Ramadan Article - Virtuous deeds During Ramadan

The month of Ramadan isa great opportunity for devout worshippers to
utilize their days in reciting the Quran and teaching others and
utilizing their nights in feeding the needy, supplicating and
praying.The one whose today is exactly like his yesterday without any
improvement, is truly deprived.
A Muslim must utilize this blessed month to perform as many good deeds
as he can, and should strive to be in better condition during this
month than he was before it, and should be keen to become even better
after it, as this is how our righteous Salaf were.
Hammad Ibn Salamahsaid: "Whenever we went to see Sulaymaan At-Taymee
during a time during which one can be performing an act of obedience
we would find him performing some act of worship. If it was time to
pray he would be praying, if it was not he would either performing
ablution, visiting a sick person, following a funeral precession or
sitting in the mosque awaiting theprayer. People believed that this
man could neverdisobey Allaah"
Righteous deeds that the prophetand his companionsused to perform
during this great month were many, and the following are some of these
deeds:
Qiyaam )optional night prayers(:Abu Hurayrahreported that the
Prophetsaid:"Whoever establishes prayers during the nightsof Ramadan
out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allaah's rewards, all his
previous sins will be forgiven"]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[. Ibn Jurayjsaid:
"I accompanied 'Ataa' Ibn Abi Rabaahfor eighteen years, and he
continued to pray two hundred verses from chapter Al-Baqarah without
moving at all during his prayer despitehim reaching a very old age"
Supplication:The revelation of the verse ofsupplication
immediatelyafter the verses mandating the fast of Ramadan is a clear
indication of the importance of this act of worship during this month.
Allaah Says )what means(:"And when My slaves 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[. Supplication is the essence of worship and it indicates how
much man is in need of his Lord during all situations; it is named
"worship" in the text of the Quran as Allaah Says)what means(:"And
your Lord says, Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those
who disdain My worship will enter Hell ]rendered[ contemptible"]Quran
40: 60[
I'tikaaf )i.e. residing in the mosque with the intention of
worship(:Ibn 'Umarreported:"The Prophetused to do I'tikaaf during the
lastten days of Ramadan"]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[.Ibn
Al-Qayyimsaid:"The rectification of the heart revolves around the
slave focusing himself to please Allaah and fulfill His commands.
Moreover, unnecessary talking, eating, drinking and socializing weaken
the heart and divert it from its objective. Due to this, Allaah has
legislated fasting so that the slave abandons unnecessary eating and
drinking; and legislated I'tikaaf so that the slave's heart is focused
on Allaah alone and is detached from people and is exclusively devoted
to Allaah"
Generosity and recitationof the Quran:Ibn 'Abbaasstated:"The
Prophetwas the most generous of all the people, and he was the most
generous during the month of Ramadan when Jibreel met him. Jibreel
used to meet him every night of Ramadan to teach him the Quran, and
when he met him, hewould be more generous than the
stronguncontrollable wind )i.e. in readiness and haste to do
charitable deeds("]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[.Ramadan is the month of
Quran, and thus one is supposed to exert extra efforts in reciting the
Quran. This is how our righteous Salafused to be; many of them usedto
finish the entire Quranonce every three nights during the optional
nightprayers, while others used to finish it every seven days. Some of
them used to finish it every two days, and yet some would finish it
all in a single day. Ibn Rajabsaid:"The prohibitionof not reciting the
Quran in less than three days is when one does this continuously, but
during virtuous times like the month of Ramadan, or virtuous places
like Makkah, one is encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity
and recite asmuch as he can"'Abdur-Razzaaqsaid:"Whenever the month of
Ramadan arrived, Imaam Sufyaanconcentratedonly on reciting the Quran
and left other acts of worship"
Performing 'Umrah:Ibn `Abbaasreported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid
to one of the women from the residents of Al-Madeenah:"When Ramadan
comes, go and perform 'Umrah, as doingso is equivalent to performing
Hajj"]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Refraining from backbiting and other sins:Abu Hurayrahreported that
the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"Whoever does not give up false speech and
evil actions, Allaah is not in need of his leaving his food and
drink."]Al-Bukhaari[ Fasting is a great opportunity to giveup smoking,
evil company, late nights andother sins, as it trains oneto stick to
the mosque more than any other place.
Feeding the needy and poor:Allaah Says )what means(:"And they give
food in spite of love for itto the needy, the orphan,and the captive.
]Saying[,"We feed you only for the Countenance ]i.e. approval[ of
Allaah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude. Indeed, We fear from
ourLord a Day austere and distressful." So Allaah willprotect them
from the evil of that Day and give them radiance and happiness. And
will reward them for what they patiently endured]with[ a garden ]in
Paradise[ and silk]garments[."]Quran 76: 8-12[ Zayd Ibn Khaalid
Al-Jahnireported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"He who gives a
fasting person somethingwith which to break his fast will have a
reward equal to his )i.e. the fasting person( without his reward being
diminished in any respect."]At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah[