Avoid forbidden actions and useless things. Take care to fast and pray along the month of Ramadan by increasing worships, especially in the last ten days of Ramadan so that you can take the rewards of Lailat Al-Qadr (Night of Power).
May Allah the Almighty guide us to fast and pray in Ramadan on the manner which pleases Him.
Here are some things to bear in mind (Niyyah) and the proof of each Niyyah:
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Niyyahs related to the month of Ramadan:
1- Performing an Islamic Obligation:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Islam is founded on five pillars; bearing witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah the Almighty and that Muhammad is His Prophet, performing Prayers (Salat), Giving Alms (Zakat), Fasting Ramadan (Siam), and making Pilgrimage (Hajj)”. [Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.]
- Entering Paradise:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “If you fear Allah the Almighty, perform the five obligatory prayers, fast Ramadan, pay Zakat, and obey your rulers you will enter paradise”.[As-Silsila As-Sahiha.]
- Remission of Sins:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “If you fast Ramadan for the sake of Allah only and out of belief in Him, your previous sins will be remitted”. [Sahih Aj-Jame’.]
- Release from Hell:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “At the end of each fasting day in Ramadan at each night, Allah the Almighty releases people from Hell”. [Corrected by Al-Albani, Sahih Ibn Majah.]
- General Niyyahs about Fasting (Including Ramadan):
Niyyah’s Related to Hereafter
- Happiness at the Hereafter:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord”.[Reported by Sahih Al-Bukhari.]
- Entering Paradise from Rayyan Gate:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “There is a gate in Paradise called Ar-Rayyan, and those who observe fasts will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it. It will be said, ‘Where are those who used to observe fasts?’ They will get up, and none except them will enter through it. After their entry the gate will be closed and nobody will enter through it”. [Reported by Sahih Al-Bukhari.]
- Intercession of Fasting:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Fasting and Quran will intercede for the benefit of the believer at the Day of Judgment”. [Reported by Sahih Aj-Jame’.]
- Intercession of Righteous Believers:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “O our Lord, our brothers were praying, fasting and making pilgrimage with us”. [Reported by Sahih Aj-Jame’.]
- Having Reward from Allah:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Allah the Almighty said: All good deeds of the believer are just for him except fasting; it is for me and I will give a high reward for it”.
- Matchless Deed:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Stick to fasting, its reward is matchless”.[Reported by Sahih At-Targhib Wa At-Tarhib.]
- Remission of Sins and Evil Deeds:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “The turmoil for a person in regard to his family, his property, and his neighbors would be expiated by fasting and charity”. [Reported by Sahih Aj-Jame’.]
- Distancing Face from Fire:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Every servant of Allah who observes fast for a day in the way of Allah, Allah would remove, because of this day, his face farther from the Fire (of Hell) to the extent of seventy years› distance”. [Reported by Sahih Muslim.]
Niyyahs Related to the Life
- Fortification against Sins:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, I am fasting”. [Reported by Sahih Al-Bukhari.
- Eternal Fasting Reward:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Fasting the month of patience (Ramadan) and three days of each month are like fasting forever – in reward”. [Reported by Sahih Aj-Jame’.]
- Fulfilling Supplications:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Allah the Almighty will surely fulfill three types of invocations; the invocations of the faster, the invocations of the wronged and the invocations of the traveler”. [Reported by Sahih Aj-Jame’.]
- Happiness in Life:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord”.[Reported by Sahih Al-Bukhari.]
- Happy End:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “The one who dies while fasting will enter paradise”.[Reported by Sahih Aj-Jame’.]
- Good Fragrance:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “By Allah in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, the breath of the observer of fast is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk”. [Reported by Sahih Muslim.]
- Righteousness:
Allah the Almighty said: “O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous”.
- Seeking Favor of Allah:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Allah the Almighty said: The most winning deed the slave can do to seek My favor is performing the obligations I imposed on him”. [Reported by Sahih Aj-Jame’.]
- Patience and Endurance:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Fasting the month of patience (Ramadan) and three days of each month are like fasting forever – in reward”. [Reported by Sahih Aj-Jame’.]
Ibn Al-Qayyem said: “Endurance has two types: Enduring worship and enduring Desires”.
