“Ramadan is the month in which we sent down the Holy Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear Signs for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong).” (chapter 2, verse 185)

A fasting person’s aim is to attain purity of thought and action. The act of fasting redirects the hearts away from worldly mundane activities, towards Allah – the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth. The month of Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, prayer, recitation of the Qur’an, doing Zikr, endurance and self-discipline. It is a month of training – training the soul and body- to be able to exercise self-restraint.

The fasting Muslim is continuously tied with rules and regulations for an entire month and then released for 11 months to see whether the training has been adequate and effective. During this month the personality of a Muslim develops so that during the rest of the year, the trained Muslim does not commit wrong under unrestricted conditions. Ramadan is a month to purify ourselves. Fasting helps to overcome bad habits either gradually for some of us or immediately for those with a stronger will power.

Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said “Whosoever recites only one ‘Ayah’ in Holy Ramadan, He will be awarded as if he has recited the full Quran in other months”.
The Prophet said: “Whoever prays during the night of Qadr with faith and hoping for its reward will have all of his previous sins forgiven.” (Bukhari and Muslim recorded from Abu Huraira).

Hazrat Sahel bin Saad (R.A) said that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said “Heaven has eight doors and one of them is Bab_ur_Rayyan from which only those people will pass who take fast in Ramadan.”
Hazrat Abu hurairah radiallao anho said that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said “when the month of Ramadan comes the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of hell are closed and the devils are chained.”
“Ramadan is a month whose beginning is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness and whose end is freedom from the fire.”
The good that is acquired through the fast can be destroyed by five things –
1. telling a lie
2. slandering
3. back biting
4. a false oath
5. greed or covetousness
Not being able to consume food or water for a small period of time makes one realize the importance of having easy and constant access to meals. In everyday life, onedoes not give much thought to what poverty stricken people go through when theyare in doubt about whether or not they will get their next meal.
Laylatul Qadr
Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power) is described in the Quran as, “better than a thousand months” (97:3). Any action done on this night such as reciting the Quran, remembering Allah, etc. is better than acting for one thousand months which do not contain the night of Qadr.
Allah’s Messenger used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time.” (Muslim). Allah’s peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet.

Ramadan – Month of the Qur’an
Ramadan has a special relationship with the Qur’an.
Fatimah (ra) narrated from her father (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), who told her that Jibril would rehearse the Quran with him (in Ramadan) once every year, and he did so twice in the year of his death. (Bukhari 6/485)
Ibn ‘Abbas narrates “that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was the most generous person, and he would be at his most generous in Ramadan because Jibril would come to him every night and he would rehearse the Qur’an with him.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Eng. trans. 6/486)
Read, memorize, understand and listen to Quran as much as possible in this Holy Month!
`Abdullah ibn `Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah, salla Allahu alaihiwa sallam, said: “The fast and the Qur’an are two intercessors forthe servant of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. The fast will say: ‘OLord, I prevented him from his food and desires during the day. Let meintercede for him.’ The Qur’an will say: ‘I prevented him from sleeping atnight. Let me intercede for him.’ And their intercession will be accepted.”[Ahmad]
TARAWEEH
The night prayer in Ramadan has a special consideration different from any other time of the year. Imams Bukhari and Muslim reported that the Prophet Muhammad (saws) said: “Whoever offers optional prayers (like Taraweeh prayers) throughout the nights of Ramadan, believing in Allah and seeking His rewards, will have his previous sins forgiven.”

The prophet (saws) was the first who made praying the Taraweeh in congregation Sunnah (recommended), and then he left it fearing that it may become obligatory upon his Ummah. Imams Bukhari and Muslim have reported that A’isha (R.A.) said that the prophet (saws) prayed once in the Masjid in one of the night of Ramadan. People joined him, and then more people joined him in the next night. Then more people waited for the prophet (saws) in the third and the fourth (night), but the prophet (saws) did not come out to them. In the next morning, the prophet (saws) said: “I have seen what you did, nothing had prevented me from coming out to you except that I feared that it may become obligatory upon you.”
Then, during the rule of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (R.A.), he saw the companions praying in the Masjid individually, or in different congregation so he ordered them to prayer behind one Imam. During his caliphate, In an authentic narration reported by Imam Malik “Umar (R.A.) ordered Ubayy bin K’ab and Tamim Ad-Dari (R.A.) to offer them in congregation.

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (S) said : “The time between the five prayers, two consecutive Friday Prayers, and two cosecutive Ramadans are expiations for all that has happened during that period, provided that one has avoided the grave (major) sins.” [Muslim]
The Prophet said: He who gives food for a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, except that nothing will be reduced from the fasting persons reward.” [Ahmad, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan, Saheeh].