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The Likeness of Ramadan and Prophet Yusuf
- ibn al Jawzi

“The month of Ramadan to the other months is like Yusuf to his brothers. So, just like Yusuf was the most beloved son to Ya’qub, Ramadan is the most beloved month to Allah.

A nice point for the nation of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) to ponder over is that if Yusuf had the mercy and compassion to say {“There is no reproach for you today…”} [Yusuf; 92], Ramadan is the month of mercy, blessing, goodness, salvation from the Fire, and Forgiveness from the King that exceeds that of all the other months and what can be gained from their days and nights.

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Ibn Rajab Al-Hanabali

Taken from “Jami Al Uloom wal Hikam” of Ibn Rajab Al-Hanabali

Hadith No. 50 (Continued)

1. Allah ordered us to remember Him five times during every day and night by performing the prayer in its appointed time period.

2. He added to that many forms of remembrance, which are naafilah. This word means ‘extra’ or ‘additional’. Some of them are tied to the five prayers. It is preferable to prayer these prayers in the house over praying them in the Masjid. They can be ‘made up’ later if one is in the habit of doing them and misses one. The most important of them are (a) through e) are the most important):

a) Witr prayer which consists of an odd number of rakaat and is performed between Isha and Fajr preferably after sleeping and making an even number of rakaats (in pairs) of the night prayer or tahajjud.

b) Two rakaat before Fajr prayer – after the time comes in but before the Fajr prayer.

c) Two or four rakaat before the Dhuhr prayer. The Prophet (sas) did both. If doing four, it preferable to do two sets of two, but four all together is also permissible.

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Imam al-Nawawi’s
Riyadh-us-Saliheen
Chapter 233

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka`bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e., denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allah], then Allah stands not in need of any of the `Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).” (3:97)

1271. Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “(The superstructure of) Islam is based on five (pillars), testifying the fact that La ilaha illallah wa anna Muhammad-ar-Rasul-ullah [there is no true god except Allah, and Muhammad ((sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam)) is the Messenger of Allah], establishing As-Salat (the prayers), paying Zakat (poor due), the pilgrimage to the House [of Allah (Ka`bah)], and the Saum (fasting) during the month of Ramadan.”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

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ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

35. Remembrance is easy for the servant-whether he lies in bed or journeys, in health or in illness, in comfort and luxury, in his daily work, standing, sitting or lying down, on his way or at home. No [other] act can be performed so often and in so many situations. In fact, it is so easy that he could sleep in his bed and still be ahead of the one who stands [in worship] but is heedless. The sleeper rises having traversed a great distance, all the while stretched out on his bed; whereas the one standing heedlessly rises seated on his mount. ‘And that is the grace of God which He gives to whomever He pleases.’ [57:21]

It is recounted that there once was an ascetic [rajul min al-`ibad] who stayed the night with a man as a guest. The ascetic spent the entire night standing in prayer, while the host was stretched out in his bed. When he rose in the morning, the ascetic said to the host, ‘The caravan has gone on before you,’ [sabaqak al-rakb, by which he meant, ‘I have surpassed you in the journey to God’] or words to that effect. To which the [host] replied, ‘It is unimportant that one spend the night travelling and then wake up with the caravan. What is important is that one spend the night in bed but wake up having crossed a great distance.’

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Imaam Ibnul-Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Taken from ‘ad-Daa`u wa ad-Dwaa`u’ of Imaam ibn al-Qayyim

It is the weapon of the believer as is reported by al-Haakim in his ‘Mustadrak’ from the hadeeth of Alee bin Abee Taalib (RA) from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) that he said, “supplication is the weapon of the believer, the pillar of the religion, and the light of the heaven and earth.”

CHAPTER ONE: SUPPLICATION IS A CURE

[Takhreej by Shaykh Alee Hasan with some summary]

Supplication is from the most beneficial types of healing, it is the enemy of illness and affliction – repressing it and treating it, preventing its occurrence, removing it or at least alleviating it. It is the weapon of the believer as is reported by al-Haakim in his ‘Mustadrak’ from the hadeeth of Alee bin Abee Taalib (RA) from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) that he said, “supplication is the weapon of the believer, the pillar of the religion, and the light of the heaven and earth.” [Abu Ya`laa [no. 439], ibn Adee [2/296], al-Haakim [1/492] and al-Qudaa`ee [no. 143].

The hadeeth is maudu` as declared by al-Albaanee.

Al-Haythamee says in ‘Majma` az-Zawaa`id’ [10/147], “the isnaad contains al-Hasan bin Abee Zayd and he is abandoned.” Refer to: ‘ad-Da`eefah’ [no.179, 180].]

Supplication takes one of three positions against illness:

1) It is stronger than the illness and therefore represses it.

2) It is weaker than the illness and therefore the illness overcomes it and afflicts the servant, however it is still possible that it alleviate the illness.

3) That they be of equal strength and prevent each other from happening in the servant.

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Imâm Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

al-Fawaa’id, pp 151-152
Al-Istiqaamah, No. 2

Your life in the present moment is in between the past and the future. So what has preceded can be rectified by tawbah (repentance), nadam (regret) and istighfar (seeking Allaah’s forgiveness). And this is something that will neither tire you, nor cause you to toil as you would with strenuous labour. Rather it is an action of the heart. Then as regards the future (then it can be corrected) by withholding yourself from sins. And this abandonment is merely the leaving of something and to be at ease from it. This also is not action of the limbs, which requires you to strive and toil. Rather this is a firm resolve and intention of the heart – which will give rest to your body, heart and thoughts. So as for what has preceded, then you rectify it with repentance. And as for the future – then you rectify it with firm resolve and intention. Neither of these involves any hardship or exertion of the limbs. But then your attention must be directed to your life in the present – the time between two times. If you waste it, then you have wasted the opportunity to be of the fortunate and saved ones. If you look after it, having rectified the two times – what is before and after it, as we have said – then you will be successful and achieve rest, delight and ever-lasting bliss. However, looking after it is harder than that which comes before and after it, since guarding it involves keeping to that which is most befitting and beneficial for your soul, and that which will bring it success and well-being.

Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah
Majmoo al-Fataawaa 10/88-90

Al-Istighfaar (Seeking Repentance)

The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, said:

“The master of invocations for forgiveness is that the servant says:

O’ my ‘ilãh You are my Lord, there is no ‘ilãh but You. You created me, and I am your bondservant, and I will stick to my covenant and promise [of faith and sincere obedience] to You, as to my ability. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done, I acknowledge, to You, your bounties upon me, and I acknowledge, to You, my sin. Thus forgive me, for none forgives sins except You.

Whoever says this as he enters upon evening, then, dies that night, he would enter Paradise; and if one says this as he enters upon morning, then, dies that day, he would enter Paradise.” [Al-Bukhari]

The servant is always in the blessings of Allah, which necessitate thankfulness, and in sinfulness, which requires seeking forgiveness. Both of these matters are required and essential for the servant at all times, as the servant does not cease to alternate between Allaah’s (various) favors and blessings, and does not cease to be in need of repentance and seeking forgiveness.

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