The Inner Dimensions of Zakat- Imam al-Ghazali

The Inner Dimensions of Zakat

Excerpts from Imam al-Ghazali's  'Ihya ul Uloom'

Certain inward attitudes and duties are incumbent on those who seek, through the payment of Zakat, that which leads to good in the Hereafter:

1. Knowing Zakat's purpose and significance

To understand the necessity of paying Zakat, how it represents a test of character, and why it has been made one of the fundamentals of Islam, even though it is a financial transaction and not a physical  act of worship.

Three points deserve consideration here:

(a) Testing the degree of love for Allah

Worldly goods are an object of love in everybody's eyes, being the means by which they enjoy the benefits of this world. Because of them, we become attached to life and shy away from death, even though death leads us to meet the Beloved (Allah).

The truth of our claim to love God is therefore put to the test, and we are asked to give up the wealth which is the apple our eye.

That is why Allah said: "God has bought from the believers their persons and their goods, Paradise being theirs for the price " (part of Quran: 9:111).

Allah also says that true piety means giving away one's wealth, in spite of love for it, to close relatives, orphans, the wayfarer and beggars, and for the emancipation of slaves (see Quran 2: 177) .

(b) The elimination of miserliness

The Divine decree by which Allah bids His servants to spend their wealth, is also significant  in purging the habit of miserliness, which is a deadly sin.

"And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful" (Quran 59:9).

"He who spends his wealth for increase in self-purification" (92:18)

The habit of miserliness is only eliminated by making oneself accustomed to spending money, for to break an attachment one must force oneself away till a new habit is found.

The purity he acquires is in proportion to his expenditure, to his delight in giving away and to his joy in spending for the sake of Allah.

(c) Expression of gratitude

The third factor is gratitude for benefits received, for the servant is indebted to Allah for personal and material bounties

2. Payment of Zakat at the proper time

The second duty with regards to Zakat concerns the time of payment .

A good practice is to anticipate the moment when payment is due.

This demonstrates a willingness to comply by bringing joy to the hearts of poor, forestalling the obstacles time might place in the way of charitable action, being aware that there are dangers in delaying payment, as the servant runs the risk of disobedience should he or she postpone beyond the appointed moment.

Whenever the impulse to good arises from within, the opportunity must be grasped at once as the believers heart lies between the two fingers of the All-Merciful. Yet how fickle is the heart! The devil threatens poverty and bids us to commit atrocious and abominable deeds.

Demonic suggestion follows hard on the heels of angelic inspiration. One should therefore seize the opportunity and fix a definite month for giving Zakat (if one is used to paying it all at once.)

One should endeavor to choose one of the most opportune times to pay Zakat, resulting in more closeness to Allah and compounding the value of the Zakat.

One such favorable time would be month of Muharram, since it is the first month of the Islamic year and one of the sacred months. Another is Ramadan.

3. Give In Secret

The third duty is secrecy, for this is farthest removed from hypocritical display and reputation-seeking.

Allah says, "If you disclose your Sadaqat (alms giving), it is well, but if you conceal it, and give it to the poor, that is better for you. (Allah) will forgive you some of your sins. And Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do" (Quran 2:271).

According to one Hadith, the Prophet said, "Seven people will be shaded under Allah's Throne on the Day on which there will be no other shade: (1) a just ruler, (2) a young person who worships Almighty Allah, (3) a person whose heart is attached to Masajid, (4) two people who love one another for the sake of Allah, and who come together and part for His sake, (5) a man who is called by a beautiful woman of good family, but refuses her, saying "I fear Allah", (6) a person who gives his money in charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives, and (7) someone who remembers Allah privately, so that his eyes brim with tears." (Bukhari, Muslim).

According to one of the scholars, "Three things are accounted among the treasures of righteousness, one of them being to give Alms in secret."

Whenever fame is the donor's objective, his work will be in vain, since the purpose of alms giving is to eliminate miserliness and to weaken the love of wealth. But the love of status has a stronger hold over the soul than the love of wealth, and both of them have deadly consequences in the Hereafter.

4. Give openly

The fourth duty, when one knows that such conduct will tend to encourage others to follow suit, is to let one's giving be seen.

In doing so, however, one must be inwardly on guard against hypocritical motives.

Apart from the expectation of gratitude and the risk of hypocrisy, there is another danger in visible alms giving, namely that of offending a poor man's dignity. It may be hurtful to him to be seen to be needy.

But someone who begs in public is bringing the disgrace upon himself; there is therefore no sense in being wary.

5. Avoid Taunting and Hurting

The fifth duty is not to invalidate one's alms giving through taunting and hurting.

As Allah said, "Do not make your Alms giving void by taunting and hurting." (part of Quran 2: 264).

Taunting is reminding a person of a favor, while hurt lies in making it known. According to others taunting is to exploit a person in return of a gift, while hurt lies in making him feel ashamed of his poverty.

Still others say that taunting means making one's gift an excuse for arrogant behavior.

One should therefore realize that giving alms is actually paying Allah, Great and Glorious is He, what is due, while the poor person is actually receiving his sustenance from Allah.

Anyone who grasps the significance of the three points mentioned above while discussing the purpose and importance of the Zakat, or even one of them, realizes that he is a benefactor only to himself , through spending his wealth either to demonstrate his love of Allah or to purge himself or herself of the voice miserliness, or to give thanks for the blessing of wealth in the hope of receiving more.

6. Adopt humility

The sixth duty to think little of one's donation, for to regard it highly is to invite that pride which is one of the deadly sins, making good deeds worthless.

It must be recognized that ten of two and-a-half percent is a tiny fraction, and that to pay only this is to content oneself with the least generous level of expense as we have explained above.

This is something to be ashamed of rather to boast about. Even if one rose to the highest level, disbursing all or most of one's wealth, one should still reflect on where it came from in the first place, and for what purpose it is being spent.

For all wealth belongs to Allah. It is to Him that one should be grateful for for being given it and being enabled to spend it, so why pride ourselves on spending for the sake of Allah when it is actually His property?

And, if one's situation is such that one must look to the Hereafter, spending for the sake of spiritual reward, why boast of giving what one expects to receive many many times over?

As for action, one's giving should be done with a sense of shame at one's meanness in holding back the rest of one's wealth from God, Great and Glorious is He.

One's demeanor should be humble and abashed, like that of someone who is asked to hand back a deposit but returns only part of it and holds on the rest.

For all wealth belongs to Allah and He would prefer to see us give all we possess. If He has not commanded His servant to do so, it is only because that would be too hard on them by reason of their greed.

As Allah says: "If He were to ask you of it, and press you, you would covetously withhold, and he will bring out all your (secret) ill wills'" (Quran 47:37).

7. Give the best and the dearest

The seventh duty is to select from one's wealth what is best and dearest to one: the finest and most excellent part, for God, exalted is He. Allah is good and accepts only what is good.

If the offering has been acquired by dubious means, it may not strictly belong to the donor and will then be disqualified.

"O you who believe! Spend of the good things which you have (legally) earned, and of that which We have produced from the earth for you, and do not aim at that which is bad to spend from it, (though) you would not accept it save if you close your eyes and tolerate therein. And know that Allah is Rich, and worthy of all praise." (Quran 2:267).

8. Seek the Worthy and Deserving

The eighth duty is to seek out the truly worthy recipient for one's offering (Sadaqa), rather than be content with just anybody who happens to fall within the eight categories of legally qualified beneficiaries.

For among those generally eligible there are some with special qualities. Attention should be paid to these five qualities:

First, one should seek out those pious people who have renounced the world and devoted themselves exclusively to the business of the Hereafter.

Second, the recipient should be chosen from among the people of learning, to support him in his quest for knowledge. Learning is the noblest form of worship, so long as it is based on right intention.

Third, the recipient should be a person who kept his need to himself, not being given to fuss and complaint.

Fourth, the recipient should be someone with a large family or disabled by illness or some other cause.

Fifth, the recipient should be a close relative, whether paternal or maternal.

Each of these points should therefore be taken into consideration, for they represent the desired qualities. Within each quality there are further gradations, so one ought to seek the highest.

If anyone can be found in whom all these qualities are combined, that is the greatest treasure and the supreme prize. If one does one's best and succeeds, one gets a double reward, but even if one fails, there is still a single reward for the effort.

 

Have You Abandoned the Qur’an? Ibn Qayyim

Allah says in the Quran: "And the Messenger will say: '“O my Lord! My people have abandoned this Qur’an!”' [25:30]    

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: ‘Indeed, God elevates a people by this Book and debases others by it.’ [Muslim, no.817]

This hadith probably goes some way in explaining why Muslims – and what is still referred to as Muslim world – are in the plight and predicament they are in.

 In his work on miscellaneous spiritual benefits, al-Fawa’id, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (d.751H/1350CE) describes five ways in which the Qur’an may be ignored, neglected and even deserted! Only by being aware of these ways can we offer a candid response to: Have we parted company with the Qur’an?

Abandoning the Qur’an is of various types:

Firstly, refusing to listen to it and believe in it or to pay any heed to it.

Secondly, ceasing to act on it and abide by what it declares as lawful or unlawful, even if one reads it and believes in it.

Thirdly, to abandon judging by it and being judged by it, whether in the fundamentals of the faith or in its branches; and to believe that it does not beget certainty or that its textual wordings do not beget sure knowledge.

Fourthly, neglecting to ponder over it or comprehend it; not seeking to uncover what the Speaker intended by it.

Fifthly, to abandon seeking a cure or healing through it in respect to the diseases of the heart and its maladies, but rather to seek healing for such illnesses from other than it.

All of this is included in Allah’s words: And the Messenger will say: “O my Lord! My people have abandoned this Qur’an!” [25:30] This being the case, even though certain forms of abandonment are more detestable than others.’1

≈

1. Al-Fawa’id (Makkah: Dar ‘Alam al-Fawa’id, 2008), 118.

Taken with slight modifications from http://thehumblei.com/2012/10/21/have-you-parted-company-with-the-quran/

Materialistic-consumerism and Muslims

Materialistic-consumerism and Muslims:

Materialism and consumerism are consuming us every second of the day. And we even realize that that’s the case but our nafs tells us its ok, we’re living “within our means” and Allah SWT has given us a lot so it’s ok to spend that money and rizq He’s given us even if it might be on our 5th pair of shoes because we’ve “earned” it and we “deserve” it (if we were to be really given what we deserve, I don’t think it would be a pretty viewing). We’re turning into reckless buyers as such without any regard to the lasting damage we especially to the planet and indeed our own spirituality. 

We take as much as we can from the earth, fulfilling our carnal desires and then go back to praying 5 times a day. And at the end of each prayer we complain that our prayer is “mechanical”, there is no “feeling to it”.  
‘To worship according to one vision of 'man' and 'life', and to live according to another, will inevitably provoke conflict in the soul.’

If we claim to be successors of the Prophet, more than ever we need to adopt the Prophetic way. And The Prophetic way not just in worship but in our daily interactions with people and things and in all our transactions in the Dunya.

Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad put it nicely:

"When we take on the Sunna, and reject flawed patterns of behaviour which have been shaped and guided by the ego and by fantasies of self-imagining, we declare to our Creator that we accept and revere the profound revelation of human flourishing exampled by the Best of Creation. Every act of the Sunna which we may successfully emulate declares that our role model is the man who had no ego, and to whom Allah had given a definitive victory over the forces of darkness. 

Modernity holds out lifestyle options centred on the self, and on the lower, agitated possibilities of the human condition. Every word of every magazine now breathes the message of the nafs: explore yourself, free yourself, be yourself. Buy a Porsche to express your identity; dress in a Cacharel suit to make a statement about yourself; be seen in the right places. 
The result, of course, is a society which pursues happiness with great technical brilliance but which puzzles over spiralling rates of suicide, drug abuse, failed relationships, and ever more aberrant forms of self-mutilation. It is a society in denial, a society in pain."

May Allah SWT give us the strength to follow the inward and the outward of the sunnah. 

Adapted with some modifications from: 
http://theconquerorofhearts.wordpress.com/2013/06/22/accountability/

 

What is Qalb? part-4: Qalb-e-Saleem

Qalb-e-Saleem (Safe heart): Dr Rafiq Ahmed

Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’ân:

إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ

“But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah Ta’ala a sound heart”. (26:89)

For real prosperity you need a properly functioning heart that is liked by Allah Ta’ala. Saleem is a word derived from Salaamat. It is a broad term but we can translate it as 'safe', also. Qalb is necessary for the real prosperity and safe Qalb is liked by Allah Ta’ala.

The safe Qalb means that all the qualities (latent or manifest) that have been given to it, are not wasted. The immense potential, which Allah Ta’ala has bestowed to the human Qalb is intact and well used and not disused.

It was already mentioned that man has been selected for expression of all the Attributes of Allah Ta’ala. Man's Qalb is framed to accommodate the faculties of quite different and opposing nature, as man is a mixture of opposites. If each faculty of Qalb remains in its right proportion and limits and each does its job in a just manner, it can be called as Saleem (safe). What is safe, is sound and healthy as well. If it is not safe, it is not sound and healthy i.e., it is diseased. When it is diseased, it stops doing its function. It is the king of all parts of the body and when the king becomes defunct one can imagine the fate of the nation (the man).

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) says:

ألا وإنّ في الجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إذا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الجَسدُ كُلُّهُ وإذا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ ألا وهْيَ القَلبُ

 “ Indeed there is a piece of flesh in the body (the heart) when that stays right, the whole body stays right, when that goes astray, the whole body goes astray! Listen with open ears, that is Qalb” (Bukhâri Sharief)

When the king is in right condition and functions properly, the subjects will be in right condition and they will also function properly and vice versa.

What is 'Qalb-e-Saleem' (A Pure-Heart)? An Explanation:

Explanation of the Quranic word 'Qalb-e-Saleem' by various Imams:

Allah says in the Quran, “The day when wealth and children will not benefit anyone except he who will come to Allah with a Qalb-e-Saleem.” (Surah Shu’ara 26, Aayah 88-89).

Our beloved Nabi Muhammad (SAWS) used to say in his Du’aa: “O Allah! I ask you for a Qalb-e-Saleem.” (Tirmidhi: On the authority of Shaddad bin Aws.) 

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) says:

ألا وإنّ في الجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إذا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الجَسدُ كُلُّهُ وإذا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ ألا وهْيَ القَلبُ

 “ Indeed there is a piece of flesh in the body (the heart) when that stays right, the whole body stays right, when that goes astray, the whole body goes astray! Listen carefully, that is the Qalb” (Bukhâri)

 'Saleem' is a word derived from 'Salaamat'. It is a broad term but we can translate it as 'safe and sound'.

The 'Qalb e Saleem' means that all the qualities (latent or manifest) that have been given to it, are not wasted. The immense potential, which Allah Ta’ala has bestowed to the human Qalb is intact and well used and not disused. 

It was already mentioned that man has been selected for expression of all the Attributes of Allah Ta’ala. Man's Qalb is designed to accommodate the faculties of quite different and opposing nature, as man is a mixture of opposites. 

If each faculty of Qalb remains in its right proportion and limits and each does its job in a just manner, it can be called as 'Saleem' (safe, sound and healthy). What is safe, is sound and healthy as well. If it is not safe, it is not sound and healthy i.e., it is diseased. 

When it is diseased, it stops doing its function. It is the king of all parts of the body and when the king becomes defunct one can imagine the fate of the nation (the man). 

Mentioned below are the different ways in which the Imams and Ulema (scholars) of the Salaf (early Muslims) have interpreted and explained the phrase 'Qalb-e-Saleem':

 1. Abdullah bin Abbas, Mujaahid, Qataadah, Ibn Sireen and many others (R.A.A.) are of the opinion that Qalb-e-Saleem is a heart that is absolutely free from Kufr (disbelief) and Nifaaq (hypocrisy). 

Ibn Sirin said, "The clean heart knows that Allah is true, that the Hour will undoubtedly come and that Allah will resurrect those who are in the graves.'' [Ruh-ul-Ma’aani, Ibn Katheer, etc.]

 2. It is heart that is free from Kibr (pride), Hasad (jealousy) and Hiqd (hatred). In the words of Qurtubi (R.A.A.) it is a Khaalis (sincere) heart. This opinion is supported by the following:
 i.) Rasoolullah (SAWS) said: “None of you can (truly) believe until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

 ii.) He  (SAWS)  also said: “A group of people will enter Jannah – their hearts are like the hearts of the birds.” (Muslim)

 iii.) Anas bin Maalik (R.A.) used to say that: “Most of the dwellers of Jannah are AL-Bulh.” According to one interpretation Al-Bulh are people who have clean hearts and who always entertain good thoughts regarding others (Qurtubi). Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said, "The clean heart is the sound heart.''

 3. It is the heart which, due to extreme love for Allah and His Rasool  (SAWS) , leads to total obedience to Allah and his Rasool  (SAWS) . This opinion is supported by the following:

 i.) Rasoolullah  (SAWS)  said: “…. There is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is good, the whole body is good. And if it is bad, the whole body is bad. Listen! That piece of flesh is the heart.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

 ii.) The Salaf (pious predecessors) used to say: “The heart is the king of the limbs and the rest of the limbs are its soldiers; they always obey him by implementing his instructions and they never disobey him in any regard. (Remember) when the king is pious, his soldiers will also be pious. Similarly, when the king is sinful, his soldiers will also be sinful.” (Jaami-ul-Uloom wal-Hikam by Ibn Rajab Hanbali)

 iii.) According to one interpretation the statement of Anas (RA) that: “Most of the dwellers of Jannah are Al-Bulh” refers to people who “don’t know sin”. (Qurtubi)

 4. Sa’eed bin Musayyab (RA) explains that the Arabs very often used the word 'Saleem' in the meaning of 'Ladeegh' (one who was bitten by a snake or scorpion) and this is exactly the case in the phrase Qalb-e-Saleem. (Ruh-ul-Ma’aani, etc). 

Thus Qalb-e-Saleem is the heart which, due to extreme fear for Allah, is like the heart of a person who has just been bitten by a scorpion. (Qurtubi). In the words of Abu Bakr ibn-ul-Arabi (R.A.A.) it is a heart that is “burnt and stung with fear (for Allah)" [Ahkaam-ul-Qur’an]. 

Some commentators of Hadith claim that the group of people who will enter Jannah because “their hearts are like the hearts of the birds” (Muslim) refer to people whose hearts are overwhelmed with fear for Allah.

It is our duty to make an effort to inculcate this Qalb-e-Saleem. May Allah guide us all to make such an effort and may He bless us all with the Qalb-e-Saleem. Aameen


More on 'Qalb-e-Saleem': 

http://tazkiyatips.blogspot.com/2012/02/what-is-qalb-part-4-qalb-e-saleem.html
and
http://tazkiyatips.blogspot.com/2012/02/polishing-hearts-by-imam-ibn-qayyim-al.html

Detailed article on importance of "Qalb" (heart) in Islamic spirituality:
http://tazkiyatips.blogspot.com/2012/02/what-is-qalb-heart-by-dr-rafiq-ahmed.html

THE BLESSINGS EXCLUSIVE TO THE MONTH OF RAMAḌĀN

THE BLESSINGS EXCLUSIVE TO THE MONTH OF RAMAḌĀN

1) The Devil is Shackled, the Gates of Hell are Shut, and the Gates of Paradise are Opened:

Ramaḍān is distinguished in that during this month the devil is shackled and the doors of Hell are closed shut while the doors of Heaven are opened and countless numbers of people are salvaged from Hellfire daily during each breaking of the fast.

It is related on the authority of Abū Hurayra (R.A) saying, “When it is the first night of Ramaḍān, the devils and the jinn are shackled and the doors of Hell are closed and not a single door of it is left open. While the doors of Heaven are opened and not a single one is

kept shut.
And a caller calls out, ‘O seeker of goodness come forward! O seeker of iniquity stay back! And God saves people from the Hellfire.” -Al-Mustadrak: vol.i/p.421.

It is also reported on the authority of Jābir (R.A)  saying that the Prophet (SAWS) said, “God saves people from the Hellfire at each breaking of the fast and the same each night,” -Sunan Ibn Māja: vol.i/Kitāb al-ṣiyām 7, Bāb 2/h.1643

meaning throughout the month of Ramaḍān.

2) The Multiplication of Reward for Good Deeds

From among the other blessings specific to the month of Ramaḍān is the multiplication of the reward for good actions performed during this month.
It is narrated on the authority of Salmān al-Fārisī (R.A) saying that the Messenger of God (SAWS)

 said, 
“…Who performs any type of good, it is as though he performed an obligatory act. Who performs an obligatory act, it is as though he performed seventy obligatory acts outside of [Ramaḍan].”

-Kanz al-ʿummāl: vol. 8/h.23714

3) Prayers Are Answered

Another blessing specific to this holy month is that prayers are answered in it. It is related on the authority of Abū Hurayra (R.A) saying that the Messenger of God (SAWS) said, “There are three whose prayers are not refused: the just ruler, the fasting person when he breaks his fast, and the prayer of the oppressed.”

-Sunan al-Tirmidhī: vol.4/ Kitāb ṣifat al-janna 39, Bāb 2:h.2526

God the Exalted also says directly following the verses on fasting, “And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.”
-[al-Baqara:186]

4) The Entire State of the Fasting Person is One of Worship

Another blessing specific to the fasting person is that the entire state of the fasting person is a state of fasting. Whether he refrains from excessive speech or whether he sleeps to gain strength to fast, he is in a state of worship.

It is related on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh b. Abī Awfī al-Aslamī (R.A) saying, “The Messenger of God (SAWS) said: ‘The sleep of the one fasting is worship, his silence is remembrance (tasbīḥ) , his [good] acts are multiplied, his sins are forgiven, and his prayers are answered.”

-Shuʿab al-Īmān li-al-Bayhaqī : vol.iii/ Bāb fī al-ṣiyām 23/h.3931

5) The Fasting Person is Granted Two Moments of Joy

From the distinct blessings of the month of Ramaḍān is that the fasting person is granted two moments of joy: once when he breaks his fast and once when he meets his Lord. 

It is related on the authority of Abū Hurayra (R.A) saying, “The Messenger of God (SAWS) said: ‘…The fasting person has two [sources of] joy with which he is made happy.

When he breaks his fast, he is made happy with the breaking of the fast and when he meets his Lord he is made happy by his fasting.”

-Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: vol.ii/Kitāb al-ṣiyām 13, Bāb 30/h.163

6) There is Great Reward in Breaking the Fast of the Fasting Person Without Diminishing their Reward

Another blessing that is specific to Ramaḍān is that God has reserved a great reward for the one who breaks the fast of a fasting person without decreasing the reward of the one who fasted.

This is a form of honoring the person who fasted and this immense reward is established even if achieved through a simple offering such as water or a date. 

It is related on the authority of Salmān al-Fārisī (R.A) saying, “The Messenger of God (SAWS) said: ‘Who breaks the fast of the fasting person during Ramaḍān through lawful earnings, the angels will send prayers upon him for the rest of the nights of Ramaḍān. Jibrīl will greet him on the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr) and the one

who is greeted by Jibrīl has the tears in his eyes increase and his heart softens. 
A man said, ‘O Messenger of God (SAWS), what about a man who does not possess this [i.e. sufficient wealth to break the fast of others]?’ He said: ‘Then with a piece of bread.’ He said: ‘And what about one who does not have this?’ He said: ‘Then [with] a portion of food.’

He said: ‘And what about someone who does not have this?’ He said: ‘Then a bit of milk.’ He said: ‘And what about someone who does not have this?’ He said: ‘Then a sip of water.’”

-Kanz al-ʿummāl : vol. viii/h. 23658

7) God has Bestowed Five Things on those Fasting from the Prophet’s (SAWS) Ummah that no other Ummah has been Bestowed

From the amongst the blessings exclusively reserved for the month of Ramaḍān is what has been described in the hadith related on the authority of Jābir b. ʿAbd Allāh (R.A.) saying that “The Messenger of God (SAWS) said: ‘In the month of Ramaḍān, my community has been granted five [blessings] that no community before me has been given. 

First, during the first night of Ramaḍān God looks at them [i.e. the Muslims] and whoever God looks at will never be anguished. 

Second, the smell of their mouth as the day becomes later is more beautiful to God than the smell of musk. 

Third, the angels make repentance for them each day and night.

Fourth, God commands His Paradise, “Prepare and ornament yourself for the believers. They have come close to becoming relieved of the fatigue of this world, and [moving] into My abode and bounty.” 

Fifth, they are forgiven in their entirety during the last night.’ 

A man then said, ‘Is this the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr) ?’ He said: ‘No. Do you not see how it is when workers work? When they have completed their work they receive their wages.’”
-Shuʿab al-Īmān li-al-Bayhaqī : vol.iii, Bāb fī al-ṣiyām 23/2603.

8) There is an Immense Reward for those Fasting on the Day of Judgment

From amongst the favors granted to those fasting is the immense reward they will receive on the Day of Judgment. God has reserved for them a specific door through which they will enter Paradise known as al-Rayyān. 

Nobody else will be allowed to enter through this door before or after them as a demonstration of their rank and distinction.

A caller will call out, “Where are those who used to fast?” And on that Day all will desire to be from amongst this elite group. 

The Messenger of God (SAWS) said describing this scene: “In Paradise there is a door called al-Rayyān through which those who used to fast will enter on the Day of Judgment. None other than them will

[be allowed to] enter.
It will be said: ‘Where are those who used to fast?’ They will rise and nobody other than them will enter. Once they have entered the door will shut and nobody else will be allowed to enter from it.”

-Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: vol.ii/Kitāb al-ṣawm 36, Bāb 4/h.1797.

The Quran and Hadith on Significance of Ramadan

The Quranic verses on Ramadhan

"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious).

(Fasting) for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (i.e. an old man, etc.), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a poor person (for every day). But whoever does good of his own accord, it is better for him. And that you fast, it is better for you if only you know." (2:183-84)

"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan), he must fast that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number (of days which one did not fast must be made up) from other days.

Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him" (2: 185).

"When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them):I listen to the prayer of every supplicant when he calleth on Me: let them also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in Me: that they may walk in the right way." (2:186)

"Verily! We have sent it (this Quran) down in the night of Al-Qadr.

And what will make you know what the night of Al-Qadr is?

The night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months

Therein descend the angels and the Ruh (Gabriel) by Allah's Permission with all Decrees,

Peace! until the appearance of dawn (97:1-5)

(It is called the night of Power (i.e Lailat-ul Qadr) or the night of blessing (Lailat-ul mubarak). The deed in this night is better than the rewards of deeds of 1,000 months (about 83.3 years).)

Hadith on the Significance of Ramadhan

Allah's Apostle said, "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained." [Bukhari] ...

Narrated Abu Huraira(r.a): The Prophet said:"... whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven." (Sahih Al-Bukhari).

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) addressed his companions on the last day of Sha`ban, saying, "Oh people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a month in which is a night better than a thousand months; month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night. Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer's sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast, shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Fire of Hell, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all." [Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah] 

Abu Huraira related that Rasulullah said: If anyone omits his fast even for one day in Ramadan without a concession or without being ill, then if he were to fast for the rest of his life he could not make up for it (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasai).

Abu Said al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah, said: "No servant fasts on a day in the path of Allah except that Allah removes the hellfire seventy years further away from his face." (This is related by "the group," except for Abu Dawud).

Abdullah ibn `Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam, said: "The fast and the Qur'an are two intercessors for the servant of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. The fast will say: 'O Lord, I prevented him from his food and desires during the day. Let me intercede for him.' The Qur'an will say: 'I prevented him from sleeping at night. Let me intercede for him.' And their intercession will be accepted." [Ahmad]

Abu Umamah reported: "I came to the Messenger of Allah and said: 'Order me to do a deed that will allow me to enter Paradise.' He said: 'Stick to fasting, as there is no equivalent to it.' Then I came to him again and he said: 'Stick to fasting."' [Ahmad, an-Nasa'i, and al-Hakim].

Sahl ibn Sa'd reported that the Prophet salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam said: "There is a gate to Paradise that is called ar-Rayyan. On the Day of Resurrection it will say: 'Where are those who fasted?' When the last [one] has passed through the gate, it will be locked." [al-Bukhari and Muslim].

He who is amongst those who pray will be called from the gate of the prayer (in Paradise) and he who is from the people of Jihad will be called from the gate of Jihad, and he who is from those' who give in charity (i.e. Zakat) will be called from the gate of charity, and he who is amongst those who observe fast will be called from the gate of fasting, the gate of Raiyan." Abu Bakr said, "He who is called from all those gates will need nothing," He added, "Will anyone be called from all those gates, O Allah's Apostle?" He said, "Yes, and I hope you will be among those, O Abu Bakr." [Bukhari]

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (S) said : "The time between the five prayers, two consecutive Friday Prayers, and two consecutive Ramadans are expiations for all that has happened during that period, provided that one has avoided the grave (major) sins." [Muslim]

In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) says, "Ramadan has come to you. (It is) a month of blessing, in which Allah covers you with blessing, for He sends down Mercy, decreases sins and answers prayers. In it, Allah looks at your competition (in good deeds), and boasts about you to His angels. So show Allah goodness from yourselves, for the unfortunate one is he who is deprived in (this month) of the mercy of Allah, the Mighty, the Exalted." [Narrated by Tabarani]

Abu Umaamah r.a.a. said: I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an action by which I may enter Paradise'. He said: 'Take to Fasting, there is nothing like it.' [An-Nasaa'ee, Ibn Hibbaan, Al-Haakim, Saheeh]

"Every action of the son of Adam is given manifold reward, each good deed receiving then times its like, up to seven hundred times. Allah the Most High said, 'Except for fasting, for it is for Me and I will give recompense for it, he leaves off his desires and his food for Me.' for the fasting person there are two times of joy; a time when he breaks his fast and a time of joy when he meets his Lord, and the smell coming from the mouth of the fasting person is better with Allah than the smell of musk." [al-Bukhaaree]

"Fasting is a shield with which a servant protects himself from the Fire." [Ahmad, Saheeh]

On the Day of Judgement, "Fasting will say: O My Lord I prevented him from food and desires so accept my intercession for him." [Ahmad, al-Haakim and Abu Nu'aim, Hasan]

There are in the month of Ramadhan in every day and night those to whom Allah grants freedom from the Fire, and there is for every Muslim a supplication which he can make and will be granted." [al-Bazzaar, Ahmad, Saheeh]

The Prophet said: He who gives food for a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, except that nothing will be reduced from the fasting persons reward." [Ahmad, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan, Saheeh].