The Rational Way of Welcoming Ramadan

Muhammad Abdullah Javed
April 12, 2021

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With the advent of Ramadan a glittering change all around can be witnessed, as if darkness in the ambiance has experienced a precipitous illumination. Ramadan is a spring month that nourishes virtues in the heart as rain helps vegetation grows from the earth.

It’s a month of the Quran, a Book that leads human kind from the depth of darkness (ظلمات) to the light of guidance (نور), beyond that….rejuvenates the human life itself. It’s the month of fasting that helps realize the bounties (نعمہ) of the Creator and overcome the weaknesses. It’s the month of awards and rewards, the fasting, the prayers, the remembrance of Allah, the alms and charity…all have their own multifold rewards as compared to what one gets in normal days. It’s the month of mercy, love, and feeling ones’ pain, as fasting demands abstinence from food, water and sexual desires. 

Being conscious of pains and problems, the Muslims form a versatile relationship with the human beings. It becomes moral and religious responsibility of each and every one to fulfill the need of any person who experiences hunger and thirst. If one goes with this spirit of Ramadan, the progress can be seen both at individual and societal planes.

The blessed month Ramadan revolves around the dignity and reverence of the Quran. Just look at the sequence, the Quran was revealed in the month of Ramadan (Surah Al-Baqarah: 183), it’s a month of fastings, the fastings have been prescribed to cultivate piety (تقوی) and piety has been made obligatory to understand and get acquaint with Quranic guidance.

The one, who gets to depth of its spirit, tries for self-purification and understanding of the Quran is truly blessed. Just ponder, is it possible to reach to desired levels of understanding the Quran through prayers, fastings (صیام), standing in the night (قیام اللیل) and recitation of the Quran (تلاوت) ? For a fair understanding of the Book, try and find perfect answers for the following: 

(1) How the Quran deals with its subject “man” - and what is its view point about the society?

(2) How the Quran formulates the tenets of faith along with expressing the ideas and views that are essential for a man?

(3) How this Holy Book explains the principles of moral and ethical values for the purpose of social and familial existence?

(4) What is the message for humanity that the Quran conveys?

(5) What is the outlook of the Quran regarding the world, universe, life and death?

(6) How it elaborates the concepts of success and failure?

(7) How it elucidates the conceptual details pertaining to virtues and vices?

(8) What criteria and standards should be used to judge the authenticity and genuineness of the Quran?

(9) What are the Quranic ideas of propagation of virtues and eradication of evils?

(10) How Quran can be a Book of Guidance for the entire humanity?

If given serious thought to these queries and ensure a regular sitting for individual and collective studies of the Quran, a vibrant and lively relation with the Book is bound to happen. Recitation, memorization and application of the verses help understand the distinguished features of the Quran. With its unique style of proclamation, admiration, negation and addressing the human intellect, the Quran stands tall as the only source of guidance for the humanity. Its teachings help understand that the Quran:

• Introduces the Creator through His creatures.
• Describes the Blessings of God.
• Cultivates both fear and love of the Creator in the heart.
• Introduces those whom God loves.
• Introduces those whom God does not like
• Presents the words of God that help understand the forms of worship.
• Provides means to obey the Creator with intense love.
• Refreshes thoughts and keeps the hopes alive.
• Inspires to be good and do good.
• Develops personality with a balanced approach for nourishment of the traits.
• Offers guidance for the business and transactions.
• Tells how to behave with parents, children, and neighbors.
• Unveils the secrets of happy married life.
• Helps society scale heights of peace and progress.
• Inculcates a burning desire for promotion of virtues and eradication of evils from the society.
• Presents solutions for the burning issues.
• Suggests methods for fulfilling the necessities of life.
• Teaches the secrets of success and failure.
• Reveals hard realities of life.
• Carries the readers along with the discussion to be its part.
• Puts analytical discussion to distinguish between true and false god.
• Poses questions.
• Develops a sense of superior being in every individual.
• Invites to think over the self and the entire universe.
• Discusses the lives of the Prophets with emphasis on the behavioral attitudes of their followers.
• Takes on a journey of the past.
• Explains the rise and fall of the nations.
• Prepares for the next life.
• Explains the ways of admission in paradise.
• Suggests ways for protection from hell.

Gear up for an absolute understanding of the Quran this Ramadan. Ensure that the queries and the distinguished features accompany you and become a part of your intellect, should create interest while reading the Book and inspire to be an ardent follower of its teachings, all the way, all the time.

 

The author is the Director of AJ Academy For Research and Development, Raichur, Karnataka. He can be reached at [email protected]

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News Network
March 27,2024

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New Delhi, Mar 27: The government has objected strongly to remarks by a US State Department spokesperson on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest last week in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam.

The External Affairs Ministry summoned Gloria Berbena, the US' Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, to a 40-minute meet at its office in Delhi on Wednesday afternoon. In a brief statement released shortly afterwards, the MEA warned of "unhealthy precedents and against "unwarranted aspersions".

"States are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others, and this responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies. It could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents," the External Affairs Ministry said.

"India's legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted," the statement stressed.

On Tuesday the US State Department said it is monitoring reports of Mr Kejriwal's arrest, and called on New Delhi to ensure "a fair and timely legal process" for the jailed Aam Aadmi Party leader.

The US State Department's comments came, in turn, days after Germany's Foreign Office stressed that Mr Kejriwal, like any other Indian citizen facing charges, is entitled to a fair and impartial trial.

The Indian government reacted strongly to the comment, summoning the German envoy and labelling the Foreign Office spokesperson's remark "blatant interference in internal matters".

"We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary," the External Affairs Ministry said, "Biased assumptions are most unwarranted."

Asked about India's protest to Germany, the State Department spokesperson told Reuters, "We refer you to the German Foreign Ministry for comment on their discussions with the Indian government."

Earlier this month the Modi government also took exception to comments by its counterpart on the changes to the citizenship law, calling them out as "misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted".

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate last week in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam that has roiled his AAP and provoked furious protests from the opposition ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Mr Kejriwal was this week sent to jail till March 28.

The Enforcement Directorate believes the now-scrapped liquor policy provided an impossibly high profit margin of 185 per cent for retailers and 12 per cent for wholesalers. Of the latter, six per cent - over ₹ 600 crore - were bribes and the money was allegedly used to fund the AAP's poll campaigns.

The ED has labelled the Chief Minister as a key conspirator in this case, but Mr Kejriwal and party colleagues arrested in this matter - ex-Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and former Health Minister Satyendar Jain - have all denied the charges.

The AAP and the opposition have hit out at the BJP-led central government for using central agencies, like the ED, to target rivals and critics before the general election. The AAP has criticised Mr Kejriwal's arrest on grounds it was timed to interfere with his plans to campaign for the party.

The BJP has dismissed claims it uses central agencies as described by the opposition.

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News Network
March 14,2024

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Mangaluru, Mar 14: “Hindutva is my commitment and development is my priority,” said Indian army veteran and entrepreneur Captain Brijesh Chowta after the BJP high command announced a ticket to him from Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency.

Known as a BJP stronghold, Nalin Kumar Kateel has served as the MP of this constituency for the past 15 years.

Soon after the announcement was made, 42-year-old Chowta, who is also the BJP state secretary from Dakshina Kannada constituency, sought the blessings of his parents and went to Shree Sharavu Mahaganapathi Temple and visited the war memorial to offer tributes.

A BSc graduate from St Aloysius College, he completed his executive business Management program from the Indian Institute of Management, Indore.

He was commissioned into the 7th battalion of the 8 Gorkha Rifles and served in counter-insurgency operations in Assam and Manipur and was part of Elite Ghatak team. He also served as the adjutant to the battalion. He has been associated with the BJP since 2013. He is the president of Mangaluru Kambala and organiser of Mangaluru Lit Fest.

“Humbled and grateful to our party seniors led by our commander-in-chief PM Narendra Modi for giving me this opportunity to be our party’s candidate and representative of his work and vision in Dakshina Kannada. I pledge to continue to work with even greater rigour for the welfare of our region and people driven by the mantra of ‘Nation First’. I humbly bow down to all our karyakartas & everyone who stood by me & toiled with me to make this happen. Our task has just begun, as we work towards making Dakshina Kannada the number one in the state,” Captain Chowta said on X.

Kateel welcomes change 

Meanwhile, sitting Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has welcomed the party’s decision to field Capt Brijesh Chowta as the BJP candidate for Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency.

He said the change aligns with the party’s strategy of fostering new talent to broaden its base and activities. He hoped that he will win by a margin of more than 3 lakh votes.

Soon after the list was announced on Wednesday, the three-time MP told reporters that he has brought projects worth about Rs 1 lakh crore during the last 10 years, under the Modi government.

He thanked the party for giving him a big responsibility of leading the party in the state. “I have worked honestly,” he said.

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News Network
March 27,2024

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Hassan: Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda has announced that his son, former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will contest from state's Mandya parliamentary seat as NDA candidate.

Deve Gowda told reporters on Tuesday that the decision to field Kumaraswamy, who is also JD(S) state president, in Lok Sabha polls from the Mandya seat was taken amid mounting public demand. "People are demanding that Kumaraswamy should contest from Mandya. In the core committee meeting as well, all members suggested that he should contest from Mandya," Deve Gowda said.

The former Chief Minister's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy had lost to independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh from Mandya in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The JD(S) supremo further said that the name of senior leader Mallesh Babu has been finalised from the Kolar seat.

Deve Gowda's grandson and former Karnataka Minister H. D. Revanna's son sitting JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna will be contesting as the NDA candidate from the Hassan seat.

Earlier in the day, Kumaraswamy in a media briefing indicated that he would contest from Mandya amid mounting public pressure on him.

Congress has fielded Venkatarame Gowda popularly known as ‘Star Chandru’ from the Mandya seat dominated by Vokkaligas. Star Chandru is a close associate of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

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