The origin of "Ramadan", the sacred Muslim occassion, can be traced partly to historic accounts as well as the various holy Islamic texts. A great part of the history of Ramadan depends on ancient Islamic folklore.
According to the Islamic texts, Ramadan began with Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam who was born in 570 CE in the Arabian city of Mecca. Orphaned at a young age, Muhammad was reared by his uncle Abu Talib. The boy grew up to be a merchant, as well as a shepherd. He was first married by age 25.
Gradually Muhammad began to be dissatisfied with his life in Mecca. Having an idealistic and religious temperament from his very early days, he retreated to the caves in the surrounding mountains of Mecca for meditation and reflection.
According to Islam, one night during the month of Ramadan in the year 610 A.D. when Muhammad was 40 years of age and was passing the month in meditation in Mount Hira, he had a vision of an angel appearing before him. This angel introduced himself as Jibril and revealed that Muhammad was the messenger of Allah and was born to be a prophet to his people. The angel asked Muhammad to recite what he said:
"Recite in the name of your Lord Who creates.
Creates man from a clot.
Recite: And your Lord is the Most Bountiful
Who teaches by the pen,
He teaches man what he does not know."
With a confounded mind, Muhammad descended from Mount Hira and told everything to his wife Khadijah. He feared that he had had an encounter with an evil spirit. But Khadijah allayed his fears reminding him of his good conduct until then and that it was impossible for him to be visited by a demon. She took him to her old cousin Waraqa ibn Nawfal and told the latter everything about Muhammad's meeting with the angel. Waraqa ibn Nawfal was a much learned man and was well-versed in various sacred texts concerning different religion. The lettered man convinced Muhammad that he was indeed a messenger of God and the angel who visited Muhammad was the same divine messenger Gabriel who had also visited the Hebrew prophet Moses.
In the following twenty-three years, Muhammad was visited many times by Jibril who taught him the holy knowledge in verses. This sacred knowledge consists of the code of conduct that Allah wants his people to maintain on earth. It is inscribed in verses which are compiled in the holy Qur'an, the most sacred book in Islam.
It is said that the sacred knowledge was revealed to Muhammad during the month of Ramadan. "Laylat al-Qadr" - a night of the month is symbolically regarded as the same night on which the holy knowledge was gifted to Muhammad and mankind. The followers of Islam consider "Laylat al-Qadr" as the "Night of the Power", the holiest night of the year.
As a mark of respect to Allah and to show gratitude to him for the true knowledge that he gifted to his sons and daughters, the prophet asked his followers (and therefore the followers of Islam) to pass the month of Ramadan in fasting, prayers and other austerities and end the month-long non-indulgence with festive celebrations.
The Quran instructs us:
"Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was revealed, providing guidance for the people, clear teachings, and the statute book. Those of you who witness this month shall fast therein. Those who are ill or traveling may substitute the same number of other days. Allah wishes for you convenience, not hardship, that you may fulfill your obligations, and to glorify Allah for guiding you, and to express your appreciation." [Surat Al-Baqarah 2:185]
Thus was born the sacred occassion called Ramadan, a month-long period of austerity that sees devout Muslims across the world keep themselves away during the entire daytime, offering prayers and abstaining from almost every kind of enjoyment including drinking and abstaining from sex. For Muslims all over, it is a very special time - of introspection, meditation, self control, charitable activities, spirituality and of course, devotion to God.
"O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint."
~ [al-Baqarah, 2:183]~
Ahlan wa Sahlan Ya Ramadhan...
Ramadhan is "hugging" us once again. Looking back at the last Ramadhan,there are a lots of plans that i intended to do, which did not go exactly as planned.
Me : i wanna finish all 30 juz of recitation of Qur'an, i wanna give sedaqah, i wanna qiam..bla3..
Unluckily..i've failed...oh.. Allah, do forgive me..BUT!!!..for this Ramadhan, i'm gonna do my best..so i've to plan each moments in Ramadhan wisely.Some of us take it for granted, but i'll make sure myself to appreciate this great3 month...Ahlan wa Sahlan Ya Ramadhan...
~ learn, play n chill ~
Jumaat minggu lepas aku ada chat dengan Hilal,
aku : Hilal, boleh claim lagi tak yang anta nak blanja tu..he3
Hilal : boleh tapi macam mana nak blanja...???
aku : ana taw anta sekarang dah bz tapi datang la IIUM..
Hilal : oh..boleh jugak cemtu
Di pendekkan cerita Hilal pun datang la IIUM tapi yang sedihnya aku banyak sangat keja time tu..hu3. Hari sabtu Hilal sampai lepas maghrib kalau tak silap. Aku mintak Najmi tolong ambik tapi dia tido tume tu so Raja g ambik. Malam tu aku still tak jumpa Hilal cos terlalu bz..
Keesokan harinya, ada orang sms
(music sassy girl)...
-wan, jom breakfast d cafe Ali.....
-aku reply..sori bz....
-ok...
pastu bila aku stop skejap kerja, aku call Ikrimah...
aku : Hilal cemne???ok???
Ikrimah : ok je..ble nak datang sni???
Tiba-tiba terdengar suara Hilal dari jauh...
' Ridhwan, pe cite ni???suro ana datang tapi tak nak jmpa, sedih betul ana..."
Aku terkesema seketika..erk!!..setelah aku pikir, betul jugak cakap Hilal tu..aku pun terus mandi dan pergi ke bilik Ikrimah. Kami pun jumpa.Then dekat situ jugak kami plan
aku : jom outing Hilal belanja..he3
Hilal : boleh je
aku : aku lupa mamat ni dah kaya(dalam hati la)
Then kami pun g la main boling dekat "segi empat masa"..
tapi sebelum tu aku lapar so Hilal blanja roti cream mango..sedap siot..he3
Main punya main sampai nak petang da. Yang tak bestnya aku kalah dengan Hilal..8 point je beza.. dye total 140 aku plak 132..hu3..takpe2, nanti repeat..he3
Kami balik awal cos nak main volley plak..tamat cite..
