DR. ZAKIR NAIK Q&A 10 ABOUT RAMADAN

Q. Are there any particular activities for a Muslim should concentrate upon during this blessed month of Ramadan? A. (Dr Zakir): Few important points are to be noted is that no 1. Is the niyaah, niyaah is very important. The niyaah (intention) for fasting must be only for Allah subhanwatala and for a fasting to be accepted niyaah is very important. No 2 is observing the sunnah of fast. One of the important sunnah is that we should have sahoor as late as possible that is just before break of dawn i.e. just before fajar salaah and we should break our fast, have iftaar as early as possible immediately after sunset. Furthermore in this blessed month we should be careful and we should avoid all things which are prohibited, which are haraam and things which are a makru (undesirable). And this is the best opportunity for a person that if he has certain activities which are against the sahriyah (Islamic law), that they are doing haraam activites or makru activities, this is the best time they can abstain from it. And which be a good habit which he may abstain throughout his life. For example if a person is habitually to drink alcohol, if he can abstain from having alcohol from the break of dawn to sunset, he can abstain from it from the cradle to the grave. Similarly we should take care we should abstain from things which are makruh. For example it is makru to stand and drink water and if we are habitual to that then see to that in the month of Ramadan while having water we should sit down, this is the sunnah of the prophet (peace be upon him). So it is a good month in which you can abstain from the haraam activities which you are doing or the makruh activities. Furthermore it is a good time where you can implement many of the sunnah of the prophet (peace be upon him) in your day today life. For example sporting a beard, many muslims don’t have a beard, so it is a good month in which you can follow the sunnah of the prophet (peace be upon him). so this is a good month in which you can adopt as much as sunnah as possible so we can be on the staright path. This is a very good month where we should see to it that we should offer the salaah, not only the five times salaah which are the fardh but even try to offer as many nawafil and sunnah and if you are not habitual in reading in congregation see to it you are in a congregation and as far as possible go to the mosque for the salaah. In this month you should be particular that you do not miss the Taraweeh, many people think that which is a fact that it is sunnah, we can miss taraweeh, taraweeh is a very important sunnah, though it is not a fardh but every Muslim should make it a point that as far as possible they should attend taraweeh because of the blessings it has. So the taraweeh is very important which the Muslim should never miss. And when we offer taraweeh many of us rush through the taraweeh because we want to complete the Quran and many of them read the taraweeh 100 miles per hour, we should read the taraweeh with patience with moderate pace so that people can understand what is the commandment of Allah subhanwatala. And that if time permits if possible we should try to do itakaaf in the last ten days and while doing itakaaf we make it a point that we dont socialise, many people make a mistake of socialising during itakaaf, the whole purpose of itakaaf gets defeated. Furthermore we should do more supplications, this is the month of dua, and we should do more dhikr, spend time in remember Allah subhanwatala and also worshipping him, this is the month in which we must try and read as much as Quran as possible, besides reading the Quran in Arabic, if you know Arabic as a language then there is no problem but if you don’t know then also read the translation of the a Quran in the language you understand the best, if you understand in English, read in English, if you understand urdu then read in Urdu. Read it in the language you understand the best. So along with reading in Arabic for which you get the sawaab (rewards) also read the translation of the Quran so that you can implement on guidance of Allah subhanwatala. If possible read the complete Quran once in every 7 seven days, or atleast read 1 Juz everyday so that you complete the Quran atleast once in the full month of Ramadan. In this month try to read as much as Hadith as possible but see to it that you read the authentic hadith. And the best book on hadith is the book of Sahih Al-Bukhari then Sahih Al- Muslim, you can read qutub-suta also but read authentic books on hadith. Read books on lifestyle and seerah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also. See to it that if you have not given the zakat then give the zakat which is an obligatory charity and every rich person who has the saving more than the nisaab level, i.e. more than 85 grams of gold he/she should give 2.5 % of his/her saving every lunar year in charity i.e. Zakat. And many people do not calculate the zakat properly. You make it a point that you calculate the zakat honestly and it is better to given little bit more rather than give less. And this month of Ramadan is the month of generosity, it is the month of sadaqa. And you get 10 times more reward of your good deeds. Thus this is the month we should do maximum charity and we should give more time to our family. Many a time we neglect our family, we see to it that we give more time to our family and do all these activities collectively. We should also have Husne- Salooq with the people around you i.e. we should deal with other human beings with mercy, with love, with care, if they have done some mistake, forgive them, this is the month of forgiveness. If you have done something wrong, ask for forgiveness. We should do tuffaqul i.e. ponder on the things, see to it you plan the month of Ramadan properly and see to it that you do not waste not even a minute not even a second. This is the month of cleaning. And this month is month of self- improvement also and besides that we should make it a point to do islaah to other Muslim brothers and sisters. It is also the best month to do dawah i.e. convey the message of islam to the non-muslims. So my request to brothers and sisters is to plan your month efficiently and see to it that you utilize every second of this blessed month.