The Eight Habits of the Successful People in Ramadan

How great was the month of Ramadan! the month of Mercy, Blessings, Peace, generosity, soull training, instinctual harmony, social unity and adhering to best behaviors and habits, among which there are eight special Habits:

• Habit 1:   Be steadfast 
• Habit 2 : Love the Late Night
• Habit 3 : Do not let your hand be tied
• Habit 4: Be with the best company
• Habit 5:  Stay in  Paradise
• Habit 7:  Keep looking for 
• Habit 8: Be  the first

Habit 1:  Be steadfast 

the good deed invites another good deed…From signs that one’s deeds are accepted is that he or she has improved in his or her obedience to Allah `azza wa jall. “And remember when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]…” [Ibrahim, 7] Increase you in good, faith and righteous actions. So if the servant is truly thankful to his Lord, you will see him guided to more obedience and distanced from sinfulness. Thankfulness is leaving sins, as the early Muslims said.

“And worship your Lord until there comes you to the certainty [i.e. death].” [al-Hijr, 99]

The Muslim must continuously be in the state of obedience of Allah, firm upon His Sharee`ah, steadfast upon His Deen, so that he or she is not of those who worship Allah only during one month or only in one place. Rather, the believer knows that the Lord of Ramadan is also the Lord of other months, and that He is the Lord of all times and places, so he is steadfast upon the Sharee`ah of Allah until he meets Him while He is pleased with him. Allah ta`ala said, “So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, [you] and those who have turned back with you [to Allah].” [Hud, 112] And, “So take a straight course to Him and seek His forgiveness.”[Fussilat, 6] And the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, “Say ‘I believe in Allah’, then be steadfast.” [Muslim]

If the fasting in Ramadan has ended, then there remains voluntary fasting, such as fasting six days in Shawwal, on Mondays and Thursdays, the three days in the middle of the month, the days of `Aashoora and `Arafat, and others.

We’ve learned from fasting how to soften our souls and conquer our desires while performing the concept of worship to Allah alone. The Prophet, peace pe upon him, encouraged us to continue fasting with six days during the month of Shawwal when he said, “Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan and he follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is as if he has fasted the whole year.”

Also, It was the sunnah of the Prophet to fast Mondays, Thursdays, three days of each lunar month, the day of Arafah, Ashourah, and most of Sha’ban and Muharram. Can you fast at least some of these days?

Habit 2 : Love the Late Night

Standing with Your most beloved at late  night, or any part of it, has a special meaning of life:

Abd Allah ibn Salam (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions) said, “O people! Spread the salams, feed others, maintain family ties, and pray at night when others sleep and you will enter Heaven safely.” [Tirmidhi, Hakim]

Abu Umama al-Bahili (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions) said, “Hold fast to night prayer, for it was the way of the righteous before you, a way of drawing closer to your Lord, an expiation for wrong deeds, and a shield from sin.” [Tirmidhi, and others] In some narrations, there is an addition, “And it repels sickness from the body.”

Ibn Mas`ud (Allah be pleased with him) said, “The virtues of night prayer over day prayer is like the virtue of secret charity over open charity.” [Tabarani] The scholars explain that this refers to voluntary prayers.

If standing in prayer at night during Ramadan has ended, then there remains voluntary night prayer throughout the year. “They used to sleep but little of the night.” [Adh-Dhaariyaat, 17]

Habit 3 : Make not your hand tied

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no day on which the people get up but two angels come down and one of them says, ‘O Allaah, give in compensation to the one who spends (in charity),’ and the other says, ‘O Allaah, destroy the one who withholds.’” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1374; Muslim, 1010.

Allah says, “Those who spend their wealth day and night, secretly and publicly, their reward is with their Lord.”

If Allah promised to compensate you for what you spend in charitable causes, what’s stopping you from giving more? If spending for the sake of Allah, as a sadaqah jariyah (continuous charity), is one of three actions that would outlive you, can you give more?

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah said: ‘Spend, O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you.’” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5073; Muslim, 993.

and Allah says ( which means) : “Make not thy hand tied (miser) to thy neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach, so that thou become blameworthy and destitute.” 17:29

Habit 4: Be  with best companion 

The Quran will Intercede for Us on the Day of Judgement: Abu Umaamah related that the Prophet said: “Read the Quran, for indeed it will come on the Day of Standing (Judgement) as an intercessor for its companions.” [Muslim]

The Quran Raises One’s Status in this Life: In Saheeh Muslim, which is one of the two most authentic books of prophetic narrations, we find a wonderful story about how a man from the people of Paradise, ‘Umar bin Al-Khattaab understood this principle. The story is that once, some men came to question him during his reign as caliph regarding the leadership of Makkah. The men asked: “Who do you use to govern Makkah?” He said: “Ibn Abzaa.” They asked: “And who is Ibn Abzaa?” ‘Umar replied: “A freed slave from those we freed.” They remarked: “You left a freed slave in command of the People of the Valley (the noble tribes of the Quraysh)?” He replied: “Indeed he is a reciter of the Book of Allaah and is knowledgeable about the obligations of the Muslims. Haven’t you heard the statement of your Messenger : “Verily Allaah raises some people by this Book and lowers others by it?””

The People of the Quran are from Best of People: ‘Uthmaan said that the Prophet said: “The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it to others.” [Al-Bukhaari]

There are Ten Rewards for Every Letter Recited from the Quran: As a Hadeeth (prophetic statement) in At-Tirmithi proves: “Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allaah, he will have a reward, and this reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that ‘Alif, Laam, Meem’ (a combination of letters frequently mentioned in the Holy Quran) is a letter, rather I am saying that ‘Alif’ is a letter, ‘Laam’ is a letter and ‘Meem’ is a letter.” [At-Tirmithi] So increase your recitation of the Quran to gain these merits, as well as the following ones.

The Reciters of the Quran Will Be in the Company of the Noble and Obedient Angels:  Mother Aa’ishah related that the Prophet said: “Indeed the one who recites the Quran beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. As for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have twice that reward.” [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]

So dear brother or sister Muslim, do not let the Shaytaan (Satan) give you false excuses, such as ‘I am not an Arab.’ or ‘It is not in my language.’ This Hadeeth is a firm proof against these whisperings.

Dedicate yourself to the Book of Allaah, whether you are an Arab or not! The excuses have been eliminated and the pathway has been cleared for you to embrace the Book of Allaah without holding back or offering excuses! Surely you will not hesitate to seek a teacher or a study circle for the Quran once you hear the last and perhaps greatest benefits of reading and contemplating over the Quran.

One’s Position and Rank in Paradise is Determined by the Amount of Quran He Memorised in this Life: ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘Aas heard the Prophet saying: “It will be said to the companion of the Quran: ‘Read and elevate (through the levels of Paradise) and beautify your voice as you did when you were in the worldly life! For verily, your position in Paradise will be at the last verse you recite!’” [Abu Daawood & At-Tirmithi]

The Quran Leads to Paradise: The Quran states (what means): “Indeed the Quran guides to that which is most suitable and gives good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a great reward.” [Quran: 17:9]

The Prophet said: “The Quran is an intercessor – something given permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.” [At-Tabaraani]

Know, dear brothers and sisters, that these nine benefits from the numerous benefits available can only be attained by a sincere commitment to the Book of Allaah, and not simply by an empty claim of love for it. Rather, the heart must be sincerely attached to the Book of Allaah and the limbs and tongue will follow suit in this attachment. One must know that we only mentioned a few of the numerous benefits of reading and reflecting over the Quran. There are many other benefits that await your reading of the Quran and books of Hadeeth, such as the chapter of the Quran that will plead on your behalf in the grave, and that it is a physical healing, a source of rest and relaxation for your heart, among many other things.

Reading of the Qur’an and contemplating it is not only for Ramadan, rather it is for all times.

Habit 5: Stay in  Paradise 

[Allah said,] “Adam, live in the Garden, you and your wife, and eat of it wherever you like. But do not go near this tree lest you become wrongdoers.” Then Satan whispered to them, disclosing to them their private parts that had been concealed from them. He said, “Your Lord has only forbidden you this tree that you not become like the angels or achieve immortality.” He [Satan] swore to them, “I am a sincere counselor to you.” So he enticed them to commit the act by means of deception. Then, when they tasted of the tree, their private parts were disclosed to them, and they began to stitch together leaves of the Garden that they may cover themselves. Their Lord called out to them, “Did I not forbid you this tree and say to you, ‘Satan is an avowed enemy to you?’ ” They said, “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves. If you do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will be among the deceived.” He said, “Go out from here as enemies to each other! You will live on Earth and have enjoyment for a time.” He said, “On it you will live, and on it die, and from it you will be brought forth.” (Surat al-A`raf, 19-25)

Believers are taught the following prayer in the Qur’an, to protect them from this danger:

Say: “I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, the God of mankind, from the evil of the insidious whisperer who whispers in people’s breasts, from among the jinn and mankind.” (Surat an-Nas, 1-6)

Because Satan is a foe with the ability to approach man so deceptively, all need to take especial care in order to avoid him. The first precondition in this regard is to acknowledge Satan’s existence. Once this point is recognized, we can then consider Satan’s purpose to be founded on the most peculiar and incongruent form of logic. At the root of his logic, subsequently employed by all those who follow in his footsteps, is pride and arrogance.

Do not let Shaitan bring back to sin and make fun of you. Fight for your Jannah here and there in the hear-after, and let Fear of Allah be your guidance, and in case of falling, come back to your Beloved Rab who says in the Qur’an:

“Do not despair of God’s mercy; He will forgive you of all your sins”.Qur’an (39:53).

Hbait 6: Stay in touch   

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The most beloved places on Earth to Allah are its mosques, and the most despised places on Earth to Allah are its markets.” [Sahîh Muslim]

From all the places on Earth, Allah loves the mosques above all else. They fulfill the most important function. They are the places where those on Earth make contact with their Creator and Sustainer. The Arabic word for prayer – salâh – means to make a connection between the worshipper and his Lord.

the  Masjid’s role is to remain cognizant of the fact that the mosque is not an alternative to life, but a part of life, one of its essential elements. The mosque is not intended to replace other institutions in society, like, the university, the social club, the home, the marketplace, the courts, or the government.

This is one of the reason’s why the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “If you see someone buying or selling in the mosque, sat to them: ‘May Allah make your commerce unprofitable’ and if see someone asking in the mosque after a lost item, say to them: ‘may Allah not return it to you’.”

The Beloved Prophet taught us that:  “if a Muslim  performs Wudu in his house and performs it well, then comes to the masjid, he is the guest of Allaah and  Allaah promised to honor His guest.”

Jama’ah Prayer:  Performing the (obligatory) prayers in congregation is mandatory and required of every believing adult male who has no excuse for not doing so. Many authentic narrations highlight the superiority and excellence of praying in congregation. Among these narrations are:

The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi was sallam, said: “Prayer in congregation is superior to a prayer performed individually by twenty-seven degrees.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

The Prophet also said: “The prayer of a man in congregation is twenty-five times more superior (in reward) to his prayer in his house or market – and this is because he performs ablution and perfects it and goes to the mosque with the sole purpose of performing the prayer. He does not take a step without being raised a degree and having one of his sins erased. When he prays, as long as he does not lose his ablution, the angels keep on praying [for him] ‘O Allaah, bless him. O Allaah, have mercy upon him.’ And he is considered in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Abandoning the congregational prayer:To know the status of praying with the congregation and how serious a matter it is to abandon it, the Prophet hardly exempted anyone from it. Abu Hurayrah reported that a blind man said to the Prophet : “O Messenger of Allaah, I have no guide to lead me to the mosque (to attend the congregational prayer).” He asked the Prophet for permission to pray in his house and the Prophet permitted him. Then, when he turned to go, the Prophet called him and said: ‘Do you hear the call to prayer?’ The blind man said ‘yes.’ The Prophet then said: “Then respond to it [by coming to the mosque]!” [Muslim]

Moreover, the Prophet severly warned against abandoning it. Abu Hurayrah also reported that the Prophet said: “By Him in whose hand is my soul! I have considered ordering a fire to be kindled and then ask someone to lead the people in prayer. And then go to the men [who did not attend the prayer] and burn their houses over them.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

This was clearly understood by the Companions and their words reflected it. ‘Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood said: “If anyone would like to meet Allaah tomorrow as a Muslim, he should persevere in observing these five prayers (in congregation) whenever the call for them is made, for Allaah has chosen for your Prophet the way of right guidance. And the [five prayers in congregation] are part of this right guidance. If you were to pray them in your houses, as the one who stays behind in his house, you would be leaving a ‘Sunnah’ of your Prophet . If you leave the ‘Sunnah’ of your Prophet you would go astray. Verily, I have seen a time when no one abandoned them [the congregational prayers] except for the hypocrites who were well known for their hypocrisy. A man would be brought, supported by two people [due to his weakness or illness] until he was placed in a row (in the congregation).” [Muslim

Habit 7:  Keep looking for 

The beloved Prophet said ( which means) “Seeking knowledge is a duty on every Muslim.”

A Muslim believes that exercising his mind and seeking knowledge and discovering the signs of Allah in the universe is an obligation, because of the above saying of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) which was related by Al-Bukhari. Therefore, a Muslim must continue to pursue knowledge, as long as the breath of life remains in his body.

Virtues of Seeking Knowledge: The fact that Allah has raised the status of those who have knowledge, and described them alone as truly fearing Him, should be enough to encourage the Muslim to apply himself or herself to seeking knowledge. For He said, (Those of His servants only who are possessed of knowledge fear Allah.) (Fatir 35:28)

It has become one of the sources of social pride and the characteristics of civilized families and high classes to send their daughters without aMahram (non-marriageable male) to study in a foreign country. They imbue this act with a religious form and said that the Prophet, , said:“Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.”[Ibn Maajah (Al-Albaani:Saheeh)] They ignore the fact that the knowledge meant in the Hadeeth (narration) is that knowledge which draws the Muslim man and woman nearer to Allaah The Almighty; not the false knowledge which keeps them away from Him.

Habit 8: Be the  first

Allah says ( which means) : “And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allâh (i.e. this Qur’ân), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allâh’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islâmic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allâh makes His Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.,) clear to you, that you may be guided. …And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear proofs had come to them. It is they for whom there is an awful torment.” Qur’an 3:103, 105

The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Indeed Allah is pleased with three things: That you worship Allah alone without associating any partner along with Him; that you hold fast altogether to the Rope of Allah and not to become split-up; and that you give sincere advise to whomever Allah put in charge of your affairs.” Hadith – Sahih Muslim (3/1340) and Ahmad (2/367)

The Noble Qur’an – An-Nur 24:22: “And let not those among you who are blessed with graces and wealth swear not to give (any sort of help) to their kinsmen, Al-Masâkîn (the poor), and those who left their homes for Allâh’s Cause. Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love that Allâh should forgive you? And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

The Noble Qur’an – Al-‘Imran 3:132-133: “And obey Allâh and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) that you may obtain mercy. And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqûn”