Ramadan in Islam: A Golden Opportunity for the Muslim Ummah

Siddiqur Rahman

Mohd Siddiqur Rahman

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and one of the holiest months in Islam. It is the month in which fasting (Sawm) has been made obligatory upon every adult Muslim. From dawn to sunset, Muslims abstain from food, drink, and all immoral acts in obedience to the command of Almighty Allah. This sacred month was honored by the revelation of the Holy Qur’an to the Prophet  (peace be upon him), making it a month of divine mercy, guidance, and spiritual elevation.

Our religion conveys the glad tidings that Ramadan is a golden opportunity for the Muslim Ummah worldwide. It is a special month for the devoted servants of Allah. During this month, Muslims are required not only to fast but also to strictly observe all spiritual disciplines, including performing the five daily prayers and additional voluntary prayers (Taraweeh), controlling indecent words and unlawful deeds, restraining from greed, anger, envy, backbiting, arrogance, and other harmful passions, increasing charitable activities and humanitarian services to the needy, paying Zakat and supporting orphans and orphanage institutions, and reducing luxuries to live a simple and disciplined life.

Ramadan is not merely a month of fasting; it is a comprehensive training for self-discipline and righteousness. The lessons of patience, self-control, generosity, and humility learned in this month are meant to reflect throughout the remaining eleven months of the year and across our entire lives. It nurtures a balanced, moral, and spiritually conscious individual.

Almighty Allah has promised to reward His servants directly for their fasting. In a Hadith Qudsi, Allah declares that fasting is for Him, and He Himself will grant its reward. Furthermore, every act of piety performed in Ramadan is rewarded many times more. Among its greatest blessings is the Night of Power (Laylatul Qadr), which is better than a thousand months. Worship performed on this blessed night brings immense reward and forgiveness.

It is said that if a person fails to take advantage of the countless opportunities of mercy, forgiveness, and salvation offered in Ramadan by Allah—the Most Powerful, Most Gracious, and Most Generous—then he is truly unfortunate. There is no greater misfortune than missing such divine blessings.

This blessed month is traditionally divided into three parts: the first ten days are known as Rahmat (Mercy), the second ten days as Maghfirat (Forgiveness), and the last ten days as Najat (Salvation or Emancipation from Hellfire). We pray to Allah to grant us wisdom, sincerity, and strength to properly observe the instructions of this holy month in full. May He enable us to benefit from every moment of Ramadan, make our scale of good deeds heavy, and admit us into the eternal Paradise promised by Him—a place beneath which rivers flow and where everlasting peace prevails.

May Allah grant us the ability to observe Ramadan with true faith and devotion so that our lives become peaceful, decent, and successful both in this world and in the Hereafter. Ameen.

(Mohd Siddiqur Rahman, Ex Country Manager (Germany) Biman Bangladesh Airlines)