Ramadan Articles - Merits of Ramadan

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrahthat the Messenger of
Allaahsaid:"When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of Heaven are
opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are
chained."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Another version reads:"When thefirst night of the month of Ramadan
comes, the devils and rebellious Jinn are chained up and the gates of
Hell are closed, and not one gate of it is opened. The gates of
Paradise are opened and not one gate of it is closed. Acaller cries
out, 'O seeker of good,proceed; O seeker of evil, desist.' Allaah
saves some people from Hell - and that happens every
night."]At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah[]Al-Albaani: Saheeh[
"O seeker of good, proceed!"is a call to the people who want to do
good deeds to proceed, because this is their opportunity for doing
good deeds as they willbe rewarded generously for everylittle effort.
"O seeker of evil, desist!"is a call to the people who want to get
involved in evil deeds to stop andrepent, because this is the time for
repenting to Allaah The Almighty.
In a third version, the Prophetgave glad tidings to his Companions,
saying:"There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month. Allaah has
made it obligatory for you to fast in it. In this month, the gates of
Heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are locked, and the rebellious
devils are chained up. In it there is a night that is better than a
thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is deprived
indeed."]An-Nasaa'i andAhmad[
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah and Abu Sa'eedsaidthat the Messenger
of Allaahsaid:"Allaah has people whom Hesaves )from Hell( every day
and night )in Ramadan( and every oneof them has a supplication that
will, indeed, be fulfilled."]Ahmad and At-Tabaraani: authentic chainof
narrators[
It was narrated on the authority of Jaabirthat the Messenger of
Allaahsaid:"Allaah has people whom He saves )from Hell( at each time
of Iftaar)breaking tha fast(, and that is every night )of
Ramadan(."]Ibn Maajah[ ]Al-Albaani: Hasan Saheeh]
Benefits and rulings:
*.First:The virtues of the month of Ramadan, where great things take
place, such as opening the gates of Paradise, closing the gates of
Hell and chaining the devils. All this takes place in the first night
of Ramadan and continues to the end of the month.
*.Second:The first Hadeeth indicates that Paradise and Hellare already
created and that their gates are actually opened and closed.
*.Third:Seasons with a special virtue and the righteous deeds that are
observed therein bringabout the Pleasure of Allaah and this results in
opening the gates of Paradise and closing the gates of Hell.
*.Fourth:It is permissible under Sharee'ah )Islamic legislation( to
give glad tidings about the advent of Ramadan and congratulate people
on living to witness it. The Prophetused to remind his Companions of
such merits to make them rejoice and drive them to do righteous deeds.
Thus, glad tidings should be given with regard to every good thing.
*.Fifth:Rebellious devils are chained in Ramadan and thus their effect
on people is weakened due to the good deeds that people do.
*.Sixth:Allaah The Almighty confers His favor and kindness upon His
slaves by preserving their fasting and warding the harm of rebellious
devils off them, so as not to spoil their acts of worship in the
blessed month of Ramadan.
*.Seventh:Proving the existence of devils and that they have bodies
that can be chained andthat rebellious devils from among them are
chained during the month of Ramadan.
*.Eighth:These great advantages, which are unique to Ramadan, are
enjoyed by the believers who glorify this month and fulfill the rights
of Allaah The Almighty during it. However, the disbelievers who do not
fast during this month and do not believe in its sanctity, the gates
of Paradise will not be opened for them, the gates of Hell will not be
closed for their sake, their devils will not be chained and they will
not deserve to be saved from Hell. Consequently, anyone of them who
dies during the month of Ramadan or during any other month willdeserve
the punishment of Allaah and will certainly taste it.
*.Ninth:It is feared that Muslims who imitate the disbelievers in
violating the sanctity of Ramadan, breaking the fast during the
daytime, committing acts that invalidatetheir fasting or decrease its
reward )such as backbiting, carrying tales or spreading slander and
attending gatherings where such acts take place(, will be excluded
from this great favor from Allaah; the gates of Paradise will be
closed for them, the gates of Hell will be opened forthem and their
devils will be released.
*.Tenth:The opening of the gates of Paradise and the closing of the
gates of Hell do not contradict the verse )whichmeans(:}Gardens of
perpetual residence, whose doors will be opened to them.{]Quran 38:50[
The opening of the gates of Paradise during the month of Ramadan does
not mean that they will be always opened. Also, the noble verse tells
about the opening of such gates on the Dayof Judgment. Likewise, the
closing of the gates of Hell duringthe month of Ramadan does not
contradict the verse that says with regard to Hell )what
means(:}Until, when they reach it, its gates are opened.{]Quran 39:71[
This is because the gates of Hell may be closed before the time the
doomed people reach it.
*.Eleventh:The virtue of the Night of Al-Qadr and how it is better
than one thousand months. The Muslim who misses that night is deprived
ofa great blessing.
*.Twelfth:Allaah The Almighty saves people from Hell every night in
the month of Ramadan. Those who are worthier of redemption are those
who fast perfectly, pray Qiyaam )supererogatory night prayers( well,
perform a lot of righteous deeds, out of loving Allaah and hoping for
His reward and fearing His punishment.
*.Thirteenth:Those people who will be saved from Hell will be granted
the privilege of having their supplications fulfilled. Thus, Allaah
combines two great rewards for them: redemption from Hell and
answering their supplication.
*.Fourteenth:The fasting Muslim should not commit anything that
invalidates his fasting or decreases his reward. Also, he should keep
his hearing, sight and tongue away from everything that has been
forbidden by Allaah, to be saved from Hell.
*.Fifteenth:The fasting Muslim should frequently supplicate Allaah The
Almighty, because the supplication made by a fasting person is
fulfilled, by the will of Allaah The Almighty.