A reminder about Ramaḍān; its legislation and rewards. Abū Ḥakīm Bilāl Davis expounds upon the virtues of ‘the month of taqwá’ over this twenty-seven minute khuṭbah.
Allāh, the Mighty and Majestic stated,
إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ ۚ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ وَقَاتِلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَافَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَافَّةً ۚ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٣٦﴾
“Verily, the number of months with Allāh is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allāh on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are Sacred, (i.e. the 1st, the 7th, the 11th and the 12th months of the Islamic calendar). That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein, and fight against the Mushrikūn (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allāh) collectively, as they fight against you collectively. But know that Allāh is with those who are al-Muttaqūn).”
[Sūrah al-Tawbah, 9:36]
And,
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥﴾
“The month of ramadaan in which was revealed the Qurʾān, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of ramadaan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allāh intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allāh [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allāhu Akbar; Allāh is the Most Great) on seeing the crescent of the months of ramadaan and Shawwal] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.”
[Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2:185]
Also,
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٨٣﴾
“O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become al-Muttaqūn.”
[Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2:183]
Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allāh is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allāh will not accept his fasting.)”1
Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whoever established prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allāh, then all his previous sins will be forgiven; and whoever fasts in the month of Ramaḍān out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allāh, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.”2
States Abū Ḥakīm Bilāl Davis, “How many times ikhwān, do we hear the people say ‘I can not fast the thirty days of Ramaḍān, leaving alone food and drink’ but how many days to they wake up and chasing the desires of the dunyā, not eating any breakfast, chasing the affairs of this world and not eating any lunch, and sunset approaching and not even having drank a cup of tea, how many days, how many times of the week? Following after the affairs of the dunyā, while the one who fasts for Allāh, forsakes his food and his drink, his stomach and his desires for Allāh,
Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said,”Allāh said, ‘All the deeds of Ādam’s sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.’ Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarrelling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, ‘I am fasting.’ By Him in Whose Hands my soul is’ The unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allāh than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.”3
…When a person stands for ṣalāh, he stands and people see him, when he gives Zakāh, someone knows that he gave Zakāh, when he performs ḥajj, he performs ḥajj with millions of others, when he fasts, no one knows if anything has entered his stomach except him and Allāh…”
Endnotes:
- Related by al-Bukhārī, (31/1789).
- Related by al-Bukhārī, (31/1787).
- Related by al-Bukhārī, (31/1790).
