Welcoming Ramadan – Getting Prepared

Benefit:

“Praise be to Allah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whom so ever Allah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped in truth except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

“O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allah.) [Aal Imraan 3:102]

“O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created his wife, and from them both He created many men and women, and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship) Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you).” [al-Nisaa 4:1]

“O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth). He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment.” [al-Ahzaab 33:70]

As for what proceeds, the best of speech is the speech of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad(ﷺ). And the worst of affairs are the newly invented affairs (in the religion). And every innovation (in the religion) is a going astray.

O you Muslims, servants of Allah, verily the Muslim is approaching a great month, a precious time, that which has numerous benefits and different levels. The month of Ramadan, it is the month of the Qur’an, it is the month of fasting, it is the month of standing at night, it is the month of charity, it is the month of fearing Allah, it is the month of wiping away the mistakes, and forgiveness of the sins, it is the month of the revelation of the Qur’an, it is the month of the Night of Decree, that which is better than one thousand months.

This is the blessed month, the glorious month, this is an exalted time which every Muslim must welcome it with a honorable welcoming. Based upon the actions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his companions and the righteous predecessors of this nation and the scholars of the Muslims and the imams of the religion. The month of Ramadan is welcome with sincere intentions and strong determination for the worship of Allah and His obedience, by taking advantage of its days and nights. For verily good intentions aids the one with it. And the Prophet ﷺ said, “The reward of actions depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he intended.” From the hadith of the Leader of the Believers, Umar bin Al-Khataab in Bukhari and Muslim.

So, one must have a good intention for the month of Ramadan and strong determination to worship Allah and be in His obedience. The month of Ramadan should be received by one separating himself from the things that busy him and from his own lowly desires. Seeking that which benefits him in Ramadan and its many blessings. As one knows, this is the month of increasing in the fear of Allah and forgiveness of sins. Oh servant of Allah, separate yourself from being busy with the Dunya as much as you can for the sake of worshipping Allah and being in His obedience. The month of Ramadan is greeted with a praiseworthy accord and conduct that is respected. From safeguarding one’s speech, with sophisticated dialogue and good livelihood, being good to one’s parents, connecting the family ties, being good to the neighbors and aiding and supporting the poor and the weak. For verily the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was the most generous of people in Ramadan, as it comes in the hadith of Abdullah bin Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) in Bukhari and Muslim. He was the best of people in his character, and in charity and goodness. And the best in giving and compensating.

The month of Ramadan should be greeted by preserving one’s time with the reciting of the Qur’an and seeking the healing from it, and constantly remembering Allah a lot. For verily it is the month that the greatest remembrance was sent down, the Qur’an.

{شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِيَ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ}

Which translates as:

“The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.”

And His statement:

{إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ}

Which translates as:

“Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree.”

And His statement:

{إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ}

Which translates as:

“Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night.”

And the angel Jibril (عليه سلم) used to descend every night in Ramadan to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to teach him the Qur’an. As it comes in the hadith of Abdullah bin Abbas in Bukhari and Muslim.

The month of Ramadan should be greeted with a strong determination to leave off sins and turning away from the evils, all of its different types and forms. From nonsense speech, singing, backbiting, lying and false testimony. And from looking at the impermissible of these TV shows. Verily, sins weaken the strength (to preform good deeds) and causes the blessings to go away.

Allaah the Most High says:

وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ

That which translates as:

“And Allah puts forward the example of a township (Makkah), that dwelt secure and well content; its provision coming to it in abundance from every place, but it (its people) denied the Favours of Allah (with ungratefulness). So Allah made it taste the extreme of hunger (famine) and fear, because of that (evil) which they (its people) used to do.” [Surat An-Nahl 112]

And His the Most High’s statement:

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَىٰ آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَٰكِنْ كَذَّبُوا فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ

That which translates as:

“And if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwa (piety), certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes, etc.).” [Surat Al-A’raf 96]

And His the Most High’s statement:

لَقَدْ كَانَ لِسَبَإٍ فِي مَسْكَنِهِمْ آيَةٌ ۖ جَنَّتَانِ عَنْ يَمِينٍ وَشِمَالٍ ۖ كُلُوا مِنْ رِزْقِ رَبِّكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لَهُ ۚ بَلْدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَبٌّ غَفُورٌ

That which translates as:

“Indeed there was for Saba’ (Sheba) a sign in their dwelling place, – two gardens on the right hand and on the left (and it was said to them) “Eat of the provision of your Lord, and be grateful to Him, a fair land and an Oft-Forgiving Lord.” [Surat Saba:15]

Oh, my dear Muslims, verily sins are very dangerous and with that it is a must to greet Ramadan with a strong determination to leave off sins and distance oneself from them. So busy yourself with the worship of Allah and glorifying Him in this time of goodness.

The month of Ramadan should be greeted with bringing to life the masjids, in the true sense of it’s meaning, as the people mostly focus on the physical. For verily the people greet Ramadan with cleaning the masjids and decorating it, even if that is what is part of establishing the masjid. However, the real purpose and higher meaning of establishing the masjid is that it be established upon the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ. Meaning, being filled with the remembrance of Allah with those standing, establishing the prayers and worshipping Allah in them. For verily the masjids are not established except by the people of Eemaan and the people of prayer and charity those that fear ar-Rahmaan. Allah the Most High says,

إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَى
الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللّهَ فَعَسَى أُوْلَـئِكَ أَن يَكُونُواْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ

That which translates as:

“The mosques of Allah are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakah and do not fear except Allah, for it is expected that those will be of the [rightly] guided.”

And He the Most-High says,

فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَن تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ۝ رِجَالٌ لَّا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاء الزَّكَاةِ يَخَافُونَ يَوْماً تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ

Which translates as:

“In houses (masajid) which Allah has ordered to be raised and that His name be mentioned therein; exalting Him within them in the morning and the evenings, [are] men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer and giving of zakah. They fear a Day in which the hearts and eyes will [fearfully] turn about.” [Surah Nur:36-37]

Oh my dear Muslims, it is imperative that we establish the masjids in Ramadan from the morning to the evening. So, I reiterate to you all because the masjids are the most beloved places to Allah. Imam Muslim stated in his Sahih from the hadith of Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The most beloved places to Allah are the masjids and the most disliked places to Allah are the marketplaces.”

Oh my dear Muslims, servants of Allah, the month of Ramadan should be welcomed with the leaving off of buying and selling in the marketplaces and spending time in them without a serious need calling for that. For verily, you have come to know that the most disliked places to Allah are these marketplaces. So, oh Muslim, do not waste your time in these marketplaces, going out to them without a real need (for what is in them). Yes, if you work in the market or your work takes you to the market or you really have a need in it, then there is nothing prohibiting that (you entering the market). But to waste your time from Asr to the setting of the Sun in the market, or to waste your time in the nights in the market not working there or without a real need, Why, oh servant of Allah? Why oh Muslim? Your hearts are at ease and you’re relaxed in these marketplaces?! And they are the most disliked places to Allah! Why don’t you spend your free time in the Houses of Allah? And in the masjid of Allah. Which many have been prevented from due to this epidemic. How many eyes now water and how many hearts now yearn for the houses of Allah!? And the masjids of Allah.
So, fear Allah oh Muslim, so that you can be at ease and at rest in the houses of Allah. Because from the seven that will be shaded on the Day there will be no shade except the shade of Allah, is a person whose heart is attached to the masjid. From the hadith of Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) in Bukhari and Muslim. So be warned, oh Muslims, of wasting your time in the market places and you’re not even working there or seeking provision or trying to obtain a need that you have from what is in it. For verily the marketplaces are the most disliked places to Allah.

The month of Ramadan should be greeted by preserving the tongue from foul speech and cursing, even if one curses you. As it came in the hadith Qudsi in Bukhari and Muslim from Abi Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet ﷺ said Allah said, “If one of you is fasting he should avoid sexual relations with his wife and quarreling, and if someone should curse him or quarrel with him, he should say, “I am fasting.””

Meaning do not lower yourself by cursing and quarreling while you are fasting. For he is in a lofty state of worship and in a noble obedience which raises him above cursing, foul statements and quarreling. This is what is required from a Muslim when he meets Ramadan.

The month of Ramadan should be welcomed with controlling the desires and keeping it restrained from evil, filthy things from smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and khat, and those that are far worse like alcohol and drugs. For this is a great and valuable time to fast, oh Muslim, from the rising of the sun till its setting. Fasting for the sake of Allah not submitting to the thing that invalidate the fast from that which is pure (food and drinks) to that which is evil. Why do you not take this as a lesson for you, as you leave off all these evil in Ramadan until the evening.

(Likewise) the month of Ramadan should not be wasted playing sports or cards. Not after Asr, nor in the evening. Because many people spend their time in Ramadan, especially at the times of Asr and after Isha, playing dominoes, and cards and the likes that have come with a prohibition against. Are we not seeking the forgiveness of Allah!? Are we not seeking His Mercy!? So where is our striving? Where is our worship? Where is our obedience? Where is our righteous actions?

The month of Ramadan should be met with simplifying your eating and drinking and not being wasteful or extravagant in that. So, to aid you in preforming many good deeds and to leave off the bad deeds. Because too much food leads one to become lazy and incapable of preforming acts of worship, and even leads to an increase in heedlessness.

Oh, my dear Muslims, with what comes with increasing in eating and drinking is being distant from the obedience of Allah and His pleasure. And it pulls and drives you to sins, which may cause the anger of Allah upon you.

From that which one should greet Ramadan with is fearing Allah in matters like women. Advising them and encourage them to preform acts of worship. And staying away from the things that busy them too much like spending too much time cooking and preparing food. How much of the woman’s time is wasted in the kitchen while many are reciting the Book of Allah and remembering Allah while she is in the kitchen as if this is the month of food, not of fasting.

So, oh my dear Muslims, upon us is to have mercy upon ourselves and mercy upon our children and our women. To aid them and encourage with worship and the obedience and remembrance of Allah. And not increase upon them the request of all these different foods for Suhoor and Iftar in Ramadan as we have mentioned.

We ask Allah for safety and well-being, and all praise is for Allah, and I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped in truth except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Benefited from: Shaikh Abu Abdillah Muhammad Ba Jamaal (May Allah preserve him)

Source: https://t.me/bajmaal/4190

Translated by: Abu Yusuf Bilal ibn Howard Robinson