Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 997 [Read full issue]
Patience and Sympathy
"This is indeed the month of patience, and the reward for true patience is paradise. It is the month of sympathy with one's fellow human beings; it is the month wherein a true believer's provisions is increased." [Bukhari]
Ramadan is the month of patience. Hence, even if great difficulty is experienced in prescribed fasting, one should bear it cheerfully with patience; one should not complain, as people are likely to do during the hot summer days. Similarly, if the pre-dawn meal is missed, one should not complain. Should we feel fatigued at the time of the Special Prayer (tarawih), this too should be borne with patience. Do not consider it a great imposition or trial otherwise these performances may lose credit with God. When we turn our back on worldly comforts, forsake our eating and drinking for the sake of livelihood, then in comparison with God's pleasure what are these little difficulties?
Further, the Traditions states that this is the month of sympathy, especially with the poor and destitute. Sympathy should be of a practical nature; when ten things are placed before us for post-sunset meal, at least three or four of them should be set aside for the poor and needy, even if we cannot treat them equally as well as ourselves. In showing sympathy for the poor, as in all other matters, the Companions were living examples, and in this respect, it is our duty to follow or at least try to follow them.
Compiled From:
Ramadan: Motivating Believers To Action, "The Virtues of Ramadan Seen Through the Traditions'" - Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhlawi