Etiquettes of Ramadan (2/2)

10. Do offer maximum rak’ahs of supplementary prayers during Shab-e- Qadr[1] and recite the Holy Qur’an. The importance of this night is affirmed by the fact that the Holy Qur’an was revealed during this night. The Holy Qur'an says:

 “Lo! We revealed it in the Night of Power. And do you understand what the Night of Power is! The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels and the spirits descend therein, by the permission of their Lord with all decrees. (That night is) Peace until the rising of dawn.”

The traditions record that Shab-e-Qadr is one among the odd nights in the last week of Ramadan, Say this prayer during this night:

‘Allahumma innaka  afuwwun tuhibb-ul- ‘afwa fa'fu anni.’ [Hisn Hasien]

"God! Forgiveness is Thy Greatest Attribute, for Thou likost to forgive, So forgive me.”

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that once in the month of Ramadan, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) observed:  "A month has come upon you people in which there is one night which is better than a thousand months. The person who misses offering devotions in the course of this night deprives himself of all the bliss. And only that person remains deprived of the Grace and Blessings of this month who really deserves deprivation.” [Reported by Ibn Majah]

11. Observe I’tikaf in the last week of the month of Ramadan. The Prophet of God (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to perform I’tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan.

Sayeda 'A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) reports:

"When the last week of Ramadan approached, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to keep awake during most part of the nights and devoted himself to worship. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also decreed the female of the house-hold to remain awake and engaged himself in the worship of God with full zeal and perfect devotion".

12. Show utmost tenderness and affection to people in the month of Ramadan. Provide maximum facilities to your employees and supply their needs with extreme liberality. Deal with members of your household with kindness and generosity.

13. Say the maximum rak’ahs of prayers with humility, zeal and devotion. It is related in Durr Manthur that when the Holy Month of Ramadan came, the pattern of the Holy Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) life underwent a change. The number of the rak’ahs of superoragative prayers offered by him (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) increased. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) observed deeper humility in prayers and appeared totally overcome with fear of God, The traditions record: "In the month of Ramadan, God ordains the heaven supporting angels to give up their supplications and say ‘Amin’ (So be it) after the prayers of the fasting persons".

14. Pay 'Sadaqa Fitr' (charity ordained before Eid prayers and at the end of Ramadan) with a willing heart and give it away before saying Eid prayer, If possible, pay it well before the Eid so that the needy and destitute may also buy necessary provisions for the Eid and go to the Eidgah with everybody else and join in the festivities of the Eid. It is reported in the traditions that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made the payment of ‘Sadaqa Fitr' obligatory for his followers for two reasons: first, as an atonement for any improper or licentious deed that the fasting people may have committed unconsciously in the period of their fast; and secondly, ‘Sadaqa Fitr' is to be paid to make provisions of food for the poor and the indigent to afford them to enjoy the auspicious Eid day. (Reported by Abu Dawud)

15. Besides practicing maximum possible piety yourself in the holy days of Ramadan, persuade others also with fervour, zeal, tenderness and tact to do acts of piety, so that the fear of God, love of piety and goodness may reign supreme overall and the society, as a whole, may derive the greatest benefit from the limitless blessings of the holy month of Ramadan.