All Praises are to Allah, the Lord of mankind, jinn, and all that exists. Peace and blessings are on the Prophet of Mercy, his household, companions and the righteous followers. Amen.
Ramadan shall shortly start, only in a few nights. Once we expect to meet some beloved ones, we spend much time preparing for their reception. Similarly, we should prepare for this holy month by getting rid of our hearts’ negligence and carelessness.
The live hearts of believers are always enthusiastically expecting this passion. With the approaching of this month, these hearts’ passion grows more and more.
As Coronavirus pandemic prevented us from meeting each other at mosques, we would like to remind each other with some meanings which we can extract from the month of Ramadan in the form of a sermon.
These meanings include: Annual expiation.
One year had elapsed since last Ramadan. So, Allah gives us now a new chance to enjoy this new Ramadan, inshallah. Ramadan is approaching us; only a few days and we are in. During this elapsed year between the two months of Ramadan, how many sins have we committed? How many times have not we fulfilled our obligations properly? How many forbidden things that reached our ears? How many sinful looks we casted on forbidden things? How many idle and forbidden talks we uttered to be written down in our record of deeds during the elapsed year?
Allah, the All-Mighty, now gives us the chance for the annual expiation: it is a chance that we should never miss to clean our records.
Imam Muslim narrated in his authentic book (AlBukhari Book) that Abu Huraira reported: Verily the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: The Five (daily) prayers , from one Friday prayer to the (next) Friday prayer, and from Ramadhan to Ramadhan are expiations for the sins committed in between provided one avoids major sins.
Allah, the All- Mighty opens for us great gates to repent. Ramadan in this way is a purification of our souls from all the sins we had committed during one elapsed year.
One may ask a question: Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, mentioned in this Hadith:
- A Daily expiation: the five daily prayers.
- A weekly expiation: Friday prayer
If the five daily prayers expiate sins daily then what is left to Friday day prayer expiation?
And if the five daily prayers (the daily expiation) and the Friday prayer (the weekly expiation) exist, then what is left for Ramadan annual expiation?
The answer to this question is related to a general base in Islamic Shariaa (Islamic Law):
- The amount of Reward is determined by the amount of exerted work
- The effect of a good deed in the expiation of sins is powerful according to the perfection of the exerted work and pursuant the meeting of the conditions of acceptance.
An example: Friday Prayer:
In Al Bukhari and Muslim Books, Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of, Allah (may peace be upon him) said. He who takes a bath on Friday, the bath which is obligatory after the discharge resulting from the physical relationship with his wife and then goes (to the mosque), he is like one who offers a she-camel as a sacrifice, and he who comes at the second hour would be like one who offers a cow, and he who comes at the third hour is live one who offers a ram with horns, and he who comes at the fourth hour is like one who offers a hen, and he who comes at the fifth hour is like one who offers an egg. And when the Imam comes out, the angels are also present and listen to the mention of the sermon.
So according to what the believer benefits from the Friday sermon, the power to wash away his sins shall be greater. If the believer defaults in his submission in the five daily prayers and in the Friday prayer, Allah, the most Beneficent, opens the door of annual expiation to this believer.
The removal and expiation of sins come as a result to the accepted deeds. Allah, the All-Mighty, accepts the deeds only from the pious people. Most of the people defaults in making good deeds, so the accepted five prayers expiate some sins, Friday expiates some sins and Ramadan month if accepted, expiates other types of sins.
Allah, the All-Mighty, says:
“Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are pious” Surat Al Maeda verse no: 27
This verse means if one fears Allah while making this good deed, Allah accepts it from him.
We can find a person who commits major sins but he feared Allah while making a good deed, so Allah will accept it from him. Another one makes a good deed while he did not fear Allah, so this deed is not accepted but Allah might have accepted other deeds from him once he did them out of fearing Allah.
What does fearing Allah when making a certain good deed mean?
We mean that deeds are accepted only according to the following conditions:
- If the exerted deed is only done for the Sake of Allah.
- If this deed is correct; following the traditions and way of prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
In short, Ramadan is a great annual expiation. Once a man gets this meaning, he shall do all his best, inshallah, to reach the utmost peak of fearing Allah, the All-Mighty, while performing his fasting of the month. According to the acceptance of Allah of one’s fasting of Ramadan, this one power to wash away sins and remove the bad deeds, delete minor sins from his record in the Day of Resurrection shall be more powerful.
Finally, we would like to draw your attention to two notes:
- Ibn Heban reported that: Prophet Muhammad said “In the night of the middle of Shaaban, Allah looks to His Creatures, He forgives all except one who is a polytheist or two persons who are at odds”
This Hadith urges us to receive the month of Ramadan while our hearts are free from shirk “polytheism” or being inclined to anyone but only to Allah. We should empty our hearts of all types of grudge, envy, , venom, hatred or any enmity to Muslims. So do your best to improve yourself, avoid the Wrath of Allah. You should also humble yourself and supplicate to Allah in full submission to accept your good deeds.
Do not sleep tonight but only after you washed away from your heart any inclination but only to Allah and after washing your heart from any hatred to any Muslim.
- Some brothers or sisters might have missed the fasting of some days in the last month of Ramadan due to any permissible excuse, they must not delay the fasting of these days until the new month of Ramadan starts. Since we are now in the middle of Shaaban, be keen to fast these missed days so that the month of Ramadan starts while you are not indebted to Allah.
May Allah bestows His Forgiveness and Bountifulness on you and us all. May Allah keep us alive to witness the month of Ramadan and give us the power to fast its days and perform the prayers during its nights.
By Sheikh: Adnan Al-Obayyat
Imam of Masjid Alhidayah