Those who Fast will be Called from the Gate of al-Rayyaan

Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Allaah has enjoined uponthe Muslims fasting the month of Ramadaan,
andHe has promised a great reward to those who fast. Because the
virtue of fasting is so great, Allaah has not specified the reward for
it, rather He said – in a hadeeth qudsi –
"… except for fasting, for it is for Me, and I shall reward for it."
The virtues of the month of Ramadaan are many. For example, that which
Allaah has promised those who fast, namely the gate ofal-Rayyaan. This
is the name which was narrated in the hadeeth whose authenticity is
agreed upon. Sahl (may Allaah bepleased with him) said that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah beupon him) said:
"In Paradise there is a gate called al-Rayyaan, through which those
who used to fast will enter on the Day of Resurrection, and no one but
they will enter it. It will be said, 'Where are those who fasted?'
They will get up, and none willenter it but them. When they have
entered, it will be locked, and no one else will enter."(al-Bukhaari,
1763; Muslim, 1947).
Among the ahaadeeth which explain the reward for fasting are the following:
It was narrated from Abu Salamah that Abu Hurayrah said: "The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said:'Whoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and seeking reward, his
previous sins will be forgiven.'" (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Eemaan,
37).
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said:'Allaah says:"Every deed of the son of Adam is for him,
except for fasting; it is for Me and I shall reward for it."Fasting is
ashield and when one of you is fasting he avoid sexual relations with
his wife and quarreling. If somebody should fight orquarrel with him,
he should say, 'I am fasting.' By the One in Whose hand is my soul,
the unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is
better inthe sight of Allaah than the smell of musk. The fasting
person will have two moments of joy: one when he breaks his fast, and
the other when he meets his Lord; then he will be pleased because of
his fasting.'"
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari,1771)
Secondly:
It is known that Paradise has many gates, because Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens), which they shall enter and
(also) those who acted righteously from among their fathers, and their
wives, and their offspring. And angels shall enter unto them from
every gate."
[al-Ra'd 13:23]
"And those who kept their duty to their Lord (Al-Muttaqoon – the
pious) will be led to Paradise in groups till when they reach it, and
its gates will be opened (before their arrival for their reception)
and its keepers will say: Salaamun 'Alaykum (peace be upon you)!
Youhave done well, so enter here to abide therein."
[al-Zumar 39:73]
In the saheeh ahaadeeth it says that there are eight gates:
It was narrated from Sahlibn Sa'd (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:"In
Paradise there are eight gates, among which is a gate called
al-Rayyaan, which none will enter but those who fast."(Narrated by
al-Bukhaari,3017).
It was narrated from 'Ubaadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:"Whoever
bears witness that there is no god but Allaah alone, with no partner
or associate, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, andthat
'Eesa (Jesus) is the slave of Allaah and His Messenger, and a word
which Allaah bestowed on Maryam and a spirit created by Him (cf.
al-Nisa' 4:171), and that Paradise is true and Hell is true, will have
the rightto be admitted by Allaah to Paradise through whichever of the
eight gates he wishes, because of his good deeds."(Narrated by
al-Bukhaari,3180; Muslim, 41)
One of the bounties that Allaah has bestowed upon this ummah is that
He opens all the gates of Paradise during the month of Ramadaan, not
just one gate. Whoever says that there is a gate in Paradise called
Baab al-Radwaan has to produce evidence for that.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said:"When Ramadaan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened and the
gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up."
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari,3035; Muslim 1793)
We ask Allaah to make us among those who will enter Paradise. May
Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

New Muslims fast for the first time in Ramadan

The first Ramadan fast is exciting. The experience is much more
exciting for men and women who have just convertedto Islam and are
beginning their first fasting experience in their 40′s.
What do new Muslims say about Islam and Ramadan? How did they perceive
Ramadan before their conversion to Islam? What are their feelings now
that they have become Muslims?
"I used to make fun of Ramadan" says Ahmed Moamen
I USED to make fun of Ramadan and the notionof Islamic fasting. I used
to ridicule those Muslimswho torture their bodiesby fasting," said
Marcos-now-turned-Ahmed Moamen, a Filipino.
"I lived in the UAE for nine years as a traditional Christian
whoirregularly goes to Church. For me and my colleagues, Ramadan was a
nightmare. It was a month in which we were all confined to our homes
as all bars remainshut," he recalled.
"This was not the only thing I detested about the Ramadan fast, but
also this tough treatment of both body and soul. I used to believe the
body has desires that should be met. Therefore, I only perceived of
fasting as an unjustifiable and illogical torture," Moamen said.
"Those were the bad old days."
"The Almighty Allah guided me to Islam," Moamen continued. "I had a
long time roommate, who once converted to Islam, tried hard to lure me
into it. He used to discuss Islam and gave me some translated books
about the faith until the Almighty finally opened up my heart. And
here I am having my very first fasting experience in Ramadan," Moamen
said.
"After Allah guided me to Islam and after havingfasted several days of
Ramadan, I found out that all my previous ideas about the rights
ofone's body were not true and that straightening our bodiesonce a
year is of great wisdom. That is why Allah ordered us to fast one
month of the year and not the whole year,"said Moamen of his new
spiritual experience withRamadan.
"It [fasting] brings the Muslim closer to Allah. I do not exaggerate
if I say that I feel a serenity Ihave never before felt inmy entire
life," Moamen concluded.
"Ramadan has its own sense of spirituality" saysAbdul-Rahman Yousef
Abdul-Rahman Yousef, a Lebanese who was named Tony before embracing
Islam also experienced his first Ramadan.
Sounding delighted about the new fasting experience, Yousef said he
was overwhelmed by joy and that fasting helped him feel the serenity
that only fastersenjoy.
"Ever since Allah guided me to Islam, I've become used to the habit of
fasting every Monday and Thursday [following in the footstep of
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to make up for my sins which I
committed before Islam," he said.
"But, fasting in Ramadanis a totally different experience because the
holy month has its own sense of spirituality and serenity that is
absent from other days and months," Yousef asserted.
"Even prayers in Ramadan are different from the usual prayers," he
said, adding that Allah magnifies the gooddeeds of Muslims in Ramadan
and spares them from Hell.
Yousef lamented having wronged Islam and Muslims in the past,
especially during the civil war in Lebanon, and prayed to Allah the
Almighty to forgive his previous bad deeds.
"When I read the Quran, I found answers" - Fatma
Muslim woman reading Quran.
Carol Anoi was brought up in a Protestant Scottish family. She spent
her childhood in the countryside which gave her a chance for
contemplation and meditation.
After she finished school in London, she got a job in a UAE hotel and
spent several years there until she got involved with anArab Muslim.
"I loved him so much and he started talking tome about Islam. I began
with him a search journey. We read most of the books on Islam in
English," said Carol-turned-Fatma Al-Zahra Mohammad (the name of one
of Prophet Muhammad's daughters).
"I realized that Islam is the right faith that dignified the human
being and catered for the rights of man, woman and child," she
stressed. "I found it a religion in harmony with human nature," Fatma
said. "When I readthe holy Qur'an, I found answers to all questions
haunting my mind and soul. Eventually, I converted to Islam and we
(she and her Arab Muslim friend) got married," she recalled.
"As for Ramadan, I cannot describe to you how delighted I am to fast
Ramadan this year. "Ramadan's atmosphere makes us feel closer to
Allah. And since it is a month of worship, we are keen on getting
closer to the Almighty through prayers," Fatma added.
"I cannot describe my happiness while performing Tarawih prayers with
many otherMuslim women," she said, lamenting that in ordinary days one
wouldnot find so many worshipers in prayers.
Amnah found peace in the body movements of the prayers
Amnah Jordon, once Caroline Jordon, from South Africa said it was that
unique peace reflected in the body movements during prayers that
attracted her to Islam in the first place. "Fasting is a fine way of
spiritual and psychological elevation and these were the things that
guided my way into Islam," said Amnah.
"Fasting and Ramadan are the most joyful religious rituals and the
closest to my heart," she added.
"I spent years of my life searching for a way for spiritual satiety. I
adoredcontemplation sessions and read a lot in orientalphilosophy but
never reached satisfaction," she underlined.
"I completed my study inthe UAE and happened to live by some Muslim
neighbors who always performed their prayers by the book.
"I used to sit and watch their Rukou'a [kneeling] and Sujoud [the
positionwhen a Muslim worshiper's head touches the ground during
prayers] and it was very touching because Rukou'a and Sujoud are
magnificent body and spiritual sport," Amnah said.
She recalled performing prayers and practicing Rukou'a and Sujoud even
before converting to Islam.
"I felt a kind of serenity Ihave never experienced before, and since
that very moment I began a quest to explore Islam until Allah guided
me into becoming a Muslim and I was overwhelmed by spiritual peace,"
Amnah concluded.

Biographies - Imam ibn Majah

Abu Abdullah Muhammadibn Majah(r.a) – [209 - 273 A.H.]
ImamIbn Majahwas bornin the city of Qazvin in the northern Persian
province of Dailam. After gaining ahadith from themany great religious
scholars of his city, he travelled to seek knowledgeat the young age
of 21. ImamIbn Majahis said to have visited Basrah, Kufah, Baghdad,
the Hijaz, Makkah, Syria and Egypt to hear and gather ahadith.
Amongst his teachers were Jabbara ibn al Mughlis, Ibrahim ibn
al-Munzar, Hisham ibn Umar and more Abu Bakribn Shaibah.
His status
Ibn Khallikan writes that Imam ibn Majah held the position of an Imam
in the subject of hadith.
Abu al-Ali Khalili says he was a great scholar of Qur'anic exegesis,
ahadith and history.
Adh Dhahabi stated that he was a hafiz and warehouse of Prophetic knowledge.
Imam ibn Majah is knownto have authored 3 books, popularly known Sunan
ibn Majah, at-Tafsir and at-Tarikh.
Imam Ibn Majah departed from this worldduring the blessed monthof
Ramadan 273 A.H. in Qazvin, the city of his birth.
May Allah Ta'ala fill his Qabar with Noor.
Ameen.

Biographies - Shah Wali-U Allah

Shah Wali-u Allah was born on 4th Shawwaal, 1114 / 21 February 1703
1703 at Phulat in Delhi. His ancestors had migrated from Arabia to
Iran for reasons not known. Later on when the invasion of the
Tatarscaused widely spread terror and destruction in Iraq and Iran,
the forefathers of the Shah are said to have migratedto India and
found their settlement here at Rohtak village. His grandfather was a
gallant soldier in the Mughal army and a deep lover of the Qur'aan.
Shaykh Abdur-Rahim wasShah Wali-u Allah's father, the pupil of a great
scholar and sufi – Zahid Herawi. Abdur-Rahim was famous for
hisprofound knowledge of the traditions and Islamicjurisprudence. That
is why he was offered the service in the government to revise Fataawa
Alamgiri which he undertook at the instance of his mother. He was also
famous for found his seminary, Madrasah-e-Rahimiyyah in Delhi the
forerunner ofthe present Darul Uloom Deoband. Shaykh Abdur-Rahim had
interests in mysticism yet he did not ignore the practical aspects of
life. In the home of such a pious andlearned father, the Shah grew up
to great heights of eminence.
At the age of five, the Shah had his first lesson at school. After two
years he learnt reading and writing. He learnt the Qur'aan by heart
upto the age of ten. At the ageof fourteen years he reada part of
Bauzayi and the major part of Mishkawah.He got the graduation from
Rahimiyyah college at the age of fifteen. The prescribed syllabus of
thecollege laid great stress on the Qur'aanic studies with lesser aid
from commentaries and the Shah himself felt thankfulto God for being
provided with opportunity to lecture onthe lessons of the Qur'aanwhich
opened the doors of its knowledge for him.The other sciences like the
Hadith, Fiqh, logic, etc. were also learnt by the Shah. He became the
teacher of this very college of his father at the age of seventeen.
Only two years later, his father died and the management work of
theschool fell upon him. The Shah took up the task with devotion and
attained the help of the old graduates of the college. He prepared his
lectures after extensive study on various Islamic disciplines and
sciences. and provided guidance on the problems of varied nature.
While sitting on the grave of hisfather in pious meditation, he sought
solutions of the spiritual problems. 'When I sat meditating,' he
reports, 'at the grave of my father, problems of Tawhid (oneness of
God) were solved. The path of the divine attraction (Jazb) was opened;
and alarge share of Saluk (spiritual journey) fall to my lot, and
inspirational knowledge (Uloom-e-Wajdaniyyah) thronged the mind with
it.' Through his study of standard Fiqh literature and Hadith books,
the Shah came to the conclusion that the institution of
Fuqaha-e-Muhadditheen (jurisprudents who drew heavily upon traditions
of the Prophet Muhammad(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) was an adequate
one that he would adhere to in his future life.
Shah Wali-u Allah's journey to Hijaaz in October 24 1730 / 8
Rabi-as-Thaani 1143 proved a turning point inhis career. It was the
timewhen the Indian subcontinent was undergoing a deep crisis
consequent upon the declining fortunes of the Mughal empire. Under
such conditions there was growing an indifference towards religion.
The sectarian conflicts had become the order of the day. Sufism had
generated and various evils had crept into the society as a result of
the practices of the false Sufis. The sensitive mind of the Shah was
deeply moved by the deplorable situation prevailing in India and his
journey to Hijaaz had much to do with this preoccupation of the
scholar. In Hijaaz, the Shah stayed for about two years, performed
Hajj twice at Makkahand also spent sometime at the Prophet's tomb in
Madinah. Besides acquainting himself with the general condition of the
Muslimworld during his stay in Hijaaz, the Shah also received lessons
on the Qur'aan and the Hadith and thereby was able to attain
considerable guidance in the spiritual matters. He read from
thescholars of repute, Muatta of Imaam Maalik with Shaykh Wafadullah
and Bukhari of Imaam Bukhari with Shaykh Taj-al-Din Hanafi, the Mufti
(juri consultant) of Makkah. At Madinah, the Shah attended to Shaykh
Ibrahim Kurdi, an eminent traditionist and sufi, and revised all
famous books on Hadith under his guidance. Shaykh Abu Tahir, another
great theologianin Madinah, also guided the Shah in the science
ofHadith.
It can hardly be denied that Shah Shah Wali-u Allah's sojourn to
Hijaaz proved to be a landmark in his spiritual development. He
himself mentions many spiritual blessings and experiences in His Fuyuz
al-Haramayn. He receivedthem in a series of visionsat the precincts of
the holy Ka'abah and the holy tomb of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi
Wasallam). In these visions include the task of the revival of Islam
entrusted to the Shah by the grandsons of the prophet, the
intelligibility of the most controversial problems ofontological
versus phenomenological monism, clearance of doubts on the
controversial issues relating to solidarity and development of the
Muslim institutions. A.D. Muztar has eloquently described this
enlightenment of Shah Wali-u Allah in the following words:
The prophet cleared his doubts concerning them in a series of visions.
For example, the prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) told Shah
Wali-u Allah.
1. The order of successionof the Khulafa-e-Raashideen (the four
immediate successors of the prophet) had taken place under the will
and pleasure of God. It was best suited to the interests of Muslim
community and so far as the personal excellence of these four
companionsof the prophet was concerned, all of them were blessed with
qualities and stations special to each of them. The contentions over
the attributive supremacy of Ali on the one hand and of Abu Bakr and
Umar (Shaykhayn) on the other, were just useless and needless. Such a
controversy was apt to create hatred and disharmony among the Muslims.
2. All the mystic orders, such as (Chishti, Naqshabandi, Qadiri,
Suhrawardi, etc.) were equally acceptable to God. Nor was the
prophetof God especially inclinedtowards any particular order. One may
follow any or all of them with the only proviso that theywere followed
for the sake of God Almighty.
3. None of the schools of Jurists, Maaliki, Hanafi, Shaaf'ee and
Hanbali, excelled the other. All of them were fundamentally the same.
Therefore, all were equal in the eyes of the Prophet … It was further
revealed to him that in conveying his message tothe nation and share
their responsibilities; he benign and compassionate in his speeches
and writings; and pray for what was good for the people in their world
life and the life hereafter.
After the Shah's return to Delhi, he addressed himself to the task of
bringing about the revival of Islamic sciencesfor the general good of
Muslims. He made useful reforms in the studies at Rahimiyyah college
in order to impart such teaching and training to the pupil as could
enable them to relate true religious education to the practical needs
of thepeople. The wrong beliefs and customs, associated with Islam,
were reformed through the Shah's translation of the Qur'aan into
Persian which made the people to understand its actual message. His
Tafhimat-I-Ilaahiyya and Hama'at played a great role in clearing off
the doubts about the innovations in Sufism. The interpretation of
Islamic system comprising beliefsand Ibaadat, social, political and
economic matters, was made by theShah under the new and growing
exigencies of his time. Al-Badur al-Bazigah, Hujjatul Allah
al-Baaligha, al-Insaaf fee sabab bayaan al-Ikhtilaaf, etc. clearly
demonstrate the deep concern of the Shah in bringing about the revival
of Islamic sciencesin accordance with the needs of the Muslim society
in the Indian context.
The resurgence of Islamicpolitical thought marks an outstanding
feature of Shah Wali-u Allah's Islamic revivalism. The Ummah in
general and the Indian Muslim in particular were exposed to the
internal and the external threats. The so often controversies over the
standpoints of the Shi'as and the Sunnis, luxurious and lethargic
habits in the Mughal bureaucracy in the capital, rapid growth of the
Maratha power, the Jats, the Sikhs and above all the intrusion of the
Western imperialistic influences had undermined the solidarity of the
Indian Muslims. Their disdain and disunity was further affected by
their indulgence in the conflicts of sectarian, jurisprudential
schools oflaw, heterodoxy and orthodoxy nature. The Shah sensitively
reacted to these problems of political confusion and instability of
Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. He attempted considerably for the
purification and the revitalisation of this political deterioration.
His expositions on the political thought mark his rational approach to
human history and his critical interpretation of the classical history
of Islam.
Political Thought of Shah Wali-u Allah – an Analytical Study
Abdur-Rashid Bhat