Ramadan: The Third Ten Days of Salvation

Munazzah Chou, Farnham

‘Vices, evils and sins are rampant among the people;
The clouds of despair are above
the night is dark and gloomy.
For lack of Thy watering, an entire world has dried up;
Pray turn the course of the river to this side, my Master.
Our wits are not with us during these calamities;
Pray take mercy on Thy people so they obtain salvation.’ (1)

Salvation can only be attained through ‘the mercy of God that encompasses all things,’ and the forgiveness of God that we must exert ourselves for. The foundations are thus laid for the attainment of the pinnacle of spiritual life in the first 20 days of Ramadan.

The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) has told us that the last ten days of Ramadan are salvation from the fire of Hell and the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) has explained that when we strive to do good for the sake of God, God does not simply save us from the fire of hell but gives glad-tidings of paradise. ‘A person develops in faithfulness and turns to God which grants him delight and rapture and thus paradisiacal life starts for him in this world…(2)

During Ramadan our awareness of the requirements of faith is heightened; we increase our spiritual activity and forsake even legitimate desires for the pleasure of Allah. Our attention is diverted away from the world towards praying, recitation of the Holy Quran, charity and improving our character.

There is an intimate relationship between the Holy Quran, Ramadan and salvation. “‘The month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur’an was sent down…’ A person wishing to progress in faith, … and hear the sound of: ‘…I am near…’ (2:187), should pay the dues of Ramadan and the Holy Qur’an and understand their mutual connection…” The dues as described by Hazrat Khalifatiul Masih V are to read the Holy Qur’an while fasting, to reflect over it, to listen to or read its commentaries. (3) ‘It is the experience of hundreds of thousands of holy people that after following the Holy Qur’an Divine blessings descend on heart … If their beings were to be pounded in severe misfortunes and were wrung through tough clamps, their sap extracted would be nothing but Divine love.’ (4)

The Holy Qur’an is thus key to salvation The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) has explained the approach to take when reading the Quran, ‘Man should read the Holy Qur’an abundantly and when reading it he comes across a prayer, he should also pray and seek the same from God which is sought in the prayer. If he comes across citation of chastisement, he should seek refuge from … The Holy Qur’an can be likened to a garden. Man picks a certain kind of flower from one place and further ahead picks another kind of flower. He should garner benefit according to the situation.’ (3)

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) writes, ‘…that anyone who evades the least one of the 700 commandments of the Qur’an, shuts upon himself the door of salvation. The ways of true and perfect salvation have been opened by the Qur’an and all the rest is its reflection…There is no religious need of yours which is not filled by the Qur’an…’

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V has reminded us that if there were any inadequacies in the early days of Ramadan, if we feel we haven’t taken advantage of the periods of mercy and forgiveness, efforts should be made in latter days to make good those shortcomings.

In the last ten days of Ramadan we are given glad-tidings of unparalleled religious opportunity in a single night, that is, Lailatul Qadr or ‘The Night of Decree’ which we search for.

‘Surely, We sent it down on the Night of Destiny. And what should make thee know what the Night of Destiny is? The Night of Destiny is better than a thousand months. Therein descend angels and the Spirit by the command of their Lord — with every matter. It is all peace till the rising of the dawn. (97:1-6)

The Night of Decree is a time of purification for man so that he may become compliant to all God’s commandments. It has three forms: a night during Ramadan, time of a Prophet of God and Lailatul Qadr of an individual is also when he is purified and has firm faith and rids himself of all evil while holding himself accountable. His Holiness said the month of Ramadan comes so that we may bring about such a transformation. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) made special effort during the last ten days of Ramadan and strove hard in worship of God. He would stay up at night and wake his family up. (5)

His Holiness said: ‘ We, the followers of the true and ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet, the Promised Messiah need to bring about a revolutionary change in ourselves and elevate our state of faith to the level where our each word and deed is to attain pleasure of God and where we spend our lives holding ourselves accountable. May the blessings of Ramadan always remain with us! May Allah make many of us experience the Lailatul Qadr which is a special instance of acceptance of prayer …. May experiencing it keep us on piety and righteousness and enhance us. May all our past sins be forgiven and may with His grace God grant us special power to avoid sin in future!’(6)

رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا
“Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell; for the punishment thereof is a lasting torment.” (Ch.25: V.66)

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ اَنْفُسَنَا وَاِنْ لَّمْ تَغْفِرْلَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْخٰسِرِيْنَ
“Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves; and if Thou forgive us not and have not mercy on us, we shall surely be of the lost.” (Ch.7: V.24)

References
(1) https://www.alislam.org/library/books/Durr-e-Sameen-English-Translation.pdf
HYMNS AND PREACHING OF TRUTH Munajaat aur Tableeghe Haq Braheene Ahmadiyya, part 5, page 97, 1908 (60)
(2) (Tafseer Hazrat Masih e Maud, Vol. IV, p. 300)
(3) Friday Sermon: Ramadan and The Holy Quran: The source of guidance and salvation
July 11th, 2014
(4) Surma Chashm Ariya, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 2, pp. 77-79)
(5) Friday Sermon: Laylatul Qadr – the Night of Destiny 27/8/10
(6) Friday Sermon: Allah’s Mercy, Forgiveness and Rewarding
July 10th, 2015