So the Salaf held a special concern for this great month of paying attention to reciting the Qur’aan, increasing in the remembrance of Allaah, abstaining from sins, as fasting necessitates all these things. Fasting is not merely abstaining from food and drink indeed it is a way of refraining from all that Allaah The Most High The Most Blessed hates in terms of sins etc. Fasting is also turning in obedience to Allaah –Azza wa Jal- and to have Ikhlaas (sincerity) for Allaah in this action. May Allaah be pleased with the Salaf. It is said of Malik that he would teach the people and when Ramadan approached he would free up his time for fasting and reciting Qur’aan. Thus you should give importance to reciting the Qur’aan in this noble month, along with reflecting upon it and pondering about it, and to take heed of the admonition and take heed of that which is rebuked, and comprehend the Halal and Haram and the clear understanding of Allaah’s threats and promises and things of this nature from the noble Qur’aan, with this the soul is purified and hearts are illuminated. This illustrates to us that the Qur’aan is life, light and a guidance for us as Allaah -Tabaraka wa Ta’ala- has described it as such. وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ رُوحٗا مِّنۡ أَمۡرِنَاۚ مَا كُنتَ تَدۡرِي مَا ٱلۡكِتَٰبُ وَلَا ٱلۡإِيمَٰنُ وَلَٰكِن جَعَلۡنَٰهُ نُورٗا نَّهۡدِي بِهِۦ مَن نَّشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَاۚ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهۡدِيٓ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٖ مُّسۡتَقِيمٖ > [ash-Shura: 52] Regarding the way of the Righteous Salaf, you should read about their striving, their patience and their sincerity for Allaah, how they exceeded in their efforts in this noble month and other months. That is to say that we do not only remind ourselves of performing these actions only in the month of Ramadan and then become heedless and forsake our obedience to Allaah in the remaining months, on the contrary we continue to stand in the night with prayer and continue to worship Allaah and turn to Allaah in addition to all the other acts of worship in order to gain closeness to Allaah in Ramadan, we should not be heedless. Some people turn in obedience to Allaah in this month and once it has passed they fall short, become lazy and forget many acts of worship. No, there is no doubt that we should have more concern in this month than in the other months, however, we must remember Allaah continuously throughout the year and throughout our lives. يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ ذِكۡرٗا كَثِيرٗا ٤١ وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكۡرَةٗ وَأَصِيلًا ٤٢
Posted on: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 19:05:54 +0000