Why Ramadan is Special: Characteristics and Features – II

… Continued
It is the month of Thikr)remembrance of Allaah( and supplication.
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:
• }and remember Allaah often that you may succeed.{ ]Quran 62:10[
• }and the men who remember Allaah often and the women whodo so -
for them Allaah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.{ ]Quran
33:35[
• }And invoke Him in fear and aspiration. Indeed, the mercy of
Allaah is near to the doers of good.{ ]Quran 7:56[
• }And when My servants ask you, ]O Muhammad[, concerning Me -
indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when
he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me]by obedience[ and believe
in Me that they may be ]rightly[ guided.{ ]Quran 2:186[
This last noble verse in particular highlights the intimate relation
between fasting and supplication.
In Ramadan, there is Laylatu Al-Qadr )the Night of Decree(, in
connection with which Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}The Night
of Qadr )Decree( is better than a thousand months.{ ]Quran 97:3[
According to the scholars, any righteous deed performed therein is
better than the actions of one thousand months, i.e. almost 83 years.
Thisis sufficient commendation of its superiority and honor, and the
magnificence of the deed done on it for the one whom Allaah guides to
stay up in worship on that night– we ask Allaah The Almighty to guide
us to that always, by His bounty and generosity. It is narrated in an
authentic Hadeeth that the Messenger of Allaahsaid: "Hewho stands )in
prayer( on the Night of Al-Qadr, out of sincere faith, and expecting
the reward with Allaah, his previous sins would be forgiven for him."
Thatis among the merits of standing)in prayer( on it; and sufficient
it is for a prize and profit.
Among the characteristics of Ramadan is the superiority of charity in
it, compared to any other time. It is narrated that theMessenger of
Allaahwas asked, "Which object of charity isthe best?" He said: "An
object of charity to be given in Ramadan."]At-Tirmithi[ It is narrated
on the authority of Ibn 'Abbaasthat he said, "The Messenger of
Allaahwas the most generous of all the people, and he used to reach
the peak in generosity in the month of Ramadan when Jibreel)Gabriel(
met him. Jibreel used to meet him every night of Ramadan to teach him
the Quran.The Messenger of Allaahwas the most generous person, even
more generous and faster in spending charity than the blowing wind."
]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ According to the narration of Ahmad, "He was
never asked ]for[ anything but hegave it." Generosity is to give
liberally and openhandedly in charity or anything else.
His increased munificenceinRamadanwas a means to avail himself of this
blessed time and of the multiplication of deeds and their rewards in
it. It is narrated on the authority of Salmaanin a Marfoo' Hadeeth,
that hesaid: "Whoever draws near to Allaah in it )Ramadan( with a good
act, it is )multiplied as much( as if he has performed an obligatory
dutyat any other time; and whoever draws near to Allaah with an
obligatory duty in it, it is)multiplied as much( as if he has
performed seventy obligatory duties at any other time."
The combination of fasting and charity has a greater effect in
removing sins and prevention from Hellfire. According to an authentic
Hadeeth: "Fasting acts as a protective shield" i.e., to save one from
Hellfire. According to another authentic Hadeeth, hesaid: "Safeguard
yourselves from Hellfire even with half a date )to be given in
charity(."
A further characteristic of Ramadan is that the 'Umrah)minor
pilgrimage( performed in it is equal to Hajj )major pilgrimage( in
reward. It is proven in the books of Al-Bukhaari and Muslim that the
Messenger of Allaahsaid: "'Umrah performed in Ramadan is equal to
Hajj." Or, according to another narration: "… is equal to Hajj
performed along with me."
Another characteristic lies in the fact that it is the month of the
Quran, as Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(: }The month of Ramadan
]is that[ in which was revealed the Quran, guidancefor the people and
clear proofs ofguidance and criterion.{ ]Quran 2:185[ The Quran
recited in it mends the hearts and provides guidance for the one who
recites it, reflects upon its meanings, and supplicates Allaah The
Almighty with it. In connection with the superiority of recitation of
the Quran, the Messenger of Allaahsaid:
• "The skillful reciter of the Quran will be with the noble and
dutiful messenger-angels, and the one who recites it with difficulty
will be granted a doublereward."
• "Recite the Quran, because it will come as an intercessor for
itsreciters on the Day of Judgment."
• "Verily, Allaah raises some people by )virtue of( that Book)i.e., the Quran(."
• "The best one among you is he who learns and then teaches the Quran."
All those Hadeeths are authentic, and include the greatest glad
tidings to the person who recitesthe Quran with reflection and
meditation. Then, how much greater would be the reward andbenefit if
it was recited in Ramadan?
May Allaah The Almighty make us of the people of the Quran, who are
counted among the special worshippers of Allaah The Almighty and the
elite among thebelievers.