Lecture 1.2: Introduction to The Fourth Pillar of Islam

•In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, Most Merciful 

•I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh. He is Alone without any partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad peace be upon him is His servant and Messenger.

•Ramadan is the ninth month of the Hijri Calendar (Islamic lunar calendar) and the holiest month of the year. The first verses of Qur’an were revealed to our beloved Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him during Ramadan. Muslims are encouraged to increase in their abstinence from sins and to increase their acts of worship through fasting, reading Qur’an, praying supplementary salat, giving charity and being of service to their community. Good deeds and supplications are especially multiplied in reward during Ramadan. It’s important to take advantage of every moment to worship Allah during this blessed month.

•Allah the Almighty urges Muslims to fear Him during the month of Ramadan (to do all that Allah has ordered and to abstain from all that He has forbidden) and to be familiarized with the acts of worship. The reality of some muslims in Ramadan: Ramadan has become a month of folkloric habits for some Muslims, which has no relation to Islam.

• Ramadan became a month of customs and traditions. The one who doesn’t consider that Ramadan is the month of worshipping, the month of lowering the gaze, the month of controlling the tongue, the month of reciting the Qur’an, the month of spending, the month of strengthening ties with Allah, the month of loving Allah and approaching to Him and the month of forgiveness, is far away from being truly fasting.

•The Prophet (PBUH) described some hypocrites saying: “They are like the camel which does not know why its owner leashes or unleashes it.” They fast, and they break their fast without any change. “There are people who fast and get nothing from their fast except hunger and thirst.”

praise; forgiveness; deeds; Hijri Calendar; the holiest month; verses; Prophet; abstinence; supplementary salat; supplications; reward; blessed month; worshipping; hypocrites; sin(s); 

Gracious; Merciful; Almighty; Verily; praise (v1); refuge; evil; guide (v1); lead astray (v1), worshipped; servant; revealed (v3); increase (v1); worship; community; urge (v1); abstain (v1); forbidden (v3); customs ; traditions; gaze; reciting; spending; strengthening; ties;