Back and Next - Back and NextWahtani Ajuma: In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Friday, September 5, 2008
Ramadan, the holy month
Since Ramadan is very near, today’s topic is on this blessed month. Allah the Almighty has granted us eleven whole months to nourish our bodies by eating and drinking at any time that we wish.
He (Allah) has chosen only one month from the twelve months of the Islamic Calendar for the maintenance of our soul. The human body consists of two parts, the body itself and the soul. The body is for eating and drinking and the soul is for worshipping Allah. If the human being follows just his body, eating and drinking without caring about any other thing, then he will end up being a non-believer (pagan). He will not be able to worship Allah.
Only amusement will be infront of him.
But Allah’s punishment for that kind of person after death is Hell-Fire. It is stated in Sura Mouhammed (SAWS) V.12: “ Verily Allah will admit those who believe and do Righteous deeds, to Gardens beneath which rivers flow, while those who reject Allah will enjoy (this world) and eat as cattle and the fire will be their abode”.
Allah does not command us to fast to punish us without any reason. But by fasting, Allah wants us to be rewarded tomorrow. Only fasting can take the human being to the position where he should be. It is the only way that will make the human being to fear Allah. Fasting cannot be imposed on human beings by anyone but only Allah, who is the Creator of all things.
The Prophet narrated that: He (Allah) said: “Any work you do is for yourself, but fasting is done for me and I will reward you for it tomorrow”.
The Prophet Mouhammad (SAWS) said: “The Holy Quran and fasting will defend on the Day of Judgement those who were doing it on earth. Fasting will say: “My Lord I told earth. Fasting will say: “My Lord I told him to stop eating and enjoying himself during the day. So I am begging you my Lord to forgive him”.
Then the Holy Quran will say:” My Lord I prevented him from sleeping at night because of reciting the Holy Quran at night.
So I am begging you to forgive him because of that.
Then Allah will reply: “I have forgiven him because of you (the holy Quran and fasting)”.
Praying during the night as much as possible is recommended during the month of Ramadan. Praying during the night is a sign of showing the people who are chosen by Allah.
He praised those who normally prayed at night when others are sleeping. As stated in Sura Zariyat V.15-18. As to the Righteous, they will be in the midst of Gardens and springs, taking joy in the things which their Lord gives them, because, before then, they have done good deeds. They were in the habit of sleeping but little by night. And in the hours of early dawn, they (were found) praying for forgiveness”.
As the Almighty praised those praying during the night, so does He (Allah) praises those who recite the Quran as explained in Sura Fatir V.29.30”. Those who rehearse the Book of Allah, establish regular prayer, and spend (in charity) out of what we have provided for them, secretly and openly, hope for a commerce that will never fail”.
By the power of the Almighty, if the moon is seen, our first day is to perform the supplementary prayers. To avoid being idle for the whole night, Allah wants us to perform the supplementary prayers after the Isha (evening) prayers.
During the Day you fast and spend the night worshipping Allah. It will bring you closer to Him and your prayers will always be answered.
As the saying goes: “If you are for God, He will of course be there for you”.
The Prophet Mouhammed (SAWS) used to tell the Sahabas to be very serious with the supplementary prayers.
According to a Sahaba Abdou Rahman Ibnu Awfir, the Prophet Mouhammed said: “God orders you to fast for the month of Ramadan but I, Mouhammed (SAWS) wants you to perform the supplementary prayers. So anyone who fasts for the month as God wants you to and also performs the supplementary prayers, that person will be as clean as he was on the day he was borned”.
The supplementary prayers during Ramadan should be done after the sighting of the moon. This type of prayer is called Salatu Taraweeh” in Arabic. Where should these prayers be done and how many rakas should it be? All the learned scholars have agreed that these supplementary prayers (Salaatu Taraweeh) should be done.
According to Imam Shafiyu, Imam Abu Hanifa and some of malick’s scholars, doing the supplementary prayers in a group is recommended. It was how Sahaba Omar Ibnu Hatab used to do it. But however, other scholars from Imam Malick, Imam Abu Yusuf said doing the supplementary prayers at home is better.
Imam Malick said it should be 46 rakas plus Safaa and Witr (3 rakas)
Imam Tirmidth said it should be 41 rakas plus Witr (one raka).
Imam Malick explained in his book called AL Muwata that during Sahaba Omar Bun Hatab’s time, the supplementary prayers were 23 rakas only.
Aisha, the wife of Prophet Mouhammed said the Prophet used to pray 11 rakas only.
Imam Jabir said that the Prophet prayed with them but only performed 8 rakas plus Witr (one raka)
All the learned scholars agreed that all these will depend on how many rakas a person can do for the supplementary prayers.
Allah does not make any difficulty in His religion.
In the Quran in Sura Hajj V.78:” And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive.
(With sincerity and under discipline), He has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion”.
The supplementary prayers should be followed by the intention to fast. Imam Malick said that by reciting the intention once will be enough for the whole month of Ramadan.
But some scholars argued that the intention should be repeated every night after performing the supplementary prayers. There are some scholars who put it that the intention is not necessary to be said louder. Only having it in your mind and eating early in the morning shows that you have the intention of fasting.
May we begin the month of Ramadan in peace with good intention.
Since Ramadan is very near, today’s topic is on this blessed month. Allah the Almighty has granted us eleven whole months to nourish our bodies by eating and drinking at any time that we wish.
He (Allah) has chosen only one month from the twelve months of the Islamic Calendar for the maintenance of our soul. The human body consists of two parts, the body itself and the soul. The body is for eating and drinking and the soul is for worshipping Allah. If the human being follows just his body, eating and drinking without caring about any other thing, then he will end up being a non-believer (pagan). He will not be able to worship Allah.
Only amusement will be infront of him.
But Allah’s punishment for that kind of person after death is Hell-Fire. It is stated in Sura Mouhammed (SAWS) V.12: “ Verily Allah will admit those who believe and do Righteous deeds, to Gardens beneath which rivers flow, while those who reject Allah will enjoy (this world) and eat as cattle and the fire will be their abode”.
Allah does not command us to fast to punish us without any reason. But by fasting, Allah wants us to be rewarded tomorrow. Only fasting can take the human being to the position where he should be. It is the only way that will make the human being to fear Allah. Fasting cannot be imposed on human beings by anyone but only Allah, who is the Creator of all things.
The Prophet narrated that: He (Allah) said: “Any work you do is for yourself, but fasting is done for me and I will reward you for it tomorrow”.
The Prophet Mouhammad (SAWS) said: “The Holy Quran and fasting will defend on the Day of Judgement those who were doing it on earth. Fasting will say: “My Lord I told earth. Fasting will say: “My Lord I told him to stop eating and enjoying himself during the day. So I am begging you my Lord to forgive him”.
Then the Holy Quran will say:” My Lord I prevented him from sleeping at night because of reciting the Holy Quran at night.
So I am begging you to forgive him because of that.
Then Allah will reply: “I have forgiven him because of you (the holy Quran and fasting)”.
Praying during the night as much as possible is recommended during the month of Ramadan. Praying during the night is a sign of showing the people who are chosen by Allah.
He praised those who normally prayed at night when others are sleeping. As stated in Sura Zariyat V.15-18. As to the Righteous, they will be in the midst of Gardens and springs, taking joy in the things which their Lord gives them, because, before then, they have done good deeds. They were in the habit of sleeping but little by night. And in the hours of early dawn, they (were found) praying for forgiveness”.
As the Almighty praised those praying during the night, so does He (Allah) praises those who recite the Quran as explained in Sura Fatir V.29.30”. Those who rehearse the Book of Allah, establish regular prayer, and spend (in charity) out of what we have provided for them, secretly and openly, hope for a commerce that will never fail”.
By the power of the Almighty, if the moon is seen, our first day is to perform the supplementary prayers. To avoid being idle for the whole night, Allah wants us to perform the supplementary prayers after the Isha (evening) prayers.
During the Day you fast and spend the night worshipping Allah. It will bring you closer to Him and your prayers will always be answered.
As the saying goes: “If you are for God, He will of course be there for you”.
The Prophet Mouhammed (SAWS) used to tell the Sahabas to be very serious with the supplementary prayers.
According to a Sahaba Abdou Rahman Ibnu Awfir, the Prophet Mouhammed said: “God orders you to fast for the month of Ramadan but I, Mouhammed (SAWS) wants you to perform the supplementary prayers. So anyone who fasts for the month as God wants you to and also performs the supplementary prayers, that person will be as clean as he was on the day he was borned”.
The supplementary prayers during Ramadan should be done after the sighting of the moon. This type of prayer is called Salatu Taraweeh” in Arabic. Where should these prayers be done and how many rakas should it be? All the learned scholars have agreed that these supplementary prayers (Salaatu Taraweeh) should be done.
According to Imam Shafiyu, Imam Abu Hanifa and some of malick’s scholars, doing the supplementary prayers in a group is recommended. It was how Sahaba Omar Ibnu Hatab used to do it. But however, other scholars from Imam Malick, Imam Abu Yusuf said doing the supplementary prayers at home is better.
Imam Malick said it should be 46 rakas plus Safaa and Witr (3 rakas)
Imam Tirmidth said it should be 41 rakas plus Witr (one raka).
Imam Malick explained in his book called AL Muwata that during Sahaba Omar Bun Hatab’s time, the supplementary prayers were 23 rakas only.
Aisha, the wife of Prophet Mouhammed said the Prophet used to pray 11 rakas only.
Imam Jabir said that the Prophet prayed with them but only performed 8 rakas plus Witr (one raka)
All the learned scholars agreed that all these will depend on how many rakas a person can do for the supplementary prayers.
Allah does not make any difficulty in His religion.
In the Quran in Sura Hajj V.78:” And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive.
(With sincerity and under discipline), He has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion”.
The supplementary prayers should be followed by the intention to fast. Imam Malick said that by reciting the intention once will be enough for the whole month of Ramadan.
But some scholars argued that the intention should be repeated every night after performing the supplementary prayers. There are some scholars who put it that the intention is not necessary to be said louder. Only having it in your mind and eating early in the morning shows that you have the intention of fasting.
May we begin the month of Ramadan in peace with good intention.
Author: DO
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