Donu2019t neglect this month of blessing during which Allaah opens the gates of Paradise and closes the gates of Hell, and chains up the devils, as is stated in al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 1898, Muslim, 1079), from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:u201cWhen Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.u201dRamadan u2025 A Blessed month of Mercy and Forgiveness. Its days are the best of days, its nights are the best of nights and its hours are the best of hours.It is the month which invites you to be the guest of Allaah and invites you to be one of those near to Him. Each breath you take glorifies Him, your sleep is worship, your deeds are accepted and your supplications are answered.It is the month of revelation of the Quran, the month of reading and reciting the whole Quran, the month of Tahajjud and the month of Tarawih prayers, of Sadaqah and Zakah-ul-Fitr.u201cThe month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan), he must fast that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number (of days which one did not fast must be made up) from other days. Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Himu201d (2: 185).No one can go anywhere without preparation, and no one invites a guest without preparing to welcome him/her. Similarly, to welcome Ramadan, the month of fasting, one has to prepare.Sahaba RadhiAllahu Anhum used to prepare for Ramadan months before it dawned upon them as they believed it would be injustice and bad manners if they did not. The Sahaba would prepare for Ramadan six months in advance. We are also following their beautiful manner which is by default emulating the prophetic way at least a month before Ramadan begins. Letu2019s prepare our selves for this Ramadan who knows will we see the next Ramadan or not? Lets take the best of benifit from this month.Abu Huraira related that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. Whoever prays during the nights in Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. And he who passes Lailat al-Qadr in prayer with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven (Bukhari, Muslim).The month of Ramadan and Fasting is a gift of Allah for the believers, Its the month where you can make habit of controlling your desires, its the time when you can develop your taqwa more strongly, where you can repent and seek forgiveness of your every past sin, Its the best time to get double reward of every good deed you do. No doubt Ramadan is the month of blessings in which devils are chained up, gates of hells are closed and the heaven gates are opened! Letu2019s utilize these blessed moments in complete and proper way1 u2025 Allaah has made fasting this month the fourth pillar of Islam, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):u201cThe month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quru2019aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that monthu2026u201d[al-Baqarah 2:185]and it was narrated in al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 8, Muslim, 16) from the hadeeth of Ibn u2018Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:u201cIslam is built on five (pillars):the testimony that there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah,establishing prayer,paying zakaah,fasting Ramadaan, andHajj to the House (the Kau2019bah).u201d2 u2025 Allaah revealed the Quru2019aan in this month, as He says in the verse quoted above (interpretation of the meaning):u201cThe month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quru2019aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)u2026u201d[al-Baqarah 2:185]And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):u201cVerily, We have sent it (this Quru2019aan) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree).u201d[al-Qadr 97:1]3 u2025 Allaah has made Laylat al-Qadr in this month, which is better than a thousand months, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):u201cVerily, We have sent it (this Quru2019aan) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree).And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaahu2019s Permission with all Decrees,(All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allaah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawnu201d[al-Qadar 97:1-5]u201cWe sent it (this Quru2019aan) down on a blessed night [(i.e. the Night of Al-Qadr) in the month of Ramadan u2025 the 9th month of the Islamic calendar]. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship]u201d[al-Dukhaan 44:3]Allaah has blessed Ramadaan with Laylat al-Qadr. Explaining the great status of this blessed night, Soorat al-Qadr was revealed, and there are many ahaadeeth which also speak of that, such as the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said:The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:u201cThere has come to you Ramadaan, a blessed month which Allaah has enjoined you to fast, during which the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.u201dNarrated by al-Nasaau2019i, 2106, Ahmad, 8769. classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 999.And Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:u201cWhoever spends Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, will be forgiven his previous sins.u201dNarrated by al-Bukhaari, 1910, Muslim, 760.4 u2025 Allaah has made fasting Ramadaan and spending its nights in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward a means of forgiveness of sins, as was proven in al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 2025. Muslim, 760) from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:u201cWhoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.u201d And al-Bukhaari (2025) and Muslim (174) also narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: u201cWhoever spends the nights of Ramadaan in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.u201dThe Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is Sunnah to pray qiyaam at night in Ramadaan. Al-Nawawi said that what is meant by praying qiyaam in Ramadaan is to pray Taraweeh, i.e., one achieves what is meant by qiyaam by praying Taraaweeh.5 u2025 In this month, Allaah opens the gates of Paradise and closes the gates of Hell, and chains up the devils, as is stated in al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 1898, Muslim, 1079), from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:u201cWhen Ramadaan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.u201d6 u2025 Every night Allaah has people whom He redeems from the Fire. Imam Ahmad (5/256) narrated from the hadeeth of Abu Umaamah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:u201cAt every breaking of the fast, Allaah has people whom He redeems.u201d Al-Mundhiri said: there is nothing wrong with its isnaad, and it was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 987.Al-Bazzaar (Kashf 962) narrated that Abu Sau2019eed said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:u201cAllaah has people whom He redeems every day and night u2025 i.e., in Ramadaan u2025 and every Muslim every day and night has a prayer that is answered.u201d7 u2025 Fasting Ramadaan is a means of expiation for the sins committed since the previous Ramadaan, so long as one avoids major sins. It was proven in Saheeh Muslim (233) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:u201cThe five daily prayers, from one Jumuu2019ah to the next and from one Ramadaan to the next are expiation for (sins committed) in between, so long as you avoid major sins.u201d8 u2025 Fasting in Ramadaan is equivalent to fasting ten months, as is indicated by the hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim (1164) narrated from Abu Ayyoob al-Ansaari:u201cWhoever fasts Ramadaan then follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be like fasting for a lifetime.u201dAhmad (21906) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:u201cWhoever fasts Ramadaan, a month is like ten months, and fasting six days after al-Fitr will complete the year.u201d9 u2025 Whoever prays qiyaam in Ramadaan with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole night in prayer, because of the report narrated by Abu Dawood (1370) and others from the hadeeth of Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:u201cWhoever prays qiyaam with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole night in prayer.u201d Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Salaat al-Taraaweeh, p. 1510 u2025 u2018Umrah in Ramadaan is equivalent to Hajj. Al-Bukhaari (1782) and Muslim (1256) narrated that Ibn u2018Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to a woman among the Ansaar, u201cWhat kept you from doing Hajj with us?u201d She said, u201cWe only had two camels that we used for bringing water.u201d So her husband and son had gone for Hajj on one camel, and he left the other for them to use for bringing water.u201dHe said, u201cWhen Ramadaan comes, go for u2018Umrah, for u2018Umrah in Ramadaan is equivalent to Hajj.u201d According to a report narrated by Muslim, u201cu2025 is equivalent to doing Hajj with me.u201d11 u2025 It is Sunnah to observe iu2019tikaaf (retreat for the purpose of worship) in Ramadaan, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) always did that, as it was narrated in the hadeeth of u2018Aau2019ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)used to spend the last ten days of Ramadaan in iu2019tikaaf until he passed away, then his wives observed iu2019tikaaf after him.u201d Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1922, Muslim, 1172.12 u2025 It is mustahabb in the sense of being strongly recommended in Ramadaan to study the Quru2019aan together and to read it a great deal. You may study the Quru2019aan together by reciting it to someone else and by having someone else recite it to you.The evidence that this is mustahabb is the fact that Jibreel used to meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) every night in Ramadaan and study the Quru2019aan with him. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6, Muslim, 2308.Reading Quru2019aaan is mustahabb in general, but more so in Ramadaan.13 u2025 It is mustahabb in Ramadaan to offer iftaar to those who are fasting, because of the hadeeth of Zayd ibn Khaalid al-Juhani (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:u201cWhoever gives iftaar to one who is fasting will have a reward like his, without that detracting from the fasting personu2019s reward in the slightest.u201d Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 807, Ibn Maajah, 1746, classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 647. see question no: ( 12598 )