Taqwa Academy

Marhaban ya Ramadhan!

So within a few days, it will be the end of Syaaban and comes Ramadhan, the long awaited month. So why is it special, truly for muslims all over the world? I can't go in depth on that, because I fear what I write here might be inaccurate, in context of the hadith or dalil. I  recommend you refer to an expert on that. So here's a mental note instead, from yours truly.

So people have been saying how Ramadhan is like a school, an academy and whatnot. And at the end you would graduate then comes 'Eid. With a few other chapters between the two.  But I do love the concept used by this Imaam from one of the few forums I went to. So his concept, was that Ramadhan is the training, and the real academy; Taqwa Academy, starts on the 1st of Syawal (end of Ramadhan), ends on the 29th of Syaaban (the beginning of Ramadhan). How you sustain yourself through the months.

As a muslim, we are familiar with how during that month, the devils will be in chains, and the fasting from dawn to dusk. So it's mano e mano between our Imaan, and our nafsu. Devils out of the game. So it SHOULD suppress our urge to commit any kind of sin. So you get as much opportunity for ibadah, bringing you closer to the Lord. Training wheels. That is what we would see in Ramadhan, the masjeed overflowing with people, and a little less people elsewhere. But in reality, all of those disappeared with Ramadhan as it ends. Back to how it was before. Means the training didn't pay off.

Imagine you're playing a game, you are not a pro if you kill the cardboard enemies in the tutorial or easy level, you become a pro if you survived the super hard level. And that level is the Taqwa Academy. Ramadhan ends-- "Alright, you're accepted to our academy, let's see how well you perform. I won't lie, your time here will be tough. No joke."
And with so much external influence, the peer pressure, the surrounding, the ambience, everything pulling you--shoving you to follow your nafsu, that is the super hard level. So make the best out of the training wheels, so you can sprint once you take them off, rather than going wobbly all the way.

Another concept the Imaam used, with my own little twist, is that Ramadhan is like a trial version of the ibadahs in Islam. Trial version, if successful, is what motivates the consumer to purchase and use the full version (in a perfect world). So this is the month that should make us feel like "I want more of that!" by the end of the month. As a dai'e, Ramadhan is the biggest opportunity to teach people, especially at the masjeed, because that's when it is full. And some of the people who come, might not be there on other times. You get the idea? So whatcha waitin' for? Start sharpening dem da'wah skillz yo!

And now for the Ramadhan chart. The y-axis should be 'ibadah and understanding'. Had to use paint to make it. Anyways, we want people, as well as ourselves to be as the red line, every year our ibadah during Ramadhan (and other months) increase exponentially, parallel to our understanding towards it.

"If a man fasts today, the way he fasted yesterday, and the days before, then he hasn't learned anything about fasting."

Sepuluh tahun puasa, sepuluh tahun tu lah dia puasa macam tu.

InsyaAllah, may we get the very best of Ramadhan this year, and that we may graduate from the Taqwa Academy. Wallahu'alam

-Hafidz Iddin