Asalamu alikum
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allaah (saws) said: "Ramadaan
has come to you - a blessed month. Allaah has made it obligatory on you
to fast in it. During this month, the gates of heaven are open, the
gates of the Hellfire are closed and the evil devils are chained. To
Allaah belongs a night in it, which is better than a thousand months.
Whosoever is prevented from its good, then he has been deprived." [1]
The hadeeth is a glad tiding to
the righteous servants of Allaah, of the coming of the blessed month of
Ramadaan. The Prophet (saws) informed his Companions of its coming and
it was not just a simple relaying of news. Rather, his intent was to
give them the glad tidings of a magnificent time of the year, so that
the righteous people who are quick to do deeds can give it its due
estimate. This is because the Prophet (saws) explained in it (the
hadeeth) what Allaah has prepared for His servants from the ways towards
gaining forgiveness and His contentment - and they are many. So whoever
has forgiveness escape him during the month of Ramadaan, then he has
been deprived with the utmost deprivation.
From the great favors and
bounties that Allaah has bestowed upon His servants is that He has
prepared for them meritous occasions so that they may be of profit to
those who obey Him and a race for those who rush to compete (for good
deeds). These meritous occasions are times for fulfilling hopes by
exerting in obedience and uplifting flaws and deficiencies through
self-rectification and repentance. There is not a single occasion from
these virtuous times, except that Allaah has assigned in it works of
obedience, by which one may draw close to Him. And Allaah possesses the
most beautiful things as gifts, which He bestows upon whomsoever He
wills by His Grace and Mercy.
So the one who achieves true
happiness is he who takes advantage of these virtuous months, days and
hours and draws closer to His Guardian in them, by doing what is
prescribed in them from acts of worship.
Thus perhaps he will be
showered with one of the many blessings of those occasions and be helped
by it, with an assistance that is enough to save him from the Fire and
what it contains, such as its blazing heat. [2]
Being able to reach Ramadaan is
itself a magnificent bounty that is bestowed on the one who reaches it
and rises to its occasion, by standing in prayer during its night and
fasting during its day. In it, he returns to his Protector -- from
disobeying Him to obeying Him, from neglecting Him to remembering Him,
from remaining distant from Him to turning towards Him in submissive
repentance.
A Muslim must be conscious of
this bounty and acknowledge its magnitude. For indeed, many people are
prevented from fasting, either because they die before they reach it, or
because they are not capable of observing it or because they oppose and
turn away from it. Thus, the one who fasts must give praise to his Lord
for this bounty and should welcome this month with joy and delight that
a magnificent time of the year out of all the occasions for performing
obedience is welcomed. He should exert himself deeply in doing good
deeds. And he should invoke Allaah to grant him the ability to fast and
stand in night prayer, and that He provide him with seriousness,
enthusiasm, strength, and energy in that month. And that He awaken him
from heedless oversleeping so that he may take advantage of these
virtuous times of good.
It is unfortunate to find that
many people do not know the value of this virtuous occasion, nor do they
consider it to be sacred. So the month of Ramadaan no longer becomes a
significant time for obedience, worship, reciting the Qur'aan, giving in
charity and making remembrance of Allaah. Rather, to some people, it
becomes a signifcant time to diversify their foods and drinks and to
prepare different types of meals before the month begins. Some other
people do not know Ramadaan except as a month of sleeplessness and
constant recurring gatherings, while sleeping by day. This is to the
point that some among them sleep past the time of the obligatory
prayers, thus not praying them in congregation or in their proper times.
Other people do not know Ramadaan except as a signifcant time for
conducting worldly affairs, not as a significant time for conducting
affairs for the Hereafter. Thus, they work busily in it, buying and
selling, and they stay in the market areas, consequently abandoning the
masaajid. And when they do pray with the people, they do so in
such a hurried manner. This is because they find their pleasure in the
market places. This is the extent that the notions and views (of
Ramadaan) have been changed.
Some of the Salaf used to say:
"Indeed Allaah, the Most High, has made the month of Ramadaan as a
competition for His creatures, in which they may race with one another
to His pleasure, by obeying Him. Thus, one group comes first and so they
prosper and another group comes last and so they fail." [3]
Also, the individual does not
know if this is perhaps the last Ramadaan he will ever see in his life,
if he completes it. How many men, women and children have fasted with us
the past year, and yet now they lie buried in the depths of the earth,
relying on their good deeds. And they expected to fast many more
Ramadaans. Likewise, we too shall all follow their path. Therefore, it
is upon the Muslim to rejoice at this magnificent occasion for worship.
And he should not renounce it, but instead busy himself with what will
benefit him and what will cause its effect to remain. For what else is
it, except numbered days, which are fasted in succession and which
finish rapidly.
May Allaah make us, as well as you, from among those who are foremost in attaining good deeds.
Author:'Abdullaah Ibn Saalih Al-Fawzaan
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