1) The Holy Month of Ramadan unites all Muslims in fasting, feasting, worship and prayer. It is a time for contemplation, spirituality and brotherhood. It is also known and recognised as the month of the Qur'an, Allah (SW) says:

“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong).” (Al-Baqarah 2:185)

2) The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) addressed his companions on the last day of Sha`ban, saying:

"Oh people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a month in which is a night better than a thousand months; month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night.

Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time.

It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer's sustenance is increased.

Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast, shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Fire of Hell, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all."

[Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah]

3)

"Every action of the son of Adam is given manifold reward, each good deed receiving then times its like, up to seven hundred times.

Allah the Most High said,

'Except for fasting, for it is for Me and I will give recompense for it, he leaves off his desires and his food for Me.' for the fasting person there are two times of joy; a time when he breaks his fast and a time of joy when he meets his Lord, and the smell coming from the mouth of the fasting person is better with Allah than the smell of musk."

[al-Bukhaaree]

Narrated Abû Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him):

The Prophet (may peace be upon him) said, Whoever does not give up telling lies (false statements) and acting on those lies, and evil actions etc., Allâh is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allâh will not accept his Saum (fasting)).

(Al Bukhari)

4) Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Take Suhoor (small meal before dawn); for in the Suhoor there is a blessing. (Muslim)

This Ramadan seems to have started with "Ramadan perfumed air". I don't know how else to describe it really. My emotions are calm this year, and I am yearning to "Do More" so to speak. I think every year we plan to "Do More". To learn more, pray more, read Quran more,worship Allah more.

For some people they achive this goal and they gain alot of soul soothing reward in it. For others, the yearning fades and they go about their nights watching the Ramadan series shows one after another and shoving samboosas by the mouthful, totally ignoring Taraweeh, and barely waking for Fajr.

We have all at one time or another fell into similar situations with more or less actions, promising out of guilt, that next Ramadan, we will do 100% more than what we did last year. This happens to be me. I feel the urge this year to really dive into spiritual devotions. Ive planned to pray more, learn more, read Quran more. I wish we had more lectures where I live in English, so I could gain alot more from them and so could alot of my friends. I wish I had the courage to go to the masjid in my area and see if any sisters worship there and join them in Taraweeh. I wish I was part of such a family that they all gathered together for Iftar and Suhoor andbroke thier fasts and ate together disuccing various religious facts and debates. Most of all I wish my family was 100% Muslim.I pray that one day Inshallah it will happen. one day...

May Allah give us all guidance to fulfill our promises to ourselves to be better Muslims for ourselves and those aorund us in the Blessed Month! Ameen.

For those of you sitting watching the latest series shows on TV, "GET UP! Take that samboosa out of your mouth, make wudu and go to Taraweeh!"

Seek out to find more Inner Strength and Iman in yourself, find ways to fulfill your soul spiritually by prayer and reading Quran,shock yourself into action, convince your inner self to be a better Muslim, do it now while you have the chance, you never know if you will be alive next Ramadan!

When your facing that dirt wall of your dark cold grave, all alone, hearing the other dead around you, some tortured and living in their own hell, others in their own little heavenly paradise within the grave, you will not have the chance to do anymore good deeds, no more prayers, not one single thing, you will be wishing you had done those things to gain reward and forgiveness from Allah when you were alive.

Seek forgiveness in this Blessed Month, Allah is most forgiving and merciful to his slaves!

May Allah accept our fasts in the Holy Month,

May Allah guide the non Muslims to light and truth in Islam and the Straight Path,

May Allah forgive all the believing men and women and guide us to The Straight Path.

Ameen.