What We Can Learn from Supplication of 4th Day of Ramadan
In this supplication we read: “O Allah make me stronger to carry out Thy commands, in this month, let me taste the sweetness of Thy praise, put me in the mood of giving thanks to Thee, and protect me with Thy most reliable cover, O the discerning Perceiver.”
There are several messages and points in this supplication, including the following:
1- Asking for ability to worship God
Ability to worship God is different from physical ability. One may be very old but his ability to worship God may be far greater than that of a young man. We should pray in the holy month of Ramadan that God may grant us the power to worship. This is a blessing from God that anyone who chooses His path will be assisted by God. God grants us the blessing of praying and worshipping Him so that we would obey His commands.
2- Tasting the sweetness of God’s praise and remembrance
Why don’t some of us enjoy praying? There is a Hadith from the Holy Prophet (PBUH) according to which when God sees one of His servants spends most of his time for the sake of God and thinks about Him (about what to do to please Him and obey His command), God will lead him toward praying and worshipping Him.
There is also a Hadith based on which if a scholar does not act upon his knowledge, the least punishment God will consider for him is taking away from him the sweetness of supplication.
3- Being grateful to God
Shukr means thanking God and being grateful to Him. If one wants to thank God, he should be appreciative of the blessings He has given him and use that blessing in a manner that pleases God. One should also pray God to give him the blessing of thanking Him. Prophet Solomon (AS) said: “My Lord, inspire me that I should be thankful for Your blessing with which You have blessed me and my parents…” (Verse 19 of Surah An-Naml)
4- God’s reliable cover
God, who is the All-Seeing, also covers people’s imperfections and sins. Imam Ali (AS) said: “If you knew of one another’s sins, no one would bury another’s body when he died.”
Sattar is one of God’s attributes, meaning he covers our weaknesses, failings and sins. However, we must have Haya (natural or inherent, shyness and a sense of modesty) and refuse to commit sins, knowing that God is the All-Seeing.
What prevents us from committing sins?
Just as there is a brake in a car to stop it from crashing or veering off the road. There are means to control a person and prevent him to succumb to temptations. They include: 1- Contemplation 2- Belief in God and the Resurrection Day 3- Having self-knowledge and trying to improve 4- Thanking God for all the blessings He has given us 5- Remembering that our deeds are presented to the infallibles (AS) 6- Knowing that death is getting closer and closer 7- Fearing the consequences of sins 8- Paying attention to the role of worshipping God in abandoning sins
