Bismillah.
Prophet Muhammad (s) said: By your thirst and hunger [when fasting in Ramadan], remember the hunger of the day of judgement and its thirst. Give charity to the poor and needy among you; lower your glances from what is not permissible for you to see, and refrain [from hearing] what is not permissible for you to hear. Show sympathy to the orphans of the people, and sympathy will be shown to your orphans. Repent for your sins, and raise your hands in supplications at the time of your prayers for that is the best of times in which Allah looks towards His servants with mercy, answers them what they whisper to Him, responds to them when they call upon Him, gives to them when they ask Him, and accepts their prayers when they pray to Him (Al-Sadūq, ‘Uyūn, 2:265).
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شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ
The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed as guidance
to mankind and with clear proofs of the guidance and the Criterion
(Sūrat al-Baqarah, No. 2, Āyat 185)
The month of Ramadan is a blessed and honored time. It is referred to as sayyid al-shuhūr, the Master of all months, just as Friday is the master of all days. In fact, it is the only month mentioned by its name in the Holy Quran. According to some narrations ‘Ramadan’ is one of the Names of Allah subhānahu wata‘ālā and hence the more appropriate way to refer to this month, is to say “The Month of Ramadan.” The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa-ālihi wasallam is reported to have said, “Do not say: ‘Ramadan has come’ or ‘Ramadan has left.’ Rather, say: ‘The month of Ramadan has come’ or ‘The month of Ramadan has left (Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, 4:70).
The month of Ramadan is a month of fasting, a month of du‘ā, a month of i’tikāf and much more. However, when Allah ‘azza wajall wants to introduce something, He introduces it by its most important feature. He introduces the month of Ramadan as the month of the revelation of the Quran. In fact, the month of Ramadan became special because the Quran was revealed in this month, which makes it unique among all other months. The true value of this holy month lies in this divine revelation, and one may say that the true value of human beings can be measured by the extent to which the Quran influences their lives.
The primary purpose of the Quran’s revelation was to guide humanity. Interestingly, the word hudā (guidance) appears twice in this verse, emphasizing a key distinction between two different groups of people.
1. The first type of guidance is general—hudan lin-nās (guidance for all human race). The term nās refers to all of humanity, regardless of whether they are Muslim or not, or whether they possess knowledge or not. On their own, they struggle to distinguish between truth and falsehood. Therefore, they require additional clarification and direction to recognize the truth. For this group, the Quran serves as a source of light, illuminating the truth and making it evident.
2. The second type of guidance is specific—bayyināt min al-hudā wal-furqān (clear proofs of guidance and the criterion). This applies to those who have attained a higher level of knowledge and practice, enabling them to derive deeper enlightenment from divine guidance. For this group, the Quran is not just a general guide but also a Furqān, a criterion that provides them with bayyināt min al-hudā – clear proofs of guidance. It enhances their understanding, directs them toward the truth, and equips them to differentiate between right and wrong. This highlights the Quran’s remarkable versatility: the same text that provides guidance at a basic level also offers profound insights for those with deeper comprehension.
For instance, most textbooks are designed to either provide foundational knowledge or cater to advanced learners—but not both. In contrast, the Quran possesses the unique ability to guide people at multiple levels, addressing both fundamental and advanced understanding. Imam Ja‘far al-Sādiq ‘alayhis-salām describes the levels and meanings of the Holy Quran in the following narration: The Book of Allah (Almighty and Glorious) is based on four aspects: i) it is an expression for the general people, ii) it is an indication for the elite (scholars and knowledgeable ones), iii) it is subtleties for the awliyā (close servants of Allah, the saints), [and] iv) it is realities for the prophets. (Majlisī, Bihār al-Anwār, 89:103)
We pray to the Almighty to enable us to benefit from the depths and guidance of the Holy Quran, as was done by Amīrul Mu’minīn Imam Ali ‘alayhis-salām when he used to supplicate at the completion of reciting the Quran: O Allah! expand my breast with Quran, actuate my body with Quran, enlighten my sight with Quran, liberate my tongue by Quran, and help me to mould my life according to Quran, so long as You make me live”. (al-Tusi, Misbah al-Mutahajjid, p 323, H 431)