Salam Ramadhan and Salam Puasa

In this holy month, I will try my best,inshaAllah to put up a daily article on Ramadhan and Islam. To my fellow Muslim brethren, Salam Ramadhan and May the Blessings of Allah be upon you and your loved ones, always.

Hadith No. 01 : Why the name ‘Ramadhan’?The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: “Surely, the month of Ramadhan has been named so because it scorches away the sins.” Kanz al-Ummal, H: 23688

The Commander of the Faithful Imam ‘Ali (A) said:
“Oh people! During the Holy Month of Ramadhan read a lot of supplication and seek God’s pardon (Esteghfar) because, by means of supplications the calamities are removed from you and by means of asking God’s pardon your sins are forgiven.”-Wasail al-Shi’a, vol. 7, p-223.

Also he said that one day the Holy Prophet delivered a sermon in which he said:“Oh people! The month of God with blessing mercy and pardon has came to you, a month which is the best month among all months before God-Almighty, its days are the best days, its nights are the best nights and its hours are the best hours. It is month in which you have been invited by God-Almighty for a feast, and have been selected as the recipient of this special favor. Your breathings merit the reward of praise, while your sleeping in this month earns the reward of a worship. In this month your deeds are accepted and prayers are granted.”

“Therefore, with true intention and pure hearts beseech God-Almighty to bestow upon you His special favor to be able to observe fasting and recite the Holy Qur’an. Because, the most unfortunate and wretched one is the one who remains deprived from God’s pardon during this great month. With your thrust and hunger remind yourself about the thrust and hunger of the Day of Judgment; pay charity to poor and destitute people, pay respect to elders; be kind towards youngsters, and observe the bonds of relationship with your kith and kins.”

“Watch your tongues, cover your eyes from seeing forbidden objects and prevent your ears from hearing forbidden affairs. Be kind to the orphans of the people so that the others are kind towards your orphans. Repent for your sins and at the time of prayer raise your hands upward, because, these hours are the best hours in which God-Almighty looks towards mankind with mercy and compassion. Their hymns are granted, their cries are heard. Whatever they ask is bestowed upon them and their prayers are fulfilled.”

“Oh people! Your (selves) are mortgaged against your deeds and therefore, by means of repentance make yourself free. Your back has become too much heavy due to sins; by prolongation of your prostration make yourself light burdened. Know that! God-Almighty has taken the oath of his Majesty and Splendor that he will not punish those who offers prayers and bows down in prostration, and on the Day of Judgment will not scare them through the Hell’s fire.”

“Oh people! whoever in this month will make arrangements for the fast-breaking (iftar) of a believer will be bestowed upon the reward equal to freeing of a slave and all of his past sins shall be pardoned. He was asked: ‘Oh prophet of God! But all of us are not in a position to arrange the fast-breaking of a fast-observer. The Prophet replied: ‘Protect yourself from the Hell’s fire and offer fast-breaking even if it happens to be a piece of date with a glass of sharbet.”

“Oh people! whoever makes his conduct better in this month, on the Judgment Day will be bestowed upon the permit for crossing over the Sirat. Whoever will open the knots of difficulties of people Is affairs in this month, God-Almighty on the Judgment Day will make the accounting of his deeds easier.”

Whoever makes people immune from his mischief, God-Almighty on the Judgment Day will make him immune from his wrath. Whoever treats an orphan with respect, on the Judgment Day, God-Almighty will treat him with honor. Whoever takes care to strengthen family bonds with relatives, God-Almighty will extend His blessing upon him on the Judgment Day, and whoever will cut off his family ties, God-Almighty too will deprive him from His blessing on the Judgment Day.”

“Whoever offers supererogatory prayers in this month, God-Almighty will register for him immunity from the fire. Whoever performs a compulsory deed in this month, will be bestowed the reward of seventy compulsory deeds performed in other months. Whoever offers a lots of salutation upon me in this month, on the Judgment Day, God-Almighty will make the balance of his righteous deeds heavier. Whoever recites one single verse of the Holy Qur’an during this month will be bestowed the reward of finishing the entire Holy Quran in other months.”
“Oh people! The gates of Paradise are opened in this month, beseech God-Almighty that it should not be closed upon you. The Doors of Hell are closed, and ask God-Almighty that they are not opened upon you. The devils are chained in this month, ask God-Almighty not to allow them to take over your control.”

“Imam’ Ali (A) said: ‘Oh Prophet of God! which one is the best deed during this month?’ The Holy Prophet (S) replied: ‘Oh Abul Hasan! The most supreme deed in this month is piety and renunciation of Divine forbidden acts.”-Wasail al-Shi’a, vol. 7, p-227.