Fellow Muslims, Ramadan the month of repentance has started, the month of staying away from luxury and disciplining the self to leave what it desires. It is the month where the soul is purified, Qur’an is recited, one stays up at night praying, and does more good deeds. Fellow Muslims, rush to spend your times and breaths in obedience to Allah.
When Fajr is in, start your day by making dhikr, and say
بسم الله الذي لا يضر مع اسمه شيء في الأرض ولا في السماء وهو السميع العليم
Say it 3x in the morning and at night; it was mentioned from our beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that the one who says it three times will not be harmed. Then, my dear brother, say the تحصين (protection) statements that were mentioned by the Prophet and because, if Allah willed, you will be protected from the harm of humans and jinn.
Then pray Fajr in jama^ah; the Prophet, may peace be upon him, said, as narrated by Imam Muslim, that the one who prays ^Isha’ in jama^ah then it’s as if one stayed up worshipping Allah half the night, and the one who prays Fajr in jama^ah then it’s as if one stayed up worshipping Allah all night. Be among those who partake in the morning sessions dedicated for Qur’an recitation, since Ramadan is the month of Qur’an. Attend the circles of obligatory knowledge given by trustworthy teachers. It was narrated from Abu Dhar that the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام addressed him saying what means, “O Abu Dhar to go learn an ayah is better for you than praying 100 optional rak^ahs and to go learn a chapter of religious knowledge is better for you than praying 1000 optional rak^ahs.” So, do not let this great blessing pass you especially in this honorable month.
Afterwards, when you go to your worldly job, remember to have a good intention so that you will get reward, and so it will not be a waste of your breath. Fear Allah during your work, do not lie or cheat and abide by the saying of the best of creation, “Fasting provides protection; so if one among you is fasting let him not curse. If someone curses or fights him then let him say I am fasting, I am fasting.”
These are the manners that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ordered us with. So adhere to the good manners. In Ramadan, the doors of paradise are opened, the doors of Hellfire are closed and devils are enchained. Don’t dare curse or damn other Muslims, falsely excusing such behavior with fasting. Be God-fearing! By diligently performing acts of obedience, times will be pleasurable, Allah will make easy for you the pain of hunger and thirst and time will pass quickly. Then head to the mosque after work; make sure to take someone with you to attend the session of religious knowledge. This way your reward will increase and you will gain more good deeds. Go with your neighbor, friend, or son to perform the prayer and enjoy hearing a class from the mouths of trustworthy teachers who have learned from reliable sources. By doing so, you will know how to obey Allah and you will prepare for the everlasting hereafter.
After class, go home and teach your family what you have learned. The Prophet said, as narrated by al-Bukhariyy and others, “Convey from me to others even the meaning of one ‘ayah.” If the members of your household need help, then rush to offer a helping hand. Be an aide to them and offer kind words. Decrease from their pain and remember that the Prophet said what means, “The best amongst you are those who treat their wives the best, and I am the best in treating my wives.”
And how beautiful of a habit it is to give from your food and drink to your poor neighbor or to share with someone you know who is in need, seeking reward from Allah. In this way, you would provide food for the one who doesn’t find anything to break his fast on, and you would gain the reward that the Prophet promised when he said, “The one who gives the fasting person what to break his fast on will have a similar reward (to the fasting person) without the fasting person’s reward decreasing.” Of course this does not mean the same reward from all aspects because the one fasting Ramadan is doing an obligation and the one who gave him food is doing an optional deed; the optional deed is not equivalent to the obligatory.
Once you are sure that Maghrib time is in either by observing sunset or hearing the adhan of a trustworthy Muslim who relies on observation, rush to break your fast because of the prophet’s hadith that means, “People remain in a good state so long as they rush to break their fast (after making sure the time is in). and say:
Break your fast on dates, if you do not find them, then on water. Pray Maghrib, and then after finishing your meal head to the mosque with energy to pray ^Isha’ and the nightly optional prayers of Ramadan. Recite al-Qur’an and be sure not to waste your time on TV, switching from channel to another with no benefit; resulting in you staying up late and waking up late for no benefit. Rather go to bed after the prayers, and say
اللهم باسمك أموت وأحيا
This will give you strength to wake up before Fajr to pray, recite Qur’an, and eat suhur. Al-Bukhariyy narrated from the Prophet that he said, “There is blessing in suhur.”
Here, let me remind you of the intention, which is one of the integrals of fasting. Its time is before Fajr; the person would say for example, in his heart, “I intend to fast tomorrow from the month of Ramadan this year seeking the reward from Allah.”
And know, fellow Muslims, that any night of Ramadan can be the night of Qadr, so do many prayers and recite a lot of Qur’an every night of Ramadan, especially in the last ten nights. Because the reward of worship in the night of Qadr is more than the reward of worships in 1000 months.
Do not make Ramadan a time for eating a lot of varieties of food in large quantities. The Prophet warned one of his companions of luxury telling them that the slaves of Allah (meaning the good ones) do not make a habit of living in luxury.
Be careful especially of wasting your time in the social gatherings at night where sins are committed. Avoid such places and advise others to do the same. Instead, visit your relatives with a good intention, a rewardable deed that one will find its benefit in the hereafter.
O Allah we ask You by the high status of the Prophet, the one whom clouds followed to provide him shade, help us pray at night, fast during the day, and maintain ties with the kin. May Allah forgive us and end our lives on Islam.