RAMADAN (2)

RAMADAN (2)

          Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam. Like prayer, whoever does not perform it, without any legal reason is seriously very sinful, disobedient to Allah’s orders. It is a major sin.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

«مَنْ أَفْطَرَ يَوْمًا مِنْ  رَمَضَانَ مِنْ غَيْرِ رُخْصَةٍ وَلَا مَرَضٍ، لَمْ يَقْضِ

 عَنْهُ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ وَإِنْ صَامَهُ  (رواه الترمذي)

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah   s.a.w.

 said: Who intentionally leaves fasting in Ramadan without

 any valid reason, he will not be able to make up the merit

 of it, even if he fasts for ever. (Reported by  al-Tirmidhī)

          With the approach of Ramadan the Prophet s.a.w. delivered the following speech to his companions:

O people, you are being blessed with a blessed month in which a night is better than a thousand months, a month wherein fasting in

 the day time is obligatory and praying at night as an extra devotion. Whoever makes himself close to Allah by doing a good deed in it, the merit of it like doing an obligatory deed in other months. And however does an obligatory deed in it, the merit of it is like doing seventy obligatory deeds in other months.

          Ramadan is the months were holy books were revealed. The Prophet said:

عَنْ وَاثِلَةَ بْنِ الْأَسْقَعِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:

«أُنْزِلَتْ صُحُفُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي أَوَّلِ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ، وَأُنْزِلَتِ

 التَّوْرَاةُ لِسِتٍّ مَضَيْنَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ، وَالْإِنْجِيلُ لِثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ خَلَتْ

مِنْ رَمَضَانَ، وَأُنْزِلَ الْفُرْقَانُ لِأَرْبَعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ خَلَتْ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ

(رواه أحمد)

Wāthilah ibn al-Asqa‘ narrated that the Messenger of

 Allah s.a.w. said: the Scrolls of Ibrahim a.s. were revealed

in the first night of Ramadan, the Torah was revealed in

the 6^th of Ramadan, the Injīl (Gospel) was revealed in

3^th of Ramadan, and the Criterion (Qur’ān) was

 revealed in the 24^th of Ramadan.

(Reported by Ahmad)

Ramadan is the month of good luck for believers, as the rewards and merits of good deeds in it will be multiple more than those in other months. Allah said:

مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجْزَى

 إِلَّا مِثْلَهَا وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ (160الأنعام:160)

Whoever rings a good deed shall have en times

 the like thereof to his credit, and whoever brings an evil

 deed shall have only recompense of the like thereof, and

 they will not be wronged. (Q. 6:160).

          However, there is a good deed which has more than tenfold credit.  Allah says:

مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنْبَتَتْ

سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ  فِي كُلِّ سُنْبُلَةٍ مِائَةُ حَبَّةٍ وَاللَّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ

وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ (  البقرة:261)

The like ness of those who spend their wealth in

the way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn);

it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains.

Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And

Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs,

 All Knower. (Q. 2:261).

          Based on these two verses the reward of a good deed is then between ten to seven hundred fold credits. However, there is a good deed whee the merit or reward of it can be more than seven hundred times. It is fasting in Ramadan depending on our sincerity and piety in doing it. In a ḥadīth qudsī the Prophet s.a.w. said:  

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

" كُلُّ عَمَلِ ابْنِ آدَمَ يُضَاعَفُ، الْحَسَنَةُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا إِلَى سَبْعمِائَة ضِعْفٍ،

 قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: إِلَّا الصَّوْمَ، فَإِنَّهُ لِي وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ، يَدَعُ شَهْوَتَهُ

وَطَعَامَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِي “ (رواه مسلم)

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of

Allah said: “All of the deeds of the son of Adam are

 rewarded tenfold to seven hundred,  Allah the Almighty

 said: “Except fasting which is for Me, and (therefore) I

will reward him  [namely, even above seven hundred

 times], he left his passion and food for

 My sake.” (Reported by Muslim)

           Ramadan is the month of devotion and worship where Muslims all over the world fast as obedience to Allah. Fasting is one of many ways for Muslims to become close to Him. After revealing the enjoinment of fasting in Ramadan, the Prophet s.a.w. said:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ

 إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا، غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِه (رواه البخاري)

 Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of

Allah s.a.w.said: Whoever fasts in then monthn of

 Ramadan faithfjullhy out of sincere faith and hoping

 to attain Allah’s rewards [not for showing off]

all his past sins will be forgiven.

(Reported by Bukhari)

          The spiritual aspect of fasting which can only be performed with sincerity (no room for show off) is also indicated in the Qur’ān, as follows:

وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتُدْلُوا بِهَا إِلَى الْحُكَّامِ لِتَأْكُلُوا

 فَرِيقًا مِنْ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ بِالْإِثْمِ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ (188(

Do not misappropriate one another’s property unjustly,

not bribe the judges, in order to misappropriate a part of other people’s property, sinfully and knowingly. (Q. 2:180.

          Fasting will not be accepted by A|llah if it is still accompanied with evil actions. Narrated by Abu  Hurayrah, the Prophet s.a.w.  said:

 مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالعَمَلَ بِهِ، فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ فِي أَنْ يَدَعَ

طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَه (رواه البخاري)

Whoever does not give up lying speech—false

statement and evil actions—then Allah is not in need

 of his leaving his food or drink [i.e., Allah will not

accept his fasting].(Reported by Bukhari)

          Like prayer, fasting also will prevent the faster from doing evil.  Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal narrated that the Prophet s.a.w. said: “Would you like me to show you the doors of goodness?” When Mu‘ādh said “yes”, he said: “… fasting is junnah (a shield, a protection) from punishment in hellfire and from evil characters.”  

          It is recommended to fast 6 days after Ramadan, as it is like fasting the whole year. The Prophet s.a.w. said

   مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ فَشَهْرٌ بِعَشَرَةِ أَشْهُرٍ، وَصِيَامُ سِتَّةِ

أَيَّامٍ بَعْدَ الْفِطْرِ فَذَلِكَ تَمَامُ صِيَامِ السَّنَةِ  (رواه أحمد)

Whoever fasts in Ramadan, one month is the reward

 of ten months, and fasting six days after breaking the fast

(makes 60 days reward, i.e., two months, added with

ten months) makes one year (reward).

(Reported by Ahmad)

          In another  ḥadīth the Prophet said:

مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ وَسِتًّا مِنْ شَوَّالٍ، فَقَدْ صَامَ الدَّهْرَ (رواه أحمد)

Whoever fasts in Ramadan and six day of Shawwal,

he fasts the whole year. (Reported by Ahmad)

Tarāwīḥ prayers.

          Tarāwīḥ  prayers in recommended at the nights of Ramadan. The Prophet himself led tarāwīḥ   prayers but for two nights only. 

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ المُؤْمِنِينَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ

 وَسَلَّمَ صَلَّى ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فِي المَسْجِدِ، فَصَلَّى بِصَلاَتِهِ نَاسٌ، ثُمَّ صَلَّى مِنَ القَابِلَةِ،

 فَكَثُرَ النَّاسُ، ثُمَّ اجْتَمَعُوا مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ أَوِ الرَّابِعَةِ، فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ

اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ قَالَ: «قَدْ رَأَيْتُ الَّذِي صَنَعْتُمْ

 وَلَمْ يَمْنَعْنِي مِنَ الخُرُوجِ إِلَيْكُمْ إِلَّا أَنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ

 عَلَيْكُمْ وَذَلِكَ فِي رَمَضَانَ (رواه البخاري)

 ‘Ᾱishah r.a. narrated, “one night the Messenger of Allah offered the prayer in the Mosque and the people followed him. The next night he also offered the prayer and too many people gathered. On the third and the fourth nights, more people gathered, but the Messenger of Allah did not come out to them. In the morning he said: ‘I what you were doing, and nothing that stopped me from coming to you but the fear that it (i.e., the prayer) might be enjoined top you in the

 month of Ramadan. (Reported by Bukhari)

It is reported by al-Hasan that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab gathered the people in the tarāwīḥ  prayer behind Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (who led them). He used to lead them for twenty days (during Ramadan) and would not recite the supplication except in the second half of it (Ramadan). When the last ten days remained, he kept away from them, and p rayed in his house. The used to say: 'Ubayy ran away’ (Reported by Abu Dawud).

          Tarāwīḥ prayer can be performed individually or in congregation. However, the majority of schools prefer in in congregation, except Imam Malik of the Maliki School. The Prophet stopped praying tarāwīḥ  in congregation for fear that they will be made obligatory. It was ‘Umar who convoke the Muslims to pray behind the imam. When ‘Umar saw people prayed in the mosque individually, he suggested praying behind an imam. So, he gathered them together to pray behind Ubayy. The next night he came to the mosque and saw people praying behind one imam. He said, “What a good innovation this is!”.

          Ramadan is the month of generosity. The Mu slims are encouraged to give more charity in this month. The prophet s.a.w. who was generous became more generous in this month. Ibn ‘Abbās narrated that the Prophet was the most generous people, and he used to reach the peak of generosity in the month of Ramadan when. Gabriel met him. (Bukhari).

          Ramadan is supposed to be the month of patience, mercy, and happiness, not of impatience and misery. In this month of Ramadan the devils are chained, as the Prophet told us. Yet, many people are still unable to control their emotion because of being hungry.  (CIVIC, 12.06.13)