A Plan For Ramadhan

Excerpt from “The Supplication that Receives an Answer”

by Ahmad ‘Abdul-Jawaad

I recommend seven things to you, my brother Muslim, and I give you three injunctions.

1 – Would you not wish to be one of those whom Allah loveth? So love your Prophet –to whom may Allah’s Blessings and Peace be granted- and the members of his family, and be good to your parents.

2 – Do you not wish to be as the one who he says, ‘O my Lord, O my Lord’, Allah will say: ‘Your call is answered, My servant, if you ask you will be given it’? So enjoy what is lawful, then your supplication will be answered; exact justice for men from yourself; and deal with people with a good disposition.

3 – Would you not wish to be one of those whose supplications receive an answer and whose Scrolls will shine with light on the Day of Resurrection? Purify your heart and say frequently, ‘There is no god but Allah and I ask Allah’s Forgiveness of my sin and of those pertain to the believing men and women’; and do not be one of those who are unheedful.

4 – Would you not wish to belong to those who are given to praise Allah, who will be Nearest to Allah? For when the servant says, ‘Praise be to Allah’, Allah says, ‘My servant has thanked and praised Me’. So say often, ‘Praise be to Allah and Peace be upon His servants whom He has chosen’.

5 – Do you not wish to belong to those who are given to thank Allah, and that Allah may order well your offspring? Then, apply yourself to recite the Two Verses of Thanksgiving: Surat ‘the Ants’, verse: 19; and Surat ‘the Winding Sand-Tracts’, verse: 15 (O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Thy Favour…) up to the end of the verse of every Sura.

6 – Would you not like to guide you to the means by which the affairs of your Religion and your worldly affairs will go on well? Then act, as much as you can, in accordance with Allah’s Most Hight Command: (O ye who believe! Bow down, prostrate yourselves, and adore your Lord; and do good; that ye may prosper).

7 – Do you not like to guide you to the heart of everything? <<Say, ‘Allah’, then keep to the straight path>>.

The Three Injunctions:

1 – I enjoin you to keep on observing the supererogatory prayers:

a – Pray at night, even though it should be two Rak’as.

b – Pray in the forenoon, even though it should be two Rak’as: Reciting in the first Rak’a after [the recitation of] the Fatihat: (Thy Lord does create and choose as He pleases: No choice have they [in the matter]: Glory to Allah: And far is He above the Partners they ascribe [to Him]) (My [own] affair I commit to Allah: For Allah [ever] watches over His Servants). Then, the recitation of (Say, ‘O infidels…).

In the second Rak’a, you should recite, after the recitation of the Fatihat, (It is not fitting for Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger, to have any option about their decision: If anyone disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong path) (My [own] affair I commit to Allah: For Allah [ever] watches over His servants). Then, the recitation of, (Say: ‘He is Allah, the One…).

2 – Give alms, even though it should be little.

3 – Fast on three days out of every month; and in Ramadan.

(Pgs. 386 – 398)