Friday Sermon: Imam Mashood Dagbo Preaches About Ethics of Ramadan

By Mohamed Awal: /ILORIN// The Chief Imam of Government Girls’ Day Secondary school, Okesuna, Amilengbe, Ilorin, Kwara State welcomed the Muslim worldwide to the coming of Ramadhān fast in the 9th lunar month of Islamic Calendar for the year 1446H/2025CE while delivering his Friday’s Sermon. The Chief Imam who is also Assistant Chief Cultural Officer and Imam at National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) North Central Zone, situated in Ilorin at Federal Secretariat Complex, Fate Road, said; Ramadhān is a blessed month which Allah has blessed the followers of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) with as a substitute to seek the spiritual rewards as a good deed as the saints and good followers of the messengers and prophets of Allah before the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) did. The Chief Imam said; the word “Ramadhān” is an Arabic word derived from the Arabic word “Ramdha’u ” meaning; hotting. So, the month of Ramadhān takes its technical meaning from the word as the month that is hot enough to eat up the sins of the believers as a special package from Allah for the followers of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The Chief Imam further said that generations before the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) fasted, but differently from the Ramadhān fast, though the essence of fasting and other worship in Islam is to attain the piety of Allah. Allah says in al-qur’an regarding the benefit of fasting in the Qur’an Chapter 2 verse 283 thus:

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil) to attain piety”.

As the month of forgiveness, rewards and request, the Chief Imam who is doubled as National Imam for Al-Jama’at RudwanuLlaah Al-Akbar Al-Adabiy (AJRAA) with its headquarters at Babanloma, Kwara State, said; the fasting in the month of Ramadhān has it’s prescribed rules for its commencement likewise the conclusion.

The Chief Imam who is a marriage counselor, public presenter, peace arbitrator, educational consultant and most importantly a revered quoter of Hadith who usually based his Friday’s Sermon on a particular Hadith referenced the ethics of commencement and conclusion of Ramadhān fast with Hadith of Rasul related by Abu Hurrah with its explanation, lessons and jurisprudencial position.

The Chief Imam quoted that Abu Hurayrah narrated:
The Prophet (ﷺ) or Abul-Qasim said: “Start fasting on seeing the crescent (of Ramadhān), and give up fasting on seeing the crescent (of Shawwal), and if the sky is overcast (and you cannot see it), complete thirty days of Sha’ban”. Sahih al-Bukhari 1909, and later advanced the Sermon on the explanation of Hadith as follows:

1. The Hadith establishes the legal position of Ramadhān fast as a fourth pillar of Islam upon every capable Muslim

2. Hadith reveals that Ramadhān fast is compulsory upon all capable Muslims who are sane, matured, resident, free from inconveniences (temporary or permanent). Temporary such as non-permanent or serious sickness, menstruation, postnatal bleeding, unbearable breastfeeding, travelling, among others, while permanent such as serious sickness like chronic ulcer, old age, among others

3. Hadith establishes the rules guiding the commencement of Ramadhān fast and when to end the fast in Islam

4. Hadith states that commencement of Ramadan fast depends on two options; it is either by sighting the crescent of month of Ramadhān when Sha’ban is twenty nine (29) like today (28th February, 2025) or by completing the count of month of Sha’ban till thirty (30) tomorrow (1st March , 2025) which is the terminal of lunar months provided the crescent is not seen

5. Hadith mentions that completion of Ramadhān fast is either by these two options also, either by sighting the crescent of Shawwal when it is twenty nine (29) or by completing the days of month of Shawwal till thirty when the crescent is not sighted

6. The commencement or completion of Ramadan fast is announced by the authority (people overseeing Muslims’ affairs) in the respective lands or communities or nations. As in the case of Nigeria, it’s to be announced the Amirul-Mu’miniin (Leader of Muslims); the 20th Sultan of Sokoto, who is also the President and Chairman Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA); His Eminence; Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’adu Abubakar III.

7. Hadith establishes that those who live to listen or hear the announcement of commencement of Ramadhān fast must fast, so far he/she doesn’t fall among those earlier mentioned with inconveniences

8. It is derived from the Hadith that Muslims must follow the directive of people in the authority as earlier mentioned (Sultan and his cabinet) at the beginning and end and to also fast with fear of Allah as He is the Only one who knows who truly fasts and He is Only One to reward the observers genuinely

9. As the month is soaked with rewards, blessings and forgiveness, the marketers and food sellers are begged to be kind with their prices of food stuff during and after Ramadhān and to better their scales and measurements

PRAYER

O Allah,as we observed last Friday in the month of Sha’ban, may You preserve us to witness the coming month of Ramadhān in good health, faith, wisdom, and tranquility and accept our worship in it.

O Allah! Preserve us to witness this year’s Ramadhān and accept our worship in it, help us to guide our children in training and character, provide for us to take care of them adequately and make them a source of joy for us on the Day of Judgement. Please, O Allah! bless us with blessings You bestowed this month of Sha’ban and the coming month of Ramadhān.

O Allah! relieve our worries, accept our prayers and requests, put in our minds tranquility, faith and guidance. O Allah! as we have confessed our sins before you and hardship we are going through, please forgive us and cushion the effect of the hardship by Your Mighty and guide our leaders on their plans to better our standard of living and alleviate our abject poverty that is killing us, save us from bad governance, protect Muslims from all worrying lands, save all Muslims from the calamities of our time and restore the world and Nigeria in particular, back to normal from pandemic, insecurity, hunger, banditry, kidnapping, war and other social evils rampaging the world with the blessings you accorded the month of Sha’ban and coming month of Ramadhān 1446 H. Amin