THE
119TH SERMON DELIVERED AT AREA 10 JUMA’AH MASJID ABUJA, BY YAHYA GARBA
AL-YOLAWI, ON 12TH MAY 2017/ 15TH SHA’ABAN 1438 AH
TOPIC: SIGNIFICANCE
OF RAMADAN
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious the Most
Merciful
The term Ramaḍan is taken from the word “Ramad”
which means that which wasextremely heated by the sun. Arabs used to say about the sheep that they
were 'burned (ramidah) while they were grazing under the burning heat of the
sun to the extent that their livers became damaged (by the intense heat of the
sun). Ramaḍān was named such because it burns the sins of the believers. ImāmQurtubi said: ''It was named Ramaḍan because it burns
the sins of people with righteous deeds”. Abu Huraira (RA) narrated that the
Prophet (SAW) said: "Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan
out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, all his past sins
will be forgiven."(Al-Bukhari).
SIGNIFICANCE OF RAMADAN
Ramadan is the ninth
(9) month of the Islamic calendar; month of blessings, the month which Qur’an
was revealed, the best month in a year, and the month of earning multiple
rewards and forgiveness. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the five
known pillars of Islam. Our righteous predecessors were very attentive to the
month of Ramadan; thus it is known that many of them used to pray to Allah
during 6 months after the end of Ramadan to accept their fasting, and then in 6
months they would ask Allah to spare their lives to see the next Ramadan, so
that they would have another opportunity to make this great worship, which is
the fasting in the month of Ramadan.
Some of the verses and ahadith on Ramadan
include:
1. Ramadan
is a school of taqwa (piety).
“Oh you who have believed decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon
those before you that you may become righteousness" (Q 2:183) and he says:
“The most honored by Allah amongst you are those best in taqwaa
(righteusness)" ."(Q 49:13)
2.
Fasting is a protection against sin
and evil action: The prophet (SAW) was reported to have said: “Fasting is a
shield” (Bukhari, Muslim).
3. Ramadan fast is the fourth Pillar of Islam:
On the authority of Ibn Umar, the son of Omar bin Al-Khattab, (R.A) who said : I heard the messenger of Allah
says : "Islam has been built on five [pillars]: testifying that there is
nothing to worship but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah,
performing the prayers, paying the zakat, making the pilgrimage to the House,
and fasting in Ramadan." related by
Bukhari and Muslim
4. Ramadan
is the month of Qur’an: "The
month ofRamadan (is that in which was revealed the Qur’an, guidance for the
people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion...” Q2:186.
so read Qur’an as much as you can.
5. Lailatul-Qadr
(The Night of Decree/Power) isin the
month of Ramadan, which is better than a thousand monthsie 83yrs 6 months:
In deed, We sent the Quran down during the Night of Decree. And what can make
you know what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than
thousand months. The angels and the spirit descend their by permission of their
Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.(Q97.1-5)
6. Spending its nights in prayer out of faith and
in the hope of reward agreat means of
forgiveness.
7. Giving
out of sadaqah is higly encourage in Ramdan: it was Narrated by
Ibn ‘Abbas: that “The Prophet (S.A.W) was the most generous person, and he used
to become more so (generous) particularly in the month of Ramadan…more generous
than the fast wind in doing good” [Bukhari].
8. In this month,
Allah opens the gates of Paradise and closes the gates of Hell, and chains up
the devils. The Messenger of Allah,(SAW) said : "When
it is the first night of Ramadahn the evil devils are chained. The gates of
Fire are locked- not a single gate is opened, and the gates of Paradise are
opened- not a single gate is locked, and a caller calls out :'O seeker of good
come forward, and O seeker of evil withhold, and there are many whom Allah
frees from the Fire - and that is every night. [at-Tirmithi,].
9. Fasting is a
protection from hell fire: Abu Said al-Khudri reported that the
Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: "No servant fasts on a day in the path of
Allah except that Allah removes the Hell Fire seventy years further away from
his face." [Bukhari and Muslim] Abu Sa`eed al-Khudri relates that the
Messenger of Allah (SAW) said : "Fasting is a shield with which a servant
protects himself from the Fire" [Ahmad,
10. Fasting in
Ramadan is equivalent to fasting ten months:Abu Ayyub (R.A) reported that the Messenger of
Allah (SAW) said: "Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of
Shawwal, it will be as if he fasted for a whole year."Narrated by Muslim,
Abu Dawud. The Prophet ( SAW) explained this when he said: "Whoever fasts
for six days after ('Eid) al-Fitr has completed the year: (whoever does a good
deed (hasanah) will have ten hasanah (reward)
like it." Scholars have
further explained that: "Allah has made for each hasanah ten like it, so a
month is like fasting ten months, and fasting six days completes the
year." Allah knows the best.
Other benefits includes:
§ Fasting
Ramadan is a means of expiation for the sins committed since the previous
Ramadan, so long as one avoids major sins
§ Whoever prays Qiyaam in Ramadan with the Imaam
until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole night in
prayer.
§ Umra’h in Ramadhaan is equivalent to Hajj
SOME TIPS TOWARD RAMADAN PREPARATION
1. Sincere repentance:Repentance is required to
be performed continuously, at any time. So with the advent of the Blessed
Ramadan, you could proceed to begins worship with clean and pure heart. Almighty Allah says in the Quran:“And
turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
It was narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:“O people! Turn in
repentance towards Allah and ask His forgiveness. I turn towards Him a hundred
times a day.” Sincerity of intention (al- iqlasi) and following the teaching of
the prophet (SAW).
“And turn to Allah in
repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.”
2. Dua (supplication) for granting and acceptance of all acts of
ibadah performed and the one are yet to be done.
3. Repaying of the left
obligatory fasting.
It is reported from Abu
Salama, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said:
“I heard Aisha, may
Allah be pleased with her, as saying: “Sometimes I missed some days of Ramadan,
but could not fast instead of them except in the month of Shaban.”
4. Acquisition of
knowledge related to the dignity of the month of Ramadan, and with certain
provisions of the fast.
5. The coming
completion of all deeds that can distract you from worship in the month of
Ramadan.
6. Planning and designing
a time table for your Ramadan activities: Make a Ramadan plan.
Be it reading the
entire Quran, ensuring you pray taraweeh every night or inviting families over
for iftaar; make a list of things you would like to achieve in the month and
then how you plan on achieving these goals. It is important that goals are
realistic and it is better that your life doesn’t need to entirely take a
different road in this month (i.e. take the month off work or change work hours
etc.) so that you may continue to do these deeds after Ramadan. Knowing what
you want to achieve in the month will help you stay focused. Ensure you plan
your day every night before you sleep when Ramadan starts (try to continue this
even after Ramadan).
7. Physical and
financial preparation
8. Fasting in the month
of Sha’ban. It was reported in an
authentic hadith from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said:
“Sometimes the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
fasted so much that he even though he did not break his fast in that month, and
sometimes he broke his fast so much that we would say he did not fast. I did
not see the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) fast in the whole month except Ramadan. I
never saw him fast in any month more than he did in Sha’aban.”
May Allah (SWT) forgive
me where I am wrong and guide us to the right path.
We ask Allah the most high, to continue to
guide, protect our Iman and may He spare our lives to witness this upcoming
Ramadan, and accept it as an act of ibadah. Ameen.
Praised
is due to Allah, the lord of the world.
Contact: yahyalyolawi@gmail.com
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