ill, or on a journey, on other days later. For those who can afford, there is a way to compensate– feed a needy person. But if anyone does good of his own accord, it is better for him, and fasting is better for you, if only you knew. (Surah 2:184)

In addition to the limited number of days, those who can afford it could exempt themselves from fasting and feed the needy. There were two ways to make up a fast, fast at a later date or repay the fast.

Allah says about Ramadan:

….. So anyone of you who is present that month should fast, and anyone who is ill or on a journey should make up for the lost days by fasting on other days later. (Surah 2:185)

Uh oh!! No more option of feeding a poor person, Now you must make it up. And you have to have for a whole month…. No longer less than ten days…

Fasting just got harder and the option of feeding people has been taken away. The moment the muslim is thinking that things just got harder. Allah says in the next statement:

…….God wants ease for you, not hardship.

So what does Allah mean by this ease?

Point 4

Ever been in a training programme for a job that involves a level of danger? The police training
would require you to shoot at board targets, a boxer would hit a punching bag, a soldier would simulate event with inanimate objects. The
objective of training is to make you ready so the danger is removed.

The purpose of fasting is to gain God consciousness, so for this month of Ramadan, the shaytans are locked up. Allah has just made the training easier, SubhanAllah. Even the guy that is addicted to alcohol finds it easy to give it up during Ramadan, Same thing with the party goer.

For 30 days, you are supposed to starve your body and feed you heart. You feed your heart through revelation, through learning the book.

You resist the temptation to curse, listen or watch indecencies. You strengthen your heart. After this period of training, if you did it right, you would have built taqwa which will make your battle against shaytan for the rest of the eleven months easier.

Allah wants ease for you..

The ease is in something grander, in fulfilling your purpose. The ease is in guidance.

Allah repeats taqwa (God Consciousness) over 200 times in the Quran because we do not do it so he keeps reminding us. Taqwa is hard. Ramadan is mentioned just once and even the most irreligious muslim fasts.

Allah gives us this gift of Ramadan so that we might gain some taqwa.

SubhanAllah..


Point 5

After the fasting, Allah says:

…..He wants you to complete the prescribed period and to glorify (say takbir) Him for having guided you, so that you may be thankful. (surah 2:185)

After graduation from the training programme, Allah asks the graduant to celebrate by making takbir.

So on eid morning we celebrate by repeating: Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar Allahu akbar

Allah says you were given fasting so that you may develop taqwa. In this ayah, He said you are given Ramadan so that you may be grateful.

Be grateful for the Quran. You cannot be grateful for something, you have not tasted.

You have to be grateful that you experienced the Quran in this month.

Fasting starves our body and the revelation feeds our soul.

Be grateful that Allah strengthened your heart with the revelation for the next eleven months.

A reminder

excellent reminder as Ramadan approaches.
interesting to see fasting and eid from the perspective of training and rejoicing after graduation. it helps to relieve from the boredom that comes from the monotony of it all mashallah.

JazakAllahu khair

A reminder

May Almighty Allah give us d opportunity and health 2 perform this Ramadan ibadat.

ALHAMDULLILAHI

REVOLUTNIS:

THANK GOD YOU SIMPLY KNOW WHO YOU ARE

mmmustapha: May Almighty Allah give us d opportunity and health 2 perform this Ramadan ibadat.

AMIN

REVOLUTNIS:

Dude u shld av skipped d 'non'

mmmustapha: May Almighty Allah give us d opportunity and health 2 perform this Ramadan ibadat.

Amin YAH ALLAH

May Allah reward the op abundantly for this wonderful piece and make us witness this coming blessed month of Ramadan and many more of it on the surface of earth with abundance of health and wealth

When will "fasting" start?... Jst askin

REVOLUTNIS: Nonsense

U just one enter front page by force

REVOLUTNIS:

I knew it! I already knew people like you would comment . E dey your body. *long hiss*

beautiful.

May God reward you abundantly.

Yes! I have read this and will have to come back to read it again.

Alhamdulillah.

The narration is sweet.

….. So anyone of you who is present that month should fast, and anyone who is ill or on a journey should make up for the lost days by fasting on other days later. (Surah 2:185)

May I use this verse to point at the misconception that anyone who misses a fast deliberately would repay by fasting for sixty days?
It is still one for each missed fast except in the case of sexual intercourse and the paying back is by the man(put in mind, married people)

Jazakallahu Khairan, op

Good.one indeed

deols:

May I use this verse to point at the misconception that anyone who misses a fast deliberately would repay by fasting for sixty days?
It is still one for each missed fast except in the case of sexual intercourse and the paying back is by the mind(put in mind, married people)

Aunty Deols, pls can you expatiate further on your statement...." Paying back is by the mind".
JazaakaAllahu khayran.

The Qur'an ; the more you ponder on it,the more your path gets illuminated.
The OP towed a very expository line to bring us a whole new perspective to the verses we read everyday.How insightful of our friday-friday teacher.

May Allaah benefit us and u by the guidance u so much wish for us.
JazaakaAllahu khayran OP.

nsgee14: May God reward you abundantly.

ameen ameen