Welcome Ramadan.

Introduction to Ramadhan.
The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting. Allah prescribes daily fasting for all able, adult Muslims during the whole of the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar beginning with the sighting of the new moon.

Quranic verse: chapter no.2 verse no. 185

The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.

Sighting the new moon

It is fard kifayah (a collective duty) on the muslims to make an effort to sight the moon of Ramadan on the 29th of shaban.

Hadith: 2378, sahih muslim.

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: Whenever you sight the new moon (of the month of Ramadan) observe fast, and when you sight it (the new moon of Shawwal) break it, and if the sky is cloudy for you, then observe fast for thirty days.

What is fasting???
The third pillar of Islam is fasting the month of Ramadan, in Arabic saum. Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. During Ramadan, Muslims who are physically able are required to fast from dawn to sunset. Fasting means refraining from food, drink, smoking, and sexual intercourse.

Quranic aayah: chapter no.2 verse no.183

O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous

hadith:
Narrated Abu Huraira (r.a): The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:"... whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven." (Imam bukhari)

Fundamentals of fasting.
Niyyah (intention) for the compulsory fast of Ramadan to be Accepted, the intension to fast must be made before fajr.
Suhur (pre-dawn meal): it is encouraged to take this meal, even if it is only a drink of water. Iftar (breaking fast) it is highly recommended that the fast be Broken as soon as magrib. Dua for breaking the fast. Salah at tarawih (the night prayer)

Benefits of fasting...
Fasting gives the individual a real taste of hunger and thirst which helps him realize the experience of the poor. It is required that the individual gives up not only food, drink, and sexual relations, but also all forms of lying (eg. Backbiting ,slander, etc.) It has also been noted by the medical experts that fasting improves the physical health in numerous ways. Fasting trains the individual for jihad by giving him a good course in self control.

Purpose of fasting
Develop taqwa (consciousness of Allah (s.w.t))
It is achieved by placing a shield between oneself and Allahs (s.w.t) wrath (which means avoiding the haram as well as makuruh and some of the halal wherever a doubt arises.

Conditions of fasting
To be a muslim. To have reached the age of puberty. To be sane. To be physically able. To be a resident, not a traveller.

Alllah (s.w.t) has permitted Muslims who are

Sick.

Physically unable to fast.

Travelling during Ramadan. To break their fasts and make up the missed days of Ramadan

Types of fast
Wajib (obligatory fast) Mustahab (recommended fasts)

Mubah (allowable fasts)

Makruh (undesirable fasts) Muharram (forbidden fasts)

Suhoor.
Hadith : Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet and Zaid bin
Thabit took the 'Suhur' together and after finishing the meal, the Prophet (saws) stood up and prayed (Fajr prayer)." I asked Anas, "How long was the interval between finishing their 'Suhur' and starting the prayer?" He replied, "The interval between the two was just sufficient to recite fifty Verses of the Qur'an)."

Iftar
Hadith: Not a single prayer made by a fasting person at the time
of breaking fast is rejected. (Ibne Mjah)

Hadith: Whosoever gives something to a fasting person in order to

break the fast, for him there shall be forgiveness for his sins and emancipation from the fire of Jahannam; and for him (the one who gives) shall be the same reward as for him (whom he fed), without that persons (the one who was fed) reward being diminished in the least.

Salah...
What is Salah??
Salah is ordained on Muslims five times a day and is essentially the spiritual nourishment of the soul of the believer as well as the divine connection between Allah and the believer. There are 5 prayers throughout the day: Fajr (pre-dawn), Dhuhr (afternoon), Asr (postafternoon), Maghrib (evening), Isha (night).

Tarawee
When the month of Ramadhan begins, Muslims enter into a period of discipline and worship: fasting during the day, and praying throughout the day and night. During Ramadan, special evening prayers are conducted during which long portions of the Qur'an are recited. These special prayers are known as tarawee. The word taraweeh comes from an Arabic word which means to rest and relax. The prayer can be very long (well over an hour), during which one stands upright to read from the Qur'an and performs many cycles of movement (standing, bowing, prostrating, sitting). After each four cycles, one sits for a brief period of rest before continuing -- this is where the name taraweeh("rest prayer") comes from.

Quran was reaveled

The graceful month of Ramadhan has set in; the month during which the gates of Mercy are wide open, the gates of Hell are shut and the Shayateen are chained up. It is a month chosen by Allah as a month of fasting; an act of Ibadat that Allah made special to Him. He favoured this month over all other months by making it the month of mercy and reverence for all the believers. "Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and split asunder (crumbling) by the fear of Allah. Such are the parables that We put forward to mankind that they may reflect." [Al-Hashr, 59:21]

Qiyaam al-Layl
You should pray Qiyaam al-Layl, for it is the habit of the righteous people who came before you, and it will bring you closer to your Lord, expiate for bad deeds, prevent sin, and expel disease from the body. [At-Tirmidhee ] Abu Hurayrah (r.a) reported that Allah's Messenger (s.a.w) said: The best of prayer after those prescribed (i.e. obligatory prayer) is that in the depth of night. [Saheeh Muslim]

7 Practical Tips for praying Qiyaam al-Layl

Ikhlas (Sincerity) - the key to Allah's Help and Blessings Knowing the Virtues of Qiyaam al-Layl Taking a nap in the daytime Sleeping according to the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger a. Sleep early b. Sleep in a state of taharah (purity) c. Choose a suitable bed d. Cleaning the bed and lying on the right side e. Reciting the Adhkaar (supplications) mentioned in the Sunnah before sleeping Avoid too much food and drink Striving against oneself Rebuking one's self for not praying Qiyaam al-Layl

Eid ul fitr
Eid ul-Fitr is one holy festival for Muslims, which marks the end of Holy Month, Ramadhan. It is an Arabic word, juvenile amalgamation of Eid and Fitr, which means festivity and the breaking of fast, respectively. The festival is celebrated on the conclusion of the fasting during the month of Ramadhan Muslim grace with presence at the congregational prayer service that held in morning. Eid-ul-Fitr has a meticulous Islamic prayer, which consists of two rakaah or simply units in a large hall or an open field. Muslims of all age group wear new clothes, cook some delicious and tasty food, invite relative, neighbors and friends to celebrate the auspicious day with them. According to Muslim belief, they are commanded by Almighty God to do the fasting until the conclusion of Ramadhan as mentioned in Holy Quran and also pay Zakat-alfitr before offering the Eid prayer.

THE END.