Fasting & Ramadan Reflections Ummah

A Fresh Page, A Defining Moment: Ramadan This Year

Every person in this world has a life that’s an epic story, full of joys and sadnesses, challenges and opportunities, and ‘defining moments’ – moments in which a person comes to a realization, a deep awareness about themself, and decides to change something inside.  Such moments are when a person makes an intense resolve from their heart; they make a commitment, an oath to themself, and ‘turn a new leaf’, and their life becomes very different than it was before, by God’s leave.

We find that Allah Most High gives us ample opportunities in our lives for these moments – these chances to turn to a fresh page and a fresh start.  Ramadan is one of them, and perhaps even the best of them.  It is a time for us to sit with our own selves and ask, “How long will you be happy with dry eyes and heart-less prayers?  Why – when you think about reading the Qur’an – is the cover of that Book so heavy, as if it’s cover weighs a thousand pounds or more?  How long will you keep convincing yourself that the sins you commit have no effect and don’t touch your heart, when it’s been so long since you’ve felt His Nearness?”

Ramadan is here, brothers and sisters, and it’s telling us: make this your defining moment.  Isn’t it time?  Hasn’t Allah the Exalted said, “Has not the time come for the hearts of the believers to submit and humble themselves?”

Make this the month that we come back to Allah, no matter how far we’ve gone, and how distant we are from His company and nearness.  A poet said, “Come wanderer, O lover of leaving… Ours is not a caravan of despair.”  No matter how far we are from Him, and how long we’ve been away, know that Allah giving us life to witness this Ramadan is a sign that He has left the door open for us to turn back to Him.  Your sins are great, and mistakes and weaknesses are many, you may say – but His mercy, compassion and loving grace to His servants are far greater and far more vast.  Ours is not a caravan of despair, or of giving up; ours is a caravan of loving mercy and continuously turning back to Him.

This is the month in which we can strive to overcome the weights our nafs put down on us, that make going to the masjid so heavy and difficult, that make opening the Qur’an and reading it an impossible task, that make prayer so burdensome.  This is the month in which we can bring life to these acts, and in which Allah facilitates and makes them easy for us to help us taste their sweetness.

A poet said, in a loving welcome of Ramadan,

Peace be upon you,

O month of fasting

Month of night vigil

Month of Qur’an

Month of forgiveness

Month of security

Month of glowing lanterns

Month of sleepless eyes

Month of scented pulpits

Month of burning hearts

We welcome you O blessed month, month of opportunity, redemption and hope.  May you be the means for our lives to change, our faith to be rekindled and our hearts illumined in His Nearness. Ameen.

About the author

Shazia Ahmad

Shazia Ahmad was born and raised in upstate New York. She graduated from the State University of New York (SUNY) Albany with a Bachelors in Psychology and History. During her time in university, Shazia was involved in the Muslim Students’ Association, community and interfaith work, and a local radio show entitled ‘Window on Islam.’ She has studied with Dr. Mokhtar Maghraoui and is a long time contributor to jannah.org and themadina.com. After graduating, Shazia spent two years in Syria, studying briefly at the University of Damascus and then at Abu Nour University where she completed an Arabic Studies program for foreigners (Ad-Dawraat) and a program in Islamic Studies (Ma’had at-Taheeli). She also studied in a number of private classes and attained her ijazah in Qur’anic recitation from the late Sh. Muhiyudin al-Kurdi (rahimahullah). While in Syria, Shazia composed a blog of her experiences entitled Damascus Dreams. She currently resides in Cairo, Egypt with her husband and one-year old son, and is seeking to further her education through private lessons and study. She currently blogs at Cairo Caprices.

12 Comments

  • i love it when u mentioned about feeling the nearness of Allah…

    based on my personal experience, once i was far away from Allah and one day He gave me a gentle reminder and made me come back, now i understand the most, the feeling of being near to Him..this Ramadhan, I hope and pray to be nearer to Him and I hope our brothers and sisters yearn the same..

  • Assalaamu Alaikum,
    Ramadan Kareem to you all as well and Barak Allahu feekom. That was a beautiful article to wake up to. Ameen

    • once i was far away from Allah and one day He provided me a soothing indication and created me come returning, now i comprehend the most, the sensation of being near to Him..this Ramadhan, I wish and wish to be far better Him and I wish our siblings desire the same.

  • excellent piece, great reminder on the invaluable opportunities given to us in the form of Ramadan – much needed! May Allah taa’la reward you for your efforts.

  • […] A Fresh Page, a Defining Moment: Ramadan This Year by Shazia Ahmad Your sins are great, and mistakes and weaknesses are many, you may say – but His mercy, compassion and loving grace to His servants are far greater and far more vast. When Ramadan is here: make it your defining moment. […]

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