A Hot Summer Ramadans Fast

Abu ad-Darda said, "Fast the very hot days in anticipation of the Day of Resurrection, and pray two rak'at in the darkness of night in anticipation of the darkness of the grave."
Isn't it amazing that each Ramadan is different than the one prior to it, and each Ramadan is different from the one that we perhaps experienced in another part of the Globe? Some have played around with the natural calendar to bring about the same season in the same month each year. But the original calendar which is based on the Lunar cycles was always the measurement of time in terms of months and years. The Lunar calendar was the one followed by all God's people, since time immemorial, be it the people of Noah, or Abraham or Moses or David or Jesus or Muhammad, peace and blessings of Almighty Allah be on each anc everyone of them. The Lunar calendar is the real measure of a month and there are twelve months in a year comprising of around 254 to 256 days per year. So the seasons do not again and again fall in the same time of the year, but rotate in such a way that all of the people living in the various parts of the world experience different flavors every year. Remember the time when you used to have the most comfortable Ramadan of all time; nice and cool short days, and even after Taraweeh you had plenty of time to enjoy various delicacies before finally going to bed. This was for us, those years, and not for others living in a different geographical location. Even now when Ramadan is in middle of hot summer, for some living in other places would have moderate climate and on the average a 12 to 13 hours of fasting. Not so for us. So what? Do we fast for ourselves, for our pleasure, for showing off to others? No! We fast, solely for the pleasure of Allah, to achieve nearness to Allah, and for love of Allah. Fasting is obligatory, if one is a Muslim adult, if one is not sick or not traveling, or not in a condition when some of the fairer sex at times are. Some of us are scared and worried about how we are going to navigate through such a hot summer Ramadan, but most people who have determination, and a higher level of love for Allah, are not going to be discouraged with such thoughts. They know that all they have to do is try and leave the outcome to Allah. How many who are very old, and feeble and even suffering from some ailments make up their mind to go for Hajj, and go through all the toils and tests of this hectic journey of pilgrimage, with such an ease that they never thought of as possible. Who gives us success in our tasks, and who strengthens our hearts and minds and bodies when we are involved in something good? Do we do it ourselves or is it Allah who does all this for us. When those who fast for Allah in the heat are patient despite their intense thirst, Allah will set aside a specific gate from the gates of Paradise for them. This is the gate called Rayyan. Whoever enters through it will drink, and whoever drinks after entering it will never be thirsty again. When 'Amir bin 'Abd Qays went from Basrah to Sham, Mu'awiyah (the Khalifa at the time) would ask him to tell him what he needs. 'Amir refused to ask of him, and on persistence by Mu'awiyah, eventually said: "All I need is for you to return the

heat of Basrah to me to make the fasting a bit harder, as it is too easy in your lands." Ibn 'Umar went on a trip once with some companions, and they saw a shepherd who they invited to eat with them. He said: "I am fasting." Ibn Umar exclaimed: "You are fasting in heat like this, and while you are around all these plants and sheep?" The man replied: "I am taking advantage of my remaining days." Ibn Umar was impressed by this reply and said: "Can you sell one of your sheep to us? We will pay you for it and we will feed you from its meat when you break your fast." The shepherd replied: "These sheep do not belong to me. They belong to my master." Ibn Umar remarked: "What would your master say if you tell him that one sheep was eaten by a wolf?" The shepherd raised his finger towards the sky and said: "What about Allah?" Ibn Umar kept repeating this phrase that the shepherd uttered, till they reached the city. Then he went to the shepherd's master, bought the shepherd and freed him, and he bought all the sheep and gave sheep to the shepherd as a gift. When Al-Hajjaj (the Khalifa at the time) was on a journey between Makkah and Madinah, he pulled out his food and invited a bedouin to eat with him. The bedouin said: "I have been invited by One who is better than you and I have accepted the invitation." Hajjaj asked: "And who is this?" The bedouin replied: "Allah invited me to fast, and I fasted. Al-Hajjaj asked astonishingly: "On this very hot day?" (Obviously it was not Ramadan time). The bedouin replied: "Yes. I am fasting this day in anticipation of a much hotter day." Al-Hajjaj said: "So, eat today and fast tomorrow." The bedouin replied: "Only if you can guarantee that I will live until tomorrow." It is a great blessing from Allah that we are still alive, healthy, all our senses are working, we are able to think and take decisions. Who knows how many of us shall see Ramadan next year and what will be our condition at that time. The time to act is now! Let us ask Allah to increase our faith, give us

great strength, so that we worship Him in a best possible way. May Allah grant us in all our good intentions and good deeds. Let us encourage each other to go through this Ramadan (and those in the future) with positive thoughts, the clean intentions and sound determination, to do our best. Let us resolve to make the most of this Ramadan, no matter how hot the days may be, no matter how long the fasting hours may be, no matter how hungry and how thirsty we may be. If we go through all this and what is going to fall on us in future years, the credit is not to ourselves. As for our own selves we can do nothing, it is only with Allah's help that we shall achieve success, and all praise be to Allah alone, forever. Referring to the voluntary fasts, Abu ad-Darda said, "Fast the very hot days in anticipation of the Day of Resurrection, and pray two rak'at in the darkness of night in anticipation of the darkness of the grave."