Significance of Blessed Month Ramadan - Page 8

the blessed month of Ramadan approaches, it is time to warm up and get ready. Reading the Prophet'shadiths about Ramadan and its blessings cleans the believers' souls and makes them more eager to enjoy the exceptionally spiritual, soul-nourishing experience of Ramadan.

Following is a collection of hadithsthat reveal the status of the blessed month, its merits, rewards and special offers, as well as the Prophet's example in Ramadan.

Incomparable Reward

(The performance of) 'Umrah during Ramadan is equal (in reward) to performing Hajj with me. (Authenticated by Al-Albani)

• Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

Every action a son of Adam does shall be multiplied"a good action by ten times its value, up to 700 times. Allah says: With the exception of fasting, which belongs to Me, and I reward it accordingly. For, one abandons his desire and food for My sake.

There are two occasions of joy for a fasting person: one when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord, and the (bad) breath (of a fasting person) is better in the sight of Allah than the fragrance of musk. (Al-Bukhari)

• Abu Ayub (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

Whosoever fasts in Ramadan and then follows it with fasting six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasts forever. (Muslim)

Moral Training and Self-Disciplining

• Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said

Fasting is a shield; so when one of you is fasting he should neither indulge in obscene language nor should he raise his voice in anger. If someone attacks him or insults him, let him say: "I am fasting!"(Muslim)

Chances for Forgiveness

• Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

The five (daily) prayers, and from one Friday prayer to the next, and from Ramadan to Ramadan are expiation for sins committed in between provided one stays away from the major sins. (Al-Bukhari)

• Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

• Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said

Whoever stands (in the voluntary night prayer of) Ramadan out of faith and in hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

• Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said

Whoever stands (in the voluntary night prayer) in Laylat Al-Qadr out of faith and in hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven. (Al-Bukhari)

Protection from Hellfire

• Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

Anyone who fasts for one day for Allah's sake, Allah will keep his face away from the Hellfire for (a distance covered by a journey of) seventy years. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

• 'Uthman ibn Abi Al-'Aas reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

Fasting serves as a shield from Hellfire. (An-Nasa'i and authenticated by Al-Albani)

• Abdullah ibn 'Amr reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

Fasting will say, "O my Lord! I prevented him from food and desires during the day, so accept my intercession for him."Fasting and the Qur'an will intercede on behalf of Allah's servant on the Day of Judgment:

And the Qur'an will say, "O my Lord! I prevented him from sleeping by night, so accept my intercession for him."

The intercession of both will thus be accepted. (Ahmad and authenticated by Al-Albani)

Actions Speak Louder

• Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

"The Prophet was the most generous of all people, and he used to become more generous in Ramadan when Gabriel met him. Gabriel used to meet him every night during Ramadan to revise the Qur'an with him. Allah's Messenger then used to be more generous than the fast wind." (Al-Bukhari)

• 'A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to strive more in worship during Ramadan than he strove in any other time of the year; and he would devote himself more (in the worship of Allah) in the last ten nights of Ramadan than he did in earlier part of the month. (Muslim).

• Abu Hurayrah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to observe i'tikaf (spiritual retreat in a mosque) every Ramadan for ten days; in the year in which he passed away, he observed i'tikaf for twenty days. (Al-Bukhari)