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The Great Virtue of Ramadan
EsinIslam Ramadan
Explorer By
Imaam al-Haramain Abdul Muhsin Ibn Muhammad Al-Qaasim
In the name of Allaah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Al-Jum'ah, Ramadaan 5 , 1421 A.H. (December 8, 2000)
All praise is due to Allah Who made the succession of day and night a lesson
for those who reflect. I thank him for his bountiful blessings and I testify
that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah. I equally testify that
Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him, his household and companions who are the people of righteousness and
piety.
Dear brothers, fear Allaah as He should be feared, for whoever fears Him earns
his protection and he who follows his desires is doomed. It should be known
that physical and spiritual felicity can only be attained by subjecting ones
heart and body to the worship of Allaah and that it is through worshipping
Allaah in complete sincerity that this mundane world can be of no importance.
Dear brothers, it is a manifestation of Allaah's mercy on His slaves that He
ordained fasting for them in order to purify them from excessive tastes and to
cleanse their hearts from lustful things. These days, Muslims all over the
world are receiving the month of Ramadaan; leader of all months; the month of
forgiveness, merits and gifts; the month that gladdens the hearts of righteous
people. No wonder that a pious man said in his death bed giving a reason for
his weeping:
"I am only weeping for the fact that people will continue to be fasting and
performing prayers after my death while I will no longer be in a position to
do likewise."
Ramadaan is the month that contains the leader of all nights; a night that is
better than a thousand months. Whoever spends the night in prayers with faith
and hoping for Allaah's reward will have all his past sins forgiven. The
Prophet sallallahu 'alaihi wassalam said:
"When the month of Ramadaan enters, gates of Paradise are opened, gates of
Hell are closed and devils are chained."
(Reported by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim).
Dear brothers, whoever wants eternal prosperity should endeavor to worship
Allaah and do good deeds sincerely. For, good deeds without sincere intention
is of no use. Also, it is a glory for a believer to wake up in the night and
perform prayers for, the best prayer after the obligatory ones are the prayers
performed in the night. In fact, righteous people do compete with each other
to make use of its darkness for doing acts of Ibaadah that bring them closer
to Allaah and they loved this world only because of its nights. Aboo Sulaymaan
Ad-Daaraanee said:
"By Allaah! If not because of waking up in the night and performing prayers, I
would not have loved this world; for, the night is precious because of its
darkness and performing the prayers during the night is one of the
characteristics of righteous people."
Al-Hasan Al-Basree said:
"Nobody abandons night prayers except that it is regarded as a punishment for
a sin he has committed."
You should also endeavor to supplicate to Allaah during the nights of this
noble month because, supplication is the link between man and his Lord; it is
an effortlessly clear profit and easy booty; it prevents calamities and brings
forth Allaah's treasures and bounties. By supplicating to Allaah during the
night, He answers by granting the request generously for, His Hands never get
tired of giving.
Dear Muslims, the Qur'aan is Allaah's message to His servants and a light for
the mankind.There is no way to Allaah's pleasure except through it. It is
revealed in the best of all months. The best way you can spend your time
during this month is to recite the Qur'aan as frequently as possible. Read it,
reflect on its meaning and work by its injunctions. This is because the
Qur'aan contains admonitions and lessons that increase one's humility and
humbleness.
As regards charity, the Prophet was the most generous of all people and his
generosity manifested most during the month of Ramadaan. Whenever he gave, he
gave in plenty as if he had no fear of poverty. He would never be asked of
anything except that he gave it unless if he did not have it.
Charity, dear brothers, has its positive effects on the giver. It causes
blessings to his wealth and children, prevents calamities and brings forth
bliss. Ramadaan is a month of charity. Spend out of your wealth for the poor
and needy and be aware that avarice and stinginess does not keep the wealth
for eternal just as charity does not decrease it. Ibnul-Qayyim said:
"Nothing brings Allaah's blessings and prevents His punishment than obeying
Him, moving closer to Him through acts of Ibaadah and being kind to His
creatures."
Therefore, spend in charity for, charity elevates one's rank in front of
Allaah and know that, man is going to stay under the shade of his charity on
the Day of Resurrection.
Dear brothers, make good preparation for this honorable month because it is a
transient visitor. Receive it with a sincere repentance and spend your time
during the month is acts of obedience to your Lord.
Further, try to perform 'Umrah during Ramadaan for, a 'Umrah during Ramadaan
is equivalent in reward to a Hajj performed with the Messenger of Allaah.
Also, provide food for fasting Muslims for whoever does that gets an
equivalent of their reward without causing any deduction to the reward of the
fasting Muslims.
I'tikaaf (seclusion in a mosque for the purpose of worshipping Allaah alone)
is also a Sunnah that should be kept during the last ten days of Ramadaan. Ibn
Shihaab said:
"It is a strange thing that Muslims should abandon I'tikaaf while the
Messenger of Allaah e never skipped it right from the time he entered Madeenah
until his death."
Use the period of this noble month to join the cord of kinship (by keeping
good relations with your kith and kin). Also repent sincerely to Allaah as
long as the door of repentance is still open. Be cautious of undesirable end
because leaving this world is actually painful.
EsinIslam Ramadan
Team
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