Ramadan…an oasis of piety and an opportunity for those who seek forgiveness
First sermon
Praise be to God, who made fasting a paradise and a reason for attaining His paradise, and deposited in Ramadan blessings that wash away afflictions and raise one’s ranks. We praise Him, Glory be to Him, that by His grace we have reached the month of good deeds, and we bear witness that there is no god but God alone, with no partner, and we bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, the best of those who fast and stand, and the most pious of those who pray and fast. May God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his honorable family and companions. As for what follows:
So fear God Almighty as He deserves piety, and know that the wisdom behind fasting is to achieve this piety. God Almighty said: O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you, that you may become righteous. ﴾ [البقرة: 183].
The servant will not attain the satisfaction of God Almighty and Paradise except by fearing God. Paradise is only inherited by God from His servants to those who are pious, and blessed is the one who is pleasing to his Lord. Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward will come out of his sins pure. As in the two Sahihs on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may God be pleased with him, that the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: ((Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven)).
O believers, Ramadan is the master of the months. In it, deeds are multiplied, in which rewards are fulfilled, in which sins and burdens are removed, in which supplications are answered, and in which missteps are removed, and in which our Lord boasts of those who fast as righteous angels, and in which God is freed from the Fire on every night of the fast.
Some of the predecessors said: “God Almighty made the month of Ramadan a track for His creation, in which they would stay ahead of themselves by obeying Him to please Him. Some people excelled and won, and others lagged behind and were disappointed.”
O Muslims, take advantage of the month of Ramadan with abundant worship, prayer, reading, and remembrance, and be kind to people with money and body, and pardon them, for God is Forgiving and loves to pardon. Paradise and seek refuge in Him from Hell.”
Yes, beloved ones, the one who asks God Almighty in this great month will not be disappointed, and the one who remembers his Lord will not be absent from it, so take a portion from asking your Lord and remembering Him to you, for from the first night of it, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of Hell are closed. Indeed, it is the month of recitation and remembrance, and the month of daytime fasting, and seeking forgiveness at dawn, a month whose beginning is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness, and whose end is freedom from Hell. Whoever breaks his fast in it will have the same. Its full reward, and it is the month of charity and family ties, the month of patience and consolation of the needy.
The righteous predecessors used to change their condition during Ramadan. When Ramadan began, Al-Zuhri used to say: “It is only reading the Qur’an and feeding food.”
Some of them were crying out of longing for Ramadan and for fear of falling short of it. So where do we stand among these people?
Adhere to the Sunnah of your Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, in delaying suhoor and hastening to break the fast. One of the opportunities to invest in this month is Umrah for those who are able. He, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said to Umm Maqil, may God be pleased with her: ((Umrah in Ramadan is performed as a Hajj – or he said – as a Hajj with me)); [رواه البخاري ومسلم].
And beware of nullifying the blessings of your deeds by committing sins. The month of Ramadan has come to us and with it are the keys to pardon and forgiveness. Whoever receives them will turn to a Forgiving Lord, and whoever turns away from them is a fool, deceived, and negligent in his own right. God has excused a servant who witnessed Ramadan, then left it without repenting, so there is no excuse left for the sinner. So what excuse is there for one who abandons obedience in the month of obedience? Is there a report after this report? God Almighty said: So in any hadith after it will they believe? ﴾ [الأعراف: 185]Take advantage of your month, for it is an opportunity for the Hereafter. It is the month of blessings, mercy, and the erasure of bad deeds. Beware of wasting your time on things that are useless, such as those who are concerned about following channels, means of communication, and mobile phones. Purify your homes from bad channels, and enliven your homes with remembrance and clear verses. Praise Him morning and evening, and glorify God for what He has guided you, and that you may give thanks.
I say this, and I ask God for forgiveness for me, for you, and for all Muslims…
The second sermon
Praise be to God, that is enough, and peace be upon His servants whom He has chosen. As for what follows:
So fear God – servants of God – with the right of piety, and adhere to there is no god but God, for it is the most trustworthy handhold, and anticipate good deeds, and know that the opportunity may not be repeated, so strive in this blessed month to perform obedience, and you have realized it, and be among the truthful ones who say good and do it, and know that God will not obtain your fasting, nor your standing, if they are not accompanied by sincerity and piety. The purpose of this fasting is to achieve the level of piety. Whoever does not find in himself a longing to fast Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, should hasten to review this soul, so that he does not miss the opportunity of Ramadan’s scents and gifts. To then reap heartbreak, remorse, and loss.
Qatada, may God have mercy on him, used to say: “Whoever is not forgiven in Ramadan, when will he be forgiven?”
And listen to this terrifying threat: ((The Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, ascended the pulpit and said: Amen, Amen, Amen. When he came down, he was asked about that, and he said: Gabriel came to me and said: Against the will of a person who reaches Ramadan and is not forgiven, say: Amen, and I said: Amen…)); [رواه الترمذي وصححه الألباني]It is a supplication from a close king, and an assurance from a sent prophet. What a disappointment to those who are denied forgiveness in the month of Ridwan!
Brothers of faith, God has blessings in your life, so accept them, weep over your sins, and reconcile what is between you and your Lord with a tear in magic, or charity in secret, or remembrance with a broken heart. Oh God, make us among those who are forgiven in this month, and make us thankful to you, remembering you, turning to you in repentance, and help us to fast and pray, O Most Merciful of the Merciful, and accept it from us, O Lord of the Worlds, O God, the dearest of Islam. And the Muslims, support your monotheist servants, and bestow upon us the blessing of security and faith.
This, and pray and greet those whom God has commanded you to send blessings and peace upon. He said: Indeed, God and His angels bless the Prophet. O you who have believed, bless him and grant him peace. ﴾ [الأحزاب: 56].