Sayyid Ibne Taoos narrated in his book “Iqbal”, quoting Imam
Ali al-Riza (a.s.), who heard from his father, who quoted from the Commander of
the Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.), who said:
“One day, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) delivered the
following Sermon about the Holy month of Ramazaan: O’ People! The month of
Allah with Blessing, Mercy and Pardon has come to you, a month which is the
best month among all months before Allah; its days are the best days; its
nights are the best nights and its hours are the best hours. It is the month in
which you have been invited by Allah for a feast, and has been selected as the
recipient of His special favor. Your breathing merits the reward of praise
while your sleeping in this month earns the reward of worship. In this month
your deeds are accepted and prayers are granted.
Therefore with true intention and pure hearts, beseech Allah
to bestow upon you His special favor to be able to observe fasting and recite
the Holy Qur’an. Because the most unfortunate and wretched one is the one who
remains deprived from Allah’s pardon during this great month. With your thirst
and hunger remind yourself about the thirst and hunger of the Day of Judgment;
pay charity to poor and destitute people, pay respect to elders; be kind
towards youngsters, and observe the bonds of relationship with your kith and
kin.
Watch your tongue, cover your eyes from seeing forbidden
objects and prevent your ears from hearing forbidden affairs. Be kind to the
orphans of the people so that the others are kind to your orphans. Repent for
your sins and at the time of prayer, raise your hands upwards, because these
hours are the best hours because Allah looks towards mankind with Mercy and
Compassion. Their hymns (reciting praise) are granted, their cries are heard.
Whatever they ask is bestowed upon them and their prayers are fulfilled.
O’ people your selves are mortgaged against your deeds and
therefore, by means of repentance make yourself free. Your back has become much
too heavy due to sins; by prolongation of prostration make yourself
light-burdened. Know that Allah has taken the oath of His Majesty and Splendor
that He will not punish those who offer prayers and bow down in prostration and
on the Day of Judgment will not scare them from Hell Fire.
O’ people! Whoever in this month will make arrangements for
the fast-breaking (iftar) of a believer, will be bestowed upon the reward equal
to freeing of a slave and all of his past sins shall be pardoned.” He was asked:
“O Prophet of Allah! But all of us are not in a position to arrange for the
fast-breaking of a fast observer.” The Prophet replied: ‘Protect yourself from
Hell Fire and offer fast-breaking even if it happens to be a date with a glass
of sherbet.”
“O’ people whoever makes his conduct better in this, on the
Day of Judgment will be bestowed upon the permit for crossing over the “Serat”.
Whoever opens the knots of difficulties of people’s affairs in this month, Allah
on the Day of Judgment will make the accounting of his deeds easier.
Whoever makes people immune from his mischief, Allah on the
Day of Judgment will make him immune from His Wrath. Whoever treats an orphan
with respect, on the Day of Judgment Allah will treat him with honor. Whoever takes
care to strengthen the family bonds with relatives, Allah will extend His
Blessings upon him on the Day of Judgment, and whoever will cut-off his family
ties, Allah too will deprive him from His Blessings on the Day of Judgment.
Whoever offers supererogatory prayers in this month, Allah
will register for him immunity from the Fire. Whoever performs a compulsory
deed in this month, will be bestowed the reward of seventy compulsory deeds
performed in other months. Whoever offers a lot of salutations upon me in this
month, on the Day of Judgment, Allah will make his balance of righteous deeds
heavier. Whoever recites one single verse of the Holy Qur’an this month will be
bestowed the reward of finishing the entire Qur’an in other months.
O’ people! The gates of Paradise are
opened in this month; beseech Allah that it should not be closed upon you. The
doors of Hell are closed, and ask Allah that they are not opened upon you. The
devils are chained in this month, ask Allah not to allow them to take over your
control.
Imam Ali (a.s.) said: O’ Prophet of Allah, which one is the
best deed in this month? The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) replied: “O’ Abul Hasan!
The most supreme deed in this month is the piety and renunciation of divine
forbidden acts.”
Reference:
Etiquette of the Holy month of Ramazaan by Haj Mirza Javad Agha Maliki Tabrizi
(r.a.)
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