As we welcome the holy month of Ramadan, the month in which the Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and in which we dedicate ourselves to fasting, self-purification and spiritual training, we should strive to do righteous deeds and focus on the goals of Ramadan so that we can become closer to Allah.

Understanding the preparations made by Prophet for the month of Ramadan is possible through the information narrated by the Companions of the Prophet as well as the Sunnah on this matter. When one examines the narrations on this topic, two issues emerge as being most important..

“O you who believe! Prescribed for you is the Fast, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may deserve God's protection and attain piety."

The Day of Āshūrā, the tenth of Muḥarram...

The Pilgrimage to Mecca explained.

O People! Lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.

Eid al-Adha is called the Great Eid. It occurs at the culmination of the Hajj, and is the culmination of the first ten blessed days of Dhu al-Hijjah, days which have been described by our beloved Prophet (pbuh) as the best days of the year..

Ramadan, the beginning of which is mercy, the middle forgiveness, and the end release from Hellfire, is a lot like the prayer with its standing, the bowing down, and the prostration. When Ramadan came we all rolled our sleeves and got ready for worship. Just like standing at the beginning of our prayer. Every believer did this in his/her own way.

One of our friends who wrote a reflection about Ramadan upon our request is dear Ayşe Şebnem Yeşilkaya. She compares our Ramadan joy to the gaiety of butterflies in spring, our enthusiasm in charity to the flight of butterflies from flower to flower, our slowly refining souls to the elegance of butterflies, and the transitory nature of this season of happiness to the short life of a butterfly:

I saw the crescent in the sky of the dark blue night, in the red of the flag, on the top of the dome, above the Neretva.* I had a difficult time fasting through the long hours. The gates of divine help opened wide. The sun hid its heat, and the clouds wished the fasters well. Little children envied the adults having suhoor and fasted with food breaks in between. Then they took the next step and fasted all day. Grandparents competed with each other to reward these kids in this life, leaving the reward of the afterlife to their Lord.