Ramadan

Praise be to the Creator and Master Planner, Originator and Designer of this wonderful Universe. We are indeed thankful for having survived another year. Whatever our condition, the fact is that we are alive and been blessed with all the amenities that was required for our survival, thus far.
What are these amenities? Did we breathe this year? I certainly hope so. So we got to partake of the life sustaining air, supplying oxygen, without having to look or work for it. We got the beautiful sunlight and moonlight, giving us day and night, giving us the opportunity to work, play and rest. We got the rainy days, the rivers and the lakes, supplying us the most essential water. We had the beautiful starlit and moonlit skies. We had the beautiful symphony created by the wind, the whistling birds, croaking frogs, insects and animals. All with different sounds and melodies. We have met so much beautiful people sharing our joys and sorrows, laughing and crying with us, comforting and sympathizing with us, lending us a helping hand, when needed. We have been able to walk, talk, smell, hear, feel and love and be loved.
If we packaged these amenities and placed a bow on top of it, would it not be the most beautiful gift in the world. Do you know that we are presented with this gift by the Beneficent, every second, every day and every year that we are alive, gratis. We don't have to pay a penny or work for a second to be the recipient of this gift. Give Thanks. What's most amazing is that even if you deny the Presenter, He still presents you with the gift.
Ramadan is here again, a time for stocktaking, rekindling our relationships, coming back on course, making new resolutions, giving thanks for all we have, remembering the less fortunate, recreating bonds that were broken or weakened, listening to the message of Al Quran and looking into the life of Muhammad, Servant of Allah and all the previous messengers. This, with the hope and desires that we will be able to correct our mistake and put into practice Allah's bidding.
Traditionally this has been a time for visiting the Mosques daily, enjoying the Iftar, reading much more salaat and reading or listening the verses of Al Quran. For a lot of us these are the highlight of the month and we look forward to it with much zeal and enthusiasm. This is wonderful as it affords a lot of us the opportunity to participate and enjoy some very fundamental aspects of Islam.
What does Al Quran say about Fasting:

2:183 O YOU who have attained faith! Fasting is ordained for you as it was ordained for those before you, so that you might remain God conscious (Tataqun/258)

2:185 It was the month of Ramadan in which the Qur'an was first bestowed from on high as a guidance unto man and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by which to discern truth from falsehood. Hence, whoever of you lives to see this month shall fast throughout it; but he that is ill, or on a journey, shall fast instead later for the same number of days. God wills that you shall have ease, and does not will you to suffer hardship; but He desires that you complete the required number of days, and that you extol God for His having guided you aright, and that you render your thanks unto Him.
So we see in Al Quran Allah SWT instituted fasting so that we may maintain our God consciousness but at the same time we should not have difficulty in so doing.

How do we demonstrate our God Consciousness?
By constantly remembering Him and as a result acting in accordance with His dictates, advice and desire. By doing the things that will bring us closer to Him. By following the example our Noble Messenger and Servant of Allah and all previous messengers. In other words, being righteous. This is clearly defined in AL Quran:
2:177 True piety does not consist in turning your faces towards the east or the west but truly pious is he who believes in God, and the Last Day; and the angels, and revelation, and the prophets; and spends his substance - however much he himself may cherish - it - upon his near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and the beggars, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage; and is constant in prayer, and renders the purifying dues; and [truly pious are] they who keep their promises whenever they promise, and are patient in misfortune and hardship and in time of peril: it is they that have proved themselves true, and it is they, they who are conscious of God.

Here Allah SWT is saying that true piety (righteousness). It is not the formal rituals but the putting into practice the teachings and principles of Al Islam.

Whatever we do by way or formal worship should lead us and ultimately result in our achieving the above prescription for true piety (righteousness).

The reading of additional salaat, reading or listening to Al Quran is not an end in itself but they are the paths to achieving true righteousness (tataqun).