Strengthening Faith in Ramadhan

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

We tend to think that Ramadhan is the month of fasting but Allah introduces it as the month of Qur'an in the only verse of Ramadhan,

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّـهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥﴾ وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ ﴿١٨٦

The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. 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; and perhaps you will be grateful. (185) And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. (186)

[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:185-186]

These verses were revealed after more than 2/3 of the Qur'an has been revealed. Interesting to note that in this particular verse, Allah is telling us that the Qur'an is guidance for the people and the criterion between right and wrong as if people don't already know this. Why? Because in the month of Ramadhan we are supposed to be reintroduced to the Qur'an almost as though we don't know anything about it. This is the spirit we should enter Ramadhan with -- we refresh our relationship with the Qur'an all anew as if we never had a relationship with it before.

This Ramadhan we will have the opportunity to listen to a lot of Qur'an during taraweeh prayers but many of us probably won't understand much of it, perhaps all of it. And that was the case last Ramadhan. How about next Ramadhan -- is it going to be the same?

The Muslim communities, i.e. our Muslim families, are suffering from weakness of faith. The way to strengthen our faith is not by listening to Islamic lectures after lectures or going to Islamic conferences after conferences -- these are iman rush times, but to have actual relationship with the Qur'an.

The actual relationship we have with the Qur'an is when we are standing in prayer and reciting it, and when we are standing behind an imam and listening to it being recited. Our relationship with the Qur'an happens five times a day at least. If somebody's prayer is good, his Qur'an is good, and if someone is not engaging with the Qu'ran in his prayers, then his relationship with the Qur'an is entirely superficial.

Make this Ramadhan a starting point to train ourselves to have that actual relationship with the Qur'an. Pick a few surahs, memorize them, know the meanings and tafsir of the surahs and learn the vocabulary also. Make this your family project this Ramadhan. If you have not memorized much Qur'an, we suggest the following surahs: Al-Hadid (57), Al-Jumu'ah (62), Al-Munafiqun (63), Al-Taghabun (64). You are free to do more. Recite what you have memorized in your prayers everyday throughout Ramadhan. All this boils down to so we can have a better prayer. InshaAllah, this exercise will continue beyond Ramadhan and your prayer will become better and better as you progress in your memorization and understanding of the Qur'an.

May Allah make us reach the noble month of Ramadhan and enable us to memorize lots of Qur'an and benefit from the Qur'an this Ramadhan. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam