Sunday, August 4, 2013

The month of Ramadhan is leaving us – Advice by Shaykh Uthaymeen

ash-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah) said:
إخواني: إن شهرَ رمضانَ قَرُبَ رحيلُه وأزِفَ تحويلُه، وإنه شاهدٌ لكم أو عليكم بما أودعتموه من الأعمال، فمن أودعه عملاً صالحاً فليحمد الله على ذلك وليبْشِر بِحُسْنِ الثوابِ، فإن الله لا يضيعُ أجرَ مَنْ أحسنَ عملاً، ومن أودَعه عملاً سيئاً فَليتُبْ إلى ربِّه توبةً نصوحاً، فإن الله يتوبُ على من تاب
“My brothers: The month of Ramadhan is leaving us, and it is either a witness for you or against you. So whoever ends the month and he did good, then let them praise Allah for that and have glad tidings of much reward, for indeed Allah does not lose the reward of a person who did good.
As for the person who did evil acts, then let them repent to his Lord a sincere repentance, for indeed Allah forgives for whoever repents.”
Source: “Majaalis Shahr Ramadan” of Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen, page 169
My brothers and sisters, we still have very few and limited days left in this blessed month. Do not waste the hours of these days and nights my dear brothers and sisters. For we do not know, perhaps this time will never come again, for thespoiler of pleasures, i.e., death, which must come to all men, may come and snatch us and our life will end; then we will feel regret at the time when regret will be of no avail.
It is more likely that you can still get the night of Laylatul Qadr in the remaining days left, Insha’Allaah.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that a man among the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was shown Laytal al-Qadr in a dream, and that it was one of the last seven nights. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It seems that your dreams agreed that it is one of the last seven nights, so whoever wants to seek it, let him seek it in the last seven nights.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1911; Muslim, 1165]
Remember my dear brothers and sisters that Laylatul-Qadr is greater than 1000 months. So exert yourselves and strive in seeking this night, and do not be heedless.
ash-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah) said:
فإنَّها فرصةُ الْعُمرِ وغنيمةُ لمنْ وفَّقه الله عز وجل، فلا ينبغي للمؤمن العاقلِ أنْ يُفَوِّت هذه الفرصةَ الثمينةَ على نفسِه وأهلِه، فما هي إلاَّ ليَالٍ معدودةٌ ربَّمَا يدركُ الإِنسانُ فيها نفحةً من نَفَحَاتِ المَوْلَى فتكونُ سعادةً له في الدنيا والآخرةِ،
وإنه لمِنَ الحرمانِ العظيمِ والخسارةِ الفادحةِ أنْ تَرى كثيراً مِنَ المسلمينَ يُمْضُون هذه الأوقاتَ الثمينة فيما لا ينفعُهم، يَسْهَرُونَ مُعْظَمَ الليلِ في اللهوِ الباطلِ، فإذا جاء وقتُ القيام نامُوا عنه وفوَّتوا على أنفسهم خيراً كثيراً لعَلَّهُمْ لا يَدركونَه بعد عامِهم هَذَا أبَداً، وهذا من تلاعُبِ الشيطانِ بِهم ومَكْرهِ بهم وصَدِّهِ إياهُم عن سبيلِ الله وإغْوائِهِ لهم،
قال الله تعالى: {إِنَّ عِبَادِي لَيْسَ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانٌ إِلَّا مَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ الْغَاوِينَ} والعاقلُ لا يتخذُ الشيطانَ ولِيّاً من دَونِ الله مع عِلْمِهِ بَعَدَاوَتِهِ لَهُ؛ فإنَّ ذَلِكَ مُنَافٍ للعقل والإِيمانِ قَالَ الله تعالى: {أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِنْ دُونِي وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ بِئْسَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ بَدَلًا} وقال تعالى: {إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّا إِنَّمَا يَدْعُو حِزْبَهُ لِيَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ}
“It is a lifetime opportunity and an advantage to those granted by Allaah, the Exalted. So it is not acceptable for any sane Muslim to pass this great opportunity for himself and his family, because it is only a few nights. Maybe a person will be happy in this life and the hereafter because of this one night (i.e. the night of Laylatul Qadr).
And from the huge depravations and losses is that you see some Muslims wasting their time in useless matters on this valuable night, and when it is time to pray they fall asleep. They have missed a great deal of good, and there is no guarantee they will have this chance again. This is from the tricks of Shaytan who forces them and hinders them from the path of Allaah and temp them.
Allaah the Almighty says: {Certainly, you shall have no authority over My slaves, except those who follow you of the Ghawin (Mushrikun and those who go astray, criminals, polytheists, and evil-doers, etc.)} [Qur’an Surah al-Hijr 15:42]
The wise person would not take the Shaytan as an ally, knowing how much Shaytan hates us, and this goes against logic and Eeman.
Allaah the Almighty says: {Will you then take him (Iblis) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you? What an evil is the exchange for the Zalimun (polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc)} [Qur’an Surah al-Kahf 18:50] and {Surely, Shaitan (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire} [Qur’an Surah Fatir 35:6]“
Source: “Majaalis Shahr Ramadan” of Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen, pages 116-117.
Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Saalih al- Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah)* said:
فهذه ليلة عظيمة اختارها الله تعالى لبدء تنزيل القرآن، وعلى المسلم أن يعرف قدرها، ويحييها إيماناً وطمعاً في ثواب الله تعالى، لعل الله عز وجل أن يغفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه. وقد حذّر النبي من الغفلة عن هذه الليلة وإهمال إحيائها لئلا يحرم المسلم من خيرها،
فعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله : “أتاكم رمضان شهر مبارك فرض الله عز وجل عليكم صيامه، تفتح فيه أبواب السماء، وتغلق فيه أبواب الجحيم، وتغلّ فيه مردة الشياطين، لله فيه ليلة خير من ألف شهر من حرم خيرها فقد حرم”.
“Thus, this (the night of Laylatul Qadr) is a grand night, which Allaah has chosen for beginning the revelation of the Qur’aan. So the Muslim must acknowledge its weight in worth, by guarding it and spending it in worship whilst having firm conviction and seeking the reward of Allaah, in order that Allaah may forgive all of his previous sins. This is why the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) warned us about being heedless of this night and being neglectful of spending it in worship, for the Muslim would be prevented from its good.
Abu Hurairah (radi-Allaahu ‘anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:
“Ramadaan has come to you – a blessed month. Allaah has made it obligatory upon you to fast in it. During this month, the gates of heaven are open, the gates of the Hellfire are closed and the evil devils are chained. To Allaah belongs a night in it, which is better than a thousand months. Whoever is prevented from its good, then he has been deprived.”" [1]
Source: ”Ahaadeeth as-Siyaam: Ahkaam wa Adaab”, page 96
Oh Allah, make us from those who make the most out of this Ramadhan, and become successful from our worship on Laylatul-Qadr.
Footnotes:
[1] This hadeeth is reported by Ahmad and An-Nasaa’ee. See Ahmad Shaakir’s checking of the Musnad (no. 7148) and Saheeh At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb of Al-Albaanee (1/490) as well as Tamaam-ul-Mannah (395).
* Note: He is Shaykh Abdullah bin Saalih bin Abdullaah bin Fawzaan bin Ali al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) and not the famous ash-Shaykh Dr. Saalih ibn Fawzaan ibn ‘Abdullaah al-Fawzaan. They are two different person.
Shaykh Abdullaah ibn Saalih al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) was born in 1368 in Qasseem in Saudi Arabia and up until 1425 he was a teacher at Muhammad ibn Saud branch in Qasseem. He isn’t just well known for Fiqh, but also grammar and Usul. He has one of the most commonly used explanation for “Al-Waraqat fi Usul Al-fiqh and an explanation for Qatrun Nada. What’s more, the scholars have praised his explanation for Bulughul Maram. It totals 9 volumes. And is an explanation which deals with Takhreej and Fiqh.

No comments:

Post a Comment