By Cecep Asmadiredja
In a hadith narrated by Imam Tirmizi and Ibn Majah of Abu Hurairah, the Prophet of SAW said:
“It has come to you ramadan. A month filled with blessings. Allah Azza Wajalla requires you to fast to him. The doors of the heavens were opened and the doors of hell were closed, and during ramadan the demons were shackled. Allah has one night in Ramadan that is better than 1,000 months. Whoever is hindered by his kindness, he will get nothing.”
So great is the blessing of Ramadan that Allah and the Prophet promised us. Those who believe in Allah and His Messenger will surely ask and look for always the secret behind the blessing of Ramadan so that we are facilitated by Allah SWT to achieve it.
Indeed, the blessing of Ramadan is due to the blessing of the Qur’an. Because the blessed one is the Qur’an itself. So the night was revealed to him the Qur’an was also a blessing. In the Qur’an it is mentioned that night is “lailatin mubarokah” (blessed night)
“Surely We sent him down on a blessed night. We are the giver of warnings.” (QS Ad-Dukhan: 3). Even the night of the qur’an was revealed to be worth more than 1000 months. “Surely We sent him down on the night of Qadar. And do you know what qadar night was? The night of Qadar is better (in value) than a thousand months. (QS Al-Qadr: 1-3)
Similarly the month of Ramadan becomes an endowed month because the first time the Qur’an descends is in that month, as described in QS. Al-Baqarah verse 185. Even of the 12 months that Allah (SWT) stipulates in a year (QS At-Taubah: 36) only the month of Ramadan is mentioned by name in the Qur’an as mentioned in surah Al-Baqarah verse 185.
This suggests that the month of Ramadan is a blessing due to the blessing of the Qur’an. The Qur’an is full of blessings because it is revealed by Allah the owner of blessings. Allah swt said:
“It is The Blessed God who has sent down Al Furqaan (The Qur’an) to His servants, that he may be a warning to all the realms that Belong to Him that belong to the kingdom of heaven and earth, and He has no children, and there is no ally for Him in His power, and he has created all things, and He sets his measures accordingly.” (QS Al-Furqan: 1-2)
The same thing allah swt also explained in surah Al-A’raf verse 54, surah Al-Furqan verses 10 and 61, surah Ar-Rahman verse 78 and surah Al-Mulk verse 1.
If the Qur’an is not revealed first on one of the nights of Ramadan, then that night and even the month of Ramadan will not contain the blessings and goodness described in many hadiths and verses of the Qur’an.
Therefore, the main secret behind the blessing of Ramadan is the Qur’an. As a Muslim, we are obliged to believe, take, study and follow the cause of the blessing itself, namely the Qur’an Al-Mubarok.
To prove how blessed the Qur’an is, we look at the history of the Arabs, especially the cities of Makkah and Medina. When the Qur’an was revealed, the Arabs were a divided nation because they were proud of the tribes, descendants and social status created by their ancestors’ traditions. Their lives are very primitive, barbaric and brutal.
History records, before they got the blessing of the Qur’an they were famous as the jahiliyah people. The uninitiated and yet able to distinguish between al-haq and al-bathil, between faith and kufr, between tawhid and shirk, between good and evil, between benefit and mudharat, between sin and reward, between the world and the afterlife, between heaven and hell and even between the Creator God and the created servant.
And juxtaposed after they believe, believe, accept, read, understand, follow (practice) and fight for the Qur’an as manhajul hayah, what happens in themselves, their families and communities?
There was such a fundamental and drastic change that they were able to abandon all the values of ugliness and hijrah to all the values of goodness according to Allah and His Apostle. Various praises and stamps of greatness and glory for them also come from heaven or revelation.
Among them, they are the best people that Allah (SWT) has ever displayed on the face of this earth (QS Ali Imran: 110) and Allah SWT has made their lives in the world and the afterlife.
The former were the first (converted to Islam) of the muhajirin and anshar and those who followed them well, Allah pleased them and they were pleased with Allah and Allah provided for them the paradises that flowed the rivers in them forever. They stay in it. That’s a big win. (QS At Taubah: 100)
Allah (SWT) praises and recognizes them as the best people ever displayed on this earth? And why are they still alive in the world, even though Allah SWT guaranteed them success in the afterlife, which is to go to heaven? The answer is adalah, with the blessing of the Qur’an they experience the life quadrant (quadrant of life) from the character of jahiliyah to the character of Islam.
Or in other words, they are able to move from the character of jahiliyah to the character of Islam which among its characteristics as Allah SWT explained in surah Al-Fath verse 29. Dalam surat Al-Fath verse 29 explains the three most prominent traits in the companions of the Prophet after they interacted with the Qur’an. These three traits become the character of their lives.
First, their faith in Allah SWT gave birth to a firm and clear attitude there is no pleasantries at all, let alone tolerance in matters of principle and faith such as wala and baro’ (firm attitude towards pagans and affection towards fellow mukmin).
Second, submit and obey completely to the content of the Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet SAW, without having to be blind and uncritical on matters that need to be criticized, as long as it is not a decision and provision of revelation.
Third, a straight attitude of life, absolute submission to Allah and His Messenger, only aims to seek the pleasure of Allah SWT alone, not the interests and pleasures of the world, regardless of form.
These three traits cause the Prophet’s companions to have a very extraordinary profile called Allah with “khairu ummah”. With the blessing of the Qur’an that Allah (SWT) has revealed, all the goodness and blessings in the world and the afterlife can be achieved.
May Allah be pleased to gather us in the highest paradise of Paradise with the Prophet SAW, the shiddiqin, martyrs’, and shalihin as Allah (SWT) has given us in this glorious place. Wallahua’lam.
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