Knowledge Every Muslim Should Know (Book One)

Benefits of Ramadhaan

THE BENEFITS OF RAMADHAAN

 

1. Fasting in Ramadhaan helps in achieving taqwa.

Allah says: “O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous (achieve taqwa).” (Al-Baqarah, 2:183)

Taqwa is the aim of our existence. Allah reminds us of it in the Qur’an again and again.

“O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims.” (‘Al-’Imran, 3:102)

When we change our attitude while fasting and have a good mental state, we can achieve taqwa.

Jabir ibn Abullah said: “When you fast, your hearing, your vision, and your tongue should also fast by avoiding lies and sins. You should not abuse your servant. You should maintain your composure and dignity on the day you fast. Do not make your fasting day the same as your normal day.” [1. Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah]

 

2. Double reward of fasting:

“Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward like that of the fasting person, without any reduction in his reward.” [2. Al Tirmidhee]

Ibn Taymiyah said:What is meant by giving him iftaar is giving him enough to satisfy him. [3. Al-Ikhtiyaaraat, p. 194]

From the ’ibaadah of providing food for people stems many other acts of worship such as creating love and friendship towards those who are given the food, which is a means of entering Paradise, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “You will not enter Paradise until you truly believe, and you will not truly believe until you love one another.” [4. Narrated by Muslim, 54]

 

3. Reading Qur’an in Ramadhaan assists in attaining “taqwa”

“The month of Ramadhaan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:185)

Reading Qur’an in this month assists in attaining “taqwa” since it is one of the main objectives of the revelation of the Qur’an. Allah says: “[It is] an Arabic Qur'an, without any deviance that they might become righteous.” (A’Zumar, 39:28)

 

4. A means of gaining Forgiveness of sins:

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

a. “Whoever fasts Ramadhaan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” [5. al-Bukhari, 2014; Muslim, 760]

b. “Whoever spends the nights of Ramadhaan in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” [6. al-Bukhari (2008) and Muslim (174)]

c. “Whoever spends Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, will be forgiven his previous sins.” [7. Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1910; Muslim, 760.]

d. “…from one Ramadhaan to the next are expiation for sins committed in between, so long as you avoid major sins.” [8. Saheeh Muslim (233)]

 

5. Steadfastness and Patience:

Fasting helps in developing a strong will power. Fasting is patience in obeying Allah, patience in keeping away from the things forbidden by Allah, and patience in bearing the decree of Allah, hunger, thirst, physical and mental weakness. So it combines all three types of patience, thus the fasting person deserves to be counted as one of the patient, and Allah says: “Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.” (A’Zumar, 39:10) [9. Majaalis Shahr Ramadhaan, p. 13, Shaykh Ibn ’Uthaymeen]

 

6. Seeking Laylatul Qadr:

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There has come to you Ramadhaan, a blessed month which Allah has enjoined you to fast, during which the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.” [10. Narrated by An-Nasa’ee, 2106; Ahmad, 8769. classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 999.]

 

7. Fasting precludes a’riya and assists in ikhlaas:

“Allah said: ‘Every deed of the son of Adam is for him except fasting; it is for Me and I shall reward for it…’” [11. Al-Bukhari (1761) and Muslim (1946)]

Allah didn’t say “prayer is Mine”, or “Hajj is Mine”, or “charity is Mine”. Why did He single out fasting? Al-Qurtubi said: Because showing off may enter into all good deeds, but no one can see when a person is fasting except Allah, so Allah connected it to Himself. Hence Allah said in hadeeth Qudsi, “He gives up his food, his drink and his physical desires for My sake.” [12. Narrated by al-Bukhari, al-Sawm, 1761]

 

8. Ramadhaan trains us to have good character and be truthful:

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it and ignorant behavior, Allah has no need of his giving up his food and drink”. [13. Sahih Al-Bukhari: Vol.3, Book of Saum, Hadeeth no. 1903, pg. 84]

So if a person refrains from disobeying Allah or gives up sinfulness, then this is true fasting. Meaning, your body needs to fast with you too along with hunger and thirst.

“…and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.'” [14. Sahih Al-Bukhari: Vol.3, Book of Saum, Hadeeth no. 1904, pg. 84]

 

9. A sense of Unity:

All the Muslims participate in this act of worship. All of us are fasting and breaking the fast at the same time. We as a single ummah gather upon a single act of worship directing towards a single purpose.

 

10. Ramadhaan is an opportunity to learn discipline in food and drink:

One of the benefits of fasting is good health. This is something we should seek because with good health, we can worship Allah better and do extra good deeds which we might not be able to do if we did not have it.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone…” [15. Sahih Muslim 2664]

 

11. Two moments of Joy:

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The fasting person will have two moments of joy: one when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.” [16. Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1771]