Ramadan Virtues, Blessings & Essential Elements
by Iman Badawi
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
All praise is to Allah, Whom we thank and seek for His help and forgiveness.
We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of ourselves and the burden of our evil deeds.
Whomsoever He guides, will never be misled, and whomsoever He misguides, will never find enlightenment.
I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Mohammad is His slave and Messenger.
Allah said, what translated means, “O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam” [3:102],
also, “Mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations) of the wombs (kinship)! Surely, Allah is Ever an All- Watcher over you.” [4:1]
and, “O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the Truth.” [33:70].
The best of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance sent with Muhammad - peace be upon him. The worst of matters are Bid’ahs (innovations in the religion), every Bid’ah is a Dhalalah [misguidance], and every Dhalalah is in the Hellfire.
- A. The Magnificent Month
- B. Blessings of Ramadan
- C. Virtues of Fasting in Quran and Sunnah
- D. Ramadan and the Quran
- E. Virtues of the Quran
- F. Essential Elements of Fasting
- G. Acts Which Nullify the Fast (intentionally/involuntarily)
- H. Other Rulings
A. The Magnificent Month
Salman Al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) addressed us on the last day of Sha’ban and said: “People, a great blessed month has come upon you, a month containing Laylat al-Qadr which is better than a thousand months. Allah has made fasting during it an obligation, and steadfastly observing its nights in worship a voluntary act. Whoever undertakes an act of obedience to Allah during this month with a righteous deed, it is as if he has performed an obligatory act at other times; and whoever performs an obligatory act during it is as one who performed seventy obligations at other times. It is the month of patience, and the reward for patience is Paradise. It is the month of goodwill, during which provisions are multiplied. Whoever feeds a fasting person will be compensated with forgiveness of sins and salvation of his soul from Hell. He will also receive a reward equal to that of the person he feeds, without causing him any reduction (in his good deeds).” (The Companions) said: “Not all of us can find something to feed a fasting person.”
The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Allah gives this reward to whoever feeds a fasting person even with just a taste of milk or dates, or a drink of water. Whoever quenches the thirst of a fasting person, Allah the Almighty makes him drink from my pond such that he will never feel thirsty again until he enters Paradise. It is a month whose beginning is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness and whose end is emancipation from Hell.
Therefore display four characteristics to a greater extent; with two of which you will please your Lord, and two you can not dispense with. The two with which you will please your Lord are to testify that there is no one deserving of worship except Allah, and to seek His forgiveness; whereas the two which you cannot dispense with are that you beseech Allah to place you in Paradise and that you seek refuge with Him from Hell.” [related by Ibn Khuzaymah and AlBayhaqi].
B. Blessings of Ramadan
Dear Muslim Brothers and Sisters! We are hosting soon inshaa’a Allah a unique, a generous and an honorable guest; a guest that visits us once a year and brings with it all sorts of goodness and happiness; a guest that brings with it the wide Mercy and Forgiveness of Allah; a guest that brings with it a smell of Paradise; a guest that makes the believer closer to Allah and His Paradise and away from Shaytan and Hell Fire. It is Ram