Masjid Bani Hashim Introduction Ramadan the Month of Fasting ي أ ي ه ا ٱل ذ ي ن ء ام ن وا ك ت ب ع ل ي ڪ م ٱلص ي ا م ك م ا ك ت ب ع ل ى ( :183 Ramadan means to hold back, in Surah Al Baqarah (O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as ) ٱل ذ ين م ن ق ب ل ڪ م ل ع ل ك م ت ت ق و ن it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqûn) we don t need more evidence to know that in the month of Ramadan, we have to fast. ع ن أ ب ي ه ر ير ة - رضى هللا عنه - ق ال ق ا ل ر س و ل هللا صلى هللا عليه وسلم " ك ل ع م ل اب ن آد م ي ض اع ف الح س ن ة ع ش ر ( Hadith: أ مث ال ه ا إ ى ل س بع م ائ ة ض عف ق ا ل هللا ع ز و ج ل إ ل الص و م ف إ ن ه ل ي و أ ن ا أ جز ي ب ه ي د ع ش هو ت ه و ط ع ام ه م ن أ جل ي ل لص ائ م ف رح ت ا ن ف رح ة him) (Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with ) ع ند ف طر ه و ف رح ة ع ن د ل ق ا ء ر ب ه. و ل خ ل وف ف ي ه أ طي ب ع ن د هللا م ن ر ي ح الم س ك reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Every (good) deed of the son of Adam would be multiplied, a good deed receiving a tenfold to seven hundredfold reward. Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, has said: With the exception of fasting, for it is done for Me and I will give a reward for it, for one abandons his passion and food for My sake. There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts, joy when he breaks it, and joy when he meets his Lord, and the breath (of an observer of fast) is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk.) Sahih Muslim 1151 Allah (swt) says that the deeds of the fasting are for Him, why? Because He loves it and He sees the sincerity of the slave when they are fasting. Allah (swt) rewards from 10 to 700 hasanat for good deeds, be He did not define the reward for fasting because He will write it, not even the angels, The smell of the fasting person is nicer to Allah (swt) than the small of musk, and they have two glad tidings, first at the time of iftar because you have achieved and are happy, and when he meets Allah (swt). Masjid Bani Hashim Page 1
ع ن أ ب ي ه ر ير ة ق ا ل ق ا ل ر س و ل هللا صلى هللا عليه وسلم " أ ت اك م ر م ضا ن ش هر م ب ار ك ف ر ض هللا ع ز و ج ل ع ل يك م ص ي ام ه ( Hadith: (It ) ت فت ح ف ي ه أ بو ا ب الس م ا ء و ت غل ق ف ي ه أ بو ا ب الج ح ي م و ت غ ل ف ي ه م ر د ة الش ي اط ي ن ل ل ف ي ه ل يل ة خ ير م ن أ ل ف ش هر م ن ح ر م خ ير ه ا ف ق د ح ر م was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month, which Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has enjoined you to fast. In it the gates of heavens are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and every devil is chained up. In it Allah has a night which is better than a thousand months; whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived."') Sunan An Nisa a 2106 All of the doors of the heavens are open in the month of Ramadan, and you feel it, you feel people are racing to goodness. Why? Because the prize is a paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, First Benefit: Taqwa We all want to strive for taqwa, but there are so many temptations throughout the year that pull us away, but Allah (swt) made this month so easy to do worships, and He changed the universe and took away our enemy, the shaitan. What makes a person to not drink that glass of water in the fridge, though no one is there, because they fear and have taqwa of Allah (swt), knowing that He is watching. This is a month of mercy, and Allah (swt) made only one month of the year to be obligated to fast, Second Benefit: Purification of the nafs و ن ف س و م ا س و ٮه ا )٧( ف أ ل ه م ه ا ف ج ور ه ا و ت ق و ٮه ا )٨( ق د أ فل ح م ن ز ك ٮه ا )٩( و ق د خ اب م ن د س ٮه ا ( :7-10 Surah Ash Shams ) ٠١( ) (And by Nafs (Adam or a person or a soul), and Him Who perfected him in proportion; (7) Then He showed him what is wrong for him and what is right for him; (8) Indeed he succeeds who purifies his ownself (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allâh ordered, by following the true Faith of Islâmic Monotheism and by doing righteous good deeds). (9) And indeed he fails who corrupts his ownself Masjid Bani Hashim Page 2
(i.e. disobeys what Allâh has ordered by rejecting the true Faith of Islâmic Monotheism or by following polytheism or by doing every kind of evil wicked deeds) (10)) The gates of paradise are opened and the gates of the hellfire are closed, and the devils are chained, so you are can focus on purifying yourself. And the Prophet (pbuh) said the slave will love to see his book of records filled with istighfar on the Day of Judgement. Third Benefit: Generosity This is a month of generosity, with money, kindness, food, time, etc. ق ال ق ا ل ر س و ل هللا صلى هللا عليه وسلم " إ ن ف ي الج ن ة ب اب ا ي ق ا ل ل ه الر ي ا ن ي دخ ل م ن ه الص ائ م و ن ي و م الق ي ام ة ل ي دخ ل م ع ه م ( Hadith: (Sahl.b Sa'd (Allah be pleased ) أ ح د غ ير ه م ي ق ا ل أ ي ن الص ائ م و ن ف ي دخ ل و ن م ن ه ف إ ذ ا د خ ل آخ ر ه م أ غل ق ف ل م ي دخ ل م ن ه أ ح د with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: In Paradise there is a gate which is called Rayyan through which only the people who fast would enter on the Day on Resurrection. None else would enter along with them. It would be proclaimed: Where are the people who fast that they should be admitted into it? And when the last of them would enter, it would be closed and no one would enter it.) Sahih Muslim 1152 And one of the gates of paradise is called Ar Rayan for the ones who fast, it will call on them, and how we long to hear this call, may Allah (swt) make us enter from this door. Ameen. The Prophet (pbuh) said protect yourself from the hellfire, even if you give half a date, We need to have different types of charity, some might be seen or unseen. For example, some might be seen to encourage others, but we also need charities that no one knows about, even those close to us. And know for sure that a charity will never decrease you. Fourth Benefit: Ramadan is the Month of the Quran There is shifa a, cure in the Quran. Let us have different times with the Quran, let us recite the Quran, listen to each other, make tajweed, recite after salat al fajr since the angels witness it. Fifth Benefit: Month of Worship ع ن أ ب ي ه ر ير ة ق ا ل قا ل ر س و ل هللا صلى هللا عليه وسلم " إ ذ ا ك ا ن أ و ل ل يل ة م ن ش ه ر ر م ض ا ن ص ف د ت الش ي اط ي ن و م ر د ة ( Hadith: الج ن و غ ل ق ت أ بو ا ب الن ا ر ف ل م ي فت ح م نه ا ب اب. و ف ت ح ت أ بو ا ب الج ن ة ف ل م ي غل ق م نه ا ب اب و ي ن اد ي م ن اد ي ا ب اغ ي الخ ي ر أ قب ل و ي ا ب اغ ي الش ر (Abu Hurairah narrated that :Tthe Messenger of Allah said: "On the ) أ قص ر و ل ل ع ت ق ا ء م ن الن ا ر و ذ ل ك ك ل ل يل ة first night of the month of Ramadan, the Shayatin are shackled, the jinns are restrained, the gates of the Fires are shut such that no gate among them would be opened. The gates of Paradise are opened such that no gate among them would be closed, and a caller calls: 'O seeker of the good; come near!' and 'O seeker of evil; stop! For there are those whom Allah frees from the Fire.' And that is every night.") At Tirmidhi 682 The doors of paradise are open this month, so you want to make the most of it, and run to the goodness. Masjid Bani Hashim Page 3
بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم You feel the breeze of Ramadan, there is faith and a sweetness in the air. The honor of a believer is qiyam al layl, to be independent from the people, but attached to Allah (swt), to be poor to Allah, Rabb An Nass. There are different worships in the month of Ramdan, including reciting the Quran, seeking forgiveness, fasting, prayer, dua a Conditions of worship: o Ikhlas: sincerity. We have to have determination, intention, and hoping for the reward. We want to fast eemana wa ihtisban ( و احتسابا,(ايمانا with belief and hoping for the reward. There is no need to say the intention out loud, it is in the heart. o Following the way of the Prophet (pbuh): according to what is in the Quran and the Sunnah. We do not need to invent or innovate in the religion. Sixth Benefit: Qiyam al Layl The Night Prayer We see that we are attracted to the night prayer in the month of Ramadan. After isha a, there is taraweeh, then there is tahajjud. In Qiyam Al Layl, we are purifying ourselves in many ways through reciting the Quran, praying, making supplications, especially in the last third night, when Allah (swt) descends to the lowest heaven in a manner that suits His majesty. The Prophet (pbuh) said that the slave is closest to His Rabb in jawf al layl. ي أ ي ہ ا ٱل م ز م ل )٠( ق م ٱل ي ل إ ل ق ل يل )٢( ن ص ف ه ۥ أ و ٱنق ص م نه ق ل يل )٣( أ و ز د ع ل ي ه و ر ت ل ٱل ق ر ء ان ( :1-4 Surah Al Muzamil night, (O you wrapped in garments (i.e. Prophet Muhammad SAW)! (1) Stand (to pray) all ) ت ر ت يل ٤( ) except a little. (2) Half of it, or a little less than that, (3) Or a little more; And recite the Qur'ân (aloud) in a slow, (pleasant tone and) style(4)) Hadith: ( أ ن س ب ن م ال ك رضى هللا عنه ق ا ل ق ا ل الن ب ي صلى هللا عليه وسلم " ت س ح ر وا ف إ ن ف ي الس ح و ر ب ر ك ) (Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Take Suhur as there is a blessing in it.") Al Bukhari 1923 The time of suhoor is when the angels are making istighfar for you, it is a blessed time, and Allah (swt) is very near as well since it is the last 3 rd of the night, Masjid Bani Hashim Page 4
Allah (swt) is calling on His slaves in the last third of the night, is there anyone seeking forgiveness so that I may forgive Him, is there anyone asking, so that I may give Him, You can get the reward of hajj and umrah every day in Ramadan, how? After the fajr prayer, you remain until the time of shurooq, whether doing istighfar, saying morning supplications, reciting Quran, etc, and then pray two units of dhuha. And to perform umrah in the month of Ramadan, is like performing hajj with the Prophet (pbuh), Ramadan enters and ends with the entering of the crescent, our deen is easy. The time of the start of fast is by the time of the fajr adhan and we begin our iftar at the time of the maghrib adhan, we don t delay it, you want to follow the Sunnah and be rewarded for it. Seventh Benefit: Make dua a The Prophet (pbuh) said three whose dua a will not be returned, one of which is a fasting person until he breaks his fast. Take at least some time to make dua a while you are fasting, if you are not making dua a in the Ramadan, then when will you make dua a? Subhan Allah. Allah (swt) frees certain slaves from the hellfire every night in Ramadan, may Allah (swt) make us of them. Ameen. Allah (swt) fulfills our dua as, if not now, then later, alhamdulliah. Eighth Benefit: Do ihsan Do much ihsan during the month of Ramadan, though little but consistent. One of the wives of the Khulifa Ar Rashideen, Zubaida, may Allah have mercy on her, used to do so many charities, built wells, etc and then she passed away. A righteous person saw her in a dream very happy, and he told her it must be all of the great charities you did, she said no, it was the shedding of the tear alone out of fear of Allah (swt), Give some water, dates, yogurt, whatever it may be, it considered iftar of the fasting one and you get the reward of their fast, though it does not decrease their reward either, Ninth Benefit: Unity of the Ummah You see that we are all united in terms of fasting in the month of Ramadan, even more beautiful,(ل اله ال هللا ( under while in Makkah, people of all nationalities, breaking their fast together, all united The Prophet (pbuh) would spend his night studying the Quran in Ramadan. ع ن اب ن ع ب اس رضى هللا عنهما ق ا ل ك ا ن ر س و ل هللا صلى هللا عليه وسلم أ جو د الن اس و ك ا ن أ جو د م ا ي ك و ن ف ي ( Hadith: ر م ض ان ح ي ن ي لق اه ج بر يل و ك ا ن ج بر ي ل ي لق اه ف ي ك ل ل يل ة م ن ر م ض ان ف ي د ار س ه الق رآن ف ل ر س و ل هللا صلى هللا عليه وسلم ح ي ن ي لق اه was the most (ﷺ) (Narrated Ibn `Abbas: Allah's Messenger ) ج بر ي ل أ جو د ب الخ ي ر م ن الر ي ح الم رس ل ة generous of all the people, and he used to be more generous in the month of Ramadan when Gabriel used to meet him. Gabriel used to meet him every night in Ramadan to study the Holy Masjid Bani Hashim Page 5
Qur'an carefully together. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to become more generous than the fast wind when he met Gabriel.) Al Bukhari 3220 Types of dua a Dua a as a worship: such as prayer, zakat Dua a as supplication: asking Allah (swt) for a need, to have harm removed Laylt Al Qadr Night of the Decree إ ن ا أ نز لن ه ف ى ل ي ل ة ٱل ق د ر )٠( و م ا أ د ر ٮك م ا ل ي ل ة ٱل ق د ر )٢( ل ي ل ة ٱل ق د ر خ ي ر م ن أ لف ش ہ ر )٣( ت ن ز ل ٱلم ل ٮ ك ة ( Qadr: Surah Al (Verily, We have sent it (this Qur'ân) down in ) و ٱلر وح ف يہ ا ب إ ذن ر ب ہ م م ن ك ل أ م ر )٤( س ل م ه ى ح ت ى م طل ع ٱل ف ج ر )٥ ) the night of Al-Qadr (Decree) (1) And what will make you know what the night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is? (2) The night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allâh in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months) (3) Therein descend the angels and the Rûh [Jibril (Gabriel)] by Allâh's Permission with all Decrees, (4) (All that night), there is Peace (and Goodness from Allâh to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn. (5)) When the horses are racing, they speed up towards the end. Similarly, we should be faster in the end, we should make our whole night, or at least half, all qiyam because there is a night greater than 83 years of worship, It is called the night of a lifetime, night of the decree. This one night changes our whole year of decrees, and the dua a can change the decree. You don t know with your dua a that night, our entire faith, character, etc can change for the better, subhan Allah. ع ن ع ائ ش ة أ ن ه ا ق ال ت ي ا ر س و ل هللا أ ر أ ي ت إ ن و اف ق ت ل يل ة الق د ر م ا أ دع و ق ا ل " ت ق ول ين الل ه م إ ن ك ع ف و ت ح ب الع ف و ف اع ف ( Hadith: (It was narrated from 'Aishah that she said: "O Messenger of Allah, what do you think I should ) ع ن ي " say in my supplication, if I come upon Laylatul-Qadr?" He said: "Say: 'Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun Masjid Bani Hashim Page 6
بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم tuhibbul-'afwa, fa'fu 'anni (O Allah, You are Oft-Pardoning and love pardoning, so pardon me).'") - Sunan Ibn Majah 3850 Benefits of from Ramadan ه ه م ه Whatever we gain from Ramadan, we should carry it throughout the year. Surah Adh Dhariyat 17: ( ق ل يل م ن ٱل ي ل م ا ي ہ ج ع و ن (ك ان وا (They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allâh) and praying, with fear and hope].) " م ن ق ا م ل يل ة الق د ر إ يم ان ا و احت س اب ا غ ف ر ل م ا ت ق د م م ن ذ نب ه و م ن ص ا م ر م ض ا ن إ يم ان ا ( Hadith: ع ن الن ب ي صلى هللا عليه وسلم ق ا ل said, "Whoever established (ﷺ) (Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet ) و احت س اب ا غ ف ر ل م ا ت ق د م ن ذ نب prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven; and whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.") Al Bukhari 1901 There was a story of a neighbor who came to visit a mother and her daughter. The neighbor greeted the mother, and then gave her hand to the daughter, but she refused to greet her. The neighbor did not react, but simply continued her conversation with the mother. Then the daughter came to her and said I am sorry, I love you and greeted her. When the neighbor left, the mother was so upset with her daughter to have shown that kind of behavior. The daughter told her you do this every night. The mother was in shock and she said me, how? The daughter said Allah (swt) is greeting you every night, He is descending to lowest heaven, asking to forgive you, to give you, but you ignore it, and you go out without covering or praying. So the daughter said, you feel insulted that I did not give my hand to a neighbor, but you don t feel insulted to come forward to Allah? Subhan Allah. And this became a means for the repentance of the mother, Masjid Bani Hashim Page 7
أ ب ي ه ر ير ة - رضى هللا عنه - ر و اي ة ق ا ل " إ ذ ا أ صب ح أ ح د ك م ي وم ا ص ائ م ا ف ل ( Hadith: And remember what to say, him) (Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with (ي رف ث و ل ي جه ل ف إ ن امر ؤ ش ات م ه أ و ق ات ل ه ف لي ق ل إ ن ي ص ائ م إ ن ي ص ائ م reported: When any one of you gets up in the morning in the state of fasting, he should neither use obscene language nor do any act of ignorance. And if anyone slanders him or quarrels with him, he should say:" I am fasting, I am fasting.") Sahih Muslim 1151 May Allah (swt) accept all of our worships and may He give us tawfeeq every day in Ramdan and the night of the decree. Ameen. Masjid Bani Hashim Page 8