Ten Prophetic Traditions on The Significance of Ramadhan

As we make our way through the month of Ramadhan, let us take this time to reconnect with the words of the Prophet PBUH. 

Hadith collections are replete with narrations related to Ramadhan, which is why perusing them this month is a great place to start. With an added perspective on how Ramadhan should be spent and what it really means, returning to these narrations can help in understanding the month better. 

In this article, we list ten prophetic narrations about Ramadhan. The hope is that it fosters love in our hearts for the words of the Prophet PBUH as well as the profound and blessed month of Ramadhan. 

Welcoming Ramadhan

Abu Huraira RA reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said when the month of Ramadhan arrived: “The month of Ramadhan has come, a blessed month in which Allah Almighty has obligated you to fast. In it the gates of the heavens are opened, and in it the gates of Hellfire are closed, and in it, the devils are chained, and in it is a night that is better than a thousand months. Thus, whoever is deprived of its good is truly deprived.” [Musnad Ahmad]

The Significance of Ramadhan

Abu Huraira RA narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah said: The Fast is for Me and I will give the reward for it, as he (the one who observes the fast) leaves his sexual desire, food and drink for My Sake. Fasting is a screen (from Hell) and there are two pleasures for a fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord. And the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better in Allah’s Sight than the smell of musk.” [Sahih Bukhari]

Forgiveness in Ramadhan

Abdurrahman Ibn Awf RA narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Verily, Ramadhan is a month in which Allah Almighty has obligated its fasting. I have instituted for Muslims the practice of prayer at night. Thus, whoever fasts it with faith and expecting reward will be rid of sins like the day he was born from his mother.” [Musnad Ahmed]

Bonding With The Qur’an in Ramadhan

Ibn Abbas RA said: The Prophet ﷺ was the most generous of all the people, and he used to become more generous in Ramadhan when Gabriel met him. Gabriel used to meet him every night during Ramadhan to revise the Qur’an with him. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) then used to be more generous than the fast wind. [Sahih Bukhari]

Importance of Suhur (Pre-Dawn Meal)

Anas Ibn Malik RA narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Take the pre-fasting meal (suhur). Verily, there is blessing in the pre-fasting meal.” [Sahih Bukhari]

Hastening The Futoor (Breaking The Fast)

Sahl Ibn Sa’d narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “People will continue in goodness as long as they hasten to break their fast.” [Sahih Bukhari]

Be Conscious of Your Actions

Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said,  “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah does not need his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)” [Sahih Bukhari]

Laylatul Qadr (Night of Decree)

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was shown the lifespans of the people (who had gone) before him, or what Allah willed of that, and it was as if the lives of the people of his community had become too short for them to be able to do as many good actions as others before them had been able to do with their long lives, so Allah gave him Laylat al- Qadr, which is better than a thousand months.” [Muwatta Malik]

In another hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever fasted the month of Ramadhan out of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the prayers in the night of Qadr out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven .” [Sahih Bukhari]

When is Laylatul Qadr (Night of Decree)

Abu Salama RA narrates: I asked Abu Sa`id RA, and he was a friend of mine, (about the Night of Qadr) and he said, “We practised I`tikaf (seclusion in the mosque) in the middle third of the month of Ramadhan with the Prophet ﷺ. In the morning of the 20th of Ramadhan, the Prophet ﷺ came and addressed us and said, ‘I was informed of (the date of the Night of Qadr) but I was caused to forget it; so search for it in the odd nights of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadhan’. [Sahih Bukhari]

In another narration, Ibn Umar RA narrates that some men amongst the companions of the Prophet ﷺ were shown in their dreams that the night of Qadr was in the last seven nights of Ramadhan. Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said, “It seems that all your dreams agree that (the Night of Qadr) is in the last seven nights, and whoever wants to search for it (i.e. the Night of Qadr) should search in the last seven (nights of Ramadhan).” [Sahih Bukhari]

I’tikaf (Spiritual Retreat)

Ibn Umar RA narrates that the Prophet ﷺ used to practice I’tikaf (retiring to a mosque to remember Allah) in the last ten days of the month of Ramadhan. [Sahih Bukhari]

In another narration, ‘A’isha RA reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to observe I’tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan till Allah called him back (to his heavenly home). Then his wives observed I’tikaf after him. [Sahih Muslim]

Main Image Credit: The Review of Religions