Download: Guide to the Holy Month Of Ramadan

The month of Ramadan is an opportunity given by the gracious Creator for His servants to
come close to Him, seek forgiveness for their sins, and fulfillment of their needs. In the Holy
Qur’an, amidst an important discussion on the month of Ramadan, the following ayat (verse), which
apparently has no direct connection with Ramadan, is included:

And when my servants ask you about me, then surely I am near. I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls upon me, so respond to me, and believe in me, so that they may be led right. (2:186)

Ahaditth on Fasting and Ramadan

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): One who while fasting does not guard his tongue from telling lies
and does not refrain from bad deeds, is not respecting his fast. Allah does not approve of mere
abstention from food. He (pbuh), also said: Fast and you shall be healthy.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): When you are fasting, you should not speak ill of anybody, nor
should you be rough and noisy. If anybody speaks ill of you or tries to pick a quarrel with you, reply
him not, but say to him that you are fasting.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): A person gets the same reward by reciting in this month, one
verse of the Holy Qur’an, as others do by reciting the whole of the Qur’an in other months.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): Whoever is prevented from food that he likes, because of his fast,
Allah will feed him from the food of Heaven and from its drink.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): If people understood what good
there was in Ramadan, they would have liked that it last for a year.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): Unfortunate is the person who is
deprived of the forgiveness of Allah during this great month.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): Whoever is not forgiven in the
month of Ramadan, and then in which month will he be forgiven?

Imam Ali (a): The sleep of a fasting person is worship, his
silence is glorification (of Allah), his prayers are answered and his actions are multiplied.

Imam Ali (a): Many persons get nothing out of their fasts but hunger and thirst; many more
get nothing out of their night prayers but exertions and sleepless nights. Wise and sagacious persons
are praiseworthy even if they do not fast and sleep during the nights.

Imam Ali (a): The prayer of a fasting person at the time of Iftar is never rejected.

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a): O Jabir! Whoever during the month of Ramadan, fasts in
its days, stands up for prayers in parts of the night, controls his desires and emotions, puts a rein
on his tongue, keeps his eyes down, and does not injure the feelings of others, will become as free
of sins as the day he was born.

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a): Everything has a spring and the spring of the Qur’an is
the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a): The day of your fast should not be like any ordinary day. When
you fast, all your senses – eyes, ears, tongue, hands and feet must fast with you.

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a): There are two pleasures for a fasting person; one when he breaks
his fast, and one when he meets his Lord.

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a): Fasting is a protection from the fire.