An entire month of access to Heaven

The gates of Heaven would be open for the entire month and the gates of Hell (Jahannam) would be closed. The first day of the next month, Shawwal, is spent in celebration and is observed as the “Festival of Breaking Fast” or Eid al-Fitr which is locally known in Nigeria as Sallah.“There has come to […]

The gates of Heaven would be open for the entire month and the gates of Hell (Jahannam) would be closed. The first day of the next month, Shawwal, is spent in celebration and is observed as the “Festival of Breaking Fast” or Eid al-Fitr which is locally known in Nigeria as Sallah.
“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.”
Time is of the essence. Every moment counts. Whatever you need to do for the next ten days to make the most in Ibadat, good deeds, reciting Quran, dhikr, making dua, etc., rewards are going to be multiplied. No one knew about the importance of these days more than the prophet (saws). Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the last ten days of Ramadan began, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would stay up at night, wake his family and tie his lower garment tight. According to Ahmad and Muslim: he would strive hard in worship during the last ten nights of Ramadan as he did not do at other times.
The Messenger of Allah says: Verily, the month of Ramadan has come to you all. It is a blessed month, which Allah has obligated you all to fast. During it the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are shackled. In it there is a night that is better than one thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its good, then he has truly been deprived.)” An-Nasa’i recorded this same Hadith.
Recite the Qur’an as often as you can: It is proven in the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) that the Quran will intercede for those who read it at night, as Ahmad (6626) narrated from ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Amr that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
Fasting and the Quran will intercede for a person on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, ‘O Lord, I deprived him of his food and his desires during the day, so let me intercede for him.’ And the Quran will say: ‘I deprived him of his sleep at night so let me intercede for him.’ Then they will intercede.”
Narrated Abu Musa: The Prophet said:
The example of a believer who recites the Qur’an is that of a citron (a citrus fruit) which is good in taste and good in smell. And the believer who does not recite the Quran is like a date which has a good taste but no smell. And the example of an impious person who recites the Qur’an is that of Ar-Rihana (an aromatic plant) which smells good but is bitter in taste. And the example of an impious person who does not recite the Quran is that of a colocynth which is bitter in taste and has no smell.” (Book #93, Hadith # 649)
As is stated in the hadeeth narrated by ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with them both), in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
Whoever recites 10 ayat (verses) in qiyam will not be recorded as one of the forgetful. Whoever recites a hundred ayat (verses) in qiyam will be recorded as one of the devout, and whoever prays a thousand ayat (verses) in qiyam will be recorded as one of the muqantareen (those who pile up good deeds).” (Reported by Abu Dawood and Ibn Hibban. It is a hasan report. Saheeh al-Targheeb, 635).
The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said:
A man is deprived of provision (Rizq) because of the sins that he commits.’” This is an  opportunity for one to get his sins forgiven.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:  Whoever spends the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, will be forgiven his previous sins.”
On the night of Laylatul Qadr
One of the best dua’s that can be recited on Laylat al-Qadr is that which the Prophet  (PBUH) taught ‘A’ishah (RA). It was narrated by al-Tirmidhi, who classed it as saheeh, that ‘A’ishah said: I said: “O Messenger of Allah, If I know which night is Laylat al-Qadr, what should I say?” He said: “Say: Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibb al-‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni (O Allah, You are All-Forgiving and you love forgiveness so forgive me).”
Be classified among the pious ones Allah has described the pious as Those that used to sleep but little by night (invoking their Lord (Allah) and praying, with fear and hope).
And in the hours before dawn, they were (found) asking (Allah) for forgiveness, 
Then think of all that you need to ask Allah for and ask Him now. If you haven’t before, this is the time to connect with Him and feel closer to Him. And when you do during these last 10 nights and days of this Ramadan, you would want to do this again and again – even after the month is over.
And finally, when you are in a state of prayers and worship, please open your heart for others as well and do remember your brothers and sisters in your prayers. Remember what the Prophet said: “The supplication that gets the quickest answer is the one made by one Muslim for another in his absence.” and May we all make the most of the last 10 nights and days of Ramadan…
 
Maryam wrote from Department of Mass Communication University of Maiduguri