Ten Distinctive Characteristics of the Month of Ramadhaan

 

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

 

The month of Ramadhaan is a month of great blessing and is filled with acts of worship and obedience which the Muslim is able to carry out in order to seek nearness to Allaah, The Most High, as well as His Forgiveness. From some of the distinctive characteristics of this month are the following ten:

 

Allaah, The Most High, Legislated Fasting During this Month, and it is A Pillar from the Pillars of Islaam

 

Shaikh ‘Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) said: “Fasting is the fourth pillar from the pillars of Islaam. Fasting was made obligatory by way of the Book and the Sunnah and by way of consensus. The proof of its obligation from the Qur’aan is His saying, The Most High:

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)

 

Prescribed meaning: obligated.

From the Sunnah is the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (radhiyallaahu ‘anhumaa):

بُنِيَ الإِسْلَامُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ: شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ، وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ، وَالحَجِّ، وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ

((Islaam is built upon five; the testimony that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, and to establish the prayer, and to give the zakaat, and to perform the Hajj, and to fast in Ramadhaan.))[1]

 

Likewise the Muslims are united upon the obligation of fasting, and it is in the month of Ramadhaan.”[2]

 

From the Distinctive Characteristics of the Month of Ramadhaan is that the Qur’aan was Revealed Within it

 

Allaah, The Most High, said:

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ

((The month of Ramadhaan in which was revealed the Qur’aan)) (Al-Baqarah: 185)

 

Al-Haafidh Ibn Katheer (rahimahullaah) said in his explanation of this verse: “He, The Most High, commends the month of fasting from the rest of the months, in that He chose it from among them for revealing the Qur’aan Al-‘Adheem within it. So just as He specified it with that, there has come a hadeeth citing that it is the month in which the divine Books would be revealed upon the Prophets.”[3]

He, The Most High, said likewise:

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ

((Indeed; We sent it [the Qur’aan] down in the Night of Al-Qadr [Decree])) (Al-Qadr: 1)

 

From the Distinctive Characteristics of the Month of Ramadhaan is that Fasting this Month is a Reason for the Forgiveness of One’s Sins

 

On the authority of Abee Hurairah (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu) who said that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

((Whoever fasts the month of Ramadhaan out of true faith and seeking reward, then his previous sins will be forgiven for him.))[4]

 

Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr (rahimahullaah) said regarding this hadeeth: “What is meant by true faith is: belief in the obligation of fasting it, and (what is meant by) seeking reward is: seeking reward from Allaah, The Most High.”[5]

It has likewise been reported in the hadeeth of Abee Hurairah (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu) in which the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

الصَّلَوَاتُ الخَمْسُ، وَالجُمُعَةُ إِلَى الجُمُعَةِ، وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ مُكَفِّراتٌ ما بيْنَهُنَّ إِذَا اجْتُنِبَتِ الكَبَائِرُ

((The five daily prayers, and one Friday to another Friday, and one Ramadhaan to another Ramadhaan are an expiation for that which is committed between them, as long as the major sins are avoided.))[6]

 

From the Distinctive Characteristics of the Month of Ramadhaan is that the Gates of Paradise are Opened and the Gates of Hell are Closed, and the Devils are Shackled

 

On the authority of Abee Hurairah (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu) who said that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

إِذَا جَاءَ رَمَضَانُ فُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ النَّارِ وَصُفِّدَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ

((When Ramadhaan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of the Fire [of Hell] are closed, and the devils are shackled.))[7]

 

Shaikh ul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah) said: “Indeed, the channels of the devils, which is the blood becomes constricted, and when it is constricted, the hearts are revived in order to carry out good due to which the gates of Paradise are opened, as well as to the abandonment of wrongdoings due to which the gates of the Fire are opened, and the devils are shackled and so their strength is weakened as well as their acts due to their being shackled.

So in the month of Ramadhaan they cannot do that which they would do in other than it, and he did not say that they are killed or that they die, rather he said: ((shackled)). Whilst the shackled one from the devils may harm, however it is lesser and weaker than it would be in other than Ramadhaan, for it is in accordance to the completeness of the fast and its deficiency.”[8]

 

From the Distinctive Characteristics of the Month of Ramadhaan is that Within it The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) Would Increase in Observing Acts of Worship and Obedience

 

Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said: “And from his guidance (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) during the month of Ramadhaan was that of being plentiful in a variety of forms of worship. Likewise Jibreel would read (revise) the Qur’aan with him in Ramadhaan, and he would be plentiful in giving in charity and in showing excellence and in the recitation of the Qur’aan and in prayer and in dhikr (remembrance of Allaah) along with making i’tikaaf. He would particularize it with varying forms of worship with that which he would not particularize in other than it.”[9]

As has been mentioned, the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) would increase in the recitation of the Qur’aan and would increase in generosity during this month as occurs in the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (radhiyallaahu ‘anhumaa) who said:

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَجْوَدَ النَّاسِ وَكَانَ أَجْوَدُ مَا يَكُونُ فِي رَمَضَانَ حِينَ يَلْقَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ وَكَانَ يَلْقَاهُ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ فَيُدَارِسُهُ الْقُرْآنَ فَلَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَجْوَدُ بِالْخَيْرِ مِنْ الرِّيحِ الْمُرْسَلَةِ

((The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) was the most generous of all the people, and his generosity used to be more so in Ramadhaan when Jibreel would meet him. He used to meet him every night during Ramadhaan in order to revise the Qur’an with him. Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) used to be more generous in doing good than the fair wind sent forth. ))[10]

 

Ibn Rajab (rahimahullaah) said regarding the recitation of the Qur’aan during the month of Ramadhaan: “Indeed there is a report that the recitation of the Qur’an should not be completed in less than three days by those who recite it constantly in such a way. As for during virtuous times such as the month of Ramadhaan, especially during the nights wherein laylatul-Qadr is being sought or whilst in virtuous locations such as Makkah – for those who enter it and are not from its people (residents), then it is recommended that the recitation of the Qur’an be plentiful in order to gain benefit from the virtue of the time and place. This is the opinion of Ahmad (bin Hanbal) and Ishaaq (bin Raahawaih) and others among the distinguished Imaams.”[11]

 

From the Distinctive Characteristics of the Month of Ramadhaan is to Stand in Prayer in Its Nights

 

Shaikh ‘Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) said: “From the distinctive characteristics of this month is to stand in its nights, from the start of the night until the end of the night, due to the statement of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam):

مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

((Whoever stands [in prayer] in Ramadhaan out of true faith and seeking reward, then his previous sins will be forgiven for him.))[12]

 

The Taraweeh that we now pray is from the standing of Ramadhaan, the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa ‘alaa aalihi wa sallam) stood (in prayer) with his companions for three nights in Ramadhaan and the people became plentiful until they filled the Masjid. Then he abstained and said:

خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَلاةُ اللَّيْلِ فَتَعْجِزُوا عَنْهَا

((I was afraid that [my observing the prayer continuously] might make the night prayer obligatory upon you, so you would be unable to carry it out.))[13]

 

So upon this basis the Taraweeh prayer is a Sunnah by way of the practice of the Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa ‘alaa aalihi wa sallam)”[14]

 

From the Distinctive Characteristics of the Month of Ramadhaan is that Each Night Allaah Frees People From the Hell-Fire

 

It has been authentically reported that each night from the nights of Ramadhaan, Allaah, The Most High, frees people from the Hell-Fire, as occurs in the hadeeth of Abee Umaamah (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu) in which the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عِنْدَ كُلِّ فِطْرٍ عُتَقَاءَ

((Indeed at the breaking of every fast Allaah has people whom He frees [from the Fire].))[15]

 

It has likewise been reported in the hadeeth of Jaabir (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu) in which the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

إنَّ للَّهِ عندَ كلِّ فِطرٍ عتقاءَ وذلِك في كلِّ ليلةٍ

((Indeed at the breaking of every fast Allaah has people whom He frees [from the Fire], and that is in every night.))[16]

 

From the Distinctive Characteristics of the Month of Ramadhaan is that Laylatul Qadr Occurs Within it

 

In this month is Laylatul Qadr (the night of decree) which is better than a thousand months, as Allaah, The Most High, said:

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ* وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ * لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ* تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ* سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ

((Indeed; We sent it [the 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. The Angels and the Rooh [Jibreel] descend therein by permission of their Lord with every matter. Peace! It is until the appearance of dawn.)) (Al-Qadr: 1-5)

 

It is the blessed night which was mention by Allaah, The Mighty, and Majestic, in His saying:

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ * فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ

((Indeed, We sent it [the Qur’aan] down on a blessed night. Verily, We are ever warning. Therein [that night] is decreed every matter of ordainment.)) (Ad-Dukhaan: 3-4)

 

It is a night that is such that whoever stands in worship within it out of true faith and seeking the reward of Allaah, then his previous sins will be forgiven for him, as the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

مَن قَامَ لَيْلَةَ القَدْرِ إيمَانًا واحْتِسَابًا، غُفِرَ له ما تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنْبِهِ

((Whoever stands [in prayer] in Laylatul Qadr out of true faith and seeking reward, then his previous sins will be forgiven for him.))[17]

 

Shaikh ‘Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) said: “From the distinctive characteristics of this blessed month is that in it is Laylatul Qadr, meaning a night of distinction and a night of decree. This night is a distinct significant night – I mean Laylatul Qadr, as it is better than a thousand months, and in it the Angels descend as does the Rooh – who is Jibreel, and in it is every affair that Allaah commands with. So there is written down within it that which is to occur in the year, it is one of peacefulness, and it ceases at the appearance of dawn

حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ

((Until the appearance of dawn.)) (Al-Qadr: 1-5)”[18]

 

From the Distinctive Characteristics of the Month of Ramadhaan is that I’tikaaf Can be Observed in the Masaajid in the Last Ten Days

 

On the authority of ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Umar (radhiyallaahu ‘anhumaa) who said:

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَعْتَكِفُ الْعَشْرَ الْأَوَاخِرَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ

((The Messenger of Allaah [sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam] would observe I’tikaaf in the last ten days of Ramadhaan.))[19]

 

Shaikh ‘Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) said: “From the distinctive characteristics of this month is the observance of I’tikaaf, and it is to adhere to the Masjid for obedience to Allaah, meaning that the individual stays in the Masjid vacating himself for obedience to Allaah, abstaining from the world, and due to this he should not buy or sell, and he should not approach his household (for sexual relations), rather he should not leave the Masjid except for that which is essential – whether legislatively or by way of sensory perception.”[20]

He said likewise: “I’tikaaf is not legislated except in Ramadhaan, and it is not legislated except in the last ten days from it, I’tikaaf is that a person adheres to the Masjid for the purpose of worship from the setting of the sun on the night of the twentieth of Ramadhaan until the setting of the sun on the final day of Ramadhaan. This is I’tikaaf, that the individual withdraws in it to his Lord, The Mighty and Majestic, in a house from His houses for reciting and making dhikr (remembrance of Allaah) and prayer and other than that from the acts of worship.”[21]

 

From the Distinctive Characteristics of the Month of Ramadhaan is that it is a Month of Patience

 

Shaikh ul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah) said:[22] “Fasting has been called: patience, and from that is the statement of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam):

شهرُ الصبرِ، وثلاثةُ أيامٍ من كلِّ شهرٍ، صومُ الدهرِ

(([Fasting] the month of patience and [fasting] three days from every month is [equivalent to] fasting a year.))”[23]

 

Ibn Rajab (rahimahullaah) mentioned:[24] “The best of the forms of patience is: fasting, since it indeed combines patience upon the three types, because it is patience upon the obedience of Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic, and patience from sinfulness to Allaah. Since the servant leaves off his desires for the sake of Allaah, whilst his soul may contend with him in inclination to them, and so it is due to this that there occurs in the authentic hadeeth that Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic says:

كلُّ عملِ ابنِ آدمَ لهُ إلا الصيامَ، فإنه لي، وأنا أَجزي به، إنه ترَك شهوتَه وطعامَه وشرابَه من أجْلي

((Every action of the son of Aadam is for him, except for fasting, for it is for Me and I shall grant reward for it, indeed – he leaves off his desire and his food and his drink because of Me.))”[25]

 

Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) said: “From its distinguishing characteristics, is that it is a month of patience, meaning; to withhold the soul from its desires through fasting, and its enduring the the difficulty of obedience, and being distant from what it is accustomed to, and patience is from the most difficult of the acts of obedience upon the souls. So it is due to this that Paradise becomes its reward. Allaah, The Most High, said

إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ

((Only those who are patient shall receive their reward [in full] without measure.)) (Az-Zumar: 10)”[26]

 

 

وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين

 

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[1] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.8) and Muslim (no.21)

[2] Duroos wa Fataawa al-Haramain ash-Sharifain vol 8 p.284

[3] Tafseer Al-Qur’aan Al-‘Adheem vol  2 p.179

[4] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.38) and Muslim (no.1778)

[5] Fathul Baaree vol 4 p.149

[6] Reported by Muslim (no.233)

[7] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.1898 and 1899) – with slight variation in wording, and Muslim (no.2492) and the wording above is that of Muslim.

[8] Majmu’ Fataawa vol 25 p.246

[9] Mukhtasar Zaadul Ma’aad p.135

[10] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.6) and Muslim with similar wording (no.5964)

[11] Lataa-if al-Ma’aarif p.237

[12] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.37) and Muslim (no.759)

[13] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.1129) and Muslim (no.761) and the wording above is that of Muslim.

[14] Al-Liqa-aat ar-Ramadhaaniyyah p.651

[15] Reported by Ahmad in his Musnad (no.22202) and At-Tabaraanee in Al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer (no.8088) and Al-Baihaqee in Shu’ab al-Eeemaan (no.3605). It was declared Hasan Saheeh by Shaikh Al-Albaanee in Saheeh At-Targheeb wa at-Tarheeb (no.1001) and was declared Hasan by Shaikh Muqbil al-Waadi’ee in Al-Jaami’ as-Saheeh (vol 2 p.420)

[16] Reported by Ibn Maajah under the chapter: That which has come concerning the virtue of the month of Ramadhaan (no.1340) and it was declared Hasan Saheeh by Shaikh Al-Albaanee in his Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah (no.1340)

[17] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.1901) and Muslim (no.759)

[18] Al-Liqa-aat ar-Ramadhaaniyyah p.655

[19] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.2025) and Muslim (no.2772)

[20] Al-Liqa-aat ar-Ramadhaaniyyah p.655 with slight abridgement.

[21] Al-Liqa-aat ar-Ramadhaaniyyah p.774 with slight abridgement.

[22] Sharh al-‘Umdah vol 3 p.4

[23] Reported by An-Nasaa-i (no.2408) and Ahmad in his Musnad (no.7577) and Abu Ya’laa in his Musnad (no.6650). It was declared Saheeh (authentic) by Shaikh Al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan An-Nasaa-i (no.2407) as well as by Shaikh Muqbil in his As-Saheeh al-Musnad (vol 2 p.343 no.1350).

[24] As occurs in Jaami’ al-‘Uloom wal-Hikam vol 2 p.649

[25] The first half of this hadeeth is reported by Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.1904) and Muslim (no.2700) – the second half of the hadeeth: ((indeed – he leaves off his desire and his food and his drink because of Me.)) does not appear in this particular hadeeth in Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim, rather in a wording in Muslim (no.2701) there occurs: ((…and I shall grant reward for it, he leaves off his desire and his food because of Me.))

[26] Khasaa-is Shahr Ramadhaan al-Mubaarak p.5