O People of Ramadan, you should know that your Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was very keen on disagreeing with other nations regarding the laws of your religion. In this month, he, peace and blessings be upon him, used to draw the attention of the nation to the necessity of adhering firmly to the cohesive religion that dominated all beliefs preceded it and forbid imitating the Jews and Christians in any matter they are distinguished by.

Contemplate well the statement of your Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: “The people will continue to do well so long as they hasten to break the fast because the Jews and Christians delay it.” [Reported by Abu Daawood and the wording is for him] (1).

Contemplate such detachment even in the matter of food. This is not meant for itself but for one of the great purposes of Sharee‘ah (Islamic divine laws) that many of you take it lightly which is the superiority and distinguishing of this nation over all other nation. This makes it independent in all fields whether it is related to religion, economy, politics, morals or the like. This is what the Jews observed and is annoyed with when they said: “What is the matter with this man He would not hear of any of our practices, but would defy it!” (2).

After all such honoring, O Islamic nation, how do you accept to imitate everything that the people of misguidance do? You imitate the non-Muslims even if regarding the matters that imply clear error and misguidance.

Your women became madly in love of the ways and traditions of women who are inferior to them regarding virtues and morals. They imitated them in every wrong matter and no one is saved from this affliction except the virtuous and noble among your women.

This actually applies to different fields in your life that are negatively affected by imitating them, then where is your adhering to the real means that bring you happiness? Really, you will never be strong or powerful as long as you are in this state.

As for the men, especially the young men, they have followed the waves of change that lead them to their doom. They began to adopt all what the liberating societies convey to them from impolite morals and manners. They forgot the pioneering role that they are supposedly to play i.e. helping all humans to be saved from their deep deterioration and make them lead the life of goodness and righteousness.

There are some people among you whose hopes became like that of the Europeans in morals and manners, the thing that manifests their separation from their noble religion and going against it.

Ramadan says: O Noble Islamic Nation!

When I have come to you, I have seen some of your sons and daughters prepare themselves to apply the job of the devils in misguiding people via such serials that open their way to the houses of the believers and thus they destroy them with low-grade scenes and idle words.

Woe to those people! Is not it sufficient for them to stop doing goodness and righteousness in order not to cause evil to others and misguide them as they have misguided?

Amongst the things which they prepared are the plates which they are called satellite plates that receive broadcasting from different parts of the earth, implying the evilest and most abominable acts.

Unfortunately, those people do not have any share of prayer, standing at night in prayer, spending nights of Ramadan in prayer, reciting Quran, nor striving in doing good and charitable deeds.

How did they live in this life? How did they enjoy life?

How regretful for who live among people the minutes of Ramadan with his body only while he indulged his soul in different forms of diversion and turning away from the gifts and graces of Allaah, The Almighty, over his worshipers!

How many acts of worship that one has missed and sins that one has committed and thus his condition in Ramadan becomes like that in other months than Ramadan; rather, even worse! By Allaah, it is really a great loss for the one who does not wake up except on the agony of death unless the mercy and forgiveness of Allaah, The Almighty, overtakes him.

It is more appropriate for every believer to know that such seasons of worship are invaluable opportunities and gifts that can never repeated.

There are many doors of goodness and ample ways of righteousness. Why do we postpone them then? Why are we falling behind then?

As long as one believes in Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion, and Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as his Prophet and has a certain belief of his return to and meeting his Lord, then he should do great deal of the acts that make him happy on the Day of Resurrection and when he is called to account.

If you really ready to do so, let us contemplate attentively one of the examples of high determination that cannot be weakened nor feel lazy or inferiority.

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever gives two kinds (of things or property) in charity for the cause of Allaah, will be called from the gates of Paradise and will be addressed, 'O slaves of Allaah! Here is prosperity.' So, whoever was amongst the people who used to offer their prayers, will be called from the gate of the prayer; and whoever was amongst the people who used to participate in Jihad (i.e. striving in the cause of Allaah), will be called from the gate of Jihad; and whoever was amongst those who used to observe fasts, will be called from the gate of Ar-Rayyaan; whoever was amongst those who used to give in charity, will be called from the gate of charity.” Abu Bakr, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, “Let my parents be sacrificed for you, O Allaah's Messenger! No distress or need will befall him who will be called from those gates. Will there be any one who will be called from all these gates?” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, replied, “Yes, and I hope you will be one of them.”

Here is a great example of the high resolution of Abu Bakr, may Allaah be pleased with him, and it is more appropriate for everyone who seeks happiness in this life and the hereafter to adopt and follow this example.

Muslim scholars have said: “The hope of the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessings be upon him, indicates that this would definitely happen by the Willing of Allaah.”

There are four gates of Paradise are stated in this Hadeeth: The gate of prayers, the gate of Jihaad, the gate of fasting and the gate of charity. They all can be reached by all the servants whomever Allaah, The Almighty, Wills.

The other gates are: The gate of Hajj, the gate of those who restrain anger and pardon the people, the right gate which is the gate of those who rely on Allaah, The Almighty, who will not be held for account, the eight is the gate of Thikr or knowledge as it was explained by Al-Haafith Ibn Hajar, may Allaah have mercy upon him.

This Hadeeth also indicates the scarcity of those people who will be called by all the gates of Paradise.

Amongst the other benefits of this Hadeeth is that whoever frequently practices a certain act will become known for it and is attributed to it. Only a few people are guided to all of these good deeds. This proves that angels like the righteous people and are delighted at receiving them. The more one spends for the Sake of Allaah, The Almighty, the more it will be better. Also, hoping for goodness in this life and hereafter is really required as it was stated by Ibn Hajar, may Allaah have mercy upon him.

In conclusion, amongst the matters that every Mukallaf (a man/woman who is competent for religious assignments) should strive in doing are hastening to doing every good deed that brings him closer to his Lord, The Exalted and respond positively to the encouragement of Allaah, The Almighty, in His saying:

•   {So race to [all that is] good.} [Quran 2: 148]

•   {And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous.} [Quran 3: 133] 

May Allaah guide us all to what may make us successful. Peace and blessings of Allaah be upon our Prophet Muhammad.

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1) Reported in As-Sunan (2353) from the Hadeeth of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, and Ahmad in Al-Musnad (9809) (2/450) and Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibaan deemed it Saheeh. It was also reported by At-Tirmithi (699) and Ibn Maajah (1697). It was also reported by Ibn Maajah (1698) from the Hadeeth of Abu Hurairah. It was reported in brief from the Hadeeth Sahl ibn Sa‘d by Al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh and Muslim (1089). 

2) Reported in Saheeh Muslim (302). The text of the Hadeeth reads: Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said that the Jews used to avoid their menstruating women, they would not eat, or even mingle with them in the house. The Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, asked about this matter and Allah revealed: “And they ask you about menstruation. Say, "It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allah has ordained for you. Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves."

Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Do everything you wish, except having sexual intercourse.”

When the Jews were told about the Prophet's statement, they said, "What is the matter with this man He would not hear of any of our practices, but would defy it.'' Then, Usayd bin Hudayr and ‘Abbad bin Bishr came and said, "O Messenger of Allah! The Jews said this and that, should we have sex with our women (meaning, during the menstruation period)'' The face of Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, changed color, until the Companions thought that he was angry with them. They left. Soon after, some milk was brought to Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, as a gift, and he sent some of it for them to drink. They knew then that Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, was not angry with them.

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