The history of Ramadan:
Ramadan started a long time ago, around 610 A.D. The holy prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) was meditating in the cave of Hira (Which is a cave around the area of Mecca close to the Jabal an-Nour mountains). Angel Jibril visited the Prophet and handed him one of the first verses of the Holy Quran. During this period of time, it was very common for people to worship their own idols, but the Prophet believed that there was only one God, Allah (SWT). Even though the Prophet lacked knowledge of reading or writing, he could still recite the verses perfectly, and understand their meaning. The night on which this event occurred, is formally known as 'Laylat al-Qadr' which translates to 'The night of power'. Allah (SWT) sent the Prophet the 5 pillars of Islam. Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj. Shortly after this incident, Prophet Muhammed (SWT) still received revelations of the Quran from Angel Jibril, and according to the Hadith, all these revelations and scriptures were sent in the 30 days of Ramadan, which resulted in Ramadan being the holiest 30 days for a Muslim.
How the Prophet used to spend Ramadan:
As we know that the Angel Jibril revealed the major 5 pillars of Islam, one of them including 'sawm', which means fasting from Dawn until Dusk during Ramadan. The reason why fasting is important to all Muslims is that: We need to demonstrate self-control upon ourselves, emphasize and remember the fact that some people around the world do not have access to food like we may, and strengthen our bond with Allah (SWT). During the month of Ramadan, the Prophet used to practise da'wah (Inviting others to learn about your faith in Islam) in the boiling heat of Arabia, and he met people and consulted them about their day-to-day affairs. The battle of Badr and Tabouk was also fought during the month of Ramadan. The last 10 days were very special to the Prophet, as he would isolate himself and focus on strengthening his relationship with Allah (SWT), which we should follow, too.
What should we do in Ramadan?
In the holy month of Ramadan, we should focus on reading the Quran and praying because it is well stated that during this month, Allah will listen to all your prayers and cherish you with blessings. We should also keep and build new relationships with new people, as Ramadan is a bonding month which no matter where on the globe, different Muslims are fasting and it's a great time to make new connections. We should also reflect on ourselves. Identify something which you could improve in yourself, and work on it. Be honest with yourself and focus on making a difference for good. The last thing you could do during Ramadan is give charity and it doesn't have to be money, just give away something which can brighten up somebody's day.
I hope you learnt something new in this blog post, Happy Ramadan Kareem and see you next time.
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