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| In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful |
Praise be to Allaah.
Ramadaan is one of the twelve Arabic months. It is a month
which is venerated in the Islamic religion, and it is distinguished from the
other months by a number of characteristics and virtues, including the
following:
1 – Allaah has made fasting this month the fourth pillar of
Islam, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a
guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion
(between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first
night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe
Sawm (fasts) that month…” [al-Baqarah 2:185]
and it was narrated in al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 8; Muslim,
16) from the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Islam is built on five (pillars): the testimony that
there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah;
establishing prayer; paying zakaah; fasting Ramadaan; and Hajj to the House
(the Ka’bah).”
2 – Allaah revealed the Qur’aan in this month, as He says in
the verse quoted above (interpretation of the meaning):
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a
guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion
(between right and wrong)…” [al-Baqarah 2:185]
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan) down in the Night of
Al-Qadr (Decree).” [al-Qadr 97:1]
3 – Allaah has made Laylat al-Qadr in this month, which is
better than a thousand months, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan) down in the Night of
Al-Qadr (Decree).
And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr
(Decree) is?
The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand
months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a
thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).
Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)]
by Allaah’s Permission with all Decrees,
(All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allaah
to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn” [al-Qadar 97:1-5]
“We sent it (this Qur’aan) down on a blessed night [(i.e.
the Night of Al-Qadr) in the month of Ramadan — the 9th month of the Islamic
calendar]. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach
those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship]” [al-Dukhaan 44:3]
Allaah has blessed Ramadaan with Laylat al-Qadr. Explaining
the great status of this blessed night, Soorat al-Qadr was revealed, and there
are many ahaadeeth which also speak of that, such as the hadeeth of Abu
Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There has come to you
Ramadaan, a blessed month which Allaah has enjoined you to fast, during which
the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious
devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand
months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.” [ Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 2106; Ahmad, 8769. classed as saheeh
by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 999].
And Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever
spends Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, will be
forgiven his previous sins.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1910; Muslim, 760].
4 – Allaah has made fasting Ramadaan and spending its nights
in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward a means of forgiveness of
sins, as was proven in al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 2014; Muslim, 760) from the
hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and in the hope
of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” And al-Bukhaari (2008) and
Muslim (174) also narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends the nights of Ramadaan
in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be
forgiven.”
The Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is Sunnah to pray
qiyaam at night in Ramadaan. Al-Nawawi said that what is meant by praying
qiyaam in Ramadaan is to pray Taraweeh, i.e., one achieves what is meant by
qiyaam by praying Taraaweeh.
5 – In this month, Allaah opens the gates of Paradise and
closes the gates of Hell, and chains up the devils, as is stated in
al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 1898; Muslim, 1079), from the hadeeth of Abu
Hurayrah who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: “When Ramadaan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and
the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.”
6 – Every night Allaah has people whom He redeems from the
Fire. Imam Ahmad (5/256) narrated from the hadeeth of Abu Umaamah that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “At every breaking of
the fast, Allaah has people whom He redeems.” Al-Mundhiri said: there is
nothing wrong with its isnaad; and it was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Targheeb, 987.
Al-Bazzaar (Kashf 962) narrated that Abu Sa’eed said: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah
has people whom He redeems every day and night – i.e., in Ramadaan – and every
Muslim every day and night has a prayer that is answered.”
7 – Fasting Ramadaan is a means of expiation for the sins
committed since the previous Ramadaan, so long as one avoids major sins. It was
proven in Saheeh Muslim (233) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: “The five daily prayers, from one Jumu’ah to the next and
from one Ramadaan to the next are expiation for (sins committed) in between, so
long as you avoid major sins.”
8 – Fasting in Ramadaan is equivalent to fasting ten months,
as is indicated by the hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim (1164) narrated from Abu Ayyoob
al-Ansaari: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan then follows it with six days of Shawwaal,
it will be like fasting for a lifetime.” Ahmad (21906) narrated that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts
Ramadaan, a month is like ten months, and fasting six days after al-Fitr will
complete the year.”
9 – Whoever prays qiyaam in Ramadaan with the imam until he
finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole night in prayer,
because of the report narrated by Abu Dawood (1370) and others from the hadeeth
of Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays qiyaam with
the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole
night in prayer.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Salaat al-Taraaweeh, p. 15
10 – ‘Umrah in Ramadaan is equivalent to Hajj. Al-Bukhaari
(1782) and Muslim (1256) narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to a woman among the
Ansaar, “What kept you from doing Hajj with us?” She said, “We only had two
camels that we used for bringing water.” So her husband and son had gone for
Hajj on one camel, and he left the other for them to use for bringing water.”
He said, “When Ramadaan comes, go for ‘Umrah, for ‘Umrah in Ramadaan is
equivalent to Hajj.” According to a report narrated by Muslim, “… is equivalent
to doing Hajj with me.”
11 – It is Sunnah to observe i’tikaaf (retreat for the
purpose of worship) in Ramadaan, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) always did that, as it was narrated in the hadeeth of
‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to spend the last ten days of Ramadaan in
i’tikaaf until he passed away, then his wives observed i’tikaaf after him.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1922; Muslim, 1172].
12 – It is mustahabb in the sense of being strongly
recommended in Ramadaan to study the Qur’aan together and to read it a great
deal. You may study the Qur’aan together by reciting it to someone else and by
having someone else recite it to you. The evidence that this is mustahabb is
the fact that Jibreel used to meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) every night in Ramadaan and study the Qur’aan with him. [Narrated
by al-Bukhaari, 6; Muslim, 2308].
Reading Qur’aaan is mustahabb in general, but more so in
Ramadaan.
13 – It is mustahabb in Ramadaan to offer iftaar to those
who are fasting, because of the hadeeth of Zayd ibn Khaalid al-Juhani (may
Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever gives iftaar to one who is
fasting will have a reward like his, without that detracting from the fasting
person’s reward in the slightest.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 807; Ibn Maajah,
1746; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 647. see question
no: ( 12598 )
And Allaah knows best.
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