The Muslim in
Ramadaan
What should we say to the Muslims on the
occasion of the beginning of Ramadaan?
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning), “The month of Ramadan in which was
revealed the Qur’aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance
and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the
crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his
home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a
journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must
be made up] from other days. Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want
to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same
number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer
(Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for having guided you so that you
may be grateful to Him.” [al-Baqarah: 185]
This
blessed month is a great opportunity for goodness, barakah (blessing), worship
and obedience towards Allaah.
It
is a great month, a noble season, a month in which hasanaat (rewards for
good deeds) are multiplied and in which committing sayi’aat (bad deeds)
is more serious than at other times. The gates of Paradise are opened and the
gates of Hell are shut, and the sinners’ repentance to Allaah is accepted. It
is a month whose beginning is mercy, its middle is forgiveness and its end is
redemption from the Fire.
So
give thanks to Him for the season of goodness and blessing that He has bestowed
upon you, and for the means of bounty and various kinds of great blessings for
which He has singled you out. Make the most of this blessed time by
filling it with acts of worship and forsaking haraam things, so that you
may attain a good life in this world and happiness after death.
For
the sincere believer, every month is an occasion for worship and his whole life
is spent in obeying Allaah, but in the month of Ramadaan he has even more
motives to do good and his heart is even more focused on worship, and he turns
even more to his Lord. By His grace, our generous Lord bestows His bounty upon
the fasting believers and multiplies the reward for them on this blessed
occasion, so He gives abundantly and rewards generously for righteous deeds.
Time passes quickly.
Days
pass so quickly, as if they were mere moments. We welcomed Ramadaan, then we
bade it farewell, and only a short period of time passed and we are welcoming
Ramadaan again. So we should hasten to do good deeds in this month and strive
to fill it with that which Allaah is pleased with and with that which will help
us on the Day when we meet Him.
How
can we prepare for Ramadaan?
We
can prepare for Ramadaan by taking stock of ourselves and recognizing our
shortcomings in living up to the shahaadatayn, or our shortcoming in
fulfilling our duties, or our shortcomings in not keeping away from the desires
and doubts that we may have fallen into…
We
should set ourselves straight so that in Ramadaan we will have a higher degree
of faith. For faith increases and decreases. It increases through obedience to
Allaah and it decreases through disobedience and sin. The first act of
obedience that a person should achieve is that of being a true slave of Allaah
and believing that there is none that is rightfully worshipped except Allaah,
so he directs all kinds of worship to Allaah and does not associate anyone else
in worship with Him. Each of us should realize that whatever has befallen him
could not have missed him, and whatever missed him could not have befallen him,
and that everything happens by the will and decree of Allaah.
We
should avoid everything that could undermine our commitment to the shahaadatayn.
This means keeping away from bid’ah (innovations) and things that have
been introduced into the religion. We should also follow the principle of al-walaa’
wa al-bara’ (loyalty and friendship vs. disavowal and enmity) by taking the
believers as our friends and by regarding the kaafirs and hypocrites as
enemies, and we should rejoice when the Muslims gain a victory over their enemies.
We should follow the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) and his companions and adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the way of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs who
came after him. We should love the Sunnah and love those who adhere to it and
defend it, in whatever country they are and whatever colour or nationality they
are.
After
that we should take stock of ourselves and recognize our shortcomings in doing
acts of worship such as praying in congregation, remembering Allaah (dhikr),
paying attention to the rights of neighbours, relatives and the Muslims,
spreading the greeting of salaam, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is
evil, urging one another to follow the truth and be patient and steadfast in
doing so, being patient in avoiding evil actions and in doing good deeds, and
accepting the decree of Allaah with patience.
Then
we should take stock of ourselves and our sins and our following whims and
desires. We should stop ourselves from persisting in that, whether the sin is
great or small, whether it is a sin of the eye, by looking at that which Allaah
has forbidden; or by listening to music; or by walking to things of which Allaah
does not approve; or by using one's hands to strike in a manner with which
Allaah is not pleased; or by consuming things that Allaah has forbidden such as
riba (usury) and bribes, or any other means of consuming people’s wealth
unlawfully.
We
should never forget that Allaah stretches forth His hand during the day to
accept the repentance of those who sinned at night, and He stretches forth His
hand at night to accept the repentance of those who sinned during the day.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning), “And march forth in the way
(which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as the
heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqoon (the pious). Those who spend
(in Allaah’s Cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who
pardon men; verily, Allaah loves Al-Muhsinoon (the good doers). And those who,
when they have committed faahishah (illegal sexual intercourse) or
wronged themselves with evil, remember Allaah and ask forgiveness for their
sins; — and none can forgive sins but Allaah — and do not persist in what
(wrong) they have done, while they know. For such, the reward is forgiveness
from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing underneath (Paradise), wherein
they shall abide forever. How excellent is this reward for the doers (who do
righteous deeds according to Allaah’s Orders).” [Aal-‘Imraan: 133-136]
“Say,
‘O ‘Ibaadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing
evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allaah, verily, Allaah
forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” [Az-Zumar: 53]
“And
whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allaah’s forgiveness,
he will find Allaah Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [al-Nisa’: 110]
By
taking stock, repenting and seeking forgiveness, this is how we should welcome
Ramadaan. “The smart man is the one who takes stock of himself and strives to
do that which will benefit him after death, and the helpless one is the one who
follows his own whims and desires and engages in wishful thinking, (assuming
that Allaah will forgive him regardless of what he does and that he does not
need to strive to good deeds).”
The
month of Ramadaan is the month of great gains and profits. The smart trader is
the one who makes the most of special occasions to increase his profits. So
make the most of this month by doing lots of acts of worship, praying a great
deal, reading Qur’aan, forgiving people, being kind to others and giving
charity to the poor.
In
the month of Ramadaan the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell
are shut. The devils are put in chains and a caller cries out each night, O
seeker of good, proceed, O seeker of evil, desist.
So,
O slaves of Allaah, be among the people of good, following the path of your
righteous forebears who were guided by the Sunnah of your Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), so that we may end Ramadaan with our sins
forgiven and our righteous deeds accepted.
We
should note that the month of Ramadaan is the best of months.
Ibn
al-Qayyim said, “Another of example of that – i.e., of the differentiation
between the things that Allaah has created – is the fact that the month of
Ramadaan is superior to all other months, and the last ten nights are superior
to the other nights.” Zaad al-Ma’aad, 1/56
This
month is superior to others in four things:
1
– In it there is the best night of the year, which is Laylat al-Qadr. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning), “Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan)
down in the Night of Al‑Qadr (Decree). And what will make you know what
the Night of Al‑Qadr (Decree) is? The Night of Al‑Qadr (Decree)
is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is
better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). Therein
descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaah’s
Permission with all Decrees. (All that night), there is peace (and goodness
from Allaah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn.” [Al-Qadr: 1-5]
So
worship on this night is better than worshipping for a thousand months.
2
– In this month was revealed the best of Books to the best of the Prophets
(peace be upon them). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning), “The month
of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a guidance for mankind and clear
proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)”
[al-Baqarah: 185]
“We
sent it (this Qur’aan) down on a blessed night [(i.e. the Night of Al‑Qadr)
in the month of Ramadan — the 9th month of the Islamic calendar]. Verily, We
are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in
Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship]. Therein (that night) is
decreed every matter of ordainments. As a Command (or this Qur’aan or the
Decree of every matter) from Us. Verily, We are ever sending (the Messengers).”
[Ad-Dukhaan: 3-5]
It
was narrated by Ahmad and by al-Tabaraani in al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer that
Waathilah ibn al-Asqa’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “The Scriptures of
Ibraaheem were sent down on the first of the month of Ramadaan. The Tawraat was
sent down on the sixth of Ramadaan. The Injeel was sent down on the thirteenth
of Ramadaan. The Zaboor was sent down on the eighteenth of Ramadaan, and the
Qur’aan was sent down on the twenty-fourth of Ramadaan. (Classed as hasan
by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1575)
2 – In this month the gates of Paradise
are opened and the gates of Hell are shut, and the devils are chained up.
It
was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “When
Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are
closed, and the devils are put in chains.” (Agreed upon)
Al-Nasaa’i
narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said, “When Ramadaan comes, the gates of mercy are opened
and the gates of Hell are shut, and the devils are put in chains.” (Classed
as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 471)
Al-Tirmidhi,
Ibn Maajah and Ibn Khuzaymah narrated in one report, “When the first night of
the month of Ramadaan comes, the devils and rebellious jinn are chained up and
the gates of Hell are closed, and not one gate of it is opened. The gates of
Paradise are opened and not one gate of it is closed. And a caller cries out,
‘O seeker of good, proceed; O seeker of evil, desist.’ And Allaah has those whom
He redeems from the Fire, and that happens every night.” (Classed as hasan
by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 759)
If it is asked, how come we see many
evil actions and sins committed in Ramadaan, for if the devils are chained up
that would not happen?
The
answer is that evil actions become less for those who observe the conditions
and etiquette of fasting; or that the ones who are chained up are some of the
devils – namely the rebellious ones – not all of them; or that what is meant is
that evil is reduced in Ramadaan, which is a proven fact. If evil happens at
this time, it is still less than at other times. Even if all of them (the
devils) are chained up, that does not necessarily mean that no evil or sin will
happen, because there are other causes of that besides the devils, such as evil
souls, bad habits and the devils among mankind. (Al-Fath, 4/145)
4
– There are many kinds of worship in Ramadaan, some of which are not done at
other times, such as fasting, praying qiyaam, feeding the poor, i’tikaaf,
sadaqah, and reading Qur’aan.
I
ask Allaah, the Exalted, the Almighty, to help us all to do that and to help us
to fast and pray qiyaam, and to do acts of worship and to avoid doing evil.
Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds.
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