Ramadan Articles - Just a Few More Days to Ramadhan:What Should You Do?

Days pass by, from one year to another, bringing the glad tidings of
the coming of the blessed month ofRamadanand announcing various forms
of blessings: ease in performing acts of righteousness, and abdundance
in mercy, forgiveness, and finally, salvation from Hell. InRamadan,
the valuesof love, brotherhood, tolerance, patience, open-handedness,
and generosity prevail, the ranks of the believers are raised, and the
manners of the fasting people are refined – all out of the Mercy of
Allaah The Almighty, Lord of the Worlds.
Al-Hasan Al-Basrisays,"Allaah The Almighty made the month of Ramadan a
racetrack where His creatures compete in obeying Him to attain His
Pleasure. Some people come first and thus have won; others remain
behind and thus have lost. How amazing is the runner who laughs on the
day when the doers of good win and the doers of falsehood lose!"
As the month ofRamadanapproaches, I advise myself and you to do the following:
Supplicate Allaah The Almighty tokeep you alive until the coming ofRamadan:
It was narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Maalikthat when the month
ofRajabcomes, the Prophet,, said:"O Allaah, bless Rajab and Sha'baan
for us, and let us live till the coming of Ramadan."]Ahmad and
At-Tabaraani[ For that reason, Ibn Rajabsays,"The hearts of the
believers long for the coming of this month and feel pained at its
departure."
Thank Allaah The Almighty for witnessing this month:
Obeying Allaah The Almighty is the greatest blessing Allaah The
Almighty grants the slave. The Prophet,, said:"Ramadan hascome to you.
It is a blessed month that Allaah The Almighty prescribed fasting
during it and wherein the gates of heavens areopen, the gates of Hell
are shut, and the rebellious devils are chained. Allaah placed a
night, which is better than one thousand months, in this month.The
Muslim who misses the goodness of this night is the real
loser."]A-Nasaa'i and Al-Bayhaqi[
Ibn Rajabsays,"This Hadeeth is the basis for congratulating Muslims on
the coming of Ramadan. Why should it not be when the believer is given
the glad tidings of opening the gatesof Paradise? Why should it not
bewhen the sinner is given the gladtidings of closing the gates of
Hell? Why should it not be when the wise man is given the glad tidings
of a period of time in which the devils are chained?"
In his bookAl-Athkaar,Imaam An-Nawawisays,"It is recommended for the
person who experiences an obvious favor or is protected from an
obvious curse that he prostrates in gratefulness to Allaah The
Almighty or praises Him duly."
Rejoice at the special virtues of the month:
The virtues of the month ofRamadaninclude opening the gates of
Paradise, closing the gates of Hell, forgiveness of sins, showering
with mercy, and granting safety from Hellfire. Here is an amazing
story teachingus that a single month ofRamadanmay unimaginably raisea
person's degree in Paradise.
It was narrated on the authority of Talhah ibn 'Ubaydillaahthat there
were two men from the tribe of Baliyy who came to the Prophet,, and
embraced Islam at the same time. One of them was more active in
worshipthan the other, and it happened that the active one was
martyredin a battle and the other one lived for one more year.
Talhahsaid, "I saw in my dream that I was at the gate of Paradiseand
the two men were standing there. Someone came out and gave permission
to the man who lived for one more year to enter Paradise, then gave
permission to the martyr. He then returned to me and told me to go
back forpermission had not been given tome yet."
In the morning, Talhahrelated to the people what he saw and they were
surprised to know this. When the news of thisstory reached the
Prophet,hesaid:"Why should you be surprised?"They said, "O Messenger
of Allaah, the man who was martyred was more active in worship, but
the other one entered Paradise before him." The Prophetsaid:"Did he
not live for one more year?"They answered in the affirmative."Did he
not fast for one more Ramadan,"the Prophetcontinued,"and prayed
such-and-such a number of prostrations in this year?"They answered in
the affirmative. The Prophetsaid:"The difference between them is equal
to the distance between the heavens and the earth."]Al-Munthiri: Hasan
and Ibn Hibbaan:Saheeh[
Determine to give up sins and repent
Ramadanis considered the actualbeginning of the year because the deeds
of the year are submitted in the month ofSha'baan. In that
sense,Ramadanmarks the beginning ofa new year after the submission of
deeds. Therefore, the Muslim needs to turn over a new leaf with Allaah
The Almighty, and this requires repentance from all sins, giving them
up, and not returning to them.Ramadanis the month of repentance, and
if aperson misses this opportunity, when will he repent? Allaah The
Almighty Says )what means(:
*.}And turn to Allaah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you
might succeed.{]Quran 24:31[
*.}Oyou who have believed, repent to Allaah with sincere
repentance.{]Quran 66:8[
O Allaah, I repent to You from thecountless sins I have committed, and
I complain to You from the misdeeds and faults that afflict me!