Asal Penamaan bulan “Ramadhan”

There are several opinions on the origin of the naming of the month of Ramadan, for example, mentioned by Ibn Kathir, he said,

ورمضان مِنْ شِدَّةِ الرَّمْضَاءِ ، وَهُوَ الْحُرُّ ، يُقَالُ رَمِضَتِ الْفِصَالُ : إِذَا عَطِشَتْ

“The word Ramadan is taken from the word (الرَّمْضَاءِ = Ar-Ramdha') because the conditions are very hot. Ar Ramdha' means hot, as in the sentence "Ramidhat Al Fishaal" (The camels are hot when they are thirsty)." [Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 4/128-129]

There are also several other opinions such as:

Ramadan is taken from the word Ar-Ramdu (الرمض) which means a hot stone due to the hot sun. At that time, fasting was obligatory when it was very hot
Ramadan is taken from the word Ar-Ramiidh (الرميض) which means rain/clouds that fall after summer and as a marker of the entry of autumn, so that all heat is lost and faded all this time.

Apart from the difference in the origin of this word, one of the meanings of the origin of the word Ramadan that we need to pay attention to is fall and fade. That is the fading and fall of sins in the month of Ramadan.

As explained by Al-Qurtubi, he said:

إنما سمي رمضان لأنه يرمض الذنوب أي يحرقها بالأعمال الصالحة

"It is called the month of Ramadan because it aborts/burns sins with righteous deeds" [Tafsir Al-Qurtubi 2/291]

The month of Ramadan is the month of forgiveness and the shedding of sins

So many deeds that make as a cause as an expiation of sins in the month of Ramadan. For example, fasting in the month of Ramadan.

The Prophet said,

مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

”Whoever fasts in Ramadan out of faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, his past sins will be forgiven". [HR. Bukhari No. 38 and Muslim no. 760]

Likewise with the night prayer in the month of Ramadan. The Prophet said,

مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

"Whoever performs qiyam Ramadan (tarawih prayer) out of faith and seeks reward, then his past sins will be forgiven.." [HR. Bukhari no. 37 and Muslim no. 759]

Likewise with zakat fitri to purify people who are fasting. From Ibn Abbas radhiallahu 'anhuma, he said,

فَرَضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- زَكَاةَ الْفِطْرِ طُهْرَةً لِلصَّائِمِ مِنَ اللَّغْوِ وَالرَّفَثِ وَطُعْمَةً لِلْمَسَاكِينِ مَنْ أَدَّاهَا قَبْلَ الصَّلاَةِ فَهِىَ زَكَاةٌ مَقْبُولَةٌ وَمَنْ أَدَّاهَا بَعْدَ الصَّلاَةِ فَهِىَ صَدَقَةٌ مِنَ الصَّدَقَاتِ

"The Messenger of Allah required zakat fitri to purify the fasting person from joking and vile words, and also to feed the poor. Whoever pays it before prayer, his zakat is accepted and whoever pays it after prayer, it is only considered as an ordinary charity.." [HR. Abu Dawud, Hasan Al-Albani]

Even between this Ramadan and the next Ramadan is an expiation of sins.

The Prophet said,

الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ وَالْجُمُعَةُ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ مُكَفِّرَاتٌ مَا بَيْنَهُنَّ إِذَا اجْتَنَبَ الْكَبَائِرَ

"Between the five daily prayers, between the first Friday and the next Friday, between the first Ramadan and the next Ramadan, between these practices sins will be forgiven as long as one stays away from major sins.." [HR. Muslim no. 233]

So many deeds that have made to forgive sins so that if there are people who have passed Ramadan and then are not forgiven by and their sins are cleansed, then it is (sorry) "outrageous". This is what is meant by the hadith of the Prophet , he said,

رَغِمَ أَنْفُ عَبْدٍ – أَوْ بَعُدَ – دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَمَضَانُ فَلَمْ يُغْفَرْ لَهُ

"Woe to a servant who finds the month of Ramadan and then Ramadan passes while his sins have not been forgiven." [HR. Ahmad, authenticated by al-Hakim, adz-Dzahabi and al-Albani]

No wonder there are Salaf scholars who say,