As 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.
·
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
When Ramadan enters, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates
of Hellfire are closed and the devils are chained. (Al-Bukhari
and Muslim)
Incomparable Reward
·
(The performance of) `Umrah during Ramadan is equal (in reward) to
performing Hajj with me. (Authenticated by Al-Albani) Umm Saleem (may Allah be pleased with her)
·
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)
·
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)
·
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 and the Qur'an will intercede on behalf of Allah's servant
on the Day of Judgment:
Fasting will say, "O my Lord! I prevented him from food and
desires during the day, so accept my intercession for him."
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)
·
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)
by Muhammad Fathi (OnIslam)