Voice of British Muslim Women

Rameen Masood, Leicester

Alhmadulillah we are fortunate to be witnessing another Ramadan. In a world where purpose is often deluged by the noise of fleeting distractions and self-indulgence, Ramadan has arrived to emphasise and remind that our Lord, our Creator, Who is Al-Baseer (All-Seeing), As-Sami (All-Hearing), Al-Mutaqallim (He Who Speaks) is ever-present. Always. This is a month where the soul receives its nourishment, much like the parched earth being revived with the initial drops of rain.

Whenever Ramadan is mentioned, one of the main things that comes to mind is prayer. Prayer is a mode of converse between the creation and his Creator. If, on ordinary days, our prayers reach the Divine and are answered in ways seen and unseen, then one can only imagine the magnitude and force with which sincere prayers achieve fulfilment in the month of Ramadan!

In fact, there is an intrinsic link between prayer and human nature. The presence and existence of the Gracious God is interwoven within our very essence, imbued in our hearts like an unspoken truth we always seek to rediscover. I’m sure we all must feel that prayer is so much more than just words. There are so many hidden realities in prayer that we have not found yet – that I haven’t found. It’s a perpetual journey where the more we strive, the more we realise there is remaining. It’s like standing at the shore of an endless ocean and no matter how far you wade in, there is always more depth, more beauty to explore. Every tear shed in prayer is a drop of our soul poured forth in devotion, and drop by drop, these tears form a river that carries us toward our Beloved. It is in this surrender that we truly become alive.

And, this is not something I say lightly for the life of every righteous person is a mirror reflection of this very fact.

In an unjust world, where most seek power, Ramadan teaches us that true strength lies not in dominion over others, but in dominion over our self. We have all faltered, and will falter, as the Holy Qur’an reminds us: ‘…for man has been created weak.’[1]

But we should continue striving as the more we contemplate upon our shortcomings, the more we will realise our dependence on the Almighty. This realisation will ignite a deeper desire within us to supplicate more and more. And indeed, our souls will not be satisfied until we drink from the goblet of Allah’s nearness and love.

As the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, beautifully elucidates: ‘Every human being becomes a ‘Word of Allah’ when they emerge from the darkness, impurity and gloom of the baser self. Bear in mind that every human being is a Word of Allah because they possess a soul, which has been referred to as the command of the Lord (amri-rabi) in the Holy Quran… when man repents and turns towards Allah the Exalted, and removes the cloak of his impure life of darkness, the heart begins to shine, and the journey to the original source—which is God—begins, until finally, when a person reaches the highest state of righteousness, all of their dirt and filth is removed and what remains of man is Allah’s Word.’[2]

I think one lesson which has become irrefutably clear to me is that it’s impossible to live in this world outside the shade of Allah the Almighty. And how could it be otherwise? How can the creation survive without the Creator?

The modern world is laced with many poisons: materialism, cynicism, spiritual emptiness, to name but a few, all of which have seeped deep into the roots of society. To shield ourselves from these afflictions, we must establish a relationship with Allah. And He, in His boundless mercy, will never forsake us. For truly His grace is like the vast sky, which is always above us, even when we fail to look up.

As the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) writes:

‘The Splendour of God is manifest in everything,
Even so that Belovèd is far removed from the heedless.

That Dear is found by him who stoops to dust,
O ye who are trying pray try this recipe, too.’[3]

May Allah the Almighty bless us with His nearness and enable our souls to become wholly pure and illumined in His love. Ameen.

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[1] The Holy Qur’an with English Translation by Maulawi Sher Ali, Chapter 4, verse 29

[2] Malfuzat, Vol. II pp. 121-122 Edition 2019

[3] Durr-e-Sameen (The Precious Pearls) English Translation p. 82