09-24-2006, 02:53 AM
AssalmuAlaikum
Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) Sermon on welcoming the month of Ramadan
O People! The month of Allah (Ramadan) has approached you with His mercy
and blessings. This is the month that is the best of all months in the
estimation of Allah. Its days are the best among the days; its nights are
the best among the nights. Its hours are the best among the hours.
This is a month in which he has invited you. You have been, in this month,
selected as the recipients of the honors of Allah, the Merciful. In this
holy month, when you breathe, it has the Sawab/thawab (heavenly reward) of
'Tasbeeh' (the praise of Allah on rosary beads), and your sleep has the
thawab of worship.
Your good deeds are accepted in this month. So are your invocations.
Therefore, you must invoke your Lord, in right earnest, with hearts that
are free from sins and evils, that Allah may bless you, observe fast, in
this month, and recite the Holy Qur'an.
Verily! The person who may not receive the mercy and benevolence of Allah
in this month must be very unfortunate having an end as bad (in the
Hereafter). While fasting, remember the hunger and thirst of tomorrow in
Qiyamat. Give alms to the poor and the needy. Pay respects to your elders.
Have pity on those younger than you and be kind towards your relatives and
kinsmen. Guard your tongues against unworthy words, and your eyes from
such scenes that are not worth seeing (forbidden) and your ears from such
sounds that should not be heard by you.
Be kind to orphans so that when your children become orphans they also may
be treated with kindness. Do invoke that Allah may forgive your sins. Do
raise your hands at the time of Salat (Prayers), as it is the best time
for asking His mercy. When we invoke at such times, we are answered by
Him, when we call Him, He responds, and when we ask for anything, it is
accepted by Him.
O People! You have made your conscience the slave of your desires; make it
free by invoking Him for Istighfar (repentance/forgiveness). Your back is
breaking under the heavy load of your sins, so prostrate before Him for
long intervals and make it lighter.
Do understand fully well that Allah has promised in the name of His
Majesty and Honor that He will not take to task such people who fast and
offer Salat in this month and perform 'sajda' (prostration), and will
guard their bodies against the Fire of Hell on the Day of Judgment.
O People! If anybody amongst you arranges for the 'Iftar' (food for the
ending of the fast) of any believer, then Allah will give him a reward as
if he has set free a slave. He will forgive his minor sins.
Then the companions of the Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "But everybody amongst
us does not have the means to do so?"
The Prophet told them: - Keep yourself away from the Fire of Hell, by
inviting for 'Iftar', though it may consist of only half a date or simply
with water if you have nothing else. O People! Anybody who may cultivate
good manners in this month will walk over the 'Siraat' (Bridge) in
'Qiyamat', though his feet may be shaking.
Anybody who in this month may take light work from his servants (male or
female), Allah will make easy his accounting on the Day of Judgment.
Anybody who does not tease others in this month, Allah will keep him safe
from His wrath in Qiyamat. Anybody, who respects and treats an orphan with
kindness in this month, Allah shall look at him with dignity in Qiyamat.
Anybody who treats well his kinsmen, in this month, Allah will bestow His
mercy on him in Qiyamat, while anybody who maltreats his kinsmen in this
month, Allah will keep him away from His mercy, in Qiyamat.
Whoever offers 'Sunnat' (Recommended) prayers in this month, Allah will
give him a certificate of freedom from Hell. Whosoever offers one 'Wajib'
Salat in this month, for him the Angels will write the rewards of 70 such
prayers, which were offered by him in any other months.
Whosoever recites repeatedly 'Salat and salam' on me, Allah will keep the
scales of his deeds heavy, when in Qiyamat the scales of others will be
tending towards lightness.
Whosoever recites in this month only one 'Ayat' (verse of the Holy
Qur'an), he will be rewarded in a manner as if he had recited the full
Qur'an in the other months.
O People! The Gates of Paradise remain opened in this month. Do invoke
that the gates may not be closed on you, while the Gates of Hell are
closed. Do invoke that these gates may never be opened. During this month
Shaytan (Saten) is imprisoned so ask your Lord not to let him have power
over you.