Twenty days gone now in the month of Ramadan! How much has Ramadan affected you positively and how have you adjusted to the requirements of the month? What have you been doing that you would not want to do again? Would you like to continue doing what you always do in Ramadan? It is indeed a time for stock-taking.

As we enter into the last ten days and nights, we have to roll up our sleeves in order to double triple our ibadaah especially during the nights. We are all aware of what the Quran says about a night better than a thousand nights.

We have discussed about generosity, kindness and giving in Ramadan. It is not also good to be wasteful. Some Muslims are unable to distinguish between their needs and luxuries, hence they engage in wasteful spending on themselves, buying things they would not need in Ramadan while there are lots and lots of people in need of one thing or the other that you can provide.

Ramadan fast has been prescribed for all Muslims for the development of their souls and to enable them subdue their carnal appetites. This much exertion and sacrifice of sensual desires has been made obligatory upon every Muslim; that he neither eats nor drinks anything nor seek sexual satisfaction during the whole of the blessed month, in compliance with the command of Allah (SWT) and in the process avoid all sinful acts.

There is no time to be more generous than now. Be generous at heart; do not let stinginess overcome you. Let the verses of Quran and hadith encourage you to spend generously in the way of Allah and keep the goal of attaining the hereafter in your mind. Allah SWT says in the Quran: “And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul— it is those who will be the successful.”

Let your generosity this Ramadan be like the ferocious wind, stepping down on anything that comes to break its resolve and determination. This was the level of generosity of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) in the month of Ramadan.

In Islam, the practice of good deeds extends beyond the realm of such Ibadah as prayer and fasting. Unfortunately, for many devout Muslims, the broader definition of good deeds is often lost. They think of good deed in terms of humility and respect. Yes! Many Muslims are quite steadfast in their prayers, very diligent and painstaking in fasting, but they tend to disregard other moral etiquette as explained in both Quran and hadith of making people smile and laugh. We rarely put into practice what we learn from the Quran and Hadiths. This is of course another opportunity to remind us of our moral duties to others. So, we need to broaden our horizons on the issue of moral duty.

In Islam, the practice of good deeds extends beyond the realm of such Ibadah as prayer and fasting. Unfortunately, for many devout Muslims, the broader definition of good deeds is often lost.

This issue was treated on Ramadan 3, but for those that asked for further clarification on the topic, we found it necessary to treat the issue again. Two scenarios apply to the issue of fasting by pregnant woman and nursing mothers.

Quran Chapter 2 verse 185 specifically allows those who are travelling to skip fasting on the condition that they make up for the days missed later.