What should you do to get maximum benefit out of Ramadhan? What should you
do to inculcate the quality of piety, strength and capability of character through
#fasting, night #prayers, and recitation of #Qur’an? Here, I will try to answer these
questions.
1. Intention (Niyah) and Resolve (Iradah)
The first thing is sincere #intention and firm resolve.
Intention creates awareness and consciousness as well as keeps them alive.
If the conscious is awake, it results in resolve, which in turn takes the shape of effort and
toil.
True understanding of objective and firm resolve to achieve it is as important for
the accomplishment of a task as is spirit for the body.
It is in this sense that we have been taught to have ‘intention’ for #prayers, fasting and other acts of #worship
– so that they are all performed for the sake of Allah.
Some scholars hold that without verbal expression of ‘intention,’ no act of worship is complete; and others
assert that determination and decision of the heart is enough, which needs no
verbal expression.
Yet, it is clear that verbal expression or determination in the
heart may fulfil legal criteria, the ‘intention’ can lead to action only when it has
convinced the heart and mind of the importance of the objective and generates
the ‘resolve’ to do everything to achieve the objective.
There is no apparent difference between the dead and living bodies.
Yet, the living body is imbued with the capability to move and act, whereas the dead body is
devoid of this capability.
The same holds true of actions and deeds: if the
‘intention’ behind an effort is right and good, it will grow and come to fruition.
It is this point that the Holy #Prophet (pbuh) underscored when he said that the
strength and weight of actions depends on ‘#intention.
’23 Everyone would get only what he intends for.
There has to be ‘intention,’ right and sincere.
In other words, every effort should
be aimed at achieving Allah’s pleasure and His bounty and reward.
If your ‘intention’ is not sincere, i.e. you do not work solely for Allah’s sake, your toil will
not be rewarded.
It runs the risk of being wasted!
‘Intention’ is also an expression for readiness and willingness, desire and urge to
work. If there is no desire to work, then ‘intention’ creates the requisite desire.
In turn, desire and urge give rise to resolve and determination.
No journey can be taken up without determination – even the journey through Ramadhan cannot
take you to the destination!
In order to welcome Ramadhan, the first thing you have to do is to renew the feeling and understanding of its high status, its message,
its purpose and the blessings it brings in its folds.
Then, make ‘intention’ and ‘resolve’ that whatever you would do in this month,
you would try to inculcate in yourself that high quality of piety that is the objective of fasting,
and which can enable you to meet the demands of Deen (not #religion, in the strict sense, but a code of life) and to
accomplish the mission of #Qur’an.
Lastly, make a firm decision that devotion and regularity would be the hallmark of all your acts and efforts during the month of #Ramadhan – obligatory acts and worship that Allah has enjoined, deeds that Allah’s Prophet has emphasised,
and the effort that you would do additionally to make full use of the opportunity that #Ramadhan holds.
It would be extremely useful if you take out time in solitude, just about two hours,
either before the start of #Ramadhan or during its very first night.
Consider yourself
present in the court of Allah, glorify Him and invoke His blessings on the #Prophet
(pbuh), and repent on your sins and follies.
Then, think about all the features of this month (that have been discussed here; or just go through this pamphlet).
Finally, make ‘intention’ and ‘resolve’ for utmost effort and complete devotion
throughout the month, seek Allah’s help and guidance, and pray to Him to take
you along the path that leads to Him!
23 Al-Bukhari, narrated by the Prophet’s Companion, Second Caliph of Islam, Umar.
