Today marks the 30th day of Sha’ban which means that tonight, after maghrib, we start the first night of Ramadan.
The Prophet (SAW) marked this occasion with a sermon in which he is reported to have said:
“O people: You are about to enter the shadow of a great, blessed month. A night therein is better than a thousand months. Allah made fasting during this month an obligation and encouraged people to perform extra prayers. during its nights. Seeking nearness to Allah through a good deed would be considered like performing an obligatory act of worship. In turn, performance of an obligatory act of worship during this month would be rewarded seventy times more than during any other month. It is the month of patience, and the reward for patience is Jannah. It is the month of comforting others, and the month during which believers would enjoy plentifulness. Make sure you frequently do four things, two of which would please your Lord and the other two are indispensable for your salvation in the Hereafter. As for the two things that would please your Lord, they are: testifying to the oneness of Allah and seeking repentance. And the other two are: asking Allah the favour of entering Jannah and seeking refuge in Him from the Hell Fire.”
When the month of Ramadan would begin he (SAW) would say, “Oh Allah! Give me security (health and well-being) in Ramadan and safeguard Ramadan for me and protect me from Your disobedience in it“.
He (SAW) would congratulate his companions by saying, “The month of Ramadan has come to you, it is a blessed month. Allah has prescribed its fasts upon you. In it the gates of paradise are opened, the doors of Hell closed and the devils locked up. In it is a night better than a thousand months and whoever is deprived of its guidance is surely deprived.”
This is a month of striving, a month of charity, a month of supplication and above all a month of seeking forgiveness. Fasting has certain rules and requirements which can be found by clicking here, but is in itself a great form of worship even if coupled with nothing else.
We remind you in this month to set-up a standing order or make a regular contribution to Lote Tree Traditional Learning because we are only capable of organising the activities we hold and the scholars we bring on the back of your generous donations. If you benefit from what we do then please feel free to donate both in this month and after it Lote Tree Traditional Learning – HSBC Sort Code 40.33.33 Account Number 92516438
Just a reminder that in this month we will be having a weekly radio show on Ramadan FM 107FM Mondays 8pm-9pm looking at and reading through a chapter on the Etiquette of Recitation of the Quran (www.ramadanfm.com).
Friday 1st June we will be hosting Shaykh Jamili for a pre-Iftar talk on the Companions of the Battle of Badr followed by a community Iftar after which we will have a Q&A session and then perform Isha and Taraweeh. This will be an intimate event for all the family.
Keep us in your duah in this blessed month.
Lote Tree 