This May Be our Last Ramadan, Let's Make it Count.

Alhamdulillah with the blessings of Allah () we are almost in the great month of Ramadan, let's not lose this opportunity.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Dear Masjid,

Asalamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu.

All praise and gratitude is for Allah () and salutation and blessings on our beloved Prophet Muhammad ().

Alhamdulillah, the blessed month of Ramadan, the month of fasting, is almost upon us. We will be making announcements about the beginning of Ramadan tomorrow evening, in shaa Allah.  We welcome this month with joy and excitement despite the many trials, difficulties, uncertainties, and changes occurring both domestically and abroad. Let us use this month as an opportunity to get closer to Allah () and ask Him to grant us all the good of this life and the good of the hereafter and to save us from the punishment of the Hellfire.

The purpose of fasting is to attain Taqwa the consciousness, awareness, and fear of Allah (). Let us all strive diligently in this month to attain this noble purpose.

 

Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain taqwa.
- Qur'an 2:183

We take this opportunity to remind us all of some virtues and etiquette which will benefit us all .

Virtues of Fasting

The Prophet () said, Allah said, the reward for every good deed of a son of Adam is multiplied by ten (10) to seven hundred (700) times.

But in respect of the reward for fasting, Allah says: Fasting is for me and I, myself will give the reward. The person who fast forgoes his desire, eating and drinking for my pleasure/sake. (Bukhari & Muslim)

Whenever we do an act of worship, there is always a base and foundation that we need to be firm and perfected, similarly for our fasting, we need to have certain factors implemented for our fast to be complete:

1. Niyyah (intention): Our intention of fasting is necessary. But it is not necessary to utter the intention verbally; firm intention of the heart is sufficient.
2. Suhoor (pre-dawn meal): It is the Prophet () practice (i:e Sunnah) to have suhoor, but it does not invalidate the fast if left out.
3. Staying away from eating, drinking and intimacy during the hours of fasting. As this is one of the main physical aspect of our fasting.
4. Lastly, we should try to break our fast with dates and water, as it was the Sunnah of the Prophet ().

This is a month that we can, and should, utilize to do as much Ibadah (acts of worship) as possible and abstain from any disliked acts even if not prohibited. 

Here is the recording of our recent Pre-Ramadan program where I shared reminders about Du' as an important element in our remembrance of Allah () in Ramadan.

For more info about Ramadan at Masjid As-Siddiq, click here.

May Allah ()  accept our fasting and all of our Ibadah (acts of worship) that we perform for His sake. May He reward us all without reckoning; may He grant us His Mercy and Forgiveness and admit us all to Jannatul Firdous. Aameen.

Sincerely,

       

Shaykh Adeeb Zaman
Masjid As-Siddiq