EsinIslam
Ramadan
By Shaykh
Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid
Praise be to Allaah.
Ramadaan is one of the twelve Arabic
months. It is a month which is venerated in the
Islamic religion, and it is distinguished from the
other months by a number of characteristics and
virtues, including the following:
1
Allaah has made fasting this month the fourth pillar
of Islam, as He 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
" [al-Baqarah: 185]
And it was narrated in as-Saheehayn
(al-Bukhaari, 8; Muslim, 16) from the hadeeth
of Ibn Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said, "Islam is built on five
(pillars): the testimony that there is no god except
Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah;
establishing prayer; paying zakaah; fasting
Ramadaan; and hajj to the House (the Ka'bah)."
2
Allaah revealed the Qur'aan in this month, as He says
in the verse quoted above (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]
And Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning), "Verily, We have sent it (this Qur'aan) down
in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree)." [al-Qadr
97:1]
3
Allaah has made Laylat al-Qadr in this month,
which is better than a thousand months, as 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]
"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]."
[ad-Dukhaan: 3]
Allaah has blessed Ramadaan with
Laylat al-Qadr. Explaining the great status of
this blessed night, Surat al-Qadr was revealed, and
there are many ahaadeeth which also speak of
that, such as the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said, "There has come to you Ramadaan, a blessed month
which Allaah has enjoined you to fast, during which
the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell
are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained up.
In it there is a night which is better than a thousand
months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is
indeed deprived." Narrated by an-Nasaa'i, 2106; Ahmad,
8769. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh at-Targheeb, 999.
And Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "Whoever spends
Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in
the hope of reward, will be forgiven his previous
sins." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1910; Muslim, 760.
4
Allaah has made fasting Ramadaan and spending its
nights in prayer out of faith and in the hope of
reward a means of forgiveness of sins, as was proven
in as-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 2014; Muslim, 760) from
the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah according to which
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said, "Whoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and in
the hope of reward, his previous sins will be
forgiven." And al-Bukhaari (2008) and Muslim (174)
also narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said,
"Whoever spends the nights of Ramadaan in prayer out
of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins
will be forgiven."
The Muslims are unanimously agreed that
it is Sunnah to pray qiyaam at night in
Ramadaan. An-Nawawi said that what is meant by praying
qiyaam in Ramadaan is to pray Taraaweeh,
i.e. one achieves what is meant by qiyaam by
praying Taraaweeh.
5
In this month, Allaah opens the gates of Paradise and
closes the gates of Hell, and chains up the devils, as
is stated in as-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 1898; Muslim,
1079), from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah who
said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said, "When Ramadaan comes, the
gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are
closed, and the devils are chained up."
6
Every night Allaah has people whom He redeems from the
Fire. Imam Ahmad (5/256) narrated from the hadeeth
of Abu Umaamah that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said, "At every breaking of the
fast, Allaah has people whom He redeems." Al-Mundhiri
said: there is nothing wrong with its isnaad.
It was classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Targheeb, 987.
Al-Bazzaar (Kashf 962) narrated
that Abu Sa'eed said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "Allaah has
people whom He redeems every day and night i.e. in
Ramadaan and every Muslim every day and night has a
prayer that is answered."
7
Fasting Ramadaan is a means of expiation for the sins
committed since the previous Ramadaan, so long as one
avoids major sins. It was proven in Saheeh Muslim
(233) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said, "The five daily prayers, from one
Jumu'ah to the next and from one Ramadaan to
the next are expiation for (sins committed) in
between, so long as you avoid major sins."
8
Fasting in Ramadaan is equivalent to fasting ten
months, as is indicated by the hadeeth in
Saheeh Muslim (1164) narrated from Abu Ayyoob
al-Ansaari that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) said, "Whoever fasts Ramadaan then
follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be like
fasting for a lifetime." Ahmad (21906) narrated that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said, "Whoever fasts Ramadaan, a month is like
ten months, and fasting six days after al-Fitr
will complete the year."
9
Whoever prays qiyaam in Ramadaan with the imam
until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he
spent the whole night in prayer, because of the report
narrated by Abu Dawood (1370) and others from the
hadeeth of Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said, "Whoever prays qiyaam
with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded
for him that he spent the whole night in prayer."
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Salaat
at-Taraaweeh, p. 15
10
Umrah in Ramadaan is equivalent to hajj.
Al-Bukhaari (1782) and Muslim (1256) narrated that Ibn
Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to a woman among
the Ansaar, "What kept you from doing hajj with
us?" She said, "We only had two camels that we used
for bringing water." So her husband and son had gone
for hajj on one camel, and he left the other
for them to use for bringing water. He said, "When
Ramadaan comes, go for Umrah, for Umrah
in Ramadaan is equivalent to hajj."
According to a report narrated by Muslim, "
is
equivalent to doing hajj with me."
11
It is Sunnah to observe i'tikaaf
(retreat for the purpose of worship) in Ramadaan,
because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) always did that, as it was narrated in the
hadeeth of Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased
with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) used to spend the last ten days of
Ramadaan in i'tikaaf until he passed away, then
his wives observed i'tikaaf after him.
[Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1922; Muslim, 1172]
12
It is mustahabb in the sense of being strongly
recommended in Ramadaan to study the Qur'aan together
and to read it a great deal. You may study the Qur'aan
together by reciting it to someone else and by having
someone else recite it to you. The evidence that this
is mustahabb is the fact that Jibreel used to
meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) every night in Ramadaan and study the
Qur'aan with him. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6; Muslim,
2308.
Reading Qur'aan is mustahabb in
general, but more so in Ramadaan.
13
It is mustahabb in Ramadaan to offer iftaar
to those who are fasting, because of the hadeeth
of Zayd ibn Khaalid al-Juhani (may Allaah be pleased
with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "Whoever gives
iftaar to one who is fasting will have a reward
like his, without that detracting from the fasting
person's reward in the slightest." Narrated by
at-Tirmidhi, 807; Ibn Maajah, 1746; classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Tirmidhi,
647. See question
no: (12598
)
And Allaah knows best.
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