السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

A Muslim's life is turned "upside down" in the month of Ramadhan. We rise before dawn for a meal, eat and drink nothing all day until sunset, followed by prolonged night prayers, vigils and dedications. We do this every day, for 30 days straight! That is serious commitment indeed.

But despite that, Ramadhan is also a time for celebration. We eat and pray together as a family unit, enhance the warmth of family relationships, we brave Geylang bazaar despite the crowds and the smells to buy Hari Raya clothes, spring cleaning the house together, put on fairy lights at home - all these are rare occurrences on any other months of the year!

This juxtaposition of the sacred and the festive can seem odd, but it directs us to a few important lessons: (i) Islam is about maneuvering life, on and of, the middle path, (ii) that unfettered expenditure, consumption and greed does not lead to happiness nor health, (iii) that ours is an age of both hunger and indulgence (for e.g., we gorge ourselves with foods and then go on diets to compensate).

Perhaps our contradictory relationship with our own bodies is connected to our vagueness about our souls. Almost all religions allude to the fact that the body is the temple of the spirit, and that it is to be tended respectfully in order to preserve our inner equilibrium and well-being. Part of this is in knowing how to live with restraint and balance, in other words, of knowing when to stop and finding it easy to do so.

And that is why the deed of fasting in Ramadhan is far from being just another kind of diet. Through the deed of fasting, we try to lose something else: a childish attachment to immediate pleasures. Through fasting, we abandon our needs or abilities to consume and guzzle Allah's gifts (be it Instagram-able foods, fanciful travel destinations or flashy branded products) with an unthinking sense of our own entitlement. The virtue of detachment and restraint, valued by all religious traditions, make the ritualistic deed of fasting a necessary requisite for its adherents on the path of purification and eventually, salvation. It empowers us to regularly step back, to re-evaluate our impulses in an objective and realistic manner. This is the reason why we should celebrate Ramadhan. 

Allah s.w.t. hopes that we "may become righteous"  [al-Baqarah 2:183] through the exercise of restraint in fasting, so that we learn greater discipline and detachment in order to appreciate life more fully. And righteousness is the only distinguishing factor when we stand before Allah s.w.t. on the Day of Judgment: "The most honorable among you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you."  [al-Hujurat 49:13]

Fasting itself may not be easy but it is a catalyst for us to heal ourselves and to find true happiness: through a detached mastery of the self, in the sober awareness of our total dependence on Allah s.w.t.

Love,
The Alchemist.

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

How was your first day of fasting? I hope it went by smoothly, insyaAllah. Remember these few tips: be continuously productive during the day, eat light for both your sahur and iftar, and be more 'present' in your deeds.

When I asked students and friends what they think about the month of Ramadhan, most will respond by relating it to the deed of fasting. But, fasting is a mere outcome of a more beautiful tapestry of events. To appreciate this, we have to revert to the background of surah al-Baqarah, in particular the 2nd juzu' of the Qur'an.

The section begins by narrating about the change of Qibla from Jerusalem to Masjidil Haram. Verse 184 of al-Baqarah is usually understood to refer to the fast in Ramadhan. But if you appreciate the choice of language used in the beginning of the verse, it is a “jam’u qilla” linguistic construction ~ meaning, when Allah (s.w.t.) says "[Fasting for] a limited number of days…" - it refers to an amount which is less than 10 days. Hence, this verse cannot be about the fasting of Ramadhan yet, but about the fasting in the past.

It is only when we read verse 185 that Allah refers to the current fast in Ramadhan. Even then, the verse begins as such: "The month of Ramadhan is that in which the Quran was revealed, as a guide to mankind, also as clear (signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong)." 

Therefore, the thing that makes Ramadhan special is not the fasting per se, but the revelation of the Quran. The purpose of Ramadhan is to celebrate the Quran. Otherwise, why did Allah, in His Infinite Wisdom, began the verse with and about Ramadhan, but all this time, speaks about the Qur'an in that verse of Ramadhan? 

The fast in Ramadhan is therefore to honor the miracle of the Qur'an - as constant guidance to mankind till the Day of Judgment. 

With this appreciation, I hope we will include the Qur'an as part of our Ramadhan program this year. We can do so in 2 ways: First, by planning to finish reading the Qur'an this Ramadhan. For those who are able to recite it in Arabic should do so, but for those who are new and are not fluent, should not make that as an excuse to read the translations. 

Second, by planning to memorize 1-2 chapters of the Qur'an, depending on your individual ability. One can start with the verses from Juz 'Amma or from the other longer chapters. If we do this every Ramadhan, insyaAllah, there will come a point in our lives when we will have memorized the entire Qur'an. And what a blessing that will be!

After all, what have we got to show for in this blessed month of Ramadhan, despite fasting year after year?What have we benefitted from our past Ramadhans?

It is better to reflect on this question at the beginning of this month, so that we can spur ourselves into positive actions and increase the quality of our fasting.

May Allah strengthen you in your resolute, and may your efforts in this month be a witness in your favor on the Day of Account. Amin, ya Rabb!

Love, 
The Alchemist.

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

I wish you a warm welcome as we embrace the coming of a new Ramadhan. 

In this month, I made a resolution to continue where I left off months ago (February to be exact) in updating this blog. There will be daily reflections, insyaAllah, so do check us out regularly! I hope it will facilitate me in my own personal journey, and in the process, may be of some value to my readers.

Ramadhan has a special place in my heart. Particularly, since I have been privileged to know many new Muslims and "re-born" Muslims who will undergo the deed of fasting for the first time every year. In all reality, they inspire me in my own journey of fasting. They keep my appreciation of Ramadhan afresh, each year.

I am reminded of Allah's words, which means: “Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period, and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; that perhaps you will be grateful.”  [al-Baqarah 2:185]

Therefore, I urge you, to re-look at our perspective of fasting. Allah s.w.t. intends felicity for us, so that we can increase our glorification of Him, that perchance we can be cultivated into becoming grateful servants. All these are achieved through the deed of fasting. If we understand this, fasting will be easy and not a burden for us. Only then can we benefit from all that the trainings of fasting can offer.

Another important point which requires mention at the beginning of our fasts is this - the  discipline of fasting is an on-going process for Muslims. It is not a one-month-in-a-year event. Unfortunately, most of us reached many spiritual peaks in this month only to revert to our old self with the advent of Syawal. For example, we are successful in waking up early to perform night vigils in Ramadhan, yet finds it difficult to wake up for Fajr on time on any other months. We consume moderate amounts of food in the month of Ramadhan, yet gorge ourselves with celebratory foods on the days of Syawal, and beyond. We complete reading the Qur'an in Ramadhan, but finds it cumbersome to read on any other months. The list goes on...

If only we treat Ramadhan as our training month to equip ourselves with a better lifestyle for the other months, then we will be more successful individually and as a community. Only then, we will stop uttering the limpid lament at the end of every Ramadhan: "Oh, how sad I am to have my dear friend (Ramadhan) leaves me" - because in reality, a Muslim who understands the true nature of Ramadhan, carries the spirit and discipline of Ramadhan with him/her throughout the year. It is no surprise that the deed of supererogatory fasting is a highly encouraged deed beyond Ramadhan - so that we are always reminded of the lessons throughout the year.

Remain resolute. Do not give up when your thirst and hunger urge you to do so. Strive, for how can you be transformed when you are not challenged. Embrace and enjoy the process that fasting has to offer. 

May this blessed month facilitate in the improvement of your Taqwa, enhancement of your intimacy and experience in the Divine. Strive to be a beautiful person - inside and outside - pleasing to Allah s.w.t. and His Beloved s.a.w.

May you leave Ramadhan a better person than when you entered it. Continue being a source of blessings to all around you.

Love, 
The Alchemist.