Ramadan once again has come to bless the believers with its blessings and bounties, limitless and graceful. Muslims fast from dawn to dusk all through this blessed month. This makes some of our fellows to wonder why Muslims subject themselves to such a rigorous act of worship. To get the answer to this question, they need to realise that it is the month of Ramadan in which the Qur’ān was revealed through Archangel Gabriel (Jibrael) to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. We may say that Ramadan is the annual celebration of the revelation of the Qur’ān.
We need to ‘celebrate’ this blessed month to know or at least refresh ourselves the life-giving message of the Qur’ān and realise the power and influence of the Book on human life. As for its power and influence, God Himself says: “Had We brought down this Qur’ān upon a mountain, you would have seen it humble itself and break asunder for fear of God.” (The Qur’ān – 59:21)
The revelation began with the first five verses of Surah Al-Alaq (96:1-5). When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ received these five verses in the Cave Hira, it was his first experience to receive the Divine revelation. When he returned home, he was a bit worried, was sweating and wanted to be covered with a blanket. However, his wife Khadija consoled him and took him to her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal, who testified to his prophethood and convinced him that it was revelation from God.
The Qur’ān has such power that it is absolutely irresistible to respond to its message. Historical narrations say that Umar Ibn al-Khattab had such an experience when he overheard a person reciting the opening eight verses of Surah 52: “By Mount Sinai; by a scripture inscribed on unrolled parchment; by the much-visited House; by the vault raised high; by the swelling sea; your Lord’s punishment will indeed come to pass. Nothing can stop it.” (The Qur’ān – 52:1-8)
These verses left so powerful an impact on him that he leaned on a wall nearby and latter went home and immersed in deep brooding. These two incidents present before the weight, power and influence of the Qur’ān that one can realise on the pulse. This is so because it touches our inner souls and makes us shudder; this shudder brings in a change for the better in life. The only condition is that the person learning the Divine Message is fully receptive of the truth, and he is not stony-hearted.
The Qur’ān repeatedly opens such images and scenes that help us receive the message in right earnest and reflect thereupon. The Qur’ān (59:21) says: “We put such images before people so that they may reflect.” In the blessed month of Ramadan, we have a golden opportunity to experience the power and influence of the Qur’ān, reflecting on its message as much as we can with the hope this would lead to ultimate success.