Ramadan and Community Health

Ramadan and Community Health

By Dr. Muhammad Karim Beebani

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam enjoined upon Muslims by almighty Allah as mentioned in verse 183 of chapter 2: "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may learn self restraint."

Reduced Crime and Higher Morale

The enormous impact of Ramadan on a Muslim society is seen from the fact that as compared to the other months, the number of all sorts of crimes and the magnitude of corruption, indecency, vicious behaviour and immoral acts are all reduced markedly. The rate of crimes in Muslim societies is already lower than other societies and it declines even more in the holy month of Ramadan.

Violence and crime impose a great burden on the health budget of any country. As a matter of fact in most developed countries they supersede the expenditure and agony caused even by the road traffic accidents. In a Muslim country like Saudi Arabia the crime rate is already much lower than other countries and it becomes minimal in the month of Ramadan.

Fasting is not just the act of refraining from food and water; rather it is a devotion to fulfill the religious duties as well as to behave in a manner which is harmless to others, so that even if someone incites a person to quarrel, he has to pacify him by acting upon this saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), "Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins, if one of you is fasting, he should avoid quarrelling and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him he should say I am fasting."

In another Hadith, Allah's Apostle says, "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving food and drink."

Although such good teachings of Islam are not confined to the month of Ramadan alone, yet they are best observed in this month. Hence, one can notice a great fall in the crime rate, violence, loss of working days due to offensive injuries and a great reduction in the cost of medico-legal expenditure which has a pronounced effect on the health budget of a given community.

There is no doubt in saying that the number of offensive injuries and trauma cases reported to the emergency rooms in a Muslim country is far less in the month of Ramadan than in any other month. Ramadan, in other words, is a training period for the Muslims in which the foundations of a subtle character are laid whose gains can also be seen round the year and this has a positive effect on the morale of the whole society.

Happiness and Reduced Stress

Now, to come to another blessedness of Ramadan. In today's stressful time when every third person is suffering from a psychological problem even though it might be a mild depression, the advent of Ramadan means an era of happiness and felicity for all Muslims.

Social insecurity is the root cause of today's psychological chaos and bereavement. Ramadan, in contrast, is a month of optimum social interaction and familiarization with each other. Mosques are thronged with worshippers, people invite intimate friends to iftar, shopping centers are packed with crowds and Eid offers a rainbow of joyous moments, although the real happiness which the believers derive comes from the fulfillment of Allah's order about which He says that fasting is for Him alone and He will pay its reward.

Ramadan has its own culture, a glimpse of which can be seen at Iftar when the whole family joins together to dine. Allah's apostle (pbuh) says, "There are two pleasures for the fasting person: one, at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord. Then he will be pleased because of his fasting."

Not surprisingly, due to the decreased stress the human body's steroid level, which is raised in stress and anxiety, has been found to be decreased among Muslims in the month of Ramadan.

Cleanliness

Cleanliness is the hallmark of Islamic virtues. Although according to Islamic teachings, a good Muslim offering his prayers regularly is supposed to be neat and tidy, in the month of Ramadan personal cleanliness among the Muslims reaches its peak. I need not mention that a high level of cleanliness in the days of Ramadan will deter infections. The zeal to offer prayers in Ramadan continues in other days as well, more and more people form the habit of offering prayers regularly, which by itself is a spiritual and health package for Muslims.

Month Of Mercy

The Month of Mercy

By Dr. Yunus Aidaroos

"Ramadan is a month whose beginning is Mercy, whose middle is Forgiveness and whose end is freedom from the fire."
-Hadith of the Prophet (pbuh)

Mercy > Forgiveness > Freedom from Fire

Ponder on the inherent logical sequence ( subhanAllah ) of the above! We cannot be exempt from fire without first being forgiven. And to be forgiven, we must be graced by Allah's mercy.

The first one third of Ramadan (10days ) is MERCY from Allah

1. Can we expect to receive mercy if we only deprive our bodies of food and drink? Of course not. Because Ramadan is meant for SPIRITUAL development through fasting. Physiologically, by fasting the body eliminates toxins efficiently and the mind becomes clear for "power thinking" so that one may ponder on the meaning of the Qur'an, Hadith and the necessity of Zhikr. One must also do some self-analysis to monitor and correct one's behaviour if necessary. With meditation the mind becomes quiet and so should our tongues!

2. Allah is looking for a sincere commitment from us and not just physical starvation till sunset and then returning to the status quo. Ramadan does not end at every iftar. It ends only on sighting the hilal of Shawwal. So the hard spiritual work must carry on for the whole of the month.

3. One must plead for mercy and sincerely cry to receive it because without it, we are stuck at stage one and our prospects of "freedom from fire" will be bleak.

4. Therefore this stage one is for sincere confession to Allah that we are weak and sinful and that we desperately need His mercy. We have only about 10 days to qualify to stage two.

The second one third of Ramadan is ----- FORGIVENESS

1. We must now beg for Allah's forgiveness because we have broken so many of His rules and covenants and disobeyed His commands during the year, both knowingly and unknowingly. We must say istighfaar day and night and ask in every sajda for forgiveness. We must be afraid that if Allah does not forgive, we will surely be among the losers. Here again, Allah will be assessing the degree of sincerity in our repentance. He looks not for lip service but for soul service!

2. We must also be forgiving to other people's mistakes and tempers.

The last one third of Ramadan is ......... FREEDOM FROM HELL FIRE

These are our last ten days or so. Instead of just focusing on Laylat Al-Qadar (the night of power) one should intensify supplications for the whole last third of Ramadan. If possible and affordable then do go for Umrah ... it will be probably the most spiritually fulfilling experience you will have, aside from Hajj. And Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to having done a Hajj with our Rasool pbuh! At the completion of the last fast, be optimistically hopeful that you will be alive to give similar pious worship during the forthcoming Ramadans. And if you remain guided in your life then you'll be will be admitted to Paradise, insha'Allah, by the Ryan gate of Paradise! Indeed Allah swt does not break His promise to his slaves.

NOTE:

The month after Ramadan is Shaw'wal.

Those who fast just 6 days of this month, get the reward of fasting the WHOLE of the year! So if one has missed fasting for 12 yrs of his/her life, just 6 days ( in any order) of Shaw'wal fasting gives one an opportunity to make up for our past deficiency of fasting days. SubhanAllah , isn't Allah swt indeed SUPER-MERCIFUL?

what prophet said about ramdan?

“In Paradise there is a gate called al-Rayyaan, through which those who used to fast will enter on the Day of Resurrection, and no one but they will enter it. It will be said, ‘Where are those who fasted?’ They will get up, and none will enter it but them. When they have entered, it will be locked, and no one else will enter.” (al-Bukhaari, 1763; Muslim, 1947).

It was narrated from Abu Salamah that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Eemaan, 37).

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Allaah says: “Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except for fasting; it is for Me and I shall reward for it.” Fasting is a shield and when one of you is fasting he avoid sexual relations with his wife and quarreling. If somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, ‘I am fasting.’ By the One in Whose hand is my soul, the unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allaah than the smell of musk. The fasting person will have two moments of joy: one when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1771)

In the saheeh ahaadeeth it says that there are eight gates:

It was narrated from Sahl ibn Sa’d (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “In Paradise there are eight gates, among which is a gate called al-Rayyaan, which none will enter but those who fast.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3017).

It was narrated from ‘Ubaadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever bears witness that there is no god but Allaah alone, with no partner or associate, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, and that ‘Eesa (Jesus) is the slave of Allaah and His Messenger, and a word which Allaah bestowed on Maryam and a spirit created by Him (cf. al-Nisa’ 4:171), and that Paradise is true and Hell is true, will have the right to be admitted by Allaah to Paradise through whichever of the eight gates he wishes, because of his good deeds.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3180; Muslim, 41)

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When Ramadaan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.”

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3035; Muslim 1793)

YALLAH RAMADAN

Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahee wa Barakatu

Ramadan kareem Poem

Fasting through daylight
Easiness in heart and mind
Without drink and food

For the sake of God
We exercise true patience
Throughout the blessed month

Reward with Allah
Submission and surrender
From darkness to light

Detach from this world
Attach to the afterlife
Tremendous reward

Fasting and walking
Through the gates of Ar Rayaan
What a great success

People are sleeping
And they wake up when they die
Missing the reward

The love of this world
Destroying their afterlife
Not fasting at all

Be gentle and mild
In discussion and debate
Brothers and Sisters

Ramadan is Here
Full of rewards and blessings
Glorify Allah!!

Brothers and Sisters
True Ramadan Mubarak
Wish you true success!

and do remember me in your dowa's (invocation)