Welcoming the Month of Ramadan and Warning Against Wasting Its Times
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Question:
Shaykh Salih, the times of Ramadan are noble and great in the sight of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, yet many people overlook them by sleeping for long hours, O Shaykh Salih, and by staying up late at night, shopping, and going on trips. Perhaps Your Eminence has some guidance on this matter.
Answer:
[Al-Fatihah 1:1-2], and may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. The month of Ramadan is a great opportunity in the year.
Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, magnified it by His saying:[Al-Baqarah 2:185]. It is a month that Allah magnified and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) magnified, as in his sermon (peace and blessings be upon him) on the last Friday of Sha'ban. He said (peace and blessings be upon him): O people, Mishkat al-Masabih 1965. He described it with these great descriptions so that people would be alert to it, prepare for it, and welcome it with what befits it, by making the best use of its days and nights.
They are great days and great nights. Its daytime is fasting, its night is standing in prayer, and its hours and times are for reciting the Qur'an and remembering Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. It is a great season. It does not befit a Muslim to let it pass like the other months. Rather, it is obligatory for him, or recommended, to prepare for it with the best preparation and to welcome it with the best welcome. This is done by remembering Allah and reciting the Qur'an, and by being consistent with the obligatory prayers in Ramadan and in other months.
As for the prayer of tarawih, it is in Ramadan. In other months, it is the night prayer and tahajjud. This month is great, as Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has magnified it. The believers prepare for it, rejoice in it, and fill it with obedience to Allah.
As mentioned about them, they used to ask Allah for six months to reach them Ramadan. Then they would ask Him for six months to accept it from them. This was the value of Ramadan in their eyes.
As for the one who rejoices in Ramadan for the late nights, for the variety of foods and drinks at iftar, and the like, he has not valued this month with its true value. He has only considered it a season for eating, drinking, and entertaining the souls. This is a great deprivation. We ask Allah to guide us and them, and to turn to us in mercy, and to include us in His mercy and goodness?
The presenter:
O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good for this opening and this introduction to these noble days, in which we ask Allah to accept from us and from you righteous deeds.
Shaykh Salih, the times of Ramadan are noble and great in the sight of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, yet many people overlook them by sleeping for long hours, O Shaykh Salih, and by staying up late at night, shopping, and going on trips. Perhaps Your Eminence has some guidance on this matter.
Answer:
(1) In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. (2) [All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds -
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَAllah, Glorified and Exalted is He, magnified it by His saying:
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُA great month, a blessed month
قد أظلكم شهر عظيم مباركThey are great days and great nights. Its daytime is fasting, its night is standing in prayer, and its hours and times are for reciting the Qur'an and remembering Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. It is a great season. It does not befit a Muslim to let it pass like the other months. Rather, it is obligatory for him, or recommended, to prepare for it with the best preparation and to welcome it with the best welcome. This is done by remembering Allah and reciting the Qur'an, and by being consistent with the obligatory prayers in Ramadan and in other months.
As for the prayer of tarawih, it is in Ramadan. In other months, it is the night prayer and tahajjud. This month is great, as Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has magnified it. The believers prepare for it, rejoice in it, and fill it with obedience to Allah.
As mentioned about them, they used to ask Allah for six months to reach them Ramadan. Then they would ask Him for six months to accept it from them. This was the value of Ramadan in their eyes.
As for the one who rejoices in Ramadan for the late nights, for the variety of foods and drinks at iftar, and the like, he has not valued this month with its true value. He has only considered it a season for eating, drinking, and entertaining the souls. This is a great deprivation. We ask Allah to guide us and them, and to turn to us in mercy, and to include us in His mercy and goodness?
The presenter:
O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good for this opening and this introduction to these noble days, in which we ask Allah to accept from us and from you righteous deeds.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، برنامج (فتاوى) (132) لمعالي الشيخ صالح الفوزان بتاريخ [1437-09-04] - كبار العلماء — youtube.com (0:55)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.