Benefits of Ramadan

[ummtaalib]

Benefits of Ramadan

 

1. Fasting in Ramadan helps in achieving Taqwaa.

Allaah says: “O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous (achieve Taqwaa)” (Al-Baqarah, 2:183)

When we change our attitude while fasting and have a good mental state, we can achieve Taqwaa. Jabir ibn Abullah said,

“When you fast, your hearing, your vision, and your tongue should also fast by avoiding lies and sins. You should not abuse your servant. You should maintain your composure and dignity on the day you fast. Do not make your fasting day the same as your normal day.” (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah)

 

2. Double reward of fasting:

“Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward like that of the fasting person, without any reduction in his reward.” (Al Tirmidhee)

Ibn Taymiyah said:

What is meant by giving him iftaar is giving him enough to satisfy him. (Al-Ikhtiyaaraat, p. 194)

 

3. Reading Qur’an in Ramadan assists in attaining “Taqwaa”

Reading Qur’an in this month assists in attaining “Taqwaa” since it is one of the main objectives of the revelation of the Qur’an. Allaah says: “(It is) an Arabic Qur'an, without any deviance that they might become righteous.” (Az-Zumar, 39:28)

4. A means of gaining forgiveness of sins:

The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said:

a. “Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” (al-Bukharee, 2014; Muslim, 760)

b. “…from one Ramadan to the next are expiation for sins committed in between, so long as you avoid major sins.” (Saheeh Muslim (233))

5. Steadfastness and Patience:

Fasting helps in developing a strong will power. Fasting is patience in obeying Allaah, patience in keeping away from the things forbidden by Allaah, and patience in bearing the decree of Allaah, hunger, thirst, physical and mental weakness. So it combines all three types of patience, thus the fasting person deserves to be counted as one of the patient, and Allaah says:

“Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account." (Az-Zumar, 39:10)

6. Seeking Laylatul Qadr:

Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said:

“There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month which Allaah 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.” ( An-Nasa’ee, 2106; Ahmad, 8769.)

7. Fasting precludes ar-riya and assists in ikhlaas:

“Allaah said: ‘Every deed of the son of Adam is for him except fasting; it is for Me and I shall reward for it…’” ( Al-Bukharee (1761) and Muslim (1946))

Allaah didn’t say “prayer is Mine”, or “Hajj is Mine”, or “charity is Mine”. Why did He single out fasting? Al-Qurtubi said: Because showing off may enter into all good deeds, but no one can see when a person is fasting except Allaah, so Allaah connected it to Himself.

8. Ramadan trains us to have good character and be truthful:

The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said:

“Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it and ignorant behaviour, Allaah has no need of his giving up his food and drink”. (Sahih Al-Bukharee,1903)

So if a person refrains from disobeying Allaah or gives up sinfulness, then this is true fasting. Meaning, your body needs to fast with you too along with hunger and thirst.

9. A sense of Unity:

All the Muslims participate in this act of worship. All of us are fasting and breaking the fast at the same time. We as a single ummah gather upon a single act of worship directing towards a single purpose.

10. Ramadan is an opportunity to learn discipline in food and drink:

One of the benefits of fasting is good health. This is something we should seek because with good health, we can worship Allaah better and do extra good deeds which we might not be able to do if we did not have it. The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said:

“A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allaah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone…” (Sahih Muslim 2664)

11. Two moments of Joy:

The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said:

“The fasting person will have two moments of joy: one when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.” (al-Bukharee, 1771)

Source : Idealmuslimah (Edited)