Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Hello Ramadhan!


Today marks the first day of Ramadhan, aka, Ramzan in certain parts of India. Ramadhan is the holiest month in the muslim calendar. It is this month, more than a thousand years ago that the first verses (Al-Alaq, Verses 1-7) of the Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad S.A.W.

"Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists). He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pens. He has taught man that which he knew not. Nay! Verily, man does transgress (in disbelief and evil deed). Because he considers himself self-sufficient." - Surat Al-Alaq, Verses 1-7.

I find Ramadhan more fulfilling than Syawal personally. However, when I was younger, I dread Ramadhan. I can't play my football because I was afraid I will get thirsty, I have to watch my language, I can' t dig my nose shiok shiok and most importantly, I can't eat my KFC. As I get older, Ramadhan become a spiritual annual event and its shiok to be able to reconnect at a deeper level with my Creator. This is because there's the five prayers to try to do, eight twenty rakaat terawih prayers, fasting from dawn to dusk and try to complete the Quran. These religious acts span a period of at least 14 hours a day. And if you consider yourself having 7 hours of sleep, that means you are left with only 3 hours. Even so, if you were to perform the Terawih prayers, night prayers, not a single hour is left without an 'ibadah.' Cool or what.

Ramadhan is truly the month of months. And to end it off, to all my Muslim readers and family, have a blessed Ramadhan!

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