Why was the month of Ramadan chosen for the revelation of the Koran?
In his chronicle on Ummah, Abd El-Hafid Benchouk, spiritual master and guide of the Sufi house in Saint-Ouen, addresses a deep and essential question: why was the month of Ramadan chosen for the revelation of the Koran? This question, both simple and rich in meanings, invites to explore the spiritual, historical and symbolic dimensions of this blessed month. Author of the book “The Small Book of Sufism” published by Hachette editions, Abd El-Hafid Benchouk brings an enlightened perspective, nourished by his practice and his intimate understanding of Islam. Through this reflection, he offers us to dive into the heart of Ramadan, not only as a time of fasting and devotion, but also as a privileged moment when the divine has chosen to reveal the Koran to humanity.
Video transcription:
Bismillah ar-rahman ar-rahim
Salam alaykoum Dear viewers, dear viewers of Umma.com.
We are happy to meet you today for the Chronicles of the month of Ramadan. We will of course start with the 185 verse from Surah al-Baqara, Surat number 2.
The month of Ramadan
The month of Ramadan is the one during which the Koran was brought down as a guidance for humans and as evidences emanating from guidance and discernment. So anyone who among you will have witnessed this month will fast during this one. And for those who are sick or traveling, when there is an equal number of other days. Allah targets what is easy for you, he does not aim for what is difficult. It is up to you to perfect this number and to magnify Allah for having guided you. May you be grateful.
Particularity of the month of Ramadan
As everyone knows, but it is always useful to recall so that we can become aware of this particular aspect, this is the month when the divine word was revealed in the heart of the prophet Mohammed (Salla Allahou ‘alayhi wa sallam), while he was in spiritual retirement.
What can we say about the month of Ramadan?
It is a month when proximity between creatures and the divine is much more important. We can already see everyone being a little afraid of how the fast will go, but in the end, from the first day and especially throughout the month, we see that there is a divine aid.
Why was this month chosen for the revelation of the sacred book?
It is a month when the descent of God himself in heaven of this world, as he does during the last third of the night, is much more manifest, and each and each can feel it deep in their being.
Become aware of this divine proximity
To become aware of this divine proximity is, in my opinion, the most important thing. Of course, to become fully aware of it, reading the Koran will help us, night prayers will help us, and of course, fasting during the day will help us. For what ? Because all these practices have no other goal than to get closer to our Lord.
The two joys of the fasting
And it is in this sense that the prophet (Alayhi Salatu wa salam) said that the fasting has two joys:
- The first is when he breaks his fast.
- The second is when he meets his Lord.
The month of Ramadan, a month favorable to the divine meeting
This is why we should not lose sight of the fact that the month of Ramadan is a particularly favorable month to meet our Lord. The purpose of all these worships is not only to perform acts of genuflection or contrition, but there is a goal behind it. And this objective is to get closer to Allah, to be like someone who can see the divine presence, to feel the divine presence around him and in himself.
Responsibility and generosity during Ramadan
Thus, we become more aware of our responsibility, not only concerning our personal acts, but also concerning what we do around us. This is why moreover, Muslims and Muslims are particularly generous during this month, because they benefit from this divine generosity themselves, which descends during all the days and every night of the month of Ramadan.
Ramadan’s spiritual retirement
And finally, we find ourselves in a way in the same situation as the Prophet when he was in the Hira cave: spiritual retreat. Thus, even when we fast in a country where the majority of the population is not Muslim, we feel this form of spiritual retreat, even if we are in the middle of the crowd.
Be internally with Allah while being in the world
And I would say that this is perhaps one of the most extraordinary aspects of the month of Ramadan: to be internally with Allah, while being externally with the world.
