Date: 06/03/2024 [26 Shaʻban, 1445 AH]
أسلم عليكم و رحمتله و بركاته
Ramadan is fast approaching and its is time to welcome the great blessing of Allah (ﷻ) in the best of the manners. From the manners of a Mu’min preparing to welcome Ramadan is approaching it with joy, happiness and rejoicing the advent of the blessed month.
We start preparing for the month with a sense of joy, happiness and asking Allah (ﷻ) to bless us to reach the month. Allah blesses us with his mercy by closing the gates of Hellfire and opening the gates of Jannah for the Mu’mineen. We rejoice the approach of Ramadan and seek to be relieved from the pits of Hellfire preparing ourselves to be our best version. The gates of Paradise are open as per the Prophet’s (ﷺ) sayings
“ إِذَا جَاءَ رَمَضَانُ فُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ ”
Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) narrated Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened.” [1]
إِذَا دَخَلَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ فُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ، وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ جَهَنَّمَ، وَسُلْسِلَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ ”
Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) narrated Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.” [2]
“ إِذَا كَانَ رَمَضَانُ فُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الرَّحْمَةِ وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَسُلْسِلَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ ” .
Narrated Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: When it is the month of Ramadan, the gates of mercy are opened, and the gates of Hell are locked and the devils are chained. [3]
“ إِذَا دَخَلَ رَمَضَانُ فُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَسُلْسِلَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ ” .
Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) said; ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.” [4]
“ إِذَا دَخَلَ رَمَضَانُ فُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ الْجَحِيمِ وَسُلْسِلَتْ فِيهِ الشَّيَاطِينُ ”
It was narrated from Az-Zuhri, from Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurairah that: the Prophet (ﷺ) used to encourage praying Qiyam Al-Lail in Ramadan, but not forcibly. And he said: “When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are close, and the devils are chained up.” Ibn Al-Mubarak narrated it in Mursal. [5]
Rejoicing upon the approach of Ramadan is prescribed for every Muslim as stated by the scholars.
Shaykh Bin Baaz (رحمه الله) states: “I do not know of any prescribed thing for the receiving of Ramadhaan except that the Muslim receives it with happiness, being delighted and rejoicing, (and) that he thanks Allah for the coming of Ramadhaan and that He has given him success by making him from those who are alive and those who compete in righteous actions. For indeed the coming of Ramadhaan is a tremendous blessing from Allah, (and) because of this the Messenger (ﷺ) use to give his companions the glad tidings of the upcoming Ramadhaan and clarified to them its virtues, and that which Allah has prepared a great reward for those who fast and stand (in voluntary prayer at night). [6]
Imaam Ibn Rajab (رحمه الله) said: How does the believer not rejoice at the good tidings of the opening of the gates of Paradise? How does the sinner not rejoice at the good tidings of the closure of the gates of the Fire? How does the rational one not rejoice at the good tidings of a time in which the devils are shackled? Where does any period of time resemble such a time?” [7]. He also said “Perhaps he will be showered with one of the many blessings of those occasions and be helped by it, with an assistance that saves him from the Fire and what it contains, such as its blazing heat. [8]
Shaikh ‘Uthaimeen (رحمه الله) explained this joy which the Muslims feel at the advent of Ramadhaan in further detail when he said: “The reality is that the Muslims are joyous with Ramadhaan in two aspects:
The first aspect: is for the one who is joyous of Ramadhaan because he becomes actively engaged in Ramadhaan upon worship, and so he becomes plentiful in worship, and this is without doubt the basis and it is the objective – and it is good.
The second aspect: is for the one who is joyous of Ramadhaan due to the abundance of its good and the abundance of the blessings of Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic, as well as His Pardon over His servants, as well as due to what is within it from the many factors that by way of which Allaah forgives the person on account of; such as fasting.
That which is befitting for a person is that he is joyous of Ramadhaan due to both affairs together.” [9]
Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan Al-Fawzaan (حفظه الله) while answering a question said- “What is your advice for the Muslims with regards to the upcoming month of Ramadan?” states: “It is obligatory upon the Muslim to ask Allah to make him reach Ramadan and to aid him in fasting it, performing the night prayer in it and doing righteous actions in it because it is a great opportunity in a Muslim’s life:
“Whosoever fasts the month of Ramadan, out of Iman (Faith) and Ihtisab (confident anticipation of Allah’s Reward), will have their past sins forgiven.”
“Whosoever spends the nights of Ramadan in Qiyam (optional Night Prayer), out of Iman and Ihtisab, will have their past sins forgiven.”
Therefore it is great opportunity in the life of a Muslim which might not come back. Thus the Muslim is happy and rejoices at the coming of Ramadan, welcomes it with delight and gladness and spends it in the obedience of Allah, his night consists of standing in prayer, and his daytime consists of fasting, reciting the Qur’an and remembering Allah; hence it is a huge opportunity for the Muslim [10]
As per the above he also advises by saying: “Being able to reach Ramadaan is a magnificent bounty in itself, bestowed upon the one who reaches it and rises to its occasion, by standing in prayer during its night and fasting during its day. In it, he returns to his Protector — from disobeying Him to obeying Him, from neglecting Him to remembering Him, from remaining distant from Him to turning towards Him in submissive repentance. A Muslim must be conscious of this bounty and acknowledge its magnitude. For indeed, many people are prevented from fasting, either because they die before they reach it or because they are not capable of observing it or because they oppose and turn away from it. Thus, the one who fasts must give praise to his Lord for this bounty and should welcome this month with the joy and delight that a magnificent time of the year out of all the occasions for performing obedience is welcomed. He should exert himself deeply in doing good deeds. And he should invoke Allaah to grant him fasting and standing in night prayer and that He provide him with seriousness, enthusiasm, strength and energy in that month. And that He awaken him from heedless oversleeping so that he may take advantage of these virtuous times of good.” [11]
Some of the Salaf have used to say: “Indeed Allaah, the Most High, has made the month of Ramadaan as a competition for His creatures, in which they may race with one another to His pleasure, by obeying Him. Thus, one group comes first and so they prosper and another group comes last and so they fail.” [12]
Also, the individual does not know if this is perhaps the last Ramadaan he will ever see in his life, if he completes it. How many men, women and children have fasted with us the past year, and yet now they lie buried in the depths of the earth, depending on their good deeds. And they expected to fast many more Ramadaans. Likewise, we too shall all follow their path. Therefore, it is upon the Muslim to rejoice at this magnificent occasion for obedience. And he should not renounce it, but instead busy himself with what will benefit him and what will cause its effect to remain. For what else is it, except numbered days, which are fasted in succession and which finish rapidly.
Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan Al-Fawzaan (حفظه الله) in his article ‘The Approach of Ramadan’ summarizes by saying: “Therefore, it is upon the Muslim to rejoice at this magnificent occasion for obedience. And he should not renounce it, but instead busy himself with what will benefit him and what will cause its effect to remain. For what else is it, except numbered days, which are fasted in succession and which finish rapidly.” [11]
Also, the individual does not know if this is perhaps the last Ramadaan he will ever see in his life, if he completes it. How many men, women and children have fasted with us the past year, and yet now they lie buried in the depths of the earth, depending on their good deeds. And they expected to fast many more Ramadaans. Likewise, we too shall all follow their path. Therefore, it is upon the Muslim to rejoice at this magnificent occasion for obedience. And he should not renounce it, but instead busy himself with what will benefit him and what will cause its effect to remain. For what else is it, except numbered days, which are fasted in succession and which finish rapidly.[11]
The narrations from Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and from the advice of the scholars of the past and the present, it is evident the advent of month of Ramadaan is a joyous occasion, as it is an opportunity for attaining the forgiveness of Allaah, The Most High, through fasting and standing in prayer.
We ask Allah to aid us in the blessed month to be among those to whom the doors of paradise will be opened and the doors of hellfire will be closed. May Allah
Ref:
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1898, Book 30, Hadith 8. (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 31, Hadith 122
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1899, Book 30, Hadith 9. (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 31, Hadith 123
- Sahih Muslim 1079b, Book 13, Hadith 2. (English) reference : Book 6, Hadith 2361
- Sunan an-Nasa’i 2099, Book 22, Hadith 10 (English translation) : Vol. 3, Book 22, Hadith 2101
- Sunan an-Nasa’i 2104, Book 22, Hadith 15 (English translation) : Vol. 3, Book 22, Hadith 2106
- Majmoo Fatawa of Shaykh Bin Baz Volume 15 pages 8-9
- Lataa’if ul-Ma’aarif p.203-204
- Lataa’if-ul-Ma’aarif: pg. 8
- Liqaa-aat ar-Ramadhaaniyyah p.31
- www.alfawzan.af.org.sa
- Ahaadeeth As-Siyaam: Ahkaam wa Adaab (pg. 13-15) (trans. Ahl ul-Qur’an was-Sunnah Association, NY)
- Lataa’if-ul-Ma’aarif of Ibn Rajab: page 246
Some advice from the scholars
- Welcoming Ramadhān – Shaykh ‘Abdurrazzāq al Badr [Video|Ar-En subtitles] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwa5NHcesZQ
- How the Salaf Prepared for Ramadhaan – Shaykh Fawzaan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTWn5F6md2M
Compiled by: Asya Bint Muhammad