How to Welcome the Month of Ramadan? Discover the Answer

How to Welcome the Month of Ramadan

The Messenger of Allah—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—used to welcome the month of Ramadan in a special manner, different from how he welcomed other months. This month held a distinct status for the Prophet—peace be upon him—and for his Companions—may Allah be pleased with them. He—peace be upon him—would give them glad tidings of its arrival. It was narrated from him—peace and blessings be upon him—that he said:

“There has come to you the month of Ramadan, a blessed month. Allah has enjoined fasting in it. In it, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of Hellfire are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained. In it there is a night that is better than a thousand months; whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived”.

One indication of how greatly the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—esteemed the blessed month of Ramadan is that they would pray to Allah—Glorified and Exalted be He—for six months to grant them the chance to reach Ramadan, and then they would spend the next six months asking Him to accept their deeds performed in it. Likewise, the righteous predecessors—may Allah have mercy on them—prepared for the arrival of Ramadan with supplication and humility before Allah—Glorified and Exalted be He—especially since Ramadan is a blessed month. It is the month of the Qur’an, in which the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained. Among its many virtues are fasting, night prayer, striving in worship, patience, and supplication. Hence, every Muslim is required to prepare to welcome this blessed month and make the best use of it through acts of worship and devotion. Below are some of the deeds by which Ramadan may be welcomed:

Rejoicing at the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadan:

A righteous servant greets seasons of goodness and worship with joy and optimism. Allah—Glorified and Exalted be He—says:

“And whenever a sūrah is revealed, there are some among them who say, ‘Which of you has this increased in faith?’ As for those who believe, it increases them in faith, and they rejoice”.
Ramadan is among the blessed times during which people return to their Lord, sinners repent of their sins, and congregational prayers fill the mosques at all times. Believing hearts rejoice, and pure souls are delighted at drawing near to their Lord—Mighty and Majestic.

Welcoming Ramadan with praise and gratitude to Allah—Glorified and Exalted be He:

Reaching the month of Ramadan and fasting it are among the greatest blessings Allah—Exalted be He—bestows upon His servants, so the servant should be diligent in praising and thanking Him. One proof of Ramadan’s great merit is what was narrated by Abu Hurayrah—may Allah be pleased with him—regarding two men from the tribe of Balī, part of the larger Qudā‘ah tribe, who both embraced Islam along with the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him. One of them was martyred, while the other died a year later. Talhah ibn Ubaydullah said:

“I was shown Paradise in a dream, and I saw that the one who died later was admitted before the martyr. I was surprised by that. The next morning, I mentioned it to the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—or it was mentioned to him, and he said, ‘Did he not fast an extra Ramadan after him, and pray such-and-such a number of prayers in the year?’”

The Sincerity of intention before Allah—Glorified and Exalted be He:

One must welcome Ramadan by renewing the intention and firmly resolving to make the most of its blessed times through obedience to Allah and refraining from sins, purifying the heart, and repenting sincerely. Allah—Exalted be He—rewards a person according to his intention. It was narrated from the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—that he said:

“Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will have what he intended”.

Preparing in advance for Ramadan:

This includes training oneself and getting used to acts of obedience such as night prayer, fasting, and recitation of the Qur’an, so that when Ramadan arrives, one is mentally and spiritually ready for worship without undue hardship. It is established that the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—used to fast most of the month of Sha‘bān in preparation for Ramadan. It was narrated from Aishah—may Allah be pleased with her—that she said:

“I never saw him fast an entire month more frequently than he did in Sha‘bān. He would fast almost all of Sha‘bān—indeed, he would fast all of it, except for a little”.

Sincere repentance:

Although repentance is obligatory at all times, for every sin one may commit, it is even more necessary in Ramadan—a season of goodness and worship. Indeed, sins prevent one from success in worship and from experiencing the sweetness of drawing near to Allah and obeying His commands. It was related that people used to say to al-Ḥasan: “We are unable to stand in night prayer”. He would reply: “Your sins have shackled you”. Some of the righteous predecessors would say: “I was deprived of standing in night prayer for a year because of a sin I committed”. Al-Fuḍayl ibn ‘Iyāḍ—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “If you are unable to stand for the night prayer and fast by day, know that you are shackled; your sins have chained you”. Therefore, one should welcome Ramadan by renewing repentance, taking care to fulfill its conditions: regret, resolving never to return to the sin, and restoring people’s rights to them. Additionally, one should engage in abundant seeking of forgiveness and asking Allah—Exalted be He—for acceptance.

Appreciating the value of time:

Many precious moments are lost because one fails to understand their true value. A Muslim must seize every minute for righteous deeds and acts of devotion. Ibn al-Jawzī—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “A person should recognize the virtue and worth of his time, and not waste a moment of it in anything but drawing nearer (to Allah)”. Notably, the days of the blessed month of Ramadan are very few yet very valuable. Allah—Exalted be He—says about Ramadan:

“…a limited number of days…”
This indicates that the days of this great season of Ramadan are few and pass quickly, so it is imperative to be prepared to make the most of them before they slip away and bring about remorse.

Reducing the intake of food:

Overindulging in food leads to laziness in performing acts of worship and a lack of humility when standing before Allah—Glorified and Exalted be He. Moreover, part of the purpose of fasting is to lessen food consumption. The disapproval of overeating is evident from what was narrated from the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—when a man belched in his presence. The Prophet—peace be upon him—said:

“Restrain your belching from us, for those who are most satiated in this world will be hungry the longest on the Day of Resurrection”.

Salamah ibn Saʿīd—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “A man would be criticized for his belly just as he would be criticized for a sin he committed”.

Learning the rulings of fasting:

Scholars have stated that learning the rules of fasting is obligatory for everyone who must fast. Ignorance of its rulings, etiquette, and conditions may deprive one of reward. Someone might fast even though they have a legitimate (sharʿī) excuse to break the fast, or they might fast yet gain nothing from it but hunger and thirst due to not understanding its proper regulations.

Ramadan: An Opportunity for Change

Allah—Glorified and Exalted be He—has blessed His righteous servants with special times in which rewards are multiplied, faith-filled atmospheres spread, and souls are elevated. Among these blessed times is the month of Ramadan, which is an invaluable chance to repent, abandon sin, and renew one’s faith at heart. A Muslim should be mentally prepared to welcome Ramadan. Indeed, the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—used to say, “O Allah, bless us in Rajab and Shaʿbān, and grant us to reach Ramadan”. Thus, when Ramadan arrived, they received it with living hearts, bright spirits, and a renewed covenant with Allah—Exalted and Glorified be He—by persisting in obedience and avoiding wrongdoing.

It was narrated from the Messenger of Allah—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—that he said:

“May a man’s nose be rubbed in dust whose name I am mentioned before him, yet he does not send blessings upon me. May a man’s nose be rubbed in dust who enters Ramadan, then it departs before he is forgiven. And may a man’s nose be rubbed in dust who lives to see his parents reach old age, yet they do not enable him to enter Paradise”.

Hence, one must seize this great opportunity granted by Allah—Exalted and Glorified be He—to those who have wronged themselves with sins and misdeeds: to repent and seek their Lord’s forgiveness before death comes upon them, lest they regret their negligence and failure to obey Allah—Glorified and Exalted be He. Allah—Mighty and Majestic—says:

“When death comes to one of them, he says: ‘My Lord, send me back.’” (Qur’an 23:99)

Preparing for Ramadan in Shaʿbān

Shaʿbān is among the seasons of goodness and devotion that Allah—Glorified and Exalted be He—has granted His believing servants, especially since it directly precedes the blessed month of Ramadan. Thus, one should prepare for Ramadan during Shaʿbān. Indeed, Shaʿbān is a gateway to fulfilling one’s covenant with Allah through prayer, remembrance, and acts of obedience. The following are some deeds that can be performed in Shaʿbān:

Fasting in Shaʿbān
Believers should follow the example of their Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—by fasting in Shaʿbān. He—peace be upon him—would fast most or all of this month. It is narrated from the Mother of the Believers, ʿĀʾishah—may Allah be pleased with her—that she said:

“He used to fast to the extent that we would say, ‘He will never break his fast!’ And he would refrain from fasting to the extent that we would say, ‘He will never fast again!’ I never saw him fast any entire month more than he did in Shaʿbān; he would fast all of Shaʿbān except for a little—indeed, he fasted almost all of it”.

One might fear that fasting in Shaʿbān could weaken one’s resolve to fast in Ramadan, but the truth is that whoever fasts Shaʿbān—seeking reward and forgiveness from Allah—will, by Allah’s grace, be strengthened to fast both months. Whenever Allah opens a door to obedience, He facilitates its means; and whenever He opens a door to forgiveness, He likewise provides its means. The general rule is that a Muslim should eagerly perform good deeds without worrying about the outcome, for the end result rests with Allah—Glorified and Exalted be He—and will undoubtedly be praiseworthy.

Worshiping during times when people are heedless

Many Muslims become negligent in Shaʿbān. The Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—warned believers about such heedlessness. Whoever desires the Hereafter does not concern himself with the heedlessness of others; he has his own path to follow, turning to Allah—Glorified and Exalted be He—in prayer, devotion, and humble supplication. Among the benefits of worshiping during times of widespread neglect are:

• Gaining the love of Allah—Mighty and Majestic: Allah loves those who remember Him when others forget.
• Being spared from calamities: Allah—Glorified be He—says,

“Why should Allah punish you if you have thanked (Him) and have believed (in Him)?” (Qur’an 4:147)

• Attaining multiplied rewards: Obedience becomes more challenging when most people are forgetful, so Allah multiplies the reward for those who remain devoted in such times.

Striving against the self (mujāhadah) in worship

Anyone who is tested with a hardened heart, or heedlessness of Allah’s obedience, or prioritizing desires over His commands must strive against himself to remain constant in worship. This is the path to uprightness upon truth and guidance. The servant should recall that Allah—Exalted be He—draws near to those who draw near to Him. When Allah accepts His servant, He grants him success, protects him, guides his steps, and bestows abundant goodness upon him. The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—relates from his Lord—Majestic and Exalted:

“My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him. And My servant continues to draw near to Me with extra acts of worship until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he grasps, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely grant him; and if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely protect him…”

Performing the best deeds so that they are raised to the Lord of the Worlds

One should make good use of Shaʿbān by carrying out the best of deeds, for it is in this month that deeds are presented before Allah—Glorified and Exalted be He. The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said about Shaʿbān:

“That is a month which many people neglect between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which deeds are taken up to the Lord of the Worlds. So I love that my deeds be taken up while I am fasting”.

Sincerity (ikhlāṣ)

Periods of general neglect are among the best times to strengthen sincerity to Allah—Glorified be He—when one’s outward deeds match one’s inner devotion. In this way, the soul learns to perform worship purely to seek Allah’s pleasure, without the distraction of public attention. Practicing sincerity in Shaʿbān allows one to assess and correct one’s state before Ramadan arrives, ensuring one does not exit Ramadan in the same condition as one entered it.

Seeking Allah’s forgiveness on the mid-night of Shaʿbān

Part of proper preparation for Ramadan is to seek Allah’s forgiveness, and many scholars recommend spending the night of the 15th of Shaʿbān in worship, hoping to be among those forgiven. When that forgiveness is attained, its blessings will shine upon the remainder of Shaʿbān, such that Ramadan arrives while the servant has already been forgiven and now approaches Allah—Exalted be He—in a manner pleasing to Him.

Frequent recitation of the Qur’an

It is recommended to devote oneself to frequent reading of the Qur’an and deep reflection upon its verses in Shaʿbān, in preparation for Ramadan—the month of the Qur’an. Allah—Glorified and Exalted be He—says:

“The month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur’an was revealed”. (Qur’an 2:185)

Whoever regularly recites the Qur’an in Shaʿbān will find even greater sweetness in its recitation during Ramadan.

Night prayer (tahajjud) and lengthy standing in prayer

One should become accustomed to standing for longer periods in prayer and performing night prayers during Shaʿbān so that Ramadan does not pass before one develops this habit. Indeed, night prayer is one of the most virtuous acts of worship before Allah—Exalted and Glorified. The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said:

“The closest the Lord is to His servant is in the last third of the night. So if you are able to be among those who remember Allah at that hour, then do so”.