The most awaited month of the year has dawned upon us, and approximately 1.9 billion Muslims all over the world are waiting to welcome Ramadan. The sacred and holy nature of Ramadan is no stranger to us. Indeed, lucky are those who have managed to reach Ramadan once again. We should thank the Almighty manifolds, for granting us this opportunity once again.
Surah Baqarah’s verse number 185 sets the tone about the importance of Ramadan and fasting. Through various Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has emphasized the rewards and blessings one can earn from Allah (SWT) with proper action and intentions in the month of Ramadan. No wonder why we see a changed Muslim ummah during this month.
However, there are two different ways one can approach this very precious month of Ramadan. The Sawaab (reward) oriented approach and the Hisaab (accountability) oriented approach. Each approach shells out from a peculiar understanding of Islam and showcases two different sets of actions. While the Sawaab approach is very commonly followed, the latter is slowly developing. The intention here is to bring out a different perspective on how to approach Ramadan. It is in no way intended to criticize any approach or way of doing things.
Various Ahadith speak about the multiplication of rewards from ten to seven hundred times in the month of Ramadan. The last 10 nights become much more lucrative in this regard as well. The whole discourse around Ramadan in general focuses on the accumulation of rewards in order to make up for the sins which humans tend to commit. The Sawaab approach to Ramadan drives an individual towards hard work in terms of fasting, reciting Quran and completing it within 30 days, standing for Tarawih, observing Tahajjud, staying up late for the last ten nights so on and so forth. Muslim areas are lit up and Mosques suddenly appear jam-packed, everyone remains concerned and busy accumulating as much Sawaab as they can before this opportunity goes by. This almost becomes a routine for every Muslim, irrespective of what life they used to live before Ramadan. Such an approach brings many positive changes and has the potential to drive one’s life in a positive direction post-Ramadan as well.
On the contrary, the Hisaab approach can change the very outlook of our activities. At the core of this approach is to remember the purpose of our lives in this world and utilize Ramadan towards the fulfillment of that. It is more about the responsibilities which are laid upon us at various places in the Quran. The very first verse of Surah Al-Alaq makes us responsible for gaining knowledge; Verse 110 of Surah Al-Imran makes us responsible for the reconstruction of society, and so on and so forth. The Hisaab approach is about realizing that we are accountable for the following and working towards it during Ramadan.
Therefore, the Hisaab approach will compel an individual to recite as well as understand the Quran. Dealing with the Quranic texts, pondering over various tafseer, referring to various scholars and their lectures on Quran, etc., will become routine under this approach. One would also be concerned about their neighbors and their queries related to Islam. Thereby using Ramadan as an opportunity to interact with non-Muslims and discuss their doubts and queries becomes a very important and necessary action under the Hisaab approach.
This approach also presses an individual to invest more time in gaining knowledge about various aspects of Islam. One will feel obliged to answer the questions which the media nowadays continue to write about Islam. Which requires knowledge and a clear understanding of the Quran and Islam as a whole.
In a nutshell, the Hisaab approach can make us realize our duty as Muslims and guide our efforts accordingly. Therefore, one must carefully think about how s/he will approach this Ramadan. The Sawaab approach will keep our focus on accumulating and will God willing replace our sins. The Hisaab approach makes us more aware of our duties in this world and prepares us to stand before the Almighty on Judgement Day. As responsible Muslims, we should strike a balance between both and approach Ramadan in a way that transforms our personality and makes Islam more acceptable and appreciable in society at large.
