Ramadan: A Celebration of the Quran2 min read

The Month of Ramadan: A Celebration of the Revelation of the Qurʾān

The month of Ramadan is in which the Qur’an was revealed as a guidance for mankind, clear proofs giving guidance, and the Criterion (for distinguishing right and wrong). So, whoever of you witnesses this month, let him fast it. (Q. 2:185)

The month of Ramadan is the when the Qurʾān was first revealed. Ramadan is a celebration of the moment God chose to communicate with mankind. It is the month of mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and ultimately a means of salvation. Without God’s revelation, mankind would have been left in darkness. We would not know who God is, what He requires of us, or how to live our lives. The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him understood the darkness of life without God. It was represented in the chaos and oppression of life in Mecca.

Mecca was full of economic injustice, slavery, racism, sexism, idol worship, and intoxication. The people of Arabia were obsessed with their tribes in a gang-like fashion. They had rivalries and feuds, and killed each other over the simplest of things. Women had no rights, new born girls were buried alive, and orphans were abused. This is what happens to mankind without the guidance of God. They begin allowing their whims and desires to take charge which results in oppression, wrongdoing, and injustice.

The Qurʾān: A Source of Guidance and Mercy

It was in these dark moments that God reached out to mankind. He revealed the Qurʾān in the month of Ramadan as a means of providing guidance so that we live happier lives. Therefore, Muslims throughout the world celebrate the month of Ramadan by reading the Qurʾān. When anyone walks into a mosque during Ramadan they will hear a constant buzzing of Qurʾānic recitation. Every night Muslims have a special prayer which is called tarāwīḥ. During this prayer, a chapter of the Qurʾān is recited each night. Since the Qurʾān contains thirty chapters, the entire Qurʾān is read from cover to cover by the end of the month. This takes place in almost every mosque throughout the world. The word Qurʾān linguistically means “the most recited.” This is certainly true in the month of Ramadan, there is no book on earth that is read constantly throughout the world and as much as the Qurʾān. In addition to the special tarāwīḥ prayer, most Muslims also try to read the Qurʾān from cover to cover on their own. Furthermore, Muslims pray five times a day and recite the Qurʾān in the prayer.

Ramadan: A Time to Reconnect with God

Therefore, Ramadan is the month in which Muslims celebrate the glorious Qurʾān. They reconnect and rekindle their relationship with God by fasting, praying, and reciting the words He revealed to mankind. These words bring softness, comfort, and light to the heart no matter how dark it may have been throughout the year.