Preparing for Ramadan

In one of his writings, ibn Rajab al-Hanbali listed a number of benefits of following up Ramadan by fasting six days of Shawwal, one of which being: [ومنها : أنّ الاعمال التي كان العبد يتقرب الى ربه في شهر رمضان لا تنقطع بانقضاء رمضان ، بل هو باقية بعد انقضائه ما دام العبد حيا .] "Another benefit is that the deeds which the slave did in order to seek closeness to his Lord during the month of Ramadan are not cut off by the completion of Ramadan. Rather, they are enduring after its completion for as long as the slave is alive."

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said the Prophet ﷺ used to do in the final ten days that which he never did throughout the entire year (as the Hadith stated). What did he do? He used to pray at night, he used to make Dhikr and read Qur’an. Do any form of worship you are comfortable with and that you feel brings you closer to Allah. Dhikr? Do Dhikr. Reciting Qur’an? Recite Qur’an. Prayer and Qur’an? Do that. A lot of people ask what is the best thing to do? Allah gave so many forms of worship because He knows the nature of humans. Some matters may be appealing to some and not appealing to others. For example the Rak’aat are different, you have two, three and four Rak’aat, some are silent and some are loud. For some Ibaadaat you need to do Ibaadaat in other Ibaadaat and some are independent. So what is the best thing to do? It is what you are most comfortable with and that which brings you and strengthens your attachment with Allah. There are some special Du’aa for the night of Laylat al-Qadar and we will talk about that in an independent talk. Also, you wake up your family in these nights and it is Sunnah. That is a specialty of the last ten nights. Sufyaan ath-Thawri said when the last nights enter, one should wake up his family to join him in prayer or so they can make their own Salah. You get reward just for doing that. What else do you do? You pursue the night of Laylat al-Qadar. And we will give an independent talk on that Inshaa Allah. —Shaykh al-Imām Aḥmad Mūsā Jibrīl حفظه الله

If not in Ramadan, then when?

❗️NEW TRAILER | RAMADAN 1447❗️ Upcoming Series: The Fundamentals of a Successful Life Anyone who has attentively followed the Shaykh’s lectures bears witness to the profound sincerity that permeates them, each word, by Allah’s Will, piercing the heart and illuminating the soul. May Allah bestow upon us the blessing of reaching Ramadan and Laylatul Qadr, and grant us sincerity and tawfīq to uphold these foundational principles set forth in The Fundamentals of a Successful Life by Shaykh Musa Jibril  (حفظه الله تعالى). By Allah, whoever truly comprehends and implements the teachings within these lectures will be successful not only in this world but the Hereafter as well, by the Will of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). https://musajibril.org

Sha'ban 1447.png

Calendar for the 8th Hijri Month: The Month of Rehearsal (for Ramadan)—Sha'ban 1447✨ ◽️Ath-Thulathah (Tuesday- 20 Jan) till Maghrib is 1st Sha'ban 1447. ◽️Rajab was 30 days as moon was not sighted Alhamdulillah. Sha'ban is the month for striving and sincerity. The month of love and service to Allah. The month of turning away from this world. The month of expiating bad deeds. Sha'ban, the month of irrigating (what you planted in Rajab). For those who didn't excell by starting the preparation in Rajab, this is the month for you, O whose progress is moderate. So let's strive.

🌿Sha’baan - Month of the Reciters 🔹Salamah Ibn Kaheel (رحمه الله تعالى) said: It used to be said that the month of Sha’ban is the month of the reciters. 🔹al-Hassan bin Shuhail (رحمه الله تعالى) used to recite the Quran a lot during it (i.e., during Shaban). And he would say: “My Lord, You have placed me between two great months! (i.e., between Rajab and Ramadan). 🔹And 'Amr ibn Qais al-Malaa'ee (رحمه الله تعالى) used to close his shop when Sha'ban began and fill his time with recitation of the Qur'an. [Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (رحمه الله تعالى), al-Lataaif al-Ma’arif, 258-259 & 138]

A MONTH FOR REHEARSAL & PREPARATION It is like the Sunnah Salah we offer before and after the Fard Salah. For the Fard fast of Ramadan, we are taught to offer nafl fasts before and after (ie; in Sha’ban and Shawwal) (Lataiful Ma’arif, pg.249) The Sahabah (radiyallahu ’anhum) and Tabi’un (rahimahumullah) would also engage in what we would understand as ‘spiritual preparation’ for Ramadan. Anas bin Mālik رضي الله عنه said: During the month of Sha’bān, the Muslims would devote themselves to the Mushafs and recite from them. They used to distribute the zakāt* from their wealth in order to support the weak and poor for the upcoming Ramadān. [Latāif al-Ma’ārif 135] Hafiz Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali (rahimahullah) writes: ‘Since Sha’ban is a prelude to Ramadan, Islam encourages certain deeds in this month, that are usually done in Ramadan. Like fasting and Quran recital. This prepares the soul to welcome Ramadan, when it arrives, with open arms.’ (Lataiful Ma’arif, pg.258) "When Sha'bān arrived, Muslims would dedicate themselves to the Qur'ān and they would dispose of their zakāt*..." —Al-Hāfidh ibn Hajar (Fathul Bari) * The general rule is to pay zakat as soon as it is due, however there can be exceptions please read here: https://islamqa.info/amp/en/answers/8400 Allah knows best.

Calendar for the 8th Hijri Month: The Month of Rehearsal (for Ramadan)—Sha'ban 1447✨ ◽️Ath-Thulathah (Tuesday- 20 Jan) till Maghrib is 1st Sha'ban 1447. ◽️Rajab was 30 days as moon was not sighted Alhamdulillah. Sha'ban is the month for striving and sincerity. The month of love and service to Allah. The month of turning away from this world. The month of expiating bad deeds. Sha'ban, the month of irrigating (what you planted in Rajab). For those who didn't excell by starting the preparation in Rajab, this is the month for you, O whose progress is moderate. So let's strive.

Calendar for the 7th Hijri Month: The Sacred Rajab 1447✨ The month of preparations for Ramadan, the month of giving up sins, the month of planting and sowing good deeds, and the key to months of goodness and blessings ♥ Al-Ahad (Sunday, Dec 21) till Maghrib was 1st Rajab 1447 Jumadul Akhir was 29 days as moon was sighted Alhamdulillah.

🪧📌 Make up missed fasts before Ramadan

Calendar for 5th Hijri Month: Jumadul Awwal 1447✨ Thursday, Oct 23 till Maghrib was the 1st of Jumadul Awwal 1447. Rabiul Akhir was 30 days as moon was not sighted Alhamdulillah. We are less than 4 months away from Ramadan bi-idhnillah.