Thursday, August 12, 2010

Enjoying the TARAWIH and TADARUS during Ramadhan

Three days into the month of Ramadhan, the initial challenge of fasting and performing additional prayers and reciting the al-Quran till late night, would already be over. But probably not for all. To some the challenge is getting even heavier. To others the
spiritual nectar of intensified prayers and subjugation to Allah's injunctions may be beginning to become more intoxicating. I begin to hear the Imams leading the prayers and the tahlil and zikir ( the chanting) breaking into a sob, indicating that they are becoming increasingly overwhelmed by 'khauf' ( fear of Allah) and 'ehsan' (feeling of Allah's presence).

How are we ordinary mortals reacting to the initial impact of Ramadhan, the month of extraordinary blessings and bounties as
promised by Allah SNWT and Prophet Muhammad SAW (pbuh)? If it's just the lethargy, hunger or thirst that dominates your concern throughout the day, then you are still grappling with the demand of your 'nafs' or your physical and biological needs. Those who begin to feel peaceful, unperturbed by the challenges of everyday routine, and contented with whatever life is dishing out to them, have already begun to conquer their 'nafs' and enter the realm of contentment (ridha) and gratitude for Allah's blessings.

Their inner senses and insights start to become more predominant than the effects and impacts of their worldly and material life.To them the fasting and prayers begin to acquire a new meaningfulness, bring a new nourishment to their life, and the nightly activities of Ramadhan especially the usual prayers, the TARAWIH and TADARUS begin to become more and more savory until their fasting does not feel complete without fulfilling those tasks.

As an average Muslim and a 'makmum' (follower) in fulfilling the obligations of Ramadhan, the three nights of prayers, TARAWIH and TADARUS ( I've yet to participate more fully in the third item) have already given me some new awareness which
were dormant before. Usually the TARAWIH also begins to take its toll on your enthusiasm and strength as Ramadhan advances, but not this time around. I'm becoming more aware of the reasons and perhaps others may benefit from my own personal awareness about it.

Firstly, the Madrasah's Working Committee has arranged for an special Imam to lead the prayers - a hafiz ( one who knows the al-Quran by heart) - whose recital of the holy book is very stimulating and awe-inspiring. Every word comes out clearly while the melody is enchanting. I must say that the Imam has a lot to do with making the TARAWIH a treat or a bore. While this Imam is reciting passages from the first surah ( chapter) of the al-Quran and will go on until the end which takes more time than reciting the shorter surahs only, you never feel any boredom or become drowsy with a monotonous mumbling.

Secongly, you've to be prepared to listen to what the Imam is going to recite for the coming night. That means you have to read and understand the meaning of the passages he might cover. Even if you already know more or less what the passages mean, you've to reread and pronounce the words aloud so that when the Imam renders the passage, it really hits home. You understand and can absorb its full meaning. No, this is not an easy task since not all the passages are easy to understand. In trying to do so through your reading, you'll realize how beautiful and concise the divine words are, some quite impossible to
unrevel in a few sentences. What irks me sometimes is that some ustaz give a long-winded explanation to the sentences whose meanings are obvious but eschew the heavily loaded ones.

Thirdly, this time around we've short 'tazkirah' ( reminders) thrown in between tahlil and prayers and between pauses in the 20
raka'at TARAWIH and 3 raka'at WITIR. These are useful reminders or revivers of old memories compared to the long khutbah on Fridays and other 'kuliahs' which tend to put people to sleep. I would think that some of the less important kuliahs should be changed to the teaching of the quranic language so that it can help one to understand the al-quran better.

In ending I should congratulate the Working Committee of our Madrasah At-Tarbiah for introducing the changes especially the Chairman Dato Amiruddin and the Head of the Dakwah Sub-Committee Uztaz Asyaari. Selamat Perpuasa dan Beramal Ibadah in this specially month of Ramadhan to all our Muslim brothers and sisters.

11 comments:

Si Yoyop Bah... said...

hmm...poor me. Unable enjoying fasting, terawikh and tadarus yet!.

norzah said...

If you're on leave for biological reasons, Yy, you're enjoying some of the blessings of Allah as allowed through the teachings of Islam. Enjoy the privilege to the full but you have to redeem it later, hehehe. Salam and selamat perpuasa.

abdulhalimshah said...

Ya Akhi,
It is a great Blessing to be endowed with that kind of perspective this Ramadhan for you. How wonderful would it be for many of us if we could delve deeper into the meanings of the recitations by the Imam, because it shall enhance our concentration on the outward kifayah and instill the spiritual wellness in us.
Alhamdulillah and Mabruk.

norzah said...

It's not easy to keep up with the Imam's recitation of the al-Quran, Akhi Halim, and I cannot claim to be able to understand half of what he recites. But so long as you can catch the subject being adjudicated on by Allah and some of the injunctions given to the Prophet (PBUH), your attention will continue to be glued to the
ayat-ayat being recited. It's a fantastic experience.

I read somewhere in the FB that you'd be away until
further notice. On holiday or what? Whatever it is and wherever you are selamat berpuasa and may some new revelations present themselves on you
during this syahrul Mubarak.

kaykuala said...

Akhi Norzah,
Akhi, you are one of the few who are privileged and able to fully appreciate the true meaning of Ramadhan. You are blessed!

norzah said...

Thank you very much for the comment, ya Akhir Kaykuala. Yes I'm most privileged to be a humble follower of the Jumaah at our madrasah at-Tarbiyah where the special Imam is leading the TARAWIH prayers. The Madrasah is full to the brim for these prayers. But while the other more elderly followers have no problem following through the 20 + 3 raka'at routine, the younger followers disappeared after the 8th raka'at. I've no doubt that they did so due to a lack of understanding of what the Imam's beautiful recitation of the al-Quran means. I pray that Allah will open their hearts to begin reading and understanding the al-quran this month while giving me the insight to probe its deeper ocean of divine wisdom. Salamu alaikum.

rambomadonna said...

Selamat Menjalani Ibadah Puasa Norzah ...

Coincidently in Penang, now is the month of the Hungry Ghost and the Yeoh household suddenly become spiritual as well hehehe.

norzah said...

Thanks for dropping in, J, in the spirit of fasting and Hungry Spirit or Ghost. It's important for us mortal to know the meaning of hunger and Ramadhan is the Muslim's month of cleansing the soul. Does the Hungry Ghost help you to do the same? I'm going to google about it after this, hehehe. You re now in KL i persume. Have a good time.

rambomadonna said...

Yes, got some family matter to attend to. Of course taking my time off from my office. Gosh ... I need some soul and "belly" cleansing too hehehe...

Anyway, I did mine during the St Anne"s Festival last month. Quite honestly, this year was very spiritual and enlightening ... starting from that trip to Bangkok and Chiengmai, despite the difference in religion and beliefs. I felt calm and more confident with myself.

Even all these years in KL,i find some Muslim's cultures, beliefs or way of life worth to be adopted and adapted. Like the fasting month of Ramadan.

norzah said...

Calm an confidence can be attained through methods that are not confined to the teachings of any one religion, J. The Hindu, the Budgists, the Christians and the Muslims have their own way of attaining spiritual peace and harmony and we see a lot of similarities in the methods adopted. So, if you had adopted and adapted some from the Muslim's faith there are many Muslims who have done the same from other beliefs. Yoga and meditation for example have been accepted by people from various religion. So, get as much from this bountiful month of Ramadhan as you can, especially from the code of abstinence and moderation. That includes dieting if course, hehehe.

norzah said...

Thanks for dropping in. Anonymous. From what you said in English i gather that you wanted to know what you can do in times of crisis and sales take a dip (fall down). I don't know what crisis we are talking about and what business you are involved in. Clarify that and we might try to answer your question. If it's a money crisis that we are talking about, try making some credit arrangement. More credit facilities can often jack up sales.