12 Ways to Maximize Everyday in Ramadan
The most beautiful month has come upon us. Almighty Allah says:
“The month of Ramadan is the one in which the
Quran was sent down, a guidance for mankind, clear proofs for the
guidance, the Criterion; so whoever amongst you witnesses this month,
let him fast it." (Surah al-Baqarah 2:185)
In this blessed month good deeds are multiplied:
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Whoever
draws near to Allah during it (Ramadan) with a single characteristic
from the characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever
performs an obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an
obligatory act during it, he is like whoever performed seventy
obligatory acts in other times.” (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1887)
We should thank Allah abundantly for giving us the opportunity to be
able to benefit from such a blessed month. But as we all know life is
very uncertain & unfortunately many will have passed away before the
coming of this blessed month & so it may well be our very last
Ramadan as we may not be alive to see the next.
Therefore we should treat this Ramadan as our last and do our utmost to
ensure that we maximize each precious second in this blessed month to
ensure that we gain maximum benefit from it.
The following are 12 ways we can maximize each precious day in Ramadan:
1. Purifying our intentions
"Verily actions are judged by intention." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
It is crucial that we purify & correct our intentions before doing
any acts of worship. This is because we may have other underlying
intentions in our hearts without even realizing it. Like for e.g. we may
have in our hearts that we fast because we don't want to look bad in
front of our family or friends or because others fast etc.
So before doing any good deed we need to align & focus our intention
to ONLY pleasing Allah. By doing this we will increase the sincerity in
our worship & acts of virtues & by having better intentions
when doing any good act is a means of earning greater rewards for
whatever good deed we are doing.
Ibn Al-Mubaarak said: "Maybe a small action is made great by its intention, and maybe a great action is made small by its intention."
Even daily routines like eating, drinking, sleeping, waking up,
traveling etc can be a source of great reward by having the right
intentions. Having good Intentions is easy & great rewards can be
gained without making any hard physical effort. By just spending a
couple of seconds having the right intention in our hearts we can turn a
whole day to a day of worship. It is like turning dust into gold.
2. Schedule & Monitor Daily Worship
One of the best ways that we can maximize each day in Ramadan is to plan
& schedule our time effectively. By doing so we will have clearly
defined goals and targets which we can strive towards achieving each
day. In this way we can also check & monitor our daily progress
& make adjustments & improvements accordingly.
The following two downloads will help us to plan, check & monitor our daily worship throughout Ramadan:
1. Daily Ramadan Worship check
Ramadan Planner.pdf
2. Daily Ramadan hourly scheduler
3. Avoiding distractions
There will be many things getting in our way & distracting us from
our worship. But we must take all necessary precautions & measures
in order to avoid any possible distractions.
The first thing we must do is to avoid major distractions like TV for a
month or at least as much as possible. Putting away games consoles. If
we meet with friends then not getting into useless & idle
discussions. Not going to places like the mall or high street's unless
it is absolutely necessary.
We must also not spend hours on end cooking a table full of food every
single day for Iftaar for this is contrary to the purpose of Ramadan. We
should spend as little time as possible on things other than worship.
We should fulfill our daily duties as quickly as possible & spend as
much time as possible in worshiping Allah.
4. Avoid eating excessively
Al-Hassan Al-Basri (RA): “The test of Adam (AS) was food and it is your test until Qiyamah.
Al-Miqdaam ibn Maadiy-Karib (RA) said: I heard the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) saying: “No
human ever filled a vessel worse than the stomach. Sufficient for any
son of Adam are some morsels to keep his back straight. But if it must
be, then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third
for his breath.” (Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasaa’I, Ibn Majah )
There is no doubt that excessive eating is not only a cause of many
diseases but is also a major factor in stopping us from maximizing our
daily worship.
Ibrahim al-Nakha’i (RA), one of the teachers of Imam Abu Hanifa (RA) mentioned: “The people ruined before you were done in by three characteristics: too much talking, too much eating, and too much sleeping.”
There is nothing worse than fasting the whole day & when time comes
to open our fast we end up over eating until we can't move. Surely this
will make us feel heavy & lazy in worship & make it harder for
us to pray & to get up for Sehri.
Ash-Shafi’I (RA) said: I have not filled myself
in sixteen years because filling oneself makes the body heavy, removes
clear understanding, induces sleep and makes one weak for worship.
It used to be said: Whoever takes control of his stomach gets control of all good deeds.
Over eating goes against the very purpose of Ramadan which is to be
moderate in eating & to remember those who have less than us. How
can we remember the unfortunate if we constantly over eat before and
after fasting?
One day, Al-Hassan (RA) offered some food to his companion who said: I have eaten until I am no longer able to eat.
To which Al-Hassan (RA) said: Subhaana Allah! Does a Muslim eat until he is no longer able to eat?
So let us control the amount we eat & instead have smaller meals.
Have some fruit & dates for Iftaar then pray Maghrib & then have
a small meal until we are satisfied. After Tarawee we can have another
small bite to eat. In this way we are not over eating but spreading out
what we eat. So we will not feel heavy or lazy but satisfied & full
of energy which we can utilize for worship.
5. Recite the Qur'an abundantly
Ramadan is the month the Qur'an was revealed:
"The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Quran
was sent down, a guidance for mankind, clear proofs for the guidance,
the Criterion.. (Surah al-Baqarah 2:185)
It is the month of the Qur'an so it should be recited in abundance:
Az-Zuhri used to say upon the coming of Ramadan, “It is only about reciting the Qur’an & feeding the poor.”
Abdur-Raziq said, “When Ramadan came, Sufyan
Ath-Thawri would give up all acts of (voluntary) worship & devote
himself to the recitation of the Qur’an.”
Outside of Ramadan there are 10 rewards for reciting each letter of the Qur'an:
Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam) says: "Whoever
reads a letter from the Book of Allah will receive a hasanah (good
deed) from it (i.e. his recitation), and the hasanah is multiplied by
ten. I do not say that Alif-Laam-Meem is (considered as) a letter,
rather Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter, and Meem is a letter." [At-Tirmidhi, Ad-Darimi]
But in Ramadan ALL good deeds are multiplied by 70 or more. So for each
letter of the Qur'an we recite we will gain 70 rewards or more. Can you
imagine how much reward we would gain for reciting the entire Qur'an
just once? How about twice? Subhaanallah!
Therefore we should concentrate most of our efforts this Ramadan in
reciting the Qur'an. We should make a target of how much Qur'an we will
recite each day. For e.g. 1 Juz (chapter) half a juz, 4 pages etc. We
should aim to complete the Qur'an at least once by the end of Ramadan or
as many times as we can.
Along with recitation we should also learn the meanings of what we are
reciting & contemplate over the verses. We must try & implement
what we learn into our daily lives. That is where the true reward is of
reciting the Qur'an.
Note: We should try & recite Surah Ya-sin everyday
particularly after Fajr time. We should also recite Surah Mulk before we
go to sleep & Surah Kahf every Jumma. Other Surahs we should recite
much of are Surah's Zilzalah, Al Kaafirun & Al Ikhlas
Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas & Anas Ibn Malik (RA) reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, ‘Whoever recited Surah Zilzilah (99) would get the reward of reciting half the Qur’an. Whoever recited Surah al Kaafirun (109) would get a reward as if reading a quarter of the Qur’an. Whoever recited Surah al Ikhlas (112) would get a reward as if reading one third of the Qur’an’. (At-Tirmidhi 2818/A)
6. Implementing the Sunnah into daily life
Following the Sunnah is a command from Allah:
"Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you (really)
love Allah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic monotheism, follow the
Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.
And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Quran: 3:31)
Almighty Allah says: “There certainly is an
excellent example in Allah's messenger for he who fears Allah and the
last day and remembers Allah abundantly” (al-Ahzaab 21)
By following the Sunnah in every aspect of our daily lives, everything
we do will become worship, even going to the toilet, having a bath,
dressing & undressing etc.
Annas (RA) reports Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) advised, “Whoever cherishes my Sunnah, indeed he cherishes me & whoever loves me will be with me in Jannah.” (Tirmidhi: 2678: Ibid)
So let us cherish & revive the Sunnah this Ramadan:
Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Whoever
revives an aspect of my Sunnah that is forgotten after my death, he
will have a reward equivalent to that of the people who follow him,
without it detracting in the least from their reward.” (Tirmidhi)
The following free E book contains daily Sunnah's & dua's we can do
from awakening in the morning up until going to sleep at night:
Download Beautiful Daily Sunnah's
7. Nafil (Voluntary) prayers
What better way of drawing closer to Allah this Ramadan than by doing voluntary prayers:
Allah says in Hadith Qudsi:
....and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nafil (voluntary deeds) until I love him, [Bukhari]
Want the company of Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) in Jannah? Then increase in Nafil prayers:
Rabi'ah Ibn Malik al-Aslami reported that the Prophet Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam said: "Ask (anything)." Rabi'ah said: "I ask of you to be your companion in paradise." The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: "Or anything else?" Rabi'ah said: "That is it." The Prophet Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam said to him: "Then help me by making many prostrations (i.e., Nafil prayers)." (Muslim)
The reward for fard prayers outside of Ramadan is the greatest a Muslim
can gain but in Ramadan we get the same reward for praying a Nafil
prayer. Subhaanallah! What other time of the year are Nafil prayers
rewarded equal to that of a fard prayer?
Therefore we should strive to pray as many Nafils as we can in order to
get closer to Allah, gain the company of Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi
Wasallam) in Jannah & gain the rewards of a fard prayer! So we should set ourselves daily targets of praying as many Nafils as we can.
The following are Sunnah & Nafil prayers we can pray everyday in Ramadan & throughout our lives:
1. Pray 12 Raka'ahs of Sunnah daily: - 2 Sunnah of Fajr, 4 Sunnah & 2 Sunnah of Dhuhr and 2 Sunnah of Maghrib
Umm Habibah Ramilah bint Abu Sufyan (RA) narrated she heard the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) saying: “A
house will be built in Paradise for every Muslim who offers twelve
units of Prayers other than the obligatory ones in day and night, to
seek pleasure of Allah.” (Muslim)
2. Salaatul Duhaa (Can be prayed from 20 mins after sunrise up until 20 minutes before Dhuhr begins)
So we should remain seated after Fajr prayer & recite the Qur'an or
do Dhikr up until 20 minutes after Sunrise and pray Salaatul Duhaa. If
not then we can pray it anytime before midday.
'Salat al-Dhuhaa consists of 2 - 12 Rakaats and it is preferable to perform 8 Rakaats.' (Raddul Mukhtaar vol.1 pg.505)
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is reported to have said: Whoever prayed twelve rakaats (before midday), then Allah will, as a reward, prepare a palace of gold for him in Paradise. (Mishkat, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
3. 4 Sunnah, 2 Sunnah & 2 Nafil of Dhuhr
Umm Habibah (RA) narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Whoever
sticks to the habit of offering four rak`ahs before Noon Prayer and
four rak`ahs after it, Allah will shield him against the Hell-Fire.” (Abu Dawud & At-Tirmidhi)
4. 4 Raka'ahs Sunnah of Asr
The Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi wa sallam) said: "May Allaah have Mercy on the one who offers four (Raka'ahs) before 'Asr prayer."(Abu Dawud)
5. Two Raka'ahs Sunnah after entering Masjid
Abu Qatadah (RA) narrated the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) as saying: “If any one of you enters a mosque, he should pray two rak`ahs before sitting.” (Al-Bukhari & Muslim)
6. Tahiyyatul Wudu - 2 Raka'ahs Sunnah after doing Wudu (Ablution)
Abu Hurayrah (RA) reported the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) saying to Bilal (RA): “Tell
me about the best of your deeds (i.e. one which you deem the most
rewarding) since your embracing Islam because I heard your footsteps in
front of me in Paradise.” Bilal (RA) replied: “I
do not consider any act of mine more rewarding than that whenever I
make ablution at any time of night or day, I perform Prayer for as much
as was destined for me to do.” (Al-Bukhari & Muslim)”
7. The MOST REWARDING Nafil Prayer of all is Tahajjud
Allah Most High said: “Establish worship at the
going down of the sun until the dark of the night, and (the recital of)
the Qur’an at dawn. Lo! (the recital of) the Qur’an at dawn is ever
witnessed. And some part of the night awake for its recital, as
voluntary worship for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to a
praised estate.” (Qur’an, 17: 78-79)
Imam Abu Sa'id al-Khadimi said,
"There is scholarly consensus (ijma`) that among the best of virtuous acts is the night vigil prayer." [al-Bariqa al-Mahmudiyya Sharh al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya]
The scholars derived the following in regards to Tahajjud from the Qur'an and prophetic Hadiths:
1. The minimal night vigil prayer is 2 Rakaats. [Hindiyya, quoting Fath al-Qadir]
2. Its optimal recommended amount is 8 Rakaats, because this was the
general practice of the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) [Hindiyya, quoting Fath al-Qadir]
3. Lengthier recitation of Qur'an is superior to a larger number of Rakaats prayed. [Durr al-Mukhtaar, Radd al-Muhtar]
If one has not memorized much of the Qur'an then one should recite
whatever they know or recite Surah Ikhlas 3 times after Surah Faathiha
in each rakah to gain reward of reciting entire Qur'an.
4. It is recommended to start the night vigil with two short Rakaats,
because of the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (RA) that the Prophet (Sallallahu
Alaihi Wasallam) said, "If you get up for night prayer, start with two short Rakaats." [Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Dawud]
During Ramadan we should aim to pray Tahajjud every night. We can do so
by awakening a little earlier for Sehri, making Wudu & praying a
minimum of 2 Raka'ahs, but best to pray 8 Raka'ahs.
Abu Hurayrah (RA), related that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:
When the last one-third of the night remains, our Lord, the Glorious
One descends towards the heaven of the earth and proclaims: Who
is that who supplicates for Me, and I grant his supplication? Who is
that who begs Me for anything and I grant it to him? And who is that who
seeks My forgiveness, and I forgive him? (Bukhari, Muslim).
So the last third part of the night is the most blessed & dua's are
readily accepted at this time. Therefore by praying Tahajjud it gives us
the best opportunity to get closer to Allah & to make sincere dua,
repenting for our sins past and present & to crying & asking of
Allah for whatever we want.
If we cannot cry due to the hardness of our hearts then we should at
least make the face as if we are crying. Just as a mother tends to her
baby quicker & more promptly when it is crying in the same way Allah
tends to his servants quicker when they are crying.
Ibn Mas`ud (Allah be pleased with him) was asked, "I cannot pray at night." He said, "Your sins have prevented you."
8. Doing excessive Dhikr (Remembrance) of Allah
Utter regret for each second wasted without remembering Allah:
Mu`adh Ibn Jabal (RA) said that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: "The
People of Paradise will not regret anything except one thing alone: the
hour that passed them by in which they made no remembrance of Allah." Narrated Bayhaqi in Shu`ab al-iman (1:392 #512-513)
The highest rank in Jannah are for those who remembered Allah the most:
Abu Sa`id (RA) narrates the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was asked, "Which of the servants of Allah is best in rank before Allah on the Day of resurrection?" He said: "The ones who remember him much."I said: "O Messenger of Allah, what about the fighter in the way of Allah?" He answered: "Even
if he strikes the unbelievers and mushrikin with his sword until it
broke, and becomes red with their blood, truly those who do Dhikr are
better than him in rank." (Ahmad, Tirmidhi, & Bayhaqi)
Therefore we should remember Allah as much as we can & glorify him
night & day, not just in Ramadan but until our very last breath.
What better time to start remembering Allah more than in this most
blessed month.
So we should set ourselves daily targets of doing as much Dhikr as we
can. We can remember & glorify Allah whatever we are doing
throughout the day. At work, whilst cooking, shopping & even whilst
relaxing. We should remember Allah in our heart's & not just by our
tongues. We should also contemplate over his magnificence & his
creations & imagine him in front of us as we glorify & remember
him.
The following are 10 Dhikr,
supported by Hadith that we can recite throughout the day & night in
Ramadan until our last breath:
Note: We should try & aim to recite each of these 10 Dhikr a 100 times each which makes a total of 1000 a day minimum.
1. Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'annee - Recite this abundantly during the last ten nights of Ramadan.
2. Subhaanallah
3. Alhamdulillah
4. Allahu Akbar
5. Laa ilaaha illallah
6. LA HAWLA WA LA QUWWATA ILLA BILLAH-HIL ALIYYIL ADHEEM
7. Asthaghfirullah-halladhee Laa ilaaha illa-huwal Hayyul Qayyuumu Wa athoobu Ilay
Or short version: Asthaghfirullah
8. SUB-HAAN'ALLAAHi WA BI-HAM'DIHI SUB-HAAN'ALLAH-IL ADHEEM
Or short version: SUB-HAAN'ALLAAHi WA BI-HAM'DIHI
9. Subhāna-llāhi, wa-l-hamdu li-llāhi, wa lā ilāha
illā-llāhu, wa-llāhu akbar. Wa lā hawla wa lā quwwata illā
bi-llāhi-l-aliyyi-l-azīm
10. Lā ilāha illā-llāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu
lahu-l-mulku wa lahu-l-ḥamdu yuhyi wa yumītu wa huwa ḥayyu-llā yamūtu
abadan abada, ḏū-l-jalāli wa-l-ikrām, biyadihi-l-khayr, wa huwa alā
kulli Shay-in qadīr
Or the shortened version:
Laa ilaaha illal-laahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa ‘alaa kulli shay-in qadeer
We should also recite much of durood e Ibrahim which is the durood that is recited towards the end of Salaah.
Or the shortest durood is: Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallim
9. Dua & Repentance
Almighty Allah says in the Qur'an:
"When my servants ask you concerning me, (tell them) I
am indeed close (to them). I listen to the prayer of every suppliant
when he calls on me." [2:186]
The place of Dua is so high in front of Allah, that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallim) has said: "Nothing is more honourable to Allah the Most High than Dua." [Sahih al-Jami` no.5268].
Allah loves repentance & loves those who turn to him in sincere repentance:
Truly Allah loves those who turn [to Him] in repentance... (Qur'an 2:222)
Many of us rush our Dua’s & quite often our hearts are not present
whilst we are making dua to Allah. That is why we lose out on much of
the benefits & blessings of Dua. Therefore we should not let our
minds wonder whilst in Dua & we should concentrate more, making sure
our hearts are present whilst asking of Allah. Whilst we are in dua we
should imagine Almighty Allah in front of us & so we should humble
ourselves in front of him in a state of meekness & humility.
It may also help if we made a list of what we want to ask Allah during
our dua’s. We can then refer to this list as a reminder so that we can
cover everything we need to ask him, which may help in making our Dua’s
longer & more sincere. This is because we will not always remember
everything we want to ask Allah unless we note it down & refer back
to it when we need to.
The times when Dua's are most accepted during Ramadan are:
1. The third portion of the night shortly before sehri ends. 2. Whilst
fasting. 3. Between Asr & Maghrib. 4. Just before fast opens. 5. On
Jumma before & after khutba. 6. Between Adhan & Iqamah. 7.
Whilst raining. 8. After Qur'an recitation. 9. The Night of Qadr
Let us not be of those who pass by Ramadan without gaining any forgiveness:
Rasullullah (sallahu’ ‘alaihi wasallam) said:
...the angel Jibra’il appeared before me and said: Destruction to him
who found the blessed month of Ramadan and let it pass by without
gaining forgiveness...’ Upon that I said: ‘Amin.’ (Al-Bukhari, Al-Tabrani)
We should ask of Allah to accept all of our good deeds & efforts
throughout Ramadan & be hopeful that Allah will accept it from us.
We should also have FULL hope that Allah will accept our Dua’s if not in
this world then in the hereafter. We should accept his decree for he
knows best in all matters.
10. Behaving in the best of ways & controlling our tongues
Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alahi Wasallam) used to say: “The best amongst you are those who have the best manners and character.” (al-Bukhari)
Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) had exemplery manners & was
the best towards others. Surely he is the best example for us to follow
& so we should also do our utmost to behave in the best of ways
towards others and show exemplery manners like he did.
Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “There is none heavier in the scales of the Hereafter than good character (Tirmidhi & Abu Dawud).
Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) also said: “The
best loved by me and the nearest to me on the seats on the Day of
Resurrection are those who have the best manners and conduct amongst
you, who are intimate, are on good terms with others and are humble, and
the most hated by me and who will be on the furthest seats from me are
those who are talkative and arrogant.” (Tirmidhi)
So if good character & manners are the heaviest on the scales in
normal times then can you imagine how much more heavier they will be if
we behave with good character and manners during the blessed month of
Ramadan?
So let us be the best towards our parents & family, towards our
friends & those we know & don't know. Let us be the best towards
all Muslims and non Muslims alike.
Controlling our tongues
Ramadan is a time where we must control our desires (nafs) as well as our tongues:
Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Fasting
is not (abstaining) from eating and drinking only, but also from vain
speech and foul language. If one of you is being cursed or annoyed, he
should say: ‘I am fasting, I am fasting.” (Ibn Khuzaimah, Ibn Hibban)
Therefore we must protect our tongues at all times from vain speech and
foul language. Protecting the tongue is preventing it from lying,
back-biting, slander, tale-carrying, false speech and other things that
have been forbidden in the Qur’an & Sunnah.
Those who control their tongues are of the best of Muslims:
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was asked: “Which Muslim is best?” He responded, “One who the other Muslims are safe from his tongue and his hand.” (Tirmidhi, #2504)
So how can we begin to control our tongues? This can be done by “THINKING BEFORE SPEAKING”.
We must not talk
without even thinking about what we are going to say. Therefore before
we saying anything we should always think whether or not what we are
going to say is going to please or displease Allah.
If in doubt whether or not what were about to say will anger or
displease Allah then we should just refrain from saying it altogether.
If we have nothing good to say then surely it is better NOT to say
anything at all.
Remember: We WILL be accountable for everything we said in our
lives & so we MUST start taking responsiblity for what comes out of
our mouths NOW otherwise we will regret it later when it is too late.
Therefore we must get into the habit of: “Thinking before speaking”.
REMEMBER: If we do not control our tongues then our fasts will be in vain:
Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Allah does not need the fast of one who does not abandon false speech or acting according to his false speech.” (Sahih Bukhari)
11. Worship the last 10 nights of Ramadan & I'thiqaaf
Increasing worship in the last ten days of Ramadan:
Allah's Messenger used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time." (Muslim).
Aisha (RA) reported: With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the
Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to tighten his waist belt
(i.e. work harder) and used to pray all the night, & used to keep
his family awake for the prayers. (Bukhari)
The Night of Qadr
So valuable is the Night of Qadr that the Quran devotes a special surah to it: “Lailatul Qadr is better than a thousand months” [97:3]
This one night surpasses the value of 30,000 nights. The most authentic
account of the occurrence of the Night indicates that it can occur on
any one of the last ten, odd numbered nights of Ramadan, 21, 23, 25, 27,
29. It may also occur on any of the even nights.
Therefore we should strive to stay up on all of the last 10 nights of
Ramadan. If we can't do that then at least on the odd numbered nights of
the last ten days. If we still can't manage that then let us pray on
whatever nights we can, at least on the 27th night.
If we pray on all of the last ten nights then we have a far better
chance of catching this most powerful night & gain the rewards of
over 83 YEARS OF WORSHIP! Subhaanallah! Most of us will not even live
upto such an age!
Aisha (RA) said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam): 'O Messenger of Allah, if I know what night is the night of Qadr, what should I say during it?' He said Say:
"Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'annee
Trans: 'Say: O Allah, You are pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.' " (Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Tirmidhi).
Therefore we should increase our worship on the last ten days and nights
of Ramadan & recite even more Qur'an, pray more Nafils, do more
dhikr and make longer & more sincere dua's to Allah repenting
remorsefully for our past & present sins, hopeful for mercy &
forgiveness. We should also thank Allah abundantely.
Performing I'tikaf on the last 10 days of Ramadan
Aishah (RA) reported that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam): "Used to perform i'tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan until Allah the Mighty and Majestic, took him." (Bukhari & Muslim)
Abu Said reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: "Whoever makes I`tikaf with me is to make I'tikaf during the last ten [nights]." (Bukhari)
I`tikaf is worshipping Allah in seclusion in the Masjid or for women in
her designated place at home. It is done with the intention of becoming
closer to Allah. If we cannot manage all 10 days then we can do I'tikaf
for however many days we can manage. The more the better.
Each time we are in the Masjid or for a women in her designated place at
home, then we can make intention of Nafil I’thikaf and gain reward for
the duration of our stay in the Masjid or for women in her designated
place at home even if it is for a very short while. A woman can also do
I'tikaf whilst she is on her menses by remaining at her designated place
at home doing dhikr etc
12. Charity & Generosity
Ramadan is a time of generosity, giving & remembering those who have
less than us. Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) became even more
generous in Ramadan than he already was:
Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The
Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was the most generous
of the men; and he was the most generous during the month of Ramadan
when Jibril visited him every night and recited the Qur'an to him.
During this period, the generosity of Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu
Alaihi Wasallam) waxed faster than the rain bearing wind. (Al-Bukhari & Muslim).
Ramadan is also time where we appreciate what Allah has given us so that
we may be thankful to him. Ramadan is an Honorable and blessed month,
& the rewards for generosity are multiplied in it.
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said, “The best charity is that given in Ramadan.” (At-Tirmithi).
Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said, “He who feeds a fasting person will gain the same reward as he will, without decreasing from the fasting person’s rewards.” (Ahmad).
We should strive to feed as many fasting people as possible especially those less off than us & those in poorer countries.
Charity should be paid secretly: The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Righteous
deeds protect a person from an evil end; a charity spent in secret
extinguishes Allah’s wrath; and maintaining good ties of kinship
increases ones lifespan.” (Tabaraani)
Removing harmful objects from people’s way is also a charity: The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam) said: “I saw a man enjoying himself in Paradise (simply) because he removed from a road a tree that used to harm people.” (Muslim)
Note: We should also give our Zakat in the month of Ramadan each
year so that we can gain the huge rewards of giving Zakat in the most
rewarding of months.
Therefore during Ramadan let us give as much as we can in the path of
Allah & know that we will get SO much more in return in this world
& the Hereafter. Surely in there hereafter we will regret that which
we did not spend in the path of Allah.
Conclusion
My brothers and sisters what an amazing opportunity we have in this
blessed month to gain such closeness to Allah as well as his mercy &
forgiveness of our past & present sins.
There are immense rewards available for us in this blessed month if only
we make the little effort required to gain them. Surely on the day of
judgment we will BEG each other for just one good deed but we will not
be able to get anything as we will all be in desperate need on that day.
Therefore the time to prepare for the Hereafter is NOW as we may not
have a tomorrow. What better time to make lifetime changes than to do so
in the most blessed of months - Ramadan.
May Allah enable us to maximize each & every precious second of
Ramadan & may he make it a salvation for us in the Hereafter. Ameen
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