Ramadan is coming

“Ramadaan has come to you - a blessed month. Allaah has made obligatory upon you its fasting. In it, the gates of heaven are open, the gates of the Hellfire are closed and the evil devils are chained.” Reported by Ahmad and An-Nasaa'ee

Allaah -The Most High - said: "The month of Ramadaan in which the Qur’aan was revealed, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance of the Criterion between right and wrong. So whosoever of you sights the crescent for the month of Ramadhaan, he must fast that month." [Soorah al-Baqarah 2:185].

Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Islaam is built upon five: Testifying that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah and the Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, establishing the Prayer, giving the Zakaah performing Hajj to the House, and fasting in Ramadhaan." (Saheeh: Related by al-Bukhaaree)

Know, that in the fast (Sawm) is a special quality that is not found in anything else. And that is its close connection to Allaah, such that He says:

‘‘The Fast (Sawm) is for Me and I will reward it.’’ [Related by al-Bukhaaree ]

Indeed, the fast is only virtuous due to two significant concepts:THE FIRST: It is a secret and hidden action, thus, no one from the creation is able to see it Therefore riyaa‘ (showing off) cannot enter into it. A person can sneak some food into ones mouth but people would still think he is fasting. So fasting is purely for Allah alone.THE SECOND: It is a means of subjugating the enemies of Allaah. This is because the road that the enemies (of Allaah) embark upon (in order to misguide the Son of Aadam) is that of desires. And eating and drinking strengthens the desires. So when a person fasts he is training himself to control his or her nufs (desires).

From the many important lessons to be learnt from fasting are:

[1]: GAINING TAQWAA

Allaah - the Most High - said: "O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed upon those before you in order that you may attain taqwaa." [Soorah al-Baqarah 2:183].

Talq ibn Habeeb (The Taabi'ee (d.100H)) - rahimahullaah - said:
"When fitnah (trial and tribulation) appears then extinguish it with taqwaa." So he was asked as to what taqwaa was, so he replied: "Taqwaa is to act in obedience to Allaah, upon a light (i.e. eemaan, faith) from Allaah, hoping in the Mercy of Allaah. And taqwaa is leaving acts of disobedience to Allaah, upon a light from Allaah, due to the fear of Allaah."[ Related by Ibnul-Mubaarak in Kitaabuz-Zuhd ]

[2]: SEEKING NEARNESS TO ALLAAH

The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Allaah said: Whosoever shows enmity to a friend of Mine, I shall be at war with him. My servant does not draw near to me with anything more beloved to me than the obligatory duties that I have placed upon him. My servant continues to draw nearer to Me with optional deeds so that I shall love him."[Saheeh: Related by al-Bukhaaree]

The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Whosoever reaches the month of Ramadaaan and does not have his sins forgiven, and so enters the Fire, then may Allaah distance him."[Saheeh: Related by Ahmad]

So drawing closer to Allaah - the Most Perfect - in this blessed month, can be achieved by fulfilling one's obligatory duties; and also reciting the Qur’aan and reflecting upon its meanings, increasing in kindness and in giving charity, in making du‘aa (supplication) to Allaah, attending the Taraaweeh Prayer, seeking out Laylatul-Qadr (the Night of Power and Pre-Decree), a night which is better than a thousand months, attending gatherings of knowledge, and striving in those actions that will cause the heart to draw closer to its Lord and to gain His forgiveness. Our level of striving in this blessed month should be greater than our striving to worship Allaah in any other month, due to the excellence and rewards that Allaah has placed in it. Likewise from the great means of seeking nearness to Allaah in this month is making I‘tikaaf (seclusion in the mosque in order to worship Allaah) - for whoever is able.

[3]: ACQUIRING PATIENCE

The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
"The month of Patience, and the three days of every month, are times for fasting." [Related by Ahmad ]

Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr (d.464H) - rahimahullaah - said:
"What is meant by the month of Patience is the month of Ramadaaan ... So fasting is called patience because it restrains the soul from eating, drinking, conjugal relations and sexual desires." [At-Tamheed (19/61) of al-Haafidh Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr]

So fasting is a means of learning self-restraint and patience. With patience we are able to strengthen our resolve to worship Allaah alone, with sincerity, and also cope with life's ups and downs. So - for example - with patience we are able to perform our Prayers calmly and correctly, without being hasty, and without merely pecking the ground several times! With patience we are able to restrain our souls from greed and stinginess and thus give part of our surplus wealth in Zakaah (obligatory charity). With patience we are able to subdue the soul's ill temperament, and thus endure the ordeal and hardships of Hajj, without losing tempers and behaving badly.

[4]: CULTIVATING GOOD MANNERS

The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Whosoever does not abandon falsehood in speech and action, then Allaah the Mighty and Majestic has no need that he should leave his food and drink." [Saheeh: Related by al-Bukhaaree ]

He (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) also said:
"Fasting is not merely abstaining from eating and drinking. Rather, it is also abstaining from ignorant and indecent speech. So if anyone abuses or behaves ignorantly with you, then say: I am fasting, I am fasting." [Saheeh: Related by Ibn Khuzaymah ]

Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) - aspiring for the excellence which he mentioned in his saying: "I am a guarantor for a house on the outskirts of Paradise (or whosoever leaves off arguing, even if he is in the right; and a house in the centre of Paradise (or whosoever abandons falsehood, even when joking; and a house in the upper-most part of Paradise for whosoever makes his character good."[ Saheeh: Related by Aboo Daawood ]

So by shunning oppression, shamelessness, harbouring hatred towards Muslims, back-biting, slandering, tale-carrying, and other types of falsehood, we can be saved from nullifying the rewards of our fasting -

as Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: "It may be that a fasting person, receives nothing from his fast, except hunger and thirst." [Saheeh: Related by Ahmad ]

[5]: SENSING MUSLIM UNITY

The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Fast when they fast, and break your fast when they break their fast, and sacrifice the day they sacrifice." [Saheeh: Related by at Tirmidthee ]

Imaam at-Tirmidthee (d.275H) - rahimahullaah - said:
"Some of the People of Knowledge explained this hadeeth by saying: Its meaning is to fast and break the fast along with the Jamaa’ah and the majority of people." [Jaami‘ut-Tirmidthee ]

Allaah - the Most High -said: "And hold fast altogether to the rope of Allaah and do not be divided." [Soorah Aal-‘Imraan 3:103].

Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728) - rahimahullaah - said:
"The welfare of people will not be complete - neither in this world, nor in the Hereafter - except with ijtimaa‘ (collectiveness), ta‘aawun (mutual cooperation), and tanaasur (mutual help); mutual cooperation in order to secure benefits, and mutual help in order to ward off harm. It is for this reason that man is said to be social and civil by nature."

Thus, Ramadaan is a time to increase our sense of unity and brotherhood, and our commitment to Allaah and His Religion.

THE RECOMMENDED ACTS OF FASTING:

• The pre-dawn meal (suhoor) and delaying in taking it are preferable, as well as hastening to break the fast and doing so with dates.
• Generosity in giving is also recommended during Ramadhaan, as well as doing good deeds and increasing in charity.
• It is also recommended to study the Qur‘aan and perform I‘tikaaf (seclusion for worship) during Ramadhaan, especially in its last ten days, as well as increasing upon the exertion (towards doing good deeds) in it.

There are three levels of fasting, the general fast, the specific fast and the more specific fast. As for the general fast, then it is the refraining of ones stomach and their private parts from fulfilling their desires. The specific fast is the refraining of ones gaze, tongue, hands, feet, hearing and eyes, as well as the rest of his body parts from committing sinful acts. As for the more specific fast, then it is the heart’s abstention from its yearning after the worldly affairs and the thoughts which distance one away from Allaah, as well as its (the heart’s) abstention. From all the things that Allaah has placed on the same level. From the characteristics of the specific fast is that one lowers his gaze and safeguards his tongue from the repulsive speech that is forbidden, disliked, or which has no benefit, as well as controlling the rest of his body parts. Another characteristic of the specific fast is that one does not overfill himself with food during the night. Instead, he eats in due measure, for indeed, the son of Aadam does not fill a vessel more evil than his stomach. If he were to eat his fill during the first part of the night, he would not make good use of himself for the remainder of the night. In the same way, if he eats to his fill for suhoor, he does make good use of himself until the afternoon. This is because excessive eating breads laziness and lethargy therefore, the objective of fasting disappears due to one's excessiveness in eating, for what is indeed intended by the fast, is that one savours the taste of hunger and becomes an abandoner of desires.

CHARACTERISITCS OF THE MORE SPECIFIC FASTS:

Know that the one who has been given intellect, knows the objective behind fasting. Therefore, he burdens himself to the extent that he will not be unable to do that which is more beneficial than it. Ibn Mas’ood would fast very little and it is reported that he used to say: ‘‘When I fast, I grow weak in my prayer. And I prefer the prayer over the (optional) fast.’’ Some of the Companions would weaken in their recitation of the Qur‘aan when fasting. Thus, they would exceed in breaking their fast (i.e.. by observing less optional fasts), until they were able to balance their recitation. Every individual is knowledgeable of his condition and of what will rectify it.

States Shaykh ‘Abdullaah al-Bukharee, “The Month of Ramadaan is the month of obedience to Allaah, the time the people have to bring themselves to Allaah. Many people think that Ramadaan is the month of being lazy and laid back. That is not the month of Ramadaan, it is the month of working hard, keeping away from sins, keeping away from desires. The month of Ramadaan is the best month. It is the time that Allaah revealed the Qur’aan. It is the time when Jibreel (radiyallaahu anhu) came to Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and taught him the Qur’aan…”

“…The salafus-saalih (righteous predecessors) used to try to finish the Qur’aan every three days, or every seven or every ten. It is very important that one tries to push oneself to read the Qur’aan and to more than one would normally do. We know that Ramadaan is the month that Allaah revealed the Qur’aan. How can a Muslim stay away from the Qur’aan? How can a person go a day or two or three without opening the Qur’aan?

…This was the character of the Salafus-Saalih that they would become awestruck when they heard the Qur’aan. So, brothers and sisters, try to increase in reading the Qur’aan in this blessed month of Ramadaan. If you read Qur’aan in the month of Ramadaan you will receive more reward than the other months.”

“Du’aa was the habit of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam). Increase in du’aa to Allaah, the one who does this is like the one who is at a door, eventually someone will answer him. Likewise the one who supplicates to Allaah, is like the one who knocks a door, he will soon receive an answer. Keep in mind; the du’aa without actions is nothing. Do not just make du’aa and believe that you will be fine. You should make du’aa and worship Allaah. One of the salaf said, ‘the example one who makes du’aa but doesn’t act upon his du’aa is like the one who has a weapon with ammunition.’ So you must have du’aa and you must have actions and worship Allaah.”

Aboo Hurayrah narrated that Allah's Messenger said: "Whoever establishes prayers during the nights of Ramadaan faithfully out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards (not for showing off), all his past sins will be forgiven." (Saheehul-Bukhaaree, Kitabul-Eemaan, Hadeeth No. 36)

One must have patience in obeying Allaah and patience in staying away from sins. The person who is the loser, is the one who doesn’t become closer to Allaah in this month.