Welcoming the Month of Ramadhān: A Matter of the Heart

For some, the month of Ramadhān, the month God commands us to fast, is a matter of hunger and thirst. But for others looking deeper, taking meaning, the month of Ramadhān is a matter of the heart.

Allah commands us to a month of intensive training, abstaining from food and drink. Deepening our perspective, we see that out of His love and mercy to His slaves, He has commanded us to much more: He calls us to fast from all that we are inclined to in this worldly life and to fast from the many desires we have in it.

Allah wants that we strive for spiritual excellence and empty our hearts from the love of sensory pleasures; He wants us to make room for a higher, nobler love. He beckons us this month to a training in loosing ourselves from the bondage of “other than Him”. By closing ourselves off from what we are inclined to – by holding back from what we love in this world – we answer His call.

Let’s remind ourselves daily, while fasting, of the deeper training we hope to undertake. With each gnaw of hunger and parching of our lips, let us return to our call: to the task of subduing our love of sensory delights so that the inner eye of our heart will open.

Our purpose renewed: let us fast from the world and what we love in it, this month. Let’s make every moment a practice for our lives, both this month and beyond: to empty ourselves from anything at all which hinders God’s love in our hearts.

Inspired by As-Sādiq’s (ra) discerning words, my du’ā this blessed month is this:

“Oh Allah, bring my focus to One.”

May Allah open our hearts to nothing less than Him.

What is your du’ā this sacred month of Ramadhān? What has inspired you?