0100,0100,0100Asalamu alaikum G-L,
Alhamdullila,Ramadan Mubarrak!(Peace be with you all).
I am starting with the intention of fasting this Ramadan (InshaAllah)
The intention:
Allah instructs in the Qur àn: "And they are ordained nothing else
than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him."
The Prophet, upon whom be peace,said:"Actions are judged
according to the intention behind them, and for everyone is what
he/she intended."
The intention must be made before fajr and during every night of
Ramadan.
The fast of Ramadan,according to the Qur àn,sunneh and
consensus,is obligatory.
The evidence from the Qur àn consists of the following two verse:
"O you who believe,fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed
for the people before you in order for you to gain Godconsciousness
and ,"...The month of Ramadan,during which the Qur àn was
revealed,a guidance for mankind,and clear proofs of the guidance
and the criterion;and whoever of you is resident,let him/her fast the
month"(al-Baqarah:185).
The whole Muslim nation agrees that the fast of Ramadan is
obligatory. It is one of the pillars of Islam,and if one disputes this,
he /she cannot be called a Muslim.
The Virtues of Fasting: Abu Hurairah reported the Messanger of
Allah!,upon whom be peace,saying: "Allah said: Every action of the
son of Adam is for him except fasting,for that is solely for Me.
I give the reward for it.The fast is a shield. If one is fasting,he/she
should not use foul language, raise his voice,or behave foolishly.
If someone reviles him/her or want to fight with him/her,he/she
should say;I am fasting,twice. By the one in whose hand is the soul
of Muhammad,(PBUH)the (bad) breath of the one who is fasting is
better in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection than the smell
of musk.The one who is fasting is happy at two times: When he/she
breaks his/her fast, he/she is happy with it,and when he/she meets
his/her Lord,he/she will be happy that he/she has fasted."
This is related by Ahmad,Muslim,and an-Nasa`i.A similar version
was recorded by al-Bukhari and Abu Dawud,but with the following
addition: "He leaves his/her food,drink,and desires for My sake.
His/her fasting is for Me,...I will give the reward for it,and for every
good deed,he/she will receive ten similar to it."
Abdullah ibn `Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah,upon whom
be peace,said: "The fast and the Qur àn are two intercessors for the
servant of Allah on the Day of Resurrection.The fast will say:
"O Lord,I prevented him/her from his/her food and desires during
the day.Let me intercede for him/her; The Qur àn will say: I
prevented him/her from sleeping at night.Let me intercede for
him/her. And their intercession will be accepted".
This is related by Ahmad, an-Nasa`i,and al-Baihaqi.
`Arfajah testifies to this:"We were with `Utbah ibn Farqad while he
was discussing Ramadan.A companion of the prophet entered upon
the scene.when `utbah saw him,he became shy and stopped talking.
The companion spoke about Ramadan, saying:`I heard the
Messenger of Allah say during Ramadan:"The gates of Hell are
closed, the gates of Paradise are opened,and the devils are in
chains.An angel calls out:
`O you who intened to do good deeds,have glad tidings.
`O you who intend to do evil,refrain, until Ramadan is completed.`"
Abu Hurairah reported that the prophet, upon whom be peace,said:
"Whoever fast the month of Ramadan with faith and seeks Allah`s
pleasure and reward will have his /her previous sins forgiven."
This hadith is related by Ahmad and the compilers of the sunan.
May Allah! The Almighty accept our fasting and forgive us our sins.
O Allah! we beseech You through (the medium of) Your Mercy which
encompasses all things,
and through(the medium of) Your Might which overpowers all
things, to which all things submit and compared to which all things
are humble,
and through (the medium of) Your power through which You hast
conquered all things,
and through (the medium of) Your Greatness against which
notting can stand up (or can rise),
and through (the medium of) Your Grandeur which prevails upon
all things,
and through (the medium of) Your Own self which will continue
existing when all things will pass away (cease to exist),
and through (the medium of) Your names (attributes) which
manifest Your power over all things,
and through (the medium of) Your Knowledge which pervades
all things,
`O Thou (who are) the Light,
`O Thou (who are the most Holy)
`O Thou who existeth before the foremost things (from time without
beginning),
`O Thou who shalt exist after the last things will cease to exist (Thou
art Eternal-no beginning and no end.)
`O our Lord! forgive us such sins as would disgrace virtue;
`O our Lord! forgive us such sins as would bring down retribution
(from the Heavens);
`O our Lord! forgive us such sins as would change prosperity and
happyness (into afflictions and sorrows);
`O our Lord! forgive us such sins as would intercept our invocations
and prayers;
`O our Lord! forgive us our sins as would suppress hope;
`O our Lord! forgive us our sins as would bring down afflictions;
`O our Lord! forgive all the sins that we have committed and all the
vices that we are guilty of.....Ameen!!!!!
Alahumasalli alaah Saidina Muhammadin wa alaah ali Muhammadin
Samba Goddard
(Pulo)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------