Sunnats and Aadaab of Ramadhaan – Part 4

1. Ensure that you perform the twenty rakaat taraweeh salaah every night. The taraweeh salaah is an emphasised sunnah. In the era of Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu), all the Sahaabah had consensus on performing twenty rakaat taraweeh. At least try to complete one khatam of the Qur’aan in the taraaweeh Salaah.

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : من قام رمضان إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه (ابو داود رقم 1373)

Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “The one who stands in Taraweeh salaah in Ramadhaan with Imaan (complete belief and faith) and with the hope of reward, all his past (minor) sins will be forgiven.”

عن عبد الرحمن بن عوف رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إن الله تبارك و تعالى فرض صيام رمضان عليكم و سننت لكم قيامه فمن صامه و قامه إيمانا و احتسابا خرج من ذنوبه كيوم ولدته أمه (سنن النسائي 1/308)

Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Verily Allah Ta’ala has ordained the fast of Ramadhaan upon you and I have prescribed for you standing during its nights in Taraweeh Salaah. Whosoever fasts during the days and stands up during the night in Taraweeh Salaah with true faith and hope of reward from Allah Ta’ala, he will be cleansed from all his sins like the day his mother bore him.”

عن ابى الحسناء أن علي بن أبي طالب أمر رجلا أن يصلي بالناس خمس ترويحات عشرين ركعة – باب ما روي في عدد ركعات القيام في  شهر رمضان (سنن الكبرى للبيهقي رقم 4805)

Abul Hasana (rahimahullah) says, “Hazrat Ali (radhiyallahu anhu) ordered a person to perform twenty rakaats of Taraweeh with the people during Ramadhaan.”

عن الأعمش عن زيد بن وهب قال كان عبد الله بن مسعود يصلي لنا في شهر رمضان فينصرف عليه ليل قال الأعمش كان يصلي عشرين ركعة و يوتر بثلاث (عمدة القاري 11/127)

A’amash (rahimahullah) says, “Hazrat Abdullah ibn Mas’ood (radhiyallahu anhu) used to lead the taraweeh salaah during the month of Ramadhaan for the people and he used to perform 20 rakaats and would perform 3 witr.”

روى البيهقي بإسناد صحيح انهم كانوا يقيمون على عهد عمر بعشرين ركعة و علي عهد عثمان و علي (و هكذا هو في عمدة القاري) (فتح الملهم 2/320)

Allamah Ayni (rahimahullah) says, “The illustrious Sahaabah of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) had performed twenty rakaats during the reign of Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu), and Hazrat Uthmaan and Hazrat Ali (radhiyallahu anhuma).” (Ayni’s Sharh-e- Bukhari Vol.7 P.178)

2. Form the habit of performing good deeds in the month of Ramadhaan and shun the habit of committing evil deeds and vices.

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم إذا كان أول ليلة من شهر رمضان صفدت الشياطين ومردة الجن وغلقت أبواب النار فلم يفتح منها باب وفتحت أبواب الجنة فلم يغلق منها باب وينادي مناد يا باغي الخير أقبل ويا باغي الشر أقصر ولله عتقاء من النار وذلك كل ليلة (ترمذي رقم 682)

Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “When the first night of Ramadhaan enters, the Shayateen and rebellious Jinnaat are chained, the doors of Jahannum are closed and no door remains open, the doors of Jannat are opened and no door remains closed, and a caller announces: ‘O the one seeking piety and good, advance. O the one seeking evil, restrain (from your evil).’ And Allah Ta’ala emancipates many souls from the fire of Jahannum, and this transpires every night throughout the month of Ramadhaan.“

3. Sit for i`tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadhaan if you are able to.

عن ابن عباس  الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال في المعتكف  هو يعتكف الذنوب ويجري له من الحسنات كعامل الحسنات كلها (ابن ماجة رقم 2108)

Hazrat ibn Abbaas (radhiyallahu anhuma) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said regarding the one sitting in I’tikaaf: “The mu’takif (remaining in the Musjid) stays away from committing sins, and every moment he receives the reward for carrying out the various forms of ibaadat that he would have been able to carry out had he not been in the state of I’tikaaf.”

عن ابن عباس  الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال من اعتكف يوما ابتغاء وجه الله تعالى جعل الله بينه وبين النار ثلاث خنادق أبعد مما بين الخافقين رواه الطبراني في الأوسط والبيهقي واللفظ له (الترغيب  رقم 1650)

Hazrat ibn Abbaas (radhiyallahu anhuma) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Whoever sits in I’tikaaf for a day seeking the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, Allah Ta’ala will place between him and the fire of Jahannum three trenches, each trench as far as the distance between the East and the West.”

4. Search for Laylat-ul-Qadr during the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadhaan.

عن أنس بن مالك قال : دخل رمضان فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : إن هذا الشهر قد حضركم وفيه ليلة خير من ألف شهر من حرمها فقد حرم الخير كله ولا يحرم خيرها إلا محروم  (ابن ماجه رقم 1644)

Hadhrat Anas (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that when Ramadhaan began Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Certainly this month (of Ramadhaan) has dawned upon you, and within it there is a night greater than a thousand months. The one who is deprived of this night, has certainly been deprived of all good. And only the truly deprived ones will be deprived of the good of this night.”

5. On the odd nights, perform some ibaadat and then go to sleep with the intention of awakening later at night. Do not sleep without making ibaadat, perchance one may not get up in time.
6. On the night of Qadr recite the following du`aa:

اَللّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنّيْ

O Allah, Indeed You are most forgiving, You love to forgive, so please forgive me.

عن عائشة قالت : قلت يا رسول الله أرأيت إن علمت أي ليلة ليلة القدر ما أقول فيها ؟ قال قولي اللهم إنك عفو تحب العفو فاعف عني قال هذا حديث حسن صحيح (ترمذي رقم 3513)

Hazrat Aaisha (radhiyallahu anha) reports that on one occasion she asked Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) what duaa to recite if she finds Laylatul Qadr. Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) taught her to recite the following duaa:

اَللّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنّيْ

7. Spend some time on the night of Eid in ibaadat.

عن أبي أمامة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال من قام ليلتي العيدين محتسبا لم يمت قلبه يوم تموت القلوب  رواه ابن ماجه ورواته ثقات إلا أن بقية مدلس وقد عنعنه (الترغيب و الترهيب رقم 1655)

Hazrat Abu Umaamah (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Whoever stands up in ibaadat on the two nights of Eid with the hope of attaining reward, his heart will not die the day the hearts (of the sinners) will die.”

8. The one who performs Esha salaah and Fajr salaah with jamaat and he performs twenty rakaats of the Taraweeh salaah with the imaam, Allah will reward him with the reward of standing throughout the night in ibaadat, and if the night was Laylatul Qadr, Allah Ta’ala will reward him with reward of Laylatul Qadr.

عن عثمان رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : من صلى العشاء في جماعة فكأنما قام نصف الليل ومن صلى الصبح في جماعة فكأنما صلى الليل كله . (مسلم رقم 656)

Hazrat Uthmaan (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “The one who performs his Esha salaah with jamaat (in the Musjid), then it is as though he has spent half the night in ibaadat. (And if he follows it up) and performs the Fajr salaah with jamaat (in the Musjid), Allah Ta’ala will reward him with the reward of spending the entire night in ibaadat.”

عن أبي ذر: قال … فقام بنا حتى ذهب ثلث الليل ثم لم يقم بنا في السادسة وقام بنا في الخامسة حتى ذهب شطر الليل فقلنا له يا رسول الله لو نفلتنا بقية ليلتنا هذه ؟ فقال إنه من قام مع الإمام حتى ينصرف كتب له قيام ليلة (ترمذي رقم 806)

It is reported from Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu anhu) that on the 25th night during the month of Ramadhaan, Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) led us in the Taraweeh salaah until half the night had passed. We (enjoyed performing the Taraweeh salaah) that after the completion of the salaah, we said to Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam): “If only you could have continued till the end of the night?”  Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “The one who stands with the Imaam and performs the Taraweeh salaah, Allah Ta’ala writes for him the reward of standing the entire night.”

9. After the month of Ramadhaan, one should endeavour to observe the six sunnah fasts of Shawaal.

عن أبي أيوب الأنصاري أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : من صام رمضان ثم أتبعه ستا من شوال كان كصيام الدهر. (مسلم رقم 1164)

Hazrat Abu Ayoob Ansaari (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Whoever observes the fasts of Ramadhaan and follows it up with keeping six fasts in Shawaal, then (he will get the reward) as though he fasted the entire year.”