'I'tikaaf' and the Blessings of 'Laila-tul-Qadr'

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 

Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what the Night of Decree is? 

The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. 

The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” (Al-Qadr 97: 1-6).

Like you all know, we have already entered the third part of the month of Ramadan, whereby in one of these nights there is a extremely special night which is worth more than a thousand months of blessings which we usually receive through our Ibaadat (all acts of worship) in normal times.

Like mentioned in a Hadith, our Noble Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said: “This is a month, the first part of which brings Allah’s Mercy, the middle of which brings Allah’s forgiveness, and the last part of which brings emancipation from the hellfire.” (Bukhari). In another Hadith, Hazrat Anas bin Malik (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah stated about the month of Ramadan: “This month (of Ramadan) has begun and therein is a night better than one thousand months. So, any one deprived of its blessings is actually deprived of all goodness. Indeed, He is truly deprived who is kept away from its good.” (Ibn Majah, Mishkat).

Behind the Divine Scheme on Laila-tul-Qadr

In the light of these verses of the Quranic Chapter Al-Qadr (the Destiny/Decree) and the Hadiths which I have put before you today, it shall be good if I explain to you once again how these verses were revealed. Years come and go but the words and teachings of Allah and those of His Messenger (Rasul) shall ever remain flawless and whole, and it is my duty to repeat these teachings to you for all this forms part of our history as Muslims, such a history which needs to remain alive till the Day of Judgement, such a history which shall encourage all Muslims to give their time, means and lend their helping hands to enable Islam to shine in the world.

The Many Benefits of Ramadan

Ramadan has come once again! 

The one who has the opportunity to witness its arrival, has most certainly received one of the greatest favours from Allah (swt). Being present in this world during the month of Ramadan is meaningless as long as the servant does not know how to enjoy its immense benefits, which no one should ignore. Ramadan as the fourth pillar of Islam is an act of worship of great importance and charged with many benefits.

There is, firstly, its spiritual aspect, namely the Taqwa (piety/ fear of God). The Muslim is bound to cultivate piety (and the fear of Allah) in himself. Then there are its economic, medical and social aspects. Ramadan is an act of worship whose benefits affect not only the individual but also the society, the country and even the whole world. The existence of a society is essential, for without it life does not exist in its true sense. In order for this to happen, life skills are very important. Every individual must know the task that is under his or her responsibility, in the construction of society and the role he/ she must play. The month of Ramadan is undoubtedly an ideal opportunity to put into practice the teachings of Islam in order to establish an exemplary society. Its social benefits are many, including:

Foster Unity & Brotherhood

1) Ramadan helps the servants to strengthen the brotherhood between them. Today we live in a society where hatred, jealousy, enmity etc. have taken place in the hearts of many Muslims. Sectarianism, division, dissension, etc. have demolished the unity commanded by the Creator.

“Truly, this community of yours is a unique community, and I am your Lord. So worship Me. And (yet) they were divided into sects. But all of them will return to Us.” (Al-Anbiya, 21: 93-94).

With a little wisdom, reflection and understanding, Muslims can transform this deplorable state into another better, where brotherhood resurfaces. They have only to understand one idea: “Allah loves unity and hates dissension.”

Ramadan: Duties beyond Fasting

 Ramadan: A Great Favour 

Alhamdulillah, today is the first Friday of the month of Ramadan and indeed this is a great favour which Allah (swt) has bestowed upon us, Muslims. Fortunate are those who are living this blessed month to the fullest. And fortunate is he who has been able to become closer to Allah in the course of this blessed month and obtain the pleasure and time to purify his soul from all spiritual impurities and to make "a servicing" (a complete clean-up and repair) of his whole body whereby he takes not only a complete spiritual bath, but also a physical bath, keeping his body clean, keeping a good hygiene.

Last week in my Friday Sermon, I had to stop on the second precaution which we (Muslims) have to take to preserve our fast, but due to lack of time and the fact that our members had to go back to work, so it would have been too lengthily seeing the long content of the Friday Sermon.

Fasting Entails Avoidance of 'Makruh'

Therefore, by the grace of Allah, I shall expound today on the rest of the precautions to take, i.e. from the third to sixth precautions which a faster should take to preserve his fast:

3) We need to take lots of precaution so as not to listen to undesirable/ vain/ illicit (Makruh) things. It is also forbidden to listen to words which we do not have the right to pronounce.

For example, between strangers, man and woman, there should not be any Makruh word pronounced, and there should be the observation of the Pardah (Islamic veiling/ segregation).

The Messenger of Allah has said that those kinds of talks/ words are Makruh, and the same goes for Ghibah (backbiting). The backbiter and the one who listens to him/ her, both of them are considered as equal partners in sins.

4) All members of one's body should remain far away from sins and all that which is forbidden. Neither the hands should touch that which is Haram (illicit), nor the feet should march towards that which is illicit. Special precaution should be taken, especially at Iftar (breaking of the fast) time not to consume anything which may be of doubtful source. When someone fasts and breaks his fast with illicit food, he is like a sick person who takes medicines to get back his health, but at the same time he consumes poison along with those medicines which thereafter destroys him.

5) After observing the fast, it is not advisable for us to fill our stomach completely at Iftar time, even with Halal (licit) food because the aim of fasting shall be lost. The aim of keeping fasts is to reduce our physical desires and to reinforce our Iman (faith) and spiritual capabilities. For eleven months we had all the freedom to eat and drink whatever Halal food we liked at any time we wanted, but at least during Ramadan we can reduce our food consumption to the (strict) minimum. For some people, we observe that Ramadan becomes an opportunity for them to increase their appetite (and food intake). Moreover, there are a variety of foods which are placed before us  and which we are not used to consume during the other months (and which tempt us to overindulge in food consumption). This way of consuming food during this (blessed) month is completely against the very spirit of Ramadan and against the aim of fasting.

Besides taking conscience of pangs of hunger, fasting gives us the time to take conscience of difficult conditions and sufferings of poor people and this enables us to have sympathy for them. Our noble prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said that the best way of eating of man is that he fills his stomach in the following proportion: One third for food, one third for water (liquids) and one third for air.

6) We should always be worried about whether our fasts have been accepted by Allah. The same should be for all our good deeds and acts of worship (Ibaadat). We can never know whether we have missed an important aspect of our deed/s or we ignored it/ them completely. Therefore, we should take precaution lest we commit some wrong in our deeds. A Muslim should always fear lest Almighty Allah rejects his deeds.

This is a consequence of wrong Niyyah (intention). There are a lot of examples on the subject in the Hadiths. Therefore, a faster should always watch over his intention and at the same time fear lest his intention changes. He must  continue to pray to Allah so that his fasts become a source of pleasure for Allah.

Do not talk ill of others

Therefore, take care of your fasts. Do not let Satan deviate you in any situation you may find yourselves; and especially the one concerning Ghibah (backbiting).  Instead of backbiting others you should occupy your tongue in Zikr (i.e. Remembrance) of Allah, reading the Holy Quran, and reading this duah (supplication) a lot: 

"Laa Ilaaha Ilallahu, Astaghfirullah, Allahumma inni as’alukal jannah wa awzubika minan Naar."

(There is no God (to be worshipped) but Allah. I seek forgiveness from Allah (for all my sins). O Allah, I ask of You Paradise and protection from hell-fire.)

O Allah, put a distance between us and such sins which shall cause us harm in this world and the hereafter. Ameen.

Once a Sahabi (i.e. companion) asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) about Ghibah (backbiting). 

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "It is saying something about your brother that he dislikes." 

It was said, “What if what I say about my brother is true?” 

He (pbuh) said, “If what you say is true then you have backbitten him, and if it is not true, then you have slandered him.” 

Evolve Empathy for Others

The worst form of backbiting is slandering one's Muslim brother with a false accusation. Moreover, we need to know that in the month of Ramadan, we should have sympathy for poor people - and this should be a training for the eleven months to come - like preached by Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) in the various Hadiths. 

We have been taught that Ramadan is a month of sharing and brotherhood, especially with the poor and those who are in great difficulties. The spirit of sharing is such a quality which we should live in practice. Even if we are not as generous towards others as we are to ourselves, at least during the Ramadan, we should develop that spirit of sharing. If we have ten snacks/ cakes for Iftar, then we should at least share 3-4 of those with the poor.

Insha-Allah, may Almighty Allah help each one of us in this blessed month and we take care not to lose these divine favours. Insha-Allah. O Allah guide us all on the right path. Ameen.

---- Friday Sermon of 02 June 2017(07 Ramadan 1438 AH) delivered by Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.  

Ramadan: A Divine Favour

Ramadan is a great favour which Allah has bestowed upon us, Muslims. We shall perceive this favour only when we shall value it like it deserves, otherwise many Ramadans shall come and go without us maximising fully their benefits. The hadiths which I shall put before you show the virtues of Ramadan. Narrated by Abu Masud al-Gifari (ra) in a Hadith whereby Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said:

“If my Ummah (community) knew the value, the honour and the importance of the month of Ramadan properly, they would desire the entire of the year to be Ramadan.”

In another Hadith narrated by Salman (ra): 

“On the last day of Shabaan, the Noble Prophet (pbuh) delivered a sermon; he said: ‘O people there comes over you now a great month, a most blessed month in which lies a night more greater in virtue than a thousand months. It is a month in which Allah has made Fasting (Roza/ Sawm) compulsory by day, and has made Sunnah the Nafil night prayers (e.g. Tahajjud prayers as mentioned by Allah in the Quran, and the Tarawee which represents an excellent innovation which Hazrat Umar (ra) implemented for he wanted to reunite all Muslims as one congregation following one Imam and not to be divided – and besides, this is the true spirit of unity which must remain alive whereby all Muslims must come together as one, under (the leadership of) one Imam, especially the Imam whom Allah has raised for you, an Imam-e-Inquilaab, a Khalifatullah, for there should be no division and different sects, but on the contrary, it should be like in the true intention of Hazrat Umar (ra) to reunite all people who were scattered and praying alone, to put them together in one congregation, under one Imam). 

Whosoever intends drawing near to Allah by performing any virtuous deed, for such a person shall be the reward like the one who had performed a Fardh (Obligatory act) in any other time. And whoever performs a Fardh, shall be blessed with the reward of seventy Faraa-idh (Obligatory acts) in any other time. 

This is indeed the month of patience, and the reward for true patience is Jannah (Paradise). It is the month of sympathy with one’s fellowmen. It is the month wherein a true believer’s rizq (sustenance) is increased. Whosoever feeds another who fasted, in order to break the fast at sunset, for the feeder there shall be forgiveness of sins and freedom from the fire of Jahannam (hellfire), and for such a feeder shall be the same reward as the one who fasted (who he fed) without that person’s reward being decreased in the least.”

Thereupon we said, “O Messenger of Allah, not all of us possess the means whereby we can give a fasting person to break his fast.”

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) replied: 

“Allah grants the same reward to the one who gives a fasting person to break the fast a mere date, or a drink of water, or a sip of milk (for Iftar, to break his fast). This is a month, the first of which brings Allah’s mercy (i.e. the first part), the middle of which brings His forgiveness and the last of which brings freedom from the fire of Jahannum. Whosoever lessens the burden of his servants in this month, Allah will forgive him and free him from the hell-fire.”

“And in this month four things you should continue to perform in great number, two of which shall be to please your Lord (Allah), while the other two shall be those without which you cannot do. Those which shall be to please your Lord, are that you should in great quantity bear witness that there is no deity to worship except Allah (i.e. recite “Laa Ilaaha Illallah”) and make much Istighfaar (i.e. repentance, seek the forgiveness of Allah). And as for those without which you cannot do, you should beg of Allah, entrance into Paradise and ask refuge in Him from hell-fire.”

“And whoever gave a person who fasted water to drink, Allah shall grant that giver to drink from my fountain, such a drink where after that a person shall never again feel thirsty until he enters Paradise.” (Baihaqi, Ibn Hibban).

A faster should take 6 precautions when he observes his fast. Abu Ubaidah (ra) reports: “I have heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: “Fasting is a shield for the one who does not violate it.” (Ibn Majah, Nisaï, Hakim).

In the same way that a shield protects someone, fasting also protects man (human being) from his sworn enemy, i.e. Satan. In the other Hadiths, we learn that fasting protects from the punishment of Almighty Allah in the hereafter and it is also a protection against hell-fire. 

Once someone asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh): “What annuls the fast?” 

He (pbuh) replied: “Lying, backbiting, fighting and vain disputes.”

Therefore, when you analyse these words of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), he (pbuh) said that lying, backbiting (i.e. saying bad words on others in their back), fighting, or vain disputes annul the fast just like food and drink breaks the fast. Thus, when this happens, that person loses all the blessings and rewards of fasting. All the sacrifices that he made, by waking up early in the morning and following the prescriptions of Allah and His Messenger (pbuh), at the end of the day, because of indulging in forbidden things, he loses all. This is really a grievous sin, especially in that blessed month (i.e. the month of Ramadan).

Six Points to Remember:

Therefore, there are six precautions which we should take when we observe the fast:

1.   That person (i.e. the faster) should protect his sight/ eyes by not looking at forbidden things. Our beloved prophet (pbuh) has said : “A look is like an arrow which comes from Satan.” The one who for the fear of Allah protects his sight against evil (i.e. he does not look at forbidden things/ beings), even in his talks with friends, be it through phone, mobile or email; you should be very careful, lest Allah rip away from you the mustard seed of Iman (faith) which was in your heart, and especially when Allah has chosen you to do His Deen works (i.e. the works of religion – Islam). You should behave well and not act like a hooligan. You should maintain a distance with all that are forbidden and preserve your dignity and status bestowed upon you by Allah. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said: “If you show such divinely-given dignity and status, then Allah shall give you such power/ force in your faith that you shall be able to taste and feel the sweetness of faith from the bottom of your heart.”

2.     A person must protect his tongue from all forbidden things such as lying, vain talks, backbiting, disputes, foul words, etc. In the book of Hadiths of Bukhari we read that fasting is a shield for a faster. That is why, those who observe the fast should avoid all vain talks, mockeries, disputes etc. If someone readies himself to fight (dispute) with us, we should simply say: “I am fasting”. In other words, we should not start a dispute on our own and if the other one seeks to start a dispute, we should not fall into this trap.

In the time of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), there used to be two women who observed the fast and they reached a point that hunger was so poignant that they were on the verge of dying. The Sahaba (ra) went to see them and these women were given each a bowl to vomit therein. After vomitting, there were blood and pieces of flesh which came out from them. The Sahaba (ra) were astonished and the Holy Prophet (pbuh) told them: “These two women fasted from what Allah has made licit for them however, they broke their fast with what Allah has made illicit upon them when they sat with one another to backbite others.”

It is clear from that Hadith that backbiting makes fasting unbearable. That is why those two women nearly died. In fact, all evil deeds render fasting difficult (to accomplish/ to sustain). Experience show that fasting is not difficult for those servants (of Allah) who are sincere and devoted (i.e. the Muttaqiin – those who are righteous, who have the fear of Allah in their hearts). For them, fasting is never an ordeal whereas for the sinful ones, fasting is ever an ordeal.

This sermon does not end here, but I need to stop here for today due to lack of time and the members have to return back to work. I pray that Allah gives me the opportunity to continue on the same subject of my sermon next week (next Friday), Insha-Allah. If I continue, it shall be too long, especially when the six precautions while fasting need to be explained, and I have mentioned just two of them. Insha-Allah, I shall continue on the same subject next Friday.

I wish all of you – all my disciples worldwide and all Muslims – Ramadan Mubarak. May Allah make you blessed (Mubarak) in the blessed month which is awaiting us with open arms. In return we should also open wide our arms and hug this extraordinary and special guest sent by Allah for us. It is truly a treasure which Allah has bestowed upon us, and it is now for us to use this treasure in the best way which exists, and verily the best way is to follow the Sunnah (practice) of our noble prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). Insha-Allah, Ameen.

---Extracts from the Friday Sermon of 26 May 2017 (29 Shabaan 1438 AH) delivered by Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius. 

Ramadan: Fasting and Obedience

“Fasting & Obedience”:

By the grace of Allah, we are going to enter once again in the extremely holy and sacred month of Ramadan. First of all, we need to thank Allah the Almighty who has given us this great boon and enabled us to receive this month once again. This is indeed such a month which is worth a whole lifetime. And it is Allah Almighty who gives us this assurance. To better understand the importance and worth of this month and to help us benefit from this blessed month to the maximum, Allah says in the Holy Quran, in the Surah Al-Baqara, Verses 184-187:

O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil). For a certain number of days; but whoever among you is sick or on a journey, then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days; and those who are not able to do it may effect a redemption by feeding a poor man; so whoever does good spontaneously it is better for him; and that you fast is better for you if you know. The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance to men and clear proofs of the guidance and the distinction; therefore whoever of you is present in the month, he shall fast therein, and whoever is sick or upon a journey, then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days; Allah desires ease for you, and He does not desire for you difficulty, and (He desires) that you should complete the number and that you should exalt the greatness of Allah for His having guided you and that you may give thanks. And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.

Let’s analyse what Allah is telling us (in these verses):

Oh you people who have faith (Iman), Oh you believers, We have made fasting (Sawm/ Roza) obligatory upon you like We made it obligatory upon the people or nations before you.

‘la-’alla-kum tatta-quun’ – so that you may guard (against evil), so that you may tread on the right path, so that you may have Taqwa (fear of Allah).

This fasting for a determined numbers of days and those who are travelling or are sick, then they shall have to replace the missing fasts afterwards. And those people who have the means, (as expiation) they need to feed a poor.

Muharram: New Islamic Year Begins

Naya Saal Mubarak!

The Islamic calendar begins with Muharram, which is considered sacred a month. Muslims today do not take into account the value of our Islamic year. The majority of them do not even know when our Islamic year begins. 

Allah (swt) says in the Quran: 

Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve (lunar) months in the register of Allah (from) the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred (that is to say, Dhul-Qaddah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab): That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. (9: 36)

Allah (swt) has given us a sacred month and year based on the Islamic calendar but unfortunately a great number of Muslims - especially here in Mauritius - do not take this into consideration, whereas on the other hand they take into great consideration the Gregorian and Christian calendar, celebrated at the end of December. So in preparation for the Gregorian year, they go shopping, and moreover, those working as officers in the public sector (Government servants) and also the private sector - hotels, factories etc. - organize parties and also receive year-end bonuses (called also, “13^th or even 14^th months” – that is, a surplus in salary amounting more than the 12-month salary scale) to celebrate the new year.

It is during this time of year (end of year - December) that we see a lot of waste. People spend their money and their all their bonuses in firecrackers, fireworks, liquor, gifts and the celebration continues until New Year’s Eve whereby many families today prefer to spend these days in hotels or to meet in a place where food - especially the barbecue - and several alcoholic beverages are available in large quantities. As for alcoholic drinks, it is true that the vast majority of Muslims do not consume this poison, but this custom does exist for people of other religious communities. For them, they must have an alcoholic drink because without it their New Year’s Eve won’t be complete! So you can imagine how much money is wasted in the weeks preceding the end of the year and the beginning of the following year - especially on the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd days of the first month (January) of the New Year, even going until the 6^th of January.

People do not realize that they must make savings. They wrongly spend their money in vain things such as in parties and preparations of the New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, Muslims also have entered into the same circle as these people. They imitate them and their customs. There are many of them who do not even perform their Tahajjud prayers and even the Fajr prayer at the prescribed time. They are too busy partying with family and friends!

Ramadan: Fasting and Blessings

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil).” (2:184).

By the immense grace of Allah, we are again witnessing another blessed month of Ramadan. It is a month like no other month as it is the very special and blessed month of Allah, for Allah. From the moment that this exceptional month approaches us and welcomes us in its arms, the emotion becomes stronger and the heart becomes more sensitive. Every sincere Muslim waits impatiently for this great day. 

They all ask: “Ramadan! When will you come? We need you so much!” 

This impatience to welcome the month of Ramadan is found in the need for the believer to purify himself both physically and spiritually.

If a Muslim expresses himself with these words, certainly, he is undoubtedly aware of the true value of this month and the many benefits it contains. This is the month of blessing, whose beginning is mercy, the middle forgiveness, and whose end is freedom from hell-fire. It is a month which includes a night better than a thousand months and reward of good deeds is multiplied. The substance of the believer increases and favours coming from Allah the Exalted is constantly bestowed upon him. This is the month of endurance and forgiveness. And the reward of endurance is paradise.

When the servant realizes all that, his heart softens and his chest is opened to the acceptation of the truth. Thus, submission becomes his priority throughout this intense month of blessings.

Is the time not ripe for the Muslim to make manifest his joy, appreciation and gratitude to Allah the Exalted who kept him alive until the arrival of Ramadan? Every Muslim is recommended to welcome this month with repentance and with the preparation to fast and to spend his nights in prayer with good intention and strong determination. Is there a goal better than this?

Meditate on the following words of Allah:

“Say: ‘In the Bounty of Allah, and in His Mercy - therein let them rejoice.’ That is better than what (the wealth) they amass.” (Yunus, 10: 59)

'Fasting is a Shield against Evil'

Yaaa-’ayyu-hallaziina ‘aamanuu kutiba ‘alay-kumus-Siyaamu kamaa kutiba ‘alal lazina min qablikum la-’alla-kum tatta-quun.

“O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous.” (2: 184).

The word ‘Siyaam’ (fasting) as mentioned in the Holy Quran can also be called ‘Sawm’, which means ‘to abstain from something’. Abstaining from something does not mean only abstaining from food and drink, no! It also refers to abstaining from vain talks/too much talking; for on the contrary you should concentrate more on Quran reading as well as its translation, concentrate on the remembrance of Allah (Zikrullah) and supplications (duas). Abstention should also be made of sleep, whereby you devote yourself to the voluntary additional prayers when you are fasting during the day. During this period, therefore abstention should also be made of sexual relation with your spouses, and you must learn to control your carnal desires (nafs) and your tongue. This also allows you to multiply more good deeds, help the poor and spend a lot in charity.

When you learn to understand this verse of the Quran (the above-mentioned verse) and you reflect on it, you shall see (deduce) that all the good deeds done in this blessed month (Ramadan) are all acts of worship which a believer does and he does it sincerely for Allah alone. He (the believer) accepts to abstain from all things which were usually licit for him during the previous eleven months and which are made (temporary) illicit for him from before sunrise till after sunset.

Ramadan: Pillars of Fasting

In his Friday Sermon of 20 July 2012, Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim(atba) of Mauritius explained the spiritual significance of fasting, especially in the holy month of Ramadan. Drawing upon the Qur’anic prescriptions and prophetic traditions on this issue, Hadhrat Sahib (atba) identifies, in his speech, the main pillars of Fasting.   

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:

O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become righteous. (2: 184)

The definition of Siyaam, Sawm, Roza or fast, means to abstain from something. Allah makes us understand this meaning well from the Holy Quran, where He cites the example of Mary (upon her be peace) who said:

‘I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention (that is, silence), so I will not speak today to (any) man.’ (19: 27)

When one reads these verses and reflect on each of them, one shall see that as a matter of fact, this is an act of worship which the believer does with sincerity for the sake of Allah alone whereby he abstain from food, drink and also sexual relations among other things. While these were legal for him during the other months, but while encountering the month of Ramadan, he has to abstain from these same things from dawn to dusk only for the pleasure of Allah. He does this only for His Rab and Allah gave him this instruction; and these commandments were revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and were later compiled into Book form – a perfect book wherein there is no doubt and which is a guide only for the righteous. This book is none other than the Holy Quran, and Allah says in that same Holy Book:

"The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was sent down as guidance for mankind with clear proofs of guidance and discrimination. Therefore, whosoever of you is present (at home) in this month, let him fast therein..." (2: 186)

And in the same verse, Allah says : 

"Allah desires (to give) you facility and He desires not hardship for you, and that you may complete the number, and that you may exalt Allah for His having guided you and that you may be grateful". (2: 186)

In section 23 of the second chapter (Al-Baqara), Allah the Almighty has guided the believers on how to observe the fast and what are its rulings. And if a Muslim follows these commandments to the letter and makes it a must to understand the importance and the benefits of fasting, then he shall derive many rewards from it.