Ramadhaan 1432 A.H./2011 The Welcoming Sermon

Image Credit: Sana Az

Bismillaah, wal-hamdulilaah, was-salaatu was-salaamu 'alaa rasoolillaah,As Salaamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakatuh:

Alhamdulillah, we in America who follow High Judiciary Council of Saudi Arabia for the start of the month of Ramadhaan have been notified of their official decision and announcement by email from the folks at Authentic Statements, may Allaah t'ala reward them and their families.  Ameen.

"Just a short time ago, Fatwa-Online was informed of the official decision and announcement of the High Judiciary Council (HJC) of Saudi Arabia that since the moon of Ramadhaan was not sighted this evening, here in Saudi Arabia, we shall be completing thirty (30) days of Sha'baan (1432 A.H.), in accordance with the hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam):

((Fast when you see the crescent. If it is obscured to you, then complete thirty days of Sha'baan. And break your fast when you see the crescent. If it is obscured to you then fast thirty days)), [transmitted by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].


Therefore, many of us will be starting our taraawee prayers Sunday evening, July 31st, in preparation for the first fast of Ramadhaan on Monday, August 1st, Insha Allaah.

Alhamdulillah, that we Muslims have lived to see another Ramadhaan!

On this last day of Shabaan, I thought I would share the Prophet's صلى الله عليه وسلم  welcoming sermon for Ramadhaan from the book, The Prophet's Ramadhaan: How the Prophet Observed the Month of Ramadhaan by Mufti Muhammad Khan Qaadri, translated by Muhammad Sajid, pp. 18-19.  The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم  delivered this sermon on the last day of Shabaan.  He صلى الله عليه وسلم  said:

"Oh People, a very blessed month is about to come over you.  A month in which is a night better than a thousand months.  A month whose fasts Allaah (swt) has prescribed for you and made it's Qiyyam a source of reward.  Whoever gets close to Allaah (swt) in it with (voluntary) good deeds will be like the one undertaking fard in other months.  And whoever fulfils a fard in it will be like fulfilling 70 fard in another month.  It is a month of patience and the reward of patience is paradise.  It is a month of empathy and a month in whichs the beliver's rizq (livelihood) is increased.  Whoever (provides food to) opens the fast of another will have forgiveness for his sins and freedom from Hell.  He will receive the same reward as the fasting person and there will be no reduction in the reward of the fasting person.  On this the companions pointed out 'Not all of us have the means to feed a fasting person to his full.'  The Prophet replied '(My purpose was not that he be fed to his fill but )Allah (swt) will give such reward to anyone who gives even one date or one drop of water or milk.'  It is a month whose first is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness and whose last is freedom from Hell.  Whoever lightens the burden of his worker Allah (swt) will forgive and free him from Hell.  Make plentiful four things in it; with two of them you can please your Lord and without the other two you cannot survivie.  The two things with which you can please your Lord are the Kalima Tayyiba (its dhikr) and Istigfaar (seeking forgiveness).  The two things without which you cannot survive are asking Allah (swt) for paradise and seeking His refuge from the fire.  And whoever gives water to a fasting person Allah (swt) will (on the day of Qiyaamah) quench him from my fountain from which he will not feel any thirst up until entering paradise.' (Sahih Ibn Khuzayma)

RAMADAN MUBARAK MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISLAAM!!!