BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
THE noble and generous guest has left us and no one knows whether one will have the chance to meet it again next year.
Yes, Ramadhan, the month full of blessing, mercy and forgiveness, has left us and we are now in Syawal already.
After submitting humbly and sincerely to the will of Allah the Almighty by fasting for the whole month of Ramadhan, InsyaAllah we will gain the diploma of taqwa (god-fearing, piety) from the Ramadhan school.
InsyaAllah, with the grace of Allah, the Ramadhan training camp managed to transfom us into more pious personalities, more god-fearing and – conscious Muslims – the characters whose hearts and minds are always attached to and in the remembrance of the Creator the Sustainer.
Now, let’s not miss another big opportunity for generous reward Allah has promised for the true Muslims: fasting six days in Syawal.
So big is the reward that Allah’s Messenger, Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said in a hadith narrated by among others Imam Ahmad, Muslim, Tirmizi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i: “Whoever fasts during Ramadhan, and then accompanied it with the fast of six days in the month of Syawal, his reward is similar to fasting the whole year.”
Who among us who do not want to reap this generous reward? If any of us still miss this golden opportunity every Syawal that means that we have failed to gain the best lessons Ramadhan school has taught us. Thus, we need to work hard to cleans the rust that has tainted our heart and reduced our sensitivity.
Islam urges the ummah (community) to continuously conduct good deeds and charity, no matter the amount, and to show solidarity to our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate. And, with the spirit of Ramadhan and Syawal, let us not forget our brothers and sisters who are facing hardship under the barbaric modern world colonisation and persecution.
As imams nationwide has reminded us in their Hari Raya Aidil Fitri sermons, we should not forget our Palestinian brothers and sisters who are now not only living in misery, but are also being bombed and killed by a vicious enemy of merciless soldiers who do not differentiate between women and children, and elderly.
At least 1,360 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed by the Zionist Israeli strikes on Gaza and 59 Israelis killed by Palestinian fighters until yesterday.
While we are enjoying ourselves celebrating the post fasting Aidil Fitri festival with luxury, “the Palestinians (especially those in Gaza) are currently in a state of uneasiness, fear, drowning in tears and drenched in blood because of the vicious attacks from the Zionist enemies who are inhuman without any remorse,” said the sermons.
Imagine the tears of the mother whose children died just the day before Aidil Fitri.
Imagine where will a family spend their Hari Raya when their home has been destroyed; when they have lost everything they ever owned.
Let us all supplicate Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala for help, so that our Muslim brothers and sisters in Palestine will be saved from the brutality and torture of the enemy that they have been facing, as quickly as possible. Aamiin.
Aidil Fitri is a day that marks the successful completion of the sacred month of Ramadhan. It is a festival that signifies the completion of an act of duty and devotion. It teaches us that real happiness results from performing one’s duty and making sacrifices for a noble objective.
We should thank Allah the Almighty, for He guided us to fasting in Ramadhan, to doing good deeds, and to reciting the Qur’an. We should thank Him, for He is the One who gave us the money we paid for zakat fitrah and other charities. Allah says in the Qur’an, “And (He desires) that you should complete the prescribed period and that you should glorify Allah for having guided you and that you may give thanks.” (Al-Baqarah 2:185)
To proof to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala that we Ramadhan school have changed us for the better, let us continue (and improve) all the acts of worship that we have diligently done during the fasting month throughout the rest of the year until we meet the next Ramadhan.
And, if throughout the year we do not have the opportunity due to work, daily responsibilities ad other wordly affairs, this is the time we can re-strengthen our ties with neighbours, family and friends.
After graduating from the Ramadhan camp, it is time for us to unite and stand tall behind our leader, His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, in support of the Syariah Penal Code Order 2013 that is prescribed based on the command of Allah, the Just Giver Who is Most Merciful and Most Gracious, to save us, His slaves, from hellfire. The Syariah is the law of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala that is relevant to all places on the Universe and to all times.
May Allah accept our good deeds and grant us His forgiveness and mercy. We also wish a happy Aidil Fitri to all Muslims, especially those who are a minority and being oppressed and becoming refugees in places like Syria, Myanmar, Central African Republic and Xinjiang (China). Aamiin.
The Brunei Times/Editorial
Friday, August 1, 2014
http://www.bt.com.bn/opinion/2014/08/01/aidil-fitri-festival-and-palestinians%E2%80%99-fight-freedom
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