A Little Effort Goes a Long Way
(article from islam-online.net)
By Muhammad Fathi**
Jan. 3, 2006
Have you missed some of the precious time of the previous Ramadan? Do you feel you could have done more in that blessed month? Are you disappointed with your performance during the last ten days of Ramadan and feel an overwhelming yearning for the spirituality of Laylat Al-Qadr?
Well, you have another chance!
It is out of Allah's mercy that He bestows upon us blessed times in which rewards are multiplied. These seasons of goodness recur time after time, so that we can recharge our spiritual batteries and keep our hearts alive. Nowadays, we are witnessing one of them — the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah.
You certainly must have read or heard about the greatness of these days and the indescribable amount of forgiveness and mercy that Allah bestows upon people during them. Now that these days have already started, it is time for deeds, not words. The intelligent person is one who takes full advantage of every minute and every second, and this is not so difficult. There are many ways to achieve goodness, and with little effort you can get much reward.
Hajj: The Fifth Pillar of Islam
The first and foremost act of worship in these days is Hajj. If you are going to observe it this year, then try your best to gain as much reward as possible. This is your real chance to become wholly absolved of your sins and have your record wiped clean. So spare no effort in perfecting your rituals, and keep away from anything that may blemish your Hajj. During the journey, make use of your time through constant supplication, remembrance of Allah, and recitation of the Qur'an. Who knows, this may be your last journey to the Sacred House.
Reward of Hajj in Your Homeland
You may be unable to do Hajj this year, and you may feel sad because you are deprived of the great reward of Hajj. But you can also achieve this reward in your country of residence. Just reflect on the following hadith:
It's so easy, isn't it?
Back to the Qur'an
It is time also to dust off your copy of the Qur'an and return to its refuge. Make these 10 days the beginning of a systematic and strong relationship with it. It's important to know that reading one letter of the Qur'an earns you 10 rewards. In this way, reading Surat Al-Fatihah — which doesn't take more than two minutes — will give you more than one thousand rewards. This is on ordinary days, so what about these great days! Certainly the reward will be far greater.
Furthermore, there are some surahs that have special merits. Reading Surat Al-Ikhlas (surah 112), for example, is equal to reading one third of the Qur'an (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Regular recitation of Surat Al-Mulk (surah 67) intercedes for its reader (Abu Dawud), and reading Ayat Al-Kursi (Al-Baqarah 2:255) when going to sleep protects you from Satan for the whole night (Al-Bukhari).
Fasting: Evoking the Spirit of Ramadan
It is a good idea to evoke the spirituality of Ramadan by fasting during these blessed days. Remember that observing the voluntary fast for day keeps you away from Hell. In a hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
This is during ordinary days. Of course there is even more reward during these blessed days.
Day of `Arafah
On the day of `Arafah, Allah showers His mercy on the pilgrims and forgives all their sins. If you are not a pilgrim, you still can have a share of this forgiveness. All you have to do is to fast on the Day of `Arafah, and by doing that, Allah will forgive your sins for two whole years — the past year and the coming one.
Night Vigil Prayer
You always hear about the virtues of spending night in prayer, and you have actually tasted its sweetness in Ramadan nights. Why not revive this beautiful act of worship during these nights. You can add two or four extra rak`ahs after finishing `Isha' Prayer and before Witr Prayer.
In addition to that, there is another easy way to gain the reward of the night vigil prayer. It is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said
By Muhammad Fathi**
Jan. 3, 2006
Have you missed some of the precious time of the previous Ramadan? Do you feel you could have done more in that blessed month? Are you disappointed with your performance during the last ten days of Ramadan and feel an overwhelming yearning for the spirituality of Laylat Al-Qadr?
Well, you have another chance!
It is out of Allah's mercy that He bestows upon us blessed times in which rewards are multiplied. These seasons of goodness recur time after time, so that we can recharge our spiritual batteries and keep our hearts alive. Nowadays, we are witnessing one of them — the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah.
You certainly must have read or heard about the greatness of these days and the indescribable amount of forgiveness and mercy that Allah bestows upon people during them. Now that these days have already started, it is time for deeds, not words. The intelligent person is one who takes full advantage of every minute and every second, and this is not so difficult. There are many ways to achieve goodness, and with little effort you can get much reward.
Hajj: The Fifth Pillar of Islam
The first and foremost act of worship in these days is Hajj. If you are going to observe it this year, then try your best to gain as much reward as possible. This is your real chance to become wholly absolved of your sins and have your record wiped clean. So spare no effort in perfecting your rituals, and keep away from anything that may blemish your Hajj. During the journey, make use of your time through constant supplication, remembrance of Allah, and recitation of the Qur'an. Who knows, this may be your last journey to the Sacred House.
Reward of Hajj in Your Homeland
You may be unable to do Hajj this year, and you may feel sad because you are deprived of the great reward of Hajj. But you can also achieve this reward in your country of residence. Just reflect on the following hadith:
Whoever prays Fajr Prayer in congregation, and then sits and remembers Allah until the sun rises, then (after a while) prays two rak`ahs, he will gain a reward equal to that of making perfect Hajj and `Umrah. [The Prophet repeated the word "perfect" thrice.] (At-Tirmidhi)
It's so easy, isn't it?
Back to the Qur'an
It is time also to dust off your copy of the Qur'an and return to its refuge. Make these 10 days the beginning of a systematic and strong relationship with it. It's important to know that reading one letter of the Qur'an earns you 10 rewards. In this way, reading Surat Al-Fatihah — which doesn't take more than two minutes — will give you more than one thousand rewards. This is on ordinary days, so what about these great days! Certainly the reward will be far greater.
Furthermore, there are some surahs that have special merits. Reading Surat Al-Ikhlas (surah 112), for example, is equal to reading one third of the Qur'an (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Regular recitation of Surat Al-Mulk (surah 67) intercedes for its reader (Abu Dawud), and reading Ayat Al-Kursi (Al-Baqarah 2:255) when going to sleep protects you from Satan for the whole night (Al-Bukhari).
Fasting: Evoking the Spirit of Ramadan
It is a good idea to evoke the spirituality of Ramadan by fasting during these blessed days. Remember that observing the voluntary fast for day keeps you away from Hell. In a hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
Anyone who fasts for one day for Allah's pleasure, Allah will keep his face away from the (Hell) fire for (a distance covered by a journey of) seventy years. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
This is during ordinary days. Of course there is even more reward during these blessed days.
Day of `Arafah
On the day of `Arafah, Allah showers His mercy on the pilgrims and forgives all their sins. If you are not a pilgrim, you still can have a share of this forgiveness. All you have to do is to fast on the Day of `Arafah, and by doing that, Allah will forgive your sins for two whole years — the past year and the coming one.
Night Vigil Prayer
You always hear about the virtues of spending night in prayer, and you have actually tasted its sweetness in Ramadan nights. Why not revive this beautiful act of worship during these nights. You can add two or four extra rak`ahs after finishing `Isha' Prayer and before Witr Prayer.
In addition to that, there is another easy way to gain the reward of the night vigil prayer. It is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said
He who attends `Isha' Prayer in congregation is as if he has performed