O servants of Allah! The time is approaching when Allah Almighty gives us a chance to renew our dilapidated faith! There is very little left before the onset of the great month for this ummah – the month that Allah Almighty exalted, the month that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ exalted – the month of Ramadan, in which the Quran was revealed as a guide for people and as clear signs, comprehended explanations of the straight path, and the distinction between truth and falsehood.
Allah Almighty has commanded and made it obligatory for this ummah to spend this great month of fasting. This month he established “al-kyyam” – standing in night prayers. This month is full of great virtues and a huge number of rewards. Whoever loses these rewards has failed and suffered a loss. And the one who has received these awards has found happiness.
O servants of Allah! You need to celebrate Ramadan, this dear guest, as it should be, since it is a month of worship, patience and the Quran! A believer should not greet this guest by committing sins or engaging in idle activities or some useless entertainment; or meet this month with the intention in your heart that you will miss its nights, spending them in aimless wakefulness: watching movies, TV series, playing games; or with the intention that these days, on the contrary, will be spent in laziness and sleep.
O servants of Allah! Almost a year has passed since the previous Ramadan. A year! What have we gained during this time? Have we stored up for ourselves a blessing for eternal life through which we can hope for the mercy of Allah? Truly, every day that passes brings us closer to death. No matter how we try to escape from it and save ourselves, every passing day inexorably brings us closer to this minute, to this moment. After all, Allah said:
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ
Every soul will taste death
Quran, Surah “The Family of Imran”, 3:185
قُلْ إِنَّ الْمَوْتَ الَّذِي تَفِرُّونَ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ مُلَاقِيكُمْ
Say, “The death you are running away from will inevitably come to you.
Quran, Surah “Assembly”, 62:8
Thus, after that past Ramadan, we came a whole year closer to death. For the whole year! All this year, people lying in their graves dreamed of getting at least one day of this year in order to perform some act pleasing to Allah. And we?! And during this year we have been mired in idle talks, in carelessness and neglect; they spent it in squabbles and conflicts among themselves, in pursuit of worldly goods. At the same time, you saw that death snatches around us – one person after another. However, we did not pay attention to this, as if this was not a warning to us from Allah. Fear Allah and prepare for eternal life, where we will have to go very soon.
O servants of Allah! The month of Ramadan begins when Muslims see the crescent. The Sharia vision of the crescent is the beginning of the month of Ramadan, not the calculations of calendars. And if people cannot see the month due to cloudiness or other reasons, then the month of Sha’ban must be added to 30 days, i.e., this dubious day should be considered the 30th of Sha’ban. This is what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded:
صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ، فَإِنْ غُبِّيَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَكْمِلُوا عِدَّةَ شَعْبَانَ ثَلاَثِينَ
“Start fasting on seeing the crescent (of Ramadan), and give up fasting on seeing the crescent (of Shawwal), and if the sky is overcast (and you cannot see it), complete thirty days of Sha’ban.”
Hadith narrated by al-Bukhari (1909), Muslim (1081)
O servants of Allah! No one has the right to start fasting one day or two days before Ramadan, unless he is a person who has fasted his usual fast, which coincided with the 30th of Sha’ban or the 29th of Sha’ban, i.e. a day or two days before Ramadan. In this case, it is possible, since the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لاَ يَتَقَدَّمَنَّ أَحَدُكُم رَمَضَانَ بِصَوْمِ يَوْمٍ أَوْ يَوْمَيْنِ، إِلاَّ أنْ يَكُونَ رَجُلٌ كَانَ يَصُومُ صَومَهُ، فَليَصُمْ ذَلِكَ اليَوْمَ
“None of you should fast a day or two before the month of Ramadan unless he has the habit of fasting (Nawafil) (and if his fasting coincides with that day) then he can fast that day.”
Hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari (1914), Muslim (1082)
In addition, O servants of Allah, there is a day called the “day of doubt” – when people do not know whether it is still Shaban or Ramadan has already begun, due to the fact that they could not see the moon for some reason – cloudiness, etc. On this day, no one can fast – neither the one who usually observes the fast (for example, Monday fell on this “day of doubt”, and he usually fasts on Mondays), nor the one who does not observe it. It is not allowed to anyone, it is haram. As stated in the hadith of ‘Ammara (may Allah be pleased with him):
مَنْ صَامَ اليَوْمَ الَّذِي يُشَكُّ فِيهِ، فَقَدْ عَصَى أَبَا القَاسِمِ ﷺ
“He who fasts on a day about which he is doubtful has disobeyed Abul Qasim”*
Hadith narrated by Abu Dawud (2334), at-Tirmidhi (686)
Abul-Qasim is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
O servants of Allah! We mentioned that there is very little left before Ramadan, but we don’t know whether each of us will live to see it? May Allah allow us this! And not each of us knows, even if he lives to see Ramadan, whether he will reach its end or not. And not each of us knows, if he reaches the end of Ramadan, will Allah grant him another Ramadan.
And if so, O servants of Allah, then now we must stock up on the decisive intention that we will perform deeds pleasing to Allah, we will act as Allah loves, we will leave our sins and will not return to them after this Ramadan. Protect your fast from anything that could cause it any damage or spoil it in any way.
O servants of Allah, give up useless conversations, unnecessary speeches and chatter this month, since they are the cause of death and mortification of hearts. On the contrary, occupy yourself this month with reading the Book of Allah, dhikr (remembrance of Allah), du’a (supplication to Allah), istighfar (asking forgiveness to Allah). After all, this is a chance! Stay in mosques more at this time, give sadaqa (alms) more abundantly for the sake of Allah, because the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the most generous of people, but in the month of Ramadan he was more generous than always.
So let us follow the example of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He ﷺ rejoiced his companions with the advent of Ramadan and encouraged them to use the days and nights of this month. The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِذَا دَخَلَ رَمَضَانُ فُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الرَّحْمَةِ، وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ جَهَنَّمَ، وَسُلْسِلَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ
When there comes the month of Ramadan, the gates of mercy are opened, and the gates of Hell are locked and the devils are chained,
Hadith narrated by al-Bukhari (1800), Muslim (1079)
The Prophet exhorted his companions:
أَتَاكُمْ رَمَضَانُ شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ صِيَامَهُ تُفْتَحُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ
السَّمَاءِ وَتُغْلَقُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ الْجَحِيمِ وَتُغَلُّ فِيهِ مَرَدَةُ الشَّيَاطِينِ لِلَّهِ فِيهِ لَيْلَةٌ خَيْرٌ
مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ مَنْ حُرِمَ خَيْرَهَا فَقَدْ حُرِمَ
‘There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month, which Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has enjoined you to fast. In it the gates of heavens are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and every devil is chained up. In it Allah has a night which is better than a thousand months; whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.”‘
Hadith narrated by Ahmad, (2/230), an-Nasai, (4/129), al-Bayhaqi in Shuab al-Iman, (3600)
Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“This hadith is proof that Muslims can congratulate and rejoice with each other at the beginning of Ramadan.”
And how can a believer not rejoice in Ramadan if he knows that the doors of Heaven are opening and, conversely, the doors of Hell are closing; if he knows that Allah puts the devils in chains?
A reasonable person rejoices at this.
ذَا كَانَ أَوَّلُ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ صُفِّدَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ، وَمَرَدَةُ الجِنِّ، وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ النَّارِ، فَلَمْ يُفْتَحْ مِنْهَا بَابٌ، وَفُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الجَنَّةِ، فَلَمْ يُغْلَقْ مِنْهَا بَابٌ، وَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ: يَا بَاغِيَ الخَيْرِ أَقْبِلْ، وَيَا بَاغِيَ الشَّرِّ أَقْصِرْ، وَلِلَّهِ عُتَقَاءُ مِنَ النَّارِ، وَذَلكَ كُلُّ لَيْلَةٍ
“On the first night of the month of Ramadan, the Shayatin are shackled, the jinns are restrained, the gates of the Fires are shut such that no gate among them would be opened. The gates of Paradise are opened such that no gate among them would be closed, and a caller calls: ‘O seeker of the good; come near!’ and ‘O seeker of evil; stop! For there are those whom Allah frees from the Fire.’ And that is every night.”
The hadith was narrated by at-Tirmidhi, (682), an-Nasai, (4/126); Ibn Majah, (1642); Ibn Khuzayma, (1776); Ibn Hibban, (3435). (reliable)
Alhamduli-llah! A person who sits in prison and hears about an amnesty – what is his joy! Great is Allah, who gives freedom from Hellfire during this month. And this every night! Why not hurry? How not to take advantage of this opportunity?
من صَام رمضان إيِمَانًا واحْتِسَابًا، غُفِر له ما تَقدَّم من ذَنْبِه
“Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.”
Hadith narrated by al-Bukhari (37, 38, 1901); Muslim, (759 and 760)
Great is Allah!
And if a person has committed some great sins, then, in addition to this, he must bring separate repentance to Allah. This is such a mercy and gift from Allah!
قُلۡ بِفَضۡلِ ٱللَّهِ وَبِرَحۡمَتِهِۦ فَبِذَ ٰلِكَ فَلۡیَفۡرَحُوا۟ هُوَ خَیۡرࣱ مِّمَّا یَجۡمَعُونَ
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “In Allah’s grace and mercy let them rejoice. That is far better than whatever ˹wealth˺ they amass.”
Quran, Surah Yunus, 10:58
O servants of Allah! The predecessors made each other happy with the onset of the month of Ramadan. It is reported that they asked Allah 6 months before Ramadan to allow them to live until it. And then, after Ramadan, they asked Allah to accept Ramadan from them for 6 months.
Yahya ibn abu Kathir says that the predecessors had a special prayer. They addressed Allah with these words:
اَللّٰهُمَّ سَلّمْنِيْ لِرَمَضانَ وَسَلّمْ رَمَضانَ لِيْ وَسَلّمْه لِي مُتَقَبَّلا
Allahumma sallimni li Ramadan wa sallim Ramadana li wa sallimhu li mutaqabbala
“O Allah! Bring me to Ramadan and give me the opportunity to spend it correctly, and accept it from me.”
Do not leave, do not refuse prayer-tarawih – a chance from Allah! Do not despise it, for it is the good that is laid out before you. The Prophet ﷺ said:
الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرُ مَوْضُوعٍ، فَمَنْ شَاءَ اسْتَقَلَّ، وَمَنْ شَاءَ اسْتَكْثَرَ
This prayer is goodness that is spread out (laid out). Whoever can take more, let him take it.
The hadith was narrated by Ahmad, at-Tabarani. (reliably)
Know, O servants of Allah, that a person should have the intention to fast before Fajr time comes. If a person intends to fast after the time of Fajr, when dawn has already risen, then his fast will be invalid on that day. The Prophet ﷺ said about this:
من لم يجمع الصيام قبل الفجر، فلا صيام له
There is no fast for the one who does not intend to fast before dawn.
The hadith was narrated by Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasai. (reliably)
However, this does not mean that we should pronounce the intention with our tongue, as some people do when they say: “I intend to fast today.” No! Intention is in the heart. There is no need to pronounce it with your tongue.
In addition, each of you has wards – children, wives, those people for whom you are responsible for how they spend this month. Therefore, if you have minor children, teach them to fast – so that it does not harm them. And if you have adult children, then order them to fast, because this is ordered in the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
We ask Allah to allow us to live until Ramadan and spend this month in the best possible way, and show ourselves to Allah from the best side!
