Ijtihad Network Being Wise and Faithful Muslim in the Contemporary World
Ask Allah (SWT) with sincere intentions and pure hearts to help you in fasting and recite God’s Book during this [month]. Indeed damned is he who is deprived of Allah’s (SWT) Forgiveness during this month, said grand ayatollah Sistani in his recommendations about the holy month of Ramadan.
What follows is the text of advice:
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) delivered a Sermon welcoming the Holy Month of Ramadan and said: “O people! The Month of Allah (SWT) with its blessings, mercy and forgiveness has come upon you. It is the most preferred of all the months with Allah (SWT); its days are the best of days, its nights are the best of nights, and its hours are the best of hours. It is a month in which you have been invited as guests of Allah (SWT) and have been placed among those honoured by Allah (SWT).
Your breathing in it is [like] an act of praising [Allah (SWT)], your sleep an act of worship; your good deeds are accepted, and your prayers answered. Therefore, ask Allah (SWT) with sincere intentions and pure hearts to help you in fasting and recite God’s Book during this [month]. Indeed damned is he who is deprived of Allah’s (SWT) Forgiveness during this month.
“O people! The gates of Paradise are wide open during this month; therefore, ask your Lord not to close them in your face and the gates of Hell-Fire are locked; therefore, ask your Lord not to open them for you. Satans are chained; therefore, ask your Lord not to unfetter them upon you.
“O people! Whosoever among you improves his character during this month, he shall have the pass [to cross] over the Bridge (Sirat) on the day when [people’s] feet shall slip. Whosoever is lenient with his slaves during this month, Allah (SWT) will be lenient with him in the reckoning of his [deeds on the Day of Judgement].
Whosoever checks his evil deeds during this month, Allah (SWT) shall withhold God’s anger from him on the day he meets God. Whosoever honours an orphan during this month, Allah (SWT) shall honour him on the day he meets Him. Whosoever maintains, during this month, contact with his relations, Allah (SWT) will maintain God’s mercy for him on the day he meets God. Whosoever recites a verse from the Quran during this month, his reward will be like one who has completed the recitation of the Quran during the other months.”
Imam Ali (A.S) said: “There are some who fast but will gain nothing from their fasting except thirst; and there are some who pray but will gain nothing from their prayer except tiredness.” Imam Sadiq (A.S) said: “Fasting is not only [abstaining] from food and drink alone. When you fast, protect your tongue from lying; lower your eye-glances from what Allah (SWT) has forbidden [you to see]; do not fight with one another; do not be jealous of one another; do not backbite one another; do not abuse one another; and do not be unjust to one another.
Refrain from false accusation, lying, fighting, suspicion, backbiting, and slandering. Be those who look forward to the hereafter, and wait for your days, waiting for what Allah (SWT) has promised for those who have prepared to meet Allah (SWT). You must have tranquillity, sobriety, humility, servility, and submissiveness of a slave who fears his master; and be fearful [of Allah’s chastisement] as well as hopeful [in God’s Forgiveness].”
source:shafaqna
