In the Name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful
Praise be to Allah, Peace and Blessing upon His Prophet and Messanger his family
his companions and whoever follows thier footsteps untill the Day of Judgment.
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.
Alhamdulillaah and Peace and Blessing upon Prophet Muhammad, his family and his
companions.