Blessings of Ramadan

The sacred month of Ramadan is arriving soon bringing a huge treasure of blessings and forgiveness. The excellence & virtue of Ramadan can be judged by this fact that as soon as this blessed month of Ramadan begins, with its blessings, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would convey the glad tidings of Ramadan and congratulate the Blessed Sahabah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم upon the arrival of this sacred month of Ramadan. Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ said, the Blessed and Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated herald the glad tidings to his blessed Sahabah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم: The sacred month of Ramadan, which is extremely blessed, has approached you, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has made fasts obligatory upon you; doors of Jannah are opened in this month and the doors of Hell are closed, even devils are chained up; one of its nights is better than a thousand nights and the one who is deprived of its blessings is absolutely deprived.

(Musnad Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal, vol. 3, pp. 331, Hadees 9001)

Commenting on abovementioned blessed Hadees, the renowned commentator, Hakeem-ul-Ummah, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated: This sacred month of Ramadan has both Hissi (apparent; can be felt) and Ghoybi (hidden) blessings; this is the reason the name of this sacred month is also, the ‘blessed month’. In the blessed month of Ramadan, as you would expect, true believers receive blessings in their sustenance; the fulfillment of each virtue during the month is rewarded by 70 times or more than this. Therefore, through this blessed Hadees, we have learnt that exchanging praises and greetings upon the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadan is a Sunnah and we must be happy when this blessed month starts, and sad when it leaves us. It is for this reason, that the majority of Muslims constantly weep on Jumu’a-tul-Wada’ (farewell to the last Friday of Ramadan), some farewell words are recited and speeches are given, for Muslims to carry out maximum good deeds for the little time that remains for this blessed month. The abovementioned blessed Hadees is a source of all these acts.

(Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 3, pp. 137)

Sixty thousand sinners forgiven every night

Sayyiduna ‘Abdullāh Ibn Masūd رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰی عَـنْهُ has narrated that the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم has stated, ‘At every night of Ramadan, an announcement is made in the skies till dawn, ‘O seeker of goodness! Complete (i.e. keep worshipping Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ ) and rejoice, and O evil one! Give up your evil and take some lesson. Is there any seeker of forgiveness, his desire will be fulfilled? Is there anyone repenting, his repentance will be accepted? Is there anyone making Du’ā, his Du’ā will be accepted? Is there anyone who seeks anything, he will be bestowed what he wishes for?’ Each evening of Ramadan at the time of sunset, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ frees sixty thousand sinners from Hell, and on the day of Eid He عَزَّوَجَلَّ forgives as many people as the total number of those who were freed throughout the month.’

(Ad-Dur-rul-Mansūr, pp. 146, vol. 1)

How blessed and precious are the moments of Ramadan, that each moment, Divine blessings continue to descend upon the bondsmen. This is that sacred month, in which days are passed in the state of fasts and nights in reciting the Glorious Quran, and both these virtuous acts i.e. fasting and reciting the Glorious Quran will be sources of intercession.

Fasts and the Holy Quran will intercede

Fasts and the Holy Quran will intercede for the Muslims on the Day of Judgement. The Prophet of creation, the Peace of our heart and mind, the most Generous and Kind صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated, ‘The fast and the Holy Quran will intercede for people on the Day of Judgement. The fast will say, ‘O Merciful Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! I prevented him from eating and satisfying his desires during the day, accept my intercession in his favour.’ The Holy Quran will say, ‘I prevented him from sleeping at night, accept my intercession for him.’ So intercession of both will be accepted.’

(Musnad Imām Ahmad, pp. 586, vol. 2, Hadees 6637)

Reason behind obligatory fasts

Most of the acts in Islam remind us of faith-refreshing Islamic and historical events. During the Hajj, pilgrims perform Sa’ee, which is the devotional act of walking between Safa and Marwah reminding us of Sayyidatunā Hājirah’s رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا walking and running between these two mountains seven times in search of water for her Beloved son Sayyiduna Ismā’īl عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ loved this act so much that He made this Sunnah of Sayyidatuna Hajirah رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا Wājib upon all those who perform Hajj and ‘Umrah. In the same way, the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم spent some days of Ramadan in seclusion in the cave of Hirā where he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would abstain from eating during the day and would engage himself in worshipping Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ at night. In order to revive these glorious days, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ made fasting obligatory in Ramadan.

(Musnad Imām Ahmad, pp. 586, vol. 2, Hadees 6637)

Reward for fasting

Sayyiduna Abū Hurayrah رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ has narrated that the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: ‘For every act of piety, man is rewarded ten to seven hundred times more. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ said اِلَّا الصَّوۡمَ فَاِنَّهُ لِيۡ وَ اَنَا اَجۡزِيۡ بِهِ (Except fasting, because fasting is for Me and I will give its reward Myself). Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ also says, ‘Man refrains from satisfying his desires and eating food for My pleasure. There are two glad tidings for the man who fasts; one, at the time of Iftaar [breaking the fast] and the other when he meets his Rab عَزَّوَجَلَّ. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ likes the smell emanating from a fasting person’s mouth more than the fragrance of musk.’

(Sahīh Muslim, pp. 580, Hadees 1151)

There is another saying, ‘Fasting is a shield; when any of you fasts, he should neither utter words of indecency nor shout. If anyone else abuses him or wants to fight him, he should say ‘I am fasting.’

Bukhārī, pp. 624, vol. 1, Hadees 1894)

Special reward for fasting

The abovementioned blessed Ahādīs mentions several virtues of fasting. There is a great reward for the one who observes fasts while abiding by the Sharī’ah and Sunnah, which includes abstaining from eating, drinking and intercourse but also refraining from committing sins. By the grace of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, such a fast will compensate for all the previous sins. The blessed Hadees which mentions the words فَاِنَّهُ لِيۡ وَ اَ نَا اَجۡزِيۡ بِهِ (the fast is for Me and I will give its reward Myself) is very noteworthy.

According to Tafsīr-e-Na’īmī, ‘Some blessed Muhaddisīn have read this Hadees in the following manner اَنَا اُجۡزٰي بِهِ which will then mean ‘I am its reward.’ سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ! i.e., the person who fasts finds Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ Himself.

Bukhārī, pp. 624, vol. 1, Hadees 1894)

I’tikaaf for the entire month

The Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would always try his best to gain the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would abundantly worship especially in Ramadan. As Laylatul-Qadr is hidden in Ramadan, the Prophet of Rahmah, the Intercessor of the Ummah صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once observed I’tikaaf for the entire month in order to search for this blessed night.

There is another saying, ‘Fasting is a shield; when any of you fasts, he should neither utter words of indecency nor shout. If anyone else abuses him or wants to fight him, he should say ‘I am fasting.’

Sayyiduna Abū Sa’īd Khudrī رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ has narrated, ‘Once the Noble Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم observed I’tikaaf from the 1st of Ramadan to the 20th and then said, ‘In search of Layla-tul-Qadr, I spent the first ten days of Ramadan in I’tikaaf, and then the middle ten days, then I was told that it is in the last ten days. Therefore, whoever amongst you wishes to observe I’tikaaf with me should do so.’

(Sahīh Muslim, pp. 594, Hadees 1167)

If possible, observe I’tikaaf for the entire month of Ramadan every year. If not possible, observe I’tikaaf in the last ten days of Ramadan at least once in your life. Staying in the Masjid is a great blessing, a Mu’takif is so fortunate that he stays in the Masjid leaving all his activities in order to gain the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ .

The glory of the blessed month of Ramadan is that the Jannah is decorated and adorned the whole year to welcome the month of Ramadan and the doors of Jannah are opened for the fasting people of the Ummah of Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . The Blessed and Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would convey glad tidings of the arrival of Ramadan and would congratulate the blessed Sahaabah رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُم . On the Day of Judgement, the blessed fast and Glorious Quran would intercede. The Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would dedicate himself to worships as soon as the sacred month of Ramadan would arrive.

The greatest characteristic of this blessed month is that the Glorious Quran was revealed in this month. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has made fasts obligatory upon the Ummah of Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in this blessed month. Observing fasts is such kind of worship, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ says: Sawm [fast] is for Me and I will give reward for it, Myself. The limbs of a fasting person make Tasbeeh (glorification of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ ), his Du’as are answered and even his sleep is regarded as one of worship. On the Day of Judgement, a dining-mat made of gold will be spread out for fasting people whilst other people will be waiting for their accountability. The fasting people will also enter through a special door named ‘Rayyan’; only fasting people will enter Jannah through this door. The blessed night of Layla-tul-Qadr has been made hidden in Ramadan which is better than a thousand months. I’tikaaf is aimed to seek this blessed night. The one who observes I’tikaaf in the state of Imaan with the intention of attaining reward, all his previous sins are forgiven. A Mu’takif, being in the Masjid, remains safe from sins but he will also attain the reward of all those acts in I’tikaaf which he used to do when out of the Masjid. May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ privilege us to observe I’tikaaf for obtaining abundant blessings.

اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِه وَسَلَّم

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد