Welcoming Ramadhan

The holy month of Ramadhan is just round the corner.  The whole Islamic world is with a surge of happiness.  There is a heightened eagerness to benefit from the blessings of Ramadhan.  May Allah Ta’ala enable the Muslims to actually engage themselves in fasts, taraweeh, Tahajjud, recitation of the Holy Quran, seclusion (itikaaf) and other virtuous acts and grace them with His special blessings, Mercy, Grace, and Benevolence.

 

There is a Hadith in Imam Baihaqui’s Shu’abul Iman and Mishkaatul Masabeeh that at the end of Shabaan, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave a very detailed sermon about welcoming Ramadhan.  In this sermon the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) described the excellence of Ramadhan, the obligation of fasts, importance of Taraweeh and the excellence of Shab Qadr.  He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also enjoined patience, sympathy, self-sacrifice and making things easy for one’s subordinates. 

Please see this eloquent sermon given by the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) about the acts and traditions of Ramadhan.

 

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’ban, 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 Ta'ala has declared this month's fasts as Obligatory (Farz) and the praying of night as Sunnah  (Taraweeh).  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 Jannah.  It is a month of sympathy.  It is a month in which the sustenance (rizq) of a Momin 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 Ta'ala 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 Ta'ala will give that person such a sip from My houz (i.e.  houz e kouthar); he/she will never feel thirsty till he enters Jannah.  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 Ta'ala will forgive that person and free him from Hell.

 

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 of Hadith: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Anas Bin Malik (May Allah be well pleased with him) that when the companions (Sahabah) of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would see the moon for Shabaan, 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.