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Chapter 6 - A Commentary On: Wa Hadha Shahrun ‘Azzam-Ta-Hu

A Commentary on the phrase Wa hadha shahrun ‘azzam-ta-hu wa karram-ta-hu wa sharraf-tahu wa faddal-ta-hu ‘ala ash-Shuhur

وَهَذَا شَهْرُ عَظَّمْتَهُ وَكَرَّمْتَهُ وَشَرَّفْتَهُ وَفَضَّلْتَهُ عَلَى الشُّهُورِ

And this is a month, which You have magnified, ennobled, elevated, and made superior over the rest of the months

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وَهَذَا شَهْرُ…

And this is a month ...

The demonstrative noun hadha (this) may depict the month to be something concrete and tangible, and not accidental (‘aradi) in the philosophical sense of the word. In simple terms, a month is a period of time which does not have a concrete existence. It is a derivative of the movements of the earth around the sun, and not palpable like the earth and the sun themselves. Scholars of insight however consider that the higher realities of such accidental phenomena in the Hereafter have tangible existence. The great mystic Ayatullah Mirza Maliki Tabrizi, in his prayer manual al-Murdqabat says:

Know that although time, place and other inanimate objects lack comprehension in this world... all of them possess life, comprehension, speech, expression, love, and hatred in some of the higher realms of existence, as do many traditions about the states of the realms of Barzakh and the Resurrection, and intuitions of the folk of spiritual unfolding unravel1.

وَهَذَا شَهْرُ…

And this is a month ...

The word shahr in the Arabic language refers to a month. According to the authoritative Andalusian lexicographer Ibn Sida (d. 458 AH) it gained such a name due to its fame through the citing of the moon (li annahu yashharu bi al-qamar)2.

Interestingly, its English equivalent - month - has a similar derivation; it also draws its origin from the word moon3.

عَظَّمْتَهُ

which You have magnified ...

The word ‘azzama literally means ‘he made it very big or great’. According to some evidences, the cause of greatness of this month bestowed upon it by Allah, is due to the phenomenon of the Qur’an’s revelation, which transpires during a night that is better than a thousand months! (khayrun min alfi shahr). The Holy Qur’an actually introduces this month not with the act of fasting but with the fundamental phenomenon of the revelation of the Qur’an:

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ ....

“The month of Ramadan in which the Qur’an was revealed...” (2:185).

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (‘a) in supplication forty-four of as-Sahifah as-Sajjadiyyah says:

فَحَرَّمَ فِيْهِ مَا أَحَلَّ فِي غَيْرِهِ إِعْظَاماً

So He [Allah] prohibited in it what He made lawful in the rest of the months, for its magnification4.

Notice the word i‘zaman is employed, which like ta‘zaman signifies magnification.

In the supplication that our Twelfth Holy Imam (‘aj) recited after prayer on the Day of ‘Id al-Fitr, he says:

فَعَظَّمْتَ حُرْمَةً شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ بِمَا أَنزَلْتَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ... وَعَظَّمْتَهُ بِتَصْبِيرِكَ فِيهِ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ، فَقُلْتَ:

And You magnified the sanctity of the month of Ramadan with what You revealed therein of the Qur’an... and You magnified it by placing therein the Night of Determination, and You said:

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ،

“The Night of Determination is better than a thousand months” (97:3).

تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ.

“In it the angels and the Spirit descend, by the leave of their Lord, with every command” (97:5).

سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ

“It is peaceful until the rising of the dawn” (97:5).5

.... وَكَرَّمْتَهُ .

... and You have ennobled ...

Allah made this holy month karim and noble. Karamah according to some lexicographers signifies spiritual greatness. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (‘a), describing how this month is ennobled by Allah, says in supplication forty-four of as-Sahifah:

وَحَجَرَ فِيهِ الْمَطَاعِمَ وَالْمَشَارِبَ إِكْرَاماً

He prohibited foods and drinks in it to ennoble it.

Actually, according to the Qur’an, the foundation and criterion of karamah (nobility) is taqwa (God-wariness). And because it is a month when taqwa is practically implemented it is a month of karamah (nobility).

This indicates that it is due to some of the things that human beings do in the holy month that makes it noble and great.

Another translation for karramtahu can also be ‘You have honoured it’. Thus not partaking of food and drink in the holy month, according to Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (‘a), is to honour it.

... وَشَرَّفْتَهُ

... and elevated it

Allah made this month elevated (sharraftahu). Perhaps it is due to the facilities placed in this month for achieving spiritual elevation.

وَفَضَّلْتَهُ عَلَى الشُّهُورِ

and made superior over the rest of the months.

The well-known prophetic sermon of the holy month of Sha'ban al-Mu‘azzam alludes to expressions that reveal the superiority and excellence of this holy month. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

شَهْرُ هُو عِندَ اللهِ أَفْضَلُ الشُّهُورِ، وَأَيَّامُهُ أَفْضَلُ الْأَيَّامِ، وَلَيَالِيهِ أَفْضَلُ اللَّيَالِي، وَسَاعَاتُهُ أَفْضَلُ السَّاعَاتِ

It is a month which to Allah is the best of the months, its days the best of days, its nights the best of nights, its hours the best of hours.

Akin to the verse under discussion where the phrase ‘faddalta-hu (You made it superior)’ is employed, the word afdal is frequently used in the above sermon of the Holy Prophet (S) to signify the superiority of the month, its days, its nights and its hours.

In reality, the holy month of Ramadan is an opportunity for every penitent human being to progress and soar to divine proximity easily and quickly. Unlike the rest of the months, the holy month of Ramadan facilitates a speedy spiritual uplift for every true aspirant of change and transformation.

Hence, we must always seek divine help and succour to be resolute in utilising every moment of it.

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