The annual Ramadan fasting is a tool used by Allah to teach Muslim faithful how to be good and kind to others in the society, irrespective of professed religion faith and ethnic group one belongs.
Observing the fasting, being described as a “school, seminar and conference” is an instrument deployed by Allah to train Muslims how to be useful to neighbours, friends, associates, colleagues at work, among other areas in the society.
The Chief Imam of Motif Central Mosque, Ojokoro, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos State, Shaykh Abdul-Mumin Muhammad Jamiu Al Fulany, articulated these yesterday (Friday) during Khutbah (sermon) after the two rakah voluntary Salah prayer.
Other virtues Allah uses fasting to teach according Shaykh Al Fulany is for Muslims to realize that every provision given by Allah to individuals was to benefit those who surround one such as families, friends, neighbours, colleagues, among others.
Imam Al Fulany added that Ramadan fasting was to teach kindness to others; avoid sins and how to observe some voluntary fasting, which hold weekly, annually and in every Lunar month.
Following this, Shaykh Al Fulany urged the congregation to sustain pledge made by them during the fasting to be devoted to Allah, urging them not to avoid mosque; shun salat (daily prayers); reading of Quran; giving charity (cash and kind), all of these which are common and regular practices during the just concluded fasting period.
Since the month of Ramadan is like a training school, Imam Al-Fulany called on the congregation to strive and convert the remaining 11 months out of 12 to sustain all righteous acts during Ramadan.
Speaking further, the versatile cleric said there are parameters to measure whether all acts of worship during the last Ramadan were accepted by Allah.
This, according to him include: ability to be consistent in acts like observing regular salat and giving charity.
Others, Shaykh Al Fulany listed are: eagerness to involve in act of worship; avoiding sinful acts and ability to avoid arrogance and subsequently sustain modesty and humility.
Ramadan is the 9th Lunar month. The fasting in it is fourth pillars of Islam.
Muslims, especially, those who have attained puberty age and healthy are mandated to fast for 29 or 30 days, after sighting of the moon, specifically to learn “self restraint”.