Ramadhan Al Mubarak

بِسمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحَيْم

"Apabila masuknya malam pertama daripada bulan Ramadhan para syaitan dan pengganas jin akan dirantai, pintu-pintu neraka akan ditutup, tiada satupun akan dibuka, pintu-pintu syurga dibuka, tiada satupun akan ditutup. Akan ada seseorang yang akan melaungkan, 'Wahai orang yang inginkan kebaikan, datanglah. Wahai orang yang inginkan kekejian, berhentilah. Allah mempunyai orang-orang yang dibebaskan daripada neraka pada setiap malam." ((HR Tirmizi, Kitab as-Saum, Bab Ma Ja' Fi Fadl Shahr Ramadhan, No. 618. Dihukum sahih

Remember that fasting is not only dependent on abstentions: Many believe that fasting consist only of certain abstentions, forgetting that Allah (SWT) established certain acts of worship with fasting. Among which are:

Qiyamul Lail: Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) said: "Whoever performed the night prayer during Ramadan out of belief and anticipating God's rewards, will be forgiven his previous sins." (Related by Muslim) Performing Umrah: The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) said: "An Umrah during Ramadan is like a Hajj with me." (Related by al-Hakim)

Offering Iftar (meal) to those who fasted. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) said: "Whoever feeds a fasting person has the same reward as him, except that the reward of the fasting person will not be diminished." (Related by Ahmad)

Reading and completing the Holy Quran: Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) said, "Fasting and [reading] Holy Quran will intercede for the person: fasting will say: O Lord I forbade him eating and drinking so let me intercede for him, and the Holy Quran will say: I deprived him from his night sleep so let me intercede for him," he then said: "So they will intercede." (Related by Ahmad) Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) used to recite the whole Holy Quran to Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) each Ramadan.

Giving in charity: Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu said: "Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) was the most generous among people, and he was more generous during the month of Ramadan." (Related by Muslim)

Itikaf: which is to confine oneself in the masjid for prayer and invocation leaving the worldly activities. Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu said: "Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) used to perform Itikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan." (Related by Muslim) It is surprising that many people have abandoned Itikaf though Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) never abandoned it from the time he arrived to Madinah until he died.

Supplication: In the verses dealing with fasting, Allah (SWT) said: "And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then answer them, I am indeed near to them. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me." (Holy Quran 2: 186). This is an encouragement for the fasting person to increase his invocation. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) said: "Three invocations will be answered: The invocation of the fasting person, the invocation of the oppressed, and the invocation of the traveler." (Related by Muslim)

Repentance: Ramadan is the time of repentance and return to Allah (SWT), for it is a time when the devils are chained, and when many people are saved from hell fire every night by the grace of Allah (SWT).

Abstaining from vain talk: Sins decrease the reward of fasting although they do not annul it. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) said: "Fasting is not [only] abstaining from eating and drinking, but abstaining from vain and obscene talk, so if someone insulted you or wronged you say: I am fasting." (Related by al-Hakim) and he also said: 'Whoever does not abandon lying, and then Allah does not need him to abandon his food and drink." (Related by al-Bukhari)