Ramadhaan – A Blessed Month of Fasting and Seeking Closeness to Allaah

 

الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، أما بعد

Ibn Al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said:

 

“Fasting has a remarkable effect in conserving the outer limbs, as well as the inner potencies, and protects them from merging with the unsound harmful elements that can be procured for them; which – if they take possession over them, they corrupt them. As well as vacating the bad components that are prohibitive of their sound health. So fasting preserves and safeguards for the heart and the limbs their health, and restores to them that which was plundered from them through the influences of desires, thus it is from the greatest aids upon Taqwa (piety and fearfulness) as He, The Most High, said:

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

((O you who believe; fasting is prescribed upon you just as it was prescribed upon those before you, that you may attain Taqwa [piety and fearfulness])) (Al-Baqarah: 183)

 

The intent: is that the beneficial advantages of fasting – whilst they are evidently witnessed by the sound intellects and the upright dispositions; Allaah has legislated it for His servants – out of mercifulness with them and beneficence to them and as a protection for them – and as a shield.”[1]

 

Al-Haafidh Ibn Rajab (rahimahullaah) said:

 

“In the month of Ramadhaan Allaah shows kindness to the Ummah of Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), so He shackles the devils within it and the demons and the Jinn so that they cannot be in a position to engage upon that which they were in a position to engage upon in other than it by way of enticement into sins. Therefore the sins decrease in the month of Ramadhaan in the Ummah due to that.

There occurs in the two Saheehs from Abee Hurairah (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu) from the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) that he said:

إِذَا دَخَلَ رَمَضَانُ فُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ، وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ جَهَنَّمَ، وَسُلْسِلَتْ الشَّيَاطِينُ

((When Ramadhaan enters, the gates of the Heavens are opened, and the gates of Hell-Fire are locked, and the devils are chained.))[2]

 

And with Muslim:

فُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الرَّحْمَةِ

((The doors of mercy are opened))”[3]/[4]

 

 

Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan as-Sa’dee (rahimahullaah) said regarding the month of Ramadhaan:

 

“Indeed; upon you it approaches, and it is a month of righteousness and blessings, and will shelter you before long, and it is indeed from the best of months and periods of time.

It is a month of virtuous preservation and fasting, and a month of worship and praying the night prayer and standing, as well as a month of righteousness and benefaction, a month of charity and feeding (others), its virtues are more than can be completely enumerated, or entered into prose and methodical order.

Its merits (performed within it) multiply, and its misdeeds (performed within it) –we hope – are lightened.

So observe graciously at its advent – the observance of beloved ones, and roll up the covers of negligence, like a scroll rolled up for a book, and present yourselves to the breezes of Al-Malik (The King), Al-Wahhaab (The Bestower), before the limbs pay witness to that which was badly earned.

So if you see its new-moon, then ask Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic, that He makes it appear upon you in security and Eemaan and blessing and safeguard and Islaam, as well as ability upon that which He loves and is pleased with from actions and speech. Likewise that He grants us the ability to fulfill its right and its veneration with precision, and to carry out its obligations and its Sunan upon continuance, and that He prevents our limbs and yours from touching that which is forbidden.

May Allaah make me and you from those that hear an admonition and so is consciously heedful to it, and stands with the rights of his Lord in all that He asked to be mindful of, and that He includes us and you in with the blessing of whoever supplicates to Him.

Indeed, the best of speech, and the most beneficial of what has come upon the pens is the speech of Al-Malik (The King) Al-‘Allaam (The All-Knower), I seek refuge with Allaah from Satan, the rejected:

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْتَنْظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ* وَلا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنْسَاهُمْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْفَاسِقُونَ* لا يَسْتَوِي أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ وَأَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ الْفَائِزُونَ

((O you who believe; fear Allaah; and let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow – and fear Allaah. Indeed, Allaah is well-acquainted with what you do. And be not like those who forgot Allaah and so He caused them to forget their ownselves. Those are the Fasiqoon [wrongdoing/disobedient ones]. Not equal are the companions of the Fire and the companions of Paradise. The companions of Paradise – they are the successful ones.)) (Al-Hashr: 18-20)”[5]

 

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[1] Abridged from Zaadul Ma’aad vol 2 p.29-30

[2] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.1899) and Muslim (no.2492) – with similar wording

[3] As hadeeth number 2493

[4] Lataa-if al-Ma’aarif p.250

[5] Majmu’ Khutab Ash-Shaikh ‘Abdir-Rahmaan bin Naasir As-Sa’dee p.563-564