If they were told to "make a wish" to those in the grave, they would want to live a day from Ramadan...
We talked to Professor Dr. İsmail Ali who works at Al-Azhar University, about the different aspects of Ramadan. He made important evaluations on many issues, from how the month of Ramadan should be understood, to the unity and solidarity of Muslims, from the remedies for the victory of the Islamic Ummah to how to establish a relationship with the Qur'an. Addressing Muslims, Ismail Ali said, "We need to use these remaining hours of Ramadan with worship and good deeds. Ramadan is an opportunity. We do not know whether we will meet again or not. Indeed, this month is very precious, as Imam Ibn al-Jawzi said. He says as follows: By Allah Almighty, if the people in the grave were told 'make a wish', they would want to live one day of Ramadan. Let's preserve the lessons of faith and moral life we learned in the fasting school. Let's be sensitive about this issue all year long. Ramadan, is an intensified course condition of the road that must be walked along the life of Muslim."
The month of Ramadan is a blessed month in which the Qur'an was revealed. How can a Muslim revive this month?
The blessed month of Ramadan is a great opportunity for a Muslim to achieve great rewards and good deeds. For this reason, it is necessary for Muslims to make good use of this opportunity, which comes only once a year. So how do we achieve this? Like this;
The primary thing that a Muslim will insist on is to preserve his obligatory prayers. Because this is the most beloved class of deeds, with which one can approach Allah Almighty. According to a qudsi hadith, Allah Almighty said: 'My servant has not approached Me with anything more beloved than what I have made obligatory for him.'
One of these fards is prayer. Prayer is the pillar of religion. Reward of it is very big. Prayer is expiation for sins. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Five daily prayers, two Fridays, two Ramadans will be atonement for the wrongs committed between them if major sins are avoided.
“WHOM GIVES UP A SIN BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OF GOD, GOD WILL REWARD HIM”
Another issue is that Muslims avoid the sins that they will make a way of life during Ramadan. This matter is also implied by what Allah Almighty has made obligatory. That is, Allah has made it obligatory on His servants to avoid sins. Whoever abandons a sin out of fear of Allah, Allah will reward him. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever wants to do a good deed but fails to do so, Allah Almighty records it as a perfect good deed. If a person wishes to do good and then does it, Allah Almighty writes that good deed starting from ten times as much as seven hundred times, and even many times more. Whoever wants to do something wrong and gives up, Allah Almighty records it as a perfect goodness. If a person wants to do something wrong and then does it, Allah Almighty writes it down only as a sin.”
Another issue is that the Muslim's month of Ramadan is filled with supererogatory prayers and is to revive it with mustahabs. This is a truly expansive consideration. By His grace, Allah has made the doors of goodness and supererogatory worship many and varied. All of these lead to the consent of Allah Almighty. What falls to a Muslim is to choose one of these acts of worship and continue to act upon it.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Every day a person needs charity for every joint. Judging justly between two people is charity. It is charity to help a person who wants to get on your car or to load his burden on your car. A good word is charity. Every step you take while going to the mosque for prayer is charity. It is also charity if you remove from the way things that cause harm to passers-by.”
What the hadith-i sharif tells us; With every new day that comes, a Muslim should give a charity on the basis of gratitude to Allah for every joint. However, this charity is not just charity given with money. Indeed, it is diverse. Every deed that benefits people is charity in the sight of Allah.
“WE SHOULD HAVE PURE BELIEF IN OUR WORSHIPS”
What are the conditions of authentic worship as it is revealed in the Qur'an and Sunnah?
The requirements of authentic worship consist of two aspects:
1) Having sincerity for Allah. By this, the Muslim will only mean the pleasure of Allah with his worship and other deeds.
2) The deed must be in accordance with the shar'i. It should not be considered as a bid'ah in religion and as an opposition to the sunnah.
Allah says: "Whoever wants to meet his Lord, let him do good deeds and not associate anything with him in the worship of his Lord."
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) also said: “Indeed, deeds are based on intentions. Everyone has what he intends.” Likewise, he says: "The deeds of those who act against our work (the way we set forth) are in vain." The purpose of this deed is bid'ah, it is returned to the person and is not accepted in the sight of Allah.
As Muslims, how can we organize our relationship with the Qur'an in this month?
Ramadan is the month of the Qur'an. Qur’an was revealed in this month from Allah. In this month, we read the Qur'an a lot and get along with it.
Allah says: "The month of Ramadan, in which the Qur'an was revealed for guidance, distinguishing between right and wrong, and in the form of guidance and proofs."
The Messenger of Allah used to read the Qur'an a lot in this month and strengthen his relationship with it. If Muslims want dignity, they should protect this bond. Their honour, their pride, and their praise are in the book of their Lord.
In order for Muslims to have a valid relationship with the Qur'an, it is necessary to act as follows:
1) Reading and listening to the Qur'an a lot and memorizing the easy parts.
2) To learn and understand the Qur'an, to know its provisions, to reflect on its verses and meanings.
3) To accept as halal what the Quran makes halal and haram what it makes haram and to act with it.
4) To teach the Qur'an to people and convey its meaning.
“RAMADAN RELIEVES THE SPIRIT OF JIHAD IN MUSLIMS”
Muslims are oppressed and helpless all over the world. How can Ramadan be an opportunity to march towards resurrection and victory in this sense?
The month of Ramadan awakens the spirit of victory and jihad in every field among Muslims. The biggest challenge for Muslims to achieve victory in the month of Ramadan is to fight the lusts and desires of their nafs. The nafs will be straightened, and it will become walking on direction and goodness. It will be freed from the love of the world and its ornaments. This victory is the key to all other victories in life.
Ramadan is a month full of victories. The Battle of Badr, which is the first starting point of dignity and poise, the Conquest of Mecca, the Victory of Hattin, and the Victory of Ayn-Calut are among them. What falls to the Ummah is to be inspired by these victories, to follow the path of the past, to exert effort, to act for reasons, and to prepare its faith and material provisions. How; If prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage are the things that bring Muslims together in a spiritual sense, they also need to unite among themselves and tighten their ranks. If they provide this, they will be victorious over their enemies.
“THE WORSHIPS REVITALIZE FEELINGS OF BROTHERHOOD AND UNITY”
Persecuting oppressors oppress Muslims in many parts of the world. Does the month of Ramadan cause Muslims to establish unity among themselves?
The enemies of the Islamic Ummah could not have done this if they had not seen the disintegration of the Muslims. This is what our Lord forbade us, as our Lord says: "Obey Allah and His Messenger, do not quarrel with one another, then you will become weak and have no strength, and be patient. Surely, Allah is with those who are patient."
Worships stimulate feelings of brotherhood and unity in general. In Ramadan, there is a great opportunity to provide this brotherhood, unity, solidarity and mutual compassion in every place. Undoubtedly, it is necessary for the community that wants to have dignity and strength to unite their ranks and to provide unity. Fasting has a wide scope to revive this spirit. Namely, Muslims fast for a month, breaks fast at iftar as a regular basis, the rich understands the situation of the poor, the strong feels the weak. A ready ground is formed for souls to purify and help each other.
“RAMADAN IS AN OPPORTUNITY”
What message do you want to give to Muslims in this blessed month?
We need to use these remaining hours of Ramadan with worship and good deeds. Ramadan is an opportunity. We don't know if we will ever meet again. Indeed, this month is very precious, as Imam Ibn al-Jawzi said. He says: By Allah, if the people in the grave were told to "make wishes", they would want to realize a day from Ramadan.
Let's preserve the lessons of faith and moral life that we learned in the fasting madrasa. Let's be sensitive about this all year long. Ramadan is the condensed course of the path that a Muslim must walk throughout his life.