How to Win Ramadan

To win the most beautiful Ramadan, you should observe the following;

-        Cultivate sincerity into our hearts before Ramadan starts, and intend to make it heavy in our Mizan (the Scales for weighing deeds), and insist decisively on that.

-        Increase the acts of obedience and worship to a degree exhausts us. This is not contradicting the Hadiths of facilitation, like what was narrated by Abu-Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (PBUH) who said: (Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings, the nights[1].)

This is because we talk about one month during the whole year, and many Hadiths related prompting to increase obedience at Ramadan in general and at some certain times of it in particular. `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: (The Prophet “PBUH” used to exert effort in worship during the last ten days of Ramadan more than any other days[2]).

-        Moreover, the Prophet (PBUH) used to worship Allah during the whole year until he got fatigued. It is sufficient to recall the standing in prayers at night for the prophet (PBUH) in the Quran which reads: (Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muúammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you.), Al-Muzamil, 20.

Also, `Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) related that the Prophet (PBUH) used to stand in night prayers until his feet swollen. `Aisha asked the prophet: why do you do that though Allah forgave your sins, the past and the future ones? The Prophet (PBUH) replied to her: "should I not be a thankful slave!”.

When the Prophet got fat, he used to perform prayers while sitting, when he was to knee, he would stand and read, then he knees[3].

In this way, the Prophet used to pray at night even when aged, he was to pray sitting, but never the prophet abandoned the night prayer.

We should put together this verse and that Hadith with the Hadith “Religion is very easy” to understand the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH).

Seeking renewal and  target goals not identified before.

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[1] Al-Bukhari, book “Al-Eman-faith”, chapter “Ad-Din Yusr- religion is easy” 39, An-Nasaei11765 and ibn Hebban 351. 

[2] Muslim, book “I`tikaf (seclusion for worship in a Masjid), chapter “exerting effort during the last ten days of Ramadan” 1175, At-Tirmidhi 796, An-Nasai 3390, ibn Majah 1767 and Ahmad 26231.  

[3] Al-Bukhari, book “At-Tafsir”, chapter “Al-Fat-h”, 4557 and the wording is of Al-Bukhari. Muslim, book “Sifat Al-Munafiqin wa Ahkamihim- characteristics and rulings of hypocrites”, chapter “ increasing good deeds and diligence in worship” 2820.