Narrowing the Ways of Satan
In a hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim our Prophet says: “Satan circulates in the body like blood. Make his passage narrow by means of hunger.”

In the words of al-Ghazali, lusts are grazing grounds for the devils. As long as there is something to be grazed on, Satan will be present. Fasting, through which one establishes a mastery over one’s most fundamental (and unmanageab...

Fasting as Told by Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır
Today I would like to cite a few quotations about fasting from Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır, a famous Turkish Quran commentator known for including subtle philosophical and psychological analyses in his tafseer. He firstly points out that the struggle against the lower self is possible only through fasting and states that no other means are as effective as fasting in calming the ambition that the human be...

Ramadan Mobilization
During the month of Ramadan we see a dramatic increase in all acts of worship. In these blessed days prayer, charity, and preoccupation with the Quran are at their highest for many of us. This fact is also manifest in the prophetic narrations that deal with the month of Ramadan.

When Ramadan came, a noticeable change would take place in our Prophet’s (s.a.w) spiritual life. His generosity would re...

Ramadan Increases and Decreases
With the onset of Ramadan our eating and drinking, and even our sleep decrease. Our vivaciousness and our gallivanting stop; instead a tranquility and a sobriety take over us. We have a month-long experience of eating little, sleeping little, and speaking little, which are the three conditions for becoming a spiritually mature human being. Maybe this is the reason why we are given the good news th...

Small, Sincere Iftars
Thank God there are still people who invite close friends to their homes for iftaar. In these small and sincere gatherings we not only eat iftaar, but also meet people, catch up with friends, and have heartfelt conversations. We leave these iftaars having learnt something from the other guests and having seen a new practice or a new style from the household. Some friendships take deeper root, some...

Climbing the Steep Hill
I haven't personally attended the iftaars organized in luxurious restaurants with crowded groups, but as I hear more and more about the amount of food that goes to waste in these so-called charity events, I can't help but write about the irony that such iftaars create with some anger-tinged sorrow.

When attendees in these events organized by this charity or that foundation see that kilos of meat a...

Its Beginning is Mercy, Its Middle is Forgiveness
It is related from our Prophet (s.a.w) that he said about Ramadan, “Its beginning is mercy, its middle is forgiveness, and its ending is liberation from the Hellfire.” The stage of mercy has come and gone; now is the time for forgiveness. The mercy of God surrounds us as a manifestation of his name Rahman, whether we want to or not, whether we deserve it or not. (His name Rahim, however, is more a...

The Bounty of Ramadan
One of the first things that come to mind when we speak of the bounty of Ramadan is the fridges that remain full because we stop snacking and eat only two times a day. We also think of how people compete with each other to help each other and offer iftaars for as many people as possible. Also how charity in all its forms increases dramatically in society. For me the blessing and bounty of Ramadan...

Ramadan: The Celebration of Revelation
We have mentioned that fasting is a celebration. Celebrating our joy by coming closer to the angelic. What we in fact celebrate with a month of fasting is the revelation of the Quran to mankind. Quran is a redemptive rope extended from the Heavens to the Earth. No matter how rough the waters of life, it keeps those who cling to it always in security and always close to their Lord.  Whenever we ne...

The Evolution of Iftaars
We know that our Prophet (s.a.w) has told us that whoever prepares or offers food to a fasting person will earn as much of a reward as him. Possibly under the influence of this good news, every country in the Muslim world has developed its own iftaar traditions. In some Anatolian villages, Ramadan nights are shared among the well-off members of the community (especially if there’s a guest sheikh ...

The Women Believers of the Mosques
Have you ever been made to feel unwanted in a place by those who behave like they own it? Unfortunately many of the women in our country are made to feel exactly like this, not only during Ramadan, but any time they enter a mosque. It’s not only those who frequent the mosques that stare them down; even the most disinterested people in the area look at them as if to say, “What business...

The School of Ramadan
According to the “Ramadan” entry in the Encyclopedia of Islam (TDV), our Prophet (s.a.w) stated that when the “blessed month of Ramadan” comes, the gates of heaven open and those of hell close; the devils are chained; and the sins of someone who has fasted with faith and sincerity, expecting the reward of his deeds from Allah (s.w.t), will be forgiven. It’s these virtues of Ramadan that make it i...