Salamun alaykum,
Life after holy Ramadhan :
During the holy month of Ramadhan our lifestyle had taken a drastic change from the way we had been in the months prior to it. Whilst striving to enjoy the Divine hospitality in the holy month we have done extra efforts to engage ourselves in various deeds of ibadah, performing prayers in Jamaat, undertaking ihyaa ul layl (standing in prayers during the night), additional recitation of holy quran and duas, increased deeds of charity, patience, compassion, taken control of our emotions and extra endeavors to refrain from the sawm breakers and other haram actions. At the same time we have spent many hours especially on the nights of Qadr to seek forgiveness for our sins. We strived to being more courteous and increase in doing deeds of charity. All this was in addition to observing the obligation of fasts.
May Allah SWT accept our humble efforts in striving to draw closer to His pleasure and grant us His choicest rewards, Inshallah.
We have become addicts:
In my encounters with muminin over the last two weeks after Eid ul Fitr, the conversation common is how one is sadly missing the way of living done in the holy month of Ramadhan. How at the times for the various events at the Centre one finds in himself depressed and that something is missing. The separation from the holy month of Ramadhan makes one feel ‘withdrawn’.
Like the addict quitting from a habit experiences withdrawal and falls into depression, we too,having become ‘addicted’ to Divine hospitality of holy Ramadhan, are now experiencing a withdrawal symptom which I would like to term as ‘post Ramadhan depression’ !
Withdrawal causes mood change:
A study by Ali A. Berlin of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A., as reported in Psychosomatic Medicine March-April 2006 issue shows that - People who exercise regularly start feeling depressed and fatigued after just one week of forced inactivity.
Those who were in the best shape experienced the greatest loss in fitness when they stopped exercising, and also showed the worst negative mood symptoms. (Report: Reuters Health: Anne Harding, NEW YORK )
Like the withdrawal from physical exercise causing mood changes similarly the withdrawal from the ‘spiritual’ exercises in Holy Ramadhan- the Divine spiritual health club - too has its effects on our self. It’s the ‘post Ramadhan depression’
Keeping the spirit alive:
So how do we overcome the ‘post Ramadhan depression’ and keep our self alive after the holy month?
Prescrition from the Spiritual Pharmacy:
Undoubtedly, three of the distinct actions of the Holy month of Ramadhan are Fasting, Recitation of the Holy Qur'an and increased courtesy.
Let us strive to uphold in performing these actions.
Ayatullah Syed Ali Seestani writes in 'Islamic Laws' rule 1757 - regarding Mustahab Fasts: 'Fasting is Mustahab on every day of a year except those on which it is haraam or Makrooh to observe a fast. The first one which is strongly recommended is: 'The Fast of first and last Thursday of every month and the Fast of first Wednesday after the 10th of a month. If a person could not observe these fasts, then it is Mustahab that he gives their qadha. And if he is incapable of fasting, it is Mustahab for him to give one mudd of food or prescribed coined silver to poor.'
A vital query “Are we going to click on the Yes tab or the No tab?”
was posed in the previous issue No 51 of Risalatul Jum’a /Friday Message dated 17th September, 2010?
This was in response to the question “Do you want to save the changes you made to your self in the month of Ramadhan?”
Pressing the Yes tab will save the changes we did in our lives leaving us with a new improved version of our selves.
Pressing the No tab will take us to the life we led before the commencement of the holy month. All the efforts made in the spiritual, physical and moral deeds will go down the drain.
Wa ma tawfiqi illa billah
With salaams and duas
Fazle Abbas Datoo
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Resident Alim
Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat. Al Mahdi, Wickham Road, Fareham, Hampshire . PO17 5BU. Reg. Charity Number: 1010076. Tel: 01329 832537. Fax: 02392-529766
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.: Jamaat Web Site: www.almahdi.org.uk:
Project Web Site: www.almahdi.org.uk/almahdiproject
Member of the Council of European Jamaats
Member of Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat. Al Mahdi, Wickham Road, Fareham, Hampshire . PO17 5BU. Reg. Charity Number: 1010076. Tel: 01329 832537. Fax: 02392-529766
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.: Jamaat Web Site: www.almahdi.org.uk: Project Web Site: www.almahdi.org.uk/almahdiproject
Member of the Council of European Jamaats
Member of Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board
