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Welcome This Guest!
By
Khalid Baig
Just
like a dear guest giving a brief visit, Ramadan
comes and goes. Ramadan is the season when rewards
are doubled, devils are chained, the gates of
Paradise
are opened, and the doors of the Hell are closed. It
is the season of blessings.
Muslims
are thus required to pay it special welcome. So,
let�s get ready for Ramadan so that we reap its
fruits in full. Truly happy is the one who makes the
best use of every second of the month of Ramadan.
How
to Reap the Fruits of Ramadan
Fast
in Sha`ban
This
is the sunnah as mentioned in the hadith narrated by
Usama ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) when
he asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him), �I have never seen you offer fast in a month
as you do in Sha`ban.� The Prophet said, �It is
a month people disregard that is between Rajab and
Ramadan. In that month deeds are presented to the
Lord of the Worlds, so I like my deeds to be
presented while I am fasting.�
Make
Du`aa�(supplication)
We
should spare no effort in supplicating Almighty
Allah to give us life till we reach this blessed
month. This was always the practice of the Salaf
(righteous predecessors); they used to supplicate
for a whole six months that they would live till
Ramadan. Once it came and departed, they would spend
another six months in imploring Allah to accept the
deeds they had offered in Ramadan. What a great
reception and great love for that month!
Have
a Good Heart for All Muslims
A
Muslim never carries malice, hatred, or bad feelings
against any fellow Muslim. The Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) said: �Allah looks to His
servants on the fifteenth night of Sha`ban and
forgives all of them except a muskrik (one
who associates others with Allah) or a mushahin
(one who carries malice or envy to his Muslim
brothers).�
Carry
Out Religious Duties
We
should show utmost care to our religious duties,
such as attending congregational prayer, observing
Fajr Prayer on time, and leaving all types of major
and minor sins because they hinder us from gaining
reward.
Gain
Heaps of Reward
Qiyam
Al-Layl
(Night Vigil Prayer), du`aa� (supplication),
and the daily quota of reading Qur�an are all
sources of plenty of rewards. A Muslim may also
specify certain times between Prayers for reciting
the Qur�an.
Learn
the Rulings on Fasting
A
Muslim should resort to books and tapes to learn
about fasting and its rulings.
Make
Da`wah (invite others to Islam)
Helping
others find their way to Allah is really amazing.
Be
a Mentor
Teach
others by being a mentor and a good example of
practicing what you preach. Avoid all forms of bad
manners and be manifest morality.
Use
Your Time Well
Schedule
your time in Ramadan and never lose any moment.
Spend your time in good deeds that bring you great
reward and make you win Allah�s pleasure.
Build
a Spirit of Unity
Encourage
your mosque mates to hold a collective iftar (meal
to break the fast), even if only once in the whole
month. Let them know how meritorious it is to
exchange visits. Organize a get-together after `Eid
Prayer at the mosque or somewhere else.
May
Allah help us welcome Ramadan and spend it in good
deeds! Amen!
Taken
from http://www.islamonline.net/English/Ramadan/Heart_Softening/Reflections/23.shtml
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