The holy month of Ramadan, the month of divine feast is the beginning of months of the year in Islamic culture. Imam Sadiq (A) says,

 “اِذا سَلُمَ شَهرُ رمضانَ سَلُمتِ السّنَة”

“The health of the whole year is depended on the health of Ramadan. If the human being encounters harm in this month, he/she will be damaged throughout the year”.

We see that in Quran and Hadith, a lot of virtues have been stated for the holy month of Ramadan that we point to some of them in this essay briefly:

The month of God: Ramadan is the only month whose name has been mentioned in Quran and it directly refers to Exalted God.

Imam Reza (A) quoted from Imam Ali (A), “one day, the Prophet of Islam read a sermon and at the beginning of it said, “ايُّها النّاسُ قَد اَقبَلَ اِليکم شهرُ اللّهِ...» “O`people! Know that the month of God has turned to you”.  

Also, Imam Sadeq (A) has said, “The Prophet of Islam said شهرُ رمضانَ شهرُ اللّهِ عزَّ و جلّ...».” “The month of Ramadan is the month of Great God …”.

At the time of saying goodbye to the month of Ramadan, Imam Sajjad (A) said :   

«السّلام عليکَ يا شهرَ اللّهِ الأکبر، و يا عيدَ اوليائِه...»

“We hail the greatest month of God and the feast of God`s friends”.

A month which is superior to all months: The month of Ramadan is different from the other months from the viewpoint of worth and value and it is more superior to the other months. Holy Mohammad says; «انَّ شهرَکم هذا ليسَ کالشهور» “Indeed, this month is not similar to other months of year”.

On the supremacy of this month, Imam Sajjad (A) says, “God has indicated the superiority of this month in comparison with other months in this way that many prohibitions and obvious and famous virtues have been decreed in this month. So, some things which are permissible by the Shari`a in the other months, are considered forbidden in Ramadan concerning the commemoration of this month, and eating and drinking have been forbidden due to honoring it.

And, the virtue of one night of the nights of this month has been preferred to the virtue of the nights of other thousand months and God named it as “The Grand Night”.

The month of paradise adornment: The divine agents adorn paradise due to the entrance of the holy month of Ramadan.

The month of revelation of the Quran: Quran, the most superior Heavenly Book and the best divine word, has been reveled in the month of Ramadan and in the holy “Grand Night”. (Qadr, verse 2). This night is more superior to thousand months according to Quran`s verse and the word of the Prophet. (Baqare, verse 185; Dokhan, verse,3; Qadr, verse,1)

The month of God`s feast: The month of Ramadan is the only month which has been remembered as a time for God`s feast for believers. In a phrase of the sermon which the Prophet has uttered due to beginning of Ramadan, we read:

اَيُّها النّاسُ قَد اَقبلَ اِليکم شهرُ اللّهِ... هو شهرٌ دُعيتم فيه الي ضيافةِ اللّه...»

“O`people! The month of God has turned to you …; the month which you have been invited to God`s feast”.

The concept of “Feast”:

The first step in the arena of “divine feast” is the accurate comprehension of meaning of this high interpretation. Concerning this matter, Imam Khomeini says, “We should figure out and see what has been this feast. Also, we should know how much we have found a way into this feast. As the whole world is under the divine compassion, everything is His mercy and His compassion is expansive towards everything, the matter of feast is another one, the invitation to “feast” is the other matter”.

“Divine Feast” is very different from the ordinary feasts. The important point is that the accurate understanding of this feast, causes God`s guests not to become tired from the long duration of this month and they wish the whole year would be the month of Ramadan so that they are benefited by the attending this guest house. The Prophet of Islam says,

لو يعلَمُ العبادُ ما في رمضان َ لودّوا ان يکونَ رمضانُ السّنةَ

The comprehensiveness of divine feast:

There is no limitation in divine feast due to endlessness and expansion of the range of divine kindness and compassion. Also, the letter of invitation has been issued for all people and all have been invited to attend this feast. The Prophet of Islam (PBUH) says, “O`people! The month of God has turned to you …; the month that you have been invited to God`s feast.

Imam Khomeini (R) says in the direction of this Prophetic word, “God has invited all people to this feast and Gnostics and friends of God enter that feast and, of course, few persons can be successful.

The formalities of this feast:

One of the important pivots in this feast is to notice its formalities. If the guests are not familiar with these formalities truly or don`t act based on them, they can not gain the desirable result from this feast. Some of these formalities are as follows:

Abandonment of lust and covetous desires:

Following the covetous and carnal desires has been considered as the root and base of all sins and offences in religious teachings.

Although, succeeding in this arena and rescuing from the danger of carnal soul and also ignoring the carnal desires are depended on the tolerance of lots of difficulties in the eranas of life, however they are an accessible fact. Anyway, we should move in this way and ask for God’s help. Fortunately, the month of Ramadan is the most suitable opportunity for the beginning of this fighting. Holy Mohammad says in the final phrase of Sha`baniye sermon,

«... والشّياطين مغلولةٌ فاسألوا رَبّکم اَن لا يُسلّطُها عليکم...»

“Devils are in chain and prison. So, you should ask God to help you so that they don`t dominate you”. We read in a part of Imam Sajjad (A)’s greeting (salam) regarding the month of Ramadan that, «السّلام عليکَ مِن ناصرٍ أعانَ علي الشيطانِ و صاحبٍ سَهّلَ سُبُل الأحسان»”

“I hail (send greeting) you who is considered as a friend that assisted us to overcome devil and simplified good ways for us”.

Entering the month of feast:

Most people are ignorant of the blessings which God has bestowed upon them. So, they don`t use them truly. God remembers these groups as the “ungrateful” and “infidels”. Those who behave in this way notice its greatness after this favor has been destroyed and regret its loss that feeling sorry is of no use anymore.

Undoubtedly, one of the most superior blessing that God has bestowed to humanity is invitation to divine feast in Ramadan that most people are ignorant of its greatness and don`t have any recognition and perception towards it. Only the infallible Imams are aware of it and thank God and request God to give them the good luck of its recognition.

We read in a phrase of the valediction prayer of Imam Sajjad (A) regarding Ramadan that He said,

الحمدُ للّهِ الّذي جَعَلَ مِن تِلکَ السُّبُلِ شَهرهُ شهرَ رمضان، شهر الصّيام و شهرَ الأسلام و شهرَ الطّهورِ... اللّهُمَّ صَلِّ علي محمدٍ و آله وَاَلْهِمنا معرفةَ فضلِه و اِجلالَ حُرمته...»

It is right to worship God who put one of the ways of His paradise as His month, the month of Ramadan, the month of fasting, the month of Islam, the month of purification … O`my God! Peace be upon Holy Mohammad and His family and inspire us the success of the recognition of the virtue of this month and commemoration of its respect and honoring”.

We read in Imam Sadeq biography that he used to say at the threshold of Ramadan,

«اللّهمَّ هذا شهرُ رمضان المبارکِ الّذي اَنزلتَ فيه القرآنَ... قَد حضَر...»

O`my God! The holy month of Ramadan that Quran was reveled in it, arrived.

The late Sheikh Ja`far Shooshtari after the narration of this word of Imam Sadeq says:

“Imam Sadeq doesn`t want to inform God that the month of Ramadan has arrived; of course, he wants to say; “O`my God! I have been informed about the entrance of holy month of Ramadan. Say; “O`my God! I have been informed that the month of Ramadan has been arrived”.

Thanks giving due to the comprehension of this month:

The feature of being thankful is approved by Quran and religious leaders. Thankful persons have been remembered as the good ones.

So, it is necessary for those ones who have been invited to divine feast to follow and intimate the role models such as the Prophet and Imams after the sunrise of Ramadan. Also, they should move towards the Exalted God and thank Him because of granting this great blessing to them.

Imam Sajjad (A) says at the time of saying goodbye to the month of Ramadan, اللّهمَّ اِنّا اهلُ هذا الشهر الّذي شرّفتنابِه و وفّقتنا بمنّکَ له حينَ جَهِلَ الاشقياءُ وقتَه، و حُرموا لشقائهم فَضلَه»

“O`God! We are the people of this month that You give us the honor for it and grant us the success of the comprehension of it with virtue while the atrocious persons are ignorant of the valuable time of it and they are not benefited by its grace due to their astrosity”.

Observing the reverence of this month:

In some narrations, we read that the punishment and retribution of some sins are aggravated in the month of Ramadan due to disregarding its reverence, so all people have to maintain its reverence and try in order to perform its right.

Imam Sajjad (A) says, “«ولزِمنالَه الذّمامَ المحفوظ و الحرمةَ المرعيةَ، و الحقُّ المقضيّ...»”

“And, it is necessary for us to maintain the promise, observe the suitable respect and preserve its right”.

Undoubtedly, observing the reverence of this month will lead to felicity and bliss as Imam Sajjad (A) addressed Ramadan and said, “وما اَسعدَ مَن رَعي حُرمتکَ بِک...

How lucky is a person who respects you for your sake.

Result of divine feast:

One of the important matters in verses and narration is paying attention to the important results of this month.

Explicating these favors will play an important role in increasing people`s love towards the month of feast and their double effort in the direction of optimal use of this divine blessing. Here, we point to some of them as the examples:  

Divine Affinity:

The most superior spiritual position for human is gaining the position of “union (with God)” and “Divine affinity”. Those who succeed to gain this position are benefited by exalted status before God. Also, they are the owner of specific status and bounties in the afterworld.

According to verses and narrations, reaching the position of “divine affinity” is a feasible and possible affair, but it is on the condition that we tolerate its specific torment such as keeping a vigil, avoidance of sin and abstinence of forbidden food.

So, the verses and narrations have presented definite approaches that the whole of them is accomplishing “good deed” and making effort in the direction of mere obeying the commandment of God:
“A person, who hopes to meet God, should do good deed (s)”.

One of the most superior examples of “good deed” and taking steps in the way of God`s obedience is fasting especially the fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. God says in sacred hadith, “لصّومُ لي و اَنَا اَجزي ب” “Fasting belongs to me and I will give the compensation to the person who is fasting”.

Materialization of a prayer

One of the divine promises is the materialization of prayers of the people who pray. God wanted the Prophet to inform people “ قال رَبُّکُم ادعوني اَستَجِب لَکُم”

“and your lord says: call upon me, I will answer you; surely those who are too proud for my service shall soon enter hell abased”

About the inevitability of this divine promise, the Prophet (PBUH) says,

ما کانَ اللّهُ لِيفتحَ لعبدٍ الدّعاءَ فيغلقَ عَنهُ الأجابةَ، اللّهُ اکرمُ مِن ذلکَ

“It is far away from divine threshold that promises to accept the servant’s prayer but closes the way of its acceptance towards him/her, He is more generous. Of course, the acceptance of prayer is based on some specific condition and formalities.

Of the affairs which play an important role in the acceptance of prayer is time condition. The month of divine feast is the best time so that the prayer to be accepted. In a phrase of Sha’baniye sermon, we read “و دعاؤُکم فيه مستجاب.”

Your prayer will be accepted in Ramadan.

Freedom

There is nothing the same as the greatness of freedom, and no blessing is more superior to the freedom and being free.

Committing sin is one of the most important things which cause this great divine blessing to be involved in danger. A human who is into carnal desires is not considered as a free one.

The divine prophets were chosen to rescue humanity from any kind of captivity and open the whole shackles and chains from his foot and release him from the slavery of false idols. The month of Ramadan is a suitable opportunity so that we become free of all captivities especially this kind of captivity.

The Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said, ايُّها النّاسُ انّ اَنفسَکُم مرهونةٌ بِأعمالِکم ففکُّوها بأستغفارکم”؛ o’people ! You are not free, you are in cage and don’t know that you are in cage; Your sins have jailed you in the cage. Release yourself in the month of Ramadan via seeking (or asking) forgiveness from God.

Those who have used the month of Ramadan and divine feast in the best way possible and have benefited by each minutes of this month by exact planning, have been liberated. God willing, we learn the formalities and rites of this feast with double effort and try to release ourselves from darkness so that we be in the group of liberal persons.

Source: ido