Bismillah WalHumdulillah
The blessed month of Ramadan has come. Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) has blessed us with another Ramadan and given us the opportunity witness this sacred month. May Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) include us amongst those successful people who make the most out of this month and who are able to utilize it in the most beneficial way giving it the haq (right) that it deserves. (Aameen)
This program entails what important worship and deeds are to be carried out during this month and how we can include our families in this. A Muslim not only worries for himself but also is concerned about his family.
The Qur’an commands us:
قُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا
protect yourselves and your families
[At-Tahrim: 6]
The first thing we have to do as a family is to feel the barakah of this month and mention it amongst each other. Abu Huraira (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ used to give glad tidings to his ﷺ Companions when Ramadan came. What was this glad tiding that was given?
It is very similar to how you prepare for a guest who visits your house yearly. This guest of yours is very special and is very close to your heart. With each visit, the guests brings along many gifts for you and your family. Imagine the happiness you feel on the arrival of such a guest and how much you anticipate the visit each time. Everyone prepares for the time the guest will walk through the door. Food is cooked, the house is cleaned and many measures are taken in preparing for the arrival of this very special moment when you will welcome your esteemed gues. This is how we welcome a special person.
Another analogy can be presented of how a trader who is waiting for the ‘selling season’ will do anything to make the selling season a success and will prepare for it. He knows, the harder I work, the more I will be able to sell my good and reap the returns in term of profits. This is how preparation is made.
Hence, the Prophet ﷺ guided the Companions to welcome this season that is filled with iman, of barakah (bounty) and khayr (goodness). The Prophet ﷺ gave the glad tidings and said:
أَتَاكُمْ رَمَضَانُ شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ
“There has come to you Ramadan
فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ صِيَامَهُ
a blessed month, which Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has enjoined you to fast.
تُفْتَحُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ
In it the gates of heavens are opened
وَتُغْلَقُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ الْجَحِيمِ
and the gates of Hell are closed
وَتُغَلُّ فِيهِ مَرَدَةُ الشَّيَاطِينِ
and every devil is chained up.
لِلَّهِ فِيهِ لَيْلَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ
In it Allah has a night which is better than a thousand months;
مَنْ حُرِمَ خَيْرَهَا فَقَدْ حُرِمَ
whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.”‘
(Sunan – anNissai: 2106)
So the trader who witnesses the months is aware that if he fails to perform in these days, it will become such a means of regret for him. He will know that he witnessed the season but did not work hard enough to avail of it.
The same analogy is used in this hadith also, where a person is deprived and becomes unmindful of the goodness this month brings, it becomes a means of grief and regret.
Sharing the goodness of Ramadan with your family
We ought to share the beautiful knowledge of what Ramadan brings with our family throughout this Holy Month. We usually sit at the table and speak of, “how hot this Ramadan is or how difficult the fasts are.” Some speak of the heatwave that is in various parts of the countries of the world. But really, this is not what the discussions should be.
Let’s focus on the fact that this month is giving us yet another opportunity for tawbah (to repent). Some of the acts of worship which will be discussed in the later series, are those that forgive all sins committed. Imagine the significance of this months, where Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) is giving us a chance to rectify ourselves and look after our Book of Deeds in the duniya, in this world. We are getting an opportunity to erase all those bad, evil deeds that we have filled our ‘registers’ with. This is a chance to replace the bad deeds and in turn fill the Book of Deeds with new and better deeds.
Another thing we can do to prepare for this month is to take care of all the requirements of the world beforehand. This is a message that we give out to the children also by shopping for our basic needs and even preparing for Eid beforehand. The family then knows that the purpose is to utilize the days of Ramadan in the most productive manner. This includes clothes, grocery and any such thing that can be carried out.
Let’s sit with the kids this Ramadan and plan out their ‘fasting roster.’ They younger children can work out how many they intend to fast. This will motivate them to fast in this month. Keep mentioning to them how important a month this is.
Another motivating factor is that the good deeds carried out during the month of Ramadan are rewarded ten (10) times more than in other months. Some deeds are increased to seven hundred (700) times more. The way the act is performed to please Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ), the intention that goes into this act are all ways how the reward of the deed is multiplied.
The act of fasting is made exclusive as is narrated in this hadith that all deeds are for man himself except one:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “(Allah said), ‘Every good deed of Adam’s son is for him;
إِلاَّ الصَّوْمَ فَإِنَّهُ لِي، وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ
except fasting it is for Me. and I shall reward (the fasting person) for it
Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) appreciates the fact that a servant of Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) leaves all his necessary things such as food, drinking for His sake alone. Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) appreciates the smell that comes from a fasting person’s mouth that many people dislike, He mentions it in the continuation of the hadith:
خَلُوفُ فَمِ الصَّائِمِ أَطْيَبُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ رِيحِ الْمِسْكِ
‘Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.
[Muslim and Bukhari]
In another hadith we learn Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
“The gates of Paradise are opened such that no gate among them would be closed, and a caller calls
وَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ يَا بَاغِيَ الْخَيْرِ أَقْبِلْ
‘O seeker of the good; come near!’
This is for those who want to please Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) by doing good deeds. The angels tell him to come forward. This is what you have been waiting for. And the angel continues to say in the hadith:
وَيَا بَاغِيَ الشَّرِّ أَقْصِ
‘O seeker of evil; stop!
This is for those who are the sinful ones, the ones who are farthest away from Deen. The address is to the one who has turned away from worshipping Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ), he is told to stop from doing the evil act. It is a warning for this person to pause and reflect. This is not the time to continue on doing the sins you have been doing. This is the opportunity to do good deeds and gather what you can.
The above hadith clearly states that an angel calls out to the person. The last part of the hadith tells us:
وَلِلَّهِ عُتَقَاءُ مِنَ النَّارِ وَذَلِكَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ
For there are those whom Allah frees from the Fire.’ And that is every night.”
(Jami` at-Tirmidhi 682)
This states that Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) will free people from the Hellfire each and every night of this month. Each of the thirty (30) nights, Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) decides which person will be set free. Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) sees the individual’s worship, his fasts and standing before Him in qiyam ul layl (the night prayer). He becomes so pleased with this person that He decides to free him from Jahannum (Hellfire) and make him enter Jannah.
This is the blessed month and the goodness in this month has to be sought. This should be shared with those around you, at work or at home. The discussion should now be, how do we make the most of Ramadan and the days left? We are to plan this month and include our families in it. May Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) give us the ability to make this Ramadan a productive one. Aameen.
This has been transcribed and translated from this video given below.
