Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)
said: "Ramadhan has come to you - a blessed month. Allaah has made
it obligatory on you to fast in it. During this month, the gates of heaven are
open, the gates of the Hellfire are closed and the evil devils are chained. To
Allaah belongs a night in it, which is better than a thousand months. Whosoever
is prevented from its good, then he has been deprived." [1]
The hadeeth is a glad tiding to the righteous servants of Allaah, of the
coming of the blessed month of Ramadhan. The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) informed his Companions of its
coming and it was not just a simple relaying of news. Rather, his intent was to
give them the glad tidings of a magnificent time of the year, so that the
righteous people who are quick to do deeds can give it its due estimate. This
is because the Prophet (sallAllaahu
‘alayhi wa sallam) explained in it (the hadeeth) what Allaah has
prepared for His servants from the ways towards gaining forgiveness and His
contentment - and they are many. So whoever has
forgiveness escape him during the month of Ramadhan, then he has been deprived with the utmost deprivation.
From the great favors and bounties that Allaah has bestowed upon His
servants is that He has prepared for them meritous occasions so that they may
be of profit to those who obey Him and a race for those who rush to compete
(for good deeds). These meritous occasions are times for fulfilling hopes by
exerting in obedience and uplifting flaws and deficiencies through
self-rectification and repentance. There is not a single occasion from these
virtuous times, except that Allaah has assigned in it works of obedience, by
which one may draw close to Him. And Allaah possesses the most beautiful things
as gifts, which He bestows upon whomsoever He wills by His Grace and Mercy.
So the one who achieves true happiness is he who takes advantage of
these virtuous months, days and hours and draws closer to His Guardian in them,
by doing what is prescribed in them from acts of worship.
Thus perhaps he will be showered with one of the many blessings of those
occasions and be helped by it, with an assistance that is enough to save him
from the Fire and what it contains, such as its blazing heat. [2]
Being able to reach Ramadaan is itself a magnificent bounty that is
bestowed on the one who reaches it and rises to its occasion, by standing in
prayer during its night and fasting during its day. In it, he returns to his
Protector -- from disobeying Him to obeying Him, from neglecting Him to
remembering Him, from remaining distant from Him to turning towards Him in
submissive repentance.
A Muslim must be conscious of this bounty and acknowledge its magnitude.
For indeed, many people are prevented from fasting, either because they die
before they reach it, or because they are not capable of observing it or
because they oppose and turn away from it. Thus, the one who fasts must give
praise to his Lord for this bounty and should welcome this month with joy and
delight that a magnificent time of the year out of all the occasions for
performing obedience is welcomed. He should exert himself deeply in doing good
deeds. And he should invoke Allaah to grant him the ability to fast and stand
in night prayer, and that He provide him with seriousness, enthusiasm,
strength, and energy in that month. And that He awaken him from heedless
oversleeping so that he may take advantage of these virtuous times of good.
It is unfortunate to find that many people do not know the value of this
virtuous occasion, nor do they consider it to be sacred. So the month of
Ramadaan no longer becomes a significant time for obedience, worship, reciting
the Qur'aan, giving in charity and making remembrance of Allaah. Rather, to
some people, it becomes a signifcant time to diversify their foods and drinks
and to prepare different types of meals before the month begins. Some other
people do not know Ramadaan except as a month of sleeplessness and constant
recurring gatherings, while sleeping by day. This is to the point that some
among them sleep past the time of the obligatory prayers, thus not praying them
in congregation or in their proper times. Other people do not know Ramadaan
except as a signifcant time for conducting worldly affairs, not as a
significant time for conducting affairs for the Hereafter. Thus, they work
busily in it, buying and selling, and they stay in the market areas,
consequently abandoning the masaajid. And when they do pray with the people, they do
so in such a hurried manner. This is because they find their pleasure in the
market places. This is the extent that the notions and views (of Ramadaan) have
been changed.
Some of the Salaf used to say: "Indeed Allaah, the Most High, has made the month of Ramadaan as a competition for His creatures, in which they may race with one another to His pleasure, by obeying Him. Thus, one group comes first and so they prosper and another group comes last and so they fail." [3]
Some of the Salaf used to say: "Indeed Allaah, the Most High, has made the month of Ramadaan as a competition for His creatures, in which they may race with one another to His pleasure, by obeying Him. Thus, one group comes first and so they prosper and another group comes last and so they fail." [3]
Also, the individual does not know if this is perhaps the last Ramadaan
he will ever see in his life, if he completes it. How many men, women and
children have fasted with us the past year, and yet now they lie buried in the
depths of the earth, relying on their good deeds. And they expected to fast many
more Ramadaans. Likewise, we too shall all follow their path. Therefore, it is
upon the Muslim to rejoice at this magnificent occasion for worship. And he
should not renounce it, but instead busy himself with what will benefit him and
what will cause its effect to remain. For what else is it, except numbered
days, which are fasted in succession and which finish rapidly.
May Allaah make us, as well as you, from among those who are foremost in attaining good deeds.
May Allaah make us, as well as you, from among those who are foremost in attaining good deeds.
Footnotes:
[1] This hadeeth is reported by Ahmad and An-Nasaa'ee. See Ahmad Shaakir's checking of the Musnad(no. 7148) and Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb of al-Albaanee (1490) as well as Tamaam-ul-Mannah(395)
[2] These are the words of Ibn Rajab in Lataa'if-ul-Ma'aarif: pg. 8
[1] This hadeeth is reported by Ahmad and An-Nasaa'ee. See Ahmad Shaakir's checking of the Musnad(no. 7148) and Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb of al-Albaanee (1490) as well as Tamaam-ul-Mannah(395)
[2] These are the words of Ibn Rajab in Lataa'if-ul-Ma'aarif: pg. 8
[3] Lataa'if-ul-Ma'aarif of Ibn Rajab: page 246
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