Khutba on the special qualities of Ramadan
الحمد لله، الحمد لله الذي فرض الصيامَ في رمضان، وأنزل فيه القرءان، ووعد لمن صامه أيمانا واحتسابا الغفران، نحمده تعالى ونستعينه، ونشكره تعالى ونستغفره ونستغيثه، نعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا، من يهد الله فهو المهتد ومن يضلل فلن تجد له وليا مرشدا، ونشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك و له الحمد، يحيي ويميت، بيده الخير، وهو على كل شيء قدير، ونشهد أن سيدنا و مولانا محمداً عبده ورسوله، وحبيبه وصفيه، بلغ الرسالة وأدٌى الأمانة ونصح الأمة، النبي الأمي الذي أرسله الله بالهدى والدين الحق، بشيرا ونذيرا بين يدي الساعة، صلى الله عليه وسلم وعلى آله وأصحابه ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.
أما بعد! فيا عباد الله اتقوا الله حق تقاته ولا تموتن إلا وأنتم مسلمون. يأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله وقولوا قولا سديدا يصلح لكم أعمالكم ويغفر لكم ذنوبكم. ومن يطع
الله ورسوله فقد فاز فوزا عظيما. اتقوا الله فيما أمر وانتهوا عما نها عنه وزجر.
قال الله تعالى في كتابه الكريم : “يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَاتٍ.”
Allah says in His Noble Book, the translation of which is, “O you who have iman, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you – so that perhaps you will gain taqwa – for a specified number of days.” O Muslims, another year has passed and we are once again on the cusp of the month of Ramadan, that glorious month whose coming we long for and whose passing we mourn, that month which is the focus and fulcrum of our entire year. The month is hurtling towards us and we eagerly await its arrival and so it is fitting that we make some mention of it.
There are many legal rulings attached to the month of Ramadan, particularly with respect to its commencement, its fasting and its night prayer, and it is important for every adult Muslim of sound mind, male or female, to know them so that their actions may be fully in accord with the Shari‘a and the Commands of our Lord. But, in order for them to be as fresh in the mind as possible, we will, inshallah, leave them until next Friday, the last Jumu‘a before the start of Ramadan. However, performing those outward acts is only a part – albeit a significant one – of what Ramadan is about. For Ramadan is not just about giving up eating or drinking as some people suppose – it is much much more than that.
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قال قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم: “رُبَّ صائمٍ حظُّه من صيامِه الجوعُ والعطُش، ورُبَّ قائمٍ حظه من قيامه التَعب والسَهَر”
Abu Hurayra narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “So many who fast get nothing but hunger and thirst from their fasting, and so many who stand the night in prayer get nothing but tiredness and sleeplessness from their standing.”
The first thing we must understand about Ramadan is that the month itself is blessed, it is a special, special time in the year. As we have mentioned before, not all times are equal, with some times being greater than others. Ramadan is one such time, as is clear from the hadith of the Prophet,
“سيد الشهور رمضان، وسيد الأيام يوم الجمعة.”
“The lord of all the months is Ramadan and the lord of all the days is Jumu‘a.” And that is why Allah chose it as the month for the obligatory fast, so that we might more fully take advantage of those qualities that are special to it. In the course of this khutba, inshallah, I intend to mention some of its unique qualities and how we might best benefit from them.
First, Ramadan is the month of fasting – and fasting is the act of worship that Allah singles out for a special unspecified reward.
عن أبي هريرة رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنهُ قال، قال رَسُول اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّم: قال اللَّه عز وجل: كل عمل ابن آدم له إلا الصيام فإنه لي وأنا أجزي به.
Abu Hurayra narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “Allah says, ‘Every good action of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting which is for Me, and I will assign him a reward for it.’
والصيام جُنة، فإذا كان يوم صوم أحدكم فلا يرفث ولا يصخب، فإن سابه أحد أو قاتله فليقل إني صائم.
‘Fasting is a shield. On days during which you are fasting, you should avoid having sexual relations with your wife or quarreling. And if anyone should seek to engage you in a fight or argument, you should say, “I am fasting.”’
والذي نفس محمد بيده لَخُلُوف فم الصائم أطيب عند اللَّه من ريح المسك.
‘By the One who holds my soul in His hand, the smell that comes out of the mouth of a fasting person is more fragrant in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk.’
للصائم فرحتان يفرحهما: إذا أفطر فرح بفطره، وإذا لقي ربه فرح بصومه.
‘The one who is fasting has two delights: when he breaks his fast, he will be delighted on account of breaking his fast; and when he goes to meet his Lord, he will be delighted on account of making his fast.’
And, on top of this, fasting is an act of worship for which Allah has created a special gate to the Garden.
عن سَهل ابن سعد رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنهُ قال، قال رَسُول اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّم: “إن في الجنةِ بابا يقال له الرّيّانُ يدخل منه الصائمون يومَ القيامةِ لا يدخل منه أحدٌ غيرُهم، يقال “أين الصائمون؟” فيقومون لا يدخل أحدٌ غيرُهم، فإذا دخلوا أُغلِقَ فلم يدخل منه أحد.”
Sahl ibn Sa‘d narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “There is a gate in the Garden called ar-Rayyan through which only those who fast will enter on the Day of Rising, and through which no one else will be able to pass. It will be said, ‘Where are the fasters?‘ and they will stand up and no one else will be allowed to go in. Then, after they have gone in, the gate will be shut with no one but them having gone through.”
Second, Ramadan is the month of the Qur‘an – it was in this month that it was sent down in its entirety. Allah says:
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنْ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ
the translation of which is, “The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur‘an was sent down as guidance for mankind, with Clear Signs containing guidance and furqan (discrimination).” And it was during this month that the Messenger of Allah would recite the Qur‘an in its entirety to Jibril.
Ramadan is the month of the Qur‘an but is also a month for Qur‘an. As soon as the month commences, the Words of the Qur‘an suddenly appear even more beautiful and their Meanings become even more clear. Our desire to pick up and recite the Qur‘an is reinvigorated and suddenly, where previously we found little time for it, during it we find plenty of time. So we must take full advantage of this and fill our moments with recitation and contemplation of the Qur‘an. Every one of us should strive to complete its khatm – in other words recite – or at least listen to – the entire Qur‘an from beginning to end – at least once in the course of the month and if possible more.
Third, throughout Ramadan, and for its duration, the Gates of Heaven are thrown open, the Gates of Hell are locked shut, and the Shayatin are locked up.
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: “إِذَا جَاءَ رَمَضَانُ فُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ النَّارِ وَصُفِّدَت الشَّيَاطِينُ”
Abu Hurayra narrated that the Messenger of Allah, said, “When Ramadan comes, the Gates of the Garden are opened, the Gates of the Fire are closed, and the Shaytans are chained up.”
Good actions are easier to do and the impediments and obstacles that normally prevent us from doing them are no longer there. The tide is with us, not against us, so take fully advantage to move forward along the path.
Good characteristics are amplified during this month and bad characteristics are less prominent. Without the whisperings of the Shayatin, forgiveness wins out over blame and generosity wins out over miserliness. When the Prophet, was asked which type of sadaqa was best he replied,
“صدقةٌ في رمضان”
“Sadaqa during the month of Ramadan.” So do not ignore those urges – now, even more so that at other times, you should fill your homes with guests and give help to those who need your help.
Fourth, it is during the month of Ramadan that the laylat al-Qadr – the Night of Power – falls. Allah says in surat-al-Qadr,
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ، وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ، لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ.
the translation of which is, “Truly We sent it down on the Laytal al-Qadr. And what will convey to you what the Laylatal al-Qadr is? The Laylat al-Qadr is better than a thousand months.” So, this one night is better than a thousand months – the equivalent of an entire lifetime. And it is during that night that Allah writes down the decree of every thing in creation for the following year. There is no better time throughout the year and the reward for bringing it to life are immense. The Prophet said,
من قام ليلةَ القدر إيمانا واحتسابا غُفر له ما تقدم من ذنبِه
“Whoever stands in prayer on the Laylat al-Qadr, with belief and the anticipation of reward for doing so, will be forgiven all the wrong actions that he has committed up to that point.” So be sure not to miss it – look out for it on the odd nights of the last ten days, for that is when it is traditionally said to fall, and do not leave any of those nights devoid of night prayer – at the very least, for those nights, strive to be at the tarawih.
Fifth, Ramadan is the cause of the Muslims coming together in community: old wounds and rifts are healed in the joy of sharing iftar and competing in good action. Ramadan brings people together – Allah uses the month as a means of joining the hearts of the believers and He makes that act of coming together and sharing food a source of even greater reward for us. The Prophet said,
من فطر صائما فله مثلُ أجرِه من غير أن يَنقُصَ من أجرِ الصائمِ شَيءٌ
“Anyone who provides someone with the means to break his fast, will have a reward the like of the one who is fasting without taking away from that person’s own reward in any way.”
Finally, it was in the month of Ramadan that Allah chose to give victory to His Deen: both the battle of Badr, the first victory of the Messenger of Allah, and the conquest of Makka, the final victory of the Messenger of Allah, happened during it. These are but some of the many unique qualities of Ramadan and they show the degree to which Allah has honoured it. So let us take full advantage of it while it lasts – for while it may seem to stretch out in front of us, its time pass all too quickly and regret about missing them will not bring them back. Its moments are priceless – never forget that.
أقول قولي هذا و أستغفر الله لي و لكم و لسائر المسلمين من كل ذنب فاستغفروه إنه هو الغفور الرَّحيم
الحمد لله الحمد لله رب العالمين، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله، صلى الله وسلم وبارك عليه وعلى آله وصحبه، والتابعين وتابعي التابعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.
أما بعد! فيأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله ما استطعتم واسمعوا وأطيعوا وأنفقوا خيرا لأنفسكم. يا عباد الله أوصيكم وإياي بتقوى الله وطاعته وأحذركم وإياي عن معصيته ومخالفته.
قال الله عز وجل في كتابه العزيز: “وَأمَّا مَن خَافَ مَقَامَ ربِّه وَنَهَا النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى فَإِنَّ الجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوى”
Allah says in His Mighty Book, “But as for him who feared the Station of his Lord and forbade the lower self its appetites, the Garden will be his refuge.”
True fasting entails more than just abstaining from food, drink and sexual intercourse – one must not only abstain from these appetites but also from all blameworthy characteristics such as envy, bitterness, and anger; and all the blameworthy actions connected to ones jawarih/limbs – the tongue, eyes, ears, hands and feet – such as lying, and listening to or looking at what is objectionable in the deen. A person’s fast may be legally acceptable but be empty of any benefit or reward. And it is to these people that the Prophet, was referring when he said,
رُبَّ صائمٍ حظُّه من صيامِه الجوعُ والعطُش، ورُبَّ قائمٍ حظه من قيامه التَعب والسَهَر
“So many who fast get nothing but hunger and thirst from their fasting, and so many who stand the night in prayer get nothing but tiredness and sleeplessness from their standing.” Other hadiths elucidate this further: The Prophet, said, “If someone does not abandon false testimony or false action, then Allah will have no need of him giving up his food or drink,” meaning that his fasting will be meaningless and will not be accepted. Jabir ibn Abdallah, said, “When you fast, let your ears, eyes and tongue abstain/fast from lying, from that which is haram and from (looking at) those who are haram for you. Avoid disturbing or harming neighbour and remain serene and at peace. The days upon which you fast should not be the same as the days upon which you do not fast.” In other words, true fasting is controlling your limbs and reactions as well as your bodily appetites.
This is in terms of action. However, the other thing that renders a person’s fast meaningless and empty is the lack of intention in it. There must be a firm intention that you are fasting and fasting for Allah. And one must make that intention in the night before beginning the fast. You may not simply wake up during the day having made no intention to fast and then, because you have not eaten, say ‘I think I will fast today.” That is not fasting – that is simply going without food and drink. The intention must be made during the night before the fast commences. If, however, one misses some days through illness, menstruation or travelling, then the intention must be renewed. The importance of the intention cannot be overstated.
I would like to finish this khutba, inshAllah by reading from a khutba delivered by the Messenger of Allah, to his Companions. This khutba beautifully summarises everything we have tried to say.
عَنْ سلمان الفارسي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قال: خطبنا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ آخرَ يومٍ من شعبان فقال: “يا أيها الناسُ إنه قد أظلّكم شهرٌ عظيمٌ مبارَكٌ، فيه ليلةُ القدر وهي خيرٌ من ألفِ شهرٍ، فرض اللهُ صيامَه وجعل قيامَ ليلِه تطوُّعا.
Salman al-Farisi narrated that the Prophet, said on the last day of Sha’ban just before the commencement of the month of Ramadan, “O people! A great and blessed month has come to you – a month in which there is a a night which is better than a thousand months; a month in which Allah has made it obligatory to fast and in which he has made standing in prayer during the night a voluntary action.”
فمن تطوَّع بخصلةٍ من الخيرِ كان كمن أدّى فريضَةً فيما سِواه، ومن أدى فريضةً فيه كان كمَن أدى سبعين فريضة فيما سواه، وهو شهر الصبر، والصبر ثوابُه الجنة، وهو شهر المواساة، وشهرٌ يزاد فيه رزقُ المؤمن، من فطر فيه صائما كان له عِتقُ رقبةٍ ومغفرةٌ لذنوبه وكان له أجرُه من غير أن يَنقُصَ من أجرِه شَيءٌ
“Anyone who draws near to Allah during it by means of a voluntary good action is like someone who performs one of the obligatory actions outside it and performing an obligatory action during it is equivalent to performing seventy obligatory actions at any other time. It is the month of sabr and the reward for sabr is the Garden. It is the month of generous giving and the month in which a believer’s provision is increased. If someone gives someone fasting something with which to break their fast, it will be as if he has freed a slave and he will be forgiven his wrong actions, and he will have the same reward as the one he feeds without that diminishing his reward in any way.”
We ask Allah to increase us in sabr during the month of Ramadan and increase us in right action. We ask Him to give us the strength and capacity to partake in its many lights and delights and to open our hearts to His Noble Words. We ask Him to give us the capacity to fast its days and the strength to stand its nights. We ask Him to make us from among those who find the Laylat al-Qadr and benefit from its rewards.
إنَّ اللهَ ومَلائِكَتَهُ يُصلُّونَ على النَّبِي يَا أَيُها الذينَ آمنوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وسَلِّمُوا تَسْليماً. اللهمَّ صَلِّ وسَلِّم وبارِك عَلَيْهِ وعلى آلِهِ وصَحْبِهِ أجمعين. وارض اللهم عن الخلفاء الراشدين المرشدين الحنفاء ساداتنا وأئمتنا أبي بكر وعمر وعثمان وعلي ، وعن سائر الصحابة أجمعين، خصوصاالأنصار منهم والمهاجرين، وعن التابعين وتابعي التابعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.
اللهم اهد أولات أمور المسلمين لما يرضيك ولاتباع سنة نبيك وثبت أقدامهم على الصراط المستقيم وأصلحهم يا رب العالمين.
اللهم بارك على شيخنا و على أميرنا رميز وعلى جميع أمراء وزعماء المسلمين. اللهم بارك على المسلمين في هذه المدينة ووفقهم لما تحبه وترضاه يا أكرم الأكرمين.
اللهمّ أَعِزَّ الْلإسلامَ والمُسِلمينَ (3) واَخْذُلِ الكُفْرَ والكافِرينَ، وانْصُرِ المُجاهِدينَ في سَبِيلِ اللهِ. واجْعَلْ كَلِمََتَكَ هِيَ العُلْيَا وكَلِمَةَ الكُفْرِ هِيَ السُّفْلى.
ربنا ءاتنا في الدنيا حسنة وفي الأخرة حسنة وقنا عذاب النار. ربنا ءاتنا من لدنك رحمة و هيئ لنا من أمرنا رشدا. ربنا هب لنا من أزواجنا وذريتنا قرة أعين واجعلنا للمتقين إماما.
ربنا اغفر لنا ذنوبنا وإِسرافنا في أمرِنا وثبت أقدامنا وانصرنا على القوم الكافرِينَ.
إن الله يأمر بالعدل والإحسان وإيتاء ذي القربى وينهى عَنِ الفحشاءِ والمُنكَرِ والبغي، يعظكم لعلكم تذكرون، ولَذِكْرُ اللهِ أكبر والله يَعْلَمُ ما تَصْنَعُون. وقُومُوا إِلَى صَلاتِكُمْ يرحمكم الله