12 Sya’ban 1434H / 21 June 2013

Preparation for the Month of Ramadan

Prof Madya Dr Mohd Ismail bin Mustari

Deputy Director

Islamic Centre of UTM

FRIDAY SERMON

• O servants of Allah! Have taqwa to Allah with true taqwa. And do not die except as Muslims. I call myself and all of you together, let us we increase our taqwa to Allah by doing all His commands and leaving all of His prohibitions.

• Dear brothers, implore what Allah says in verse 133-134 Surah Al 'Imran:

• And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous.

• Who spend [in the cause of Allah ] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good;

• Now we are at 12th Sha'ban 1434 Hijri. It indirectly tells us how close we are to the month of Ramadan. The glorious month, the blessed month, the month of rewards, the month of forgiveness and pardon from our sins.

• In this month we commanded to fast, fasting as field training to taqwa.

• As Allah says in the Al-Baqarah 183.

• Which means:

• O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.

• Ramadan is the month highly anticipated by Muslims, because this month offers lots of opportunities and chances to increase faith and piety.

• Ramadan is known as a blessed month, the month of forgiveness, the month which contain varieties acts of worship because, prayers, charity and fasting are done simultaneously. Its rewards is doubled by Allah.

• The Messenger (saw), upon the arrival of Ramadan always motivated his companions and Muslims to welcome Ramadan with good preparation, and to fill the month with deeds, passion and hope.

• It is fitting that the month of Shaaban is close to Ramadan as an initial training before entering Ramadan by increasing our deeds in fasting, praying, asking forgiveness of sin and various other good deeds following the footsteps of Rasulullah (saw).

• Let us grab the advantages at the edge of Sya’ban in the next few days to increase our provision for the hereafter.

• Be wise by preparing for the hereafter through deeds and avoid being a fool by dreaming of paradise without any increment in good deeds at the same time piling up his sins.

• Syaaban is blessed with a night of spiritual activities and forgiveness known as the night Nisfu Sya'aban. The Messenger (saw) said:

• From Muaz bin Jabal said that the Prophet has said: Allah looks at His creation in the night of mid-Sha`ban and He forgives all His creation except for a mushrik (idolater) or a mushahin (one bent on hatred).

• (Isnad Hasan by Ibn Hibban and At-Thabarani)

• Dear brothers,

• Let us fill the month of Syaaban with acts of worship and doing good and leaving all kinds of disobedience.

• Hence, when we are in the month of Ramadan, it will not be awkward to double our worship. Let us for a moment reflect our deeds during last year Ramadan, 1433 Hijri.

• How many times do we finish the Quran? Do we participate in the Al-Quran recital session? The obligatory prayers, five times a day. Do we do it in congregation or alone?

• What about our voluntary prayers especially qiamullail? How was our terawih prayers? Our charity? Do we entertain people to break the fast?

• How much do we give in charity last Ramadhan excluding the zakat fitrah? How do we spend on food and drink, clothing, home and vehicle?

• How is our concern for orphans, the poor, old people, people with disabilities and sick? Have we improve our good deeds and stay away from all kinds of sins?

• Have we stayed away backbiting, slandering, gossiping and cursing of others, keeping our tongue free from defamation? Have we invited our friends to do obedience and to leave disobedience?

• How many of our friends who do not cover themselves according to what has been outlined by the Shari'a.

• How are women under our responsibility? What is even more sad when women do not cover themselves it is under our LIABILITIES.

• It is more disappointing when a husband is proud the way his wife dressed in public, revealing her aurat without any sense of guilt and jealousy in his heart.

• The Prophet (saw) said:

• Meaning: Sa’ad bin Ubadah said: If I find a man with my wife, so without further apology, I will strike him with a sword. When these words were presented to Rasulullah (saw), he said: Are you surprised by Sa’ad jealousy? By Allah! I'm more jealous than him.

• To the relevant authorities, please honor the arrival of this holy month. We should monitor and control all activities and premises of disobedience.

• The doors towards wrongdoing such as free mixing, entertainment-amusement, including singing and dancing should be closed.

• Dear brothers,

• All Muslims, from an individual level, family, colleagues, neighbors, community and society as well as the top leadership must restore the dignity and position of Muslims especially among the Muslimah.

• The loss of shame under the influence of Jewish misguided cries to strip Muslim women, with nakedness without shame and wrong.

• Abu Mas'ud reported that the Prophet (saw) said: “Among the things that people have found from the words of the previous prophets was: ‘If you feel no shame, then do as you wish.’”

• Narrated by al-Bukhari.

• Once, the Prophet (saw) gave a khutbah in welcoming the arrival of Ramadan, he said to his companions: " O people, Verily the gates of paradise are opened for you, ask your Lord not to close it.

• The gates of hell are closed, ask your Lord not to open it for you. Satan are chained, ask Him so that satan will never have control over you.

• Ali bin Abi Talib rose and said, “Ya Rasulullah! What is the best deed in the month of Ramadan? The Prophet replied, “Ya Abal Hasan! The best deed in this month is to guard yourself from the prohibitions of Allah.”

• The end of Sya’ban is the final sprint to face Ramadan. In any big competition, preparation is important, for without preparation, it is feared that we may failed.

• Similarly, the advent of Ramadan, facing Ramadan is not an issue but those who failed to seize the opportunity in the holy month of Ramadan, they will fall into the greatest losers in this world and in the hereafter.

• That is why the Prophet said ‘amin’ to Jibril prayer when He ascended the pulpit. When Jibril said: "Woe to a person who enters Ramadan, and then died and his sins are not forgiven, and he is admitted to hell." (Hadith narrated by Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad).

• Therefore, immediate steps must be done to welcome Ramada, training fasts in Syaaban, voluntary rawatib prayers, before and after obligatory prayers.

• Imam Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, in his book Al-Ma'arif Lathaif: "Rawatib prayers are prayers that have priority because it accompanies the obligatory prayer, before or after, so is fasting, as fasting in the month of Syaaban which is very close to Ramadan;

• this fasting has priority and this fast can accomplish the obligatory fasting during the month Ramadan. At the same time, there are many other authentic reports show the Prophet's fasting more in Syaaban as the mother of the Believers Aisha hadith:

• “Rasulullah (saw) used to fast until we said that he never break his fast. And he used to break his fast until we said that he is not fasting.”

• Clear to us that the Prophet (saw) specialized the month of Syaaban in fasting compared to the other months. This is because the month is often overlooked as it is between the months of Rajab and Ramadan.

• The superiority of fasting in Syaaban is explained in the hadith Usama: The blessed companion Usama ibn Zaid , reports that he asked Prophet Muhammad :

• "Messenger of Allah, I have seen you fasting in the month of Shaban so frequently that I have never seen you fasting in any other month." Prophet Muhammad, replied:

• "That (Shaban) is a month between Rajab and Ramadan which is neglected by many people. And it is a month in which an account of the deeds (of human beings) is presented before the Lord of the universe, so, I wish that my deeds be presented at a time when I am in a state of fasting."

• Despite the sunnah in fasting in the month of Sya’ban, the question arises whether it is a sunnah to fast the whole month of Sya’aban because of the narrations from Umm Salamah:

• "I never saw the Messenger fast for two consecutive months except Sya’ban and Ramadan. "(Hadith narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Nasaie).

• Allah's Messenger never complete fasting in any month of the year except Sya’ban and Ramadan. He combined them together. "(Hadith narrated by Abu Dawud)

• Scholars have differed in opinion as to understand the hadith as the meaning of fasting in Sya’ban. Imam Ibn Hajar said, the meaning that Rasulullah fasted almost the entire Sya’ban.

• Then came the issue of fasting after the mid of Sya’ban. This matter was disputed based on the hadith of Abu Huraira that read: "If it's the middle of the month of Sya’ban, do not fast."

• (Hadith narrated by al-Khamsah - Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah Nasaie)

• The view among scholars of Shafi'i, forbade fasting beginning from 16th of Sya’ban unless they have been fasting on the 15th of Sya’ban, and continued on 16th day of Sya’ban and beyond.

• But when the fast is stop for example up to 19th of Sya’ban, then on the 20th of Sya'ban fasting cannot be continued. Some regard as makruh as to the interpretation of the prohibition here.

• However, the the Shafi'is do not prohibit fasting as a whole. This prohibition is waived for those who used to fast before the middle of Sya'ban, as well as those who used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays.

• Further explanation by 'Allaamah Sayyid Muhammad' Abdullah al-Jurdani in "Fath 'Allam" volume 4, pages 152-153, are as follows: And it is haram to fast after the second half Sya'ban, unless it is continuous from the previous day [ie the day before the day of Sya'ban 16 which is Sya'baan 15],

• even though for only one day [ie, even with only fast in 15 Sya'baan only] and continuously fasting until the end. But if not sustainable, even if the break (ie, non-fasting) with excuses whatsoever, then it is prohibited upon him to fast again.

• The majority of scholars also allowed fast after half of Sha'ban, among them Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Ma'in. This opinion is also supported by Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi al-Hanbali, in his book al-Mughni.

• For those who hold the view of the majority of scholars, then they can fast after the half month of Sya’ban. According to Shafi'i and other scholars views, then it's better to leave fasting after half of Sya’ban except those who regularize fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, qadha or nazar.

•

• The same goes for those who started fasting from the beginning of Sya’ban. But I hold to a second opinion from Shafi'I, taking the opinion from Al-Qari:

• "The prohibition is to avoid the worse as it is a blessing to the people so they do not become weak fasting in the month of Ramadan later. But for those who fast the whole of Syaban, they have grown accustomed to fasting and will not be difficult for them to do this worship."

O servant of Allah, remember that this world is a place for temporary lodging. Truly, hereafter is the everlasting and permanent abode. So let us devote to

Allah for obtaining happiness and escape from the punishment of

hellfire.

• Allah says in Surah Al Ahzab verse 56:

• Which means:

“Indeed Allah confers blessing upon the prophet and His angels (ask Him to do so). O! You who have believed, ask Allah to confer blessing upon him and ask Allah to grant him peace.”

• Let us pray that may Allah SWT be please with the khalifahs of Rasulullah s.a.w i.e Sayyidina Abu Bakr al-Siddiq r.a., Sayyidina Umar al-Khattab r.a., Sayyinda Uthman ibn Affan r.a., Sayyidina Ali ibn Abi Thalib r.a.

• And to his companions who struggle to uphold the religion of Allah, also to his uncles Sayyidina Hamzah and Sayyidina Abbas r.a. and to his granchildren Sayyidina Hassan and Sayyidina Hussain r.a., his daughters Sayyidatina Fatimah al-Zahraa’, his wives Sayyidatina Khadijah and Sayyidatina Aisyah r.a. and the other wives. Followed by his family, companions, followers of the companions and those who come after them from time to time until the end of the world.

• O Allah, forgive all Muslims and believers, whether surviving or deceased. O Allah, grant us glory and prosperity to those who fight and spend their wealth in your way such as those who pay zakat, waqaf etc.

• Ya Allah, bestow your guidance and help to the leaders and kings of the Muslim countries especially to Abdaka Al-Harith Lishariatika Al-Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Al-Sultan Iskandar, the Sultan and ruler for the State of Johor Darul Takzim.

• And to Raja Zarith Sofea Binti Al-Marhum

Sultan Idris Shah, Tengku Ismail Ibn Sultan Ibrahim, Pemangku Raja Johor and, the Prince and Princess, the royal kinship, and all Muslims.