Ramadhan Kareem!!!

Asamu de awe tele eni tio gba we ojuti yin ( first it was Asam followed by fasting, and it’s a shame on those that didn’t fast now that it’s over) this is one of my childhood songs… Hold it!!! Before you ask me if i am a muslim… There is no place my Amebor/my ITK can’t take me and with the help of my muslim friends and family members, it was easy . As a child, one great thing about Ramadan is Tawaweeh (prayer at night) all of my friends will be out for prayers and their parents will be inside the Mosque while the children were outside with me playing around, buying all sorts of things available for us and our female friends ,causing our normal trouble in the neighbourhood at night. The greatest part of the Holy month is when the fasting is over but a little challenging for me, having so many meat/food to eat around (yes i be FFO)… But now I have come to realize that there is more to the 9^th month of the Islamic Calendar than I knew, as the 3^rd pillar of Islam all Muslims have been instructed by Allah(SWT) to fast in this Holy month except the underage, old, traveller, sick, menstruating, pregnant or nursing mothers. Fasting here is expected to be between dawn and sunset abstinence from feeding, drinking, smoking, sexual intercourse and of course other vices in all forms. During this great month, all good acts are rewarded in several folds. Certain terms are peculiar in this period; sahur(midnight eating/drinking to take off the fast), Iftar (breaking of the fast at sunset), Tawaweeh (long unit of prayers at night after the Ishai prayers), Zakatul fitr (compulsory alms given to the less privilege before the eid prayers) and Eid el fitri( festival after the period of fasting). Ramadhan starts once the moon of shaaban( 8th month ) has totally disappeared and the new moon appears, it ends once the moon of shawwal has been sighted… The days of Ramadhan, just like every other Islamic month has a minimum of 29 days maximum of 30 days, This is subject to the moon citation when the crescent is sighted on the 29th day, The Holy month is completed… when it’s not, it automatically completes its circle of 30 days. Ramadhan is simply a month of spiritual cleansing for the 2Billion+ muslims across the globe during which the Holy Quran was revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Sigh! But what’s next for you after this Holy Month? In preparation for this Holy month so many of my friends on twitter tweets just like the Holy prophet would have tweeted if he were on twitter, Different changes in BBM display Names from Ms/cute/angel/baby etc to more appropriate names, the Display picture are now better, i can’t even count the number of times i opened my mouth to say Ah! You are a Muslim too? and i believe their dressing will be better at least no more bum shorts, spag, color blocking etc… But is this the preaching of the Holy prophet? I believe all this acts are supposed to be a way of life and not a month thing. If you know so well that you get more blessings following the teachings of the Holy prophet (SAW) properly why not continue living your life that way? Give alms to the less privileged even after Ramadhan, guard the words of your mouth/what you write anywhere especially on social media even after Ramadan, Praying 5 times a day, Dressing decently even after the Holy month, i believe if you can stay away from smoking , alcohol, and sex for 30days and you are still alive why can’t you do it for the rest of your life? and wait for sex till the appropriate time… Remember you are an ambassador of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) on earth all through your life and not for just 30days of each year, are you sure you are rep Him well on earth after the 30days of fasting? Will He be happy with the way you live your life as one of His rep on earth? No one can be like hiim 100% even me that is opening my big mouth to talk but, how close are you? We are humans but what effort(s) have you made to be a better person to yourself, neighbours, family, friends and your Nation? Whew! may Allah help us all….Amen
Thanks for reading this and start your alms-giving by sharing this coz someone out there may need it… Also I apologise in the event that I misquote or make any mistake about this Great religion… I try nah, special thanks to my friend – Aliyu Giwa for all the tips… Ramadhan Kareem to you all… As for me KFC on my mind *tongue out* no go fast….
Toba Adeyeye for Naijavirus.com…twitter- @otunba_tourba facebook- Adeyeye toba