Class 1
'The Blessed Month of Ramadan'
CLASS 1 AUDIO NOTE (ENGLISH)
THE BLESSED MONTH OF RAMADAN
Praise be to Allah, we praise Him and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our own selves and from our evil deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides cannot be misled, and whomsoever He leaves astray cannot be guided. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah alone, with no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
Allah has blessed His slaves with certain seasons of goodness, in which hasanaat (rewards for good deeds) are multiplied, sayi’aat (bad deeds) are forgiven, people’s status is raised, the hearts of the believers turn to their Master, those who purify themselves attain success and those who corrupt themselves fail. Allah has created His slaves to worship Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except that they should worship Me (Alone).” [al-Dhaariyaat 51:56]
Glad Tidings of Ramadan
Duas are accepted
Shaitaan Closed
Jannah Open
Night better thn 1000 months
Sins Forgiven
The Prophet ﷺ used to give glad tidings to his Companions upon the arrival of Ramadan, and informed them that in this month the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained. He, said:“When the first night of Ramadan comes, the doors of Paradise will be opened and the doors of Hell will be closed, and the devils will be chained, and it will be said, 'O you who desires virtue! Come forth and O you who desires evil! Stay behind', and Allaah has people whom He frees from Hell every night (in that month).” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim].
He ﷺ also said, “Whoever fasts (the month of) Ramadan out of faith, anticipating the reward of Allaah, then all his sins prior to that will be forgiven; and whoever prays the Ramadan (night prayer) out of faith, anticipating the reward of Allaah, then all his sins prior to that will be forgiven.” [Muslim and Bukhaari].
Take Ramadan as a Gift
Talha ibn ‘Ubaydallah (radhiallahu `anhu) reported that two men came to the Prophet ﷺ who had accepted Islam at the same time. One of them used to partake in Jihad more-so than the other, and so (one day) he fought in a battle and was martyred therein. The other remained behind him for another year, and then he passed away.
Talha said, ‘I saw in my dream that I was at the door of Paradise when behold, I was with both of them (the two men). Someone came out of Paradise and allowed the man who passed away later to enter first. Then he came out again and allowed the martyred one to enter. Then he returned and said to me, ‘Go back, for your time has not come yet.’
Talha woke up and began to inform others about this and they were all surprised. This reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and when they informed him of it, he said:
He (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘What are you surprised about?’
They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Out of them both, this one strove harder (in Jihad) then he was martyred but this other one was entered into Paradise before him.’
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Did he not remain behind him for one year?’
They said, ‘Yes (he did).’
He ﷺ said, ‘Did he not reach Ramadan, fast and pray with such and such number of prostrations in the year?’
They said, ‘Yes.’
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘So the difference between them is greater than what is between the heavens and the earth.’
– Sahih narration from Ibn Majah (2/345, 346) and al-Albani’s ‘al-Silsilah al-Sahihah’
Be grateful (when) you have made it to Ramadan, be happy for it! Be happy for it! Because reaching of Ramadān, as this is the month where Allāh is Merciful, Ramadān is a indication that Allāh wants good for you. You did nothing to gain these blessings! Nothing! Except that it was Allāh's Blessings and endless Mercy.
And remember, Gratefulness is shown my acknowledging it, uttering it on the tongue and action taken to show gratefulness. So acknowledge it by rejoicing and learn the Sunnahs and spread it by your tongue and finally increase in good deeds to show that you are grateful for being given this blessed month of Ramadan.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR RAMADAN: -
1. Pray that you are alive and can witness Ramadan in Good health
It was from the traditions of the Sahaba that they would prepare for Ramadan six months in advance. They would pray to Allah for forgiveness, and pray that Ramadan would arrive in a time where they were at the peak of Iman and are healthy. And then for five months after the completion of Ramadan, the sahaba would ask Allah to accept their deeds.
2. Intention
a) Intend to fast
b) Intend to do good deeds like finish Quran multiple times, Itikaaf, feed poor etc
My dear brothers and sisters, prepare truthful sincerity and firm determination when receiving the month of fasting and prepare sincere determination for the day when you break your fast.
O brothers and sisters, the most truthful determination and sincerity you can prepare for your fasting is your determination to perform acts of obedience to Allaah The Almighty, and receive the month of fasting with sincere repentance and your determination to sign on a clean, blank page which you fill with righteous deeds. This page is clear and free from the impurities of acts of disobedience. It resembles the purity and cleanliness of this blessed month of Ramadan. Concerning the truthful intention for the day of breaking your fast, you should have firm determination to adhere to the righteous deeds that Allaah The Almighty Guided you to perform in the month of mercy and blessings (Ramadan).
O my brothers and sisters, you should completely prepare your heart to receive the month of Ramadan with a pure heart and sincerity to Allaah The Almighty in devoting worship to Him Alone. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Say, [O Muhammad], "Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allaah, [being] sincere to Him in religion.} [Quran 39:11]
Intend to do as many good deeds as you can, intend to fast all the Ramadan, finish Quran multiple times, offer Taraweeh every night, make Dua in the early hours, make intention to perform Itikaaf, make intention to help and feed the poor. Make intention to do things to please Allah.
3. Finish any pending Fasts from Last Ramadan
It is prescribed that we make up any missed fasts from last Ramadan before the next one (unless there is a genuine reason of further delays), so one should make up any fasts that they have missed the previous Ramadan.
*Shabaan just started so there is enough time to hopefully make up any pending fasts from last year InShaAllah.
4. Fast, Pray Tahajjud & Recite Quran in Shabaan
Fasting: Follow the Prophet’s example in fasting in Sha`ban, as he used to fast most of the month of Sha`ban. Do not forget that this makes fasting in Ramadan easy for you and increases productivity. For most of us just fasting is tiring and then there are those select few who along with fasting are able to do so much more (social work and Ibaadat) during Ramadan. this is because their body is accustomed to fasting and they can push them selves more during Ramadan.
Abu Salamah said: “I asked ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) about the fasting of the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ , and she said: ‘He ﷺ used to fast until we thought that he would always fast, then he would not fast until we thought that he would always not fast, but I never saw him fast in any month more than he fasted in Sha’baan. He used to fast all of Sha’baan, and he used to fast all of Sha’baan apart from a few days.’” (Sahih Muslim).
Tahajjud or Night prayer : Similarly we should start or increase our night prayers so that Tarawih is not very tiring for us.
Reciting Qur’an : Many of the righteous predecessors used to take this month to increase reciting Quran. Salamah ibn Suhayl, may Allaah have mercy on him, used to say: “The month of Sha'baan is the month of reciters (of the Qur’aan).” Habeeb ibn Abu Thaabut, may Allaah have mercy on him, used to say, when Sha'baan came: “This is the month of reciters (of the Qur’aan).” When Sha'baan came, ‘Amr ibn Qays al-Malaa’I, may Allaah have mercy on him, used to close his store and devote his time to reading the Qur’aan
5. Learn the Rulings so that you are relaxed.
Doubts are from Shaitaan because Knowledge relaxes the believer. So learn the rulings of Ramadan, learn the Sunnahs and implement them. As when in doubt about a deed/mistake a person’s mind is occupied with it all the time and he/she might miss out on other good things.
6. Do all the Shopping (clothes and grocery majority) before Ramadan
First and foremost lets not take Ramadan as a food festival to try everything in store, but yes whatever major grocery shopping we have to do let’s do it before Ramadan so that we don’t waste time during the blessed month. Including the clothes for Eid get them a month earlier so you avoid all the traffic and rush late on and miss out on the blessed month. What’s worse is shopping in the last ten nights!
7. Have a Ramadan Planner
This is a useful tool. It motivates and also reminds and above all makes a person make use of Ramadan to his/her full capacity. Plan your nights & days properly. Fix times for Sleep, Family, Reciting Quran, offering Nafl (optional) prayers. Do specially take out time for Dua as it is a month where Duas are accepted, many people miss out on this so have fixed times – preferably before Sahr & Iftar (starting and breaking fast).
Stick to the plan to the best of your ability. If you miss something make it up asap so that u are on track to achieve your targets which keeps you motivated and also not allow laziness to let go of things that you could have done.
Take Ramadan as a School
The Righteous predecessors used to take Ramadan as a School. They would take this month to get better as we go to school to get better and do good in life & in future. Ramadan can be the best school as we are motivated without a teacher forcing us to do something.
Intend that what you do in Ramadan will continue after it.
Take this as training for you to continue doing the good and avoiding the bad after Ramadan. When doing good deeds have the intention of continuing it even after Ramadan. Take this month to
Train yourself to offer Night prayers, a highly recommended Sunnah which is sadly abandoned by the Ummah.
Train yourself to Avoid sins.
Stop watching TV or listening to Music
Use it to quit smoking or any other bad habit you got which you are addicted to.
Continue Being Generous and giving Sadaqah after Ramadan.
Reciting Quran everyday as it is not to be done only in Ramadan but across the year or rather though out your Life.
Wake up before Fajr to make Dua so in regular days you can use this habit and time to offer night prayer and dua.
*Remember, Just like a condition of Repentance is that one changes his/her ways, we can say that if you see yourself being a better Muslim after Ramadan then that is the one you spent well and that Allah has blessed it for you.
THE FAST
One of the greatest acts of worship is fasting, which Allah has made obligatory on His slaves, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“… Observing al-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become al-Muttaqoon (the pious).” [al-Baqarah 2:183]
No wonder then, that in this month the hearts of the believers turn to their Most Merciful Lord, fearing their Lord above them, and hoping to attain His reward and the great victory (Paradise).
As the status of this act of worship is so high, it is essential to learn the Ahkaam (rulings) that have to do with the month of fasting so that the Muslim will know what is obligatory, in order to do it, what is haraam, in order to avoid it, and what is permissible, so that he need not subject himself to hardship by depriving himself of it and have tranquility in his Ibadah.
DEFINITION OF SIYAAM (FASING)
Linguistically: To Abstain from something.
Juridically: It means abstaining from things that break the fast, from dawn until sunset, having first made the intention (niyyah) to fast.
RULING ON FASTING THE MONTH OF RAMADHAN
It is the fourth pillar of Islam. (Obligatory/Mandatory)
The ummah is agreed that fasting the month of Ramadhan is obligatory, the evidence for which is in the Qur’aan and Sunnah. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Observing al-sawn (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become al-muttaqoon (the pious).” [al-Baqarah 2:183]
Note: -
If someone denies the obligation of Fasting the Month of Ramadan, then he is outside of Islam.
If some does not fast the Month of Ramadan, knowing its obligation, then he/she is guilty of commiting a Major Sin.
MERITS OF FASTING:-
Allah S.W.T. Proclaims interpretation of the meaning is: -
‘Every deed of the child of Adam is for himself, except for fasting. It is for Me and I shall reward it.’Fasting is a shield, so if it is a day of fasting for any one of you, then he should engage in no obscenity or shouting. If anyone belittles him or fights with him, he should just say ‘I am a person who is fasting’.I swear by Him in whose hand is Muhammad’s soul, the smell of the fasting person’s breath is sweeter to Allah on the Day of Judgment than that of musk. The fasting person has two occasions for joy, one when he breaks his fast because of his breaking it and the other when he meets his Lord because of the reward for his fast.”
[Sahîh al-Bukhârî (7492) and Sahîh Muslim (1151) with the wording being that of Muslim]
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet ﷺ said: -
“…Whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Sahih Bukhari Book# 31 Hadith# 125)
He ﷺ also said, “The fasting person has two times when he will rejoice, one at the time he breaks his fast, and one when he meets his Lord. I swear by the One in Whose Hand my soul is, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allaah than the smell of musk."
BENEFITS OF SIYAM
Spiritual/Moral Benefits:
Above all it is an act of obedience to Allah.
Trains believers in TAQWA (Being Mindful of Allah & Fearing Him by doing all that He ordered & avoiding all that He has forbade).
Teaches Patience & sincerity.
Develops endurance & Self-restraint.
Restricts the movement of the Shaitan.
Social Benefits:
Strengthens unity & equality between Muslims.
Teaches sympathy towards the poor & needy.
Medical Benefits:
Rests the Digestive organs & gets rid of accumulated waste.
Uses up stored cholesterol (Fats) in the Blood System, which is one of the causes of Heart Disease.
Teaches self control from over-eating, smoking etc.
Health Tips for Fasting in Long Summer Days of Ramadan
Every year there are some parts of the world where Ramadan will be coming in summer and we see that the fasting hours will exceed 15hrs. So here are some health tips that should InShaAllah be helpful.
1. Be Strong Be Patient and get immeasurable Reward from Allah
Many of us wish that our fasts pass by easily – while we tolerate a little difficulty we expect a significant reward without the exertion of any real effort. Many people hold that fasting should be easy as they do not expect to face any hardship on the path of salvation. However, once a person prepares himself mentally and spiritually, fasting will be easy. Real strength is not of a physical nature but rather of the heart. So make a strong intention and know the reward .
2. Food
Dates, Bananas and the likes with high on potassium are recommended for Suhoor and avoid fried food or ones that are heavy on spices.
In view of the long hours of fasting, we should consume slow digesting foods including fibre containing-foods rather than fast-digesting foods. Slow digesting foods last up to 8 hours, while fast-digesting foods last for only 3 to 4 hours," writes Dr. Haffejee.
Slow-digesting foods are foods that contain grains and seeds such as barley, wheat, oats, semolina, beans, lentils, wholemeal flour, and and white flour. They are called refined carbohydrates.
Fast-burning foods are foods that contain ingredients such as sugar
Avoid:
Fried and fatty foods.
Foods containing too much sugar.
Over-eating especially at suhoor.
Too much tea at suhoor: Tea makes you pass more urine taking with it valuable mineral salts that your body would need during the day.
If you are a coffee drinker, try and reduce your coffee consumption two weeks prior to the month of Ramadan in order to avoid headaches and sleepiness.
And last but not least take it easy on Iftar, start slowly with Dates and water.
May Allah bless us all with Ramadan and give us the Hidayah to make the most of it
InShaAllah in the next class we will study, "When, Who & How to Fast"
Urdu Lecture by Shaikh Yasir Al Jabri
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tim63hcEiqA&feature=youtu.be
Note: -
The Lecture can have more or less details from that what is written here in English. The Tests will ONLY be from what is written here in the class. The Lectures are provided to give better understanding of the matter.
TIPS FOR TEST
Do not have to memorize the Ayahs & Hadeeths word for word, but do remember the Message given in it
Remember how to prepare for Ramadan.
ASSIGNMENT
There will be an Assignment Question asked in the Test. Marks will be given based on the following: -
Invite atleast 15 people to the course (can invite via WhatsApp, Facebook, Email, telegram or word of mouth) 7 Marks. (check the note below for exceptions)
Share all the 5 notes of the week (the posts that are being posted, share that to help spread the word). 3 Marks.
Note:
Those who have already invited whether on Whatsapp, Email or FB, do not need to invite again.
Course event link on FB : https://www.facebook.com/events/632715221139037/
It does not whether people join or not, our job is to invite.
Please do invite your friends & Family to the course.
Join via
FACEBOOK | EMAIL | WHATSAPP | TELEGRAM
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Happy Learning... JazakAllah Khair...
As Salam Aliakum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barkaatuhu :)