What to do in Ramadan by using Islam Values?
Suggested program for the Muslim during Ramadaan
سؤال :
Firstly, let me congratulate you on the beginning of the blessed month of
Ramadaan; I hope that Allaah will accept fasting and prayers from us and from
you.
I hope that I can make the most of this opportunity to do as much worship and
earn as much reward as possible. I hope that you could give me a program that
is suitable for me and my family so that we can make the most of this month in
goodness and obedience.
الجواب :
Praise be to Allaah.
May
Allaah accept all our righteous words and deeds, and help us to be sincere in
secret and in public.
There
follows a suggested program for the Muslim during this blessed month:
The
Muslim’s day in Ramadaan:
The
Muslim starts his day with suhoor before Fajr prayer. It is better to delay
suhoor until the latest possible time of the night.
Then
after that the Muslim gets ready for Fajr prayer before the adhaan. So he does
wudoo’ at home and goes out to the mosque before the adhaan.
When he
enters the mosque, he prays two rak’ahs (tahiyyat al-masjid – greeting the
mosque). Then he sits and keeps busy making du’aa’, or reading Qur’aan, or
reciting dhikr, until the muezzin gives the call to prayer. He repeats what the
muezzin says, and says the du’aa’ narrated from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) to be said after the adhaan ends. Then after
that he prays two rak’ahs (the regular Sunnah of Fajr), then he occupies
himself with du’aa’ and reading Qur’aan until the iqaamah for prayer is given.
He is in a state of prayer so long as he is waiting for the prayer.
After
offering the prayer in congregation, he recites the dhikrs that are prescribed
following the salaam at the end of the prayer. After that if he wants to sit in
the mosque until the sun has risen, reciting dhikr and reading Qur’aan, that is
preferable, and that is what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) used to do after Fajr prayer.
Then
about one-quarter of an hour after the sun has risen, if he wants he can pray
Duha (Chast) prayer (a minimum of two rak’ahs), and that is good. Or if he
wants he can delay it until the preferred time, which is when the day has grown
hotter and the sun is higher in the sky – that is better.
Then if
he wants he may sleep to prepare himself for going to work, and he can intend
by sleeping to strengthen himself for worship and earning a living, so that he
will be rewarded for it in sha Allah. He should also follow the etiquette of
sleep that is prescribed in sharee’ah, both actions and words.
Then he
goes to work, and when the time for Zuhr prayer comes, he goes to the mosque
early, before the adhaan or immediately after it, and he should get ready to
pray beforehand. So he prays four rak’ahs with two tasleems (the regular Sunnah
before Zuhr), then he keeps busy reading Qur’aan until the iqaamah for prayer
is given, and he prays with the congregation, then he prays two rak’ahs (the
regular Sunnah after Zuhr).
Then
after the prayer he goes and finishes whatever of his work is left, until it is
time to leave work. If there is a long time to go after finishing his work
until the time for ‘Asr prayer, then he can rest. But if there is not enough
time and he fears that if he sleeps he will miss ‘Asr prayer, then he should
keep busy doing something suitable until the time for ‘Asr comes, such as going
to the market to buy some things that his family needs and the like, or going
straight to the mosque when he has finished his work, and staying in the mosque
until he has prayed ‘Asr.
Then
after Asr, it depends on his circumstances. If he can stay in the mosque and
keep busy reading Qur’aan, this is a great opportunity. But if he feels tired,
then he should rest at this time so that he will be ready to pray taraaweeh at
night.
Before
the adhaan for Maghrib, he should get ready to break his fast, and he should do
something at this time that will benefit him, whether reading Qur’aan, making
du’aa’, or having a useful conversation with his wife and children.
One of
the best things that he can do at this time is to take part in offering iftaar
to those who are fasting, whether by bringing food to them or helping to
distribute it to them and organizing that. This brings a great joy which no one
knows except those who have experienced it.
After
iftaar, he goes and prays in congregation in the mosque, and after the prayer
he prays two rak'ahs (the regular Sunnah of Maghrib). Then he goes back home
and eats whatever is available – without eating too much. Then he looks for a
suitable way for himself and his family to spend this time, whether reading a
book of stories, or a book on practical rulings, or a quiz, or permissible
conversation, or any other useful idea that is of interest to the members of
the family and will distracts them from the haraam things that appear in the
media which regard this as their prime time, so you find the media transmitting
their most attractive programs at that time, that may contain immoral and
obscene material. Strive to turn away from that, and fear Allaah with regard to
your “flock” (i.e., your family) concerning whom you will be questioned on the
Day of Resurrection, so be prepared to answer the questions.
Then get
ready for ‘Isha’ prayer, go to the mosque and keep busy reading Qur’aan or
listening to the lesson being given in the mosque.
Then
after that perform ‘Isha’ prayer, then pray two rak’ahs (the regular Sunnah of
‘Isha’), then pray taraaweeh behind the imam with humility and focus, pondering
the meanings of what is recited. Do not finish until the imam finishes. The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever stands (and
prays) with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded as if he spent the
night in prayer.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1370, and others. Classed as saheeh
by al-Albaani in Salaat al-Taraaweeh, p. 15.
Then after Taraaweeh you can make a program for yourself that is suited
to your circumstances and personal commitments. But you should pay attention to
the following:
Keeping
away from all haraam things and whatever may lead to them.
Paying
attention to ensuring that your family avoids falling into any haraam thing or
whatever may lead to that, in a wise manner, such as preparing a program just
for them, or taking them out for leisure trips to permissible places, or
keeping them away from bad friends, or looking for good friends for them.
Keeping
busy with things that take priority.
Then you
should try to sleep early, whilst paying attention to the etiquette of sleep as
prescribed in sharee’ah, both actions and words. If you read some Qur’aan or
some beneficial books before going to sleep, that is something good, especially
if you have not yet completed your daily portion of Qur’aan – so do not go to
sleep until you have completed it.
Then wake
up before suhoor, allowing enough time to recite du’aa’, because this time –
the last third of the night – is the time when Allaah descends, and Allaah has
praised those who seek His forgiveness at this time, and has promised those who
call upon Him at this time that He will answer them, and that He will accept
the repentance of those who repent to Him at this time. So do not neglect this
great opportunity.
Friday:
Friday is
the best day of the week, so you should have a special program of worship on
this day, in which you pay attention to the following:
Coming
early to Jumu’ah prayer.
Staying
in the mosque after ‘Asr prayer, and keeping busy with reading Qur’aan and
making du’aa’ until the last hour of this day, for that is a time when du’aa’s
are answered.
Make this
day an opportunity for completing some of your deeds that you did not finish
during the week, such as completing your weekly portion of Qur’aan, or
finishing reading a book or listening to a tape and other good deeds.
The last
ten days of Ramadaan:
The last
ten days of Ramadaan include Laylat al-Qadr which is better than a thousand
months. Hence it is prescribed for a person to observe i’tikaaf (“retreat” for
the purpose of worship) in the mosque during these ten days, as the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to do, seeking Laylat al-Qadr.
Whoever can observe i’tikaaf at this time, this is a great blessing from
Allaah.
Whoever
cannot observe i’tikaaf for the entire period should do as much as he is able
to.
If he is
not able to do i’tikaaf at all, then he should try to spend the nights in
worship. Praying qiyaam, reading Qur’aan, remembering Allaah and making du’aa’.
He should prepare for that by resting during the day so that he will be able to
stay up at night.
Note:
This
program is just a suggestion. It is a flexible schedule that each person can
adapt to his own circumstances.
This
program pays attention to the Sunnahs that are proven from the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It does not mean that everything
mentioned here is an obligatory duty, rather it includes many things that are
Sunnah and mustahabb.
The most
beloved of actions to Allaah are those which are continuous even if they are
little. At the beginning of the month a person may be keen to do acts of
worship, then he may slow down. Beware of that, and strive to persist in all
the actions that you do in this blessed month.
The
Muslim should strive to organize his time in this blessed month so that he will
not miss out on a great opportunity to do more good and righteous deeds. For
example, a person should try to buy all the things that the family needs before
the month begins, and he should buy day-to-day needs at times when the stores
are not crowded, and visits to friends and family should be organized in such a
way that they do not distract from acts of worship.
Make
doing lots of acts of worship and drawing closer to Allaah your priority in
this blessed month.
Resolve
at the beginning of the month to go to the mosque early at the times of prayer,
and to complete the Book of Allaah, and to regularly pray qiyaam al-layl in
this great month, and to spend (in charity) what you can of your wealth.
Make the
most of the opportunity that the month of Ramadaan brings to strengthen your
connection to the Book of Allaah, by utilizing the following means:
Read
the verses correctly. The way to do that is to have your reading corrected by
someone who knows how to read well. If you cannot do that, then by listening to
tapes of expert readers.
Revise
what Allaah has enabled you to memorize, and memorize some more.
Read the
tafseer (commentary) on the verses, either by looking up the verses you do not
understand in reliable books of tafseer such as Tafseer al-Baghawi and Tafseer
Ibn Katheer and Tafseer al-Sa’di, or by making a program to read a
book of tafseer. Start first with the thirtieth Juz’ (section) of the Qur’aan,
then mover on to the twenty-ninth juz’, and so on.
Strive to
apply the commands that you read in the Book of Allaah.
We ask Allaah to perfect for us the blessing of Ramadaan, and to help us
fast and pray qiyaam throughout the whole month, and to accept (these acts of
worship) from us, and to forgive us for our shortcomings.
Islam
Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
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