Receiving Ramadan

Noble scholar, what is your advice to Muslims as we prepare to receive this noble month?

My advice to all the Muslims is to have Taqwaa (fear) of Allah the Majestic, to receive this great month of theirs with a truthful Tawbah from all sins, to gain understanding of their religion, and study the rulings of fasting and the night prayer due to the saying of the Prophet - صلى الله عليه وسلم:

"Whoever Allah wants good for, he grants him understanding in the religion."

Also due to the saying of the Prophet - صلى الله عليه وسلم:

"When the month of Ramadan arrives, the gates of Jannah are opened and the gates of The Fire are shut, and the Shayateen are chained up."

Also the saying of the Prophet - صلى الله عليه وسلم:

"On the first night of Ramadan the gates of Jahannam are shut, the gates of Jannah are opened, and the Shayateen are chained up, and a caller calls out:

O seeker of good! Proceed! And O seeker of evil! Refrain!

Allah frees people from the Fire in Ramadan, and this happens every night."

He - صلى الله عليه وسلم - used to say to his companions,

"The month of Ramadan has come upon you;a blessed month it is, Allah bestows His Mercy upon you, absolves sins and responds to Du'a. So show Allah goodness from yourselves, for indeed the wretched one is the one who is deprived of the mercy of Allah."

"Show Allah goodness from yourselves." means to hasten to do good deeds, to hurry to practice obedience and stay away from sin.

He - صلى الله عليه وسلم - said:

"Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan with Eemaan and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven.

And whoever stands for the Night Prayer during Ramadan with Eemaan, hoping for a reward from Allah, his past sins will be forgiven.

And whoever stands in Prayer on Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Decree) with Eemaan and hoping for a reward from Allah, all his past sins will be forgiven."

He - صلى الله عليه وسلم - also said;

"Allah the exalted said:

Every deed the child of Adam practices is for him, it has the reward multiplied tenfold to seven hundred fold except fasting, for indeed it (fasting) is for Me and I reward for it, The fasting person leaves his desires, food and drink for My Sake. The fasting person will experience joy on two occasions; one, when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord. Indeed the smell of the breath of a fasting person is more pleasant to Allah than the smell of musk."

He - صلى الله عليه وسلم - said:

"When one of you is fasting, he should neither speak with obscene language nor raise his voice. And if anyone insults him or tries to fight with him, he should say: I am fasting."

He - صلى الله عليه وسلم - says:

"Whoever does not forsake false speech and acting according to it, then Allah is not in need of him to forsake his food and drink."

So my advice to all Muslims is to have Taqwah of Allah and to preserve their fast and protect it from all sorts of sins. It is legislated for them to be keen on practicing good deeds and compete in the various forms of obedience such as charity, reciting the Quran, Tasbeeh, Tahleel, Tahmeed and Istighfaar, because this is the month of the Quran:

{The month of Ramadan in which theQuran was revealed.

So it is legislated for the believer to strive and put effort in reading the Quran, it is recommended for both men and women to read the Quran in abundance, day and night. Every letter gains a reward, and the reward is multiplied tenfold as has been transmitted by the Prophet, all the while being cautious of sins, and while enjoining truth, advising one another, ordering the good and prohibiting evil.

It is a magnificent month, the reward for good in it is multiplied, and sins in it are magnified. So a believer must strive to carry out what Allah has obligated and stay clear of what He has prohibited. His care and attention in Ramadan must be more and greater [than other months].

Likewise it is legislated for the Muslim to strive to perform all sorts of good deeds, such as giving in charity, visiting the sick, following the Janazah ,enjoining the ties of kinship, abundantly reading the Quran, Dhikr, Du' a, Tasbeeh, Tahleel, Istighfar and other forms of good acts, hoping for Allah's reward and fearing His punishment.

We ask Allah to grant the Muslims success in practicing all that He loves and is pleased with, and we ask Him to allow us and the rest of the Muslims to fast and stand in prayer with Eemaan and optimism for His reward. We ask Allah to grant us and all the Muslims, everywhere, understanding in His Deen, and to be steadfast upon it, and to be safe from what causes His anger and punishment. I also ask Him to grant success to all the rulers of the Muslims and their leaders, that He guides them and rectifies their affairs, and that He grants them success in ruling with Allah's legislation in all their affairs; in their worship, in their undertakings, in all their affairs. We ask Allah to grant them success in this, acting upon His, the Glorified’s saying.

{And so judge (you O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) among them by what Allah has revealed.

Allah the Exalted says:

{Do they then seek the judgment of (the days of) Ignorance? And who is better in judgment than Allah for a people who have firm Faith.

Allah the Glorified also says:

{But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad - صلى الله عليه وسلم) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.

Allah states:

{O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and those of you who are in authority. And if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.

Allah the Elevated also says:

{Say: "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger.

Allah the Magnificent says:

{And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).

This is what is obligatory upon all the Muslims and their rulers. It is an obligation upon the rulers of the Muslims, the scholars and the general folk, that they have Taqwaa of Allah and submit to His legislation, and that they rule with Allah's legislation amongst themselves, because it is the legislation that achieves reform, guidance and a good ending. With it, the pleasure of Allah is attained, with it, the truth that was legislated by Allah is attained, and with it oppression is avoided.

We ask Allah to grant everyone success, guidance, pure intentions and righteous actions, and may the salaat and the Salaam be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.