Fast in the Month of Ramadhan

Yasin T. al-Jibouri

- 9 -

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

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