Jeddah, August 16: In their Friday sermons, Islamic scholars this week urged congregations to “be prepared for the fasting month of Ramadan”, saying that the holy month should be an “opportunity for correcting behaviour”.
Sheikh Mohamed Hassan al-Mreikhi, in his Friday sermon at the Omar bin al-Khattab mosque, said that Ramadan represented an invaluable opportunity for believers to draw close to Allah and increase their good deeds.
“A wise Muslim should be keen on making the best use of the month days and nights by fasting, abstinence, praying and doing goods deeds. It is a one-month competition and all of us should be keen to come first,” Sheikh al-Mreikhi told a congregation.
According to the lunar calendar, the fasting month of Ramadan will begin next Saturday. However, Muslims are requested to wait for the sighting of the crescent of the new month.
Sheikh al-Mreikhi slammed what he called “imported habits” which, he said, had turned the month into a “season of watching TV, movies and wasting time”, saying that such habits undermine the true spirit of the month.
“We should take Ramadan as an opportunity to revive our spiritual and intellectual life rather than increasing the number of hours we stay glued to the TV. Muslims especially on these days are in dire need of a break where they can come closer to their Lord and review their behaviour,” he said.
Sheikh Ahmed al-Buainain said that Muslims should seek the “spiritual benefits” of Ramadan by reflecting more on their hereafter and giving up any bad habits they once had.
“As Ramadan is approaching, we have to seek the mercy and forgiveness of Allah during the month. It provides us with an opportunity to change our behaviour for the better,” Sheikh al-Buainain told the congregation at the Suhaib al-Roumi mosque at Al Wakrah.
-Agencies