The month of Ramadan is the season of divine blessings. It is the month of purification. It is meant for annual renovation of the inner spiritual qualities. It is a golden opportunity for everyMuslim to strengthen his ‘Iman -Faith and Belief-, to purify his heart and soul and to remove the evil effects of the sins committed by him.
This month invites a Muslim to minimize his other mundane involvements and maximize the acts of worship. One should plan his schedule for this month, before-hand, so as to spare maximum time for ‘ibadah.
Here is a brief list of the acts which should be carried out in Ramadan with due care:
1. To offer every prayer with Jama’ah -assemblage- in a Masjid -Mosque-.
2. To rise up a little earlier than the exact time of Suhoor -eating before Fajr- and to offer theSalat of Tahajjud -praying during night after sleeping.It extends from the time of Isha until Fajr -. There is no prescribed number of the Tahajjud prayer. Yet, it is better to pray 8 Rak’at.
3. To offer the Nafl prayers of Ishraq -two Rak’at after the sunrise- Duha -Four Rak’at which may be performed at anytime after Ishraq before noon- and Awwabin -six Rak’at after Maghrib-.
4. The recitation of the Holy Qur’an. No specific limit is prescribed. But one should recite as much of it as he can.
5. Dhikr or Tasbeeh - repetitive utterances of short sentences glorifying Allah-, specially the following recitations
In order - or witthout -:
Subhan'Allah (سبحان الله) means (Glory be to Allah) – repeated as many times as you can.
Alhamdulillah (الحمد لله) means (Praise be to Allah) – repeated as many times as you can.
Allahuakbar (الله أكبر) means (Allah is the Greatest) – repeated as many times as you can.
La ilaha ilallah ( لا إله إلا الله ) means (There is no god but Allah) - repeated as many times as you can.
La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah ( لا حول ولاقوة إلا بالله ) means (There is no power or strength except with Allah) - repeated as many times as you can.
Hasbiya Allah wa ni'mal wakeel. ( حسبي الله ونعم الوكيل ) means (Sufficient is Allah for us:an excellent Guardian is He).repeated as many times as you can.
They may also be continued frequently throughout the day, even if one is engaged in some light work, when walking , driving , meditating, or when in bed.
6. Prayers and supplications: No particular prayer is prescribed. One can pray for everything he needs both in this world and in the Hereafter. However, the supplications of the HolyProphet (PBUH) are so comprehensive that they encompass all that a Muslim can need in his life and after his death. It is, therefore, much advisable to pray Allah Almighty in the prophetic words used by the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
There are several books where these prophetic supplications have been complied. Here is the name of two books, which should be kept by every Muslim in his home and be used for praying daily:
(i) Al-hisnul-hasin By ‘Allamah al-jazri.
(ii) Munajat-e-Maqbool By Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi.
7. Sadaqah (charity): Apart from paying Zakah, which is obligatory, one should also pay optional Sadaqah in Ramadan according to his best ability. It is reported in authentic ahadith that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) used to pay special attention in Ramadan to look after the poor and to help them financially. Therefore, a Muslim should give as much money in Sadaqah as he can afford.
Each and every aspect of our lives is controlled by Allah’s Will. Hence, we are in no knowledge of whether we will live to experience another Ramadan, let alone another day. Therefore, we should invest all the power and energy in us, and waste no time in the process to rebuild our personalities, to be better people, to be closer to Allah. Good deeds, when practiced regularly, become habits, which are inculcated in our souls. Therefore, if we attempt to refrain from committing sins during this sacred month, it will be part of our nature to abstain from perpetrating sins, once the Holy month ends. In this month, shall our prayers be in their most sincere form as Allah will respond to our hearts’ deepest requests and relieve us from sadness and depression. Fasting doesn’t necessarily mean to exclusively refrain from eating; fasting means to refrain from practicing all immoral acts, such as lying, backstabbing, slander,greed, etc. Shall they be practiced, then it is the equivalent of braking our fasts. To commit such acts throughout the year is as sin as well, but it holds a graver consequence duringRamadan. Our time during this holy month should be occupied by our regular prayers to Allahon their precise timings, along with Taraweeh and Qeyam Al Leil prayers and the recitation and the studying of the Holy Quran once, twice and maybe even thrice, along with donating our money, food and time to the unfortunate.
الثلاثاء يونيو 18, 2013 11:01 am