Ramadan is one of the twelve Arabic months. It is a month which is venerated in the Islamic religion, and it is distinguished from the other months by a number of characteristics and virtues, including the following:
1- Allah has made fasting this month the fourth pillar of Islam , as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that month…” [al-Baqarah 2:185]
And it was narrated in al-Sahihayn (al-Bukhari, 8; Muslim, 16) from the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Islam is built on five (pillars): the testimony that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah; establishing prayer; paying zakah; fasting Ramadan; and Hajj to the House (the Ka’bah).”
2- Allah revealed the Quran in this month, as He says in the verse quoted above (interpretation of the meaning):
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)…” [al-Baqarah 2:185]
And Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, We have sent it (this Quran) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree).” [al-Qadr 97:1]
3– Allah has made Laylat al-Qadr in this month, which is better than a thousand months, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, We have sent it (this Quran) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree). And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is? The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). Therein descend the angels and the Ruh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allah’s Permission with all Decrees, (All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn.” [al-Qadar 97:1-5]
“We sent it (this Quran) down on a blessed night [(i.e. the Night of Al-Qadr) in the month of Ramadan — the 9th month of the Islamic calendar]. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship].” [al-Dukhan 44:3]
Allah has blessed Ramadan with Laylat al-Qadr . Explaining the great status of this blessed night, Surat al-Qadr was revealed, and there are many ahadith which also speak of that, such as the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month which Allah has enjoined you to fast, during which the gates of heaven 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, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.” (Narrated by al-Nasai, 2106; Ahmad, 8769, classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Targhib, 999.)
And Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, will be forgiven his previous sins.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1910; Muslim, 760)
4- Allah has made fasting Ramadan and spending its nights in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward a means of forgiveness of sins, as was proven in al-Sahihayn (al-Bukhari, 2014; Muslim, 760) from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”
Al-Bukhari (2008) and Muslim (174) also narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends the nights of Ramadan in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”
The Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is Sunnah to pray qiyam at night in Ramadan. Al-Nawawi said that what is meant by praying qiyam in Ramadan is to pray Tarawih, i.e., one achieves what is meant by qiyam by praying Tarawih.
5- In this month, Allah opens the gates of Paradise and closes the gates of Hell , and chains up the devils, as is stated in al-Sahihayn (al-Bukhari, 1898; Muslim, 1079), from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.”
6- Every night Allah has people whom He redeems from the Fire. Imam Ahmad (5/256) narrated from the hadith of Abu Umamah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “At every breaking of the fast, Allah has people whom He redeems.” Al-Mundhiri said: there is nothing wrong with its isnad; and it was classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Targhib, 987.
Al-Bazzar (Kashf 962) narrated that Abu Sa’id said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has people whom He redeems every day and night – i.e., in Ramadan – and every Muslim every day and night has a prayer that is answered.”
7- Fasting Ramadan is a means of expiation for the sins committed since the previous Ramadan, so long as one avoids major sins. It was proven in Sahih Muslim (233) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The five daily prayers, from one Jumu’ah to the next and from one Ramadan to the next are expiation for (sins committed) in between, so long as you avoid major sins.”
8- Fasting in Ramadan is equivalent to fasting ten months, as is indicated by the hadith in Sahih Muslim (1164) narrated from Abu Ayyub al-Ansari: “Whoever fasts Ramadan then follows it with six days of Shawwal , it will be like fasting for a lifetime.”
Ahmad (21906) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan, a month is like ten months, and fasting six days after al-Fitr will complete the year.”
9- Whoever prays qiyam in Ramadan with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole night in prayer, because of the report narrated by Abu Dawud (1370) and others from the hadith of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays qiyam with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole night in prayer.” (Classed as sahih by al-Albani in Salat al-Tarawih, p. 15)
10- ‘Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj . Al-Bukhari (1782) and Muslim (1256) narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to a woman among the Ansar, “What kept you from doing Hajj with us?” She said, “We only had two camels that we used for bringing water.” So her husband and son had gone for Hajj on one camel, and he left the other for them to use for bringing water.” He said, “When Ramadan comes, go for ‘Umrah, for ‘Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj.” According to a report narrated by Muslim, “… is equivalent to doing Hajj with me.”
11- It is Sunnah to observe i’tikaf (retreat for the purpose of worship) in Ramadan, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) always did that, as it was narrated in the hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to spend the last ten days of Ramadan in i’tikaf until he passed away, then his wives observed i’tikaf after him.” Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1922; Muslim, 1172.
12- It is mustahabb in the sense of being strongly recommended in Ramadan to study the Quran together and to read it a great deal. You may study the Quran together by reciting it to someone else and by having someone else recite it to you. The evidence that this is mustahabb is the fact that Jibril used to meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) every night in Ramadan and study the Quran with him. (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 6; Muslim, 2308)
Reading Quran is mustahabb in general, but more so in Ramadan.
13- It is mustahabb in Ramadan to offer iftar to those who are fasting , because of the hadith of Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever gives iftar to one who is fasting will have a reward like his, without that detracting from the fasting person’s reward in the slightest.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 807; Ibn Majah, 1746; classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Tirmidhi, 647.)
And Allah knows best.
Others are aware of the real nature of fasting in the month of Ramadan, so they start to prepare from Sha’ban, and some of them even start before that. Among the best ways of preparing for the month of Ramadan are:
1- Sincere repentance
This is obligatory at all times, but because of the approach of a great and blessed month, it is even more important to hasten to repent from sins between you and your Lord, and between you and other people by giving them their rights, so that when the blessed month begins you may busy yourself with acts of worship with a clean heart and peace of mind. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.” [al-Nur 24:31]
Al-Agharr ibn Yasar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “O people, repent to Allah for I repent to Him one hundred times each day.” Narrated by Muslim (2702)
2- Du’a (supplication)
Some of the salaf used to pray to Allah for six months that they would live until Ramadan, then they would pray for five months afterwards that He would accept it from them.
The Muslim should ask his Lord to let him live until Ramadan with a strong religious commitment and good physical health, and he should ask Him to help him obey Him during the month, and ask Him to accept his good deeds from him.
3- Rejoicing at the approach of the blessed month
The arrival of Ramadan is one of the great blessings that Allah bestows upon His Muslim slave, because Ramadan is one of the occasions of good in which the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed . It is the month of the Quran and of decisive battles in the history of our religion.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say: ‘In the Bounty of Allah, and in His Mercy (i.e. Islam and the Quran); —therein let them rejoice.’ That is better than what (the wealth) they amass.” [Yunus 10:58]
4- Discharging the duty of any outstanding obligatory fasts
Abu Salamah said: I heard ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) say: I would owe fasts from the previous Ramadan and I would not be able to make them up except in Sha’ban. Narrated by al-Bukhari (1849) and Muslim (1146).
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“From her keenness to do that in Sha’ban it may be understood that it is not permissible to delay making them up until another Ramadan begins.” Fath al-Bari (4/191)
5- Seeking knowledge in order to be able to follow the rulings on fasting and to understand the virtues of Ramadan.
6- Hastening to complete any tasks that may distract the Muslim from doing acts of worship.
7- Sitting with one’s family members – wife and children – to tell them of the rulings on fasting and encourage the young ones to fast.
8- Preparing some books which can be read at home or given to the imam of the mosque to read to the people during Ramadan.
9- Fasting some of the month of Sha’ban in preparation for fasting Ramadan.
‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast until we said: He will not break his fast, and he used not to fast until we said: He will not fast. And I never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) complete a month of fasting except Ramadan, and I never saw him fast more in any month than in Sha’ban. Narrated by al-Bukhari (1868) and Muslim (1156).
Usamah ibn Zayd said: I said: O Messenger of Allah, I do not see you fasting in any month as you fast in Sha’ban? He said: “That is a month that people neglect between Rajab and Ramadan, but it is a month in which people’s deeds are taken up to the Lord of the Worlds and I would like my deeds to be taken up when I am fasting.” Narrated by al-Nasai (2357); classed as hasan by al-Albani in Sahih al-Nasai.
This hadith explains the wisdom behind fasting in Sha’ban, which is that it is a month in which deeds are taken up (to Allah). Some of the scholars mentioned another reason, which is that this fasting is like Sunnah prayers offered beforehand in relation to the obligatory prayer; they prepare the soul for performing the obligatory action, and the same may be said of fasting Sha’ban before Ramadan.
10- Reading Quran
Salamah ibn Kuhayl said: “It was said that Sha’ban was the month of the Quran readers.”
When Sha’ban began, ‘Amr ibn Qays would close his shop and free his time for reading Quran.
Abu Bakr al-Balkhi said: “The month of Rajab is the month for planting, the month of Sha’ban is the month of irrigating the crops, and the month of Ramadan is the month of harvesting the crops.”
He also said: “The likeness of the month of Rajab is that of the wind, the likeness of Sha’ban is that of the clouds and the likeness of Ramadan is that of the rain; whoever does not plant and sow in Rajab, and does not irrigate in Sha’ban, how can he reap in Ramadan? Now Rajab has passed, so what will you do in Sha’ban if you are seeking Ramadan? This is how your Prophet and the early generations of the ummah were in this blessed month, so what will you do?”
Best deeds in Ramadan
For more information on the deeds that the Muslim should do in Ramadan, please see these answers: 26869 and 12468 .
And Allah is the Source of strength.