Chintito

The
Blessed
Month

Chintito

Allah! There is no god but He! To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. (Qur'an 20:8)

Allah, The Most Compassionate, The Beneficent, The Gracious, The King, The All-Peaceful, The Bestower of peace, The Protector, The Compeller, The Creator, The Bestower of form, The Shaper, The Subduer, The Provider, The All-Knowing, The Expander, The Exalter, The Humiliator, The All-Seeing, The Just, The Equitable, The All-Aware, The Incomparably Great, The Appreciative, The Most Great, The Sustainer, The Majestic, The Revered, The Sublime, The Watchful, The All-Encompassing, The All-Embracing, The Loving One, The Resurrector, The Truth, The Most Strong, The Protector, The Reckoner, The Restorer to life, The Causer of death, The Self-Existing by Whom all subsist, The Glorified, The Eternally Besought, The Powerful, The Delayer, The Last, The Hidden, The Most Exalted, The Granter and Accepter of repentance, The Pardoner, Owner of the Kingdom, The Just, The Equitable, The All-Sufficient, The Preventer of harm, The Benefiter, The Guide, The Everlasting, The Guide and The Patient One.

On the last day of the Month of Shaban, Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam (saw) may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

'O people, there comes over you now a great month, a most blessed month in which lies a night greater in virtue than a thousand months. It is a month in which Allah has made fasting compulsory by day and has made sunnah the Taraweeh by night. Whosoever intends drawing near to Allah by performing any virtuous deed, for such person shall be the reward like the one who had performed a Farz at any other time and whoever performs a Farz, shall be blessed with the reward of seventy faraaidh at any other time.

'This is indeed the month of patience and the reward for true patience is Jannah (paradise). It is the month of sympathy with one's fellowmen. It is the month wherein a true believer's rizq is increased. Whosoever feeds another who fasted, in order to break the fast, for the feeder there shall be forgiveness of sins and emancipation from the fire of Jahannam (hell) and for such feeder shall be the same reward as the one who fasted (who he fed) without that persons reward being decreased in the least.’

Thereupon the companions asked, 'O messenger of Allah, not all of us possess the means whereby we can give a fasting person to break his fast.' Rasulullah (saw) replied, 'Allah grants the same reward to the one who gives a fasting person to break the fast a mere date or a drink of water or a sip of milk'.

This is a month, the first of which brings Allah's mercy, the middle of which brings His forgiveness and the last of which brings emancipation from the fire of Jahannam.
Whosoever lessens the burden of his servants (bondsmen) in this month Allah will forgive him and free him from the fire of Jahannam.

And in this month four things you should continue to perform in great number: you should in great quantity bear witness that there is no deity to worship except Allah (recite the Kalimah Tayibbah, Laa Ilaaha illallahu Muhammuadur Rasulallah), beg Allah's forgiveness with Astaghfirullah, beg of Allah entrance into paradise and ask refuge in Him from Jahannam.

It is appropriate that every Muslim should receive the blessed month of Ramadan with repentance, sincerity, resoluteness and earnestness. He/she should make the intention to perform extra acts of devotion and worship therein, including the Night Prayer (qiyam), recitation of Qur'an, and abundant charity to the poor and needy. (Ramadan by Suheil Laher, Breathe Islam.com)

'The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Qur'an.' [Qur'an, 2:185]), on the night of Al-Qadr.

It is the month of seclusion. Ibn `Umar said, 'The Messenger of Allah (saw) used to seclude himself for the last ten days of the month of Ramadan'.

It is the month of generosity. Ibn `Abbas said, 'The Messenger of Allah (saw) used to be at his most generous in Ramadan.'

It is the month of standing (in voluntary night prayer). On the authority of Abu Hurayrah: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, 'Whoever stands (in voluntary night prayer) during Ramadan, with faith and in expectancy of reward, his previous sins are forgiven him.'

It is the month of the compulsory fast, because of Allah's saying, 'So, whoever among you witnesses the month should fast.' [Qur'an, 2:185]

Ramadan is the month of patience, manifested in fasting more than any other form of worship. The fasting Muslim abstains from eating, drinking, sexual intercourse, and so on, during daytime for a whole month. And the reward for patience is Paradise as Allah, Subhana wa Taala, says: 'Those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure' (39:10). (www.islamweb.net)

It is also the month that contains two of the happiest occasions for a Muslim, the Sehri and the Iftaar.

Rasulullah (saw) said: 'Verily Allah and His Malaa'ikah (angels) send Mercy upon those who eat Sehri'.

The holy Prophet (saw) said: 'People will remain prosperous so long as they hasten in breaking their fast (at the time of Iftaar)'. [Bukhari]

May Allah bless us all!

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