Ramadan, Mii Ryouma [best classic novels txt] 📗

wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), was authentically reported to have congratulated his Companions on the coming of Ramadan. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), said: "Ramadan has come to you. It is a blessed month during which Allah The Almighty Prescribed fasting and in this month the gates of the heavens are open and the gates of Hell are shut...". Our righteous predecessors, the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), and those who followed them in the best way, used to take great care of the month of Ramadan and were happy with its arrival. There is no happiness greater than receiving the news of the approach of Ramadan, the season of blessings and the descent of mercy.

 

The fourth way: 

Planning in advance how to benefit from Ramadan. Unfortunately, many people -- even practicing Muslims -- draw detailed plans for worldly affairs of this life, whereas only a few of them plan for the affairs of the Hereafter. This results from the lack of awareness about the mission of the believer in this life, or forgetting or deliberately ignoring that there are numerous chances for the Muslim with Allah The Almighty and important periods of time to train oneself in to be firm in this regard. Planning for the affairs of the Hereafter includes planning to invest Ramadan in acts of worship. A Muslim must put a practical plan into action that spans the days and nights of Ramadan in obedience to Allah The Almighty. This message is supposed to help the person spend the duration of Ramadan in obeying Allah The Almighty – Allah willing.

 

The fifth way: 

Being sincerely determined to be among the believers who achieve success and felicity in Ramadan and fill its days with righteous deeds. If a Muslim is true to Allah The Almighty, He will fulfill His promise to him, help him in worship, and facilitate the ways of goodness for him. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {If they had been true to Allah, it would have been better for them.} [Quran 47:21]

 

The sixth way: 

Learning and understanding the Fiqh rulings related to fasting in Ramadan. The believer has to worship Allah The Almighty with knowledge, and is not excused for his ignorance of the obligations Allah The Almighty prescribed for people. This includes fasting in Ramadan. The Muslim is obliged to learn the issues and rulings related to fasting before the coming of Ramadan so that his fasting will be correct and accepted by Allah The Almighty Who Says (what means): {So ask the people of the message if you do not know.} [Quran 21:7]

 

The seventh way: 

We have to receive this month with the decision to give up sins and misdeeds, sincerely repent of them all, stop them, and not commit them again. Ramadan is the month of repentance and if a person misses this chance, when will he repent? Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.} [Quran 24:31]

 

The eighth way:

 Being spiritually and psychologically prepared. This could be done by reading books and articles, and listening to beneficial lectures and discourses which highlight the virtues and rulings of fasting, so that the soul is prepared for worship in this month. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), used to prepare the souls of his Companions to utilize this meritorious month by saying on the last day before Ramadhan: "Ramadan has come to you..."

 

 

The ninth way: 

Prepare oneself well for calling to Allah The Almighty in Ramadan. This can be done in the following ways:

1- Preparing short sermons and lessons to be given in the neighbourhood Masjid if possible.

2- Distributing some booklets and articles of admonition and jurisprudence related to Ramadan to the worshipers and people in your area.

3- Reminding people of our duties towards the poor and needy and giving them charity and Zakah (obligatory charity).

 

The tenth way: 

We receive the month of Ramadan by opening a bright new page with:

a- Allah The Almighty by sincerely repenting to Him.

b- The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), by obeying his orders and avoiding what he prohibited and warned against.

c- Parents, relatives, and one's spouse and children by being dutiful to them and maintaining ties with them

d- Society by being a righteous and useful person. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), said: "The best of people is the one who benefits them most."

This is how the Muslim receives the month of Ramadan like a barren land which is in need of water, a patient when he sees the doctor and the lover when he receives his long-awaited absent loved one.

O Allah, Keep us alive till the coming of Ramadan and accept it from us! Indeed, You are The Hearing The Knowing!

 

 

Manners And Dealing With Others

 

 

 

          Islam places great emphasis on manners and on the proper way to deal with others, whether they are Muslims or not. Relations between people are very important in Islam, and maintaining good relations with others should be a main priority of a practicing Muslim. In fact, Islam teaches that Prophet Mohammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "I have been sent to perfect the best of manners". He summarized the goal of his entire message into the perfection of the best of manners. The following is just a sample of some of the teachings of Islam regarding manners and relationships with others.

 

1- Kindness to the Neighbour: Islam greatly emphasizes the relationship with neighbours. Muslims are expected to treat their neighbours in the most kind and gentle way, and are strictly forbidden from harming them. In fact, the Prophet Mohammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said that a person who hurts their neighbours is not a believer. He also said that if a person does not hurt their neighbours, they will enter paradise, even if the rest of their acts of worship are not numerous. On the other hand, a person who performs plenty of worship but hurts their neighbours will enter hell fire.

 

2- Removing Obstacles From The Way: Can you believe that Islamic teachings extend even to clearing an obstacle from a path? Yes, it is true. The Prophet Mohammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) taught us that one of the traits of a true believer is that they remove obstacles and harmful things from a public path or street.

 

3- Kindness to Parents: Islam has raised the importance of kindness to parents to the highest possible level. In numerous verses of the holy Qur'an, kindness to parents is mentioned immedeatly after belief in God. This shows that it is perhaps the most important action a Muslim must take after belief in God. Muslims are also instructed to take care of their parents, especially in their old age, just as their parents took care of them when they were young and weak. Muslims are forbidden from uttering even a single word of displeasure towards their parents.

 

4- Kindness to Spouses: There is a lot of emphasis in Islam on kind and fair treatment of spouses. The Qur'an describes marriage as tranquility and contentment, and teaches that God has created feelings of love and mercy between the spouses. In fact, the Qur'an further describes spouses as being garments for each other, in a reference to the sense of protection and warmth that spouses should provide to each other. Prophet Mohammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) forbade Muslims from mistreating and being unjust to their spouses. He went even further by saying that the best of men are those who treat their wives in the best way.

 

5- Honesty: Islam teaches us that we are to be honest in all our dealings with all people. There is no justification for lying and being deceitful. Islam teaches us that honesty leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to heaven, while lying leads to sinfulness, and sinfulness leads to the hell fire. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) explicitly said that a person who cheats others is not a believer.

 

6- Mercy: Mercy is an important trait of any Muslim. Islam teaches us that mercy and kindness in every matter only makes things better, and the lack of mercy and kindness in any matter only makes it worse. In fact, the Qur'an teaches us that even with the person with whom we have an enmity, we should deal kindly and in the best possible way, as this will help to change this person from an enemy to a close ally. Muslims are even instructed to be merciful to animals. Although Muslims are allowed to eat the meat of certain animals, they are instructed to minimize the suffering of animals during their life and even during their slaughter. This is done by using a sharp knife to cut the throat and the main blood vessels to the animal's head, which ensures that the animal feels the least possible amount of pain. Muslims have been following these teachings for over 1400 years!

 

7- Smiling: Islam even goes to the extent of rewarding Muslims for smiling in the face of others! Smiling when others look at you is regarded as a form of charity for which Muslims get rewarded. This is why Muslims usually smile and shake hands when they meet, and they hug if they have not seen one another for a long time. Muslims are also instructed to greet each other when they see each other with the best possible greeting.

 

8- No Backbiting: Islam forbids backbiting, which is to talk about others behind their backs. The Qur'an compares backbiting to eating the flesh of your friend, which shows how hated this action is in Islam. The Prophet Mohammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) taught us that mentioning anything negative about a person when they are not present is backbiting. One of his followers asked: "What if this negative thing is really true about this person?" The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) replied by saying that even if it is true, this is considered backbiting. But if it is false, it is even worse than backbiting because it is also a lie.

 

9- Do Not Curse or Ridicule: Muslims are forbidden from ridiculing or cursing others. The Qur'an teaches us that we should not do this because the person we are cursing or ridiculing may be better than us in many ways. Also, engaging in these types of actions casts doubt on the strength of the belief of a Muslim. Islam teaches us that God despises those who use foul language and continually curse and ridicule others.

 

10- Generosity: The Qur'an teaches us that we should be generous and give the needy and share our wealth. In fact, Islam teaches us that the poor have a share in our wealth, so it is not optional to give charity. It is their right. Also, Islam teaches us to be