Advice on the Occasion of Welcoming the Month of Ramadan
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Question: Your Eminence, what is your advice to the Muslims as we welcome this blessed month?
Answer: My advice to all Muslims is to fear Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He), and to welcome their great month with sincere repentance from all sins, and to gain understanding in their religion, and to learn the rulings of their fasting and the rulings of their night prayers; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1037a, and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan an-Nasa'i 2098Sahih (Darussalam), and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): .
And he used to say (peace and blessings be upon him) to the Companions:.
And the meaning of:: means hasten to the good deeds, be the first to the acts of obedience, and stay away from the evil deeds.
And he said (peace and blessings be upon him):Mishkat al-Masabih 1958.
And he said (peace and blessings be upon him):Mishkat al-Masabih 1959.
And he said (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 1904.
And he said (peace and blessings be upon him):Bulugh al-Maram 5:14, narrated by al-Bukhari in the Sahih.
So the advice is for all Muslims to fear Allah, and to preserve their fasting, and to protect it from all sins, and it is prescribed for them to strive in the good deeds and to race to the acts of obedience, such as charity, and increasing the recitation of the Qur'an, and the glorification of Allah, and the declaration of His oneness, and the praise of Allah, and the magnification of Allah, and seeking forgiveness; because this is the month of the Qur'an: [al-Baqarah:185].
So it is prescribed for the believers to strive in the recitation of the Qur'an, and it is recommended for men and women to increase in the recitation of the Qur'an by night and by day, and every letter is a good deed, and the good deed is ten times its like, as that came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), with caution from all evil deeds and sins, with advising one another to truth and giving one another sincere advice, and enjoining good and forbidding evil.
So it is a great month in which deeds are multiplied, and in which evil deeds are magnified, so it is obligatory upon the believer to strive in performing what Allah has made obligatory upon him, and to beware of what Allah has forbidden upon him, and that his concern in Ramadan be more and greater, as it is prescribed for him to strive in the deeds of good, such as charity, visiting the sick, following the funerals, and maintaining family ties, and much recitation, and much remembrance, and glorification of Allah, and declaration of His oneness, and seeking forgiveness, and supplication, and other than this of the aspects of good, hoping for the reward of Allah and fearing His punishment.
We ask Allah to guide the Muslims to what pleases Him, and we ask Allah to let us and all Muslims reach its fasting and its night prayers with faith and seeking reward, we ask Allah to grant us and all Muslims in every place understanding in the religion and uprightness upon it, and safety from the causes of the anger of Allah and His punishment.
As I ask Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) to guide all the rulers of the Muslims and all the princes of the Muslims, and to guide them and to rectify their conditions, and to guide them to judge by the Shari'ah of Allah in all their affairs, in their worship and their works and all their matters, we ask Allah to guide them to that, acting in accordance with His saying (Exalted and Majestic is He): [al-Ma'idah:49], and acting in accordance with His saying (Exalted and Majestic is He): [al-Ma'idah:50], and acting in accordance with His saying (Glorified and Exalted is He): [al-Nisa':65], and acting in accordance with His saying (Glorified and Exalted is He): [al-Nisa':59], and acting in accordance with the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He): [al-Nur:54], and His saying (Glorified and Exalted is He): [al-Hashr:7].
This is the obligation upon all Muslims and upon their rulers, it is obligatory upon the rulers of the Muslims and upon their scholars and upon their common people to fear Allah, and to submit to the Shari'ah of Allah, and to judge by the Shari'ah of Allah among themselves; because it is the Shari'ah by which there is rectification and guidance and a good outcome, and by which there is the pleasure of Allah, and by which there is the reaching of the truth which He prescribed for them, and by which there is caution from injustice.
We ask Allah for everyone success and guidance and rectification of intention and work, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and his Companions.
Answer: My advice to all Muslims is to fear Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He), and to welcome their great month with sincere repentance from all sins, and to gain understanding in their religion, and to learn the rulings of their fasting and the rulings of their night prayers; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
He upon whom Allah intends to bestow goodness, He confers upon him an insight in religion
من يرد الله به خيرًا يفقهه في الدينWhen Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are fettered.
إذا دخل رمضان فتحت أبواب الجنة، وغلقت أبواب النار، وسلسلت الشياطينWhen the first night of Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained, and a caller calls out: O seeker of good, proceed, and O seeker of evil, stop, and to Allah belong those who are freed from the Fire, and that is in every night.
إذا كان أول ليلة من رمضان فتحت أبواب الجنة، وغلقت أبواب جهنم، وصفدت الشياطين، وينادي منادٍ: يا باغي الخير أقبل، ويا باغي الشر أقصر، ولله عتقاء من النار وذلك في كل ليلةAnd he used to say (peace and blessings be upon him) to the Companions:
The month of Ramadan has come to you, a month of blessing, in which Allah covers you; so He sends down mercy, and He erases sins, and He accepts supplication, so show Allah from yourselves the best; for indeed the wretched one is the one who is deprived of the mercy of Allah in it.
أتاكم شهر رمضان شهر بركة، يغشاكم الله فيه؛ فينزل الرحمة، ويحط الخطايا، ويستجيب الدعاء، فأروا الله من أنفسكم خيرًا؛ فإن الشقي من حرم فيه رحمة اللهAnd the meaning of:
Show Allah from yourselves the best.
أروا الله من أنفسكم خيرًاAnd he said (peace and blessings be upon him):
He who fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from God will have his past sins forgiven; he who prays during the night in Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from God will have his past sins forgiven; and he who passes Lailat al-qadr [Night of Decree] in prayer with faith and seeking his reward from God will have his past sins forgiven.
من صام رمضان إيمانًا واحتسابًا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه، ومن قام رمضان إيمانًا واحتسابًا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه، ومن قام ليلة القدر إيمانًا واحتسابًا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبهAnd he said (peace and blessings be upon him):
Every [good] deed a son of Adam does will be multiplied, a good deed receiving a tenfold to seven hundredfold reward. God has said, ‘With the exception of fasting, for it is done for my sake and I give a reward for it. One abandons his passion and his food for my sake.* The one who fasts has two occasions of joy, one when he breaks his fast and one when he meets his Lord. The bad breath of one who fasts is sweeter to God than the fragrance of musk.
يقول الله جل وعلا: كل عمل ابن آدم له، الحسنة بعشر أمثالها إلى سبعمائة ضعف، إلا الصيام فإنه لي وأنا أجزي به، ترك شهوته وطعامه وشرابه من أجلي، للصائم فرحتان فرحة عند فطره وفرحة عند لقاء ربه، ولخلوف فم الصائم أطيب عند الله من ريح المسكAnd he said (peace and blessings be upon him):
If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.'
إذا كان يوم صوم أحدكم، فلا يرفث ولا يصخب، فإن سابه أحد أو قاتله فليقل إني امرؤ صائمAnd he said (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions and does not abandon foolishness, Allah is not in need of his leaving food and drink
من لم يدع قول الزور والعمل به والجهل؛ فليس لله حاجة في أن يدع طعامه وشرابهSo the advice is for all Muslims to fear Allah, and to preserve their fasting, and to protect it from all sins, and it is prescribed for them to strive in the good deeds and to race to the acts of obedience, such as charity, and increasing the recitation of the Qur'an, and the glorification of Allah, and the declaration of His oneness, and the praise of Allah, and the magnification of Allah, and seeking forgiveness; because this is the month of the Qur'an:
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِيَ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُSo it is prescribed for the believers to strive in the recitation of the Qur'an, and it is recommended for men and women to increase in the recitation of the Qur'an by night and by day, and every letter is a good deed, and the good deed is ten times its like, as that came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), with caution from all evil deeds and sins, with advising one another to truth and giving one another sincere advice, and enjoining good and forbidding evil.
So it is a great month in which deeds are multiplied, and in which evil deeds are magnified, so it is obligatory upon the believer to strive in performing what Allah has made obligatory upon him, and to beware of what Allah has forbidden upon him, and that his concern in Ramadan be more and greater, as it is prescribed for him to strive in the deeds of good, such as charity, visiting the sick, following the funerals, and maintaining family ties, and much recitation, and much remembrance, and glorification of Allah, and declaration of His oneness, and seeking forgiveness, and supplication, and other than this of the aspects of good, hoping for the reward of Allah and fearing His punishment.
We ask Allah to guide the Muslims to what pleases Him, and we ask Allah to let us and all Muslims reach its fasting and its night prayers with faith and seeking reward, we ask Allah to grant us and all Muslims in every place understanding in the religion and uprightness upon it, and safety from the causes of the anger of Allah and His punishment.
As I ask Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) to guide all the rulers of the Muslims and all the princes of the Muslims, and to guide them and to rectify their conditions, and to guide them to judge by the Shari'ah of Allah in all their affairs, in their worship and their works and all their matters, we ask Allah to guide them to that, acting in accordance with His saying (Exalted and Majestic is He):
And judge, [O Muhammad], between them by what Allah has revealed
وَأَنِ احْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللّهُThen is it the judgement of [the time of] ignorance they desire? But who is better than Allah in judgement for a people who are certain [in faith].
أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللّهِ حُكْمًا لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَBut no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.
فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىَ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُواْ فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيمًاO you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ أَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًاSay, "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger
قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَAnd whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from
وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُواThis is the obligation upon all Muslims and upon their rulers, it is obligatory upon the rulers of the Muslims and upon their scholars and upon their common people to fear Allah, and to submit to the Shari'ah of Allah, and to judge by the Shari'ah of Allah among themselves; because it is the Shari'ah by which there is rectification and guidance and a good outcome, and by which there is the pleasure of Allah, and by which there is the reaching of the truth which He prescribed for them, and by which there is caution from injustice.
We ask Allah for everyone success and guidance and rectification of intention and work, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and his Companions.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.