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http://islaam.com/ramadan/advice_to_muslims.htm
Few introductory and complementary notes by the translator:
1.
Ramadan is an auspicious opportunity for believers to renew
their commitment to their Creator and the Sovereign of the Day
of Recompense. This commitment must be both outward and inward,
so that a Muslim not only recites more Qur'an and offers more
units of prayer, but that she or he does so with reflection,
humility and attentiveness.
2.
Muslims must ensure they are not formalists who concentrate only
on the outward.
Achieving Allah's acceptance must be a believer's priority and
is not easy.
"Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous [who fear him- al
muttaqoon]." [Qur'an 5:27]
3.
Ramadan is a wonderful opportunity for accounting of one's sins
and making repentance.
If one does not repent in Ramadan, when will he or she do
so?
4.
Muslims should strive to worship Allah as best as they can from
the beginning of the month, for
that increases chances of the end of the month being good as
well.
5.
Muslims should consider what is it that they truly want to
achieve in Ramadan, whether they want to be from the winners or
from the losers, and should make sure they do not perform acts
of worship simply because it is the surrounding people's custom
to do so.
6.
Muslims must be firmly aware that Ramadan is only a means and
not an end.
Advice to Muslims in Ramadan
From the book "Khulasatul Kalam" by Shaykh Jaarullah.
Brother Muslim, Sister Muslima:
1.
Fast Ramadan with belief and truly seeking the reward of Allah
the Most High so that He may forgive you your past sins.
2.
Beware of breaking your fast during the days of Ramadan without
a valid Islamic excuse, for it is from the greatest of sins.
3.
Pray Salat ut-Tarawih and the night prayer during the nights of
Ramadan - especially on Layatul-Qadr - based on belief and truly
seeking the reward of Allah, so that Allah may forgive you your
past sins.
4.
Make sure that your food, your drink and your clothing are from
halal means, in order that your actions are accepted, and your
supplications answered.
Beware of refraining from the halal while fasting and
breaking your fast with the haram.
5.
Give food to some
fasting people to gain a reward similar to theirs.
6.
Perform your five prayers on time in congregation to gain the
reward and Allah's protection.
7.
Give a lot of charity for the best charity is that of Ramadan.
8.
Beware of spending your time without performing righteous deeds,
for you will be responsible and reckoned for it and will be
rewarded for all you do during your time.
9.
Perform `umrah in Ramadan for `Umrah in Ramadan is equal to
Hajj.
10.
Seek help for fasting during the day by eating the sahoor meal
in the last part of the night before the appearance of Fajr.
11.
Hasten breaking your fast after the sun has truly set in order
to gain the love of Allah.
12.
Perform ghusl before fajr if you need to purify yourself from
the state of major impurity so that you are able to do acts of
worship in a state of purity and cleanliness.
13.
Cease the opportunity of being in Ramadan and spend it with the
good that has been revealed in it - by reciting the noble Qur'an
and pondering and reflection of its meanings so that it be a
proof for you with your Lord and an intercessor for you on the
Day of Reckoning.
14.
Preserve your tongue from lying, cursing, backbiting and slander
for it decreases the reward of fasting.
15.
Do not let fasting causes you cross your boundaries by getting
upset due to the slightest of reasons.
Rather, fating should be a cause of peacefulness and
tranquility of your soul.
16.
Upon completion of fasting, be in a state of taqwa of Allah the
Most High, being aware
of Allah watching you in secret and in public, in thankfulness
for His favors, and steadfastness upon obedience of Allah by
doing all what He has ordered and shunning all that He has
prohibited.
17.
Increase in remembrance of Allah, seeking of forgiveness, asking
for Paradise and protection against the Fire, especially when
fasting, while breaking the fast and during suhoor, for these
actions are among greatest causes of attaining Allah's
forgiveness.
18.
Increase in supplication for yourself, your parents, your
children and Muslims, for Allah has ordered making of
supplications and has guaranteed acceptance.
19.
Repent to Allah with a sincere repentance in all times by
leaving sins, regretting those that you have done before and
firmly deciding not to return to them in the future, for Allah
accepts repentance of those who repent.
20.
Fast six days of Shawwal, for whoever fasts Ramadan and then
follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasts all
the time.
21.
Fast on the Day of `Arafah, the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, to attain
success by being forgiven your sins of the last year and the
coming year.
22.
Fast on the day of `Aashuraa', the 10th of Muharram, along with
the 9th, to attain success by being forgiven your sins of the
past year.
23.
Continue being in a state of iman and taqwa and perform
righteous actions after the month of Ramadhan, until you die.
"And worship your Lord
until there comes to you the certainty (i.e. death)". [Qur'an
15:99]
24.
Ensure that you attain the positive effects of your acts of
worship such as prayer, fasting, zakat and hajj, sincere
repentance and leaving of customs that are in variance with the
Sharee`ah.
25.
Invoke a lot of salawat and salam upon the Messenger of Allah,
may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him, his Companions and
all those who follow
them until the Day of Judgment.
O Allah makes us and all Muslims of those who fast and
stand in prayer during the month of Ramadan based on belief and
truly seeking Your reward so that we are forgiven our past and
future sins.
O Allah make us of those who fasted the month, attained full
reward, witnessed Layatul-Qadr and attained success by
permission of the Lord, Blessed and Most High.
O Allah, verily you are Forgiver, like to forgive, so forgive
us.
O Lord, accept from us, verily you are the All-Hearing,
all-Seeing, O Living, O Independent, O Owner of all majesty and
honor.
And may Allah's blessings and peace be upon Muhammad, his family
and his Companions.
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