Hadiths About the Virtue of Ramadan
Numerous hadiths from the honorable Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) highlight the significance of the blessed month of Ramadan. Below are several noteworthy narrations:
- Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “When Ramadan arrives, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hellfire are closed, and the devils are chained.”
- Abu Huraira also narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: “The five daily prayers, and the Friday prayer to the next Friday, and Ramadan to the next Ramadan, are expiation for what lies between them, provided one steers clear of major sins.”
- Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “An Umrah during Ramadan is equivalent to performing Hajj.”
- Abu Qatada (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Three [days] of every month, and Ramadan to Ramadan, is the fasting of the entire year.”
- In a weak narration by Salman, he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) addressed us on the last day of Sha’ban, saying: “O people, a great month has approached you—a blessed month, in which there is a night that is better than a thousand months. Allah has made fasting in it obligatory and staying up at night a voluntary act. Whoever draws near to Allah with a good deed in this month is as if he has performed an obligatory act at another time, and whoever performs an obligatory act in this month is as if he has performed seventy obligatory acts at other times.”
Hadiths About the Virtue of the Last Ten Days of Ramadan
Several authentic hadiths convey the importance of the last ten days of Ramadan. Below are three narrations reported by our mother Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
- “Whenever the last ten (nights) arrived, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would tighten his belt, spend the night in prayer, and wake his family.”
- “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) strove in the last ten nights of Ramadan more than in any other time.”
- “The Prophet (peace be upon him) would seclude himself (in I’tikaf) during the last ten nights of Ramadan.”
Hadiths About the Virtue of Laylat al-Qadr
Allah, the Exalted, states regarding Laylat al-Qadr: “The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.” Numerous hadiths confirm the significance of this night, among them:
- Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever stands in prayer on the Night of Decree with faith and seeking reward, all his past sins will be forgiven.”
- Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “I asked: O Messenger of Allah, if I know which night is Laylat al-Qadr, what should I say? He replied: Say: ‘O Allah, You are Forgiving and love forgiveness; so forgive me.’
- Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “When Ramadan began, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: ‘Indeed, this month has come to you, and in it is a night that is better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of it is indeed deprived of all good; and none is deprived of its good except a truly unfortunate person.’
- Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that some of the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were shown Laylat al-Qadr in their dreams during the last seven nights. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said: “I see that your dreams have all coincided in the last seven nights, so whoever seeks it should look for it in those nights.”
Hadiths About the Virtue of Fasting in Ramadan
Undoubtedly, one of the primary virtues of fasting during Ramadan is that it stands as one of the five pillars of Islam. Numerous authentic hadiths reaffirm the significance of fasting in this month, a few of which are as follows:
- Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and seeking reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.”
- According to Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “In Paradise, there is a gate called Ar-Rayyan. The ones who used to fast will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection, and no one else will enter through it. It will be said: ‘Where are the fasting ones?’ They will rise, and no one else will enter through it. Once they have entered, it is closed, and no one else will enter.”
- Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except for fasting; it is for Me and I will reward for it. Fasting is a shield. When any of you is fasting, he should not engage in obscenity or raise his voice; if someone fights him or insults him, he should say: ‘I am fasting.’ By Him in Whose Hand is Muhammad’s soul, the breath of a fasting person is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk. The fasting person has two moments of joy: when he breaks his fast, he rejoices, and when he meets his Lord, he rejoices in his fasting.”
Hadiths About the Virtue of Night Prayer in Ramadan
The night prayer holds immense virtue, which is magnified during the nights of Ramadan where the rewards are doubled and good deeds multiplied. Numerous hadiths emphasize the importance of night prayer in Ramadan, and here are a few:
- Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever stands (in prayer) for Ramadan with faith and seeking reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.”
- Ibn Shihab narrated that Abu Salama told him that Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say about Ramadan: ‘Whoever stands (in prayer) during it with faith and seeking reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.’