The Spirituality of Ramadhan

Transcription from a talk delivered by Shaykh ul Hadith Abdur Raheem Limbada on 7th July 2013.

(NB: The hard work of transcribing and editing was done by sister Nurana. May Allah swt reward her and her team with the best of rewards in this dunya and in Aakhirah. AR)

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(After khutbah of hamdo thana and salato Salam…)

Respected Elders, brothers, friends, ladies and young ones! First of all, we thank Allah Most High for giving us the tawfeeq [divine ability] to come to the house of Allah, to learn about our beautiful Deen.

We hear the Hadith, “Seeking knowledge is compulsory upon every Muslim”, male and female and we also hear – “Whoever goes out to seek knowledge, then he is in the path of Allah until he returns”.

So you are here to seek knowledge so you are on the path to Allah and at the same time you are on the most beloved spot to Allah on the face of this earth – the masjid. “The most beloved spots to Allah is the masjid and the most disliked is the markets”. So the time that is spent here is very precious.

I am going to talk about a few things on Ramadhan. Ramadhan is the month of fasting. We need to seek Allah’s Help even in fasting. We seek Allah’s help in performing Salah when we say in Surah Fatiha “You only do we worship and from only You do we seek help”.

What does it mean When we read ‘La hawla wala quwwata illa billah’? –ie there is no power or strength except with Allah. It means that only with the tawfeeq of Allah can we do good deeds and stay away from evil.

We have to seek Allah’s Help and assistance. We have to make dua that Allah Makes our fasts easy for us. Nothing is easy unless Allah Makes it easy.

This year – and in the coming next few years, the fasts will be quite long. So I want to talk a little bit about the benefits of fasting and this form of mujahada and strife.

There are ten benefits of fasting:

1. ‘Regaining good health’

There is Hadith narrated by Tabarani from Sayyiduna Abu Huraira RadiAllahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said, صوموا تصحوا ‘Fast and you will regain your health.’

In our environment, we eat too much and we drink too much. On top of this – we eat too much junk food and these are dangerous for our health. It is dangerous for sugar and cholesterol and ulcer. Sometimes we have to keep our stomachs empty for a certain period. When it is empty, it will seek food – and then the strength of this stomach and the digestive system will be restored. It regains health and begins digesting the food properly.

Also many people use fasting as a form of diet. It tones down the body and at the same time one gets the reward for fasting as well.

2. ‘Fasting is the zakah of the body’.

In one Hadith, the Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said,
الصيام نصف الصبر و علي كل شيء الزكوٰة و زكوٰة الجسد الصوم

‘Siyaam is half of patience and upon everything there is zakah and the zakah of the body is fasting’.

The second benefit is that just as when someone is rich – Allah Gives him wealth, he has to give a portion of this to the poor, this is zakah, charity. The zakah of wealth is that you give in the path of Allah. There is also zakah on the body.

This zakah can be paid in many ways. One of the ways of this is fasting. Another form of this is the prayer of Duha. The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said – in every human body there are 360 joints and upon every limb and joint, the person has to give a sadaqah every day. So the sahaba said, O Messenger of Allah, we cannot give 360 dirhams sadaqah every day.

The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said, with every tasbeeh there is sadaqah, with every tahleel there is sadaqah, with every tahmeed there is sadaqah, enjoining good is a sadaqah, forbidding evil is a sadaqah and fulfilling your desire with your wife is a sadaqah. The sahaba said, O Messenger of Allah to fulfil our desire with our wives is a sadaqah? He said yes. If someone was to do it in a haram way, will he get sin or not? Of course he will. So if he were to do it in a halal way with a good intention, he will get sadaqah – fulfilling the right of his wife.

The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] went on to say that, in order to fulfil the sadaqah of the whole body, two raka’ah of the prayer of duha will be enough. At around 10 or 11 o’clock in the morning, that is the forenoon time – perform wudhu and stand before Allah. All your limbs and joints are moving in this form of sadaqah.

If we cannot perform the prayer of Duha throughout the year, we should at least try in the month of Ramadhan. The Mashaikh say it is better to perform 8 rakah because that’s what has been narrated in the Hadith of Umme Haani Radiallahu anha, at the time of the victory of Makkah. The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] performed 8 raka’ah of salatud duha – 4 raka’ah and then another 4. It is mustahab to do so.

3. By fasting a person can control the desires of Nafs.

Another benefit is gaining control upon our shahawaat – our carnal desires. The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] has said,

الصيام جُنّة ما لم يخرقها

“Sawm is a shield, as long as a person does not tear apart that shield”. Just as a soldier or warrior can protect himself behind that shield – similarly, by sawm and fasting, one can protect himself.

This protection is from what? The muhaditheen say there can be two meanings. It is a protection from shahawaat – from carnal desires. Sawm can help to control your eyes, control your tongue, control your ears and control your mind, your hands, your limbs and your private parts.

Especially outside, in the hot weather, there is a sin of the eyes. If there is nudity outside, that does not give us the green light to stare. We must try and lower our gaze – there is benefit in that. We turn the other way. Allah is watching us. Allah Will give us that special sweetness of imaan when we control our eyes. Similarly when we keep fasts continuously we can better control our carnal desires. Sawm will protect us from these desires and it will make us God-fearing.

Another interpretation of this Hadith – some muhaditheen say that sawm provides a barrier and protection from the fire of Jahannam, If a person keeps an abundance of fasts; full Ramadhan and then during the year, this will provide a shield from the fire of Jahannam. The sawm will intercede for him and will ask Allah Most High to protect him from the fire. These are the two meanings of sawm being a shield or protection for us.

The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] once addressed the youth with regards to marriage. “Oh group of young men! whosoever from among you has the ability to get married should do so because by getting married, a person can have more control over his eyes and his private parts. And whosoever does not have the ability to get married, should hold onto fasting because fasting will kill off this shahawaat”.

It will kill or suppress the desire, so it will be easier for one to control the nafs. When the belly is full, the nafs is on a rise. When the belly is empty the ego shrinks and dies down. This is the benefit of keeping the belly empty. You feel less like sinning. In order to control your sins, keep your belly empty. This is a benefit of fasting.

4. By fasting, we can increase our level of taqwa.

Allah Says:
………لعلكم تتقون

‘Fasting has been prescribed upon you just as it was prescribed to those before you so that you may gain taqwa’.

What is this taqwa? Normally taqwa is translated as fear Allah but taqwa is more than the fear of Allah. It can also be translated as constant awareness of Allah at the back of your mind; that Allah Is Watching me. Allah is Looking at me and Watching my every move and hearing my every word.

In the Hadith of Jibril – What is ihsaan? – beautifying the ibaada – How do we attain this? The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] replied – That you worship Allah as though you are looking at Him and know that if you don’t look at Him, He Looks at you. If we keep this in our mind, this is taqwa.

So if we keep our fasts properly – this taqwa, this attribute and sifat will become apparent. You will see the difference between one who fasts properly and one who doesn’t. Those who don’t fast properly will not develop this taqwa. If we want to be God-fearing and have this awareness of Allah – we need to fast properly. This is the benefit of fasting – so that we can generate and bring taqwa within us.

5. By fasting – our previous sins are forgiven.

We are human beings – we make mistakes. Allah Ta’ala Knows we make mistakes. The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said, “Every one of you makes mistakes and the best sinners and mistake makers are those that keep on repenting”. So let us keep repenting and making istighfaar. Keep making tawbah and Allah Will keep forgiving as well.

Fasting in the month of Ramadhan will bring the forgiveness of Allah. In a Hadith, our beloved Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said – “Whosoever fasts throughout the month of Ramadhan with imaan and with sincerity in intention, (with the intention of gaining reward from Allah Most High,) then his past sins will be forgiven”. If you fast in the month of Ramadhan – insha’Allah your past sins will be forgiven.

In another Hadith, the Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said, “Five daily prayers, Friday to Friday, Ramadhan to Ramadhan expiate the sins committed in between as long as the person refrains from major sins”. So Ramadhan can be a source of expiation and forgiveness of sins.

In another Hadith, the Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said – “Whosoever fasts in Ramadhan and guards himself against those things he is supposed to guard and protect himself from, then his fasting will expiate the sins he committed previously”. Fasting properly in Ramadhan is a source of forgiveness for our previous sins.

6. The reward for fasting is immense and immeasurable.

This is recorded in the Hadith of Sahih Bukhari – The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] has said, ‘Every good deed of the son of Adam is multiplied ten times to 700 times” This means that if you give £1 sadaqah in the path of Allah – Allah looks at your heart and sincerity and honesty, the intention you had and Allah instructs the Angels to multiply the reward of that £1. That the reward is written up to 700. Not just 700 – Allah Can Increase to whatever He Wills according to the intention.

This is why the reward of the deeds of sahaba are countless. The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said, “Don’t insult my companions, because if you were to spend gold equivalent to the mountain of uhud, you cannot reach the one mudd of a sahabi or even half a mudd”. This is because of what they had in their hearts. The condition of their hearts was such that Allah multiplied the rewards for them. Allah Ta’ala’s Reward is not restricted to ten or 700 times, Allah Can Increase as much as He Wants.

With regards to sawm, Allah Says, “Except for fasting – fasting is for Me and I will reward for fasting’. The reward for zakah, Hajj etc. will be given through the Angels, but for Sawm, Allah Will Give the reward personally. Allah Is The King of all Kings and The Most Generous.

What is The reason for this? Allah says: “My servant leaves his food and desires for my Sake”. There is a difference between sawm and other forms of ibaada. If people give zakah or pray – we can see this act. But if a person is fasting we cannot see anything. There is therefore sincerity in this fast.

This is why many akabir used to hide their fast and they would not tell anyone they are fasting. In our Darul Ulooms we teach a book called Al Hidaya written by Allamah Burhanuddin Marghinani Rahimahullah. He wrote this over a period of maybe 10 or 11 years. During this period of writing this book, it was his habit to fast all the time, every day without even his family members knowing. How? His place of writing was at a distance from his house. So when he would leave in the morning, the household would prepare some food for him which he would take. And in the evening the food was eaten. What would happen was, that in the afternoon, he would go outside and look for a miskeen/poor man and he would give him this food and drink. SubhanAllah. This is the sincerity of fasting.

Then the Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] goes on to say – ” For a fasting person, there are two joys, one at the time of iftaar and the other when he meets His Lord”. The joy at iftaar is amazing. Allah Has kept a special taste in the food at the time of iftaar. For a Muslim it is not only about the food, there is also a spiritual joy. When you keep your fast, you feel a spiritual joy that Alhamdulillah I fasted throughout the day and Allah enabled me to keep this fast. That is why at the time of iftaar when you make dua, Allah accepts our dua.

Before Maghrib – for a few minutes, we should face the qibla and make dua. For our sisters – prepare some light and healthy food – prepare it a bit early and before iftaar, face the qibla and make dua, insha’Allah, Allah will accept our duas.

A person can gain joy on meeting His Lord. This is not only on the day of Qiyama but in reality when a person leaves this dunya and his soul is extracted by the Angel of death and he was a pious person, then this soul immediately shoots up like a rocket through the heavens to the throne of Allah and falls into sajdah. This is the meeting with his Lord for a pious person. At that time there is such a joy that cannot be described in words.

Sayyiduna Bishr Al-Haafi was a great friend of Allah. He was given the title haafi because ‘hafawah’ means to walk without shoes. It was his personal haal – state that he would not wear slippers or shoes – he thought how can I stamp on Allah’s land with my shoes, my slippers. He would normally stay at the masjid and home and would not wear any shoes. So he was given the title Bishr al haafi.

His earlier life was not that good. One day he was walking down the street and he saw a piece of paper. He looked at it and Bismillah Ar Rahman Ar Raheem was written on it. He thought to himself, how could this happen, people are trampling over the Name of Allah and it has become dirty. He cleaned it properly, applied perfume to it and placed it on the highest place on the shelf. He thought this is Allah’s Name, we have to respect it. When he went to sleep that night he saw a dream. In the dream, a voice from the unseen called out – O Bishr, you showed respect to my Name – I will show respect to your name in dunya and akhira. When he woke up, his haal/condition had changed and he went on to become a great friend and wali of Allah.

He was in the time of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal Rahimahullah. At times Imam Ahmad Rahimahullah would sit in his company. People would say to Imam Ahmad Rahimahullah, you are such a great scholar and you sit in the company of this man Bishr al Haafi. He replied, ‘I am an Aalim of the book of Allah and he is an Alim of Allah” ie he is blessed with the ma’rifat of Allah (gnosis)’. This is the difference. I know the meaning of the Book of Allah and he Knows Allah. He has the knowledge of Allah – that is why we have to sit in the company of these friends of Allah.

Once Imam Ahmad Rahimahullah was sitting and this lady came to ask a question. She said I use cotton wool to make threads with it. I have to work sometimes during the daylight and sometimes during the moonlight. When I sell these to people, do I have to tell them that is the one I made during the night and this is the one I made during the day? (Because maybe the one made in the night is weaker than the one made in the day). So Imam Ahmad Rahimahullah said – yes you have to differentiate so that the buyer is not deceived. She said JazakAllah. Imam Ahmad wanted to know who she was and where she came from so he told someone to follow her and find out where she came from. He was told that she came from the house of Bishr al Haafi Rahimahullah. Then he knew either this is the sister or the wife of Bishr al Haafi. This was their level of taqwa. The way that they had concern over such minor things to protect themselves from any wrong doing.

Bishr al haafi Rahimahullah used to fast a lot. Thousands prayed the janaza of Bishr al Haafi Rahimahullah. It is narrated that someone saw in a dream that Bishr al haafi was sitting cross legged and the Angels were sitting around him and there was delicious food around him and the Angels were feeding him – he didn’t even have to raise his hands. In the dream the person asked, what is this? The angels replied –” He used to fast continuously in the dunya so Allah Allowed him to eat as much as wants in the akhira and this is why the Angels are feeding him”. This was the reward for his fasting.

Ibn Rajab Rahimahullah narrates, “On the day of qiyama when everyone will be busy in their hisaab and reckoning, scales, deeds being weighed – at that time, there will be people who will be called on one side and a table spread with delicious food will be laid. A caller will say those who used to fast abundantly should come on this side and they will be eating from this table spread”.

The life of this dunya is to make some effort. We see some brothers and sisters who fast throughout the year on Mondays and Thursdays. They fast also on the 13th, 14th and 15th of the lunar calendar. May Allah Grant us the tawfeeq to do so.

Abdullah Ibn Umar RadiAllahu anhu was on a journey with a caravan that camped at one place. He and his caravan members saw a shepherd. Abdullah Ibn Umar said to one of his friends, call that shepherd over. The Arabs were known for their generosity. The shepherd was called to eat, however He replied “I am fasting”. Abdullah ibn umar RadiAllahu anhu said, “You are fasting, in this heat? And it’s not even Ramadhan, it’s nafl”. The person replied, ‘I am utilising my ayyaam al khaaliyah – the empty days, the free days I have. He was referring to the ayah of Surah al Haaqqah. ‘(It will be said to such people,) “Eat and drink with pleasure, as a reward for what you did in advance during past days.”

This dunya and this life has been given to us to make something out of it and utilise it for Allah’s Sake. The reward of fasting is thus countless and immeasurable.

7. The interceding of Siyaam.

On the day of qiyama, siyaam will intercede on behalf of the fasting person. The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said in one hadith – “Siyaam and Quran will intercede for a person on the day of Qiyama. Siyaam will say My Lord, I kept this person hungry and I stopped him from fulfilling his desire throughout the day so accept my intercession for him and let him off. Quran will say, My Lord I kept this person awake at night. He stood in taraweeh, in tahajjud and would recite Quran at night at home, so accept my intercession for him. The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said, both intercessions will be heard and accepted by Allah Ta’ala.

So the seventh benefit is that when you fast – we get the intercession from the fasting. Insha’Allah Sawm will help to save us from the fire of Jahannam. We need to fast properly to get this intercession.

8. The eighth benefit of fasting is acceptance of supplication.

In one Hadith, the Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said, ‘Dua of a fasting person is not rejected’. In another hadith “Three persons dua is not rejected, one of which is that of a fasting person at the time of iftaar”.

We have to memorise the dua at the time of iftaar. We should make abundant dua before the time of iftaar for ourselves, our families, our neighbours, our community and the ummah at large. Our duas should be generalised gradually insha’Allah.

9. Another benefit of fasting is that Allah Gives us the tawfeeq to do good and the ability to sin less.

The ability to commit sin is reduced and the ability to do virtuous acts in increased. In a Hadith, the Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said, When it is the first night of Ramadhan, the shayateen and the wicked and evil among the jinn are chained and the gates of hell are closed and no gate is opened and the gates of paradise are opened and no gate is closed and an announcer announces, O seeker of good! Proceed!!, and O seeker of evil! stop!!” And then the Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said “Allah Ta’ala emancipates and frees many, many people from the punishment of jahannam and this happens every night”.

After Ramadhan, we should try and remain steadfast and keep on track. We see generally in Ramadhan, many Muslims who don’t pray throughout the year, start praying. This is very good. We should never taunt anyone that they are only here because of Ramadhan. We should welcome and encourage them to continue after Ramadhan as well. May Allah give us tawfeeq to continue to strive even after Ramadan. Ameen

10. There is a special gate in Jannah for those who fast.

Allah Has Kept a special gate for those who fast and it is called the gate of Al- Rayyan. Allah Will have eight huge, massive gates as wide as the eyes can see. One gate is exclusively for those that used to fast. Insha’Allah Allah will admit those who used to fast and had the love for fasting, through the gate of Rayyan.

One of the main wisdoms behind fasting is to think about all the poor, destitute and oppressed people around the world. This will soften our hearts and urge us to pray for them.

My brothers and sisters, since we are on the verge of Ramadhan – I decided to go through another Hadith in which it is said regarding our Messenger [May Allah bless him and grant him peace],
كان رسول الله صلي الله عليه و سلم يجتهد في رمضان ما لا يجتهد في غيره
‘The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] used to make effort in Ramadhan which he would not make in normal days. He would pay special attention to the month of Ramadhan.

In another Hadith, Aisha radiallahu Anha said,
كان رسول الله صلي الله عليه و سلم اذا دخل العشر الأواخر من رمضان شد الميزر و احي ليله و أيقظ أهله
‘When the last ten days would start – the messenger of Allah [may Allah bless him and grant him peace] would tie strongly his izaar – his lower garment- and he would stay awake throughout the whole night and he would also keep his family members awake to pray Salah and tahajjud.

Ramadhan is special and the last ten days are extra special. We should take lesson from this to make extra effort in this month and even more in the last ten nights insha’Allah.

Throughout the month, we should try and pray every Salah with Jama’ah and with the first takbeer, for men. Do iftaar in the masjid and pray Maghrib in congregation and then eat at home. After suhoor, ensure you pray Fajr in congregation also. This is very important for men. There is special reward for praying in congregation, 27x extra reward and this is multiplied in Ramadhan.

For ladies, the reward is greater for praying at home. The more concealed a woman is – the more reward she gets insha’Allah. For ladies, try and pray in the beginning time. Don’t delay until the time is about to finish. This will give you peace of mind and relief.

Also, Understand and learn the rules and regulations of fasting. What makes a make up fast compulsory, what breaks one’s fast and so on. Anything that goes down the throat into the stomach or it goes into the brain will break the fast.

Pray taraweeh – 20 rakah; A very important Sunnah. It is Sunnah mua’kkadah; for men and for women. It was from the time of Sayyiduna Umar RadiAllahu anhu. It has been prayed in the haramain for the past 1400 years. The majority of the ummah have said taraweeh is 20 rakah. This is the correct Sunnah. If you leave after 8 rakah, you are missing out on two sunnahs – you miss 12 rakah and you miss out on listening to the whole Quran, This is the only opportunity you may have to listen to whole Quran. It will have an effect on your heart and mind. Make some extra effort in the month of Ramadhan by praying full taraweeh.

Zakah – if this is due upon you in Ramadhan, ensure you give it correctly. Calculate the zakah upon you and pay this during Ramadhan if it is incumbent upon you.

In the month of Ramadhan – increase your recitation of Quran. Imam Abu Hanifa and imam shafi’ee Rahmatullahi alayhima used to complete two Khatams every single day. Sayyiduna Uthman RadiAllahu anhu used to complete a whole khatm in one rak’ah. For thirty years, it was the habit of Abu Bakr ibn Ayyash to complete one khatm every day throughout the whole year – this was Ibn Ayyash Rahimahullah, a great Muhaddith.

Mufti Taqi Uthmani Hafidhahullah was saying that Imam Qasim Nanotwi Rahimahullah used to say, time is of two dimensions – it has length and width. Normal people work in the times length but the akabir work in the times width – this is why they achieved so much in such a short time. The friends of Allah could achieve so much in such short time subhanAllah. Shaykh Zakariyyah Rahimahullah used to complete thirty Khatms in the month of Ramadhan.
Show your good deeds to Allah. Don’t show people, show Allah. Ask Allah for forgiveness, ask for Allah’s Pleasure. Compete with each other in good deeds. Compete in religion, not in the aspects of dunya.

We should try and increase our recitation of The Quran and our Dhikr and tasbeehaat as well. In One Hadith, the Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said, ‘A person who remembers Allah in Ramadhan will be forgiven…’

Four things we should do in abundance. Two to please our Rabb – read the kalimah as much as we can in Ramadhan. The second is to do istighfaar – seek the forgiveness of Allah. And two things we desperately need, ask Allah for Jannah and protection from Jahannam. Among the mujahada, we should also increase our level of tahajjud. Pray as many rakahs we can do before suhoor, at least four raka’ah. Make dua and supplicate to Allah. Allah Descends during this time and will accept our duas insha’Allah. His Mercy and Rahma is attracted towards us during this time. At least in the last ten nights, we should not sleep at night – we should engage in worship. If we spend our Ramadhan properly, insha’Allah this will have an effect on us for the remainder of the year. When you spend all your Ramadhans properly, your whole life will be spent properly and the day you die will be like your day of Eid which comes immediately after Ramadhan. You will be rejoicing at the time of death, insha’Allah.

The Night of Qadr:
Excerpts taken from Fadha’il-e-Ramadhan by Shaykh-ul-Hadith Muhammad Zakariyya Rahimahullah:
Amongst the nights of Ramadhaan, there is one called ‘Laylatul Qadr,’ a night of great blessings. The Qur’aan-e-Kareem describes it as being greater in blessedness and rewards than a thousand months which means that it is greater than eighty three years and four months. Fortunate is that person who gets the full blessings of this night by spending it in ibaadah of Allah Most High, because he has then earned reward for ibaadah of eighty-three years and four months and even more. Indeed the granting of this night to the Muslims is a great favour.

Abu Hurairah RadiAllahu anhu reports that the Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said, “Whoever stands in prayer and ibaadah on the ‘Night of Power’ with sincere faith and with sincere hope of gaining reward, his previous sins are forgiven.” (Targheeb from Bukhari and Muslim)

Commentary
In the above Hadith “standing” refers to Salaah as well as any other form of ibaadah, for example zikr, tilaawat etc. The phrase ‘…with sincere hope of gaining reward,’ means that we should be sincerely occupied with ibaadah only for the pleasure of Allah Most High and to receive reward from Him. This should not be done for others to see, or to deceive them. According to Khataabi, it means that we should have complete faith in the promise that any action shall be rewarded and we should show some eagerness. Neither should we think of this ibaadah as a great difficulty nor should there be any doubt about the reward which will be granted to us.

What dua a person should make on Laylatul Qadr?
A’isha RadiAllahu anha reports, “I said ‘O Rasul of Allah SalAllahu alayhi wassalam, should I find myself in Laylatul Qadr, what shall I ask of Allah Most High?” The Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] replied, “Say, ‘O Allah, You are the One who grants pardon for sins, You love to pardon, so pardon me.”
(Reported by Ahmad, Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi)

Ibn Rajab Rahimahullah says that we should not only remain busy with dua but should also take part in all other forms of worship of Allah Most High, e.g. recitation of the Qur’aan, Salaah, meditation etc.

I’tikaaf:
Ibn Abbas RadiAllahu anhu relates that the Messenger of Allah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said, “The person performing i’itikaaf remains free from sins, and he is given the same reward as those who do good deeds in spite of not having done those deeds because of staying in the Musjid.” (Reported in Mishkaat from ibn Majah)

Commentary
One in i’itikaaf in the Musjid is not allowed to leave for his worldly needs. He may only come out use the toilet or to perform wudhu or ghusl or for attending Jumuah when that is not performed in that Musjid, after which he must return immediately. This Hadeeth teaches us two great benefits of i’itikaaf. Firstly we are saved from sin. It is true that many times we commit sins without intending to do so. (The world all around us is full of temptations). To commit sin in the blessed month of Ramadhaan is a great harm to ourselves. By remaining in the Musjid, we completely avoid the temptation to commit sin.

Secondly, it would seem that when we are in i’itikaaf in the Musjid, we are automatically at a disadvantage by not being allowed to perform certain good deeds like joining funeral prayers, attending burials, visiting the sick, etc. That is not so, because according to this Hadeeth, we are rewarded for these actions even though we did not perform them. What a great favour from Allah Most High! How great is Allah Ta’ala’s bounty!

By performing one ibaadah, we receive the reward of many other ibaadaat. In fact, Allah Ta’ala looks for the smallest excuse to give us His blessings. His blessings could be received plentifully with a little effort and asking. If only we can understand and properly appreciate these favours. That proper appreciation and understanding can only enter our minds when we have the true love and interest for our Deen. May Allah Ta’ala grant us that. Aameen

May Allah Grant us the tawfeeq to act upon what was said and may Allah Grant us the tawfeeq to do extra mujahada in this blessed month. May Allah Pleased with us. Ameen.