Ramadan is one of the blessed month of an
Arabic calendar. It is a month which is regarded with a great respect in
Islamic religion, and it is distinguished from the other months by a number of
characteristics and virtues, few of them are following:
1 – Allah has made fasting this month the
fourth pillar of Islam, as He says
“The
month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur’an was revealed as
guidance for mankind, and as clear signs that show the right way and
distinguish between right and wrong. So those of you who witness the
month must fast in it.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 185)
In Hadith narrated by Ibn ‘Umar, that the
Prophet (PBUH) said: “Islam is built on five (pillars): the testimony that
there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah;
establishing prayer; paying zakaah; fasting Ramadan; and Hajj to the
House (the Ka’bah).” (al-Bukhaari, 8; Muslim, 16) from the hadith
2 – Allah revealed the Qur’aan in this month,
as He says in the verse mentioned above
“The month of Ramadan is the one in
which the Qur’an was revealed as guidance for mankind, and as clear
signs that show the right way and distinguish between right and wrong."(Surah Al-Baqarah, 185)
And Allah says:
“We have sent it (the Qur’an) down in the Night of Qadr.”(Surah Al-Qadr, 1)
3 – Allah has made Laylat al-Qadr in this
month, which is better than a thousand months, as Allah says :
“Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan) down
in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree). And what will make you know what the
Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is? The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better
than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah in that night is better than
worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). Therein
descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allah’s Permission with
all Decrees, (All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allah
to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn” (Surah Al-Qadar1-5)
Also Says:
“We sent it (this Qur’aan) down on a blessed
night [(i.e. the Night of Al-Qadr) in the month of Ramadan — the 9th month of
the Islamic calendar]. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment
will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness
of worship]” (Surah
al-Dukhaan 3)
Allah has blessed Ramadan with Laylat al-Qadr.
Explaining the great status of this blessed night, Surah al-Qadr was revealed,
and there are many ahadith which also speak of that, such as the hadith of Abu
Hurayrah (RA) who said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “There has come to you
Ramadan, a blessed month which Allah has enjoined you to fast, during which the
gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious
devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand
months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.” Narrated
by al-Nasaa’i, 2106; Ahmad, 8769.
And Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with
him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
said: “Whoever spends Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope
of reward, will be forgiven his previous sins.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
1910; Muslim, 760.
4 – Allah has made fasting Ramadan and spending
its nights in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward a means of forgiveness
of sins, as was proven in al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 2014; Muslim, 760) from
the hadith of Abu Hurayrah according to which the Prophet (PBUH) said:
“Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and in
the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”
And al-Bukhaari (2008) and Muslim (174) also
narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) said:
“Whoever spends the nights of Ramadan in
prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be
forgiven.”
The Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is
Sunnah to pray qiyaam at night in Ramadan Al-Nawawi said that what is meant by
praying qiyaam in Ramadan is to pray Taraweeh, i.e., one achieves what is meant
by qiyaam by praying Taraaweeh.
5 – In this month, Allah opens the gates of
Paradise and closes the gates of Hell, and chains up the devils, as is stated
in al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 1898; Muslim, 1079), from the hadith of Abu
Hurayrah who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) said:
“When Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise
are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.”
6 – Every night Allah has people whom He
redeems from the Fire. Imam Ahmad (5/256) narrated from the hadith of Abu
Umaamah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“At every breaking of the fast, Allah has
people whom He redeems.”.
Al-Bazzaar (Kashf 962) narrated that Abu Sa’eed
said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Allah has people whom He redeems every day
and night – i.e., in Ramadan – and every Muslim every day and night has a
prayer that is answered.”
7 – Fasting Ramadan is a means of expiation
(Kaffarah) for the sins committed since the previous Ramadan, so long as
one avoids major sins. It was proven in Saheeh Muslim (233) that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“The five daily prayers, from one Jumu’ah to
the next and from one Ramadan to the next are expiation for (sins committed) in
between, so long as you avoid major sins.”
8 – Fasting in Ramadan is equivalent to fasting
ten months, as is indicated by the hadith in Saheeh Muslim (1164) narrated from
Abu Ayyoob al-Ansaari:
“Whoever fasts Ramadan then follows it with
six days of Shawwaal, it will be like fasting for a lifetime.”
Ahmad (21906) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH)
said:
“Whoever fasts Ramadan, a month is like ten
months, and fasting six days after al-Fitr will complete the year.”
9 – Whoever prays qiyaam in Ramadan with the
imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole
night in prayer, because of the report narrated by Abu Dawood (1370) and others
from the hadith of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger
of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Whoever prays
qiyaam with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he
spent the whole night in prayer.” Classe
10 – ‘Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj.
Al-Bukhaari (1782) and Muslim (1256) narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: The
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to a woman
among the Ansaar,
“What kept you from doing Hajj with us?” She said, “We
only had two camels that we used for bringing water.” So her husband and son
had gone for Hajj on one camel, and he left the other for them to use for
bringing water.” He said, “When Ramadan comes, go for ‘Umrah, for ‘Umrah in
Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj.” According to a report narrated by Muslim, “…
is equivalent to doing Hajj with me.”
11 – It is Sunnah to observe i’tikaaf (retreat
for the purpose of worship) in Ramadan, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) always did that, as it was narrated in the hadith
of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) used to spend the last ten days of Ramadan in
i’tikaaf until he passed away, then his wives observed i’tikaaf after him.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1922; Muslim, 1172.
12 – It is mustahabb in the sense of being
strongly recommended in Ramadan to study the Qur’aan together and to read it a
great deal. You may study the Qur’aan together by reciting it to someone else
and by having someone else recite it to you. The evidence that this is mustahabb
is the fact that Jibreel used to meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him) every night in Ramadan and study the Qur’aan with him. Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 6; Muslim, 2308.
Reading Qur’aaan is mustahabb in general, but
more so in Ramadan
13 – It is mustahabb in Ramadan to offer iftaar
to those who are fasting, because of the hadith of Zayd ibn Khaalid al-Juhani
(may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever gives iftaar to one who is
fasting will have a reward like his, without that detracting from the fasting
person’s reward in the slightest.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 807; Ibn
Maajah, 1746; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 647.
Wallahu Aalam
Wa Ma Alaina Illal Balaag
