الْحَمْدُ
لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَ وَالصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلٰى سَيِّدِ
الْمُرْسَلِيْنَ
أَمَّا
بَعْدُ فَأَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطٰنِ الرَّجِيْمِ ط بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ
الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ط
Excellence
of Ramadan
No matter how lazy Satan tries to make you feel, please read this chapter (every year) from beginning to end. اِنْ شَآءَ اللّٰه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, You will see its blessings for yourself.
Excellence
of Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī ﷺ
The Prophet of mankind, the Peace of
our heart and mind, the most Generous and Kind صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said, ‘Indeed, he
who recites Ṣalāt (Durūd) upon me the most, will be the closest to me on the
Day of Judgement.’ (Jāmi’ Tirmizī, pp. 27, vol. 2, Ḥadīš 484)
صَلُّوْا
عَلَى الْحَبِيْب
صَلَّى
اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! It is a great
bounty of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ that He عَزَّوَجَلَّ has granted us a tremendous gift in the
form of Ramadan, whose every moment is full of mercy. The reward of good deeds
is multiplied many times in this month. The reward of a Nafl act is equivalent
to that of a Farḍ one, while the reward of a Farḍ act is multiplied 70 times.
In this month, even the sleep of a fasting person is considered an act of
worship. The divine ‘Arsh-holding angels say ‘Āmīn’ for the Du’ā of the fasting
people. According to a Ḥadīš, the fish in the seas ask for forgiveness until
Ifṭār for the one who fasts in Ramadan. (Attarghīb Wattarhīb, pp. 55, vol.
2, Ḥadīš 6)
Door
of worship
Fast is a hidden form of worship; no
one can come to know about your fast until you tell it to others. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ likes hidden worship more. A blessed Ḥadīš
says, ‘Fasting is the door of worship.’ (Al-Jāmi’-uṣ-Ṣaghīr, pp. 146, Ḥadīš
2415)
Revelation of the Quran
Ramadan is a blessed and sacred month in which Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ revealed the Holy Quran. He عَزَّوَجَلَّ mentions the revelation of the Holy Quran
and Ramadan in these words:
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِيْ
أُنْزِلَ فِيْهِ الْقُرْاٰنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَ بَيِّنٰتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدٰى وَ
الْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَ مَنْ كَانَ
مَرِيْضًا أَوْ عَلٰى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيْدُ اللهُ
بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَ لَا يُرِيْدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ ۖ وَ لِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ
وَ لِتُكَبِّرُوا اللهَ عَلٰى مَا هَدٰىكُمْ وَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُوْنَ ﴿١٨٥﴾
The
month of Ramadan in which was sent down the Quran - the guidance for mankind,
the direction and the clear criteria (to judge between right and wrong). So
whoever among you finds this month, must fast
for the (whole) month; and whoever is sick or on a journey, may fast the sam
[Kanz-ul-Īmān
(Translation of Quran)] (Part 2, Sūrah Baqarah, verse 185)
Definition of Ramadan
Regarding the first part of this verse (شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِيْ), a renowned
exegetist of the Quran, Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān عَلَيْهِ
رَحْمَةُ الْحَنَّانِ has stated in ‘Tafsīr-e-Na’īmī’, ‘Like ‘رَحْمٰن’
(Raḥmān), Ramadan is probably one of the names of
Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ because He عَزَّوَجَلَّ is worshipped the whole day and night in
this month. Therefore, it is called Ramadan i.e., ‘The Month of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.’ As a Masjid or the Holy Ka’bah is
For a good harvest, rain is needed every day in
the first month of the rainy season, four times in the second month and once in
the last month. The last rain prepares the crops for harvest. In the like
manner, a Muslim does virtuous acts for eleven months and then the fasts of
Ramadan prepare the crops of virtues. The word 'رَمَض' (Ramḍ)
implies heat or burning. As the Muslims endure the burning of thirst and hunger
in Ramadan or as this month burns their sins, it is called Ramadan. (In Kanz-ul-'Ummāl, page 217, volume 8 there is a
narration reported by Sayyidunā Anas رضي الله عنه
that the Beloved and Blessed Prophet ﷺ
has said, 'This month is called Ramadan
because it burns sins.')
Reasons for names of
months
Mufti Aḥmad Yār Khān رحمه
الله has stated, 'Some
exegetists رحمهم الله have said that
different names were given to different months in relation to their seasons.
(For instance) the month that fell in summer was called Ramadan, the one in
spring was called Rabī'-ul-Awwal and the one that fell in water-freezing winter
was called Jumādil Ūlā.
In Islam
there is always a wonderful reason for a name, and the name is given in
relation to the attributes of the thing. This is not found in other terms. We
see an ignorant person named 'Muhammad Fāzil' (learned) and a coward is called
'Shayr Bahādur' (a brave lion) and an ugly man is called 'Yūsuf Khān' but there
is no such defect in Islam. Ramadan is a combination of virtues and excellence,
which is why it is called Ramadan.'
(Tafsīr-e-Na'īmī, pp. 205, vol. 2)
