In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We have left behind the blessed month of Ramadhan, the month of mercy, forgiveness and freedom from the hellfire, but we have challenged our nafs (lower self) and our desires and we made progress. The progress came from our internal commitment, special prayers, fasting, charity and avoiding sins. We must continue that progress and don't fall back.
Taraweeh prayer can become Tahajjud prayer (Qiyam Al-Layl). Allah Almighty said to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam)
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ ﴿١﴾ قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ﴿٢﴾ نِّصْفَهُ أَوِ انقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا ﴿٣﴾ أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا ﴿٤[Quran, Al-Muzzammil, 73:1-4]
O you who wraps himself [in clothing], (1) Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little - (2) Half of it - or subtract from it a little (3) Or add to it, and recite the Qur'an with measured recitation. (4)
It is reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said:
Allah, Our Lord, descends (in a manner befitting His Majesty) to the nearest heaven to us of this universe during the last third of the night and says: ‘Is there anyone to call upon Me so that I shall respond to him (fulfill his prayer). Is there anyone to ask of Me that I may grant his request. Is there anyone to seek My forgiveness so that I shall pardon him (and forgive his sins)’.[Bukhari & Muslim]
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said:
The most excellent fast after Ramadhan is Allah’s month, al-Muharram, and the most excellent prayer after what is prescribed is prayer during the night.[Bukhari]
Fasting may continue with sunnah fasting. Allah has spread other blessed times throughout the year for fasting. It is a shield from falling into sin and giving in to our own nafs. Abu Hurayrah reported, Allah’s Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam said, “Fasting is a shield.” [Muslim] Also, remember the tremendous rewards of fasting. Allah Almighty said: The Fast is for Me and I will give the reward for it. [Bukhari & Muslim]
Our first opportunity for Sunnah fasting is fasting 6 days in Shawwal, the month following Ramadhan. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: Whoever fasts Ramadhan and follows it up with six from Shawwal, it is as though he has fasted all of time, because each day is equivalent to ten days. Whoever performs a good deed, he will have ten like it.
It is the practice of many Muslims to fast for 6 consecutive days starting the 2nd Shawwal. Strive to start on 2nd Shawwal and delay any open houses to the evening or after 7th Shawwal.
The next opportunity for Sunnah fasting are fasting on the white (nights) in every other month (i.e. 13th, 14th, 15th of each month).
Narrated Qatadah Ibn Malhan al-Qaysi: The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) used to command us to fast the days of the white (nights): thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of the month. He said: “This is like keeping perpetual fast.” (Abu Dawud)
Other opportunities for Sunnah fasting:
1) Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays.
Abu Hurayrah reported Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) as saying the deeds of people would be presented every week on two days, i.e. Monday and Thursday. (Muslim) Abu Hurayrah also reported Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) as saying: The gates of Paradise are not opened but on two days, Monday and Thursday. (Muslim) Relative to the first, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) is reported to have acknowledged fasting on these two days “because I want my deeds to be presented while I am fasting.” (Muslim)
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) was asked about fasting on Monday. He said: “It was the day on which I was born, and on which revelation was sent to me.” (Muslim)
2) Fasting on the first 9 days of Dhulhijjah
About the first 10 days of Dhul-hijjah, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said,
"There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." The people asked, "Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah?" He, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing (Bukhari).
Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah (9th Dhul-hijjah).
Abu Qatadah (Allah be pleased with him) related that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Fasting the Day of `Arafah expiates for two years, one prior and one forthcoming.” [Reported by Muslim, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah]
3) Fasting in the month of Muharram
Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: "The best fasting after Ramadhan is fasting Allah's month of Muharram." [Muslim]
Day of 'Ashura' (i.e. 10th Muharram)
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) taught us to commemorate this day, primarily by fasting. He informed us that if we do so Allah wipes out the sins of the previous year. [Muslim]
The day of Ashura had special significance before fasting during Ramadan was commanded. Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas: When the Prophet came to Medina, he found (the Jews) fasting on the day of ‘Ashura'. They used to say: “This is a great day on which Allah saved Moses and drowned the folk of Pharaoh. Moses observed the fast on this day, as a sign of gratitude to Allah.” The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I am closer to Moses than they.” So, he observed the fast (on that day) and ordered the Muslims to fast on it. [Bukhari] When Ramadan was commanded, the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “He who wishes to observe this fast may do so, and he who wishes to abandon it may do so.” (Muslim)
4) Sha'ban fasting
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) used to fast most of the month in Sha'ban. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to fast the whole of Sha'ban. I said to him, 'Messenger of Allah, is Sha'ban your most favorite month for fasting?' He said, 'In this month Allah prescribes the list of the persons dying this year. Therefore, I like that my death comes when I am in a state of fasting."
Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: "I have never seen the Messenger of Allah fasting for two months continuously except in the months of Sha'ban and Ramadhan."
Fast regularly throughout the year and that will keep you in training and make you a better slave of Allah, inshaAllah. Besides, fasting has many physical, moral and social benefits.
Continue giving charity everyday even with a smile.
Remember, adding supererogatory works to obligatory works is a recipe to gain Allah's love. On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:
Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.(Bukhari)
May Allah grant us tawfiq and accept our Ramadhan worship and good deeds. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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