A compilation of the virtues of Ramadan from the Quran and authentic Ahadith.
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ
“It was in the month of Ramadan that the Quran was revealed as guidance for mankind, clear messages giving guidance and distinguishing between right and wrong…” [Quran 2:185]
The blessed month of Ramadan is a gift and mercy of Allah, subhana wa ta’ala, in which is abundant blessings and guidance. It is also called the month of patience and the month of eid, a month which is not deficient. It is the month in which the Almighty chose to reveal the Quran, as well as the Suhuf of Ibrahim (as), the Torah of Musa (as), the Injeel of Isa (as), and the Zabur of Dawud (as), as divine guidance and mercy to the mankind. In it the doors of mercy are opened, and the doors of hell are closed, and surely ‘whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.’
The virtues of Ramadan are a true reflection of Allah’s abundant Mercy, as has been conveyed to us through numerous authentic narrations. Knowing them by heart will help us cease those opportunities as they arise and make the most of this Ramadan, in sha Allah.
The Virtues of Ramadan
- Doors of Paradise are opened; Doors of Hell are closed, Devils are chained & People are freed from the Hellfire
“When the first night of Ramadan comes, the satans and mischievous jinns are chained up, and the gates of the Fire are closed, and none of its gates are opened. The gates of Paradise are opened and none of its gates are closed. And a caller cries out: ‘O seeker of good, proceed, O seeker of evil, stop.’ And Allah has necks (people) whom He frees (from the Fire), and that happens every day.”
Allah refers to Jannah as mercy . Scholars say that the big or major shaitans are chained up, so the effect of shaitan is less on people. So, the avenues for entering Jannah are opened, avenues for entering fire are closed, and people draw near to Allah, and thus people are freed from the hellfire every day.
- It is the Month of Fasting
“Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.”
Allah (swt) has ordained fasting in Ramadan as the 2nd pillar of Islam, without which one’s Islam or submission to Allah (swt) is incomplete. It is narrated that if a person affirms the Shahadatan, prays 5 daily prayers, gives zakat, fasts the month of Ramadan and stands in prayer during its nights, he will be among the truthful and the martyrs.
Fasting is very special when compared to other acts of worship because the fasting one will be:
- Rewarded without limit
‘Allah the Exalted and Majestic said: “Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting. It is for Me, and I shall reward for it.” Fasting is a shield, so when it is a day when one of you is fasting, let him not utter any obscene speech that day nor raise his voice. If anyone reviles him, or argues with him, let him say: “I am a man who is fasting, I am fasting.” By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad! The smell of the mouth of the fasting person will be better to Allah on the Day of Resurrection than the fragrance of musk. The fasting person has two moments of joy that he rejoices in: When he breaks his fast, he rejoices at breaking his fast, and when he meets his Lord he will rejoice in his fasting.’ (Narrated by Abu Huraira, Sahih Muslim, Vol 3, Book 13, Hadith 2706).
- Interceded by fasting
“Fasting and the Qur’an will intercede for a person on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say: O Lord, I kept him from his food and desires during the day; let me intercede for him. And the Qur’an will say: I kept him from sleeping during the night; let me intercede for him. And they will be allowed to intercede.” (Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr, Saheeh al-Jaami‘, 7329 (Graded Saheeh by Shaykh Albani))
- Enter through a special gate in Paradise
“For those who fast there is a gate in Paradise called Ar-Rayyan, through which no one but they will enter. When the last of them has entered it, it will be closed. Whoever enters through it will drink, and whoever drinks will never be thirsty again.”
لِلصَّائِمِينَ بَابٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ يُقَالُ لَهُ الرَّيَّانُ لاَ يَدْخُلُ فِيهِ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُهُمْ فَإِذَا دَخَلَ آخِرُهُمْ أُغْلِقَ مَنْ دَخَلَ فِيهِ شَرِبَ وَمَنْ شَرِبَ لَمْ يَظْمَأْ أَبَدًا “
Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa’d, Sunan An-Nasai, Vol. 3, Book 22, Hadith 2238 (Saheeh)
- Distanced from the fire
“There is no one who fasts one day in the cause of Allah, but Allah will remove his face (the distance of) seventy autumns from the Fire in return for that day.”
“ مَنْ صَامَ يَوْمًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بَاعَدَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ عَنِ النَّارِ سَبْعِينَ خَرِيفًا ”
Narrated by Abu Said al-Khudri, Sahih Muslim, Vol 3, Book 13, Hadith 2711
- Opportunities of Forgiveness of Previous Sins
The Messenger of Allah (sa) said,
The five (daily) prayers and from one Friday prayer to the (next) Friday prayer, and from Ramadhan to Ramadhan are expiations for the (sins) committed in between (their intervals) provided one shuns the major sins.
“ الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ وَالْجُمُعَةُ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ مُكَفِّرَاتٌ مَا بَيْنَهُنَّ إِذَا اجْتَنَبَ الْكَبَائِرَ
Narrated by Abu Huraira, Sahih Muslim, Vol 1, Book 2, Hadith 550
“Whoever prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.“
“ مَنْ قَامَهُ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ
Narrated by Abu Huraira, Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol 3, Book 31, Hadith 2008
In another narration, “whoever fasted the month of Ramadan with sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the $alat (prayers) in the night of Qadr with sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven.”
“ مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ، وَمَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ
Narrated by Abu Huraira, Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol 3, Book 32, Hadith 2014
Allah gives us not one, two but three different opportunities in Ramadan to seek forgiveness for our sins through acts of sincere worship, so that even if we have shortcoming in fasting, we can make up with night prayers and so on. Indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.
- In it is a night better than a thousand months
Allah, the Most High, said,
“Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” [Quran 97:1-5]
It means that a night of worship in Laylatul Qadr could be as if one worshipped Allah, subhana wa ta’ala, for 83 years.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told us to search for Laylatul Qadr in the last ten odd nights of Ramadan, and whoever stands in prayer in that night out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, all his previous sins will be forgiven.
“ تَحَرَّوْا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ فِي الْوِتْرِ مِنَ الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ ”.
“Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.” Narrated by Aisha, Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol 3, Book 32, Hadith 2017
During the last ten days of Ramadan, even the Prophet (ﷺ) used to tighten his waist belt, perform itikaf, and used to pray all night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers. Narrated by Aisha, Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol 3, Book 32, Hadith 2024
- Allah and His angels send blessings for those who eat Suhur
The Messenger of Allah said,
“Take Suhur as there is a blessing in it.”
“ تَسَحَّرُوا فَإِنَّ فِي السَّحُورِ بَرَكَةً
Narrated by Anas Ibn Malik, Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 30, Hadith 1923
“Suhur is a blessed meal, so do not omit it, even if one of you only takes a sip of water, for Allah and His angels send blessings on those who eat suhur.”
Narrated by Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri, by Ahmad, Hadith 11003; Saheeh al-Jaami’ Hadith 3683. (Graded Hasan by Shaykh Albani)
- Umrah during Ramadan is equal to Hajj
The Prophet said:
“Umrah during Ramadan is equal to Hajj.” Or said, “Equal to Hajj with me.”
فإِنِّ عمرة في رمضان تقضي حجة أو حجة معي“
Narrated by Ibn Abbas, Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol 3, Book 28, Hadith 1863
And we know Umrah expiates sins committed between two Umrahs, and the reward for an accepted Hajj is Paradise!
The Month of Generosity
- The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever provides the food for a fasting person to break his fast with, then for him is the same reward as his (the fasting person’s), without anything being diminished from the reward of the fasting person.”
“ مَنْ فَطَّرَ صَائِمًا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِهِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَنْقُصُ مِنْ أَجْرِ الصَّائِمِ شَيْئًا
Narrated by Zaid ibn Khalid Al-Juhani, Jami at-Tirmidhi, Vol 2, Book 6, Hadith 807 (Saheeh)
“The Prophet (ﷺ) was the most generous of all the people, and he used to become more generous in Ramadan when Jibril met him. Jibril (as) used to meet him every night during Ramadan to revise the Qur’an with him. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) then used to be more generous than the fair wind.” Narrated by Ibn Abbas, Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol 4, Book 61, Hadith 3554
He (ﷺ) also ordained the Zakah of Ramadan on everyone, young and old, free and slave, male and female, a Sa of dates or a Sa of barley before the Eid prayer, encouraging everyone to share their blessings and joys with the needy on the day of Eid.
‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) enjoined Zakat-ul-fitr on the one who fasts to purify him from any indecent act or speech and for the purpose of providing food for the needy. It is accepted as Zakah for the person who pays it before the Eid prayer and it is Sadaqah (i.e. voluntary charity) for the person who pays it after the Eid prayer.’ Narrated by Ibn Abbas, Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol 2, Book 9, Hadith 1609 (Hasan)
That is why some sahabas used to pay it one or two days before Eid to fulfil their responsibilities earlier than to have missed it. Narrated by Nafi, Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol 2, Book 9, Hadith 1610 (Saheeh)
May Allah enable us to be of those who are showered with the blessings of Ramadan. Ameen!
Author Bio
Nusrat and her one and half year old are jointly pursuing a Masters in Islamic Studies through the terrific cuteness and head-bangs of toddler-hood. She writes about her research on domestic violence in the Canadian Muslim community at muslimah.ca, and sometimes shares a piece of her heart at aynunjannat.wordpress.com.
Allah refers to Jannah as mercy . Scholars say that the big or major shaitans are chained up, so the effect of shaitan is less on people.
muslims life recently posted…Shaykh Muhammad Al- Luhaidan.