What Creates the Unique Atmosphere of Ramadan That Encourages Goodness and Compassion?
Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa
Question
What is the reason behind the unique atmosphere in the month of Ramadan that helps Muslims prioritize acts of goodness, charity, and compassion toward others?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.
There are undoubtedly many factors that contribute to the special atmosphere you ask about. Here are a few of them:
Obligatory Fasting
Allah (Most High) has mandated fasting for both the rich and the poor. Hunger reminds the wealthy of the hunger and needs of the poor, prompting them to assist and support those in need.
Shared Acts of Worship
During Ramadan, people from all walks of life—rich and poor, male and female—come together in acts of worship like fasting, prayer, and Quranic recitation.
Most people gather for the Tarawih prayer, and the majority abstain from food and drink during the day. This shared worship creates a sense of unity, where people remember the bond of faith and brotherhood. Consequently, they extend their hands to help those in need, embodying the saying of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace):
“The example of the believers in their mutual love, mercy, and compassion is like that of a body: if one part of it is in pain, the rest of the body will join it in staying awake and feeling the fever.” [Muslim]
Tarawih Prayer
Tarawih is a form of night prayer, and night prayer softens and tenderizes the hardened heart, as Allah (Most High) says:
“Indeed, worship in the night is more impactful and suitable for recitation.” [Quran, 73:6]
This encourages Muslims to reach out to widows, the needy, and those in distress.
Desire for Increased Rewards
During Ramadan, Muslims strive to gain as much reward and approval from the Merciful Lord as possible. They have heard the words of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace):
“Whoever provides food for a fasting person to break their fast, it will be for them as if they fasted, without diminishing the fasting person’s reward in the least.” [Ahmad]
Therefore, they eagerly seek this reward promised by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Rewards and good deeds are multiplied in Ramadan, so people save their zakat to give in this blessed month, hoping for multiplied blessings.
Recitation of the Quran
Muslims are devoted to reciting the Quran in Ramadan, which profoundly influences the believer’s heart, increasing their faith. This motivates them to help their fellow Muslims, in accordance with the verse:
“The (true) believers are only those whose hearts tremble at the remembrance of Allah, whose faith increases when His revelations are recited to them, and who put their trust in their Lord.” [Quran, 8:2]
Likewise, worshippers listen to or recite in Ramadan the verse:
“Indeed, those men and women who give in charity and lend to Allah a good loan will have it multiplied for them, and they will have an honourable reward.” [Quran, 57:18]
This encourages them to seek rewards from Allah (Most High).
Purpose of Fasting
Finally, the obligation of fasting reminds Muslims that Allah (Most High) did not legislate this command to burden or cause hardship but rather to cultivate piety, as Allah (Most High) says:
“O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you—as it was for those before you—so perhaps you will become mindful (of Allah).” [Quran, 2:183]
May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa
Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.
He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.
He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.
Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.
