Comment: Ramadan - The Month of God-consciousness

The month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. This month is a very special month for Muslims, because it is a month of fasting and spiritual focus. The significance of this month has been highlighted in the Qur’an – “O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become God-conscious.” 2:183 

As the Qur’an brings to our attention, the main objective of Ramadan is to attain God-consciousness. God-consciousness is central to the life of the believer; its definition includes the constant reference, awareness, fear and mindfulness of God, in addition to ensuring that everything the believer does is in accordance with God’s pleasure. 

This consciousness is not static, it is dynamic. The level of God-consciousness is dependent upon how close the Muslim is with His Lord. This personal relationship is established and strengthened by following a unique program of activities that have been prescribed by God Himself. This ‘spiritual’ program is also an effective means to change the negative traits and habits of the Muslim. Some of these activities include remembrance of God, prayer, giving charity, meditation, reading and reflecting upon the Qur’an, memorising the Qur’an and daily supplications. All of these actions are increased and intensified during the month of Ramadan. 

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) emphasised developing a good character by engaging a constant practice of prayer, meditation, remembrance of God and other activities, as these actions change the heart and thereby bring one closer to God. 

“Indeed in the body there is a piece of flesh. If it is sound, the body is all sound. If it is corrupt, the body is all corrupt. Indeed, it is the heart.”

God-consciousness is an essential element in Islamic spiritual practice. Without it, the Muslim’s behaviour and attitude are corrupted. Unlike the secular view, Islam has a unique perspective on spirituality as it encompasses all aspects of the Muslim’s life. In Islam all actions that are referred to God are spiritual, and these actions include the supplications we utter before we go to bed to implementing justice via Islamic governance. God has prescribed certain actions that develop positive characteristics as well as bringing the Muslim closer to God thereby attaining God-consciousness. This state achieves many things including God’s love, closeness and divine assistance. The month of a Ramadan is a platform to launch the believer’s God-consciousness to the next level. 

Fasting in the month of Ramadan constitutes one of the five pillars of Islam. During this month spiritual activities intensify, as mentioned above, however some social actions are recommended such as forgiving people, establishing brotherhood, spreading peace, accounting corrupt and oppressive regimes, and feeding the community. Ramadan conveys an extraordinary sense of emotional enthusiasm and religious eagerness among Muslims of all ages, and it is the month that makes the believer feel alive, and allows him to reconcile his existence with his divinely prescribed purpose – the worship of God.