HOW DO WE RECEIVE RAMADAN?

HOW DO WE RECEIVE RAMADAN? People have various ideas and ways of receiving the blessed month of Ramadan and invest this occasion in fulfilling their favorite actions and activities. Some of them make this an occasion for laziness, idleness, sleep and neglecting the different acts of obedience that they could otherwise be doing. Others find this a good opportunity for watching shows on satellite television while others stay up late at night and use this precious time to pay visits, go to markets, relax, make trips and the like while others make it an occasion for exaggeration in eating, drinking and doing whatever they like, as if Ramadan is the month of food and drink, and not the month of fasting.

However, there are some other people for whom Allah The Almighty wants good for and thus guides them to the right way so that they became able to differentiate between what is right and what is wrong. Such people receive this blessed month warmly and happily since they believe that it is a golden opportunity to attain forgiveness for sins and make a new start that would be sin-free. In fact, the blessed month of Ramadan is the month of forgiveness, mercy and emancipation from Hell. The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), used to give his Companions glad tidings on the arrival of Ramadan saying: “There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month which Allah has enjoined you to fast, during which the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand months - whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.” [An-Nasaa’i, Al-Albaani: Saheeh (Authentic)]

Consequently, these people knew well the virtues, rewards and goodness of this blessed month and thus they decide to reap all these fruits and benefits so that they may not be among those who will say [what Allah The Almighty Says (which means)]: {I wish I had sent ahe..