Wednesday, July 25, 2012

The Salaf's (pious predecessors) worship In Ramadan

"Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Quran" [Al-Quran, 2:185]

The Methodology of Pleasing Allah

The righteous predecessors used to worship Allah like someone who works hard to appease an annoyed beloved. If a house servant erred gravely and was caught, he would beg forgiveness from his master and vow to be more careful in the future. Such was their worship.
Our attitude needs to be the same in this blessed month. We must acknowledge and understand the gravity of our sins, be ashamed in front of Allah, beg forgiveness, and vow righteousness in the future.


Peace and Rest

The noble elders would sacrifice their rest during this month for the sake of worship, and we need to follow their example. If we sleep and awaken according to our own will eleven months out of the year, then surely we can sacrifice our sleep and rest for the blessed month of Ramadan.

Below are given some examples from the lives of the pious Salaf (predecessors) of their devotion to the Quran in Ramadhan.

Some of the Salaf would complete reciting the whole Quran during the night prayer of Ramadan every 3 days, others every 7 days e.g Qataadah, others in 10 days e.g. Abu Rajaa' al-Atardi.

The Salaf would recite Quran in Ramadan in Prayer as well as outside it.  Ibrahim an-Nakh'I would do likewise in the last 10 nights specifically, & every 3 nights during the rest of the month.

Qataadah would regularly finish the Quran in 7 days, but in 3 days during Ramadan, when he would study the Quran especially, and every night during its last 10 days. 


Al-Zuhri would say when Ramadan began, 'It is recitation of the Quran and feeding of people.'

During the holy month Ramadan, Imam Abu Hanifa (May the mercy of Allah be upon him) would complete one reading of the Holy Quran in the morning, a second in the evening, and would listen to three complete recitals of the Holy Book in tarawih  for a total of sixty-three completions during the month. (see for details: Imam Al Kardari's 'Manaqib Al-imam Abu Hanifa')

When Ramadan began, Imam Malik would cease narrating Hadith and sitting with the people of knowledge, and stick to reciting the Quran from its pages, while Sufyan al-Thawri would leave other acts of worship and stick to reciting the Quran.

Zayd al-Yaami would bring copies of the Quran when Ramadan began and gather his companions around him. ...


It is reported that Al-Aswad [b. Yazîd Al-Nakha’î] used to complete the recitation of the Quran in Ramadan every two nights; sleeping between al-maghrib and al-‘ishâ. Outside of Ramadân, he used to complete a recitation every six nights.
Abû Nu’aym, Hilyatu Al-Awliyâ` 1:250.

It is related from Al-Rabî’ b. Sulaymân that Imam “Muhammad b. Idrîs Al-Shâfi’î (Imam Shafi) used to complete reciting the Quran in the month of Ramadan sixty times, all in the prayer.”
Ibid. 4:107

It is reported that Abul-Ash-hab said, “Abû Al-Rajâ` [Al-Atârudî] would complete with us a recitation of the Quran in the night prayers of Ramadan every ten days.”
Ibid. 1:348

It is reported that Qatâdah used to complete a recitation of the Quran once every seven nights, and when Ramadan came, once every three nights. During the last ten nights, he would complete a recitation every night.
Ibid. 1:364

It is reported that Imam Al-Bukhârî used to complete a recitation [of the Quran] once in the day time in Ramadan, and would pray after Tarâwîh every night, completing another recitation every three nights. (Totally more than forty in the month).
Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` 12:439

Notes
After mentioning some similar examples from the Salaf, Imam Ibn Rajab says in Latâ`if Al-Ma’ârif, p319:
"The prohibition of reciting the Quran in less than three days [found in some ahadith] refers to doing so regularly [throughout the year]. As for virtuous times, like Ramadan – especially the nights in which it is hoped Laylatu Al-Qadr will occur – or virtuous places, like Makkah – for those who enter it and are not residents there, then it is recommended to increase in reciting the Quran, making the most of the time and the place. This is the position of [Imam] Ahmad, Ishâq [ibn Râhûyah] and other Imams, and the practice of others [from the Salaf] indicates [they held the same position]."


May Allah remove our Laziness

Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmed D.B. says:
 "We will be terribly ashamed on the Day of Judgment when the righteous predecessors present worthy deeds in front of Allah. At that time, we will wish that we had enormous number of fasts and recitations of the Holy Quran to present to Allah, had we not been lazy during Ramadan.
If we are lazy and unable to conquer our nafs eleven months out of the year, we should be able to say to Allah that there was one month in which we tried our utmost to worship and win Allah’s favor.

Please accept O Lord,
These flowers that I have picked for You

-Based on Ibn Rajab's "Lata'if Al-Maarif", Abû Nu’aym's Hilyatu Al-Awliyâ and other sources

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