Welcoming Ramadhan

 Allah Most High has granted this blessed month much excellence and has distinguished it from other months in many ways.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has said: The superiority of Ramadhan over months is like the superiority of Allah Most High over all creation.

 

There is a Hadith in Imam Baihaqui’s Shu’abul Iman and Mishkaat Ul Masabeeh that at the end of Sha’aban, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave an eloquent sermon about the excellence of Ramadhan, the obligation of fasts, the importance of Taraweeh and the excellence of Shab Qadr.

 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Salman Farsi (May Allah be well pleased with him) that on the last day of Sha’aban, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave a sermon and said:  O people, a great month has dawned on you.  That month is full of blessings.  That month is such that there is a great night in it which is better than a thousand months.  Allah Most High has declared this month's fasts as Obligatory (Fardh) and the praying of night as supererogatory (Nafl).  Any person who performs an optional act in this month is like the one who performed an obligatory act in any other month.  And the one who performs an obligatory act in this month is like the one who performed 70 obligatory acts in any other month.  It is a month of patience and the reward of patience is paradise.  It is a month of sympathy.  It is a month in which the sustenance (Rizq) of a believer is increased.  In this month whoever provides a fasting person with means to break his/her fast, the sins of that person are forgiven and it becomes a reason to set free the person from hell.  That person will be given a reward equal to the fasting person without any decrease from the reward of the one who fasts.  We said: O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), Everyone among us does not have the means to do so.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said, Allah Most High gives this reward to the person who provides the fasting person a sip of milk or a date or even a sip of water to break the fast; and the person who satisfies a fasting person completely, Allah Most High will give that person such a sip from my Houz (i.e. Houz E Kouthar) that that person will never feel thirsty till he/she enters paradise.  This is such a month in which the first 10 days are of mercy, the next 10 days are of forgiveness and the last 10 days are for freedom from Hell.  Whoever lessens the load of his/her slave (subordinate), Allah Most High will forgive that person and free him from hell.  (Shu’abul Iman, Hadith No. 3455; Mishkatul Masabeeh, Kitab Us Saum, Pg. No. 173/174; Zujajatul Masabeeh, Vol. 1, Kitab Us Saum, Pg. No. 541)

 

Before the month of Ramadhan came, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) Himself would give glad tidings of its coming to the Companions.  As given in Musnad Imam Ahmed:

 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave glad tidings of Ramadhan to the Companions: The month of Ramadhan has dawned on you, it is a month of blessings.  Allah Most High has made its fasts obligatory (Fardh) of you.  In this month, the gateways of paradise are opened.  All the doors of hell are closed.  The devils are chained.  In this month is a great night, which is better than 1000 months.  Whoever remains bereft of it is bereft of all that is good.(Musnad Imam Ahmed, Hadith No. 9227)

 

There is a Hadith in Sahih Ibn Khuzaima:

 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Anas bin Malik (May Allah be well pleased with him), he said that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: One will welcome you and you will welcome it.  He said this 3 times.  Hadhrat ‘Umar bin Khattab (May Allah be well pleased with him) asked: O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)!  Is any revelation going to come?  He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: No.  He asked: Has any enemy come?  He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: No.  He asked: Then what is going to happen?  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Indeed, on the first night of Ramadhan, Allah Most High will forgive all the faithful who believe in this Qibla and He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gestured with His blessed hand towards the Ka’aba.  (Sahih Ibn Khuzaima, Hadith No. 1778)

 

There is a Hadith in Al Ghunya Lit Talibi Tariqil Haqqi Wad Deen, narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Anas Bin Malik (May Allah be well pleased with him):

 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Anas bin Malik (May Allah be well pleased with him) that when the companions (Companions) of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would see the moon for Sha’aban, they would keep the Holy Quran close to their bosoms and busy themselves in its recitation.  Muslims would take out the Zakaat of their wealth, so that the needy would take it and have strength to fast in Ramadhan.  The officers of the government would summon the prisoners and would enforce the punishment of the Shariah on those who deserved and set free those who didn’t.  The businessmen would fulfill their rights on others and take what was outstanding.  When they would see the moon for Ramadhan, then they would bathe and perform ‘Itikaaf.  (Al Ghunya Lit Talibi Li Tariqil Haqqi, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 188)

 

It is necessary that we keep the greatness of this month in mind and welcome this month with repentance, Tauba.  We should consider each and every moment of this great month as a great treasure and should try to glean all the possible blessings from it.  We should spend all our time in worship of Allah Most High and in performing good deeds.  We should make it a point to recite as much of the Holy Quran as we can.  Also, we should make our dealings as transparent as possible, we should fulfill the rights due to fellow human beings (Huquq Ul ‘Ibaad), pay our Zakaat, so that the poor also find time to engage in worship of Allah Most High in this month.