Twenty Five Ways to Get the Most Out of RamadhanShaykh Abdullah al-Jarullah
Originally translated and published by Islaam.com as “Advice to Muslims”
A few intoductory and complementary notes by the translator as follows:
- Ramadhan is an auspicious opportunity for believers to renew their commitment
to their Creator and the Sovereign of the Day of Recompense. This commitment
must be both outward and inward, so that a Muslim not only recites more Qur’an
and offers more units of prayer, but that she or he does so with reflection,
humility and attentiveness. - Muslims must ensure they are not formalists who concentrate only on the
outward. Achieving Allah’s acceptance must be a believer’s priority and is not
easy. “Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous [who fear him - al
muttaqoon].” [Qur’an 5:27] - Ramadhan is a wonderful opportunity for accounting of one’s sins and making
repentance. If one does not repent in Ramadhan, when will he or she do so? - Muslims should strive to worship Allah as best as they can from the beginning
of the month, for that increases chances of the end of the month being good as
well. - Muslims should consider what is it that they truly want to achieve in
Ramadhan, whether they want to be from the winners or from the losers, and
should make sure they do not perform acts of worship simply because it is the
surrounding people’s custom to do so. - Muslims must be firmly aware that Ramadhan is only a means and not an end.
Twenty Five Ways to Get the Most Out of Ramadhan
From the book “Khulaasatul Kalaam” by Shaykh Jaarullah
Brother Muslim, Sister Muslima:
-
Fast Ramadhan with belief and truly seeking the reward of Allah the Most High
so that He may forgive you your past sins. -
Beware of breaking your fast during the days of Ramadhan without a valid
Islamic excuse, for it is from the greatest of sins. -
Pray Salat ut-Taraweeh and the night prayer during the nights of Ramadhan -
especially on Layatul-Qadr - based on belief and truly seeking the reward of
Allah, so that Allah may forgive you your past sins. -
Make sure that your food, your drink and your clothing are from halal means,
in order that your actions be accepted, and your supplications answered. Beware
of refraining from the halal while fasting and breaking your fast with the
haram. -
Give food to some fasting people to gain a reward similar to theirs.
-
Perform your five prayers on time in congregation to gain the reward and
Allah’s protection. -
Give a lot of charity for the best charity is that of Ramadhan.
-
Beware of spending your time without performing righteous deeds, for you will
be responsible and reckoned for it and will be rewarded for all you do during
your time. -
Perform
umrah in Ramadhan forUmrah in Ramadhan is equal to Hajj. -
Seek help for fasting during the day by eating the sahoor meal in the last
part of the night before the appearance of Fajr. -
Hasten breaking your fast after the sun has truly set in order to gain the
love of Allah. -
Perform ghusl before fajr if you need to purify yourself from the state of
major impurity so that you are able to do acts of worship in a state of purity
and cleanliness. -
Seize the opportunity of being in Ramadhan and spend it with the good that
has been revealed in it - by reciting the noble Qur’an and pondering and
reflection of its meanings so that it be a proof for you with your Lord and an
intercessor for you on the Day of Reckoning. -
Preserve your tongue from lying, cursing, backbiting and slander for it
decreases the reward of fasting. -
Do not let fasting cause you cross your boundaries by getting upset due to
the slightest of reasons. Rather, fating should be a cause of peacefulness and
tranquility of your soul. -
Upon completion of fasting, be in a state of taqwa of Allah the Most High,
being aware of Allah watching you in secret and in public, in thankfulness for
His favors, and steadfastness upon obedience of Allah by doing all what He has
ordered and shunning all that He has prohibited. -
Increase in remembrance of Allah, seeking of forgiveness, asking for
Paradise and protection against the Fire, especially when fasting, while
breaking the fast and during suhoor, for these actions are among greatest causes
of attaining Allah’s forgiveness. -
Increase in supplication for yourself, your parents, your children and
Muslims, for Allah has ordered making of supplications and has guaranteed
acceptance. -
Repent to Allah with a sincere repentance in all times by leaving sins,
regretting those that you have done before and firmly deciding not to return to
them in the future, for Allah accepts repentance of those who repent. -
Fast six days of Shawwal, for whoever fasts Ramadhan and then follows it
with six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasts all the time. -
Fast on the Day of `Arafah, the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, to attain success by
being forgiven your sins of the last year and the coming year. -
Fast on the day of `Aashuraa’, the 10th of Muharram, along with the 9th, to
attain success by being forgiven your sins of the past year. -
Continue being in a state of iman and taqwa and perform righteous actions
after the month of Ramadhan, until you die. “And worship your Lord until there
comes to you the certainty (i.e. death)”. [Qur’an 15:99] -
Ensure that you attain the positive effects of your acts of worship such as
prayer, fasting, zakat and hajj, sincere repentance and leaving of customs that
are in variance with the Sharee`ah. -
Invoke a lot of salawat and salam upon the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s
blessings and peace be upon him, his Companions and all those who follow them
until the Day of Judgment.
O Allah make us and all Muslims of those who fast and stand in prayer during the
month of Ramadhan based on belief and truly seeking Your reward so that we are
forgiven our past and future sins.
O Allah make us of those who fasted the month, attained full reward, witnessed
Layatul-Qadr and attained success by permission of the Lord, Blessed and Most
High.
O Allah, verily you are Forgiver, like to forgive, so forgive us.
O Lord, accept from us, verily you are the All-Hearing, all-Seeing, O Living, O
Independent, O Owner of all majesty and honor.
And may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon Muhammad, his family and his
Companions.