Ramadanand the Conditions of the
Muslim Ummah
Khutbah Topic
His Eminence Sheikh Saleh Bin Muhammad Aal-Talib ‒may Allah protect him‒
delivered this week’s Friday Khutbah entitled “Ramadanand the Conditions of the
MuslimUmmah”. He spoke about the month of Ramadan and aboutits merits and
wisdom. He motivated people to compete in worshipping Allah () especially during
Ramadan. He did not miss the opportunity to talk about the conditions of Muslims all
over the world, stressing the necessity to keep sight of the needy through offering
charity.
Part One
Praise be to Allah! Praise be to Allah, Who has privileged certain days and months
over others and made Ramada the month of the greatest forms of worship and the
source of the most generous rewards. I praise my Lord()and thank Him. Irepent to
Him and ask for His forgiveness. He is the Merciful, the Pardoner, the Forgiver, the
Generous, the Munificent, and the Grateful. I bear witness that there is no deity
worthy of worship save Allah alone without associate; a testimony whereby I seek
salvation on Resurrection Day. I equally bear witness that Muhammad () is Allah’s
Servant and Messenger and the best creature ever. May Allah send His Salat(Graces,
Honours, and Mercy) and Peace onto him, his family, his Companions, and his
Ummah as long as crescents are born in the sky and mid-month full moons come into
view by night time.
Now then, fearAllah and hold fast to the non-severable bond of Islam. Hold
yourselves accountable before the Day of Accountability and make your own šaĥîfa
(Deed Record) clear of sins before it is tagged around your neck (on Doomsday), and
also before your body organs and locations you once frequented in the herein serve as
witnesses for what you perpetrated. There are certainly angel-scribes taking record of
all your deeds,and Allah () is the promptest in exacting His creatures’
accountability: And be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought
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back to Allâh. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and
they shall not be dealt with unjustly.[Al-Baǭara: 281]
O Muslims!
Year in, year out; days and nights alternate. Sunset gives way to sunrise. Victories,
defeats, advantages, and inconveniences rotate. The passage of time burdens the self
with responsibilities, pitfalls, fatigue, and regression which incite worshippers to
recoil from the journey to Allah and make them feel bored with the length of the path
leading to Allah’s promised recompense. Sometimes, one may even feelalienated
from the very road taken and estranged from one’s travel mates. One will therefore
struggle under the heavy burden of life’s habits which exert extra pressure on one’s
psychological state torn between pain of despair and a ray of hope. Under such
circumstances, one is inclined to search for a safe haven of shade from the scorching
heat of sunshine and a secure harbour from tempestuous sea waves. One is in need of
some respite, as the journey is long, food is scarce, and the obstacleis insurmountable.
This is why Allah, the Most-Munificent, bestowed upon His servants a graceful
month and a magnificent season so that Muslim worshippers could strengthen their
faith to confront the journey of belief ahead and enhance the degree of their
taqwa.This graceful month is similar to a river for quenching one’s thirst, healing
one’s wounds, and imbibing souls with its bounteous graces ‒which eventually leads
to their felicitous destiny. It is a month during which one defeats one’s capricious
desires and satanic drives. It is a month of bounteous divine favours and forgiveness.
Notice how swiftly time passes and the twelve months of the calendar rush in
succession until the month of Sha`aban has departed and the holy month of Ramadan
is close to supplant it. Signs of its advent herald its remarkably glamorous features. It
will soon be our most welcome and venerated guest. So, make yourselves ready to
stand in awe of its revered arrival with determination to obey Allah by performing
acts of worship.
How much longing worshippers have for it! How much pious people adore it! How
impatiently they have been aching for its arrival! How much spiritual elevation their
egos have experienced during its nights and early dawns! How mysterious they have
found its early daybreak! How close they have felt to Allah, the One and the
Omnipotent! How frequently they have tasted the flavour of faith and kept company
of the Holy Quran both in listening and in reciting!
It is indeed one of Allah’s bounties to benefit from such a seasonal occasion in
order to be cleansed of our sins and to purify our souls so asto achieve moral rectitude
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and ethical refinement: O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the
fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before
you, that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (the pious ...).[Al-Baqara:
183]. Taqwa is a multi-faceted innermost feeling of fear that the performer of fasting
experiences; it is positively reflected on his\her soul in the form of internal radiance,
moral purity, and unblemished conduct.
Ramadan is the springtime of believers’ hearts, the beacon for moral people, the
intimate company of the pious, and a good omen for worshippers. It is indeed a month
whose perfection is crystal clear and whose splendour is manifest: The month of
Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’ân, a guidance for
mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion
(between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent
on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his
home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, ...[Al-Baqara: 185]
Its daytime is reserved for fasting; its night time is devoted to Qiyām (night
worship rituals); its motto is the Quran and its outer fitting is charity and benevolence.
During the month of Ramadan, prayers are met with acquiescent divine response, and
good deeds are raised to Heaven. Each night, there are people who are salvaged from
Hellfire. So, are there people determined to repent?
As to the reward reserved for Muslims performing fasting, it pertains to Allah’s
benevolence. Abu Huraira ()reported that Prophet Muhammad ()said, “Allah
()said: “Every good human deed belongs to its performer except fasting: it
belongs to me and thus I offer the reward thereof. Fasting is an ideal shelter.
Whoever performs fasting (for one day) is interdicted from approaching his wife
(for sexual intercourse) and from clamouring. If ever he is insulted or assaulted, he
should say, ‘I am a fasting person.’ I swear by Allah, who is in control of my soul,
the typical odour of the fasting person’s mouth smells better than musk. The fasting
person experiences joy twice: the first time when he breaks his fast and the second
time when he meets his Lord glad with his own fasting.” [Reported by Imam
Bukhari and Imam Muslim]. In a different version by Imam Bukhariand Imam
Muslim, “the fasting person refrains from eating and drinking for my own sake.”
In the Sahih(Book of Hadith) by Imam Muslim, Prophet Muhammad () is
reported to have said, “The current month of Ramadan succeeded by the following
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month of Ramadan offers remission of sins for the time span between both months
on condition that grave sins be avoided.” In the same SahihBook, there is the Hadith,
“Remiss and failed will be everyone who reaches the month of Ramadan but his
sins have not been expiated.” This is because Ramadan is known for its whiff of
spiritual splendour and divine compassion of which only a totally remiss person
would be deprived.
In the two Sahih Books of Hadith by Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari, Prophet
Muhammad () is reported to have said, “With the advent of Ramadan, the gates of
paradise are opened and those of hell are firmly locked, while Satan and his agents
are chained in manacles.” In the two Sahih Books of Hadith by Imam Muslim and
Imam Bukhari, Prophet Muhammad () is reported to have said, “Whoever performs
fasting during the month of Ramadan ‒solely prompted by faith and sacrificing
comfort in anticipation of Allah’s reward‒ will have his sins expiated in
retrospect”and that “Whoever performs nightly prayers during the month of
Ramadan ‒solely prompted by faith and sacrificing comfort in anticipation of
Allah’s reward‒ will have his sins expiated in retrospect.” By the same token,
“Whoever performs nightly prayers during Laylat Al-Qadr [the Night of Decree1]
‒solely prompted by faith and sacrificing comfort in anticipation of Allah’s reward‒
will have his sins expiated in retrospect.”
It is worth noting that the best form of welcome for the month of Ramadan is
repentance, for a soul deliveredfrom sins and alleviated of burdens would be more
readily motivated to perform the acts of worship associated with Ramadan and is
likely to please Allah with good deeds and intentions.
Another germane point worth mentioning here is related to diverging astrological
opinions with regard to confirming the beginning of the lunar month, including
individual attempts to use observatories for that purpose. The very publication of such
controversial observations in the media (both printed and audio-visual) has no other
consequences than spreading scepticism among Muslims concerning their acts of
worship and to underestimating the logistic and technical capacity of governmental
institutions and committees to provide reliable information. Some people who get
involved in such a debate are quite well-intentioned; others find in it an opportunity to
show off and rise to fame.
1 LaylatAl-Ǭadr(the Night of Decree)‒also known as the Night of Power, the Night of Destiny,
the Night of Value, the Night of Measures‒ commemorates when Qur’an was revealed to
Prophet Muhammad ().
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To both camps we would like to say: Save your energy! You have been spared such
effort in this country where special committees have been set up in different locations
on the territory in order to duly observe this ritual and to take precautions against any
error affecting the performance of this religious duty. Allah’s guidance and those
special committees’ advice are quite sufficient for such a task, and whoever has a
different opinion let them contact the authorities directly and stop disturbing
Muslims’ spiritual life.
Servants of Allah!
The meaning of fasting is not restricted to the sheer act of refraining from consuming
food, then filling one’s stomach when breaking the fast. The wisdom behind fasting is
to coerce the self to restrain its whims, to break the routine of its habitual actions, to
cleanse it of all sorts of impurity, and to train it to remember the existence of starving
and homeless families. Who will take care of populations struck by ordeals and
weakened by warsthat actually subjugate and grind down humanity? The victims are
your brothers in faithwho have no refuge except in Allah’s providential protection and
in you. It is Allah Who grants and retains favours; it is Allah Who lowers and elevates
His creatures’ status; and it is He Who ordained you to be His trustee in the property
He bestowed on you in order to see how you would act. On Resurrection Day, the
believer will take shelter from Hellfire in his charitable acts in the herein: “...and
whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allâh’s Cause), He will replace
it. And He is the Best of providers."[Saba’: 39]
Of course, it is not impossible for a wealthy person to come across a needy person
from among his own acquaintances or through authorised agencies and institutions.
May Allah recompense every doer of meritorious deeds with due reward and accept
good services from benefactors. I seek refuge with Allah from the cursed Satan: The
month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’ân, a guidance
for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion
(between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent
on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his
home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, ...[Al-Baǭara: 185]
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May Allah bless you and me by the Holy and Magnificent Qur’ān. May Allah help
us benefit from the teachings of the Sunnah of the Master of Messengers, Prophet
Muhammad (). Havingsaid this, I askAllah () to forgive you and me.
Part Two
May Allah be praised abundantly and kindheartedly, a blessed praise that pleases
our Lord and is to His liking! I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, Who has
no associate. I also bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May
Allah send His Salat (Graces, Honours and Mercy), Peace and Blessing on him and
all his family and Companions!
Now then, O Muslims!
There are certain events that are so conclusive in the history of the Muslim
Ummah. When Muslims managed to overcome their own passions and desires Allah
helped them triumph over their aggressors. Such events served as a precursor of the
days that followed. The month of Ramadan witnessed the great Battle of Badr (fought
17 of Ramadan, 2 AH), the conquest of Makkah(fought 18 of Ramadan, 8 AH) and
many others including those of the Sindh, Antioch, Sicily, the Battle of AinJalut(the
Spring of Goliath) and finally the battle for the recovery of Sinai by the Egyptians. It
was indeed in Ramadan that all of these battles and conquests took place.
There is a lesson to be learnt from these events particularly these days in which the
forces of evil and hypocrisy have gone on the rampage against large numbers of
Muslims across the world. The hostilitydeeply entrenched in the hearts of many
against this religion has suddenly surfaced.
Presently, Muslims are being afflicted with much sturdiness at the hands of
platoons of people who share no language, values, faith or homeland but bitter
sentiments of hostility and enmity towards Islam. However, Muslims are still
oblivious of their own cause, or say it is meant for them to remain unaware of the fact
that hostility is nothing but religious. In Arakan and Burma, waves after waves of
extermination are being launched against Muslims. In Syria, criminals are carrying
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out their evil practices in alternation. Elsewhere in the Muslim world, people are
being abused, wickedness is prevailing and assistance and support have gone hard to
find.
For decades we have not witnessed such masters of hypocrisy nor have we heard such
loud voices speaking up against Islamic Sharia. Today, international laws and
conventions are violated; political, human, children’s and women’s rights are abused.
Advocates of such rights are not acting the way they should had the aggressor been
Arab or Muslim and the victim from a different nationality or faith.
What has been going on is a disgrace for the entire world with its international
organizations, conventions and covenants. The opponents of religion have been called
into alliance from all directions and have grown increasingly powerful. Their
determination and enthusiasm in this regard are so strong that they would stop at
nothing (even if it comes to kneeling down) in order to stand by the aggressor and
support injustice, to suppress truth and subjugate the oppressed.
In light of this, it is the obligation of every Muslim –without exception– to stay
alert and vigilant, to hold as fast as ever to the Rope of Allah2 and not to take this
religion (Islam) with weakness. Should Muslims venture to relinquish their faith they
would lose power in this Life and reap disappointment in the Hereafter. On the other
hand, if they take it with laxity they will run the risk of being overpowered by the
enemy with no entitlement to the support they have otherwise been promised.
However, if they take it with resolve, they will prevail in this Life and succeed in the
Hereafter: O Yahyâ (John)! Hold fast the Scripture [the Taurât
(Torah)].[ Mariam: 12]
We are hopeful that Allah shall help our oppressed brothers in Syria prevail and
that our fellow Muslims throughout the world shall realize the complexity of their
cause in such a way that urges them to hasten to their support towards lifting the siege
2 This metaphoric expression is used in reference to the verse 103 in Surat Al Omran in the Holy
Quran.
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around them and defeating their enemy, particularly that the enemies of Arabs and
Muslims have now rushed to strengthen their grip on the city of Homs.
All Muslims should also realize that one of the very first instructions given to
ensure victory during the Battle of Badr was: and do not dispute (with one
another) lest you lose courage and your strength departs, and be
patient. Surely, Allâh is with those who are As-Sâbirûn (the
patient).[Al Anfal: 46]
We place our hope first in Allah and then in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its
support of our fellow Muslims in Syria and for its efforts in taking their cause to
international forums and organizations and in urging major world powers to intervene
in order to put an end to this prolonged and bloody tragedy. The Custodian of the Two
Holy Mosques himself has so repeatedly and generously insisted on halting this
bloody violence in Syria and bringing peace back to it.
May Allah help carry out their endeavors and bless their efforts!Remember that
Allah gave you a command, which He Himself started as He said: Allâh sends
His Salât (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy) on the Prophet (Muhammad
صلى لله علیھ وسلم ), and also His angels (ask Allâh to bless and forgive him). O
you who believe! Send your Salât[1] on (ask Allâh to bless) him
(Muhammad صلى لله علیھ وسلم ), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the
Islâmic way of greeting(salutation, i.e. As-Salâmu ‘Alaikum. [Al Ahzab: 56]
O Allah! Send Your Salat (Graces, honours and Mercy), Peace and Blessing on
Your Servant and Messenger, Muhammad, and on his good and pure family! O Allah!
Be pleased with all of Your Messenger’s Companions and those who followed them
in righteousness until the Day of Judgement!
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O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims and fail the tyrants, infidels and
corruptors! O Allah! Grant glory to Your Religion, Your Book and the Sunnah of
Your Prophet and Your believing servants!
O Allah! Foreordain for this nation (the nation of Islam) a matter (an affair) of
rationality (guidance) whereby the pious are honored and the sinful are guided, and
whereby al-ma’roof (good deeds) is enjoined and al-munkar (evil deeds) is prevented!
O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Make preoccupied with their own evil those who wish to harm Islam and
Muslims! Turn their plots and their cunning against them! O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Grant victory to the Mujahideen! O Allah! Grant victory to the
Mujahideen in Your cause in Palestine, in the Levant and wherever they may be, O
Lord of the Worlds! O Allah! Lift the siege around them, improve their conditions,
and suppress their enemy!
O Allah! We beseech You by Your Supreme Name to have mercy on our brothers in
Syria! O Allah! Have mercy on our brothers in Syria! O Allah! Lift their distress and
grant them speedy relief! O Allah! Have mercy on them for they are
defenseless!Mend their breakage and take charge of their case, You, the Most
Merciful, the Most Compassionate!
O Allah! You, Whose soldiers are invincible,Whose promises are never broken
and Whose command is ever carried out, glory and praise be to You! Honored he is
who seeks Your neighbourliness! Glorified be Your praise, and sanctified be Your
Names! O Allah! We beseech You by Your Supreme Name to have mercy on our
brothers in Syria! O Allah! Have mercy on our brothers in Syria! O Allah! Lift their
distress and grant them speedy relief! O Allah! Have mercy on them for they are
defenseless!Mend their breakage and take charge of their case, You, the Most
Merciful, the Most Compassionate!
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O Allah! You, Who sent down the angels on the Day of Badr and dispersed Al
Ahzāb3on the Day of Al Khandaq (the Trench)! Grant victory to the Mujahideen in
Your cause in the Sham in general and in Homs in particular! O Allah! Lift the siege
around them, spare their blood, reassure them, preserve their dignity and honour,
bring them closer together, feed the hungry among them, strengthen their stamina, and
grant them power and victory over their oppressors!
O Allah! Set right their conditions, unite them around righteousness, and protect them
against the evil doers among them! O Allah! Suppress their enemy! O Allah!
Suppress their enemy! O Allah! Defeat the tyrants and oppressors and those who side
with them! O Allah! Defeat the tyrants and oppressors and those who side with them!
O Allah!The Revealer of The Book (The Holy Qur'ān), the Runner of the clouds,
and the Defeater of Al Ahzāb (the Confederates)! Defeat the oppressors, shake the
ground from underneath them and grant victory to our brothers in faith over them!
O Allah! Liberate Al Aqsa Mosque from the oppressors’ injustice and the occupiers’
aggression! O Allah! Improve the conditions of our Muslim brothers in Egypt and
everywhere! O Allah! Improve the conditions of our Muslim brothers in Egypt and
everywhere! O Allah! Bring them close together on the path of righteousness and
guidance! O Allah! Set right their conditions, and protect them against the evil doers
among them! O You the Ever-Living, the Eternal Guardian, the Lord of Majesty and
Bounty!
O Allah! Guide our leader, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to do whatever
you love and accept! O Allah! Guide him to piety and righteousness! O Allah! Impart
on him health and well-being! O Allah! Impart to him well-being! O Allah! Keep
3Al-Ahzab ( الأحزاب ) (The Confederates, The Clans, The Coalition, The Combined Forces) is the 33rd
surah(Chapter) of theQur’ān with 73 ayats (Verses).Here, Al-Ahzabrefers to the people who gathered
to fight the Prophet () and his Islamic Da’wah in Madina. But Allah’s Power and Mercyfor His devout
believersdispersed the various tribes who attacked Medina on the Day of Al-Khandaqand made them
leave.
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him in good health! O Allah! Grant him, his Crown Prince, their brothers and
assistants success to do what is good for the people and the country!
O Allah! Grant success to all the leaders of Muslims in order to govern by Your
Sharia and follow the sunnahof Your Prophet ()! O Allah! Make them merciful to
Your true servants!
O Allah! Make safe and prosperous our country and all Muslim countries around
the world! O Allah! Protect us against the evil of wrongdoers and the maliciousness of
the lecherous and the evil of those plotting to carry it out by day or night!
… Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the
Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of
the Fire! [Al-Baqarah: 201]! Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our
transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet
firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk. [Al Omran:
147]
O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our flaws, make easy our affairs and make come true
our wishes in what pleases You! O Allah! Forgive our sins, those of our parents, our
grandparents, our wives and children, You are All-Hearing! O Allah! We ask You to
be pleased with us and to grant us Your paradise, and we seek refuge in You against
Your wrath and hell fire!
O Allah! Help us reach Ramadan! O Allah! Help us reach Ramadanand guide us
to do good throughout it and do accept our good deeds, You the most Generous!
O our Lord! Accept from us, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing! Accept
our repentance; You are the Relenting, the Merciful!
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Glorified be our Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! He is free from what they
attribute unto Him! Peace be on the Messengers! And all the praises and thanks be to
Allâh, Lord of the ‘Al`alamîn(mankind, jinn and all that exists)!
Ramadan: The Month of Sacrifices
His Eminence Sheikh Osama Khayyat –may Allah protect him– delivered this Friday
Khutbah titled “Ramadan: The Month of Sacrifices”, in which he talked about the Month of
Ramadan as well as the bountiful favours and the great rewards Allah has reserved for His
servants. The Sheikh equally reminded his congregation that fast involves many sacrifices:in
fast per se, in nightprayer, in expenditure for the sake of Allah, and so on.
Part One
Praise be to Allah Who ordained that fast must be observed by Muslims. I praise Allah
()for His abundant favours and great bounties. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of
worship save Allah alone without associate, the Sovereign, the Intrinsically Holy, and the
Granter of Peace and Concord; and I bear witness that our Master and Prophet Muhammad
() is Allah’s Servant and Messenger, whose sanctified basin will be visited by the residents
of Paradise (to quench their thirst) and whose rank is distinctly superior (to that of all
creatures). O Allah! Send Your permanent Salât(Graces, Honours, and Mercy) and Peace onto
Your Servant and Messenger, Muhammad (), and his family as long as days and nights
alternate.
Servants of Allah! Observe taǭwa of Allah:And be afraid of the Day when you
shall be brought back to Allâh. Then every person shall be paid what he
earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.[Al-Baqara: 281]
Servants of Allah! The inherent need in man to discipline the self on righteousness and
truth in order to attain self-control, restraint and containment has prompted for nations around
the world a formal approach devising methods and plans that have long been adopted,
approved and trusted. Muslims, however, find in the religious obligation of fasting during the
month of Ramadan the cherished goal in this respect as it offers them the greatest motive to
withstand the hardships of life through the innumerable sacrifices they set forth in terms of
physical endurance as well as personal desires.
Translated by Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn SaudIslamicUniversity.
In reality, fasting is weaning oneself off the permitted pleasures and
delights,compellingoneself to endure the pain of hunger and the rage of thirst, controlling
oneself from grumbling,from feeling discontented, or showing any type of conduct which is
likely to spoil one’s fast or decrease its divine reward. This act of weaning oneself involves a
number of sacrifices by the fasting Muslimforthe purpose of pleasing Allah and showing faith
in His promise of anample reward and a generous recompense.
During the day, the fastingMuslim sacrificesthe consumption of food and beverages as well as
sexual intercourse with one’s spouse, andat night, he/shesacrifices the pleasure of sleep and
physical rest byqiyām (night prayer). This requirespatience and effortto recite the Holy Qur’ān
and stand up long in night prayer, particularly during the last ten nights in whichthosedevout
night worshipperslook forward to the Night of Al- Ǭadr (Night of Power), “which is better in
reward than a thousand months”1.
Besides, if the fasting MuslimspendssometimemakingI’tikāf2, he will have had anampleshare
ofsacrifices.
O servants of Allah! Forms of sacrifice in Ramadan are limitless. Just as sacrifice can take
the form of relinquishing physical comfort through keeping the body off the sources of
pleasure and weaning it off permitted desires, it can also manifest itself in sacrificing wealth
(money and all forms of property), which the human self lovesverymuch. Such love of wealth
is still takingpossessionofitand is so deeply embedded in itthat it goes ontilldeath. Allah
()says: And you love wealth with much love.[Al-Fajr: 20]
Al-Bukhary and Muslim reported in their authentic books of Hadith through Abu Hurairah
() that the Messenger of Allah () said:"The son of Adam grows up, and with him grow
two things: the love of wealth and long life."
This attachment to wealth is visible in man’s persistent search for acquiring it and his
reluctance to spend it (out of meanness). In fact, man can only be satisfied when he spends it
in return for something with a greater profitor something yielding morerevenue.
1 This italicized clause is borrowed from surat Al-Qadr (97), verse (3) of the Holy Qur’ān.
2 It is an Islamic practice consisting of a period of retreat in a mosque for a certain number of days (depending
on the believer's own wish) to worship Allah. It is most common during the month ofRamadan, especially the
last ten days.
Translated by Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn SaudIslamicUniversity.
Among the great and admirable effects of fasting we find the refinement of emotions and
the softening of hearts. Such refinement would transform the nature of human feelings from
the restrictions of individualism to the larger horizon of altruism which urges the individual to
feel soft on other people and to discover how much they are in need of his charitable acts.
Therefore, he voluntarily proceeds to donate part of his money or other forms of property to
the needy, with the certitude that Allah will generously grant him a bountiful recompense and
will give him in return for his open-handedness an even more profitable, advantageous, and
rewarding substitute.
O servants of Allah! Offering food to fasting Muslims is one type of sacrifice which is
manifest in spending on charitable acts in the hope of gaining Allah’s satisfaction and
obtaining His munificent reward, as is confirmed by Prophet Muhammad ()when he said,
“Whoever feeds a faster shall gain as much recompense as the latter will obtain, without
ever diminishing the reward gained by the faster himself.” This Hadith has been reported by
Imam Ahmed in his Musnad(a Hadith Book)and by Imam Tirmithi as well as Imam IbnMajeh
in their respective Sunan(Hadith Books) via an authentic narration chain reaching its initial
narrator ZaidIbnKhaled ().
Feeding fasters, however, is not the exclusive domain of sacrifice in Ramadan. In reality,
there are numerous ways of sacrificing, for Ramadan is a racing track where Muslims
compete for obtaining promised divine recompense and bounteous reward. The
sacrificesmade by fasters who relinquish part of their body energy and wealth in obedience to
Allah’s command and in quest for gaining divine satisfaction will definitely gratify the
Generous Lord.
Indeed, as is confirmed in the Qudsi Hadith (sacred narration of Allah’s revealed message
in the Prophet’s [] words), Allah has reserved unimaginable multiplied reward for such
sacrificesmade by fasters: “All human deeds are equitably rewarded: a good deed is
rewarded tenfold up to seven hundred times except fast. It is exclusive, as I alone will
determine its reward!” This Hadith was reported by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim in their
Sahih Books. The wording here is thatofSahih Al-Bukharias narrated by Abu Huraira ().
O servants of Allah! As is affirmed by Muslim scholars, the rationale behind leaving the
reward for fast unspecified and boundless is the fact that fast represents a category of patience
with multifarious manifestations. In relation to rewarding perseverant people, Allah actually
said: Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without
Translated by Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn SaudIslamicUniversity.
reckoning.[Az-Zumar: 10]; that is to say, divine reward will be boundlessly multiplied and
recompense will have no ceiling.
Prophet Muhammad ()described Ramadan as “the month of patience”. He said, “Fasting
the month of patience [i.e. Ramadan] followed by three days from each [lunar] month
equals fasting for one’s lifetime.” This Hadith was reported by An-Nassa’î via an authentic
chain of narration reaching Abu Huraira (). This is a further reward supplementing the
initial one. It is exclusive to fasters and nobody else will ever share such privilege with them.
In anotherHadith reported by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim in their Sahih Books and
narrated by Abu Huraira (), Prophet Muhammad ()said, “There is in Paradise a gate
called Ar-Rayyen; it is exclusively used by fasters for entry and nobody else will use it. As
soon as they get in, the door will be closed and no one else will gain access afterwards.”
All of this makes fasting during the month of Ramadan special, immeasurably and
indefinitely rewarding and valuable.
Blessed be those who have learned from their experience of sacrifice during the month of
Ramadan the most appropriate way of living and the best of morals that are to be followed for
the rest of their lives! Blessed be those who have sacrificed their own efforts and wealth for
the sake of pleasing Allah, and following the example of His Messenger () as well as his
Companions after him; those who had, along the path of sacrifice, the greatest experiences,
the most significant lessons and the most fascinating effects.
May Allah benefit you and me with His Book's guidance, the Sunnah of His Prophet ()!
Having said this, I pray Allah, the Almighty, the Exalted to forgive my sins, yours and those
of all Muslims; He is truly Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful!
Part Two
Praise be to Allah! We thank Him, seek His assistance, and repent to Him. We also have
recourse to Him against the evil in ourselves and the wickedness of our deeds. Whoever Allah
chooses to guide to the right path may never be misguided and whoever goes astray shall find
Translated by Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn SaudIslamicUniversity.
no guide to help him. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah Who has no partner and
that Muhammad () is Allah’s Servant and Messenger. O Allah! Send Your Salat (Graces,
Honours, Mercy) and Peace on Your Servant and Messenger, Muhammad!
Now then, O servants of Allah!
All the sacrifices invested by the fasting Muslim including the fast itself, the night praying,
the giving and any other deeds meant to invoke Allah’s satisfaction and reward prompt utmost
prudence against any wrong-doings that would degrade the outcome thereof and lead to
wastage of effort and loss of reward. Many are those who reap from their fasting nothing but
hunger and thirst, and many are those who earn from their night praying nothing but fatigue
and exhaustion, as reported by the Prophet of guidance () in his Hadith that was reported by
Al Nasai3 in his "As-Sunan al-Kubra" and by IbnMajah4 (the words are his) as authentic text
from the Hadithof Abu Hurairah ().
As Muslim scholars have pointed out, fasting has a sanctity that must be observed and
maintained against desecration by trivial talk, falsity, lying, swearing, cursing and quarreling.
To this effect, the Messenger of Allah () said: “If one does not eschew lies and false
conduct, Allah has no need that he should abstain from food and drink.” (Reported by Al
Bukhari in his Sahih on the authority of Abu Hurairah).
Fear Allah, then, O servants of Allah! Beware of wasting your sacrifices by neglecting
Allah’s commands or violating His sanctities.
Send your salat and peace on the Seal of the Messengers of Allah as you have been ordered to
do so in His Book (the Holy Qur'ān) thus: Allâh sends His Salât (Graces, Honours,
Blessings, Mercy) on the Prophet (Muhammad صلى لله علیھ وسلم ), and also His
3Al-Nasā'ī (214 – 303 AH / ca. 829 – 915 AD/CE) whose full name is AḥmadibnShu`aybibnAlīibnSīnānAbū
`AbdAr-Raḥmān Al-Nasā'ī, was a noted collector of hadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad). and wrote one of
the six canonical hadith collections recognized by Sunni Muslims, Al-Sunan Al-Sughra, or "Al-Mujtaba", which
he selected from his "As-Sunan Al-Kubra".
4 IbnMājah was a medieval scholar of hadith. He compiled the last of the six canonical hadith collections known
as SunanIbnMājah.
Translated by Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn SaudIslamicUniversity.
angels (ask Allâh to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your
Salât on (ask Allâh to bless) him (Muhammad صلى لله علیھ وسلم ), and (you
should) greet (salute) him with the Islâmic way of greeting (salutation i.e.
As-Salâmu ‘Alaikum). [Al-Ahzāb: 56]
O Allah! Send Your Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy) and Peace upon Your Servant and
Messenger Muhammad ()! Be pleased with the four Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman and
Ali, with the Prophet’s family, Companions, the tabi'in(contemporaries of the Companions of
the Prophet after his death), and those who follow them righteously until the Day of
Resurrection! O Allah! Be also pleased with us all, along with them, by Your Pardon,
Generosity and Bounty, O You, the Most Forgiving of all!
O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims! O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims! O
Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims! Protect the unity of Your Religion! Destroy the
enemies of religion and all tyrants and corrupters! Unite the hearts of Muslims, unify them,
guide their leaders and unite their word around the Truth, O You, Lord of al-'ālamîn(the
Worlds)!
O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnahof Your Prophet
Muhammad () and Your truly-believing servants!
O Allah! Grant us security in our homelands, make good our leaders and those responsible
for our affairs, support with truth our Imam and leader, provide him with righteous retinue and
guide him to do whatever you love and accept! O You, All-Hearing of our prayers! O Allah!
Guide him, his Crown Prince and his brothers to do what is good for Islam and Muslims, for
the country and for the people, O You, to Whom people shall return on the Day of
Resurrection!
Translated by Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn SaudIslamicUniversity.
O Allah! Grant our souls piety and purify them; You are the best Who Purifies them!
O Allah! Make good all our last deeds (just before we die)! Save us from the disgrace of this
Worldly life and the punishment of the Hereafter!
O Allah! Make better our religion which is our bond, and make better our Dunya (life in
this world) which is the source of our living, and make better our Hereafter to which we are
returning, and make life an increase of everything that is good, and death a relief from every
evil!
O Allah! We ask You to guide us to do good deeds, forsake reprehensible actions and love the
needy! O Allah! We ask You to forgive us and have mercy upon us! O Allah! If You want to
send an affliction on a nation, please make us die before your affliction was sent!
O Allah! Save us from the evil of Fitnahs5! O Allah! Save us from the evil of Fitnahs! O
Allah! Save us from the evil of Fitnahs, those of them which are apparent and those which are
concealed, in this country in particular and in all the Muslim countries, in general, O Lord of
al-'ālamîn(the Worlds)!
O Allah! Protect us against Your enemies and ours in any way that pleases You, O Lord
of al-'ālamîn(the Worlds)! O Allah! Protect us against Your enemies and ours in any way that
pleases You, O Lord of al-'ālamîn! O Allah! Protect us against Your enemies and ours in any
way that pleases You, O Lord of al-'ālamîn!O Allah! We leave Your enemies and ours to You
5It is the plural of fitnah ( فتنة ), but the Arabic plural is fitan ( فتن ). The word fitnah comes from an Arabic verb
which means to "seduce, tempt, or lure." There are many shades of meaning, mostly referring to a feeling of
disorder or unrest.Variations of the word fitna are found throughout the Holy Qur'ān to describe the trials and
temptations that may face the believers. The term has also been used to describe divisions which occurred in
the early years of the Muslim Ummah.In modern usage, it is used to describe forces that cause controversy,
fragmentation, scandal, chaos, or discord within the Muslim Ummah, disturbing social peace and order.
Translated by Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn SaudIslamicUniversity.
(to deal with them) and seek refuge in You from their evils! We leave Your enemies and ours
to You and seek refuge in You from their evils!
O Allah! Do accept from us our fasting and night praying, and guide us to do whatever
pleases You in this great and blessed month! O Lord of al-'ālamîn!
O Allah! Cure those of us who are sick! O Allah! Bless the souls of those of us who are dead!
O Allah! Fulfill our hopes in accordance with Your pleasure and make our last deeds good
ones!
O Allah! We seek refuge in You against the vanishing of Your blessing, the change in the
good health you granted us, the suddenness of Your vengeance, and all kinds of Your wrath!
O Allah! Protect Muslims wherever they may be! Protect them in Egypt, Syria, Palestine,
Burma, Bahrain, Iraq, Yemen and everywhere in the world and save us and them from the evil
of Fitnahs! O Allah! Save us and them from the evil of Fitnahs! O Allah! Save us and them
from the evil of Fitnahs!
Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and
bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers.[Al
Aaraf: 23]
Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the
Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the
Fire! [Al-Baqarah: 201]
