I'tikaaf and 'Laila-tul-Qadr'

Ramadan: Supplications to Allah

Du’a is an act of worship which also acts as one of the most important and powerful weapons of a believer in this world. Du’a can help a person defend himself from any type of evil, be humble knowing that he is weak and vulnerable without Allah’s help and thus get closer to Allah (swt). A believer knows that without Allah he is nothing, and to accede to peace from every and any direction, he needs to equip himself with such spiritual weapon which shall grant him access to the Lord of the Worlds, and Ultimate Protector of mankind, so that this weapon, i.e. Du’a becomes effective as and when he uses it in his everyday life. As we are living the blessed days of the Holy month of Ramadhan, it is good to know that du’a can be of a great avail to us, and we Muslims should make use of this spiritual weapon and means for peace to accede to the stages of honour and pleasure which Allah grants to those who seek him through prayer and supplications.

Allah (swt) says in the Holy Quran, right after the verse of the prescription of fasting in Ramadhan:

“And when My servants ask you, (Oh Prophet), concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them obey Me and believe in Me that they may be (rightly) guided.” (2: 187)

When we take into account the place this verse occupies in the Holy Quran, we will find that it is between the verses concerning fasting. This alone brings on the importance of Du’a when fasting, as fasting holds a very great importance and significance in Islam.

Abu Said narrates from the prophet (pbuh) that: “No Muslim supplicates to Allah with a Du’a that does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb (i.e. the blood/family relations), but Allah will grant him one of the three things. He will either hasten the response to his supplication, save it for him until the Hereafter, or would turn an equivalent amount of evil away from him.” 

They (the companions) said, “What if we were to recite more (Du’a).” 

He said, “There is more with Allah.” (Ahmad)

'Fidya' and 'Fitra' in Ramadhan

“The month of Ramadan (is that) in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.

So whoever sights (the new moon of) the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. 

Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and (wants) for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that (to) which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.” (2:186).

Ramadhan is a month of countless blessings and virtues. 

The word RAMADHAN is derived “ramdh” which means “burning the feet from heat”. This is because of the fast, which burns the sins of a Muslim into ashes. Ramadhan has been given the name of blessed month because:

1)   In this month, the Quran was revealed, and the angel Gabriel used to come to make the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) recite the Quran, from beginning to end.

2)     In this month, there is the night of Qadr, which is better than 1000 months.

3)     In this month, the reward of a good deed is equal to the fardh of another month.

4)     This is the month of patience and the reward of this patience is Paradise.

5)     This month teaches the lesson of kindness towards others.

6)     In this month, the first ten days are of mercy, the second ten days are of forgiveness and the last ten days are of being freed from hell.

7)    The month of Ramadhan is a month in which the mercy and blessing of Allah (swt) descend upon us continuously if we are truly seeking the mercy of Allah and His countenance.

Ramadan: Fasting and Blessings

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil).” (2:184).

By the immense grace of Allah, we are again witnessing another blessed month of Ramadan. It is a month like no other month as it is the very special and blessed month of Allah, for Allah. From the moment that this exceptional month approaches us and welcomes us in its arms, the emotion becomes stronger and the heart becomes more sensitive. Every sincere Muslim waits impatiently for this great day. 

They all ask: “Ramadan! When will you come? We need you so much!” 

This impatience to welcome the month of Ramadan is found in the need for the believer to purify himself both physically and spiritually.

If a Muslim expresses himself with these words, certainly, he is undoubtedly aware of the true value of this month and the many benefits it contains. This is the month of blessing, whose beginning is mercy, the middle forgiveness, and whose end is freedom from hell-fire. It is a month which includes a night better than a thousand months and reward of good deeds is multiplied. The substance of the believer increases and favours coming from Allah the Exalted is constantly bestowed upon him. This is the month of endurance and forgiveness. And the reward of endurance is paradise.

When the servant realizes all that, his heart softens and his chest is opened to the acceptation of the truth. Thus, submission becomes his priority throughout this intense month of blessings.

Is the time not ripe for the Muslim to make manifest his joy, appreciation and gratitude to Allah the Exalted who kept him alive until the arrival of Ramadan? Every Muslim is recommended to welcome this month with repentance and with the preparation to fast and to spend his nights in prayer with good intention and strong determination. Is there a goal better than this?

Meditate on the following words of Allah:

“Say: ‘In the Bounty of Allah, and in His Mercy - therein let them rejoice.’ That is better than what (the wealth) they amass.” (Yunus, 10: 59)