RASÛLULLAH ‘sall- Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’
Hadrat Muhammad ‘’alaihi-s-salâm’, who was born in Arabia,
Is the highest of mankind in both worlds!
May he who will not become earth at his door
Remain under the earth all the time!
May our salâms be to the highest and the most superior of Prophets ‘’alâ nabiyyinâ wa ’alaihimussalawâtu wa-t-teslîmât’
Advice of Scholars - THE FAST OF RAMADÂN
The fourth of the five principles of Islam is to fast every day in the blessed month of Ramadân. The fast became fard on the tenth day of the month of Sha’bân eighteen months after the Hegira and a month before the Ghazâ (Holy War) of Bedr. Ramadân means to burn. Sins of those who fast and beg Allah for forgiveness in this month burn and perish. Hadîth-i sherîfs declare as follows:
“When the month of Ramadân comes, the doors of Paradise are opened and the doors of Hell are closed, and the devils are tied.”
“O Muslims! Such a great month is about to overshadow you that one night [Qadr night] in this month is more beneficial than a thousand months. Allâhu ta’âlâ has commanded fasting every day during this month. Also, it is a sunna to perform the namâz of tarâwih at nights during this month. Doing a small favour for Allah’s sake during this month is like doing the fard in other months. Doing the fard in this month is like doing seventy fards in other months. This month is the month of patience. The place where the patient person will go is Paradise. This month is the month of getting along well. There is an increase in the subsistence of Believers during this month. If a person gives iftâr to a fasting person in this month his sins will be forgiven. Allâhu ta’âlâ will manumit him from Hell-fire. And he will be given as many blessings as has that fasting person. ”
“If a person knows it as fard and as a duty to fast in the month of Ramadân and if he expects its thawâb from Allâhu ta’âlâ, his past sins are pardoned. ”
HOW TO FIND THE DIRECTION OF QIBLA
It is stated as follows on the two hundred and eighty-ninth page of the first volume of Ibni ’Âbidîn, during the discourse on how to find the direction of qibla: “Scholars said that we should not trust calendars in learning the first day of Ramadân-i-sherîf. For, the fast becomes fard after the new moon is seen in the sky. Our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated: ‘Begin to fast when you see the new moon!’ On the other hand, the appearing of the new moon depends on calculation, not on seeing it; calculation is valid, and the new moon appears on the night indicated by calculation. Yet it may be seen on the following night instead of that night, and it is necessary to begin the fast on the night it is seen, not on the night it must appear (according to the calculation). Such is the commandment of Islam.” It is an act of worship to look for the new moon in the sky. As is seen, announcing the beginning of Ramadân-i-sherîf beforehand is an indication of not knowing Islam.