Ramadan is a special and blessed month that the Almighty has bestowed upon His servants as the greatest gift. It is an exceptional opportunity through which Allah draws His servants closer to Him, forgives them, and showers them with His mercy and grace. For this reason, every good deed performed in this month is rewarded multiple times compared to other months.
In this regard, there is well-known hadith of the Prophet (PBUH) that beautifully highlights the significance and virtue of actions in Ramadan. Salman al-Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (PBUH) delivered a sermon on the last day of Sha’ban, saying: “O people! A great month has cast its shadow upon you, a blessed month in which there is a night that is better than a thousand months. Allah has made fasting during this month obligatory and standing in prayer during its night’s voluntary. Whoever performs a good deed in this month, it is as if they have fulfilled an obligation outside of it, and whoever performs an obligatory act, it is as if they have performed seventy obligations outside of Ramadan.”
SubhanAllah! Performing one obligatory act in Ramadan is equivalent to seventy in other months—what a tremendous reward! Can we still afford to remain heedless during this sacred month?
Yes, Ramadan is an opportunity for spiritual growth and drawing closer to Allah. Blessed is those who make the most of this month, engaging in good deeds and acts of worship to attain divine mercy. On the other hand, there are those who, despite the arrival of Ramadan, make no changes in themselves and neglect this unique chance for repentance and returning to Allah.
Unfortunately, some people spend the nights of Ramadan engaged in meaningless activities and worldly entertainment, such as watching movies and playing games. They do not participate in congregational prayers like Taraweeh, waste their nights in idleness, and sometimes even fail to perform the Fajr prayer on time. In many cases, they miss the Dhuhr and Asr prayers as well. This is a great deprivation—not only does it distance them from the blessings of Ramadan, but it also causes them to lose the invaluable opportunities for nearness to Allah.
Let us, in this blessed month, turn to Allah with sincere repentance, engage in pure worship, and perform righteous deeds to draw closer to His infinite mercy and make the most of this golden opportunity.
The State of the Righteous Predecessors in Ramadan
Let us reflect on how the righteous predecessors of this Ummah spent their Ramadan and how they took full advantage of its unique opportunities.
It is reported that Imam al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) devoted his entire time in Ramadan to the recitation of the Qur’an, completing it sixty times during the month. This means he finished the Qur’an twice a day! This is a remarkable example of making optimal use of Ramadan’s opportunities. Even if we cannot complete the Qur’an daily, we can at least recite several parts and benefit from its blessings.
Imam Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) describes the state of Imam al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) in Ramadan, saying that on the first night of the month, his companions and students would gather around him, and he would lead them in prayer, reciting twenty verses in each rak‘ah until he completed the entire Qur’an during the night. This demonstrates his deep devotion to the Qur’an and worship in this month.
Among contemporary scholars, Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah have mercy on him) stands out as a shining example. Even in his seventies, he spent Ramadan with immense dedication and effort. After Maghrib prayer, instead of performing six rak‘ahs, he would perform twenty, reciting nearly two parts of the Qur’an. His bowing and prostrations were so long that it seemed as if he had forgotten himself. Before ‘Isha prayer, he would recite a few more parts of the Qur’an. After Tarawih, he would rest briefly and then dedicate about three hours to Tahajjud prayer. Additionally, he would spend the time between Zuhr and Asr in Qur’an recitation.
These accounts reflect the firm resolve and immense effort of our righteous predecessors in making the most of Ramadan. They seized this golden opportunity with complete dedication, engaging in worship, Qur’an recitation, and night prayers to draw closer to Allah.
Let us take inspiration from these great examples and spend Ramadan with devotion and piety so that we, too, may benefit from its countless blessings.
