RAMADAN 1432 H [2011]

RAMADAN 1432 H [2011]
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallam said, “Whoever fasted in Ramadan out of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) and hoping for a reward from ALLAH, then all his past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the prayers in the nights of Ramadan out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from ALLAH, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.”
(Bu...khari & Muslim)

FACTS ABOUT RAMADAN
• Ramadan – This word literally means “One that Burns” According to scholars, in this month the Sins are burnt away… therefore it is called Ramadan.
• The Month of Ramadan begins when the new crescent is sighted on the 29th of Shabaan otherwise it starts after the 30 days of Shabaan are completed.(Bukhari)
• It is the month during which prophethood was granted to Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallam.
• Quran was revealed in this month.
• The Lailatul Qadr, the night on which Quran was revealed and a night which is better than a thousand months falls in this month.
• Battle of Badr was fought and won in this month.
• Makkah was conquered by the Muslims in this month.
• Voluntary (nafil) acts are given a reward equal to obligatory (fard) acts.
• The reward of obligatory (fard) acts is increased 70 times in Ramadan.
• The doors of heaven are opened in this month and the doors of hell are closed.
• Devils are chained in this month.
• Mercy is poured down to Earth during Ramadan.


RAMADAN OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD
SALLALLAHU ALAYHE WASALLAM

Reciting and Reflecting Upon The Quran
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas: “Jibreel used to meet him (Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallam) every night in Ramadan to study the Holy Quran carefully together. (Bukhari)

Night Prayers
Narrated Abu Salma bin ‘Abdur Rahman: I asked ‘Aisha, “How is the prayer of Prophet Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallamduring the month of Ramadan.” She said, “Prophet Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallam never exceeded eleven Rakah in Ramadan or in other months; he used to offer four Rakah– do not ask me about their beauty and length, then four Rakah, do not ask me about their beauty and length, and then three Rakah.(Bukhari)

Tarweeh in Masjid e Nabawi
Narrated ‘Aisha, the mother of the faithful believers: One night Prophet Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallam offered the prayer in the Mosque and the people followed him. The next night he also offered the prayer and too many people gathered. On the third and the fourth nights more people gathered, but ALLAH’s Apostle did not come out to them. In the morning he said, “I saw what you were doing and nothing but the fear that it (i.e. the prayer) might be made obligatory on you, stopped me from coming to you.” And that happened in the month of Ramadan. (Bukhari)
Note: Taraweeh prayer is established from the sunnah based on the above mentioned hadith. Rasool ALLAH Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallam himself led the Muslims in Taraweeh prayer for two days but gave up after that due to fear that it may become a compulsory (wajib) sunnah. It is a voluntary (nafil) prayer and is recommended during Ramadan.

Praying in the last Ten Days of Ramadan and Lailatul Qadr – Night of Decree
Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallamsaid, “Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan. (Bukhari)
Narrated Aisha: With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallamused to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work hard) and used to pray all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers. (Bukhari)

Observing Itekaf
Narrated Abdullah bin Umar: Prophet Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallamused to practise Itikaf in the last ten days of the month of Ramadan. (Bukhari)
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallam used to perform Itikaf every year in the month of Ramadan for ten days, and when it was the year of his death, he stayed in Itikaf for twenty days. (Bukhari)

Height of generosity in Ramadan
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas: Prophet Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallam was the most generous of all the people, and he used to be more generous in the month of Ramadan when JIbreel used to meet him… Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallam used to become more generous than the fast wind when he met Jibreel.(Bukhari)