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Duties
of Muslims in the Last Third of Ramadan
By
Dr.
Muhammad Abu Laylah
The
last third of Ramadan is the time for the release from Hell-fire,
as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the
Hadith reported by Salman Al-Farisi: "O people, a great
and a blessed month is approaching you. In this month there is a
night that is better than one thousand months. Allah has made
fasting during its daytime obligatory and prayers at night
commendable during this month. Whosoever will do a voluntary good
deed during this month, it is as if he performed an obligatory
good deed at another time and whosoever will perform an obligatory
good deed, it is as if he performed seventy obligatory good deeds
at another time. This is the month of patience and the reward of
patience is Paradise. This is the month of kindness and charity.
In this month the believer’s provision is enlarged. Anyone who
will give food to a fasting person in this month, it will bring
forgiveness for his sins, will save him from the hellfire and he
shall have his reward without the person who is fed losing any of
his reward….The first third of the month of Ramadan is the time
for Rahmah (Mercy), the second third is for forgiveness,
the third is for the release from Hellfire…"
The
duties of the Muslim in this last third of Ramadan are to try his
best to perfect his fasting, to avoid any shortcomings or sins
that can harm his fasting, to offer more prayers, preferably in
congregation, to advance in reading the Qur'an, making dhikr
(remembrance of Allah), and helping others to be more committed to
religion, to enter i`tikaf (seclusion) if it is possible
for him/her, and to remember that the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him) used to give extra attention to the last ten days of
Ramadan. He could hardly sleep, and his family used also to stay
in vigilance with him. The Prophet's generosity in this month and
particularly in the last ten days was compared to a fast wind.
We
should not miss to remind you and all Muslims to try to settle
disputes. It is the best occasion to forgive one another and
forget about all enmities and grudges. We should come out of
Ramadan in a better shape, understanding, and moral behavior. The
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made it clear that "If
any Muslim comes out of Ramadan without gaining forgiveness and
goodness, he/she is a real loser."
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