The week prior to
Ramadhaan you might think there is a food shortage coming
the way people stack grocery carts to the brim. But
this is the month of sharing with family, neighbors and
the needy. People like to finish their shopping before
Ramadhaan so they can concentrate on the spiritual side of
Ramadhaan.
Fasting from sunrise to
sunset means abstaining from both food and water. To
flee to the One who Created us praying and asking for
forgiveness from the All-Knower (one of the names of
Allah).
It is the month where
not only the stomach fast, but a time when the heart,
eyes, ears … fast (i.e. abstain from evil) for The
All-Provider
The guidance of the
heart is the basis of all guidance, the law of all
success, the origin of every deed and the head of every
action. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon Him) said: “Truly there is a
piece of flesh in the body which if it be wholesome, the
whole body will be healthy and which, and if it be
diseased the whole body will be diseased. Truly it is
the heart.” (al-Bukhari)
Maybe it looks like one
big party and, yes, some lose out on the spiritual
aspect, but in affect this is the time where the Qatari
is looking and reflecting on his life.
Focusing on the Heart:
Thus the goodness of
your heart is the guarantee of your happiness in this
world and in the Hereafter. Likewise, its corruption is
the surest way to destruction, the extent of which only
Allah knows.
“In
this, behold, there is indeed a reminder for everyone
whose heart is wide - awake - that is (everyone who)
lends ear with a conscious mind.” (Holy Qur’an 50:37)
It is a time in Qatar to
thank Allah for every morsel of food that has entered
one’s body, a time to check the heart not with an EKG,
but to check to see if it is ill from sins, jealously,
greed, etc.
The hearts can become
ill; they can be covered, hardened and they die. Hence
the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon Him)
used to say ‘O Dispenser of
Hearts, make my heart firm in Your religion.’
It is a refresher course
for excellent manners and behaviors. A time when quiet
reading and contemplating on the Holy Qur’an brings the
creation closer to The Creator. A time where you will
see many cars parked outside the mosques late into the
night. A time when restaurants open after the call for
prayer echoes as the sunsets.
as all Muslims all over the world). Late night
prayers in the mosque, families breaking fast together.
Even the smallest Qatari child can feel there is
something special in the air.