Shawwal

[أم بدر الدين]

Shawwal

His Eminence Sheikh Muhammad ibn Salih Al `Uthaimeen

Praise be to Allah who made night and day alternate to one another for those who want to take a lesson or thank Allah for His Bounties. Allah guided His Servants to reform the earth with different kinds of good deeds to increase their faith and the efforts of such people shall be rewarded. He also disgraced those who turn away from His Dhikr (mentioning Him with invocations or repeating His Names and Attributes) and follow their whims, and the final destination of such people shall be Hell; what a bad destination it is!

I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, no partner is with Him in His Kingdom, He has all praise, and He is All-Able. I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger whom He sent prior to the Hour to be a bearer of good news, a warner, a caller to Allah by His Leave, and a guide. May Allah send His Peace and Blessings upon him, his family, his Companions, and those who follow him until the Day of Recompense.

O people, your were expecting Ramadan and Ramadan has come but you left it behind your backs, and thus every future shall become past soon until a person dies. O people, you have done many deeds during Ramadan, so whoever has done good shall be rewarded because Allah does not waste the reward of good doers and whoever has done bad deeds should seek Allah's Forgiveness because Allah accepts repentance until a person dies; verily Allah loves those who repent.

O people, if Ramadan has ended, the time of action never ends except when death comes and if the fast during Ramadan have ended, fasting is still permissible any time. The Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed his nation to observe fasting on Mondays and Thursdays when he said: "Actions are viewed by Allah (may He be Exalted) during these days and I love that my actions are viewed while I am fasting." The Prophet (peace be upon him) commended the fast of three days of each (Hijri) month to Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) when he said: "Observing fast for three days from each (Hijri) Month is like observing the fast of the entire lifetime." He commanded that these three days would be the 13th, 14th, 15th of each (Hijri) month, so if a person is capable of observing the fast during these three days, it will be better.

If Qiyam (staying up at night for Salah) during Ramadan has ended, Qiyam is permissible every night. It was authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that Allah (may He be Exalted) descends each night to the worldly sky during the last portion of the night and says: "Who invokes Me to answer his supplications? Who asks Me for something to give it to him? Who seeks My Forgiveness to forgive his sins." O Servants of Allah, fear Allah, haste to good deeds, act according to your deeds, and benefit from times in righteous deeds because the rewarded time is that has been spent in Allah's obedience.

O Muslims, Allah facilitated the ways of good, opened their gates, invited you to enter, and explained for you their rewards.

These five obligatory daily Salah are from the main pillars of Islam after monotheism; they are five in action, but fifty in the scale of good deeds. They are performed in different times so that boring would not sneak to people and each Salah takes its proper time; glory be to the All-Wise.

The supererogatory Salah subsequent to obligatory Salah are twelve: four Rak`ahs (unit of Salah) before Zhuhr, two Rak`ahs at a time, two Rak`ahs after Zhuhr, two Rak`ahs after Maghrib (Sunset Salah), two Rak`ahs after `Isha' (obligatory night Salah), and two Rak`ahs before Fajr (dawn). Anyone will perform these supererogatory Salah Allah will build a house for him in Paradise.

Witr (odd number Salah) is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) he said: "Verily, Allah is One and loves odd numbers."

The minimum number of Witr is one, whereas the maxmum is eleven Rak`ahs. Its time begins from the time of `Isha' (Night) Salah and ends Fajr (dawn) Salah. It is a confirmed Sunnah that a person should not abandon to the extent that some scholars said: It is obligatory. Imam Ahmad said: whoever abandons Witr will be a bad person whose testimony should not be accepted. These Adhkar (invocations and Remembrances said at certain times on a regular basis) should be said after the obligatory Salah: Saying: Subhana [Glory be to Allah] Allah thirty three times, saying: Al Hamdulilah [Praise be to Allah] thirty three times, saying: Allahu-Akbar thirty three times and that makes it 99 times and a person should say La Ilaha Illa Allah Wahdahu La Sharika Lahu, Lahu Al Mulku WA Lahu Al Hamdu, WA huwa `Ala Killi Shay'in Qadir [There is no god but Allah alone, no partner is with Him. For Him is all dominion and praise and He is All-Able over everything]; whoever says so, his sins shall be forgiven even if they are as much as the foam of the sea. Adhkar that should be said after ablution is: `Ash-hadu An La Ilaha Illa Allah Wahdahu La Sharika Lahu Wa Ash-hadu Anna Muhammadan `Abdahu wa Rasulahu. Allahumma Ij`alny Mena At-Twabbin Waj`alny Mena Al Mutatahirin [I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, no partner with him. I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. O Allah, make me from the repentant and purifiers]; whoever says this supplication, the eight gates of Paradise shall be opened for him to enter wherever he wants.

When a person spends these financial expenses seeking the reward from Allah, he shall gain the reward even if spending is given to family or children. Allah is pleased with a person who eats or drinks then thanks Allah for food and drink. The one who supports widows and the needy is like the one who fights in cause of Allah or like the fasting person who does not break the fast and like the one who always performs Qiyam. No doubt that your family cannot support itself because of young kids and the needy, therefore, the one who supports them is like the one who fights in the cause of Allah.

O Allah's Servants, the ways of goodness are many, so where are those who will walk therein and its gates are opened, so where are those who want to enter; verily, truth are clear and only perished people who ignore it.

I seek refuge with Allah against the cursed Satan: "O you who believe! Bow down, and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord and do good that you may be successful." [Surat Al Hajj: 77]. May Allah protect the Glorious Qur'an for you and me.