Answer
Short Answer:
- Allah Almighty wants us to purify ourselves. In Ramadan, we have a great opportunity to progress in this purification as we learn to control our desires.
- One way to make it memorable is to make it a starting point to purify our character; give up something wrong that we’re doing, or start practicing something right that is commendable.
- The Quran is the best source of self-purification and guidance in this life and the next.
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Salam Dear Reader,
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To make this Ramadan memorable we really have to work on changing, mending, or developing something about our character.
This will be memorable because we can then always remember that the blessed month of Ramadan was the turning point in our lives.
It was the time when we started purifying our characters, started a new positive habit, or left a negative, harmful one.
Allah Almighty says in the Quran:
{O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may [gain taqwa].} (Quran 2: 183)
Taqwa means to be more God-conscious in a way that leads us to do what He commands and leave what He prohibits.
Self-Purification
Essentially, Allah Almighty wants us to purify ourselves.
He says:
{And [by] the soul and He who proportioned it. And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness, He has succeeded, who purifies it. And he has failed, who instills it [with corruption].} (Quran 91:7-10)
The purification of the self is something that we need to constantly be working on.
But Allah has provided us with the month of Ramadan, wherein we have a great opportunity to progress in this regard.
What corrupts the self is essentially desires and inclinations that are harmful or impure, for example, anger, arrogance, ego, stubbornness, pride, jealousy, self-conceit, uncontrolled desires, etc.
In the month of Ramadan, we learn to control our desires.
Allah Almighty gives us the opportunity to control our innate human desires (like hunger, thirst, etc).
Self-Control and Patience
In Ramadan, we may be fasting in a hot weather and we see a glass of cold water right in front of us. And the only reason why we wouldn’t touch it is our God-conscious.
The only reason we refrain or leave something is for the sake of Allah.
We learn self-restraint and patience. We empower our own soul over our basic desires.
Additionally in this month, Allah is helping us by chaining the devils. So the strong whispering of doing evil are paused.
This is all to help us train ourselves to empower our pure self over the physical desires.
What we can learn is that, just like we were able to control ourselves from the necessities of life for a time like eating and drinking, we also can prevent ourselves from impure things that are not necessary to sustain life.
This includes unleashing our anger on someone, remaining in disagreement with someone due to ego, or refusing to follow a command of Allah due to a personal desire.
A Starting Point
So this Ramadan, one way to make it memorable is to make it a starting point to purify our character; give up something wrong that we’re doing, or start practicing something right that is commendable.
We have a month to train ourselves to do that, while every good deed is multiplied and the evil whispers are distant.
At the end of Ramadan, we are meant to give out zakat (obligatory charity) which is a purification of our wealth, but this is one reflection of the tazkiyya (purification of the self) that we ought to work on throughout the month.
Purification of the self means to have more faith in Allah and more love towards Him that we give up something bad or harmful and control any unhealthy desires for His Sake and for His reward.
Just like we can give up some money for His sake to benefit others, we also give up wrongdoings for His Sake and to bring more peace to ourselves and others.
Quran is the Best Guide
The Quran that Allah Almighty has revealed in this month is the best source of self-purification and guidance in this life and the next.
In Ramadan, we’re meant to read the Quran and ponder on its meanings and take it to heart and then reflect this purity in our actions.
The Quran puts matters in perspective and reminds us of the real worth of this mortal, material world, and the value of the unlimited rewards of Allah and His Closeness that are worth patience and efforts.
The Quran clearly shows us the right path and the pure instructions of what is just and fair, what to do in this life and how to handle it properly.
Let this Ramadan be a turning point.
Make a list of things you want to change about your character.
It could be your anger, short temper with siblings or parents, ego, stubbornness, watching/listening to/speaking about immorality, etc.
All of these could be matters to work on in order to purify ourselves and our characters, not solely for Ramadan, but for the rest of the year so that we would truly be people of taqwa who are conscious of God and in good, pure service to Him.
I hope this was helpful.
Salam and please keep in touch.
(From Ask About Islam archives)
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