Welcome to Ramadan

Sayyiduna Salman Farsi رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰی عَـنْهُ has narrated that on the last day of Sha’ban, the Prophet of Rahmah, the Intercessor of the Ummah, the Owner of Jannah صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave us a sermon: O people! A month of greatness and blessings is approaching you. It is the month in which there is a night that is better than a thousand months. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has made the fasts of this sacred month Fard (compulsory). To offer (Taraweeh Salah) in its nights is Sunnah. If someone performs a good deed in this month, then it will be equivalent to performing a Fard act in any other month and if someone performs a Fard act in this month, then it will be equivalent to performing 70 Fard acts in other days. It is the month of patience and the reward for patience is Heaven. It is the month of relief and goodness, and in this month the believer’s sustenance is increased.

کِھل اُٹھے مُرجھائے دل تازہ ہوا ایمان ہے
مرحبا صد مرحبا! پھر آمدِ رَمَضان ہے

یا خُدا ہم عاصیوں پر یہ بڑا اِحسان ہے
زندگی میں پھر عطا ہم کو کِیا رَمَضان ہے

یا الٰہی! تُو مدینے میں کبھی رَمَضاں دکھا
مُدّتوں سے دل میں یہ عطّار کے اَرمان ہے

سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه عَزَّوَجَلَّ ! The Beloved Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم loved Ramadan which is the month of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, so much, that upon the arrival of this blessed month, he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would give a grand welcoming to this month and would also clarify the significance of this blessed month by mentioning its glory and greatness, virtues and blessings and other exceptional qualities to his blessed companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰی عَـنْـهُم. He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم also made their Madani minds to perform different good deeds. Since the blessed companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰی عَـنْـهُم were also true lovers of the Beloved Prophet and of Ramadan, they would congratulate Muslims on the arrival of this guest of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ (Ramadan) in devotion to Ramadan and obedience to their Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم Furthermore, they also persuaded Muslims to observe fasts, stay awake for worship during the nights and to spend money in the way of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ

Farooq-e-A’zam and welcoming Ramadan

Leader of the believers, Sayyiduna ‘Umar Farooq-e-A’zam رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ used to say: I welcome the month which purifies us. The entire month of Ramadan is good whether it is the fast during the day or Qiyam (standing for worship) during the night. To spend in this month has the status of spending in Jihad.

(Tanbih-ul-Ghafileen, pp. 177, Raqm 447)

This is a summary of the renowned commentator, a great thinker of the Ummah, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan’s manuscript: Being happy and wishing happiness to each other upon the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadan is a Sunnah; we should be happy when this blessed month begins, and be sad when it leaves us. It is for this reason that the majority of Muslims feel sad and weep on. Jumu’a-tul-Wada’ (the last Friday of Ramadan), some farewell words are recited and speeches are given, for Muslims to carry out maximum good deeds in the time that remains of this blessed month by considering it a great opportunity. (Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 3, pp. 137)

Therefore, O lovers of Ramadan, rejoice! اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ very soon the sacred month of Ramadan, with it mercies and forgiveness is arriving; it is a month in which the reward for Nafl acts of worship becomes equal to the Fard acts of worship and the reward for Fard acts of worship increases by 70 times more than the Fard acts of worship in other days. The fasting people enjoy great benefits and countless people are freed from Hell, therefore, you should rejoice and also wish happiness to other Muslims as well. Furthermore, free yourself from worldly affairs before the arrival of this blessed month, so that you can attain the blessings of Salahs, fasts, recitation of the Holy Quran, Taraweeh and the collective I’tikaf of the whole month or at least of the last ten days and can make the path to Paradise easy.

ساحِل سے حاجیوں کا پھر آ لگا سفینہ
نزدیک آرہا ہے رَمَضان کا مہینا

بُلوایئے مدینے دِکھلایئے مدینہ
آقا! نہ ٹُوٹ جائے یہ دل کا آبگینہ

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

The month of Ramadan is a great gift from Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ for the sinful people like us. As the sacred month arrives, the lovers of Ramadan rejoice and the atmosphere brightens with the light of the luminosity of Ramadan. The yearning for worship increases a lot. Muslims observe fasts, have the privilege to offer Taraweeh, arrange the gatherings of Khatm-e-Quran and attend such gatherings. They eat and offer Sahari and Iftari, give and persuade others to pay Zakah, Fitrah, ‘Ushr, Sadaqat, charity and Madani donations. They also get busy reciting the Holy Quran, performing Ruku’ and Sujood and go to Masajid regularly for offering Salah.

How glorious is the mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ ! He عَزَّوَجَلَّ orders His innocent angels to open the doors of Paradise and to close the doors of Hell from the very first night of this sacred month and also commands His innocent angels to chain the Satans. Furthermore, by the order of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ one, who calls from Heaven, guides people to make Du’a for their wishes, repent and to ask for forgiveness. Therefore, instead of being stuck in worldly affairs we should free ourselves to some extent from important activities before the arrival of sacred Ramadan and besides compulsory and Wajib worships, we should perform Sunan and Mustahabbat abundantly, recitation of the Holy Quran, Taraweeh and I’tikaf and other acts of worship.

اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِه وَسَلَّم

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد