Making the most of our beloved Ramadan

A few days have passed since our beautiful Ramadhan has arrived;
this month I thought to specifically focus on how to make the most of it in sha Allah.

Fasting (Sawm) during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam.
 
So what is Sawm?
 
The meaning of Sawm is to withhold. Thus; when we fast we withhold from food, drink and smoking from sunrise to sunset. As the hadith states below that the Prophet salla allahu alayhi wa salam said:

  “There is a gate in Paradise called Al-Raiyan, and those who observe fasting will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it”.

[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 120]

So how can we make the most of this sacred month?

 1)   Fasting

We will get reward for doing it for His Sake. It allows us to experience what it is like having no food like the poor people in many parts of
the world. It is important to note that fasting is not a punishment but the
concept behind it is to teach us the moral and spiritual discipline that is
wrapped in the Shariah (Islamic law).  

A hadith states that the Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam said that Allah subhanahu wa taala said:

 ‘All actions a human being does are for himself except fasting. It is done for My sake, and I will give a reward for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied 10 times”. 
[Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 3, Book 31, Number 118,& Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2564]

 2)   Increase in generosity 

For example, providing iftar for a local masjid; neighbours muslims or non-muslims where there is an opportunity to give dawah to the latter J. 
 
The Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam
said:
 “If someone draws near to Allah during Ramadhan with some good
act he will be like one who fulfils an obligatory duty in another month, and he who fulfils an obligatory duty in it will be like one who fulfils seventy obligatory duties in another month”.
 [Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1965]

 Charity is also linked to this by giving both zakat (obligatory charity) which is one of the pillars of Islam and also sadaqah (voluntary
charity) for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa taala by helping others with their needs.
 
It is reported that “The Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam was naturally the most generous of people and he used to be more generous than ever in the month of Ramadhan”.
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 126]

 Another hadith states that the Prophet Muhammad salla allahu
alayhi wa salam said:

  “This is the month of charity in which believer’s sustenance is increased. Whosoever feeds a fasting person or gives a fasting person a single date or a sip of water, to break the fast, for him there shall be forgiveness of his sins and he will be saved from the fire of hell, and for him shall be the same reward as for him (whom he fed)”.
[Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1965]

 3)    Improving one’s character 

Fasting teaches us to control ourselves and aid in overcoming
common faults such as laziness and selfishness and temptations of disobedience.

 So when one fasts; the soul becomes humbled and his desires become dispelled. It is a pathway in both to in increasing piety and fear in Allah subhanahu wa taala. 

The Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam
said:
 “Every servant of Allah who observes fast for a day in the way of Allah, Allah would remove, because of this day, his face farther from the Fire of Hell to the extent of seventy years' distance”. [Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2570]

 It is also training for the tongue to guard ourselves against
the sins that are linked to it such as lying, back-biting, cursing, swearing and so forth.
 
A hadith states:

 The Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam said:
 "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)"
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 127]

 4)   Increase in Dua (supplication).

 The Dua of a fasting person is never rejected. A hadith
states:

 The Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam said: 
 “There are three whose supplication is not rejected, one who has just ended a fast, a just imam, and one who has been wronged whose supplication is raised by Allah above the clouds and for which the
gates of Heaven are opened. Allah says, 'I swear by My might that I shall
certainly help you, though it be after some time.'" [Al-Tirmidhi
Hadith 2248]

 Thus Dua is crucial and to abandon it is a matter of great loss.
Allah knows what is best for us. So put trust in Him; if it is good for you; it
will occur. If it is bad for you; it will not occur. So put your trust in
Him.

 5)   Seeking forgiveness.

 We should increase in asking Allah subhanahu wa taala for
forgiveness for our previous sins and seek His pleasure before the Door of the Forgiveness closes and more importantly before our time is up as death is inevitable. A hadith states:

 The Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam said:
“Let there be smeared with dust the nose of the person in whose presence I am mentioned, and he does not invoke blessing upon me, the one who has opportunity to see the month of Ramadhan and it comes to an end without his securing pardon for himself and one who finds alive his aged parents, both of them or one of them, and through them (by serving them) he does not enter Paradise.”
[Tirmidhi Hadith 927]

 We should not only seek forgiveness for our past sins but also
rectify by fulfilling his obligations in this blessed month of Ramadhan. For
instance, Taraweeh prayer, fasting, and helping others; those are amongst them and far away in other countries by giving charity.

 We should seek His mercy, forgiveness and immunity from the
hell-fire and express our gratitude to Him for the blessings He has bestowed upon us. As Allah says in the Quran:

 "If you are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you, But if you show
ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible indeed." [14:7]

 6)   Reciting Quran

 We should not only aim to recite but also implement what Allah
has said in the Quran. Ramadan is the month in which the Quran has been revealed and is also an intercessor for us on the Day of Resurrection as stated in the Quran and Sunnah. Amongst the evidence are shown below:

 Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) says in Al-Qur’an, “Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down Al-Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgement (Between right and wrong)”. [2:185]

 The Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam said, “Read Al-Qur’an for surely it will be an intercessor for you on the Day of Judgement”. [Sahih Muslim Book 4 No 1757]

 Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam in his final year; read the Quran twice in Ramadan. Thus we should try at least read it once during Ramadan in sha Allah.

 7)   I’tikaf and Laylatul Qadr (Night of Power): 

During the last ten day of Ramadan, Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam said used to limit his time with people to free his mind from the matters of the world and increase in supplications and prayer to Allah subhanahu wa taala. Amongst the evidence from the sunnah is as follows:

 ‘’The Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam used to
exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time.’’
[Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2644]

 ‘With the start of the last ten days of Ramadhan, The Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam used to work hard and used to offer Salaat (prayers) all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the Salaat (prayers).’
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 32, Number 241]

 The Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam used to observe Itikaf during the last ten days of Ramadhan. One year he did not observe Itikaf. When the next year came, he observed Itikaf for twenty nights (i.e. days). [Abu Dawud, Book 13, Number 2457]

 Women are also permitted to do so too if they wish.
 
The Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam mentioned that he would practice Itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadhan. 'Aisha asked his permission to perform Itikaf and he permitted her.
[Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 33, Number 261]

 In addition during the last 10 days; one of them is the Night of Power (Laylatul Qadr). The Night of Power is greater in spiritual virtue than 1,000 months. Therefore, we should spend the last 10 nights in
  worshiping Allah subhanahu wa taala as any of these 10 days would be laylatul Qadr. Allah subhanahu wa taala in Al-Qur’an:

  “There is a night in the month which is ... better than a thousand months". [97:3]

 It is important that when we make most of Ramadhan we should
strive to do better even beyond the sacred month by doing continuous good deeds and voluntary fasting.

 You could also start fasting the six days of Shawwal. Shawwal is
the tenth month and after the festivity of Eid it is recommended to observe these six days of fast. This  can be observed continuously, or one day at a time.

 The Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa salam said, "Whoever observes the Ramadan fast and follows it with six days of fast in Shawwal, it is as if he has fasted Dahr (the whole year)”.
[Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2614]

 We need to make the most of Ramadhan as Ramadhan is promised but our presence next year is not so let’s make the most of it !