Hadhrat Salmaan reports that on the last day of Sha'baan the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) addressed them and said, "Oh people, there comes before you now a great month, a most blessed month in which lies a night more greater in Virtue than 1,000 months; (LAYLATUL-QADR). It is a month in which each day should be observed by fasting, this has been made obligatory by the Almighty Allah."
In this most blessed month of Ramadhaan ALL good deeds are multiplied:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever draws near to Allah during it (Ramadaan) with a single characteristic from the characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an obligatory act during it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other times.” – Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1887.
It should be the desire of every Muslim to draw nearer and closer to Almighty Allah the most compassionate and the most merciful. By drawing closer and near to Allah we gain his help in every aspect of our lives in this world and to be merciful to us so that we may gain mercy in the hereafter in order to enter Jannah in the next world.
When we call upon him he would answer our calls and when we ask of him for anything he would give it to us and when we draw nearer to him then our sincerity and intentions will enable us to become closer to him.
So we should strive to draw nearer to Allah, the Glorified the Exalted, who is the majesty of honour and generosity and the giver of peace, the most high and the most honoured.
What better time than any to draw closer to Allah than in the most blessed month of Ramadan when Almighty Allah makes it easy for us to do good actions so that we may draw closer to him.
So what can we do to draw closer to him in this blessed month? The following are 10 steps for us to draw closer to our Almighty Allah:
1. Fulfilling obligatory duties and abstaining from prohibited matters
The Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) has guided us. And Allah, the Glorified and the Exalted, has guided us how to draw near to Him. As He said According to Hadith Qudsi:
“Whoever draws near to Me among those drawn near by fulfilling what I have made obligatory on them….
You do not draw near to Allah except by fulfilling the obligatory duties which Allah has made obligatory on you; (that is) the obligatory duties from the obligatory duties (Faraid) such as Prayers, and Zakat (obligatory charity), and Hajj, and Fasting and being good to Parents and all these obligatory duties on you draw you near to Allah, the Glorified and the Exalted.
The faraid (obligatory duties) are the first things that draw you near to Allah. You do not reach the door of nearness nor do you reach to the presence of nearness except by fulfilling the obligatory duties. This is the first thing that draws you near to Allah, the Glorified and the Exalted, and you are in His Presence.
So the first thing we need to do is fulfil ALL of our obligatory duties and abstain from that which Allah and his messenger have forbidden us from.
In this most blessed month of Ramadhaan ALL good deeds are multiplied:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever draws near to Allah during it (Ramadaan) with a single characteristic from the characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an obligatory act during it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other times.” – Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1887.
What other time of the year are Fard acts rewarded 70 times or more? We must not miss a single Fard act in this blessed month and if we are not in the habit of praying then there is no other time of the year better than Ramadan to get into the habit of praying all the 5 Salaah.
2. Nawafil prayers (superogatory prayers)
In this most blessed month of Ramadhaan ALL good deeds are multiplied:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever draws near to Allah during it (Ramadaan) with a single characteristic from the characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an obligatory act during it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other times.” – Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1887.
What better time than any to get closer to Allah by praying as many Nafl Salaah as one can. What other time of the yar are Nafil's rewarded equal to a fard act? Therefore we must do everything we can to pray as many Nafils as we can and to gain these huge rewards!
Allah says in Hadith Qudsi:
….and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (voluntary deeds) until I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My Protection, I will protect him..." [Bukhari]
A Source of Elevation for you
The Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Ask (anything)." Rabi'ah said: "I ask of you to be your companion in paradise." The Prophet said: “Anything else?" Rabi'ah said: "That is it." The Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) said to him: "Then help me by making many prostrations (i.e., supererogatory prayers)." [Muslim]
Praying Tahajjud to get closer to Allah
Allah Most High said, “Establish worship at the going down of the sun until the dark of the night, and (the recital of) the Qur’an at dawn. Lo! (the recital of) the Qur’an at dawn is ever witnessed. And some part of the night awake for its recital, as voluntary worship for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to a praised estate.” [Qur’an, 17: 78-79]
Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions) said, “The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer.” [Muslim]
Abu Umama al-Bahili (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions) said, “Hold fast to night prayer, for it was the way of the righteous before you, a way of drawing closer to your Lord, an expiation for wrong deeds, and a shield from sin.” [Tirmidhi, and others] In some narrations, there is an addition, “And it repels sickness from the body.”
And because night vigil time is the best of times for voluntary worship and prayer, and the closest a servant is to his Lord.
In Ramadan it should be easy for us to pray Tahajjud because one can pray it before Sehri. So one should not wake up on the last minute and have sehri and miss out on praying Tahajjud as at this time dua's are readily accepted.
So let us make the habit of reading as many Nawafil prayers as we can for more prayers means more prostrations and one is truly the closest to Allah in prostration.
….bow down in prostration and bring yourself the closer (to Allah)." (96:19)
3. Zikr (remembrance of Allah) and glorification of Allah
"…Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest." (13:28)
Remembrance of Allah indeed is the greatest virtue. (29:46).
O ye who believe, remember Allah much. And glorify Him morning and evening (33:42-43)
Remembrance of Allah is the foundation of all good deeds. Whoever succeeds in it is blessed with the close friendship of Allah.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to make remembrance of Allah at all times and also encouraged all of us to do the same. When a man complained, "The laws of Islam are too heavy for me, so tell me something that I can easily follow," the Prophet told him, "Let your tongue be always busy with the remembrance of Allah." [Ahmad].
Remembrance of Allah the best of deeds
The Prophet, peace be upon him, would often tell his Companions, "Shall I tell you about the best of deeds, the most pure in the sight of your Lord, about the one that is of the highest order and is far better for you than spending gold and silver, even better for you than meeting your enemies in the battlefield where you strike at their necks and they at yours?"The Companions replied, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah!" The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "Remembrance of Allah." (Tirmidhi,Ahmad)
Heart of those who don't remember Allah is dead whereas those who do is alive
Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "The similitude of one who remembers his Rubb and one who does not remember Him, is like that of the living and the dead.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Some very rewarding dhikr include:
Subhan'Allah- 'Praise be to Allah'
Al-Hamdullilah- 'Thanks be to Allah'
Allahu Akbar – 'Allah is the Greatest.'
La ila ha illallah- There is no worthy of worship except allah
Subhanallahi Wabihamdihi - I deem Allah free of any resemblances to anything whatever in any repeat, and I glorify his praises
Read much of this zikr:
Subhaan-Allahi walhamdu-lillaahi, wa laa ilaa-ha illa-la ill-lal-lahu wallahu Akbar, walaa haula wala quoow-wata illa billa hil-Aliyyil-azeem.
"Glory is for Allaah and all Praise is due to Allah. There is none worthy of worship except Allaah. Allaah is the greatest. There is no power and no strength except with Allaah the Most High, the Great."
Zikr done in places where others don't remember Allah
Remember: in a place where people are oblivious to dhikir, remembrance of Allah is like being steadfast in jihad, when others are running away. (Targhib, p. 193, vol. 3 ref. Bazar and Tibrani)
Zikr can be done anywhere and anytime
A person may ask, ‘How can we do Zikr all the time whilst we have so many things to do in life such as we go to work, feed the family, pay bills, etc.? Well, the answer to this is that, firstly, it is the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger to work and feed the family which is rewarded by Allah and, secondly, that when a person is working or at school or wherever a person may be this does not mean that he should stop remembering Allah while he is working, while he is serving his customers or while he is programming his computer.
In fact the heart of the believer should be attached to Allah's remembrance throughout his day to day activities such that he protects himself from falling in love with the materials and temptations of this world and that his love for Allah and his Messenger grows stronger and stronger as time goes by. When a person begins to remember Allah all the time it is then that he becomes conscious of his actions. His heart also gains peace, tranquility, contentment and happiness!
"... And the men and the women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues. Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e., Jannah).'' (33:35)
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