Securing Your Forgiveness This Ramadan

Securing Your Forgiveness in Ramadan

Imam Zaid Shakir

Opening Praises and Greetings

(الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَصَلَاةٌ وَسَلَامٌ عَلَى سَيِّدِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ، سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْلِيمًا كَثِيرًا - Alhamdulillahi Rabbil 'aalameen, wa salaatun wa salaamun 'alaa Sayyidil Mursaleen, Sayyidina Muhammadin wa 'alaa aalihi wa sahbihi wa sallim tasleeman katheera)

رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ كَمَا يَنْبَغِي لِجَلَالِ وَجْهِكَ وَلِعَظِيمِ سُلْطَانِكَ. سُبْحَانَكَ لَا نُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا وَحَبِيبِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْلِيمًا كَثِيرًا

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

Introduction to the Book

InshaAllah, we are going to continue with what we were doing last night, which is reading from a book called Lataif al-Ma'arif fima li Mawasim al-'Am min al-Waza'if by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, رَحِمَهُ اللهُ وَنَفَعَنَا اللهُ بِهِ وَبِكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ.

This book is called "The Subtleties of Knowledge concerning what each season of the year contains of religious duties." We are reading from the chapter of Ramadan, which is in fact a separate book over 100 pages in this particular edition. Alhamdulillah, everyone was beautifully making the istighfar a little while ago, seeking Allah's forgiveness.

So we'll start with that subject, inshaAllahu ta'ala.

فقال المصنف رحمه الله ونفعنا الله به وبكم أجمعين - So the author says, may Allah have mercy on him and benefit us through him and through you.

(بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَصَلَاةٌ وَسَلَامٌ عَلَى سَيِّدِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ، سَيِّدِنَا وَحَبِيبِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْلِيمًا كَثِيرًا - Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem. Alhamdulillahi Rabbil 'aalameen, wa salaatun wa salaamun 'alaa Sayyidil Mursaleen, Sayyidina wa habeebina Muhammadin wa 'alaa aalihi wa sahbihi wa sallim tasleeman katheera)

The Abundance of Forgiveness in Ramadan

شهر رمضان تكثر أو تكثر فيه أسباب الغفران - The month of Ramadan - the causes of forgiveness abound.

فمن أسباب المغفرة فيه - From the causes of forgiveness during the month:

صيامه وقيامه وقيام ليلة القدر فيه كما سبق - Fasting during this month, standing for worship at night, and standing for worship during Laylatul Qadr, as has been previously mentioned.

(Sahih Bukhari 38, Sahih Muslim 760)

"Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan with sincere faith, anticipating a reward, their prior sins will be forgiven."

He mentions standing for worship at night. This worship, as we mentioned last night, يجتمع في رمضان جهادان - the two jihads come together in Ramadan : جهاد في النهار وجهاد في الليل - a struggle in the daytime and a struggle at night. The struggle in the daytime is the fasting, and the struggle at night is the worship.

So the worship is a part of the struggle of the month of Ramadan. In any case, standing for worship during the night of power, as it's previously been mentioned - he previously mentioned the hadith we mentioned and then expounded on it.

(Sahih Bukhari 38, Sahih Muslim 760)

"Whoever fasts Ramadan with sincere faith, anticipating a reward, their prior sins will be forgiven. And whoever stands for worship during the nights of Ramadan with sincere faith, anticipating a reward, their prior sins will be forgiven."

(Sahih Bukhari 1901, Sahih Muslim 760)

"And whoever stands for worship during the night of power with sincere faith, anticipating a reward, their prior sins will be forgiven."

So he's mentioned those previously and expounded on them, hence كما سبق - as has been previously mentioned.

Other Means Leading to Forgiveness

ومنها - From the means leading to forgiveness: تفطير الصوّام - giving the fasting people something to break their fast with is a means of forgiveness.

وتخفيف عن المملوك - And lightening the burden of one who is under your employment. So it says a servant, but even if you have an employee these days and you lighten their burden during Ramadan so that they can have the energy and facility to worship Allah, then that's a means of forgiveness.

وهما مذكوران في حديث سلمان المرفوع - And these have both been mentioned in the hadith of Salman which he relates صلى الله عليه وسلم back to the Prophet

ومنها الذكر - Amongst them, al-dhikr. Everyone was making dhikr a few minutes ago; this is a means of صلى الله عليه In a hadith that's related back to the Prophet - وفي حديث مرفوع: ذاكر الله في رمضان مغفور له .forgiveness وسلم: "The one who remembers Allah in Ramadan will be forgiven."

ومنها - From the causes of forgiveness in Ramadan that is: الاستغفار - seeking Allah's forgiveness. Previously you were all seeking Allah's forgiveness: استغفر الله، استغفر الله، استغفر الله استغفر الله - "I seek Allah's forgiveness." This is a means to forgiveness.

والاستغفار طلب مغفرة - Istighfar is to seek forgiveness.

ودعاء الصائم يستجاب في صيامه وعند فطره - And the prayer of the fasting person is answered during the time that he or she is fasting and at the time that he or she breaks their fast.

The Importance of Du'a When Breaking the Fast

So when you break your fast, you should make du'a - make du'a for yourself, for your family, for your ummah,

for the Muslims who are suffering, for the Muslims who aren't suffering, that Allah continues to protect them.

As Ibn Abbas mentioned, there are two great blessings Allah reminds us of in the Qur'an:

"The one who has fed them and driven off hunger from them and has made them secure from fear."

The blessing of having adequate food and the blessing of safety and security - these are two huge blessings. So we should ask Allah at the time that we break our fast that He continues to protect us.

Lessons from Syria and Seeking Allah's Protection

Look at Syria - when we were there, it was unimaginable that the fitna that's there now would afflict that country. There was so much stability and there was so much internal harmony. And just as Allah can turn the hearts - and that's why we ask Allah to protect our hearts:

"O Turner of hearts, confirm my heart in Your religion."

This is one of the prayers the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم repeated more than any other:

"O Allah, O Turner of hearts, confirm my heart in Your faith, in this religion."

And Allah can turn societies, so we have to seek Allah's protection. You know, look at this person who is running for president - he goes to Jerusalem and he makes these racist, idiotic statements. Who's financing his campaign? The likes of this Adelson guy, hardcore Zionist billionaire. Who is his Islamic advisor? Walid Phares and Daniel Pipes - those are the Islamic advisors of a man who could be president of the United States.

So we have to pray to Allah that Allah protects us. The safety we enjoy could be taken just like that. So pray at the time you break your prayer, pray while you're fasting - these are times that the prayer is answered.

Ibn Umar's Du'a at Iftar

He says, consistent with this, Ibn Umar, when he would break his fast, he would say: "O Allah, the one most expansive in His forgiveness, forgive me. O Allah, the one most expansive in His forgiveness, forgive me."

So we should say this to Allah:

"O Allah, the one most expansive in His forgiveness, forgive me."

. اللهم صل على سيدنا محمد

The Hadith of Abu Hurairah: Who Refuses Forgiveness?

وفي حديث أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه مرفوعاً في فضل شهر رمضان ويغفر فيه إلا لمن أبى. قالوا: يا أبا هريرة، ومن يأبي؟ قال: من يأبى أن يستغفر الله

It's related in a hadith from Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that he relates back to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم concerning the virtue of the month of Ramadan. He says: "Everyone will be forgiven during this month except one who refuses."

They said: "O Abu Hurairah, who would ever refuse?"

He said: "One who refuses to ask Allah for forgiveness."

الحمد لله

Pause for Istighfar

Let's take a moment to ask Allah for forgiveness.

. بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم تسليماً كثيراً

أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله، . أستغفر الله، أستغفر الله

How many angels سبحان الله لا نحصيهم الله - seeking forgiveness for the fasting person until they break their fast. لا نحصيهم الله . And he's mentioned the hadith that conveys this meaning previously.

The Epitome of Deprivation

. فلما كثرت أسباب المغفرة في رمضان، كان الذي تفوته مغفرته فيه محروماً غاية الحرمان

In that the causes of forgiveness during the month of Ramadan are so abundant, the one who misses the opportunity to be forgiven during the month has been deprived the epitome of deprivation.

Deprivation - all of these means, there are more, this is just a sampling that we mentioned. So one who goes from this month and is unforgiven has been deprived as he saidغاية الحرمان - the epitome of deprivation. There is no deprivation after that deprivation.

May Allah spare us.

The Hadith of Jibreel and the Three Ameens

. فلما كثرت أسباب المغفرة في رمضان، كان الذي تفوته مغفرته فيه محروماً غاية الحرمان

So it was said: "O Messenger of Allah, verily you ascended the minbar and you said Ameen, Ameen, Ameen, three times."

He said: "Verily Jibreel came to me and he said: 'Whoever attains to the month of Ramadan and is not forgiven during the month, then let him enter the hellfire and be distanced from Allah. Say Ameen.' So I said Ameen."

"And whoever one of his parents or both of his parents survive and they are not a source of goodness for him, or he does not treat them righteously, and then he dies, let him enter the hellfire and be distanced from Allah. Say Ameen.' And I said Ameen."

"And he said: 'Whoever you are mentioned in their presence and they do not pray for peace and blessings for you, then they die, let them enter the hellfire and be distanced from Allah. Say Ameen.' And I said Ameen."

. اللهم صل وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم تسليماً كثيراً

.صلوا على رسول الله. اللهم صل على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم تسليماً كثيراً . صلوا عليه وسلموا تسليماً حتى تنالوا جنة ونعيماً

. الله يجزي من يصليه مرة عشراً ويسكن في الجنان مقيماً . اللهم صل وسلم وبارك عليه صلوا على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم

When Will They Be Forgiven?

So then he mentions another version of the hadith, slightly different wording.

It's related from Sa'id: Sa'id used to say, on the authority of Qatada, that it used to be said: "Whoever is not forgiven during the month of Ramadan, they will never be forgiven at any other time."

How could it be? All of the means and the causes and the gates and the doors of forgiveness are flung open in Ramadan that are shut at other times. So if a person isn't forgiven in Ramadan, when is he or she going to be forgiven?

In another hadith, it's related: "Whoever is not forgiven during the month of Ramadan, when will they be forgiven if they're not forgiven during this month?"

And then Ibn Rajab says: "When will one ever be accepted if he's rejected during Laylatul Qadr? Or we could say, when will the acts or deeds of a person be accepted if they're rejected during Laylatul Qadr? When will one be appropriate and suitable to be forgiven if they're not suitable for forgiveness during Ramadan?"

The Diseases of Ignorance and Heedlessness

He said: "When will one ever be healthy if they're afflicted by the two diseases of ignorance and heedlessness during Ramadan?"

Heedlessness - people were watching television. People spent the last two weeks watching the Olympics. Ran home after eight raka'at in the masjid they could find with the quickest recitation.

آمین آمین. آمین. آمین. آمین آمین آمین آمین

. الله أكبر

Eight raka'at, ran home, watching: USA,USA! لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله

This is Ramadan سبحان الله. This is Ramadan?

"The month of Ramadan in which the Qur'an was revealed."