Fasting Six Days of Shawwal After Ramadan: "Like Fasting The Entire Year"
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said,
"Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days from Shawwal it is as if they fasted the entire year." [Hadith-Muslim]
NB. It is permitted to fast these six days separately throughout the month, or consecutively, after Eid al-Fitr. It is prohibitively disliked (makruh tahriman) and sinful to fast on Eid day itself.
Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar. La ila-ha ill-lallah.Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar. Wa-lilahill hamd. (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no god but Allah. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. And all praises are for Allah)
TIPS ON HOW TO SPEND THE DAY OF EID:
Our Beloved Rasulullah (Salallaho alaihe wassallam) said : "The person who stays awake on the nights preceding the 2 Eids occupying himself with ibâdah(worship), his heart will not die on the day when everyone's heart will perish." (His heart will not die during the time of evil and corruption). It could also mean that with the blowing of the trumpet his soul will not become unconscious.
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Rasulullâh Sallallâhu 'alayhi wasallam said: "The fast remains suspended between Heaven and Earth until the fitrah is paid."
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Sadaqatul fitr [fitra] is compulsory charity which becomes payable on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.
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Fitr means to break fast or to refrain from fasting. Hence the Eid after the fasts of Ramadhân is called Eid-ul-Fitr, as it is the day of rejoicing after the completion of fasting. On this occasion of happiness, as a sign of gratitude one has to give a specific amount in aims, which is called Sad'qatui-Fitr. To purify and obtain complete blessings for the fasts of Ramadhân Mubârak one has to give Sadaqatul-Fitr. Thus it is wâjib to give Sadaqatul-Fitr to purify one's fast. The true object in giving Sadqatul-fitr on this happy, occasion is also to assist the poor and needy, so that, they may rejoice with the more fortunate.
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Ibn Abbas (ra) reported that the Prophet (saw) made the Sadkat-ul-Fitr obligatory for the purpose of: purifying our fasting from vain talk and shameful mistakes, to make arrangements for the poor and the needy for food and clothing (for the festival of
Eid). (Hadith: Abu Dawud, Ibn Maja)
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Sadaqatul Fitr (or fitrah) is wâjib [compulsory] upon all Muslims -male, female and children fitrah should preferably be paid before the Eid Salâh.
It is not permissible to delay the payment of fitrah later than the Day of Eid.
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What amount Should be paid
The amount of Sadqatul Fitr is 1.633kg of wheat or 3.266kg of barley or the equivalent in cash. Please consult your local Islamic Scholars[Ulema] in your area for exact amount.It is highly recommended that this amount is paid in advance so that the contributions could be used for the benefit of the poor on Eid day
NEW SHOES!!!
Umaymah and her brother, Muhammad Yusuf, were excited about the upcoming days. It was Ramadhan and thereafter Eid, a time to learn appreciation for the things they had, and to think of others who didn't have as much.
They had both been saving their money all year long. Umaymah , sat on her bed and dumped out her money from her money box. Coins ran all over the blanket. "This is a lot of money. Ammi says we are supposed to help someone. She wants us to think about how much we have and then think of someone who doesn't have very much, and do something nice for them," Umaymah said, gathering the money into a pile. "Dump out your money box, Muhammad Yusuf," she told her brother.
The coins came spilling out of his box onto the bed. "Wow! We can do a lot for someone with all this money," Muhammad Yusuf said, smiling. "This is such a special time of year. I'm glad we can help others."
"But we have to do it secretly, Muhammad Yusuf, remember. We have to pick someone and do something very nice without them knowing it is from us. Who should we pick?" Umaymah asked.
"Let's pick our neighbours, Fatima, and Ebrahim. I noticed that they had holes in their shoes," Muhammad Yusuf said.
"That's a good idea. We could buy some new shoes for them. They aren't as blessed as we are. We have a lot of shoes, don't we?" Umaymah asked with appreciation.
"I have three pairs. You have more. Let's buy some new shoes for them this Eid," Muhammad Yusuf said, smiling.
Muhammad Yusuf and Umaymah found their Ammi. She was busy cooking. She saw her children come into the kitchen. "I'm going to make some pizzas for tonight," she said, knowing her family loved to eat that during Ramadan .
"Abba is at the mosque, in prayer. When he comes home, after the sun sets, we'll have some time to sit together. In the meantime, you two look like you've got something on your minds."
"We want to help the poor. Muhammad Yusuf and I have been saving our money all year long and we want to help Fatima and Ebrahim, our neighbors," Umaymah began.
Muhammad Yusuf , with excitement, interrupted, "We want to buy them some shoes."
Ammi smiled at her beautiful children. She was so proud of them.
"Aren't you hungry, Ammi" Muhammad Yusuf asked. He knew she had not had anything to eat or drink since dawn that morning due to Ramadan fasting.
"I'm a little bit, but that is good for me. Don't worry about me. When you're older, you will understand more and be able to fast too," she explained Muhammad Yusuf who was only four years old "Would you like me to take you to the store to buy the shoes?" she asked.
"Would you, Ammi? Is that all right?" Umaymah begged.
"Why of course. Let's go," she said.
They drove to the shoe store and went inside. Umaymah picked out a pair of shoes for Fatima.. Muhammad Yusuf picked out a pair for Ebrahim. They were both so proud that they'd saved their money so they could do this to help. Later, they went home and wrapped the shoe boxes in plain brown paper. They waited anxiously for night to come. It would be dark and they could deliver their gifts.
The sun began to drop behind the horizon. A little while later, Abba came home. He and Ammi had some haleem[soup], then the pies and samoosas. Ammi called to her children, "Muhammad Yusuf and Ummaymah. Come and have some pizzas, and some fresh dates." The children came running into the kitchen. Ammi cut them a big piece.
They gobbled it down quickly as they were anxious to do their good deed. "Slow down, children," Abba urged, laughing.
It was soon dark outside. Ammi had the children go and get the boxes they'd wrapped so carefully. They put their jackets on and walked quietly over to Fatima and Ebrahim's house. Ammi whispered, "All right, children. We must be very quiet and very fast. Muhammad Yusuf , you knock on the door and then run over here, to this bush, where Ummaymah and I will be hiding. We'll watch as they come and find their gifts."
Ummaymah and Muhammad Yusuf giggled with delight. Ummaymah and Ammi hid, and Muhammad Yusuf tiptoed up to the door. He put both of the boxes down on the porch, and knocked hard. Then he ran, and ran, and ran, as fast as he could, to where Ummaymah and Ammi were. "Shhh," Ammi whispered. "Someone opened the door."
They watched as Fatima and Ebrahim' came out onto the porch. "Look! There are presents for us. Someone left them here," Ebrahim cried out with excitement. He and Fatima looked around. It was very dark and they couldn't see anyone. They picked up the boxes and took them inside. They left the front door open as they opened their boxes. Ammi, Ummaymah and Muhammad Yusuf noticed the tears of joy trickling down their innocent cheeks.
After a minute or two, waiting to make sure they wouldn't be seen, Ammi, Ummaymah and Muhammad Yusuf , snuck quietly back to their house. Muhammad Yusuf started laughing. "Abba!Abba! We did it! We snuck up and left the presents!"
Ummaymah added, "They didn't see us, Abba. They don't know it was us." She was laughing too.
Abba and Ammi stood back and looked at their children. They were so proud of them. They knew their children knew the real meaning of giving and of sacrifice. The next morning, as Ammi, Abba, Ummaymah and Muhammad Yusuf went outside their house, they saw Fatima and Ebrahim' outside playing. They were both wearing their brand new shoes. Nobody said a thing. Ummaymah and Muhammad Yusuf just smiled, because it is one of the best Ramadan and Eid for them.
"Seven who Allah will grant shade in His shade on the day when there is no shade except His shade... and a man who gave something in charity secretly such that his left hand did not know what his right hand had given..." Muslim & Bukhari
Moral: We should think of others that are less fortunate than ourselves on this beautiful day of Eid. Not everyone has such a wonderful day. It is a day of celebration, but take a moment to stop and think of those who are less fortunate than ourselves by following the Sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
What good habits we will inculcate in our kids is really a true investment!
"So fear Allah and adjust all matters of difference among you.'' (Quran-8:1)
The Messenger of Allah Muhammad [Peace be upon him] is reported to have said:
" If one gives charity it does not diminish his wealth; if one forgives others, Allah bestows more honour on him; and if one humbles himself for Allah's sake, Allah exalts him higher." (Hadith-Muslim)
Some Handy Tips!!!
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month which Allah has enjoined you to fast, during which the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived." (Narrated by An-Nasaa'i, 2106; Ahmad, 8769. classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih At-Targheeb, 999.)
So, in preparation for the grand finale, here is a checklist of some of the things that we can all do to make the remaining days of Ramadan work to our advantage:
1) Get in High Gear for the Next few Nights and Days
Time is of the essence. Every moment counts. Whatever you need to do for the next ten days to make the most in `Ibadah, good deeds, reciting Qur'an, dhikr, making du`aa', etc., rewards are going to be multiplied. No one knew about the importance of these days more than the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). According to Ahmad and Muslim: he would strive hard in worship during the last ten nights of Ramadan as he did not do at other times.
If we lose this opportunity, we get our next opportunity next year – assuming we are still around and are in good health and shape to make use of it. Even if we are – we have the past years' sins on our shoulders and life's normal trials and tribulations to face the coming year. So, there is no better time to ask Allah to make all that easier than NOW.
2) Get a Copy of the Qur'an and Recite as Often as You Can
A few lines on this post can't even come close to explaining the benefits and virtues of Qur'an. It is proven in the authentic Sunnah that the Qur'an will intercede for those who read it at night, as Ahmad (6626) narrated from 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Fasting and the Qur'an will intercede for a person on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, 'O Lord, I deprived him of his food and his desires during the day, so let me intercede for him.' And the Qur'an will say: 'I deprived him of his sleep at night so let me intercede for him.' Then they will intercede." (Narrated by Ahmad; classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami`, no. 3882.)
As is stated in the hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:"Whosoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah will receive a Hasanah (good deed) from it (i.e. his recitation), and the Hasanah (good deed) is multiplied by ten. I do not say that Alif-laam-meem is (considered as) a letter (in reward), rather Alif is one letter, laam is one letter, and meem is one letter." (Reported by At-Tirmidhi, Ad-Darami)
The Messenger of Allah ! Blessings and Peace be upon him' said:"The best of you is he who learns the Quran and teaches it." (Reported by Al-Bukhari)
3) Get your Sins Forgiven
First the bad news – In Musnad Ahmad it is narrated that Thawbaan said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"A man is deprived of provision (Rizq) because of the sins that he commits." (Narrated by Ibn Majah, 4022, classed as hasan by Al-Albani in Sahih Ibn Majah).
And now for the good news –
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Whoever spends the night of Laylat al-Qadr in Prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, will be forgiven his previous sins."
4) What to Say on Laylat Al-Qadr
One of the best du`aa's that can be recited on Laylat Al-Qadr is that which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). It was narrated by At-Tirmidhi, who classed it as sahih, that 'A'ishah said: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, If I know which night is Laylat Al-Qadr, what should I say?" He said: "Say: Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibb al-'afwa fa`fu 'anni (O Allah, You are All-Forgiving and You love forgiveness so forgive me)."
5) Get in the Class of the Pious People
Allah has described the pious as follows (interpretation of the meaning):
(They used to sleep but little by night (invoking their Lord (Allah) and praying, with fear and hope). (Adh-Dhariyat 51:17)
(And in the hours before dawn, they were (found) asking (Allah) for forgiveness,) (Adh-Dhariyat 51:18)
Allah's Messenger(saw) said:" There is in Paradise an Apartment, the exterior of which can be seen from the interior, and the interior of which can be seen from the exterior. Such apartments have been prepared for those who are Polite in their talk, Provide Food to the Needy, Fast frequently and observe the TAHAJJUD PRAYERS when people are sleep." (Mishkhat Al-Masabih ; Hadith No. 1232)
6) Finally…
Think of all that you need to ask Allah for and ask Him now. If you haven't before, this is the time to connect with Him and feel closer to Him. And when you do during these last ten nights and days of this Ramadan, you would want to do this again and again – even after the month is over.
And finally, when you are in a state of Prayers and worship, please open your heart for others as well and please do remember your brothers and sisters who are in great difficulty all around the world in your prayers. Remember what the Prophet said:
"The supplication that gets the quickest answer is the one made by one Muslim for another in his absence." (Reported by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi)
May Allah make it easy for us to benefit from the last ten nights and days of Ramadan
From self improvement, to material things, to bettering relationships in your life, write down everything you want to ask Allah
If I told you that I can give you whatever you wish and allow you to have one week's time to decide what you want, will you plan for it?
I believe you will.
We plan for the things that are important in life, for the things we want most. From job interviews, to choosing spouses,going for Haj, to picking out furniture for the house, we plan for things that are important in our life.
So what about our du`a (supplication)?
Is not du`a a way to receive what we ask for? Allah (Allah Ta'ala) is the one that provides everything in our lives and asking Him is the most important thing we can do, but how often do we actually plan for it? Du`a too often becomes only a spur of the moment thing rather than a comprehensive list of things we wish for the most.
With Ramadan upon us, now is the best time to really put our minds to what we wish to ask the Creator of the heavens and the earth. I would like to share some ways to do so most effectively from my own personal experience.
Others Have Playlists, Muslims Have Praylists
For the past four years, before the beginning of every Ramadan, I have made a special, organized, and comprehensive list of du`a. The list would consist of 8 to 10 things that I desired the most, both in this world and in the Hereafter. Every day of Ramadan, I would pray for them at the times that supplication is most likely to be accepted. I call these my praylists.
As Muslims, we make du`a to Allah everyday. We make du`a right when we wake up, before every meal, every time we raise our hands and recite chapter Al-Fatihah, and so much more. Why then make a special list of du`a? Developing a praylist helps one focus and reflect.
Focusing on a specific list of du`a helps remind oneself of his/her needs and ambitions. By listing and repeating the items on the list, every single day, it not only assures that one does not forget all his wishes but it reinforces the pursuit of each one. For example, if I have always wanted to improve my tajweed (recitation of the Quran), by asking for help from Allah (Allah Ta'ala) to do so everyday encourages me to put my words into practice.
Reflection of du`as allows one to appreciate what Allah has granted him. I can personally attest to this. There have been items on my past praylists that have been answered in ways that I could never imagine. It's incredible. I look back and cannot believe I have received so many of the things I asked so desperately for. Allah (Allah Ta'ala) truly does not leave the hands of a believer empty when raised to Him.
The Time Is Now
Now that Ramadan is upon us again, I am excited to develop another praylist for the blessed month and I would love to encourage you all to do the same.
As an incentive, I remind myself and others, that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Allah is angry with those who do not ask Him for anything" (At Tirmidhi). Why make Him angry?
Here are effective ways to plan your du`a to make the best out of your praylist:
Write It All Down
Take some time to actually write out your praylist. Do so in a format which is most accessible for you to review. You can write them on a small piece of paper to place in your wallet or purse, or if you're like me, you can type them into your phone's notes application.
There shouldn't be any limit on the size of the list, as long as it is manageable. If the list is so long that it becomes a burden to repeat more than once a day, it's then best to shorten it.
If you are weary of writing out your praylist because you wish to keep some or the entire items private, you should still write it out but then only list keywords that remind you of each item.
Ask Anything & Everything That Is Good
When choosing your items, imagine that Allah is asking you to ask Him for anything and everything you've ever wanted! Imagine the possibilities. From self improvement, to material things, to bettering relationships in your life, write down everything you want to ask Allah with no limitations other than keeping each item halal (lawful). Remember, you're asking Al-Mujeeb! The one who responds and is the supreme answerer.
Learn Prophetic and Quranic du`as to include as well.
Organize
Organize items in your "praylist" into different categories. I use the categories: this world, hereafter, worship, Muslim community and relationships. Once each item is sorted, you'll notice that some categories may be lacking than others. Adjust and add du`as where necessary. This will ensure that your praylist is all encompassing of your needs.
Make Du`a When They Are Most Likely Answered
These times include right before breaking the fast, during your prayer in prostration, after the obligatory prayers, night prayer, and the last 10 nights. At the least, everyday of Ramadan, I always make sure to make du`a before breaking my fast during iftar.
Remember the Etiquettes of Du`a
There is a right and proper way to make du`a. Remember that we must praise Allah Ta'ala first, ask for peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and then make our du`a.
So go on, take some time to think of what things you want the most. This time next year, you'll be surprised how many items on your list Allah Ta'ala has directly or indirectly granted you insha'Allah (Allah Ta'ala-willing).
I pray we all have a meaningful and successful Ramadan full of blessings. May Allah Ta'ala preserve us all to reap the benefits of such a Holy month and bring us closer to Him. May He give us all strength, knowledge, patience and humility. Ameen.
"It's the tea set that my sister loved most and wanted so much for this Eid. She was so sure that angels would bring it to her."
I replied to him that may be Allah will send it to her after all, and not to worry.
But he replied to me sadly. "No, the angels can't bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the tea set to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there."
His eyes were so sad while saying this. "My sister has gone to be with Allah. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see Allah very soon too, so I thought that she could take the tea set with her to give it to my sister.''
My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said: "I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall."
"I love my mommy and I wish she doesn't have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister "
Then he looked again at the tea set with sad eyes and very quietly I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy.
"What if we checked again, just in case you do have enough money?''
"OK" he said "I hope that I have enough."
I added some of my money to his without him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for tea set and even some spare money.
The little boy said: "Jazakallah(Thank you Allah) for giving me enough money!"
Then he looked at me and added "I asked yesterday before I slept for Allah to make sure I have enough money to buy this tea set so that mommy can give it to my sister. Allah heard me!''
"I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask Allah for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the tea set and a white rose.''
"My mommy loves white roses."
A few minutes later, his granny came again and I left with my basket.
I finished my shopping in a totally different state from when I started. I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind. Only Allah knows what went through my mind.
Then I remembered a local newspaper article two days ago, which mentioned of a wealthy drunk man in a sporty car, who caused a fatal accident seriously injuring young mother and her little daughter.
The little girl died right on the scene of the accident and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-assisting machine, because the young mum would not be able to recover from the coma.
Was this the family of the little boy?
Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I read in the newspaper that the young mother had passed away and the funeral would be held early this morning.
I couldn't stop myself and I felt it my duty to go to the home where the body of the young woman was laying just before they were going to take it away for prayer and burial. Some ladies whom I recognized from our weekly Taalim Halqa were praying for the young lady.
She was there; wrapped in a white shroud, a beautiful white rose by her side and the same young boy I met earlier with the tea set against his chest.
I went close to the boy and then smiled at him and passed my hand over his head as I recalled the saying of the Messenger of Allah(peace be upon him): "Whoever caresses the head of an orphan (in affection), solely for the sake of Allah, a good deed will be written to his account for every hair over which he passed his hand, and whoever treated an orphan (boy or girl) with goodness and kindness, he and I will be close to each-other in Heaven as these two fingers"
I left the place, my eyes flowing with tears, feeling that my life had been changed forever. The love that this little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine. And in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all these precious persons away from him.
Tomorrow was Eid. Recalling the saying of the Messenger of Allah(peace be upon him): "Whoever supports an orphan from among his own or any other family, he will be as close to me in Heaven as these fingers are close to each other." I quickly hurried to the store to purchase a beautiful gift for the young orphaned prince who thought me a great lesson of sharing and caring.
Every Eid since then I have made it my duty to honour this orphaned boy.
Moral: Eid is a time to share and care…let us not forget the poor,orphans and needy on this blessed day.
