Temptation In Ramadan By Femi Abbas
Nigeria is a home of temptations. The agents of Satan are many and ubiquitous. They are most active in the sacred month of Ramadan. As fasting Muslims, you may meet them in the neighbourhood, in offices, in commuter buses, in the markets and on the roads.
SATANIC RAINBOW
Like Satanic rainbow, agents vendors of temptation come in various colours carrying with them, all sorts of tempting arsenals. Some of them are men. Most others are women.
Their temptations come in different forms and shapes. Some may make jest of you in a provocative way. Some may deliberately bring food to your presence and start eating right in front of you. Some may pretend not to be aware that you are fasting and, therefore, offer you foods or drinks. Some women among them may even try to tempt you with the most sensitive contours of their bodies. The powders and other cosmetic materials on
their faces alone are enough to disarm you spiritually if you are not a formidable Muslim.
ANTICS
The antics of those agents of Satan are many. But your resistance to all these is the most vital ingredient needed for the acceptance of your fast by Allah. This is a situation which Muslims are expected to resist by closing their eyes and their minds, at the same time, to destructive mundane life, particularly in the month of Ramadan. Ordinarily,
In no Islamic society can such a tempting situation be experienced. For Muslims, it is a punishable offence to deliberately tempt or provoke fasting Muslims, especially, in the month of Ramadan. As a matter of fact, all food vendors and restaurants are statutorily prohibited from operating in the days of Ramadan, in any genueing Islamic society. In such a society, food vendors can only trade in the nights. And, of course, there is nothing like alcohol or nudism, even outside the sacred month of Ramadan.
RESISTANCE
In Nigeria, resistance to temptation in Ramadan is a function of two things: high level of discipline and strong faith in Allah. Any Muslim who lacks these two is surely bereft of the necessary armour against temptation. Ramadan in the life of a Muslim is like a delicious food given to a hungry man. If he handles it carelessly, it may end up in the belly of a goat. Satan is always on standby to snatch any reward accruing to pious Muslims from good deeds. To avoid becoming a victim of satanic machination, therefore, do not be careless with Allah’s bounties for you in this sacred month. RAMADAN KARIM!
