Virtues of Fasting And Ramadan

 

Ramadan, also spelled Ramazan, Ramzan, Ramadhan or Ramathan, is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.

Ramadan is a holy month of fasting, introspection and prayer for Muslims, the followers of Islam. It is celebrated as the month during which Muhammad received the initial revelations of the Quran, the holy book for Muslims. Fasting is one of the five fundamental principles of Islam.

During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating any food, drinking any liquids, smoking cigarettes, and engaging in any sexual activity, from dawn to sunset. That includes taking medication (even if you swallow a pill dry, without drinking any water).

Allah says in the qur'an "O you who believe fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you so that you can learn Taqwa" (Quran 2:183)

there are many benefits of Fasting :

1. There is nothing equal to fasting as it is a means to be admitted into the Paradise.

It was narrated that Abu Umamah said:

I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an action (I should do).’ He said: ‘Take to fasting, for there is nothing equal to it.”‘ (Sunan an-Nasa’i)

2. Fasting intercede on behalf of its observers on the Day of Judgment. This is mentioned in Hadith collected by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad.

3.Fasting is means to expiate sins and to have all one’s past sins forgiven.

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “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.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

4. Fasting is a reason for happiness in this life and Afterlife.

Abu Hurairah narrated that:

The Messenger of Allah said: “There are two joys for the fasting person: the joy when he breaks his fast, and the joy of when he meets his Lord.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

5. Allah’s reward for fasting is high and it highlights how great fasting is!

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “(Allah said), ‘Every good deed of Adam’s son is for him except fasting; it is for Me. and I shall reward (the fasting person) for it. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

6. The virtue of the smell of the mouth of the person observing fasting

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said “Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

7.The supplication of a fasting person when he breaks his or her fast at sunset is not rejected.

Virtues of Tahajjud Prayer

Tahajjud prayer is an optional/supererogatory prayer performed during the night after waking up from sleep, because the meaning of tahajjud is to give up hujud which means sleep, that is, to give up or leave off sleep. ... The time of Tahajjud prayer is after one wakes up from sleep and before the adhan of Fajr prayer.

Tahajjud rakats are performed in pairs and eight rakats is seen as a good number by many Muslims. In other words, most people will say two, four, six, or eight rakats, though more is not discouraged.

Sleeping is not a pre-requisite for tahajjud. However praying it during the last 1/3 rd of the night is more desirable, rewarding and likened by Allah since that is that time that Allah descends to the last Heaven and asks who is the one that wants their prayers answered, who is the one that want forgiveness…

Now we will look at some of the virtues :

1.  "The dua made during Tahajjud is like an arrow that does not miss it's target" -- Imaam As Shafi

2. It helps you fight your desires

3. It softens the heart and humbles you in front of Allah

4. By performing it, it will bring light to your face and soul

5.  It builds the love of the Hereafter in your heart

6. It makes you closer to Allah

7. A way of getting your sins forgiven

8. It strengthens the Qur’an that you have memorised

Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said, “The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer.” [Sahih Muslim]

 

Night prayer is superior to day prayer because:

It is more concealed and closer to sincerity. The righteous early Muslims (salaf) used to strive hard to hide their secrets [f: i.e. the actions between them and Allah].

  

 

Virtues Of Surah Mulk 

Quran is the greatest blessing of Allah which he has bestowed upon mankind. There are 114 Surah of Holy Quran and each Surah is a light that alters our lives and shows us the right way to live.

Surah Mulk is at the beginning of the 29th Juz and is the 67th surah in the qur'an.

There are some hadiths that emphasize on the importance of Surah Mulk.

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There is a chapter in the Quran, not but thirty verses, which will argue on behalf of its companion until he enters Paradise. It is the chapter: Blessed is He in whose hand is the dominion.” (67:1)

Jabir reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would not go to sleep until he had recited the chapters, “The revelation of the Book, in which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the worlds,” (32:1) and, “Blessed is He in whose hand is the dominion, and has power over all things,” (67:1).

Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There is a chapter in the Quran of thirty verses, which will intercede for its companion until he is forgiven: Blessed is He in whose Hand is the dominion.” (67:1)

BENIFITS AND VIRTUES OF SURAH MULK

1.  The Prophet (sal) said : "There is a Surah in the Holy Quran that consists of thirty verses that call for a man until his sins are forgiven"

2.  "It is the prevention of punishment of the grave".

3.  On the Day of Resurrection Surah Mulk will intervene with Allah for the forgiveness of its Reciter.

4. The Prophet Muhammad PBUH said, "There is a Surah in the Quran which is only thirty verses. It defended whoever recited it , until it puts him into paradise, this was regarding Surah Mulk

5.  Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said, “There is a Surah in the book of Allah it is but thirty passages which intercedes for a man on the day of judgment so that he taken out of the fire and entered into paradise; it is Surah the Blessed.” (Abu Dawud 1400, At-Tirmidhi 2891 and Ibn Majah 3876.)

6.  It was narrated that Abdullah ibn Mas’ood said: Whoever reads Surah al-Mulk every night, Allah will protect him from the torment of the grave.

The prophet never went to sleep without reciting selected surahs from the quran. one of them was Surah Mulk. This is a sunnah of our prophet and we must strive hard to revive this sunnah among the ummah. I pray each and everyone takes this seriously and prays this every night in order to acquire these benefits. Ameen

Virtues of Miswak / Siwak

VIRTUES OF MISWAK // SIWAK

The miswak (miswaak, siwak, sewak, Arabic: سواك‎ or مسواك) is a teeth cleaning twig made from the Salvadora persica tree (known as arāk, أراك, in Arabic). It is reputed to have been used over 7000 years ago. Miswak is basically a pencil-sized stick 15 to 20 cm long with a diameter of 1 to 1.5 cm from Arak (Salvadora persica) or the Toothbrush tree.They are used as an oral hygiene tool mostly in the Middle Eastern.

 But above all it was a SUNNAH of our prophet Muhammed (sal).  the Prophet said, "Were it not (for the fear) of overburdening my Ummah, I would have ordered them to (brush their teeth with) Siwak at every Salat. (Sahih Muslim) A'ishah narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The siwak is a means of purifying the mouth and pleasing the Rabb." (Nasai).

The Ulama Say that there at least 70 benifits of using the Siwak / Miswak. We will look at some of them :

1. It increases barakah in wealth

2. Improves Memory

3. The Person is able to recite the kalima at the time of death. 

Sadr al-Shariah Allama Amjad Ali Al-Aazami stated: The Masha’ikh have mentioned that a person (believer) who is habitual of making Miswak, will be blessed with the opportunity of being able to recite the Kalima at the time of his death and that person who uses opium, will not be blessed with the opportunity of reciting the Kalima at the time of his death. [Bahar-e-Shari’at, Vol. 2, Page 288]

4. Improves Eyesight.

5.  The reward of Salaah increases 70 times.

Abu Nu’aym narrates on the authority of Hadrat Jaabir (Radi Allahu Anhu) that Rasoolullah ﷺ said, ‘To perform 2 Raka’ats after performing Miswak is more exalted than 70 Raka’ats which is performed without performing Miswak.’ [Al-Targhib wa at-Tarheeb, Vol. 1, Page 102, Hadith 18]

It is unfortunate that these days this Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ is largely forgotten. May Allah help us revive this Sunnah. Ameen

 

Suunahs of Eating

 

SUNNAHS TO FOLLOW WHEN HAVING A MEAL

1) Wash your hands 

It was the sunnah of the prophet to wash hands before having a meal.  Germs from unwashed hands can be transferred to your own food. Removing germs through handwashing therefore helps prevent diarrhea and respiratory infections and may even help prevent skin and eye infections.

Washing your hands before having a meal is a brilliant and effective method to prevent infections through germs. When you eat without cleaning your hands, the bacteria and germs that are sticked on your fingers and hand will be sent to the inside of your mouth without your knowledge

2) Say Bismillah before eating

Everybody knows eating without BISMILLAH makes it easy for Shaytan to have a meal. Shaitan will share the meal with you.

Saying "Bismillah" before eating (Basmallah) is a Sunnah according to the following hadith, Umar ibn Abi Salamah said: "I was under the care of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and as my hand used to roam about in the dish he said to me: «Boy, mention the name of Allah, and eat with your right hand and eat from what is near to you» (Bukhari and Muslim).

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3) Eat with your right Hand

When a man ate with his left hand in the presence of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, he told him: "Eat with your right hand." (Reported by book "Muslim") The Hadith above encourages us to teach proper manners of eating to a person who fails to abide by Islamic ethics of eating.

4) Do Not waste food

Al Qubaisi said, “Islam absolutely prohibits wastage in every aspect of one's lives, whether it be with one's time, one's energy, or even one's food. ... Also, people should show God gratefulness and appreciation by sharing and distributing the excess food among the poor and needy of society.”

5) Do Not eat Excessively

It is important for Muslims to maintain a moderate diet consisting of healthy foods, in consultation with reliable nutritional and medical experts. Eating too much food, or eating unhealthy food, can be very dangerous to our spiritual and bodily health. The threat is also subtle because almost all types of food are permissible, but extravagance and excess in permissible eating can become sinful.