In the name of Allah the most Gracious the most Merciful

A Beloved Return

A special pamphlet on the coming of the blessed month of Ramadan

Ramadan: All praise is to Allah who gathers His lovers by the quality of love from which wonders are reaped like the yearning for Allah, the love of meeting Him, and the fulfilling of His covenant. Allah’s prayers and peace be upon our Liege Lord Muhammad - the best upon whom the Quran was revealed and the Most Noble who fasted the month of Ramadan – and upon his family and companions.

My brother… Here I am before you. I cried at your parting and I rejoiced at your meeting and I have been counting the days and months as I yearn for you. So here I am coming to you, but what have you in return for me?

You would ask: who are you, oh so desirable of me?

He replies: I am the one whom Allah created for you. He made me a redeemer of your sins and a means of purification. I am the one upon whom Allah revealed the Quran.

I am the one in whose first night the gates of heaven open and the gates of hell are shut. I am the month in which the devils are shackled.

I am the one in which Allah makes the smell of your mouth more pleasing than the smell of Musk.

I am the one who’s beginning Allah has bestowed mercy, whose mid He bestowed forgiveness, and whose end He bestowed protection from the hell fire.

I am the one if forsaken by you then all good is forsaken.

I am the one in whose nights Allah calls out, “Isn’t there someone seeking forgiveness that
I may forgive him? Isn’t there someone repenting that I may forgive him? Isn’t there someone afflicted with tribulation that I may relieve him?

I am the month in which your prayers are accepted, your shortcomings are distanced, your tears are increased, and your wealth blessed.

I am the month in whose nights, Allah emancipates his servants. And the one who is emancipated by his Lord is then never punished.

I am the month that if one stands up during its nights (in prayer) and fasts during its days with belief and sincerity then all his past sins are forgiven.

I am the month which Allah has singled out for the Night of Power which is better than a thousand months. Whoever stands up this night (in prayer) with belief and sincerity then all his past sins are forgiven. You will not find this night in any another month except me.

Listen!
The Prophet – prayers and peace be upon him – said, “Whenever Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened” – narrated by Bukhari and in Muslim (it says) “and the doors of hell are shut and the devils are chained”

The Prophet – prayers and peace be upon him – said, “If one believes in Allah and his messenger, establishes prayer, and fasts the month of Ramadan then it becomes obligatory upon Allah to enter him in to paradise whether he migrates in the path of Allah or stays in the land in which he was born in”. The people asked, “Shouldn’t we inform other people of this?” He then said, “There are a hundred stations in paradise prepared for those who struggle in the path of Allah. Between every two stations is a distance of what is between the heavens and the earth. If you were to ask Allah, ask him for “Firdaus”; it is the most spacious and the most loftiest of the stations of paradise. Above which is the throne of the Benevolent from which rivers gush forth.” – Narrated by Bukhari in the chapter of Unity in God

He said, “Whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan with belief and self-scrutinizing; all his past sins are forgiven, and similarly whoever stands up during the Night of Power in prayer with belief and self-scrutinizing; all his past sins are forgiven.” – Narrated by Muslim

He – prayers and peace be upon him – also said, “At the breaking of every fast has Allah the Exalted put a deliverance (from hell-fire)” – Narrated by Ahmed with good narration (256/5)

How do I fast?

Beginning with the steps of fasting:

Intention to fast (before the Morning Prayer of Fajr). Which is extrapolated from the tradition, “The one who does not call to mind his fast before the morning prayer has no fast”

Leaving all that breaks your fast from eating, drinking, and sexual intercourse.

Conditions that make fasting obligatory:

Being a Muslim. Hence fasting is not obligatory on a non-Muslim.

Legally responsible age. Hence it is not obligatory on a child - however children at the age of seven years and above should be instructed to fast in order to habituate them.

Capability to fast. Hence it is not obligatory on aged people to burden themselves or those who are sick. Similarly it is not obligatory upon a woman in her menstrual cycle to fast since it is forbidden under Islamic-Law.

Residence. Hence it is not obligatory upon a traveler to fast were he to travel before the Morning Prayer.

Conditions for the validity of a fast:

Being a Muslim

Being a sane person

To be pure from menstruation, parturition (child birth) or post natal bleeding

To be aware of the time before the fast. Hence one should not fast on the days of Eid and the three days following the Day of Immolation (10th Zu’lhijja)

Sunnahs of fasting are many but the most important are:

1.Hastening the breaking of fast after becoming certain of the setting of the sun

2.Delaying the early morning meal before the Morning Prayer of Fajr

3.Breaking ones fast with dates

4.Plentiful recitation of the Quran with contemplation and studying.

To increase in ones giving of charity every day even if it were to be a Dirham or a date

Upholding the nightly prayers (Taraweeh) completely each night…

Distance yourself from…

Back biting

Defamation of others

Lying

False testimonies

Slandering of others

Argumentation

Worldly discourse

Distance yourself from looking at unlawful things. Lower your gaze from the attractions of this world and distance yourself from television and things like it, since all this removes the reward from your fast. Also reserve yourself from exaggeration by rinsing your mouth and nose (in ablution).

What nullifies the fast?

1.Having anything enter the body

2.Vomiting purposely. If one naturally vomits but does not swallow any of what comes out then it does not nullify the fast

3.Sexual intercourse

4.Purposely ejaculating sperm by means of masturbation (God Forbid!)

5.Losing one’s sanity, drunkenness and unconsciousness if one purposely does so

6.Leaving the folds of Islam in belief (God Forbid!)

7.Menstruation, parturition, and child birth

My Brother:
Devote yourself for this Ramadan: in its folds is a great tradition of the Prophet – may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him – in which he says, “Whenever the month of Ramadan comes; the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of hell are shut and the devils are shackled”.

In this month the gates of heaven are open! What is more worthy than benefiting from this month by fasting in its days?! (A month about which) the prophet – may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him – said, “Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan with belief and with sincerity; all his past sins are forgiven”.

Also (seek) the night prayers, with people, in the houses of Allah the Exalted (The Mosques) the benefits of which have reached us in a tradition of the Prophet – may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him – in which he says, “Whoever stands up (in prayer) during the nights of Ramadan with belief and sincerity; all his past sins are forgiven”.

But (unfortunately) every night you are desirous of sinning and persistent in cutting short on good actions – even in the time of great opportunity and good?!

I truly fear that guidance may become impossible for you and then a great loss would manifest in you.

If only I knew what great profit and benefit (awaits him) in the days forth, if one could elevate himself from his ignorance, before the days of obedience and righteousness are over, then

Truly the loser is one who missed this opportunity of great qualities. My hope is in Allah for my protection so be wary of yourself!

Advice

O sinner…! O one at loss…! O miserable (before his Lord)…! O one who is extravagant on himself…! O one who spends his nights in sins and wastes his days in ignorance…!

How much have you made your eyes sin?

How much have you made your ears sin?

How much have you made your heart sin?

How stern has your heart become?

How merciless have your eyes become that you do not cry out of fear of Allah?

Where are you?

Don’t you fear your Lord?

Don’t you think of your coming death?

Have you forgotten your grave?

What has distracted you?

What has made you so blind?

Woe on to you! Be mindful of yourself!

Look O miserable (before your Lord); your hair has turned gray or is on the verge of becoming so but you are still drunk in your ignorance.

Aren’t you shy from your Lord who has prolonged your life so that you live this Ramadan?! You are in comfort, your body is healthy, you are in your youth with a strong intellect, and you have enough wealth!

Woe on to you! By Allah this is an opportunity for you!

Your Lord is calling out to you “Come! Accept and devote yourself to this!”

It may be the last Ramadan of your life!

So O miserable (before his Lord); do you not know that the one who lives a Ramadan but is not forgiven from his sins then (it only means) he is further distanced from his Lord?!

If you won’t repent this Ramadan then tell me when will you?

O miserable (before his Lord) are you satisfied with the passing of this Ramadan during which you have gained nothing?! While others have gained rewards and protection from hell-fire?!

Be ready for that which is inevitable

For truly death is the deadline for the slaves

Are you so satisfied in being a companion of people

Who advance but you on the other hand do not

Don’t be lazy, don’t be heedless, and don’t be grieved. Be patient and continue in patience, and station (yourself). Today is hardship but tomorrow comfort. This is a glad tiding to you from Allah.

How do I utilize Ramadan and succeed with those who are successful?

Sincere Repentance

Freeing oneself from all sins and everything that distracts you from your Lord

Distancing yourself from the ill companions, coffee houses, television, and their likes

Upholding and safeguarding ones prayers in congregation in the Mosque

Upholding andsafeguarding the Taraweeh and the Night Prayers in all of the nights

Working on a schedule for reciting the Quran if one intends to recite the entire Quran once, twice, or more

Giving in charity every day even if it were to be a dirham or a date

Contact your parents, your relatives, your neighbors, and those who are ill

Safeguard the Sunnah prayers; the Rawaatib (the two raka’at Sunnahs after Isha, Maghrib, and Zuhur) the sunrise prayer (Ishraq), and the witir.

Safeguard the Prayer of Tasabeeh since its merit is great and the Prophetic tradition that prescribes it has a good chain

Do the I’tikaaf (i.e. seclusion in the mosque for devotional observance of Allah) especially in the last ten days of the Ramadan even if it be for an hour.

Fill your days in praise of Allah, in saying “Laa ilaha il Allah”, in repentance, and in sending salutations on the Prophet of Allah – may Allah send prayers and peace upon him.

Prepared by:

Shaykh Hussien As-Saqqaaf

Lecturer at the Abdus Salam Rafee’ Jumeirah Mosque, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.