Elevating Good Deeds in Ramadan - Shaykh Mustafa Abu Rayyan

Elevating Good Deeds in Ramadan

My beloved brothers and sisters in Islam, I advise you and myself to fear Allah and to do good. Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and with those who do good.

My beloved brothers and sisters in Islam, I start by praising Allah and thanking Him, for indeed Allah is worthy of our constant praise and gratitude. And I send blessings and salutations upon our beloved Messenger Muhammad ﷺ.

Alhamdulillah, it is with the grace of Allah that we are near Ramadan. And I ask Allah to make us among those that will reach Ramadan healthy and with iman and zeal and passion, and benefit from it, and be amongst those that will be freed from the hellfire.

Our Relationship with Ramadan

My beloved brothers and sisters, when it comes to Ramadan, when it comes to this great, great opportunity that seems to be coming every year — and subhanAllah, it seems like yesterday when we just fasted the last Ramadan. And often when we speak about the time feeling shorter and the years going by quickly, we often look at it as a negative thing, but subhanAllah, in a way, the fact that every time Ramadan is coming and before you know it the next Ramadan is here — this is also something good to look forward to and it is something very positive. May Allah make us among those that benefit from moments of Ramadan and seasons of worship.

Now, when it comes to expecting Ramadan or welcoming Ramadan, people are generally in three categories as Allah mentions: there are those who are oppressive to themselves, they are unjust to themselves, and that means they are people that are often involved in sin and often do not come back to Allah. So how is this particular type of person going to benefit from Ramadan? What is more likely to happen?

If you're someone that Ramadan passes by you and not much changes in your life — you're not particularly excited or yearning for it, you're not planning your taraweeh and your qiyam, you're not thinking about it actively, and in fact sometimes it's almost a burden: "Oh no, we have to stop eating and drinking again, I cannot go to the coffee shops, I cannot do this, I cannot do that." If you perceive or see Ramadan as another chore, another burden, and you're just "it is what it is" — if this is your relationship with this great month, then you are not among those that are benefiting from this month. You are not among those that are utilizing this month the way we're meant to utilize it.

Think about it, my brother. Think about it, my sister. It is this month that Allah opens the doors of Jannah. What does that mean to you? Allah opens the gates of Jannah. It's an invitation. Use this time to be among the people that will go to Jannah. Use this time to gain the mercy of Allah. Use this time to gain the forgiveness of Allah. It is for you. Allah gifted us Ramadan.

Doors of Jannah are open. So the last thing you want is to feel, "ah, it's Ramadan again." If you are guilty of that, or if that's how you're feeling, or let's say you're very nonchalant about it — "Ramadan, yeah, it is what it is, another Ramadan" — and you don't really feel anything, then this is something you have to rectify. Because it's for you. It is meant to be a time where it's easy for you to repent. It's meant to be a time where it's easy for you to worship. It is easy for you to reconnect with your Creator. It is easy for you to gain a lot of reward.

Look at the amount of opportunity Allah is giving us. The gates of Jannah are open. The doors of the Jahannam and the fire are closed. And the mischievous and stubborn shayateen are locked up. All of this is to aid you, to make it easier for you. It is a month of mercy.

And on top of that, subhanAllah, the Prophet ﷺ said in a hadith recorded in Ibn Majah:

(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 1642)

And in Ramadan, Allah frees people from the fire. What does that mean — to be a عَتِيقٌ مِنَ النَّارِ? It means that you will never enter the fire, that you have a guaranteed spot in Jannah and that you will go into it straight away. وَذَلِكَ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ — and that is for every single night of Ramadan. Every single night of Ramadan, people are being given a ticket to Jannah, if you will. And if that is not enough to motivate you, if that is not enough to move you, I don't know what is.

So don't be among those, my brothers and sisters, that Ramadan to them is just another month, another thing that we do. "Oh, we gotta go get the shopping, and have the big meals, and the samosas, and this and that or the other." That's not what it's about. It's meant to be a time for you to gain as much reward, to gain the pleasure of Allah, to get closer to Allah, to build good habits and to get rid of bad ones. And everything has been made so much easier for you — the shayateen are locked up, Jannah is open, hellfire is closed, the rahmah of Allah descends, people are all, masha'Allah, engaged.

Think about how the mosques fill up in Ramadan. Don't be those that are losing out. Don't be among those that spend their days sleeping. Don't be among those that are not engaged in ibadah. It's not just about not eating and not drinking.

Please, brothers and sisters, do not be among those that are busy watching TV series. It's ajeeb — this strange culture that you'll find, especially in the Arab world, but it's actually everywhere to be honest, let's not single out a particular area — where people are like, "Okay, it's Ramadan, time to watch TV shows, musalsalat, this series is coming out, that series is coming out, let's get the family together after iftar, we're watching TV all day, up all night, but not praying, sleeping all day." This is something that you do not want to do. And you do not want to be among those that lose out on Ramadan.

The Example of the Righteous Predecessors

Look at the early righteous predecessors. Imam Malik ibn Anas, great scholar of hadith — he would have gatherings where he's teaching hadith the whole year round. In Ramadan, he would cancel all of his classes and he would just say, "This is the time that I'm going to single out for worship and Quran." And he would be reciting Quran — that's all he did.

It is time for you to seclude yourself with your Lord. It is time for you to repent from the many sins that you have been committing throughout the year. It is time for you to give back some of the time that you've been giving to your dunya, to your family, to Allah. Prepare yourself mentally — there's not much time left. Prepare yourself spiritually, and ensure that you start Ramadan at a high and finish it at a high, insha'Allah.

The Three Categories of People

Then you have the muqtasid — the one who does the obligations, stays away from sin, does his fast, prays his regular prayers, but is not adding much to it. Now this is good, but that's not what you want to aim for. You want to be sabiqun bil-khayrat — you want to be the one that is doing extra, that's going the extra mile.

How to Elevate Your Deeds in Ramadan

1. The Quran

Look at the example of our Prophet ﷺ. What did he focus on in Ramadan? When it comes to Quran, the angel Jibreel would descend and they would read the Quran together. This is Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, upon whom the Quran was revealed, and angel Jibreel, who was given the Quran to give to the Prophet ﷺ. What are you going to do about the Quran? Are you not going to read it, just like any other month? Read the Quran. If you can do a khatma, do a khatma. If you can do several, do several.

Imam al-Bukhari, rahimahullah, he would finish the Quran every single night. Every single night of Ramadan, he would read the whole Mus'haf. Now I know that sometimes you say, "Well, Shaykh, I'm not Imam al-Bukhari, I can't do that." But that's okay — what can you do? I'm not asking you to read the whole Quran, but can you at least increase your reading of the Quran? Have some sort of plan. Every letter that you read, Allah rewards you ten times. Every letter. Imagine you're doing that in the month of Ramadan, where all good deeds are amplified. Give some time to the book of Allah.

Now there is one advantage that the righteous predecessors had over us, and that's that they understood the Quran. So when they read it, it has an impact on them because when they're reading, they are understanding. What can you do to rectify that? Grab a translation. Read the translation alongside the Quran. Make it a habit that this Ramadan, you will give some time to the book of Allah. Because it was in this month that Allah revealed the Quran:

It is the month of all the ulema — they would dedicate themselves, and all the righteous people would dedicate themselves. And even today you have people — I've been told of a woman who finishes the whole Quran every single night in Ramadan, and in the last ten nights she finishes the whole Quran and then half of it. We're talking about someone dedicating seven hours, eight hours — nothing else but the Quran. Now yes, that's something of a luxury that many can't always afford. And maybe we don't have as much iman as that great woman — may Allah accept it from her. But what can you do? A chapter? Several? Half a juz? A juz? Whatever you can. Whatever you can. And not just you, but your family, your children, your wives. Liven up your homes with the book of Allah.

2. Charity and Generosity

The other thing that our Prophet ﷺ changed about himself in the month of Ramadan is that — as the Sahaba said — he was the most generous generally speaking, but he was extra generous when it comes to Ramadan. We need to extinguish our sins like water extinguishes fire. And the way to extinguish your sins is through charity. And imagine doing that in Ramadan.

So another thing you can do is get into the habit of giving. If you can give every single day of Ramadan, do so. If you can give a large sum of money in Ramadan, do so. Whatever you can. Give sadaqa. Be more generous than you are the rest of the year. Why? Because it's the month of Ramadan. But also because that's what the Prophet ﷺ did.

And this is something, alhamdulillah, it is seen — when you see charities all over the world, there's an influx in money that comes in every day in Ramadan. And that is us applying the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. So when everyone else is doing it, you should be doing it as well. Be more generous. Teach your children and your family to be more generous. Give more than you usually do. And the best charity is the one that you give to relatives and family members when they are in need — keep them in mind as well. We all have relatives that may need extra support.

3. The Night Prayer — Taraweeh and Qiyam

Another thing my brothers and sisters that we have to focus on is the night prayer and the qiyam. Allah descends every night to bless us and to show us mercy and to forgive our sins. In the month of Ramadan, go to your local masjid and pray taraweeh. Don't miss your taraweeh prayer. Don't miss your qiyam. Join the Muslims. Come to the masjid. And there is barakah and benefit in you doing so.

If for whatever reason you can't make it, pray at home. Pray your witr prayer. Stand at night in prayer. Allah praises those who stand at night in prayer. It is what gave our companions the great rank that they enjoy. It's what our Prophet ﷺ used to do every night regardless of whether it's Ramadan or not. So this is another thing, insha'Allah, that you can focus on that will mean that you're doing a lot more in this month, and insha'Allah you will benefit from those blessings.

Every Day and Night Counts

Keep in mind that when you are giving extra charity, or reading more Quran, or making more dua, or praying at night, or providing iftar for those that need it — and insha'Allah there's a great reward in that as well — or any other form of ibadah that you're doing in the month of Ramadan: every single day in Ramadan, Allah is freeing people from the fire. That could be you, that could be me. So with that intention and that hope that we are among those being given entry into Jannah — every day and every night, spend time in ibadah and worship and try harder. Whether it's the first day, the second day, the third day — with that mentality of "I definitely want to be among those that benefit from this Ramadan, that are freed from the fire, that are blessed by Allah, that are forgiven by Allah" — every day counts. No breaks. Every day counts. And that is the mentality with which we have to enter Ramadan.

Fasting with a Heightened Spiritual State

My beloved brothers and sisters, in the month of Ramadan there is a lot of ibadah that you can do, but of course the main one is fasting. Now not only do you have to fast and stay away from the things that will break your fast, but you have to understand that when you are fasting, you are in a spiritual state. You are avoiding things that are halal normally, because Allah told you to do so. So when you are fasting, your behavior needs to be better than it normally is. Your God-consciousness needs to be more present than it normally is. And your ibadah, your generosity — all of it should be elevated. And there are plenty of things that insha'Allah can aid you in that.

Seek Allah's Help Through Du'a

You will not be able to give charity. You will not be able to do any good deed if it isn't for Allah blessing you with the guidance and the tawfiq. So make dua. Ask Allah to aid you in making this the best Ramadan. Because:

Remember this — إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ. "You alone we worship" — that means your qiyam and your siyam and your dua and your sadaqa and all of it, you do it only for Allah. But wallahi, you cannot do it if Allah doesn't help you first, aid you first, guide you first — which is why we say وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ, "and You alone we seek help from." And what is the help that we need the most? اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ — "Guide us to and along the straight path."

So ask Allah to give you the tawfiq and the ability. And remember — the fasting person's dua, Allah responds to. The fasting person's dua, the sky is open. So lots of dua for yourself, for your children, for your family in Ramadan. Wallahi, the opportunities are so many. As Muslims, the dunya is nothing — it's the akhirah that counts for us. And the month of Ramadan is a time when think about all of the opportunities that are present.

And I haven't even discussed Laylat al-Qadr. I haven't even mentioned Laylat al-Qadr — a night that is greater than a thousand months, eighty-something years roughly. There is no excuse. There is absolutely no excuse for us not to benefit from these opportune and blessed moments. But again, we need Allah to give us the hidayah, and we need to ask for it, and we need to put the work in.

I ask Allah to forgive our sins. I ask Allah to make us among those that reach Ramadan and benefit from Ramadan and are freed from the fire in Ramadan.