The Salaf on the Last ten Nights of Ramadan

The Salaf on the Last ten Nights of Ramadan

Dear brother and sister, the days and nights of Ramadan are distinguished, so seize the opportunity by increasing your remembrance of Allah and making supplications, especially during the chosen periods when they are most acceptable to Allah. These include:

*When breaking the fast, since the fasting person has an answered supplication when he breaks his fast.
*The last third of the night, when our Lord descends and says: "Is there anyone asking that I may give; is there anyone seeking forgiveness that I may forgive?"
*Asking for forgiveness just before dawn, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness,} [Quran 51:18]
Those who have wasted their time with nothing beneficial, should make up for what they have missed by waiting for the night of Laylat-ul-Qadr. Good deeds undertaken in this night are better than (the deeds of) a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its benefits has indeed been much deprived.
Laylat-ul-Qadr is sought during the last ten nights of Ramadan, particularly the odd nights. It is most likely the night of the 27th (which is the night before the 27th of Ramadan, for the Islamic day starts with nightfall). Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that, "By Allah, I know which night it is. It is the night which the Messenger of Allah commanded us to spend in worship, which is the night of the 27th. My father used to confirm this by swearing saying, 'The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) showed one of its signs as the sun rises with no rays.'" [Muslim]
‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that (she said), "O Messenger of Allah! What if I knew which night Laylat-ul-Qadr was, then what should I say in it?" He said: "Say: Allahumma innaka ‘affuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni." (O Allah, You are the ever pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.)" [Ahmad and At-Tirmithi. Al-Albaani: Saheeh]
Finally, dear brother and sister, after this tour in the gardens of Paradise, under the shade of righteous deeds, I would like to draw your attention to an important issue: sincerity. Many are the people who fast but benefit not at all from their fast, other than suffering hunger and thirst. Many people who stay awake in worship get nothing besides sleeplessness and fatigue. We seek refuge in Allah The Almighty from this. Consequently, we find the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) stressing this matter when he said: "out of faith and hoping for a reward from Allah." The Salaf therefore used to do their righteous deeds secretly in fear of falling to the level of those who show off.
Relating about the great Taabi‘i generation following the righteous predecessors), Ayyoob As-Sakhtiyaani  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him Hammaad ibn Zayd  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him said, "Sometimes, when studying Hadeeth, Ayyoob would be so moved and he would turn (away) to blow his nose. Then he would say, 'How severe this cold is! (He would be) pretending to have a cold, in order to hide his weeping”.
It was reported that Muhammad ibn Waasi’  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him said, "I have known men among whom there is one whose head would be placed beside that of his wife on the same pillow, so that the part of the pillow under his cheek would become wet from tears without his wife noticing it. I have also known men, who while in the row for prayer, tears would pour down their cheeks and the one next to them would not notice it”.
Ayyoob As-Sakhtiyaani  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him used to remain awake for the entire night in worship and he would hide it. When morning came, he raised his voice as if he had woken up that instant. Ibn Abi ‘Addiy  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him related that Daawood ibn Abi Hind  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him fasted for forty years without his family knowing about it. His occupation was making embroidery, so he would take his lunch with him to work but gave it in charity on the way. When he returned at night, he would break his fast with the family and they did not know that he was fasting.
Sufyaan Ath-Thawri  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him said, "The servant of Allah would do his deeds secretly, and Satan would persist in tempting him until he convinced him to do it openly. The devil would then continue to insist until the person wants to be thanked for the deed. So, it will be converted from a deed done openly to one done for showing off”.

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