The virtues of fasting and other activities during
the month of Ramadân are enough to fill an entire volume. In this
article we will try, by the mercy of Allâh, to summarize some important points.
A good book to study during Ramadân is Virtues of Ramadhân by
Shaikhul-Hadîth Maulana Mohammad Zakariyya Kandhalvi (rahimahu-allâh).
The month of Ramadân is a most blessed month, in which the
reward for performing a nafl will be
as the reward of a fard in any
other time of the year; and the reward for performing a fard will be as the reward of seventy fard in any other time of the year. It is a month of
patience, whose reward is Jannah. It
is the month of sympathy for one’s fellowmen. Whoever provides food to someone
to break their fast, he will have forgiveness for his sins and freedom from the
fire of Jahannam (Hell). The first of
this month brings Allâh’s Mercy; the middle brings His Forgiveness and the
end brings emancipation from the Hellfire. In this month the devils are chained
and confined, as a result of which evil is diminished. In this month, the Qur’ân
was sent down from al-Lawh-ul-Mahfűz
(the Protected Tablet) to the Samâ-ud-Dunyâ
(heaven of the earth), from where it was revealed bit by bit over a span of
twenty-three years.
During this month every Muslim should endeavor to read the Qur’ân
at least once from cover to cover. Our great and pious predecessors and scholars
such as Imâm Shâfi’ and Imâm Abu Hanîfah (rahimahum-allâh)
used to complete the reading of the entire Qur’ân 60 times over in this
month. Hazrat Jibra’îl (alayhis-salâm)
used to recite or listen to the recitation of the entire Qur’ân by our
Nabi Muhammad (
sallallâhu-alayhi-wa-sallam)
in the month of Ramadân. Also during this month, Rasűlullâh(-
sallallâhu-alayhi-wa-sallam)
advised us to make much dhikr and istighfâr.
[Virtues of
Ramadhân]
Sighting the Moon
It is wâjib
kifâyah to look for the moon on the night of the 29th of Sha’bân.
If some people from the locality do this, the obligation is removed from the
entire community. If no one goes to sight the moon, it will be a sin upon the
entire community. If the sky is not clear, then the witness of a single upright,
mature, intelligent Muslim is sufficient. If the sky is clear, then it is
necessary that a large group of people should bear witness to the sighting such
that there can be no doubt in the report. If the moon is not sighted, then 30
days of Sha’bân are to be completed. [Rahnama-e-Mudarrisîn Ml. Muhammad Tâhir Rahîmi, Multan, Pakistan;
Noorul-Eidâh Imâm Shurunbulâli; Bahishti
Zewar]
Du’â
(Prayer) Upon Sighting the Moon of Ramadân
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Allâhumma
ahillahű ‘alaynâ bil-yumni wal-îmâni; was-salâmati wal-islâmi; wat-tawfeeqi
li mâ tuhibbu wa tardâ; rabbî wa rabbukal-lâh.
Oh Allâh! Let the moon appear over us with blessing
and Imân; with peace and Islâm;
with the ability for us to practice that which You love and which pleases You.
(O moon): Your Lord and my
Lord is Allâh.
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Intention for the Fast
It is necessary to make intention for the validity of the
fast. The intention may be expressed in the heart, but it is much more
preferable to recite the following statement of intention verbally before the
beginning of the dawn:
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Wa bi sawmi ghadin-nawaytu
min shahri Ramadân.
I have the intention of observing a fast of the
month of Ramadân tomorrow.
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Prayer at Time of Breaking the Fast
It is sunnat to make iftaar (breaking
the fast) immediately after sunset and not to delay. The iftaar should
not be so long that the Maghrib prayer is missed. There are several recommended
du’â at the time of iftaar. Among them,
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Oh
Allâh! Truly for You did I fast, and in You do I believe and upon You do I
place my trust, and with Your provision have I broken the fast.
Allaahumma innî laka sumtu;
wa bika âmantu; wa ‘alayka tawakkaltu; wa ‘alâ rizqika aftartu.
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Warning
With regard to fasting, the Prophet (
- sallallâhu-alayhi-wa-sallam) has left an important
warning which we must endeavor to heed: “Many are those who fast but whose fast
brings them only hunger and thirst; and many are those who pray at night, but
whose prayer only results in sleeplessness.” Abstaining from carnal pleasures
is not the only conditon of the fast. The fast is also meant to strengthen the spiritual
and moral character of the Muslim. Thus, all actions of the hands, feet, eyes,
ears, and especially the tongue, must be kept in strict accordance with the Sharî’ah.
The Prophet (
- sallallâhu-alayhi-wa-sallam) repeatedly emphasized the
avoidance of lying, back-biting, gossip, cheating, swearing, obscene and
useless talk while fasting. All these actions can ruin the fast. May Allâh
guide us and help us.
Tarâweeh
Rasűlullâh(
- sallallâhu-alayhi-wa-sallam) said: “The one who observes
the Tarâweeh prayer at night during Ramadân with complete
faith and devotion, only for the sake of the reward of the Hereafter, will have
all his previous sins forgiven by Allâh.” [Agreed upon] The Tarâweeh
prayer starts from the evening that the moon of Ramadân is
sighted up till (but not including) the night of ‘Eid. Imaam Nawawi (rahimahu-allâh) has written about this
prayer:
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Know that the Tarâweeh prayer is a sunnat
by the consensus of the scholars and it is 20 rak’aat with tasleem
between every two. And the prayer is performed just like all other prayers,
with rukű’, sujood, etc.
As for the recitation, the correct way which has
been expressed by most of the scholars and acted upon by the people is that
the entire Qur’aan should be completed in the Tarâweeh of this month.
Every night, about one juz should be recited. It is preferable that
the recitation be at a steady pace and not be longer than a juz every
night, so that the people are not put to hardship. And especially avoid the
baseless innovation of reciting the entire Sűrah al-An’âm in one rak’ah
of the 27th of Ramadân, thinking that it was revealed all
at once…
[Kitaabul-Adhkaar
Imaam Nawawi]
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As mentioned above, the Tarâweeh is performed in units of two rak’ât. After every four units, a short pause is observed during
which one may rest quietly or recite supplications such as the following tasbeeh:
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Glorified is the Owner of the Kingdom of earth and
heaven; Glorified is the Possessor of Honour, Magnificence, Awe, Power,
Greatness and Omnipotence; Glorified is the Sovereign, the Living, Who
neither sleeps nor dies; Exceedingly glorified and sanctified is our Lord and
the Lord of the angels and the Spirit (Jibreel); Oh Allâh! Save us
from the Fire: Oh Mighty Savior, Oh Mighty Savior, Oh Mighty Savior.
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(During Ramadân only, the 3 rak’aat of Witr prayer is also performed in
congregation after the Tarâweeh.)
Laylatul-Qadr
Among the nights of Ramadân, the “Night of Power,” Laylatul-Qadr, is a night of extremely great blessing. The virtues
and reward of good actions on this night are multiplied by 1000 months, as
mentioned in the Qur’ân itself. Laylatul-Qadr
most probably occurs on one of the odd nights of the last ten nights of the
month. It is recommended to search for it and involve oneself in extra worship
and recitation of the Qur’ân. The best du’â
to make on that night is:
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Allaahumma innaka ‘afuwwun
tuhibbul-‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni.
Oh Allâh! You are the One who grants pardon for
sins; You love to pardon; So pardon me.
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(This supplication is
related in a famous hadîth by Hadrat Â’ishah radhiyallâhu-anha)
I’tikaaf
The practice of remaining in the masjid for a
certain period of time, with intention of doing so, is called I’tikaaf.
It is sunnat mu’akkadah ‘alal-kifaayah upon a community to perform I’tikaaf
in the last ten days of Ramadân. If even one person from a
particular locality remains in the masjid then the sunnah is fulfilled
on behalf of the community. But if no one performs this duty, then the entire
community is sinful for having neglected to fulfill a sunnah. The
purpose of this seclusion is that the heart should get attached to Allâh and
that one should remain in a constant state of His remembrance, with no
distraction of worldly affairs. The detailed rulings of I’tikaaf may be
found in various Islamic books, such as Bahishti Zewar (Ml. Ashraf Ali
Thanvi) or Kitaabus-Sawm (Mufti A.H.Elias).
’Eid
Rasűlullâh(sallallâhu-alayhi-wa-sallam) said: “The heart of the
person who remains awake (in worship) during the night of ‘Eid-ul-Fitr and
‘Eid-ul-Adhâ will not be dead on the Day when the hearts will
be dead.” [Tabraani]
The night preceding the day of ‘Eid is an
auspicious occasion which should be observed with reverence and worship. The
greatest reward of doing so, mentioned above, is that the hearts will not be
smitten with terror and fear on the Day of Judgment when the upheavals of
that Day will be so fearsome that men will appear to be intoxicated.
(The rulings related to the
‘Eid prayer and Sadaqatul-Fitr will insha-Allâh be discussed towards the
end of the month.)
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FASTING
Fear of Allâh;
Abstinence from Sin;
Steadfastness on Shari’ah;
Tolerance in Difficulty;
Integrity in Dealing;
Nobility in Character;
Gratefulness for Allâh’s
favors.
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A voice of the Muslim Ummah
