Young people share their Ramadan experiences in essays that the Huffington Post's Paul Brandeis collected. Nayab Mahmood shares from her perspective as a Muslim in Food for Thought: An Interfaith Ramadan. Why I Stopped Observing Ramadan: A Unitarian Universalist's Journey Toward Spiritual Practice is by UU Nicolas Cable. The third essay is My Jihad by Saadia Ahmad who attends college in Providence, Rhode Island.
What hidden sweetness is found in this empty stomach!
Man is like a lute, neither more nor less:
When the lute’s stomach is full, it cannot lament, whether high or low.
If your brain and stomach burn from fasting, their fire will draw constant lamentation from your breast.
Through that fire you will burn a thousand veils at every instant — you will ascend a thousand degrees on the Way and in your aspiration.
Keep your stomach empty! Lament like a flute and tell your need to God!
Keep your stomach empty and speak of the mysteries like a reed!
If you keep your stomach full, it will bring Satan to you at the Resurrection, instead of your intellect, an idol of the Kaaba.
When you fast, good character traits gather round you like servants, slaves and retinue.
Continue your fasting, for it is Solomon’s seal: Give not the seal to the devil, disrupt not your kingdom.
And if your kingdom and army should flee from you, your army will return, so raise the banner!
The Spread Table has come from heaven to those who fast, for Jesus son of Mary has called it down with his prayers.
Await the Table of Generosity in your fast — the Table of Generosity is better than cabbage stew.
- Jalal ud-Din Rumi, translated by William Chittick in “Sufi Path of Love”
*Injeel is the New Testament Gospels of the Christian Bible.
Muslims are taught to make no distinction
between any of the Beloved's Revealed Books.
You don't have (the first three words of this poem are the meaning of Ramadan Kareem). It means Ramadan is generous, it means Ramadan heals. It means Ramadan feeds. It means Ramadan clothes. You don't have to be Muslim to have a blissful Ramadan. There is room for everyone at the table where we fast, that place in the hearts, where the prayer is: "May my hunger empty my wallet
into your hands."
You don't have to be Muslim to call out to your Beloved, "What can I do? What can I do?"
You don't have to be Muslim to make sure everyone has food. May all creation know the meaning of Ramadan Karim. Amin
To contemplate on during these last few hours before the start of Ramadan:
The Prophet, may Allah immerse him in continuous peace, said,
"An hour's worth of contemplation is better than
sixty years of worship."
The soul's true happiness lies in experiencing the inner joy, and it will never be fully satisfied with outer, seeming pleasures. Its connection is with God, and nothing short of perfection will ever satisfy it.
Bowl of Saki, July 19, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
R A M A D A N
I S
G E N E R O U S
Muhammad ibn Ya`qub (al-Kulayni), from `Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father, from al-Nawfali,
from al-Sakuni, from Abu 'Abd Allah (al-'Imam al Sadiq) (A) that he said:
"Amir al-Mu'minin (A) used to say: `Arouse your heart to contemplation;
keep your side clear off the night; and be heedful towards your Lord."
(Usul al-Kafi, II, 5)
***** ****** *****
The most superior form of worship is perpetual contemplation on God and His Power.
(Usul al-Kafi, II, 55)
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"GOD IN EVERY HEART"
Snatam Kaur
(make it your mantra)
***** ***** ******
“Say: 'I give you only one admonition,
That you stand before Allah either two by two, or one by one and reflect.”
Counting down the days to Ramadan. When is Ramadan in 2012? It will begin on Friday, July 20 and end on Saturday, August 18. Based on sightability, it will begin, Saturday, July 21 in North America.
