Sunday 23 August 2009

My Ramadan Diary - Day 2

Taqwa - Piety

How wonderful it was to hear that here in the UK we all managed to begin Ramadan on the same day this year without any  confusion about following moon sightings elsewhere in the world or using calculations.

It would be very poor to start the month with acrimony over which day to start just as we should be doing ou best to avoid such unsuitable thoughts.

I have been trying to understand the meaning of taqwa, it is not the same as the western concept of piety and has much more to do with being concious of how all one's actions have a consequence and that it is important in every choice to seek to do the right thing.

Taqwa may sometimes be seen  as being of right conduct, of protecting oneself from evil and its consequences and, as a result, from the punishment that God would otherwise inflict.  In reading the Qur'an we can find it used to describe that God is the Lord of Righteousness or all that is right (Sura al-Muddaththir 56), a cloak of righteousness [that guards against evil] (Surah al-Araf 7) and God's command of self-restraint that was sent as a gift to the believers in Surah al-Fath.

It is this trait that we should be seeking to improve with or fast this Ramadan; each morning in my dua I shall, insh'allah, ask that God grant me taqwa and each evening I shall, insh'allah, reflect on it and give thanks for what God has granted me.

Saturday 22 August 2009

My Ramadan Diary - Day 1

Fajr - The Dawn

Ramadan Mubarak! May the blessings of this wonderful month go with you.

For us, here in the UK today marks the beginning of Ramadan this year, we are a day later than many other countries. I have done my preparations, read all the advice about what to eat and drink for my Sahur and Iftar meals and I think I'm ready.

This month is a chance for all Muslims to recharge our spiritual batteries for the year ahead and this year I'm going totry to do my best to become a better Muslim by doing some of the studying that I have been putting off. I am also going to try to keep up this Ramadan diary at least once a day for the whole month.

Assalamu Alalikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh - May the peace, the mercy, and the blessings of Allah be upon you.