The month of Ramadan has great virtue, especially regarding the blessings and glory that are in this holy month.
Every arrival of the month of Ramadan is felt by Muslims with joy all over the world, including in Indonesia.
The month of Ramadan is also always greeted with enthusiasm considering the many practices that a Muslim can do in this holy month.
Most of them even compete in the pursuit of reward in the month of Ramadan and it will be a loss for Muslims if they do not take benefit of the coming of this month of Ramadan by increasing their practice.
Therefore, to know the meaning of the month of Ramadan, it is necessary to understand what practices Muslims can do in filling the month of Ramadan.
HalalTrip summarizes the meaning of the month of Ramadan for Muslims from various sources with the following information.
The obligation to fast in this month of Ramadan is as ordered by Allah in the Qur'an, Surah Al Baqarah verse 183.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
Meaning: O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you so that you may become pious. (Surat Al Baqarah: 183).
If it is done properly according to the guidance of the Qur'an and Sunnah, it will be released from its sins so that it becomes clean again like a newborn baby from its mother's womb.
The virtue of fasting this Ramadan is based on the words of the Prophet Muhammad
مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ
From Abu Hurairah radhiallahu 'anhu., the Prophet SAW said: "Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and sincerity, then his past sins will be forgiven". (Sahih hadith, narrated by al-Bukhari: 37 and Muslim: 1266).
In another hadith it is stated:
So fasting during Ramadan is one part of the third pillar of Islam which has many blessings, virtues, and various privileges that are not shared by other months, and is the cause of the forgiveness of sins and the erasing of various mistakes.
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The Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the month of Ramadan, the Qur'an is a guide and a way of life that every Muslim must believe in.
In Surah Al Qadar verse 1, Allah confirms that the Qur'an was revealed on the night of Lailatul Qadar, which is the most special and noblest night in the holy month of Ramadan. It is a night that all the fellow of Muhammad really hope for, and better than a thousand months.
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْناهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ
Indeed, We have sent it down (the Qur'an) on a glorious night. (Al-Qadar: 1)
So that the meaning of the month of Ramadan for Muslims becomes even more important with the revelation of the Qur'an as a book of life guidelines or instructions for humans to distinguish good from the bad.
Allah says:
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآَنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ.
The month of Ramadan, the month in which the Qur'an was sent down (beginning) as a guide for mankind and explanations for that guidance and the difference (between right and wrong)." (Surat al-Baqarah: 185).
The month of Ramadan is one of the greatest means of strengthening faith every year. The month of Ramadan is also the right time to seek forgiveness and a great reward from Allah.
By knowing the large and multiplied reward, you can be more enthusiastic about fasting while carrying out various practices. So what practices can be done?
For example, increase charity. Entering the month of Ramadan, don't delay giving charity to others. It is very good if you do it every time. Set aside a little of your expenses to share with those in need.
Allah loves those who do good deeds and likes to help their people surrounding them. You don't have to give it openly, you can also give alms secretly which might bring you a lot of good.
Read dhikr and pray. Praying and dhikr can be done anytime and anywhere. Allah also encourages His servants to always remember and dhikr to Him. However, dhikr in the month of Ramadan has its virtues whose rewards are multiplied by Allah and the prayers are answered.
Do the sunnah. Some things that are sunnah while in the month of Ramadan include Doing Sahur. In a hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari from Anas bin Malik radhiallahu'anhu, that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu 'laihi wa sallam) said: "Have your sahur, because in the meal there is a blessing."
Reciting the Qur'an and finishing it. Reading the Qur'an is a sunnah practice in the fasting month of Ramadan which is highly recommended.
وَكَانَ جِبْرِيلُ يَلْقَاهُ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ فَيُدَارِسُهُ الْقُرْآن
"Jibril met him every night of the month of Ramadan, and he (Jibril) recited the Quran with him."
(H.R. Bukhari No. 3220)
Sharing food with those who break their fast. This activity is a sunnah practice in the fasting month of Ramadan. This is narrated in the hadith HR. At-Tirmidhi:
مَنْ فَطَّرَ صَائِمًا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِهِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لَا يَنْقُصُ مِنْ أَجْرِ الصَّائِمِ شَيْئًا
"Whoever gives food to break the fast for a fasting person, then he will have hastened to get his reward as that person, without reducing that person's reward in the slightest.
Hastening to break the fast is an easy thing to do for practice. This is in HR. Al-Baihaqi:
كان أصحاب محمد صلى الله عليه و سلم أعجل الناس إفطارا وأبطأهم سحورا
"The companions of Muhammad are those who are the hastiest in breaking their fast, and the last in their sahur."
I'tikaf is staying in the mosque to seek the pleasure of Allah and introspection of one's actions. I'tikaf means to settle on something. Meanwhile, according to sharia, i'tikaf means especially staying in the mosque accompanied by an intention.
The more appropriate time for I'tikaf is at the end of Ramadan (the last 10 days of Ramadan) like the hadith of 'Aisha, she said,
أَنَّ النَّبِىَّ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – كَانَ يَعْتَكِفُ الْعَشْرَ الأَوَاخِرَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ حَتَّى تَوَفَّاهُ اللَّهُ ، ثُمَّ اعْتَكَفَ أَزْوَاجُهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ
"The Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam performed I'tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan until his death, then his wives did I'tikaf after his departure.
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam did 'tikaf in the last ten days to get the night of Lailatul Qadar so that it was easy to pray to his Lord, pray a lot and remember a lot at that time.
Umrah in the month of Ramadan is in a hadith in Shahihain from Ibn Abbas, that the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said to a woman,
فَإِنَّ عُمْرَةً فِيهِ تَعْدِلُ حَجَّةً
"Umrah in the month of Ramadan is rewarded like the pilgrimage"
in another narration,
حَجَّةً مَعِي
"(The reward is like) Hajj with me"
So the virtue of Umrah in the month of Ramadan is clear from what he said when he said, "the reward is like Hajj". Based on this hadith, the scholars concluded that the reward for Umrah in Ramadan is the same as Hajj, for all who perform Umrah in the month of Ramadan.
Qiyam Ramadan, namely performing tarawih prayers and other night prayers during the month of Ramadan. The following is a hadith regarding the tarawih prayer:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ
From Abu Hurairah radhiallahu 'anhu, the Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever prays at night in Ramadan out of faith and hopes for a reward from Allah, his past sins will be forgiven. (Narrated by Bukhari No. 37, Muslim No. 759)
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The main meaning of the month of Ramadan for Muslims is as a month in which Muslims are required to fast for a whole month. During fasting, Muslims are required to restrain all lust, behave patiently, and endure trials.
Muhammad said, "Fasting (Ramadan) is a shield and a strong fortress from the torment of hellfire." (Narrated by Ahmad and al-Baihaqi).
You are required to refrain from all emotions when fasting, besides of course to withstand thirst and hunger. All emotions, such as lust, anger, and other excessive emotions can damage the reward of fasting.
Answering prayers is one of the virtues of the month of Ramadan. In this case, for every Muslim who fasts during Ramadan, all prayers can be granted by Allah.
"Three people whose prayers are not rejected: the one who fasts until he breaks his fast, the just leader, and the prayer of the oppressed." (HR At Tirmidhi no. 3598. At Tirmidhi says that this hadith is Hasan)
The virtue of the month of Ramadan is also the best opportunity for the elimination of the sins that we have ever done. The month of Ramadan is a good time to take the opportunity to repent.
Muhammad said which means: "The five daily prayers, Friday to Friday and Ramadan to Ramadan, wash away the sins between those times as long as major sins are avoided." (HR Muslim)
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The night of a thousand months or Lailatul Qadar is a night that occurs in the month of Ramadan. In the Qur'an, the night of Lailatul Qadar is described as a night that is better than the night of a thousand months.
We can get a blessing whose value is equal to the night of a thousand months. Therefore, we need to increase our worship in the month of Ramadan, especially in the last 10 days of the fasting month.
Allah says which means: "Indeed We have sent it down (the Qur'an) on lailatul qadar (night of glory). And do you know what the night of glory is? The night of glory is better than a thousand months." (Surat al-Qadr: 1-3).
Therefore, you should increase your worship while fasting. In addition, you are also required not to say or do bad behavior in the month of Ramadan.
The hope is, when the month of Ramadan has passed, we will get used to doing good things, not pursuing bad things, and becoming a human being who is more patient in dealing with everything.
