Welcome Blessed Month of Ramadan 2023!

Ramadan Kareem!

Prophet Muhammad Archangel Gabriel “O moon-faced Beloved,
the month of Ramadan has arrived.
Cover the table
and open the path of praise.”

The great Muslim poet Jalal al-Din Rumi sang about Ramadan in the 13th century AD (translation by A.J. Arberry):

“The month of fasting has come, the emperor’s banner has arrived; withhold your hand from food, the spirit’s table has arrived.

The soul has escaped from separation and bound nature’s hands; the heart of error is defeated, the army of faith has arrived.

Fasting is our sacrifice, it is the life of our soul; let us sacrifice all our body, since the soul has arrived as guest.

Fortitude is as a sweet cloud, wisdom rains from it, because it was in such a month of fortitude that the Koran arrived.

…Wash your hands and your mouth, neither eat nor speak; seek that speech and that morsel which has come to the silent ones.” — Rumi

The holy month of Ramadan begins on the first day of Ramadan which is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. This year, 2023, it starts on the evening of March 22nd after the New Moon, Chandraat. It is especially significant astrologically as this year Ramadan starts right after Navroz, the Spring Equinox increasing the spiritual and celestial blessings. The energies pouring in from the Central Sun and as ordained by our Creator, we are now experiencing Heaven on Earth as we recognize our Divine Spark activated so we can ascend! Read more on my Nawruz page.

After the moon’s lunar cycle of 30 days or so, the end of the fasting month is celebrated by Eid where the devout celebrate after having completed the month of fasting successfully from dawn to sunset each day. The end of this month starts with the morning prayers on Eid-ul Fitr where greetings are exchanged with everyone, children are given an Eidi, a gift of money followed great rejoicing and feasting and picnics.

Ramadan is the month that the Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad on the 23rd night of Ramadan and that night has been called the Night of Power – Layla-tul Qadr, the great night where a single moment of enlightenment of the Light of God converts the night into a period of Spiritual glory and majesty that touches the eternal life. Pious Muslims strive to make themselves pure, especially during this month, by ritual and spiritual observances to make ready for the Companionship on High as alluded to in Rumi’s poem above. The faithful try to emulate the Prophet Muhammad’s example and are engaged in their daily lives with good actions in helping fellow human beings and worshiping God and constantly seeking His Grace by their ethical actions in society and during Ramadan, all the piety is concentrated especially whilst fasting and staying away from all pollution and unethical behavior. This month has been declared sacred in the Holy Quran wherein God says:

2:183 – O you who believe, fasting is prescribed on you as it was prescribed to those before you so that you may become self-restrained.

2:185 – The prescribed fasting is for a fixed number of days, but whoso among you is sick or on a journey, shall fast the same number of other days; and for those who are able to fast only with great difficulty, is an expiation – the feeding of a poor man. And whoso does good of his own accord it is better for him. And fasting is good for you, if you only knew.

The Holy Quran was revealed on the 23rd night of Ramadan celebrated as Layla tul Qadr — the Night of Power when Angel Gabriel descended to deliver God’s message to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him Quran 97:1-3:

Iqra, bi-ismi rabbika allathee khalaq

Khalaqa al-insana min AAalaq

Iqra, warabbuka al-akram

Allathee AAallama bil qalam

AAallama al-insana ma lamyaAAlam

Read in the name of your Lord Who created.

He created man from a clot.

Read and your Lord is Most Honorable,

Who taught (to write) with the pen

Taught man what he knew not.

The extra prayerful month leaves a mark on the faithful as the believer is forever transformed for his/her close communication with God by these material and spiritual practices. One continues this practice all year and reaps the benefits by remaining ever vigilant to her duty to her Lord from Whom we have come and to Him is our return. — Inna Lillahi wa inna Illaiyhi Raajeoon!

Here is our 48th Imam Mowlana Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III’s view on fasting:

“The healthy human body is the temple in which the flame of the Holy Spirit burns, and thus it deserves the respect of scrupulous cleanliness and personal hygiene. Prayer is a daily necessity, a direct communication of the spark with the Universal flame. Reasonable fasting for a month in every year, provided a man’s health is not impaired thereby, is an essential part of the body’s discipline – through which the body learns to renounce all impure desires. Adultery, alcoholism, slander and thinking evil of one’s neighbour are specifically and severely condemned. All men, rich and poor, must aid one another materially and personally. The rules vary in detail, but they all maintain the principle of universal mutual aid in the Muslim fraternity. This fraternity is absolute, and it comprises men of all colours and all races: black, white, yellow, tawny; all are the sons of Adam in the flesh and all carry in them spark of the Divine Light. Everyone should strive his best to see that this spark be not extinguished but rather developed to that full “Companionship-on-High” which was the vision expressed in the last words of the Prophet on his deathbed, the vision of that blessed state which he saw clearly awaiting him. In Islam the Faithful believe in Divine justice and are convinced that the solution of the great problem of predestination and free will is to be found in the compromise that God knows what man is going to do, but that man is free to do it or not.”

Full text at: Memoirs – Religion of my Ancestors

Rumi on Fasting:

There’s hidden sweetness in the stomach’s emptiness.
We are lutes, no more, no less.

If the sound boxes stuffed full of anything, no music.
If the brain and belly are burning clean with fasting,
every moment a new song comes out of the fire.
The fog clears, and new energy makes you run
up the steps in front of you.
Be emptier and cry like reed instruments cry.

Emptier, write secrets with the reed pen.
When you’re full of food and drink,
Satan sits where your spirit should,
an ugly metal statue in place of the Kaaba.
When you fast, good habits gather
like friends who want to help.
Fasting is Solomon’s ring.

Don’t give into some illusion and lose your power,
but even if you have, if you’ve lost all will and control,
they come back when you fast,
like soldiers appearing out of the ground,
pennants flying above them.

A table descends to your tents, Jesus’ table.
Expect to see it, when you fast,
this table spread with other food,
better than the broth of cabbages. — Rumi

For the last 1400 years, now over 1.5 billion Muslims throughout the world, the believers pay special attention to the esoteric (batin) matters by practicing the exoteric (zaher) fasting by refraining from dishonesty, stealing, unethical actions, and other activities that would lead one astray. A Momin’s (believer’s) life is a journey to become one with the Essence and her daily life is a mirror of her spiritual beauty. A Muslim lives a daily life of piety which includes practice of faith and taking care of life, that means, working for the family, earning and taking part in society whilst also maintaining a relationship with the Creator-on-high. So the Tasbi (rosary) will be in constant use to remember God and re-member this link with the Spirit and Soul.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sun-up to sun-down daily, not having anything to eat, drink, smoke and keep away from sexual relations during that period of about 8-10 hours a day. A special feast is prepared for the breaking of the fast each evening known as Iftar, where everyone present is invited to partake of the dinner after the all-day fast and prayers of thanks are offered and family and friends reconnect and rejoice for remembering their duty to God and for striving to be pious.

The month ends with special festivities on the Eid al-Fitr (Day of Feasting) when families and friends truly rejoice for having completed the commandment of Allah by successful abstinence and by zikr (remembrance of Allah) at all times.

Sunnata man qad arsalna qablaka minrusulina wala tajidu lisunnatina tahweela

(This was Our) way with the messengers We sent before thee: thou wilt find no change in Our ways. — Quran 17:77

Audio Quran 17:77

The above Ayat is retold by Imam Hazrat Ali in his Khutbat Iftikhar so beautifully and powerfully!

“I am the meaning of Ramadan and the night of Qadr (Quran 97:1-3) mentioned in the Mother Book. My utterance is decisive, for I am the Surah of Praise (Hamd). I am the purpose of prayer itself, whether at home or when travelling. I am the purpose of fasting, and the sacred anniversaries in the months of the year. I am the Lord of Resurrection and Judgement, the One who can remove the yoke that lies heavy on the people of Muhammad. I am the Gate through which all shall pass who worship God; I am His worshipper, and one created by Him. I am both the witness and the One witnessed to, the possessor of the green canopy, He Whose name is mentioned in the heavens and the earth, Who is the travelling companion of the Messenger of God throughout the heavens, for with Me is the Book and the sacred Arc.”