*~Ramadan Mubarak~*

Assalaamu Alaikum! :D

Finally ... the month we have all been waiting for has come upon us, subhana'Allah! In this month, we should all make it an obligation to increase our practices of our Imaan insha'Allah. It is said that during this blessed month, the gates of Hell are closed and the gates of Paradise are opened, and the devils are in chains. We are finally rid of Shaytaan's ceaseless attempts to have us stray from Sirat-ul-Mustaqeem during this month and it is quite evident too. Notice how easy it is to prevent ourselves from doing anything that would not be permissable by our religion and Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala? We make the intention to complete the Qur'an during Ramadan and alhamdulillah, usually it is accomplished without a problem. Regular visits are kept when attending the masjids and remembering that we are all brothers and sisters in Islam, preventing unnecessary squabbles between one another. This, is the beauty of this Holy month. We can see what we are actually capable of accomplishing as Muslims and the sad part is that we are also able to see our weaknesses. If we find ourselves unable to avoid doing something which we know should not be practiced, it allows us to understand the impact that the Shayateen has had on us for the past year. Observe these weaknesses ... and work on them. I had heard in one lecture that in order to know if your fasts have been accepted, observe your behaviour after Ramadan. If you find yourself keeping up with the same manners as you had during the blessed month, consider your fasts accepted! Eventhough it is known that we will not know if our fasts had been accepted, it just seemed like a pretty good guideline. Though I wish I had more of a referance to that. I'm just going to leave this entry with some hadiths regarding Ramadan. They are taken from Faza'il-e-A'amaal.

May this blessed month bring each and every one of you peace and success, may Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala shower His blessings upon your homes, may He (subhanahu wa ta'ala) accept all of your fasts that will insha'Allah be easy on you and your efforts in bettering yourself and may Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala shower His nur over you.
Ameen, ameen, ya rabbil 'alameen!

Please remember me in your du'as and if I have ever said or done anything that has upset anybody, please do forgive me .... JazaakAllahu khairaa ... enjoy!

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Salmaan (Sadiyallahu Anhu) reports, "On the last day of Sha-baan Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) addressed us and said,

'O People there comes over you now a great month, a most blessed month in which lies a night more 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 only virtuous deed, for such person shall be the reward like the one who had performed a fardh in any other time. And whosoever performs a fardh, shall be blessed with the reward of seventy faraa-idh in 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 (at sunset), 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 we said: "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."

"And in this month four things you should continue to perform in great number, two of which shall be to please your Lord, while the other two shall be those without which you cannot do. Those which shall be to please your Lord, are that you should in great quantity bear witness that there is no deity to worship except Allah (ie. recite the Kalimah Tayyibah Laa Ilaaha illallaah) and make much Istaghfaar (beg Allah's forgiveness with Astaghfirullah)." And as for those without which you cannot do, you should beg of Allah, entrance into paradise and ask refuge in Him from Jahannam."

"And whoever gave a person who fasted water to drink, Allah shall grant that giver to drink from My fountain, such a drink whereafter that person shall never again feel thirsty until he enters Jannah."

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Abu Hurairah relates that Rasulullah (SAW) said, "My Ummah were given five things for Ramadan which were not given to anyone except them. For them, the smell from the mouth of a fasting person is more sweeter to Allah than the fragrant smell of musk. On their behalf the fish in the sea seek forgiveness for the fasting persons until they break their fast. Allah prepares and decorates a special garden in Jannah everyday and then says (to it), "The time is near when faithful servants shall cast aside the great trials of the world and come to you". In this month (for them) evil-minded Shaytaan is chained so as not to reach unto those evils to which they normally reach during other months besides Ramadan. On the last night of Ramadan they are forgiven".

The Sahabah (RA) thereupon equired, "O Messenger of Allah, is that last night Laylatul Qadr?" Rasulullah (SAW) replied, "No. But it is only right that a servant should be given his reward on having completed his service."

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Anas (RA) reports, "Once when Ramadan commenced, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, 'A month has verily dawned over you wherein lies a night better than one thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its blessings has indeed deprived of (almost) all good. And none is deprived of its good except he who is completely unfortunate.'"

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Aa'ishah (radiallahu anha) reports that Rasulullah (SAW) said, "Seek Laylatul Qadr among the odd numbered nights of the last ten days of the month of Ramadan."