A Short Valuable Advice For Ramadhan

The reason for previously mentioning the manner in which the saintly ones spent their Ramadhan is not that we may just read without deriving any benefit or pass a casual remark. It is written with the object that we in our way may build up courage and to the best of our ability endeavour to emulate and follow their noble examples.

How wonderful would it be for us - who are slumped in our worldly pursuits - to at least try our utmost to mend our religious life, and take full advantage of this one month after having allowed eleven months of the year go by destroying ourselves.

As for those who have to be in their offices and be present at eight, nine or ten in the morning, what difficulty will it be for them if they at least in Ramadhan, spend the time from Subuh until their hours of employment in reciting the Qur'an. After all, don't we see that for our worldly needs - we do find time in spite of office hours.

For those engaged in farming, who normally are not bound to others, nothing prevents them from reciting the Qur'an on their farm or adjusting their daily routine.

Then come the businessmen, shopkeepers and merchants. Nothing prevents them in Ramadhan from reciting their Qur'an during their shop hours or cutting short trading time in order to make time for recitation thereof.

After all, there is very strong link between Ramadhan and the Tilawat of the Qur'an. Almost all of Allah's great scriptures were revealed in the month of Ramadhan. Similarly, in this month the Qur'an was brought down from the Lawhul Mahfuz to the Sama'ud Dunya, from where it was revealed bit by bit to Rasulullah SAW in a span of twenty three years.

Nabi Ibrahim AS received his scriptures on the first and third of this sacred month. Nabi Dawud AS received the Zabur on the twelfth or eighteenth. Nabi Musa AS received his Taurat on the sixth. Nabi 'Isa AS received the Injil on the twelfth or thirteenth.

From this we note the great connection between the divine scriptures and the month of Ramadhan. For this reason, we should be performing as much Tilawat of the Qur'an as possible during this month. This was the habit of our pious predecessors and saintly elders.

Jibril AS used to recite the whole Qur'an to Nabi Muhammad SAW in the month of Ramadhan. In some reports it is stated that Rasulullah SAW used to recite and Jibril AS used to listen. By integrating these reports, the knowledgeable of Deen have said that it is Mustahab (desirable) to read the Qur'an in such a manner that - while one recites, the other person listens. Thereafter the other person recites while the first person listens.

The Qur'an should be recited as much as possible, particularly in the blessed month of Ramadhan. Whatever time remains thereafter should not be wasted.

From Hadith, Rasulullah SAW has drawn our attention to four more things and advised that we should practice them as much as possible.

They are :

1. the recitation of the Kalimah Shahadah,

2. the recitation of Istighfar,

3. begging for Jannah from Allah SWT, and

4. seeking refuge from Jahannam from Allah SWT


Therefore it must be regarded as an honour to spend as much time as available in these recitations. This will indeed be the true appreciation of the teachings of Rasulullah SAW. What is so difficult about keeping the tongue busy with the recitation of Salawat or Laa Ilaaha Illallah while being engaged in our daily tasks?

Rasulullah SAW has also mentioned that Ramadhan is the month of patience. Hence even if great difficulty is experienced in fasting one should bear it with patience. One should not complain like those people who are fond of doing during hot days.

If by chance Sahur is missed, we should resort to patience. Similarly, should difficulty be experienced at the same time of Tarawih, it too should be borne with patience. Do not consider it a great calamity or trial, otherwise these deeds may be void of blessings.

When we turn our backs on worldly things, forsake our very eating and drinking, then in the face of Allah's pleasure - what are these difficulties?

Our Faults in Ramadhan

At this point we should ponder over our Ibadah.

How much importance do we attach to our Ibadah in Ramadhan?

How many Nawafil (optional) Solat do we perform?

As for Fardh (obligatory) deeds, we observe how numerous people who after having eaten Sahur get back into bed with the result that the Subuh Solat is neglected. Many perform Subuh Solat, but not with Jama'ah.

It gives the impression that we are giving thanks to Allah for the food we had eaten for Sahur by not performing the most important Fardh as how it should ber performed. Infact, such a Solat has been termed defective.

It has come to us that Rasulullah SAW has said:

"There is no Solat for those near the Masjid except in the Masjid."

Our Ulama have also helped to explain to us that there is actually no reward (spiritual benefit) for the Solat not performed with Jama'ah without any valid Shari'i excuse.

Similarly, in numerous cases at the time of Iftar (break-fast), Maghrib Solat is missed, and many who do come to the Masjid miss the Takbir at the beginning or miss the first raka'at. In some parts of the world, there are many people who hasten to get over the Tarawih Solat early and even perform the Isyak Solat before its actual time commences. Worse still, there are some who do not pay any attention to Solat - even in Ramadhan! May Allah SWT cure such hearts.

In this day and age, that is the way we see how we look after our very important Fardh Solat in the month of Ramadhan. Sometimes in the process of performing one Fardh, three others are destroyed. How often do we see even the time of Zuhr going by because we are asleep, while the time of Asar goes by because we are too busy buying, selling or cooking to prepare for Iftar.

If our menfolk are Jahil, we cannot expect our womenfolk to be suddenly enlightened from the sky. Males should be ever diligent in matters of Deen. That's what all true Muslim men should aspire to become and mantain. Nowadays, many men are not even ashamed to say that their wife is more Deen-oriented than themselves. Where is our dignity? How shall we face Rasulullah SAW on the Day of Judgement? Will he (SAW) be able to recognise us owing to our cowardice?

If such is the case with the Faraa'idh (obligatory injunctions), then we can imagine how much less importance is given to the Nawafil (optional) actions.

The fact is, one finds that because of sleeping after Subuh prayer, the time of Solat-ul-Dhuha goes by.

Then what about Solat-ulAwwabeen just after Maghrib Solat? Here we find shameless selves busy with Iftar, even to such an extent that after about an hour this Solat-ul-Tarawih too becomes wasted. Further we find that for Solat-ul-Tahajjud the time is the same as that for Sahur with the result that this too goes by.

We cannot deny that anyone may make a thousand excuses for not finding time for these specific avenues of worship. Yes, it is true that these indeed are all excuses for not performing these Solat.


An Excellent Example In Recent Times

Believe it or not, we may actually see that there are indeed many pious personalities who do find the time to do all these Ibadahs during these precious moments.

Sheikh Khalil Ahmad RA was a scholar who is one of the preservers of classical traditional Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah.

He was a weak sickly person and of advanced age but in spite of these drawbacks he used to read one and a quarter juz of the Qur'an in Nawafil Solat after Maghrib. Thereafter he used to have meals for about half an hour only. After performing all other necessities in preparation for Tarawih Solat he used to stand in Tarawih for about two and a half hours to three hours.

Thereafter he used to sleep about two or three hours only. Then he used to get up and again recite the Qur'an in Tahajjud Solat until about half an hour before Subuh. It was in that short period that he ate his Sahur. From that time until Subuh, he remained busy with reading the Qur'an or Wazifahs/Zikr.

After dawn set in, Sheikh Khalil Ahmad RA performed Subuh Solat with Jama'ah, and thereafter he remained in Muraqabah (meditation) until Ishraq. Having performed Solat-ul-Ishraq he used to write his famous kitab - "Basi-ul-Majhud" - which is a commentary on Sunan Abu Dawud.

After that, he normally attended to letters and dictated replies up to midday. Next he used to rest up to Zuhr Solat. Between Zuhr and Asar he used to recite the Qur'an.

From Asar until Maghrib he used to be busy with the recitation of Tasbih and answering the queries of those who visited him. Upon completion of "Bazi-ul-Majhud", then part of the morning used to be spent in Tilawat of the Qur'an and studying some religious works. This was his daily programme for Nawafil Ibadah throughout the year; but in Ramadhan, he used to spend a bit more time in his Ibadah, making the raka'ats longer.

Sheikh Khalil Ahmad RA was honoured to be granted a resting place in the graves of the Sahabah RA at Jannatul Baqi' beside Masjid Nabawi in Madinah. He was buried in the plot of land dedicated for the Ahlul Bayt - the family of Rasulullah SAW. Such was the end of his life.

Subhanallahi Wabihamdihi Subhanallahil Adheem.