4b] Suggested program for the Muslim during Ramadaan

4b]
Note:
This program is just a suggestion. It is a flexible schedule that each
personcan adapt to his own circumstances.
This program pays attention to the Sunnahs that are proven from the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It does not mean
that everything mentioned here is an obligatory duty, rather it
includes many things thatare Sunnah and mustahabb.
The most beloved of actions to Allaah are thosewhich are continuous
even if they are little. At the beginning of the month a person may be
keen to do acts of worship, then he may slow down. Beware of that, and
strive to persist in all the actions that you do in this blessed
month.
The Muslim should strive to organize his time in this blessed month so
that he will not miss out on a great opportunity to do more good and
righteous deeds. For example, a person should try to buy all the
things that the family needs before the month begins, and he should
buy day-to-day needs at timeswhen the stores are not crowded, and
visits to friends and family should be organized in such a way that
they do not distract from acts of worship.
Make doing lots of acts of worship and drawing closer to Allaah your
priority in this blessed month.
Resolve at the beginning of the month to go to the mosque early at the
timesof prayer, and to complete the Book of Allaah, and to regularly
pray qiyaam al-layl in thisgreat month, and to spend (in charity) what
you can of your wealth.
Make the most of the opportunity that the month of Ramadaan brings to
strengthen your connection to the Book of Allaah, by utilizing the
following means:
Read the verses correctly.The way to do that is to have your reading
corrected by someone who knows how to read well. If you cannot do
that, then by listening to tapes of expert readers.
Revise what Allaah has enabled you to memorize,and memorize some more.
Read the tafseer (commentary) on the verses, either by looking up the
verses you do not understand in reliable books of tafseer such as
Tafseer al-Baghawi and Tafseer Ibn Katheer and Tafseer al-Sa'di, or by
making a program to reada book of tafseer. Start first with the
thirtieth Juz'(section) of the Qur'aan, then mover on to the
twenty-ninth juz', and so on.
Strive to apply the commands that you read in the Book of Allaah.
We ask Allaah to perfect for us the blessing of Ramadaan, and to help
usfast and pray qiyaam throughout the whole month, and to accept
(these acts of worship) from us, and to forgive us for our
shortcomings./

4a] Suggested program for the Muslim during Ramadaan

4a]
with his wife and children.
One of the best things that he can do at this timeis to take part in
offering iftaar to those who are fasting, whether by bringing food to
them or helping to distribute it to them and organizing that.This
brings a great joy which no one knows except those who have
experienced it.
After iftaar, he goes and prays in congregation in the mosque, and
after theprayer he prays two rak'ahs (the regular Sunnah of Maghrib).
Then he goes back home and eats whatever is available– without eating
too much. Then he looks for a suitable way for himself and his family
to spend this time, whether reading a book of stories, or a book on
practical rulings, or a quiz, or permissible conversation, or any
other useful idea that is of interest to the members of the family and
will distracts them from the haraam things that appear in the media
which regard this as their prime time, so you find the media
transmitting their most attractive programs at that time, that may
contain immoraland obscene material. Strive to turn away from that,
and fear Allaah with regard to your "flock" (i.e.,your family)
concerning whom you will be questioned on the Day of Resurrection, so
be prepared to answer the questions.
Then get ready for 'Isha' prayer, go to the mosque and keep busy
reading Qur'aan or listening to thelesson being given in the mosque.
Then after that perform 'Isha' prayer, then pray two rak'ahs (the
regular Sunnah of 'Isha'), then pray taraaweeh behind the imam with
humility and focus, pondering the meanings of what is recited. Do not
finish until the imam finishes. The Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoeverstands (and prays) with the imam
until he finishes, it will be recorded as if he spent the night in
prayer." Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1370, and others. Classed as saheeh
by al-Albaani inSalaat al-Taraaweeh, p. 15.
Then after Taraaweeh youcan make a program for yourself that is suited
to your circumstances and personal commitments. But you should pay
attention to the following:
Keeping away from all haraam things and whatever may lead to them.
Paying attention to ensuring that your family avoid falling into any
haraam thing or whatevermay lead to that, in a wise manner, such as
preparing a program just for them, or taking them out for leisure
trips to permissible places, or keeping them away from bad friends, or
looking forgood friends for them.
Keeping busy with things that take priority.
Then you should try to sleep early, whilst paying attention to the
etiquette of sleep as prescribed in sharee'ah, both actions and words.
If you read some Qur'aan or some beneficial books before going to
sleep, that is something good, especially if you have not yet
completed your daily portion of Qur'aan – so donot go to sleep until
you have completed it.
Then wake up before suhoor, allowing enough time to recite du'aa',
because this time – the last third of the night – is the time when
Allaah descends, and Allaah has praised those who seek His forgiveness
at this time, and has promised those who call upon Him at this time
that He will answer them, and that Hewill accept the repentanceof
those who repent to Him at this time. So do not neglect this great
opportunity.
Friday:
Friday is the best day of the week, so you should have a special
program of worship on this day, in which you pay attention to the
following:
Coming early to Jumu'ah prayer.
Staying in the mosque after 'Asr prayer, and keeping busy with reading
Qur'aan and making du'aa' until the last hour of this day, for that is
a time when du'aa's are answered.
Make this day an opportunity for completing some of your deeds that
you did not finish during the week, such as completing your weekly
portion of Qur'aan, or finishing reading a book or listening to a tape
and other good deeds.
The last ten days of Ramadaan:
The last ten days of Ramadaan include Laylat al-Qadr which is better
than a thousand months. Hence it is prescribed for aperson to observe
i'tikaaf ("retreat" for the purpose of worship) in the mosqueduring
these ten days, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) used to do, seeking Laylat al-Qadr. Whoever can observe i'tikaaf
at this time, this is a great blessing from Allaah.
Whoever cannot observe i'tikaaf for the entire period should do as
much as he is able to.
If he is not able to do i'tikaaf at all, then he should try to spend
the nights in worship. Prayingqiyaam, reading Qur'aan, remembering
Allaah and making du'aa'. He should prepare for that by resting during
the day so that he will be able to stay up at night.
Note:
This program is just a suggestion.:->

4] Suggested program for the Muslim during Ramadaan

4]
Firstly, let me congratulate you on the beginning of the blessed month
of Ramadaan; I hope that Allaah will accept fasting and prayersfrom us
and from you.
I hope that I can make themost of this opportunity to do as much
worship and earn as much reward as possible. I hope that you could
give me a program that is suitable for me and my family so that we can
make the most of this month in goodness and obedience.
Praise be to Allaah.
May Allaah accept all our righteous words and deeds, and help us to be
sincere in secret and in public.
There follows a suggestedprogram for the Muslim during this blessed month:
The Muslim's day in Ramadaan:
The Muslim starts his day with suhoor before Fajr prayer. It is better
to delay suhoor until the latest possible time of thenight.
Then after that the Muslim gets ready for Fajr prayer before the
adhaan.So he does wudoo' at home and goes out to themosque before the
adhaan.
When he enters the mosque, he prays two rak'ahs (tahiyyat al-masjid–
greeting the mosque). Then he sits and keeps busy making du'aa', or
reading Qur'aan, or reciting dhikr, until the muezzin gives the call
to prayer. He repeats what the muezzin says, and says the du'aa'
narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
to be said afterthe adhaan ends. Then after that he prays two rak'ahs
(the regular Sunnah of Fajr), then he occupies himself with du'aa' and
reading Qur'aan until the iqaamahfor prayer is given. He is ina state
of prayer so long as he is waiting for the prayer.
After offering the prayer in congregation, he recitesthe dhikrs that
are prescribed following the salaam at the end of the prayer. After
that if he wants to sit in the mosque until the sun has risen,
reciting dhikr and reading Qur'aan, that is preferable, and that is
what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
do after Fajr prayer.
Then about one-quarter of an hour after the sun has risen, if he wants
he can pray Duha prayer (a minimum of two rak'ahs), and that is good.
Or if he wants he can delay it untilthe preferred time, which is when
the day has grown hotter and the sun is higher in the sky – that is
better.
Then if he wants he may sleep to prepare himself for going to work,
and he can intend by sleeping to strengthen himself for worship and
earning a living, so that he will be rewarded for it in sha Allah. He
should also follow the etiquette of sleep that is prescribed in
sharee'ah, both actions and words.
Then he goes to work, and when the time for Zuhr prayer comes, he goes
to the mosque early,before the adhaan or immediately after it, and he
should get ready to pray beforehand. So he prays four rak'ahs with two
tasleems (the regular Sunnah before Zuhr), thenhe keeps busy reading
Qur'aan until the iqaamahfor prayer is given, and heprays with the
congregation, then he prays two rak'ahs (the regular Sunnah after
Zuhr).
Then after the prayer he goes and finishes whatever of his work is
left, until it is time to leave work. If there is a long time to go
after finishing his work until the time for 'Asr prayer, then he can
rest. But if there is not enough time and he fears that if he sleeps
he will miss 'Asr prayer, then he should keep busy doing something
suitable until the time for 'Asr comes, such as going to the market to
buy some things that his family needs and the like, or going straight
to the mosque when he has finished his work, and staying in the mosque
until he has prayed 'Asr.
Then after 'As, it depends on his circumstances. If hecan stay in the
mosque and keep busy reading Qur'aan, this is a great opportunity. But
if he feels tired, then he shouldrest at this time so that hewill be
ready to pray taraaweeh at night.
Before the adhaan for Maghrib, he should get ready to break his fast,
and he should do something at this time that will benefit him, whether
reading Qur'aan, making du'aa', or having auseful conversation with
his wife and children.

Fasting is not unique tothis ummah

Is the month of Ramadaan unique to this ummah or was it for the
previous nations too?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for
you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become
Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)"
[al-Baqarah 2:183].
This verse indicates that fasting is an ancient act ofworship that was
enjoined upon those who came before us just as it isenjoined upon us.
But were they asked to fast inRamadaan or at other times? I do not
know of any statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) concerning that. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz/