The blessed month of Ramadan is among the rare times that always brings with it a distinctive atmosphere. It is a month in which every breath renews the soul and shakes off the rust of it. It is a month whose every moment must be valued, as though the Beloved God is seeking any pretext to open the door of His mercy and forgiveness and to quench the thirsty souls of His servants with divine love and light. It is a month in which the nights, the days, the moments of iftar, and the times of pre-dawn meal overflow with spirituality, in such a way that even those who have remained deprived of the true understanding of fasting are seated at the table.
It is a month whose distinctive act of worship—fasting—is an act in which there is no room for hypocrisy, and the fasting person, in his solitude, abandons the desires of the self, just as it has come in the sacred hadith:
“Fasting is for Me, and I Myself am its reward.”
Thus, the believing servant fasts solely for the sake of the Beloved God and, from the very beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan, sits at the table of the divine banquet of the Exalted God. A vast spread filled with gnosis, certainty, purity, self-purification, and more.
In this context, the constant hearing of heartfelt supplications recited with poignant tones has always created rare moments of connection between the servant and God.
Perhaps what has been said serves as an introduction to mention the luminous supplication of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him). Few people know that the supplication, “O Allah, for You we have fasted, and with Your provision we break our fast, so accept it from us, for indeed,” “You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing” [1] is among the recommendations of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) at the moment of iftar.
Undoubtedly, we have recited this poignant supplication many times while seated at the iftar table, and through it our souls have been lightened, after which we have derived great benefit from a warm sip or a sweet date, passing through yet another day in the count of servitude.
Looking at the apparent meaning of this rich and valuable supplication, the believer at the moment of iftar humbly and reverently empties the vessel of his existence of all traces of ego, confesses that the act he has performed is solely for the sake of the Beloved God, then attributes the cause of sustenance to the Exalted God, and beseeches that his fast be accepted. Thereafter, with a tranquil heart—knowing that he has been heard and seen—he clings to the great Names of Allah.
