Ramadan: A School of Piety - I

The nation of Islam is the last nation with the most recent divine
message. Allaah The Almighty, the Bountiful, the Generous made our
Prophet,, the master of all the Prophets and made our nation the most
populousin Paradise and the one with the highest ranks. The Messenger
of Allaah,, said:
·"We )Muslims( are the last to come and the foremost on the Day of
Resurrection though the former nations were given the Holy Scriptures
before us."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
·"By Him in whose Hands is the soul of Muhammad,I hope that you will
be one-half of the people of Paradise, for none will enter Paradise
but a Muslim soul, and you, in comparison to the people who associate
others in worship with Allaah, are like a white hair on the skin of a
black ox, or a black hair on the skin of a red ox."]Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim[
Allaah The Almighty has preferred us to all the other nations. He
Says)what means(:}You are the best nation produced]as an example[ for
mankind.{]Quran 3:110[
Allaah The Almighty also made us witnesses over all other nations:}And
thus we have made you ajust community that you will be witnesses over
the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you.{]2: 143[
The superiority of the nation of Islam over all other nations is not
because it belongs to a specific race or because it speaks a specific
language, or because of the distinctive looks of itsmembers. Rather,
it is because Allaah The Almighty has chosen it to be the only
religion that He The Exalted accepts and no other religion or belief
will be accepted. Allaah The Almighty Says)what means(:}Indeed, the
religion in the sight of Allaah is Islam.{]Quran3:19[
Consequently, whoever adheres strictly to the religion of Islam and
abides by the orders of the Noble Quran, and follows the way of
Prophet Muhammad,, the best of human beings, will surely obtain the
goodness mentioned in the verse and the promised reward. Whoever
doubts the religion, lets his desires overcome him, follows his lusts,
and deviates from the right way, will surely be excluded from the
people of such honor.
Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allaahhave mercy upon, said,"They are the followers
of Muhammadwho have the soundest minds and natures, and the most
knowledge. They are the nearest to the truth in all matters for Allaah
The Almighty has chosen them from all other nations in much the same
way as their Messenger is the best of all other Messengers. No other
nation has the knowledge, forbearance and wisdom with which Allaah The
Almighty has endowed them."
Imaam Ahmadreported in hisMusnadfrom theHadeethof Bahzibn Hakeemfrom
his father on the authority of his grandfatherthat the Messenger of
Allaah,, said:"You are the final of seventy nations, you are the best
and most honored among them to Allaah."
It is clear that the Muslims are the most honored nation in the sight
of Allaah The Almighty with respect to their knowledge and minds.
Moreover, when the sciences, ideology, deeds and ranks of the nations
that preceded them were displayed to them, they acquired evenmore
knowledge and forbearance, besides what Allaah The Almightyhas endowed
them with from His knowledge and forbearance.
As the nation of Muhammad,, has the shortest age compared tothe other
nations, Allaah The Almighty has gifted itsome seasons in which the
rewards are multiplied, ranks are raised, and sins are forgiven. The
month ofRamadan, which the nation rejoices at receiving, is one of the
best chances; the greatest seasons in which many will be redeemed from
Hellfire, the ranks of the righteous will be raised high, and the sins
of the wrong doers will be forgiven.
Many are the necks that are redeemed from Hellfire inRamadan, and many
are the people who are forgiven in it.
Imaam Maaliksaid inAl-Muwatta',"The Messenger of Allaahwas shown the
lifespan of the people )who had gone( before him, or what Allaah
willed of that, and it was as if he felt that the lives of the people
of his nation were too short for them to be able to do as many good
deeds as others before them had been able to do with their long lives,
so Allaah The Almighty gave him Laylat Al-Qadr, which is better than a
thousand months."
WelcomingRamadan
At-Tabaraani narrated that Jaabir ibn Samurahsaid: The Prophet,,
ascended the pulpit and said:"Aameen, Aameen, Aameen."Then, he
said:"Jibreel came to me and said, 'O Muhammad! He who lives until one
of his parents becomes old, andthen he dies and does not enter
Paradise and he enters Hellfire, so let Allaah The Almighty keep him
away.' It was said Aameen, so I said Aameen."
This means that if a person grows up and one of his parents is still
alive, and his kind treatment to them does not entitle him to
receivethe forgiveness of Allaah The Almighty, then he should be
expelled from the mercy of Allaah The Almighty by the invocation of
Jibreeland the Prophet,:
"Then, he said: "O Muhammad! He who seesthe month of Ramadan come and
go, and then he dies without being forgiven and he enters Hellfire, so
let Allaah The Almighty keep him away." He said, "Say Aameen,'' so I
said Aameen. Then, he said: "O Muhammad! He who hears you mentioned
and does not say Salaat)i.e. does not ask Allaah The Almighty to send
peace and blessings( upon you and he dies and enters Hellfire, so let
Allaah The Almighty keep him away." He said, "Say Aameen,'' so I said
Aameen.
At-Tirmithi and Al-Haakimnarrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrahthat
the Prophet,, said:"He is doomed, the man who hears me mentioned and
does not say Salaat )i.e. does not ask Allaah The Almighty to send
peace and blessings( on me. He is doomed, the man who witnesses
Ramadan comeand go and he is not forgiven. He is doomed, the man whose
parents reach old age and they are not a cause for him to enter
Paradise."
It is as if forgiveness is granted to everyone inRamadanand no one
willbe denied it except the one whom Allaah The Almighty denies.
Sa'eed narrated from Qataadahboth, that it was said,"Whoever does not
receive forgiveness in Ramadan, will not be forgiven in any other
month."This is to highlight the serious danger of the neglectful
person, and not to make people despair of the mercy of the Most Great
and Most Just.

Sighting the Crescent of Ramadan - II

Muslim countries pay special attention to the month ofRamadanand go
out to observe its crescent in order to confirm the sighting. When the
sighting is confirmed, Muslims start fasting, the minarets of mosques
are lit, the mass media celebrates the occasion and announces the glad
tidings of the advent of the month, people congratulate eachother,
guns are fired, scholars launch campaigns for spreading knowledge and
giving sermons and religious lectures are given everywhere in
religious associations.
It is no surprise that we receive the crescent ofRamadanwith all these
scenes, since it marks the beginning of fasting and descent of mercies
on theslaves of Allaah The Almighty. It is also the key to the blessed
days that the believing hearts long for from year to year, while
repeating at each moment the supplication: "O Allaah, make us
witnessRamadanand grant us success to perfectly fast, perform the
voluntary night prayer and obey You."
The majority of scholars are of the opinion that all Muslims worldwide
are required to fast when the crescent is sighted in any country. They
quoted the general indication of the Hadeeth)narration( in which the
Prophetsaid:"When you see the crescent, observe fast, and when you see
it )again( then break fast."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ They arguedthat
it is a general address for the Muslim Ummah )nation( as a whole.
A group of the scholars is of the opinion that the people of a given
country are not obliged to follow the sighting of other countries.
They quoted the Hadeeth narrated on the authority of Kuraybwhere he
said,
"While I was in Shaam, the month of Ramadan commenced. We saw the
crescent on the night of Friday. I then returned toAl-Madeenah at the
end of the month. 'Abdullaah ibn 'Abbaas asked me, 'When did you see
the crescent?' I said, 'We saw it on the night of Friday.' He said,
'Did you see it yourself?' I said, 'Yes, andthe people also saw it and
they fasted and so did Mu'aawiyah.' He said,'But we saw it on the
night of Saturday. So we shall continue fasting until we complete
thirty days or we see it )the new crescent of Shawwal(.' I said, Is
not Mu'aawiyah's sighting and fasting sufficient for you?' He replied,
'No; thisis how the Messenger of Allaahcommanded us.'"]Muslim[
The majority of scholars argued that this Hadeeth is reported
concerning a person who started to observe fasting according to the
sightingof his own country and then he was informed that the crescent
was seen a day before in another country. In this case, he continues
fasting along with the people of his own country until they complete
30 days or see the crescent of the next month. This identifies
thedivergence in this case. Still the opinion of the majority of
scholars is thepreponderant one, particularly because this matter is
very easy today.However, it requires further care from the Islamic
countries until it becomes a reality.
Until all the Muslim countries adopt one viewin this regard, the
peopleof each country are required to fast when the country officially
declares the beginning of fasting, even if this is different from
other counties a day before or after. There should be nodifference in
one countryand thus some people fast and others do not fast. This
makes the difference so wide. Moreover, when someone sights the
crescent alone, he shouldnot fast alone because the Prophetsaid:"Your
fast is the day when you fast, and your breaking the fast is the day
when you break the fast, and your sacrifice is the day when you offer
the sacrifice."]At-Tirmithiwith similar words[
Scholars commented thatit means that each one should observe fast and
break it along with the Muslim community. However, when one is alone
in a certain place and he sights the crescent, he has to observe
fasting, because he is alone.

Ramadan Articles - Sighting the Crescent of Ramadan - I

Unlike the crescents of other lunar months, the crescent of Ramadan is
given special attention because it is the crescent of the best month
in the sight of Allaah The Almighty. This month is favored with
several virtues; the most important is the revelation of the Quran on
the best night of the month. Thus, scholars of Fiqh )Islamic
jurisprudence( have occupied themselves with elaborating the rulings
relevant to the sighting of the crescent, astronomers with making
relevant calculations and means of observation and Muslim caliphs in
celebrating the night of the sighting. Poets and writers vie with each
other in praising the crescent and reflecting the feelings of joy in
people's hearts.
The crescent of Ramadan in the eyes of scholars of Fiqh:
Scholars of Fiqh unanimously agree that the lunar month could
betwenty-nine or thirty days. In a Hadeeth)narration(, the
Prophetsaid:"Allaah has made the crescents signs to mark fixed periods
of time for mankind. When you see it )the crescent(, observe fast, and
when you see it )again( then break fast. If you can not see it )the
crescent(, thencomplete thirty days )for the month of
Sha'baan(."]Al-Haakim[
Sighting the crescent is what counts, not calculations. Ibn
'Umarnarrated that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"We are an unlettered
nation, we neither write nor know calculations. The month is like this
and this)sometimes of 29 days and sometimes of 30 days(."]Al-Bukhaari[
Al-Haafith Ibn Hajarcommented,
"The Arabs were described as unlettered because writing was rareamong
them. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}It is He who has sent
among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves.{]Quran 62: 2[ This
is not refuted by the fact that some of them had knowledge of writing
and calculations, as such people were few and rare. Calculations in
this context are pertaining to stars and planets. The Arabs knew
little about this. So, the rulings relevant to the beginning of
fasting and other acts of worship were made contingent on sighting the
crescent in order not to place them under the hardships of making
calculations. This ruling iseffective even if there will come
generations fully aware of calculations. Even the explicit meaning of
words reveals exemptingcalculations in this regard at all. This is
supported by the part of the Hadeeth that reads:"If you can not see it
)thecrescent(, then complete thirty days )for the month of
Sha'baan(."TheProphetdid not say: then ask those who are knowledgeable
of calculations. The rationale is that completing thirty days unites
people and keeps them far from divergence and dispute."]Fat-h
Al-Baari[
According to the majorityof scholars, the beginning of Ramadan is
determined by one of two ways, completing 30 days of Sha'baan or
sighting the crescent, even by just one trustworthy person. It was
narrated that Ibn 'Umarsaid, "People sighted the crescent, and when I
told the Prophetthat I had sighted it, he fasted and ordered people to
fast." ]Abu Daawood[
Another group of scholars is of the opinion that sighting is not
confirmed unless two trustworthy men give testimony, as is the case
with the crescent of Shawwaal. As evidence, they quoted the Hadeeth of
'Abdul-Rahmaan ibn Zaydthat he gave a sermon on the 29th day of
Sha'baan and said,"I sat with the Companions of the Prophetand they
related to me that he said: 'Fast when you see it, and cease fasting
when you see it and perform the rites of Hajj based upon that and if
it is hidden by clouds then complete thirty days )of Sha'baan(. If two
Muslim witnesses testify then fast and cease fasting."]Ahmad[
There is also the Hadeeth of the ruler of Makkah, Al-Haarith ibn
Haatibas it was narrated that hesaid,"The Messenger of Allaahordered
us to perform the rites of Hajj upon sighting )the crescent(; and if
we couldnot see and two trustworthy witness testified, we should
perform the rites accordingly."]Abu Daawood[
The majority of scholars, however, argued that the utmost that the
mention of the two can signify is the rejection of the testimony of
only oneperson. However, the aforementioned Hadeethof 'Abdullaah ibn
'Umarindicates that the Prophetindeed accepted the verbal testimony of
Ibn 'Umar; and this is of a stronger indication.

Ramadan Articles - Explaining Ramadhan to People Belonging to Other Faiths

Who Must Fast?
Fasting is compulsory for those who are mentally and physically fit,
past the age of puberty, in a settled situation (not traveling), and
are sure fasting is unlikely to cause real physical or mental injury.
Exemptions from Fasting (some exemptions are optional)
*.Children under the age of puberty (Young children are encouraged to
fast as much as they are able.)
*.People who are mentally incapacitated or not responsible for their actions
*.The elderly
*.The sick
*.Travelers who are on journeys of more than about fifty miles
*.Pregnant women and nursing mothers
*.Women who are menstruating
*.Those who are temporarily unable to fast must make up the missed
days at another time or feed the poor.
Special Events
*.Special prayers, called taraweeh, are performed after the daily
nighttime prayer.
*.Lailat ul-Qadr ("Night ofPower" or "Night of Destiny") marks the
anniversary of the night on which the Prophet Muhammad first began
receiving revelations from God, through the angel Gabriel. Muslims
believeLailat ul-Qadr is one of the last odd-numbered nights of
Ramadhan.
Traditional Practices
*.Breaking the daily fast with a drink of water and dates
*.Reading the entire Quran during Ramadhan
*.Social visits are encouraged.
Eid ul-Fitr ("Festival of Fast-Breaking") Prayers at the End of Ramadhan
*.Eid begins with special morning prayers on thefirst day of Shawwal,
the month following Ramadhan on the Islamic lunar calendar.
*.It is forbidden to perform an optional fast during Eid because it is
a time for relaxation.
*.During Eid Muslims greet each other with the phrase"taqabbalallah
ta'atakum," or "may God accept your deeds"and "Eid Mubarak"
(eed-moo-bar-ak), meaning "blessed Eid."
Ramadhan Questions and Answers
Q: How did the fast during Ramadhan become obligatory for Muslims?
The revelations from God to the Prophet Muhammad that would eventually
be compiled as the Quran began during Ramadhan in the year 610, but
the fast of Ramadhan did not become a religious obligation for Muslims
until the year 624. The obligation to fast is explained in the second
chapter of the Quran:"O ye who believe! Fasting isprescribed to you as
it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn)
self-restraint...Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the
Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and
judgment (between rightand wrong). So every one of you who is present
(at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting..."(Chapter
2, verses 183 and 185)
Q: What do Muslims believe they gain from fasting?
One of the main benefits of Ramadhan are an increased compassion
forthose in need of the necessities of life, a senseof
self-purification and reflection and a renewedfocus on spirituality.
Muslims also appreciate the feeling of togetherness shared by family
and friends throughout the month. Perhaps the greatest practical
benefit is the yearly lesson in self-restraint and discipline that can
carry forward to other aspects of a Muslim's life such as work and
education.
Q: Why does Ramadhan begin on a different day each year?
Because Ramadhan is a lunar month, it begins about eleven days
earliereach year. Throughout a Muslim's lifetime, Ramadhan will fall
both during winter months, when the days are short, and summer months,
when the days are long and the fast is more difficult. In this way,
the difficulty of the fast is evenly distributed between Muslims
living in the northern and southern hemispheres.
Q: What is Lailat ul-Qadr?
Lailat ul-Qadr ("Night of Power") marks the anniversary of the night
on which the Prophet Muhammad first began receiving revelations from
God, through the angel Gabriel. An entire chapter in the Quran deals
with this night:"Wehave indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of
Power: and what will explain to thee what the Night of Power is? The
Night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein come down the
angels and the Spirit by God's permission, on every errand.
Peace!...This until the rise of morn."(Chapter 97) Muslims believe
Lailat ul-Qadr is one of the last odd-numbered nights of Ramadhan.
Q: Is it difficult to performthe fast in America?
In many ways, fasting in American society is easierthan fasting in
areas where the climate is extremely hot. This year at least, the
number of daylight hours will be less than when Ramadhan occurs during
the spring or summer. In Muslim countries, most people are observing
the fast, so there are fewer temptations such as luncheon meetings,
daytime celebrations andoffers of food from friends. Many American
Muslims would prefer a daytime work shift during Ramadhan so thatthey
may break the fast with their families and attend evening prayers.
Q: How can non-Muslim co-workers and friends help someone who is fasting?
Employers, co-workers and teachers can help by understanding the
significance of Ramadhan and by showing a willingness to make minor
allowances for its physical demands. Special consideration canbe given
to such things as requests for vacation time, the need for flexible
early morning or evening work schedules and lighter homework
assignments. It is also very important that Muslim workers and
students be given time toattend Eid prayers at the end of Ramadhan.
Eid is as important to Muslims as Christmas and Yom Kippur are to
Christians and Jews. A small token such as a card (there are Eid cards
available from Muslim bookstores) or baked goods given to a Muslim
co-worker duringEid ul-Fitr would also be greatly appreciated.
Hospital workers should be aware that injections and oral medications
might break the fast. Patients should be given the opportunity to
decide whether or not their condition exempts them from fasting.
Q: Do people normally lose weight during Ramadhan?
Some people do lose weight, but others may not. It is recommended that
meals eaten during Ramadhan be light, but most people can't resist
sampling special sweets and foods associated with Ramadhan.