Ramadhaan has a Beloved

[Acacia]

RAMADHAN HAS A BELOVED

BY BINTUS SABEEL

 

 

We praise Allah for having blessed us with Ramadhan- the Month of the Qur’aan, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon Muhammad, the one for whom Ramadhan was an institution, the syllabus the Qur’aan and the teacher Gibraeel. May the Peace and blessings of Allah be upon Him, his family, his Companions and all those who follow his way till the day of Judgement. Ameen.

 

Ramadhan has a beloved – a beloved that is closely connected and attached to its heart. If you wish to befriend Ramadhan, then you must befriend her beloved. That beloved and loved one is the Qur’aan;

 

Ramadhan loves the Qur’aan and the Qur’aan loves Ramadhan.

 

Allah says: {The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Quran was sent down, a guidance for mankind, clear proofs for the guidance, the Criterion…} [1] It was in this month, the month of the Qur’aan, when an institution was put in place. An institution that has no parallel in the annals of history – an institution, the like of which the world will never see again. The institution was established under the open sky of Arabia, at a place designated by the Lord, Most High. The Semester was the best of Semesters – the Month of Ramadhan. The class timings were the fragrant and chosen nights of Ramadhan. Only one student was allowed enrolment: Muhammad al Mustafa (the Chosen One) (saws).

 

This institution had only one teacher; a teacher, the like of which can’t be found on the face of this world. How can he be found on this world when he is the leader of the leaders amongst the angels; an angel defended by His Lord, when he said: whoever is an enemy to Gibraeel then, {…Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers…}[2]

 

The Companion, Ibn Abbas (ra) said: “Gibraeel would come to him (the Prophet ) every night (in Ramadhan) and he would rehearse the Qur’an with him.” [3]

 

The Prophet (p) in turn, had a unique student. – A woman -, the like of whom the world has never and will never witness again. I invite you to come and join me on a journey back in time, let’s visit our Mother, Aa’ishah (rah) . We are now outside the room of the Mother of the Believers- Aa’ishah (rah). It is Ramadhan and the dawn is clearly visible from the horizon. Her recitation is audible; I turn to you and request you to not make any noise. You tire, but she does not tire. She recites until sunrise. How true was Ibn Rajab (rah) was when he said,

 

 

“…Our Mother Aa’ishah (rah) (in Ramadhan) would recite the Qur’aan after Dawn until sunrise…”

 

We find ourselves in yet another time, it is the beginning of Ramadhan and you hear a call. You turn around and there stands the Imam of the Imams -Imam az-Zuhri (rah). He is saying:

 

‘It (Ramadhan) is recitation of the Quran and feeding of people!’

 

His words echoing in your ears, his face never to be forgotten, you turn to meet Zayd al-Yaami (rah). He is sitting with his companions; each one of them is holding a book. So simple are these books, you just about recognize them; they are copies of the Qur’aan. Your eyes shed tears, since they do not know what will happen to the Ummah in the future. You see others running from door to door, calling out in the market places, spreading the word – come, let’s read the Words of the Lord of the Worlds in this blessed month. How true was Ibn Rajab (rah) when he said:

 

‘Zayd al-Yaami (rah) would bring copies of the Quran when Ramadan began and gather his companions around him.’

 

The night is dark, the stars are shining, since they rejoice out of happiness for the month of the Qur’aan. You are outside the house of Ibraheem an-Nakhai (rah), your eyes fill with tears, since he finishes the recital of the Qur’aan in three days. Again you witness the same with Qataadah (rah), yet when you visit al-Aswad (rah), your embarrassment knows no bounds; he finishes the recital of the Qur’aan in two days. [4] Our journey is coming to an end. Have patience as we go to meet the contemporary of Imam Abu Haneefah (rah) – Sufyan At-Thawri (rah). There he stands. Just by looking at him, you know – this man loves worship and has no interest in the pleasures and luxuries of life. Such a great scholar of Hadeeth (it is said that he has reported some 30,000 ahaadeeth) and Fiqh, you are surprised to see a man of such calibre leave all extra acts of worship and sticking to reciting the Qur’aan in this blessed month. Your eyes glaze over as you travel back into the 21st century…. You open your eyes and you are back in the West; the houses full of sleeping Muslims; the streets, the masaajid are empty – so quite – just like abandoned cemeteries. You stare in dismay, wishing to return back in time; the recitation of the salaf still echoing in your ears, their Ramadhan still alive in your heart,

 

You make a decision,

It is Time – Time to bring back the Qur’aan.

 

Surah al-Baqarah 2:185

[2] Surah al-Baqarah 2:98

[3] Sahih al-Bukhari, Eng. trans. 6/486

[4] The restriction of not exceeding the recitation of the Qur’aan in 3 days, does not apply in Ramadhan. idealmuslimah.com

 

(source: Jamiatul Ulema KZN)