Ramadan Articles - Being Grateful for the Blessings of Ramadan

The first thing one shoulddo upon enteringRamadanis to praise Allaah
The Almighty for conveying him toRamadan, the month of mercy. What
confirms those blessings, and opens the mercy of AllaahThe Almighty
for you is your gratitude for this blessing being the first thing you
think of doing,and that He has opened this season in your lifetime. If
a person dies, he wishes to return to this world even for a day in
order to repent to Allaah The Almighty, seekHis forgiveness, and do
righteous deeds as confirmed by Allaah The Almighty when He Says)what
means(:}until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "MyLord, send
me back that I might do righteousness in that which I left
behind."{]Quran 23:99-100[
This is why you should think of the best way to praise Allaah The
Almighty who has conveyed you to this season sound and healthy, hoping
for the forgiveness of Allaah The Almighty, waiting for His pardon,
seeking His goodpleasure and desiring that He emancipates you from
Hell in this noble month.
The Messenger of Allaah,, was the role model and example to be
followed in praising Allaah The Almighty, when he kept standing)in
prayer( at night until his feet became swollen because of the duration
for which he stood in prayer. When 'Aa'ishahasked him why he was doing
that despite the fact that Allaah The Almighty had forgiven him his
previous and future sins, he said:"Then, should I not be a grateful
slave?"]Al-Bukhaari[ Thus, he praised Allaah The Almighty by standing
)in prayer( for long periods, drawing close to Him, speaking privately
with Him, reciting His noble verses, reflecting upon their meanings,
submitting and humblinghimself to Him by subjecting his perishable
body to hardship for the sake of Allaah The Almighty. This body that
you preserve and protecttoday will perish and turn into dust tomorrow,
and at that time, nothingwill benefit you except the acts of obedience
that you offered. This is because, as it was said,"One's property,
deeds and children go with him, and both his property and children
return, and only his deeds are left and enter the grave with him."
This is why the Messenger of Allaah,, praised Allaah The Almighty in
those states by standing )in prayer at night( so long until his feet
actually cracked and got swollen as confirmedby theHadeeth)narration(.
IfRamadancomes upon you, the gratitude for this blessing is to stand
inprayer )at night(, multiply the acts of worship you perform, learn
the etiquette of fasting, remember Allaah The Almighty frequently and
recite the Quran as stated by Allaah The Almighty Who Says
)whatmeans(:}The month of Ramadan ]is that[ in which was revealed the
Quran, a guidance for thepeople and clear proofs of guidance and
criterion.{]Quran 2:185[
What is required in thesedays is fasting, standing)at night in
prayer(,Thikr)remembrance of Allaah The Almighty(, worship, recitation
of the Quran, charity, self-reckoning, repentance of sins, correction
of intentions and deeds and elimination of evil, resentment, spite,
envy, excessive ambitions in this world, inclination towards desires,
heedlessness and forgetfulness of the Hereafter and death. One's heart
should be reassured by the remembrance of Allaah The Almighty, the
physical organs become fit for proceeding to Allaah The Almighty, and
his body should be light enough to move toward the obedience and
worship of Allaah The Almighty. He should not find the acts of worship
hard upon himself; rather he should realize the statement of the
Messenger of Allaah,,"Should I not be a grateful slave?"]Al-Bukhaari[
Consider: If you were youto have fallen as a martyrlast year, your
fastingRamadanthis )present( year would have been superior, higher and
greater in rank in the sight of Allaah The Almighty than that position
)of martyrdom(. Then, how would it be if you came out of
lastRamadanwithout such a position or martyrdom? There would be
nothing but failure and loss that one receives upon coming out
ofRamadanin this way.