Jihad in Ramadan

I was reading a posting in a forum where a sister reminded us that Allah’s command to fast during Ramadan was given to our Prophet Muhammad s.a.w during the war in Badar al Kubra. The command to fast trained the Muslims during that time to be physically accustomed to the possibility of economic restrain that may be enforced by the enemies. It ended with Allah swt giving a victorious win to the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w and the people of Madinah.

Now, even though, we may not be at the brink of war but I see Ramadan as a golden opportunity to battle against, what is mentioned in a hadis as our worst enemy, our Nafs. When Iblis and shaytan are all locked up, we are just left to fend against our inner self, the Nafs. And in Ramadan, I get a reality check on how weak I can be to my own Nafs.

It is a well-known fact that Allah swt will handsomely reward those who not only read the Quran but also understand and try to internalise the meanings behind the verses. We can do that any other days but the reward, if this is done during the month of Ramadan, is amplified many folds. Yet, sometimes I choose to read meaningless things or worst, watch some entertainment show on TV. And then I try to justify my actions – making myself believe that there is actually a valid reason.

And then there were times in the past Ramadan when we were out shopping for our Hari Raya goodies or clothes instead of performing our solat Tarawih, especially towards the last 10 days of Ramadan. The shaytans are still locked up but we, humans, are still doing things that are not beneficially or meaningful to ourselves as a Muslim.

It is said that “There are two kinds of people, one are those whose Nafs have overcome them and led them to ruin because they yielded to them and obeyed their impulses. The other kinds are those who have overcome their Nafs and made them obey their commands.” This is taken from an article The Meaning of Nafs by Muhammad 'Afifi al-'Akiti.

I think every Muslim yearns to belong to the latter group. Putting a lid of one’s Nafs and overcoming it is definitely something that needs to be worked on. It is an ongoing battle. It won’t be easy but I believe it is achievable. So with this jihad in mind, I hope that my Ramadan this year will be better than my previous ones. Insya’allah.

A quote from Ibn Kathir:
"The Mu'min are a people who have been prevented through the Qur'an from indulging in the pleasures of this world; it comes between them and what might destroy them. The Mu'min is like a prisoner in this world, who tries to free himself from its shackles and chains, placing his trust in nothing in it, until the day he meets his Creator. He knows full well that he is accountable for everything that he hears, sees and says, and for everything that he does with his body."
(Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 9 pg. 276, Cairo 1352)