•Sheikh Dr. HAMMAD OLANREWAJU ALFULANNY
He is one of the popular Islamic scholars many Muslims listen to. Sheikh Dr. Al-Ahmad Olanrewaju Al-Fulanny is the founder, Sebilu Nnajat Concept. He is a missioner, TV Presenter and also the Founder Isobat Likhaeri (Asalatu) A few days back, in Lagos, he spoke to City People Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE about what Muslims are expected to do during this Holy month of Ramadan. Below are excerpts from his interview.
What is your message to Muslims at this Holy month of Ramadan?
I greet all our Muslim brothers and sisters. I greet all of us as we celebrate Ramadan. What is Ramadan? It is a month that is meant for we Muslims. It is the month for Islam, a month that Allah himself gave us and gave specific instructions in the Al-Quran that we should always observe it. Allah told all Muslims to fast and pray at Ramadan and he has made it absolutely compulsory for those before you.
Why does Allah say we should fast?
So that you can have the fear of God. Prophet Muhammed who is our leader and oga is not the first Prophet to come. Some Prophets had come before him, many have been sent to us before him. Prophet Musa came. Prophet Daodu came. Prophet Sulaimon came. Prophet Ibrahim came. All these prophets also fasted. Take Prophet Daodu. If he fasts today, he will break his fast the next day. He will continue the 3rd day. He will break his fast on the 4th day.
He will fast on the 5th day and break his fast on the 6th day. He takes one day, one off. That is how Prophet Daodu takes his fast.
Prophet Musa usually fasted for 40 days. Prophet Isa also observed his fast. He takes 40 days. Prophet Zakarayya also has own way of fasting. He usually fasts for only 3 days.
God gave Prophet Mohammed instructions to fast for 30 days. This Ramadan falls in the month of Islam, it is the 9th month in the Islamic calendar. The month falls on the 9th month of the Islamic calendar.
That is why we Muslims observe fasting in this 9th month, and all Muslims all over the world observe it. Ramadan is a Holy month. Ramadan is a month of celebration, because a lot of things do happen at Ramadan. It is a month that we should all observe, and respect. It is an important month. It is a significant month. A lot of remarkable things happened during the month of Ramadan. It was during Ramadan that the Al-Quran was received. I am talking of Al-Quran that we Muslims depend on, which is our Rule book, which all of us Muslims depend on. It was during this Ramadan that God gave it to us. God did a lot of things during Ramadan. He did a lot of amazing things. He did a lot of surprising things.
Once Ramadan starts, like it has started now, the first 10 days is for Ike ati Igee, meaning Care & Affection. People pray and ask for Love, Care and Affection.
The next 10 days Muslims use to beg for Forgiveness from God. The next 10 days, Muslims use to help others, to touch lives, to give out gifts because Ramadan is an important month that you bless others. That is why you will know that fasting is on when it starts all over the world. For example some Muslims don’t pray regularly. It is only during Ramadan that he or she goes to Mosque (Moshalashi) to pray regularly. Those who don’t fast normally will announce to the world that don’t disturb me ooo. I am fasting. That is because Ramadan is a special month. It is a month of celebration and celebrating each other.
One of the questions Muslims often ask is how do we go about observing Ramadan?
It is simple. I will tell you that. Preparations for Ramadan begins once Sabban is 30. Once we see the month and our leaders say they have sighted the moon. Whether we see the month or not once Sabban is 30, we have to start Ramadan the next day.
Once we start, we begin fasting. We usually wake up to eat at night, to eat Sari as from 4am, 4.30am to 5am. At times, 10 minutes after 5am is for Sari Jije to stop. Once we stop Sari Jije, we have started Awe (Fasting). From that 5.30am we are not supposed to eat anything. We must not drink any thing. We must not get close to our wives. We must not do what God does not want, till 7pm. After 7pm, when we break our fast, everything that we have abandoned all night we can now eat. We can eat. We can drink.
We would do all these till another Sari comes at 4am to 4.30am till 10 minutes after 5am we would do this for a whole 30 days. We would be going to listen to Tafsir. We would be praying. We would be doing Sara (Thanksgiving) giving others food, helping others. You must have noticed that a lot of rich people like to help people at Ramadan. They help more people during Ramadan. They will give plenty people food, and water. During Ramadan also some Muslims usually gather within the last 10 days in the Mosque. They believve that Ramadan is a great opportunity. They believe that once they offer those prayers now, before the next Ramadan comes God would have answered their prayers. Some don’t stay here in Nigeria to offer those prayers. They go to Saudi Arabia. They will spend the last 10 days, sitting down at The Kabba begging God for mercies and they will be praying according to how Islam presents it to us. Don’t also forget that in this month of Ramadan, in the last 10 days of Ramadan was when God gave us the Al-Quran. There is what we call Night of Majesty, during this Ramadan month. Night of Kadiri, Night of Destiny, meaning the night when your Kadara (Destiny) is written.
So throughout those 10 days Muslims will be praying and going for lectures. Among the Islamic scholars, they have prayers they pray each day throughout the Ramadan. There are different prayers each day and the Lada in it. They have specific prayers for the 1st day, to prepare for the fasting. So, no one day passes without a specific prayer to attract forgiveness and Glory.
This is because that prayer during Ramadan is more important than prayers for 1,000 months. Ramadan is the only month that Muslims have the fear of God in them, you can’t get close to your wife. This will enable you have the fear of God. You will see food that you like to eat but you can’t. You will see a drink that you will like to drink but you will be afraid to take it. Ramadan is one in a million. It is a special month. It is a month of Praise. It is a month for Celebration.
We pray to Allah that the current 2023 Ramadan and Fasting we are having now would not be the last. I am begging all those who are Muslims let this Ramadan bring us good fruits and good tidings. Let us pray for Nigeria, let’s beg Allah for peace for Nigeria. Muslims should use the opportunity of this fast during Ramadan to beg God for good transition of government. It is coming after the elections. God has blessed us. If your neighbour is a Christian and you are a Muslim you can give him or her food. You can do Sara for Christians also. You can do Sara for other religious people. It is part of Lada before God. You should also Fast and Pray. They are 2 different things. Fasting is different. Prayer is different. Please take note.
If you are fasting and you don’t pray the Islamic way, you will pay the price for it. It is compulsory to Pray. It is compulsory to Fast. Fasting came to meet Praying. It is very important to pray. Fasting will soon be over. But Prayer continues. That is why I am begging all Muslims to pray and continue to pray and to have the fear of God. So, stay off so many things God does not like. Throughout this period stay of Lottery, drinking, Baba Ijebu, take sex off your mind, take women off your mind, we must not be caught talking rubbish or gossiping. The fear of God is what we want to bring out, from the fasting we are doing. That is the big lesson in it. The Fear of God.
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