Summer and Ramadan (2/2)

    It was reported in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim on the authority of Abu Ad-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "Abu Ad-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: We set out with Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) on one of his journeys on a very hot day, and it was so hot that one had to put his hand over his head because of the severity of heat. None of us was fasting except the Prophet ( peace be upon him ) and Ibn Rawaha." In another narration, that was in Ramadan.

    Those were our Righteous Predecessors who used to hasten to the acts of worship and to a garden its width is equal to the earth and heavens by observing supererogatory fasting in hardships. If the fast is obligatory accompanied by sincerity, good work, seeking the reward from Allah, and away from hypocrisy and complain, the reward will be bigger. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah's Messenger ( peace be upon him ) said: "Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith , and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven." (Reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in the Divine Hadith: "Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) says: And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him." When the observers of Fast showed patience for thirst in hot days, Allah created for them a special gate to enter Paradise there from, which is the gate of Al Rayyan. Whoever enters that gate shall drink to the full and whoever drinks shall never feel thirsty. When they enter that gate, it will be closed and no one else is permitted to enter after them. This is the first benefit of observing the fast of Ramadan during summer; I mean the great reward.

    The second benefit is: Excessive heat pushes a servant to seek shelter in His Lord and repent of his sins that is done when a person remembers the heat of Fire after he had felt the heat of summer. Verily, the heat of summer is part of the heat of Hell-Fire as was reported in the authentic Hadith that was reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim; moreover, remembering the incidents of the Hereafter in the world is part of faith. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) entered a bathroom and said: The best place is bathrooms; a believing person enters them to remove filth and seeks refuge against Hell-Fire before entering them. Some righteous people poured water over his head and found it hot, then he cried and said: I remembered Allah's Saying: "boiling water will be poured down over their heads." The heat of summer and the worldly fire in compare to the Hell-Fire and its heat is like paradise. Some Righteous Predecessors said:"If the people of Hell-Fire were taken to the worldly fire, they would sleep therein for a thousand year." The meaning is: they will find it cooler than Hell-Fire.

    When a servant feels those meanings and thinks carefully, his faith shall increase and when his faith increases, he shall admit his sins and negligence. Moreover, he shall draw nearer to Allah, and do more acts of worship during that Blessed Month; a person shall gain plenty of good deeds in a time when good deeds are multiplied. When a person asks Allah for forgiveness, repents of his sins, waited for the times when supplications are answered, and his repentance was accepted, Allah will make his entire actions good as well as his entire life.

    Hence, we know that the excessive heat in Ramadan is a mercy for a believer except those who refuse that mercy. I ask Allah, the Ever-Exalted, the All Able to make us from those who perfect their actions, dedicated their intentions to Him, and took the best provision from this world for the Day of Recompense; indeed, He is the One who is Able to do that. And peace and blessings be upon Allah's Servant and Messenger Muhammad, his family, and all his Companions.

    Muhammad ibn `Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al `Isa

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