As such, Muslims all over the world has started their very first day of fasting. Upon which Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei observe the same; uniformly.
" O you who believe, fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that you may become God-conscious. "Q. 2
>>God-conscious = Al-Muttaqoon = taqwa
>>The definition to the above-mentioned would be:
>>- The believers who ward-off shirk by obeying Allah.
>>- Sufyan ath-Thawri: They are those who keep away from what Allah prohibits, and fulfill what He commands them."
>>It is said that Umar asked Ubayy b. Ka'b about taqwa, Ubayy in turn asked Umar: "Have you taken a road in which there were thorns?" Umar said: "Certainly!" He said: "I pulled up my garment and tried my best to avoid the thorns." Thereupon Ubayy said: "What you did was taqwa."
>>In other words, to practice taqwa means to try one's best to please Allah in every way, and avoid His wrath and punishment. Since fasting is abstaining from certain natural desires such as eating, drinking, and other desires in submission to the command of Allah, it is in this sense a means of protection, or a guard against not only vileness and vices, but more importantly against the wrath of Allah.
>>According to the Book and Sunnah, and Ijmaa'. Allah the Exalted, says:
" The month of Ramadhan is that in which the Qur'an was sent down as a guidance for mankind with clear proofs of guidance and furqaan. Therefore, whoever of you is present at home in this month, let him observe fasting it. "Q. 2:185
>>Furqaan, anything that makes a separation or distinction between truth and falsity.
>>The Prophet said:
>>Islam is based on five: The Testimony that there is no true god except Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, performing the Salah, giving the Zakat, the Sawm of Ramadhan and the Hajj.
>>As for the Ijmaa', the whole Ummah, is agreed upon the incumbency of observing Ramadhan, and that it is one of the pillars of Islam, and that whoever denies this fact is an infidel and apostate. It was made obligatory in the second year of Hijrah.
>>During the month of Ramadhan, the gates of Jannah are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the shaitan are chained. In it too, falls Lailatul Qadr, (the Night of Decree) the observance of which is better than a thosand months spent in worship. The Lailatul Qadr has great excellence; whoever spends it occupying himself with acts of worship out of belief, Allah will forgive his previous sins. It falls in the last ten days of Ramadhan during which it is praiseworthy to recite the following du'a
Allahumma innaka Afuwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu anni.
O Allah! You are Oft-Forgiving, and love forgiving, so forgive my sins.
- The Islamic Digest of Aqeedah and Fiqh, Mahmoud R. Murad
On a personal tangent, it is a great epoch for me as the year 2004 has also sparked a marked change for me as an individual, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. All praise is due to Allah.
I am going to sleep now.
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