Islam

The month of Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid Al-Fitr. `Eid Al-Fitr is the day of benefits and blessings for all fasting Muslims, as they are promised great reward by Almighty Allah for their good observance of fasting. At the end of Ramadan, Muslims express their gratitude to Allah, Who has enabled them to observe fasting and, at the same time, granted them abundant provision during this blessed month. 

Everyone rises early for the 'Eid Al-Fitr prayer. Afterwards, families visit each other and exchange good wishes. The handshakes and hugs after the prayer are a wonderful mark of love toward others. Eid gives everyone a feeling of brotherliness, and all bad feelings toward fellow Muslims should be wiped clean so we can all start fresh. `Eid Al-Fitr, therefore, is a day of joy, acts of worship, thanksgiving to Allah, cooperation, solidarity, brotherhood, unity, and spiritual provision.

E-book ini berisikan 31 kisah-kisah islami yang mengandung makna dan hikmah serta sarat akan pesan-pesan Islami dan moral.

Salah satu kisah dalam e-book ini adalah:

Abdurrahman bin Al-Hakam, Amir Andalusia, mengundang sejumlah ahli fiqih di kediamannya. Ia sedang menghadapi masalah pelik. Pada siang hari bulan Ramadhan telah melakukan hubungan seksual dengan budak perempuannya. Saat itu ia benar-benar tidak sanggup menahan hasrat birahinya. Ia ingin bertanya kepada para ulama ahli fiqih bagaimana cara bertaubat dan membayar kafarat.

Sebaik-baik perempuan adalah istri yang jika kamu memandangnya, ia akan membahagiakanmu; jika kamu menyuruhnya, ia akan mentaatimu; jika kamu pergi, ia akan menjaga harta dan harga dirimu.

Dalam e-book ini dikupas pesan-pesan Nabi Muhammad SAW untuk wanita shalihah yang akan menuntun mereka dalam berakhlak dan beribadah. Beberapa pesan diantaranya adalah mengupas: perempuan dalam Al-Qur'an, kesetaraan perempuan dan laki-laki, memilih calon suami, bersikap baik pada wanita, bersedekah dan izin kepada suami, bagaimana perempuan berhias, calon penghuni surga, menjaga keharmonisan rumah tangga dan banyak lagi yang lainnya.

Ramadan like all other important institutions in Islam are appointed by Allah to help us to qualify ourselves for the onerous responsibility of serving as vicegerents of Allah on earth. We can only benefit from these institutions when we fulfill them by being fully aware of their true purposes and wisdom.

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty list a few benefits and lessons of fasting in Ramadan:

1. Fasting will only help us if we consider it as a great spiritual discipline intended to deepen our spiritual nature;

The time for fasting commences at Subah Sadiq (true dawn) and all scholars agreed with that and also it means the cut-off point for consuming sahur is the arrival of dawn (fajr time). This is based on Quran:

It is made lawful for you to go unto your wives on the night of the fast. They are raiment for you and ye are raiment for them. Allah is aware that ye were deceiving yourselves in this respect and He hath turned in mercy toward you and relieved you. So hold intercourse with them and seek that which Allah hath ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white thread becometh distinct to you from the black thread of the dawn. Then strictly observe the fast till nightfall and touch them not, but be at your devotions in the mosques. These are the limits imposed by Allah, so approach them not. Thus Allah expoundeth His revelations to mankind that they may ward off (evil). (Al-Baqarah: 187)

E-Book karangan DR. Yusuf Al-Qardhawi ini akan memberikan tuntunan kepada kita bagaimana bertaubat atas tiap dosa dan kesalahan yang kita lakukan karena setiap manusia tidak terlepas dari berbuat salah dan dosa. Ketika manusia berbuat dosa dan menyadarinya dengan bertaubat maka sesungguhnya Allah SWT Maha Pengampun atas dosa dan kesalahan hamba-Nya sesuai dengan firman Allah SWT:

"Katakanlah: "Hai hamba-hamba-Ku yang melampaui batas terhadap diri mereka sendiri, janganlah kamu berputus asa dari rahmat Allah. Sesungguhnya Allah mengampuni dosa-dosa semuanya. Sesungguhnya Dia-lah yang Maha Pengampun lagi Maha Penyayang." (QS. Az-Zumar: 53)