~ Ramadan 2011 Official Thread ~

[The Golden Girl =D]

Dear Ladies ,

I've sent all the ladies over here who I'm sure are Muslims something that surely concerns you and inshAllah you do benefit from it as much as I did.

I am too shy to share such matters in a Public thread such as this But I had to share it with you since I'm sure you'll come out of it with something inshAllah.

If you don't get a message in your inbox ladies ,Do let me know ,I'd gladly send you the message

Don't forget to include me in your prayers

Sorry lads ,It is a matter that concerns the Ladies so forgive me for not sharing it with you.

GG  =D

[MKh]

Dear Ladies ,

I've sent all the ladies over here who I'm sure are Muslims something that surely concerns you and inshAllah you do benefit from it as much as I did.

I am too shy to share such matters in a Public thread such as this But I had to share it with you since I'm sure you'll come out of it with something inshAllah.

If you don't get a message in your inbox ladies ,Do let me know ,I'd gladly send you the message

Don't forget to include me in your prayers

Sorry lads ,It is a matter that concerns the Ladies so forgive me for not sharing it with you.

GG  =D

I am a female, mayb u didn't know but i didn't receive a msg from u

[The Golden Girl =D]

I am a female, mayb u didn't know but i didn't receive a msg from u

My bad , Give me a few minutes

[Malak]

^ Thanks for sharing, it was indeed helpful

LOL that video, moon sighting war totally happens and the part about praying fast
The burps were nasty O___o

Thanks for sharing

[Malak]

To help condition your heart for this blessed month, intensify your worship before Ramadan begins.

A lot of us yearn to prepare for Ramadan, but we have no idea how to start.
Below are a few tips to insha'Allah (Allah willing) help prepare our minds and hearts for this upcoming Month of Mercy

. Make the Intention

Simple to do, with a powerful impact. Maybe you want to prepare for Ramadan, but between school, work, family, and your other activities, you just have no idea how to fit in 'prepare for Ramadan' time. Instead of separating 'prepare for Ramadan' from your daily activities, make your daily activities a MEANS of preparation for Ramadan.
 
For example, perhaps your mom asked you to pick up your brother from school on the day you finally had time to read a few extra pages of Qur'an. Instead of feeling upset as if you have lost a great opportunity to prepare for Ramadan, make the intention that you are picking up your brother to please Allah  and prepare for Ramadan by obeying your mother, helping your family members, building ties of kinship...and the list continues.

The point is that preparing for Ramadan does not have to be some magnificent, enormous, extra-special thing that needs to be done at a certain time of the day. Many of your daily actions can be turned into Ramadan preparation actions with a sincere intention insha'Allah.

. Do these Easy-to-Reap-Reward Actions

1. Ask Allah to forgive your brothers and sisters. "Whoever seeks forgiveness for believing men and believing women, Allah will write for him a good deed for each believing man and believing woman." [at-Tabarani, classed as hasan by al-Albani]

2. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah radi allahu `anhu (may Allah be pleased with him) said "The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: 'Whoever says subhan Allah wa bi hamdih (praise and glory be to Allah) 100 times, morning and evening, his sins will be erased even if they are like the foam on the sea." [Bukhari, Muslim]

3. If a person says, "Subhan Allah (glory be to Allah)," 100 times, a thousand good deeds are recorded for him and a thousand bad deeds are wiped away. [Muslim 2073]

4. Remember Allah when you go shopping. "Whoever enters a market and says: "Laa ilaha illallah wahdahu la shareeka lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu yuhyi wa yumeetu wa huwa hayyun laa yamoot, bi yadihil khair, wa huwa 'ala kulli shayin qadeer." [There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, alone without partner, to Him belongs dominion and praise; He causes life and death and He is the Living and does not die; in His Hand is all the good, and He is over all things competent] Allah will write for them a million good deeds and erase a million bad deeds and raise him a million levels." [at-Tirmidhi, classed as hasan by al-Albani]

. Up Your Worship

To help condition your heart for this blessed month, intensify your worship before Ramadan begins. Just a small, consistent amount is enough. The Prophet (PBUH) told us: "The deeds most loved by Allah are those done regularly, even if they are small." (Bukhari, Muslim)

For example, say I always pray 2 rak`at (units )of sunnah (compulsory prayer) after ishaa' (the night prayer) from this day until Ramadan begins-and even through Ramadan, let me make the intention that I will now pray 2 extra rak`at of sunnah after ishaa'. And every time I pray these extra 2 rak`at, which are more than what I normally pray, let me remember that I am doing these with the intention of asking Allah to help me be prepared to strive and exert my utmost effort during Ramadan.

. Make a Du`a' (prayer) List Today

This is THE MONTH to ask for EVERYTHING, both related to this life and the Next. Let us not wait until the last 10 nights to make special du`a', and then once `Eid passes realize that we completely forgot about fifty other things we needed to make du`a' for. Let's start making our lists now, and add to it as more things come our way. Insha'Allah this should help us remember to make constant du`a' in this month where dua`a' is accepted, and help our hearts pour out to the One Who can make those du`a' happen.

. Write out Your Objectives for Ramadan

Praying all of your fard (obligatory) prayers? Praying all of your sunnahs? Reading the entire Qur'an? Giving $1 in charity a day? Making itikaaf (a time for reflection and prayer in seclusion) in the masjid? Leaving one serious sin that you've been trying to get away from for some time now? Sincerely turning back to Allah  ? Write out a list, put it somewhere you will see it, and make du`a' for your success in fulfilling your objectives.

. Make a Plan!

Look at your objectives and try to plan out how to realize them in this month. For example, perhaps you are really struggling to pray your sunnah prayers. In this month, realize the enormity of the ajr (reward) of praying the sunnah prayers. Think that perhaps these sunnah will be the deeds that will be heavy on your scale of good deeds when you are intensely in need of them-on Yawm al-Qiyamah, the Day of Judgment. Therefore, fight to keep doing them all throughout Ramadan. If you can't pray your 2 rak`at after dhuhr (the afternoon prayer) right away, make sure to do them as soon as you get the chance.

Your plan might look something like this:

Objective: Pray all of my fardh prayers.

Method: Envision myself on the Day of Judgment seeing the weight of praying my sunnah consistently during this month. Make sure to pray sunnah immediately after salah (prayer). If I cannot, do it as soon as the opportunity arises-don't let myself put it off!

Another example is that of finishing the Qur'an:

Objective: Finish the entire Qur'an in this month.

Method: Read 4 pages of the Qur'an after every salah. 5 prayers X 4 pages = 20 pages. 20 pages= about 1 juz. 1 juz X 30= the entire Qur'an.

So many Muslims have passed away since last month. So many people have not made it to Ramadan this year. Last year was their very last Ramadan. Will you make it to this Ramadan? Will this be your last Ramadan?

Aim to strive this Ramadan. With a very small amount of effort, such as just making a small intention or adding a few extra acts of worship, we pray that Allah will help our hearts soften and honor us with making it easy to turn to Him and open up to Him.

May Allah make us of the successful in Ramadan, and make it easy for us to turn to Him completely and perpetually. Ameen.

Source: http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=SW1107-4764

[The Golden Girl =D]

^ Jazaki Allah kair for sharing ang3l <3

Very Useful Video :

[yt=425,350]KX_C_tnZ5IU[/yt]
here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX_C_tnZ5IU

Preparations for Ramadan , I know there is no much time but it might be helpful inshAllah =] :

[yt=425,350]0j7A9NvUSmE&feature=related[/yt]
here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j7A9NvUSmE&feature=related


So that we are NOT too serious , Here is a commercial that made me LMAO XD :

[yt=425,350]0-xTfeIM33k&feature=related[/yt]
Here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-xTfeIM33k&feature=related

[The Golden Girl =D]

Some more videos

[yt=425,350]-4w34-ahmuo[/yt]
Here :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4w34-ahmuo

^Yes ,that's my voice


[yt=425,350]16tZG7BvdpE&feature=related[/yt]
Here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16tZG7BvdpE&feature=related


GG =D

[Amelia]

Fasting in the holy month of Ramadan was made compulsory in the 2nd year of Hijri. We come across the commands of fasting in Surah Al Baqarah - "O those who believe, the fasts have been enjoined upon you as were enjoined upon those before you so that you be God-fearing. Days (of fasting are) few in number. However, should anyone of you be sick or on a journey, then a number from other days. And those who have the strength, on them there is a ransom: the feeding of a poor person. Then whoever does good voluntarily, that is better for him. And that you fast is better for you, if you know." (2:182-183) Also, all good deeds done in this month will be rewarded 70 times more.

Its importance is great in Islam because :-
1) It is the fourth of five pillars of Islaam.
2. Fasts help maintain health and develop the body well.
 3. Fasts cleanse and purify the heart, mind and soul.
 4. Fasts acquaint the rich with the plight of the poor.
 5. Fasts help promote equality among community members by bringing the well-to-do and poor at par.
6. Fasts firm up spiritual strength and weaken carnal forces.
 7. Fasts help one become used to difficulties and hardships.
8. Fasts provide one with forbearance, patience and endurance against hunger and thirst.
 9. Fasts provide mental and spiritual concentration and peace.
10. Fasts serve as sentinel against evils and sins.
11. Fasts inspire Islamic spirit and zeal to do virtuous deeds.
12. Observance of fast is a secret and quiet worship which is free from show and hypocrisy.
13. Fast is an effective source of warding off calamities and disasters. There are many other benefits and advantages of fasts as defined by Quraan-o-Hadees.

Excellence's of fast as defined by the Hadiths.
 
 The Holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) said:
1. When the holy month of Ramadaan comes, the gates of heavens,mercy are opened up and of hell shut down. And Satans are chained up.

2. The Paradise is adorned and bedecked round the year for Ramadaan and when the first day of Ramadaan comes, there blows a wind originating from the leaves of the heaven trees, beneath the heavens over the houries who say: "O'Allah! provide us our husbands from among Your servants so that we are pleased with them and they are pleased with us".

3. There are eight gates of Paradise and one of those is called "Raiyaan". The believers who observe fasts will enter into paradise from this gate.

 4. There are two pleasures for the believer who observes fasts:
 - When he breaks his fast and
 - when he will meet his "Rabb" (Creator, Sovereign Lord). The smell of the mouth of fasting man is purer with Allah than the fragrance of musk.

5. The first "Ashrah" (ten days) of Ramadaan is "mercy", the second one is "absolution, forgiveness" and the last (third) Ashrah is "freedom from hell".

6. Fast is (kept) for Allah and He alone knows how great a reward of fast is.

7. There is Zakaat of every thing and Zakaat of the body is fasting and fast is half of patience. 8. "Du'aa" (supplication) of fasting man is not rejected at the time of "Iftaar" (fast breaking).

9. If people had known the reality of Ramadaan, my (Prophet's) Ummat would wish that the whole year may be Ramadaan.

 10. My Ummat has been graced with such five things that were not given to any other Prophet i.e.

 - That on the first night of Ramadaan Allah Almighty casts a merciful eye on them and whom Allah looks with mercy will never consign him to hell,
 - that the smell of the mouth of fasting man is more pleasant to Allah in the evening than the fragrance of musk,

- that the angels pray for the forgiveness of fasting man every day and night,

- that Allah Almighty commands the paradise to get itself adorned for the fasting people so that they may rest in it after having suffered difficulties and hardships in the world and

- When the last night of Ramadaan comes, He forgives them all. Somebody asked the Holy Prophet. Is it the night of "Qadr"? No, he said adding don't you see that labourers work and when they finish it well are paid their due.

11. Allah Almighty releases one million people from hell daily in Ramadaan and on its 29th night He releases people equal to the total number of who were released during the whole month and when the night of Eidul Fitr comes, Angels rejoice and Allah Almighty manifest His Light (Noor) addressing the Angels: O' the group of Angels! What should be the return of the labourer who has completed his work well? Angels submit, he should be paid his full due. Allah Almighty says: Be you witness that I have forgiven them all.


The three classes of fast..

  (1) the fast of general people(Muslims) who avoid food, drink and intercourse.
(2) the fast of the pious ones who avoid not only food, drink and sexual intercourse but also eschew commission of sin by the eye, tongue, hand, foot and every limb of the body and
(3) the fast of the highest class i.e. prominent ones who totally avoid the world and get immersed in Allah's love alone.

Oh, and we all know how important Salatul Taraweeh is. 


Keep up the good work, People! 

[Malak]

Thanks for sharing Lia

Also, all good deeds done in this month will be rewarded 70 times more.

I didnt knew this wow

Allah Almighty releases one million people from hell daily in Ramadaan and on its 29th night He releases people equal to the total number of who were released during the whole month and when the night of Eidul Fitr comes, Angels rejoice and Allah Almighty manifest His Light (Noor) addressing the Angels: O' the group of Angels! What should be the return of the labourer who has completed his work well? Angels submit, he should be paid his full due. Allah Almighty says: Be you witness that I have forgiven them all.

Subhan Allah

[Romeesa-Chan]

~ Precautions to make this Ramadan better! ~

The month of Ramadan is almost here and like every year before the start of the month, our E-mail inboxes flood with inspiring E-mails reminding us about the countless blessings of this noble month. Ramadan – as most of these reminders emphasize – is the Month of Quran, the Month of Taqwa, the Month of Prayers, the Month of Charity and the Month of Remembrance of Allah. This month provides a system to help us organize, struggle and liberate ourselves from the addictions, temptations and unbridled desires that sometimes drive our lives more than our thought out plans and good intentions. Ramadan is therefore a month for the spiritual and physical rejuvenation of oneself and the wise and fortunate amongst us are those that reap the most of what this month has to offer.


In preparing ourselves for this year’s Ramadan, it may be beneficial to recall last year’s Ramadan to assess how successful were we in aligning our behaviors with the spirit of Ramadan. If we reflect and ponder, we can most likely recognize the many ways where we may have fallen short in fulfilling the spirit of Ramadan and how we can refocus to potentially make this year’s Ramadan better than last.

*Getting the Food Mania Under Control
First, let’s discuss what’s hard to ignore in Ramadan – FOOD. Food, as we all know, becomes the center of attention in this month. Walk in any store frequented by Muslims a day or two before Ramadan and Muslims’ food frenzy becomes quite clear. The sight of a Muslim’s shopping cart – packed to the brim with a variety and volume of food offers an amazing as well as an amusing scene. Such a view is common only when people are restocking to get ready for an emergency like an impending hurricane. It just can’t be that everyone’s kitchen shelves become empty immediately at the start of the month. More likely, this can be attributed to a defense mechanism that the subconscious triggers against an impending trauma – a defense to cope with the hunger and thirst while fasting during the day. However, stocking for food isn’t that problematic usually – until that shopping frenzy translates in overeating and other eating disorders and habits.

Barring any health and medical challenges, fasting otherwise is known to provide numerous health benefits. However, overeating during iftar and suhoor, eating fatty, fried and other unhealthy foods, and stuffing our bellies too quickly are some of the major health hazards that potentially can nullify the health benefits gained during fasting. In addition to controlling the size of our portions, we do not have to eat or taste everything that crosses our tables, though our temptations may tell us otherwise. In this Ramadan, let’s strive to substitute unhealthy items with healthy foods. Keeping our food and drink intake to moderate and light levels also provides the added benefit of helping us to stay focused in prayers that follow Iftar and Suhoor rather than feeling physically uncomfortable and guilty of unhealthy eating. Remember, the prophet’s food intake was very light and he (saws) said: “The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls, to keep him going. If he must do that (fill his stomach), then let him fill one third with food, one third with drink and one third with air.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1381), Ibn Maajah (3349); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (2265).”


*Use Time to your advantage
“Time” in Ramadan, as we all know, passes quickly. The prayers at their prescribed times, Taraweeh prayers, Iftar and Suhoor meals leave little time for other activities. To top it all off, by packing social activities in the remaining pockets, the time goes even faster. The amount of time spent on “food” related activities in Ramadan can become excessive. Add up the time for shopping for food, waiting to eat, preparing food, planning for all social activities related to food (e.g. Iftar) and the time spent socializing during the Ramadan feasts can compromise the spirit of Ramadan.

The theme of Ramadan – we should tell ourselves and others – is not supposed to be food, socializations, lavish iftar parties, and fashion shows. By not dedicating time to Quran, extra prayers, reflection and repentance, Dua to Allah, and so much more, we lose opportunities for personal atonement and heavenly rewards. Good deeds in this month get multiplied manifold. So, why not be careful with our time during Ramdan?

For this Ramadan, we should strive therefore to make a few deliberate and focused changes to collect more blessings and rewards. Rather than merely going with the flow of the family and the community members around us, we can plan to take charge of our time. By substituting self centered and social activities with Ramadan specific activities such as Quran recitations, extra prayers, dhikr, helping the needy, etc. we can hope and pray to get closer to Allah this time. Perhaps, that can help in washing away those sins that we accumulate courtesy of our temptations and unbridled desires.


*Atonement for Sins
Ramadan is the month of seeking forgiveness from sins. It helps to ponder on how we accumulate sins, the way sins impact our lives, and how cleansing from them can make our life in this world and in the hereafter better. Sins are those roadblocks that we personally put on our own paths to worldly happiness and in the hereafter. We engage in those sins by the hour – daily, weekly and yearly. Yet, do we repent for those sins? Do we commit ourselves to not commit those sins again? Unfortunately, in many cases we are not even aware of committing those sins. Ramadan provides us the opportunity to ask for heartfelt forgiveness from those sins. The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “Every son of Adam sins and the best of the sinners are those who repent.” (Ibn Maajah). In this Ramadan, let’s strive not to be amongst those unfortunate ones who barely spend anytime reflecting on their sins and transgressions.

*Training ourselves for prayer and masjid etiquettes
Ramadan is the month of prayers and Taraweeh. Through longer prayers and Quran recitation, Taraweeh provides us more time to be closer to Allah and listen to and ponder on Quran. By staying focused in a state of Khushu or piety for that long can be challenging, but longer prayers also provide the opportunity to correct and calibrate those Khushu levels every time our minds lose focus. Taraweeh prayers are not about merely taking credit to stand behind the Imam while he finishes the Quran in melodious recitations. Rather, Taraweeh is about understanding what is being recited and to become closer to the One for whom you made all that effort in the first place. By perfecting khushu levels during Taraweeh prayers we can extend this benefit to other prayers as well. After all, the reward for each prayer is proportional to the quality of our prayers.

According to Ibn Rajab (may Allaah have mercy on him) “The basic meaning of khushoo’ is softness of heart, tranquility, submission and humility. If the heart is properly focused in this manner, then the rest of the body will follow it in focus, because they follow it as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “In the body there is a piece of flesh which, if it is sound, the entire body will be sound, but if it is corrupt, the entire body will be corrupt. Verily it is the heart.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (25) and Muslim (1599).” Jaami’ al-‘Uloom al-Hukam (1/35). (Ref: islam-qa.com)

A side note to review some misconceptions about Taraweeh prayers. Although the larger number of people at Taraweeh prayers may make it appear as if these prayers are more important than the obligatory prayers, they are not. Many of us still would rather exert extra efforts to pray Taraweeh than attend obligatory prayers. That behavior needs to be corrected.

As attending mosques is one of the highlights of Ramadan, we should also ensure that our physical presence in the masjid should not in any way be displeasing to other Muslims. Every Muslim should ensure that others in the masjid are protected from the displeasing appearance or smell of his or her clothes, mouth or body in general. Any offensive smells from smoking, garlic, onions, etc. are not permitted according to hadith and many scholars. For example, the prophet (saws) said, “Whoever eats garlic or onions, let him not approach our mosque and let him pray at home.” And it was reported that he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The angels are offended by the same things that offend the sons of Adam.” (see Hadith by Muslim (564). Therefore, it is very important that every person is careful not to offend the person standing next to him or her in prayers and at other times.

*Remembering not to forget the “Remembrance of Allah”
Ramadan is about remembering Allah. Remembrance of Allah (also known as Zikr or dhikr) extends beyond the obligatory prayers to remembering Him at other times (when walking, driving, sitting, laying down, etc.). The benefits for reciting azkars are numerous but are not part of the scope of this post. Suffice it to remind ourselves, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Shall I not tell you of the best of your deeds, the most pleasing to your Sovereign, those that raise you most in status, and that are better than your giving gold and silver, …………..” They said: “Yes,” He said: “Remembrance of Allah (dhikr), may He be exalted.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (3373) and Ibn Maajah (3790); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

While attaining the discipline to attend 5 obligatory prayers may be more common, many of us need to strive further to remember Allah outside those prescribed prayer times. It may be difficult at first to put that discipline in action. The prophet (SAWS) through his Ahadith has prescribed numerous prayers (about thanking Him, praising Him, seeking forgiveness, etc.) that we should recite during the day – outside the prescribed prayer times. But the point is to adopt a discipline to remember Allah through saying of those salutations in the various pockets that we find during the day.

So, with a little effort, we can change the theme of this month for ourselves and for our families. Let’s strive to not make this the month of food or month of socializations and to instead substitute that time with activities, which are more in line with the spirit of Ramadan. Let’s make use of this month to achieve taqawa, the ultimate objective of Ramadan.

Allah says in the Quran (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)” – Quran [al-Baqarah 2:183]


Everything else that we do in Ramadan is just a means to that end. Let’s constantly gauge our hearts and if our actions, deeds, and heart and soul are not attuned to Allah and to the spirit of Ramadan, we may have adopted a theme for this month not sanctioned by our Prophet (saws).

May you have a happy Ramadan and that all our good deeds are accepted! I ask you for your dua’s and prayers!



ps- JazakAllah khair all fer yer contribution and sharing of knowledge!

[Romeesa-Chan]

~ Ramadan 2011 Message – Maximize Your Rewards ~



Ramadan (the 9th month in the Islamic Hijri calendar) is here again and more than a billion Muslims are gearing up to observe the various ibadat (worship) of this month. Although fasting is the primary highlight of this month, other Ibadat too, such as salat (prayers), Quran recitation, acts of charity, proactively striving for good deeds, etc., go hand in hand with fasting and will be the focus of everyone’s efforts.


As Muslims, the same Ibadat are at our disposal throughout the year. However, the many additional rewards associated with our worship during this month make the same Ibadat more potent. Even those with little faith and eeman in their hearts join the foray in an attempt to reinvigorate the Taqwa (piety) in their hearts, which is the primary objective of Ramadan.

During Ramadan, Allah will be opening the gates of His mercy. He has reassured us of the immeasurable rewards of fasting that we can earn only if we rightly espouse the spirit of the month. In Ramadan, He chains the devils (that whisper in our heart inviting us to sins) so that we can focus on purifying our souls, which are frequently pushed toward sins. He has provided us one special night during this month, the worship in which is better than a thousand months (Quran: al-Qadar, 3). Allah has raised the reward of Umrah in Ramadan by making its reward equivalent to performing Hajj. By providing Ifatar to a person who is fasting can get us the reward of feeding the fasting person along with the reward that we would have had for our own fasting. He has also designated one specific gate in paradise (called ar-Rayyan) that will be used to enter paradise on the Day of Judgment only by those who had fasted.

The list of potential rewards is quite long. However, it is noteworthy that despite all our fasting and praying, earning those rewards is not automatic and instead requires that that we appropriately engage ourselves (both physically and spiritually) in ways that Allah and His Prophet have taught us. The following covers some of those topics.


1) Ensure that your fasting is only for Allah
A critical prerequisite for starting Ramadan and its Ibadat requires that we first purify our intentions. One shouldn’t fast, for example, because it is healthy to do so, or to “go with the flow.” While fasting has numerous virtues and benefits, the primary motivation of fasting should be solely to seek Allah’s pleasure. So, if your intention is tainted with other ulterior motives or you aren’t clear on your intentions, you risk foregoing the rewards of your worship. In a well known hadith the prophet had highlighted the conditions for fasting to be accepted by saying: “Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” “Out of faith” in this context refers to ensuring that your worship is solely for Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah does not accept any deed except that which is done only for Him and to seek His Countenance.” The Prophet also said (in part of a hadith): “Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, says: ‘…he who does an action for someone else’s sake as well as Mine will have that action renounced by Me to him whom he associated with Me’”.

Let’s, therefore, remind ourselves that for our fasting to be accepted, it should be solely for the sake of Allah. Anything less risks non-acceptance.


2) Have the eagerness to get your fasts and worship accepted
Referring back to the popular hadith quoted earlier, the second condition for fasts being accepted (and sins forgiven) is the “hope of reward.” It is difficult to hope and wish for something without recognizing its value. So, if we indeed recognized the value of Ramadan and fasting and the associated rewards, then we should feel the eagerness in our hearts for our fasts and worships to be accepted.

Consider that the sahaba and the salaf would be so eager to have their Ibadah accepted that they would pray for up to 6 months after the completion of Ramadan asking Allah to accept their fasts and worships. Using the same standards and recalling last year’s Ramadan, make an assessment of how your heart measured up in terms of possessing that eagerness. If it is nowhere close, then it raises some questions about the value that you place on the rewards of Ramadan in your heart. After all, if the month-long worship and Ibadah that you poured in your heart failed to overwhelm you spiritually, then it’s time to correct your intentions and recognize the value of fasting before you lose that opportunity this year again. Consider Abu’l-Darda’s eagerness about the acceptance of his Ibadah when he said: “To be certain that Allah would accept just one prayer from me would be dearer to me than the world and everything in it, for Allah says: ‘Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are al-muttaqoon (the pious)’ [al-Maa’idah 5:27].”

Remember, the eagerness for the acceptance of your worship, especially in Ramadan, is a condition for the acceptance of your worship. You can cultivate that eagerness in your heart by reminding yourself about the rewards, virtues, and benefits of Ramadan.

3) Engage intently in worship during Ramadan
This Ramadan, many of us will get involved in various Ibadat such as prayers, Quran recitation, and so on. However, more than just “busying yourself” with various Ibadat, you need to actively engage your heart to make your ibadah more meaningful. It’s no secret that a normal day’s schedule in Ramadan fills up faster than on the usual days. The worldly demands of our time along with an increase in religious activities can pack one’s day’s schedule more than on other days. However, when faced with such packed schedules and as we move from one activity to the other, we tend to merely focus on seeing those activities to completion rather than engaging more intently in those acts of worship. When we do so, we leave the spirituality out of those acts of worship and merely exercise empty rituals. As the prophet said, “Some who fast obtain nothing from it but hunger and thirst.”

Let’s, therefore, ensure that all our acts of Ibadah during Ramadan are purposeful, absorbing, given due time, and engage our hearts to the fullest. It would indeed be a big loss if we merely earned hunger, thirst, and sleeplessness from our actions at the end of the month!

4) Renewed attitude about rewards and sins
Many of us hear about hasanat (rewards) associated with good deeds without realizing their redeeming value. The prophet said, ‘Do not look down on any act of goodness, even if it is just emptying your bucket into the vessel of one who wants to drink, or speaking to your brother with a cheerful expression’”. Similarly, we hear about the ill effects of sins without truly comprehending how they chip away at our spiritual and worldly fortunes. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Beware of sins that are seen as insignificant, for they will keep accumulating until they destroy a man”.

Before we step into this year’s Ramadan, therefore, we should realize that hasanat (rewards) and sins are the basic currencies that will decide our fate in this life and the hereafter. The tilt of the scale that will weigh our rewards and sins on the Day of Judgment will determine our final abode. A change of attitude about this simple principle alone can go a long way in propelling our behaviors in the right direction. Ibn Mas’ood described the attitude of the believer and of the hypocrite as follows: “The believer sees his sins as if he were sitting beneath a mountain which he fears will fall on him, whilst the sinner sees his sins as if it were a fly passing his nose and he says such-and-such to it” – i.e., he shoos it away with his hand.


Let’s, therefore, direct all our efforts to earn as many hasanat as possible and to stay away from sins. Ramadan provides us a chance of multiplied hasanat but the multiplication is all tied to the sincerity of our worships and the intensity with which we are eager to earn those rewards and erase our sins.

5) Shy away from bad practices
The spirit of the month of Ramadan is not alien to most Muslims. However, many of us erroneously engage in practices that tend to dilute the spirit of the blessed month thus preventing us from capitalizing on the month’s blessings. For example, many make Ramadan the focal point of social events rather than focusing on the worship and Ibadah. Others know Ramadan because of the opportunity to feast on a variety of meals and excessively indulging in eating and drinking. There are others who tend to get lax about the obligatory prayers (e.g. Fajr) for the sake of optional prayers such as Taraweeh and other optional Ibadahs.

Let’s remind ourselves that such practices can divert our focus thus chipping away at our spiritual energies robbing us in turn of the maximum rewards that we could potentially attain in this month. Let’s remind ourselves that since such practices were never the focus of the Prophet, the sahaba, or any of their pious followers, they shouldn’t be ours either.

~Parting words
With Ramadan offering a unique opportunity to earn Allah’s pleasure, what more can you ask for and what could be said about you if you didn’t make use of this opportunity? Remember that many who were with us during last year’s Ramadan didn’t live long enough to see this year’s Ramadan. As none of us knows if we would live to see next year’s Ramadan, why not make the most of it now before it is too late? Ensure that you capture as many moments of this month as you can because every moment does count. The Prophet said: “In every day and every night, during the month of Ramadan, there are people to whom Allah grants freedom from the Fire, and there is for every Muslim a supplication which he can make and will be granted”.

Finally, during the coming month, as you plead your case to Allah to forgive your sins and to fulfill your needs, don’t forget the millions of needy Muslims around the world who are in states of distress far worse than any of us can imagine. Thousands of them die of hunger and thirst daily, while others lack the basic amenities of life, and don’t have even the least of the opportunities that many of us are blessed with. As Ramadan provides us the promise of Allah’s increased mercy, let’s plead their case also to Him.


May all of you have a blessed Ramadan of 2011!

[Alpha]

Do click on the link. I loved this. May Allah bless whoever made it.

[Banana]

Although this isn't 'strictly' speaking of Ramadan morals, its related 

I wrote it to our local newspaper 2 days ago...it was published yesterday 

http://7days.ae/letter-detail/take-your-time-and-get-iftar-safely

[$tyli$h Executive]

<a href="http://dingo.care2.com/cards/new/0394/ramadan22.swf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://dingo.care2.com/cards/new/0394/ramadan22.swf</a>

Credit to Steve Curry in Care2.com

[Alpha]

Credit to Steve Curry in Care2.com

Thank you Borakk.  
I was wanting to insert the flash, now, grace to you, got how to do it.