Recommended deeds for
each night of the last ten nights of the month
These are many; among them is what is recommended by
the Prophet (pbuh) who has said: "Whoever prays two rek’ats on
Lailatul-Qadr and recites the Fatiha once in each rek’a and the Tawheed seven
times, then when he finishes he seeks forgiveness seventy times, then he adds, ‘I
seek Allah’s forgiveness and to Him do I repent,’ by the time he leaves his
place, Allah will have forgiven him and his parents and sent angels to record good deeds
for him for another year, and He would send angels to plant trees for him in Paradise and
build him mansions and draw rivers, and he would not leave the Life of this world before
seeing all what is in store for him in Paradise."
Another recommended deed is ghusl (ceremonialbath) which
is highly recommended and emphasized especially during the last three nights (of the
month), and the best time to take it is after sunset prayers. And speaking of ghusul, it
is recommended, as the Prophet of Islam (pbuh) had himself done, to stay away from women
during these most sacred days but to approach two days.
As a matter of fact, p. 180, Vol. 4, of al-Kulayni’s AI-Kafi,
p. 348, Vol. 94, of al-Mailisi’s Bihar al-Anwar , and p. 112, Vol. 2, of
Ibn Babawayehs work Man La yahduru al-faqih all suggest that it is highly
recommended to approach women particularly during the first nights of the month of
Ramadhan. These classic books quote the Commander of the Faithful (as) saying that it is
recommended for a believer to cohabit with his wife (particularly) during the first night
of this sacred month.
Another recommended deed is what is called the "plea by the
sanctity of the Holy Qur’ an" which is reported on the authority of both Imains
al-Baqir and al-Sadiq, peace be upon them, who have said, "You must take the Holy
Qur’an during thor last three nights of the month of Ramadhan, open it, then
put it on your hands and say: Lord! I plead to You by Your revealed Book and everything in
it, and in it is Your great Name and the most snblim.t attributes. I plead to You to send
blessings unto Muhammad (pbuh) and the progeny of Muhammad (phub) and to free rue from the
bondage of the fire,’ then you ask Allah whatever you wish." Imam al-Sadiq (as)
is quoted saying, ‘Take the Holy Qur’an, put it on your head and say,
‘Lord! By the grace of this Holy Qur’at~ and to whom You have revealed
it, and by every believer You have praised therein, and by Your right upon them, for none
knows Your right more than You!’ Then you. repeat ten times each of the following:
‘By Your Grace, O Mighty God! By Muhammad, by Ali, by Fatima, by al~Has5a1I, by
al~I-{usSa1n, by All ibm al-Hussain, by Muhammad ibm All, by Ja’fer ibn Muhammad, by
Mousa ibm Ja’fer, by Ali ibn Mousa, by Muhammad ibn Ali, by Ali ibn Muhammad, by
al-I-lassan ibn AM, by al-Hujja (alMabdi),’ then you state your plea, and Allah will
help you attain your objective if He pleases." Another special invocation quoted from
the Prophet (pbuh) says:
"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, the One and Only
God, without a partners and that Muhammad (phub) is His servant and messenger. I bear
witness that Paradise is right and that the fire is right, and that the bout is
approaching~ there is no doubt about it, and that Allah shall bring life to those in the
graves. I further bear witness that the Lord is my God: there is no partner with I-jim,
nor a son, nor a father, and I bear witness that He does
whatever He pleases and is able to do everything and is the Doer of
what He wills. He humiliates whomsoever He wills and raises whomsoever He pleases, Owner
of the domain, Sustainer of the servants, the Forgiving, the Mercy-giving, the Omniscient,
the Kind. I bear witness again and again and again and again and again and again and again
that You, Lord, are exactly so and even more, and that none can describe Your greatness.
Lord! I pray You to send blessings unto Muhammad (phub) and the progeny of Muhammad (pbuh)
and to guide me and not to leave me to stray after having guided me, for You guide
whomsoever You please."
Recommended deeds of the twenty-third Night of
the Month of Ramadhan
All recommended deeds stated above are also recommended for this night and for all the
nights referred to above one of which, according to the above-quoted traditions,
Lailatul-Qadr may as well be. On all these nights, it is recommended that you perform tke ghusul
twice: once at the beginning of the night, and once at its end as Imam alSadiq, peace
be upon him, is quoted saying. It is also recommended that you read the Chapter of the
Holy Qur’an dealing with the Romans and the one with the Spider. Imam al-Sadiq, peace
be upon him, has told Abu Baseer that whoever recites both chapters of al‘Ankaboot
(Spider) and al-Room (Romans) on the twenty-third night of the month of Ramadhan will
certainly be among the residents of Paradise without any exception, adding, "... and
I do not fear that Allah will record a sin against me for giving such a status for these
two Chapters." It is also recommended to recite the Dukhkhan (Smoke) Chapter too.
Imam Ali, peace be upon him, has said, "Everything has a fruit,
and the fruit of the Holy Qur’an is the Qadr Chapter. Everything has a treasure, and
the treasure that removes poverty is the Qadr Chapter. For everything there is a means
whereby it can be attained, and the means of the weak is the Qadr Chapter. For every
hardship there is ease, and the ease of those suffering from hardship is the Qadr Chapter.
There is a shield against everything evil, and the shield of the
believers is the Qadr Chapter. For everything there is guidance, and the guidance of the
righteous is the Qadr Chapter. There is excellence for everything, and the excellence of
knowledge is the Qadr Chapter. There is a decoration for everything, and the decoration of
the Holy Qur’an is the Qadr Chapter. There is a canopy for everything, and the canopy
of the devotees is the Qadr Chapter. There is a glad tiding for everything, and the glad
tiding of the innocent is the Qadr Chapter. There is a Proof (Hujia) for everything, and
the Hujja after the Prophet (pbuh) is the Qadr Chapter; therefore, believe in it." He
(as) was asked how to believe in it, and he answered, "That it shall occur in each
and every year, and that everything revealed in it is true."
He (as) is also quoted saying, "For anyone who recites the Qadr
Chapter, God Almighty writes down a good deed for every particle of dust where he sits
while reciting it." He (as) is also quoted saying, "It is a good companion for
anyone who wishes to pay off his diN. esteem his creed, prolong his life-span, and improve
his condition. Anyone who recites it quite often will meet Allah as a sxddeeq and
as a martyr."
The book Misbah al-Mutahaflid quotes Muhammad ibn ‘Isa
relying on the authority of the righteous, peace be upon them, says: "You should
repeat the following invocation on the twenty-third night of the blessed month of Raniadan
either prostrating, standing up, or sitting down, or in any other way, and during the
entire month and however you can, and whenever you are faced with hard times. Having
glorified Allah and sent blessings unto the Prophet and his progeny, peace be upon all of
them, you should say, ‘Lord! Be for Your wali Muhammad ibn al-Hassan at this
hour and at every hour of the night and the day a Protector, Guardian, Leader, Supporter,
Guide and Reconnoiterer, till You let him reside in Your earth willingly and grant him
enjoyment therein for a long period of time. O You Who manages all affairs, Who
brings life back to the residents of the graves, Who permits the oceans to flow and the
iron to be pliant for David, peace be upon him, I pray You to send blessings unto Muhammad
and the progeny of Muhammad,’ then you mention your wish, raising your hands. You may
repeat it while you are prostrating, kneeling, standing or sitting, and repeat it on the
last night of the nights of the month of Ramadhan."
Invocation for the twenty-third night (of the month of Ramadhan)
This is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and it is as follows:
"Praised One, Glorified, Lord of the angels and the Spirit,
Praised One, Glorified, Lord of the angels and the Throne, Praised One, Glorified, Lord of
the heavens and the earth, Praised One, Glorified, Lord of the oceans and themountains;
Praised One, Glorified, praised by the fish in the oceans, by the reptiles and the beasts
and the hills; Praised One, Glorified, praised by the angels and those who are near to
Him; Praised One, Glorified, Exalted, Vanquished everything and created everything in a
measure. Praised, Praised, Praised, Praised, Praised, Praised, Praised! Glorified,
Glorified, Glorified, Glorified, Glorified, Glorified, Glorified! I pray You to send
blessings unto Muhammad (pbuh) and the progeny of Muhammad (pbuh) and to forgive me and
have mercy on me, for You are the One, the Unique."
Then you ought to add the following:
"Lord! I pray You to make my share of every goodness You have sent
down this night, or are sending down this night to be the most generous, of light whereby
You guide, or mercy You spread out, or sustenance You divide, or a tribulation You shun,
or an evil you expose, and to write for me what you write for Your righteous servants who
deserve Your rewards and who deserved security by pleasing You. You affect retribution.
You give without a measure; You are the Generous One! I pray You to send blessings unto
Muhammad (pbuh) and the progeny of Muhammad (pbuh) and to deal with me mercifully; You are
the most Merciful of those who are merciful unto others."
Then you should say:
"I pray You like one who is poor and helpless, and I invoke You
like one who is poor and humble, and I ask you like one who has submitted willingly to You
and admitted his wrong-doing and whose eyes have over-flown with tears, who is most
helpless, who has no other means, to grant me this night forgiveness for all my past sins,
and to protect me from sinning for the rest of my life, to grant me pilgrimage and ‘umra
this year, to make it pilgrimage purely for the sake of achieving Your pleasure, and
to enable me to always do so, and do not hinder me from visiting Your House and the
grave-site of Your Messenger Muhammad Your blessings and peace be upon him and his
progeny. And I plead You, Lord, not to let me remain in dire need of Your creatures, of
the jinns and of mankind, of the Arabs and of the non-Arabs, of every being whom You can
overpower; for You are on the right path. Lord! Grant me, Lord, of whatever You decide and
decree of every destined matter on this night, the fate which cannot be avoided nor can it
be altered, to visit Your sacred House among other pilgrims this year whose pilgrimage You
appreciate and whose endeavor is forgiven and so are their sins, and to prolong my
life-span, to increase my sustenance, and to grant me a dutiful son, for You can do
whatever You will, and You are aware of everything."
What ought to be repeated every night for the last ten nights of the month
An annotation on al-Kaf’amis book Al-Misbah contains an invocation narrated
through the authority of Imam al-Sadiq (as). It is recommended to be repeated on each of
the last ten nights of the month. The author indicates that he (as) used to say the
following on each such night:
"Lord! You have said in Your revealed Rook: ‘The month of
Ramadhan is that in which the Holy Qur’an was revealed, a guidance to men and clear
proofs of the guidance and the distinction,’ and You glorified the sanctity of the
month of Ramadhan due to the Holy Qur’an which You revealed therein, assigning
Lailatul-Qadr to it and making it better than a thousand months. Lord! These are the days
of the month of Ramadhan which have gone by and so have its nights. Lord! You are more
knowledgeable than I, and more aware, of the number of Your devotees; so, I pray You in
whatever Your angels who are close to You, Your messengers, and Your righteous devotees,
pray You to send blessings unto Muhammad (pbuh) and the progeny of Muhammad, and to free
me from the fire, to let me enter into Paradise by Your mercy, and to be Gracious unto me,
to forgive me, to accept my endeavor to be near to You, to respond to my invocation and to
grant me security on the day when everyone will be terrified, apprehensive of the horrors
prepared on the Day of Judgment. Lord! I seek refuge with Your Glory and Great Prestige
not to let the days and nights of the month of Ramadhan pass away without forgiving me for
the sins for which You intend that I should atone. O Lord, Lord, Lord! I pray You, You
with Whom there is no other god, for there is no god but You, to be pleased with me in
this month, and to be even more pleased with me if You were pleased with me before. So, be
pleased with me, Lord, for You are the most Merciful of those who are merciful unto
others, O You Who is the One and Only God, the One Independent of any need, the One Who
did not beget nor is He begotten, nor is there ever the like of Him.
Then repeat the following at least three times:
"O You Who made the iron pliant to David, peace be upon him! O You
Who removed distress and the great agony from Jacob, peace be upon him! O You Who removed
the distress of Joseph, peace be upon him! I pray You to send blessings unto Muhammad
(pbuh) and the progeny of Muhammad, for You are Capable of doing so, and not to punish me
with the punishment that I deserve."
Zakatul-Fitr
Zakatul-Fitr is a mandatory religious tax paid
by those who can afford it at the end of the month of Ramadhan. It depends on the type of
major item of food consumed by the believer during the year. This may be rice, wheat,
barley, dates, etc. In weight, it should be at least three kilograms of food per person.
It is also permissible to pay cash of equivalent value. Due to the inflation and rising
prices, we suggest that a fin-a of $5.50 per person is reasonable. It must
be paid by the head of the family on behalf of his dependents, including servants of both
sexes, and/or dependent relatives who are fed in his house. If a Muslim or even a
non-Muslim guest arrives at someone’s house prior to the night preceding Eidul-Fitr
and dines with his host, it is incumbent on the latter to pay for the former’s film.
If the guest arrives after sunset of the night preceding the Eid, fitra is not
obligatory even if he dines with his host. If the guest who arrives before sunset does not
dine, fitra is still obligatory on his host. It is better, however, if both host
and guest give fin-a. If one’s wife is at her parents’ house on the night
preceding the Eid, her parents should take out her fin-a. On the last day of the
month of Raniadan, if someone arranges a majlis which commences after sunset, and
if he treats his guests to iftar, he does not have to pay fin-a on their
behalf.
Who receives Fitra
Fitra should be given to deserving believers whose income is not sufficient to spend
on their families for one year. Fin-a cannot be given to one’s own dependents.
Deserving neighbors and pious persons are good candidates to receive and enjoy the fitra.
Fitra from Sayyids (descendants of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him and his progeny) can be given to poor Sayyids or non-Sayyids. Fitra from non-Sayyids
cannot be given to Sayyids. If deserving persons are not easy to find or identify, fitra
should be sent to places where such persons can be found, or the amount should be sent to
a mujtahid who would do justice in its distribution. It is absolutely mandatory that the
recipient of fin-a be ‘cdii, i.e., a just and fair person who can be trusted to
distribute it properly, and it is necessary to ensure that fin-a is not given to anyone
who may in any possibility use it for sinful acts such as drinking liquors, gambling, etc.
Although it is permissible to send fitra to any place, it is better to distribute it to a
deserving person locally. The time for givingfitra is from the night preceding Eidul-Fitr
up till noon. If this is not possible for any reason, the amount of film must then be set
aside and be distributed when deserving persons are present, or it may be sent to a
mujtahid for proper distribution, and it cannot be paid prior to the time when it becomes
due. The best time to pay it is the first day of Eid al-Fitr before noon prayers.
Eid Al-Fitr and its prayers
Once the holy month of Ramadhan is over, the pious get ready to celebrate Eid al-Fitr,
Feast of Fast-Breaking, to thank the Almighty who enabled them to fast and to remember the
needy and the indigent. It is also customary on such an occasion to give gifts to the
members of the family, especially children. Once it becomes known that the next day is
going to be the Eid, it is very highly recommended to spend the night preceding the Eid in
prayers and adoration. On p. 104 of al-Saduq’s Thawab al-A ‘mat, Muhammad
ibn Ibrahim is quoted saying that he heard Isma’eel ibn Muhammad quoting Muhammad ibn
Sulayrnan quoting Abmed ibn Bakr-aIFarisi quoting Muhammadibn Mis’ab quoting 1-lammad
quoting Thabit quoting the great sahabi Anas ibn Malik saying that the Messenger of
Allah (phuh) has said, "The heart of anyone who spends the Eid night [the night
preceding the Lid] will not die oh the Day when the hearts die."
How to perform the Eid prayers, what is recommended and what is not in
its regard, and all fighi related to it in the following paragraphs are excerpted from
Vol. 1 of Man Ia Yahduruhu al-Faqh by Shaykh (mentor) Abu Ja’fer ibn Au ibn al-Husain
ibn Babawayh al-Qunimi (306-381 AR.).
Is the Eid prayer compulsory (Sunnab wajibah) or is it highly
recommended (Sunnak mustahabbah)? Imam Ja’fer al-Sadiq, whose followers are referred
to as Shi’as Ja’feris Ithna-’Asheris, followers of the Sunnah of the
Messenger ofAllah (pbuh) as outlined by Imam AR (as) and according to the fiqh of Imam
Ja’fer al-Sadiq (as) and who follow all the Infallible Twelve Imams (as), is quoted
on p. 339, Vol. 1, of al-Saduq’s book Man Ia Yahduruhu al-Faqih saying, "Prayers
on both Lids (al-Pitr and alAdha) are compulsory, and so is the prayer on the
eclipse." The author comments on this weighty statement by saying that the Imani (as)
means they are among "minor obligations," that is, due to one narration by
Hareez which states the following:
Zurarab quotes Imam Abu Ja’fer (as) saying: "To pray both Eid
prayers with an Imam is a Sunnab; no prayers should be performed before or after them on
that occasion till the time of zawal
He (as) is also quoted on the same page as saying, "No Eid prayers
on both Eids should be offered without an Irnam (a just one), but if you pray it by
yourself, there is no harm in doing so." Hareez, on p. 340 of the same reference,
quotes Zurarah citing Imam Abu Ja"fer al-Baqir (as) saying, "The Commander of
the Faithful (Imarn All), peace be upon him, used not to eat anything on Eid al-Adha till
he eats of what he offers by way of sacrifice. And he used not to go out
How should the Eid (be it Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha) prayers be
performed? They are two rek’ats without iqamah or athan. The imam starts by calling
"Allahu Akbar!" once, then he recites Surat al-Fatiha and "Sabbili ismi
Rabbikal-A’la" (Surat al-A’la, The Most High, Chapter 87, which is
comprised of 19 verses), then he makes takbeer (by saying: "Allahu Akbar!") five
times, then he makes qunoot followed by rukoo ‘,then he is to prostrate twice (as is
the case with fajr prayers). When he stands to perform the second re/Ca, be should recite
Surat al-Fatiha followed by "Wal shamsi ‘wa Duhaha, etc." (Surat al-Shams
EThe Sun], Chapter 91, which is comprised of 15 verses), followed by four takbeers,
including takbeerat al-qiyatn. Having made takbeer for the fifth time, he makes rukoo and
goes on to the prostrations as described above. What is recommended to be said during the
qunoot (in the first rek’at) of a great occasion such as the Lid? We think the most
beautiful supplication is one narrated by Muhammad bin al-Fudayl who quotes Abu al-Sabah
al-Kinani quoting Abu Abdullah Imam Ja’fer al-Sadig (as), our sixth Imam, as follows:
In order to benetit the readers who are not versed in Arabic, we would
like to offer this modest translation of the sophisticated text cited above, imploring the
Almighty to forgive us for falling short of matching the Arabic text (English never rises
to the level of classic Arabic especially when it comes to prayers, the Holy Qur’an,
and supplications:
I testify that there is no god but Allah, the One and Only God, without
any partner, and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. Lord! You are the Lord of
greatness and magnanimity, generosity and might, potence, authority and dignity! I plead
to You on this Day which You have made as an Eid for the Muslims and as a treasure for
Muhammad (pbuh) and an increase (in his prestige), to bless Muhammad and the progeny of
Muhammad, to also bless Your angels who are near to You~ as well as all Your deputied
messengers, and to forgive us and all believing men and women, and all Muslim men and
women, the living and the dead. O Lord! I plead to You to grant me of the best of that for
which your righteous servants plead to You, and I seek refuge with You against all (evil)
from which Your righteous servants seek refuge with You. Allah is the First and the Last
of everything, the One Who knows everything and Who brings them back to life. The destiny
of everything is to Him and so is its return. I-fe is the One Who manages the affairs and
brings life back to those in the graves. He accepts good deeds and unveils what is hidden;
He reveals the secrets of the hearts. Allaho Akbar! His Kingdom is great; He is the
ever.Living Who never dies; when He decrees a thing, He only says to it "Be!"
and it is! To You are the voices humbled and the faces succumb, and no vision can ever
reach him, nor can any tongue glorify You enough. All forelocks are in Your grip and all
affairs are referred to You: none can judge in their regard besides You, nor can anything
be accomplished without Your aid. is Allaho Akbar. Your protection encompasses everything;
Your Dignity subdues everything; Your command overwhelms everything, and everything stands
through You. Everything is humbled to Your greatness; everything is subjected to Your
Exaltation; everything surrenders to Your will, and everything is a subject in Your
Kingdom! Allaho Akbar
The same reference contains other such sermons for those who appreciate
them and who seek nearness to Allah Sub hanahu wa Ta ‘ala through reciting them.
Conclusion
It is hoped that this small book has shed some light
on the significance of fast in Islam and on the greatness of the month of Ramadhan. It is
also hoped that it has made some readers realize the importance of considering this life
as a golden and unique opportunity to prepare for the life to come. It is also hoped that
those who read this book will share its knowledge with others rather than keep it all to
themselves. This is a book, we believe, which should not be left on the shelf to collect
dust but circulated among our community to bring them closer to their Maker and to make
them mote serious about their creed. One hadith says: "Lot everything there is
zakat, and the zakat of knowledge is its dissemination."
Does one who knows something useful have any choice with regard to
sharingwhat he knows with others? Is it up to him whether to inform others of it or to
just remain silent and keep it all to himself? Is there a free will to excercise in this
regard? If you think that the answer to these questions is in the affirmative, read the
following verses of the Holy Qur’an and see how the Almighty curses and condemns
those who know and who do not share their knowledge with others:
Surely those who conceal the clear proofs and the guidance that We
revealed, having made it clear in the Book for men, these it is whom Allah shall curse,
and those who curse shall curse them (too). (Holy Qur’an, 2:159)
Allah made a covenant with those who were given the Book: You shall
certainly make it known to men, and you shall not hide it, but they cast it behind their
backs and took a small price for it; so evil is that which they buy. (Holy Our’an,
3:187)
Do not mix the truth with falsehood, nor should you hide the truth
while knowing it. (Holy Qur’an, 2:42)
Holy Qur’an 3:187 above refers to the People of the Book
(Christians and Jews) who were given knowledge by the Almighty and who did not disseminate
it. This is quite ironic especially since they regard hiding knowledge as one of the
"seven deadly sins," the sins which can never be forgiven.
Does Islam forgive those who have knowledge and who hide it or fail to
share it with others? On p. 67, Vol. 2, of Bihar al-Anwar, Imam Mousa ibn
Ja’fer (as) quotes his forefathers citing the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying,
"One who reneges from his oath of allegiance, or who promotes what misleads people,
or hides some knowledge with him, or confines some wealth with him unjustly, or knowingly
aids an oppressor in committing oppression whild being fully aware of his oppression, is
outside the folds of Islam." Truly if you consider this hadith, you will find
it awe-inspiring. One who hides knowledge, according to this hadith, is on the same
level with one who deliberately assists oppressors and oppression. Islam is clear of those
who deliberately and in any way hide useful knowledge; so, we seek refuge with Allah, dear
reader, against being among them. Rather, we should spare no means to share what we know
with others. Good knowledge is like a good seed: once sown, it will Insallah grow
and multiply.
The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) is quoted on
p. 67, Vol. 2, of Bihar al-Anwar , saying, "The creed stands on four pillars:
1) a scholar who informs people of the knowledge which he has and who acts upon it; 2) a
wealthy person who is not miserly when giving those who safeguard the religion of Allah;
3) a poor person who does not sell his hereafter in order to buy the life of this world;
and
4) an ignorant person who is never too proud to seek knowledge."
What a beautiful statement!
Here we have to stop for a moment to ask ourselves: "Who is
qualified enough to be called a scholar, an ‘ailm, one to whom the
Almighty refers in one of the most Glorious of Qur’anic verses:
‘
Surely those among Allah’s servants who fear Him most are the
scholars (‘ulema)’ (Holy Qur’an, 35:28)"?
The answer is provided by the very best man who ever walked on the face
of planet Earth: our beloved Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him
and his pure and sinless Progeny: "Each one of you is an ‘aiim (scholar)
so long as he pursues knowledge, but when he thinks he achieved it, then he becomes
ignorant." Ignorant are the haughty ones who think that "they know it all."
Although he (pbuh) was the embodiment of each and every imaginable virtue, he (pbuh)
nevertheless was ordered by his Maker to: "Say: Lord! Increase my share of
knowledge!" (Holy Qur’an, 20:114).
The Holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh) is quoted on p. 66, Vol. 2, of Bihar
al-Anwar, saying, "Jesus son of Mary (as) once stood to address the Israelites
and said, ‘O Children of Israel! Do not impart wisdom to the ignorant else you should
do knowledge injustice, nor should you prohibit those who seek it from doing so else you
should do them injustice." The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (as) is quoted on
p. 67, Vol. 2, of Bihar al-Anwar, saying, "One who hides some knowledge with
which he is familiar is as good as the ignorant."
AI-Majlisi quotes Ibn al-Walid quoting al-’Ubaydi quoting alDahqan
quoting Durust quoting Imam Abu Abdullah al-Sadiq (as) saying that four things will always
be lost:
1. Friendship you grant to someone who is untrustworthy;
2. A favor to someone who does not appreciate it;
3. Knowledge imparted upon someone who is not inclined to listen to it;
and
4. A secret you share with someone who lacks discretion. Not all people
are inclined to learn, and unfortunately few are those who share what they learn with
others. One of my favorite axioms says: "Do not cast pearls before swine."
Pearls of wisdom, when cast before the dumb, will not be held with any esteem. Give this
book to someone who appreciates it.
The kind reader is requested to write me on the following address to
tell me what he thinks of this book, what suggestions he has to improve its second
edition, and whether it in any way helped him realize how great fast is, how significant
our life on this earth is, and how Allah looks upon knowledge and those who disseminate
it; my address is: Yasin T. al-Jibouri, P.O. Box 5132, Falls Church, VA 22044, U.S.A. And
if you appreciate the time and effort exerted in writing this book, please recite Surat
al-Fatiha for the soul of my father the late aI-Hajj Tu’ma Abbas al-Jibouri and for
the souls of all believing Muslim men and women, the living and the dead, and rest assured
that you will be richly rewarded by the Most Generous and Compassionate One for doing so.
Reciting the Fatiha for all believing men and women, the living and the
dead, should be the daily practice of every Muslim especially after performing the daily
prayers. It is also a good habit to do so while you are on your way to work or back home
therefrom. Life is too short to be wasted. If you do so, you will Insha-Allah taste
the sweetness of iman, and none of this fleeting world’s worries and woes will
trouble or harm you, Insha-Allah What happiness is greater than that"
We pray Allah Ta’ala to accept our prayers and fast and yours, and
to reward all of us with everlasting bliss and happiness in this life and the life to
come, Allahomma Aameen, Wassalamo Alaikom wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh
