Welcome Ramadhan

The blessed month of Ramadhan is back. Every year each muslim will pray to live long enough to meet Ramadhan again. Not everyone will make it. Ahsan wa sahlan ya Ramadhan; welcome, welcome the blessed month of Ramadhan.

Muslim will fast during the day. No food or drink. When I was studying in US a long time ago, one of my American group member offered me chewing gum. She knew that I was fasting but she though fasting must be like not eating meat, like the Buddhist. She was so surprised when I explained that when muslims fast, not even a single drop of water will go to our stomach. Why? That's the real, pure way of knowing how the poor feel when they were forced not to eat when there's nothing around to eat. If we have experienced the hunger then we will have more compassion for the poor and needy.

It's also a good practice to rest our digestive system that have been over worked for eleven months already. Modern science have proven that most of the modern diseases are caused by food, or rather plenty of it. If muslims eat too much when they break their fast, then they got themselves to be blamed, not Islam. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (p.b.u.h) broke his fast by eating a few dates and a glass of plain water. Then he performed maghrib prayer. He only ate his meal after that. A light meal.

Fasting is also a good way to increase our iman or faith towards Allah. Many battle have been won during Ramadhan like the battle of Badar. Palestine was liberated from the Christian soldiers by Sallahuddin Al Ayubi in the holy month of Ramadhan too. For the true, pious believers, fasting will only increase their productivity since they do not have to think or spent much time on eating. Many offices organize religious talk during lunch hour, a more productive activity than eating. Pious workers will not waste their time and will work diligently because they are accountable to Allah, not just their employer. I find myself being more productive in the month of Ramadhan since eating time is spend on work instead.

May this Ramadhan be a better Ramadhan than all the previous Ramadhans. May Allah bless us all.