10 Great Action In Ramadhan

1. TO OBSERVE SUNNAN PRAYERS
It is related that on the eve of Ramadan, the Prophet (PBUH) gave a sermon and said: “O people! A great and blessed month is coming upon you, a month containing a night better than a thousand months. Allah has made fasting in its days an obligation and observing prayer in its nights a voluntary act. Anyone who seeks nearness to Allah in this month through any virtuous act will be like one who carried out a religious obligation at another time and anyone who performs an obligatory act of worship in this month will be like one who performed seventy such acts at another time. It is the month of patience, and the reward for patience is Paradise .” [Sahîh Ibn Khuzaymah]. In this Hadith, the reward of sunnan is upgraded to that of Fard. This is a multiplier effect to our fasting!

2. TO PRAY CONGRAGATIONAL PRAYERS AT THEIR TIME IN MASJID
This is another great and fascinating act during Ramadan. The acts of Fard in this month attract multiple rewards; 70 times reward of such act in another time as mentioned in the first Hadith.

3. IFTAR SAA’IM (FEEDING THE FASTERS)
This is another great act of reward but often overlook by many. It adds multiplier effect to our rewards in Ramadan according to the following Hadith: Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "He who provides a fasting person something with which to break his fast, will earn the same reward as the one who was observing the fast, without diminishing in any way the reward of the latter.''[At-Tirmidhi] . This Hadith tells us the merits of the person who is himself observing fasting but serves meals to others, he receives extra reward the same as the one whom he feeds.

4. READING OF AL-QUR’AN
Of course, this month is the month of Qur’an – the true guidance to entire humanity (man and jinns). Allah designates this month to celebrate the revelation of the Qur’an and ask all believers to commemorate this important occasion because of its important.
شَہۡرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ هُدً۬ى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَٱلۡفُرۡقَانِ‌.
The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong).
Let all the believers keep company of Qur’an through its recitation, listening, reflection on its messages and acts by its directives. These are the recommended acts of relating with Qur’an. The reward of reading an alphabet of it in any day is great and in this month in particular is greater because of the multiplier effect of Ramadan.

5. SHUNNING ACT OF INDECENCY AND KEEPING MORAL UPRIGHTNESS
To further enhance our rewards in this month, we should move away from all forms of indecent acts like idle talks, gossip, backbite, envy, excessive jokes, unguided looks, etc, and uphold praiseworthy acts of morality. The Prophet (SAW) was reported to have said (Narrated by Abu Huraira, R.A.): “If one does not abandon falsehood and similar actions to it and foolishness, Allah has no need that he should abandon his food and drink.” [Al-Bukhari] .

6. KINDNESS AND JOINING THE TIES OF RELATIONSHIP
This is a great act which carries great rewards at all time according to this Hadith: “He who wishes his provision expanded and his term of life prolonged, should treat his relatives well” [Al-Bukhari] . And “The one who severs ties of relationship will not enter paradise” (Agreed upon). The acts of kindness and joining ties here include, visiting them, make provision for their needs, advise them on Islam and look after their general welfare. By extension, we are enjoined to be kind also to our distant relatives as well as our neighbors.

7. REMEMBERANCE OF ALLAH (THIKR)
The Prophet (SAW) is reported (by Mu’adh ibn Jabal, R.A.) to have said: “A man does nothing more capable of rescuing him from Allah’s punishment than making Thikr (mention) of Allah”. (At-Tabarani) and also related by Abu Hurairah, R.A: “People will not sit in an assembly in which they remember Allah except that the Angels surrounding them, mercy covering them, and Allah mentioning them among those who are with Him” (Muslim). Generally, the act of remembrance of Allah (thikr) encompasses deeds like, reading Qur’an, seeking knowledge, chanting praises of Allah, etc.

8. GIVING SADAQAH (CHARITY)
This is another noble act in the month of Ramadan. The Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (R.A.)from the Prophet (SAW): “Sadaqah does not reduce property, Allah increases the honor of him who gives and no one will humble himself for Allah’s sake without Allah raising him up” (Muslim). The giving of sadaqah does not mean giving away something out of one’s wealth alone but performing any good deed is an act of charity. Charity takes various forms from the smallest acts like putting on smiling face considered insignificant to many to great acts like buying freedom for a slave. It is reported by Abu Dharr (R.A.): “Do not consider any act of goodness insignificant, even if it is meeting your brother with a cheerful face” (Muslim). Actions like giving advice to people, giving help to those who are in need, putting on cheerful faces, sharing foods with others are among great deeds highly rewarding in this month.

9. AD-DUA’U (SUPPLICATION)
Supplication is a form of worship on its own and in fact it is its brain: “Supplication is the pith of worship” and “Nothing is more honorable before Allah than supplication” ((At-Tirmidhi by Anas and Abu Hurairah (R.A.) respectively) . More importantly, Allah declares same along with injunction to fast in Ramadan: “And when My servants question thee concerning Me, then surely I am nigh. I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he crieth unto Me. So let them hear My call and let them trust in Me, in order that they may be led aright” (Q. 2: 186). We should do a lot of supplications to Allah asking Him from His bounties in this month. Don’t let this opportunity misses you. There is no limit to what you can ask from Allah.

10. SECLUSION (AL-I’TIKAF) IN THE MOSQUE
This is another great opportunity offers by Ramadan to seek the presence of Allah. Ibn `Umar (R.A.) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to observe I`tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan”(Al-Bukhari and Muslim). We learn from this hadith that the observance of I`tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan is Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH). But it can be done only in mosque not at home. I`tikaf helps to enhance one's spiritual growth and to strive hard to worship Allah better as there is nothing to distract one's attention from this noble pursuit.

Competition: Read the following and try to know the name of the prophet that we mean:
He said to his people (Fear Allah S.W., keep your duty to Him and obey me because Allah left you in secure by hewing out houses in the mountains with great skill. Who is this prophet?