Recommended Adhkar in Ramadan

Assalamu Alaikum! This week, inshaAllah, Ramadan Talk discusses Adhkar (glorifying and praising Allah) recommended for a fasting person in the month of Ramadan and beyond. Thereafter, we would discuss the voluntary prayers of Tarawih, Tahajjud and Al-Iitikaf. Adhkar in Ramadan Adhkar is the plural of Dhikr (glorification of Allah). Adhkar purify the soul of believers. […]

Assalamu Alaikum! This week, inshaAllah, Ramadan Talk discusses Adhkar (glorifying and praising Allah) recommended for a fasting person in the month of Ramadan and beyond. Thereafter, we would discuss the voluntary prayers of Tarawih, Tahajjud and Al-Iitikaf.

Adhkar in Ramadan

Adhkar is the plural of Dhikr (glorification of Allah). Adhkar purify the soul of believers. It also takes away all sadness and gives rest to the soul of man. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an: “Those who believe in the oneness of Allah, and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. (Qur’an 13:28).

In a Hadith reported by Abu Musa (ra), the Prophet (pbuh) said: “the example of one who glorifies Allah in comparison to the one who does not remember Allah is that of living creature compared to a dead one.” (Bukhari). 

Based on the foregoing, the first and best form of Dhikr (glorification of Allah) for a fasting person is recitation of the Holy Qur’an. This is because the Holy Qur’an was revealed in the month of Ramadan. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an: “the month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion between the right and wrong………”(Qur’an 2:185).

This makes the month of Ramadan the month of Qur’an, therefore recitation of the Holy Qur’an attracts more reward. It brings pleasure to the heart and takes away sadness.

The next Dhikr is recitation of ‘Allahumma innaka afuwun tuhibbul afuwa fa’afu anni’ (Or Allah mercy is with you, and you love forgiveness, forgive me – all my sins.), especially in the last ten days of Ramadan.

Other Adhkar are Allahumma salli alaa Muhammadin wa alaa aali Muhammadin (O Allah, bestow Your favour on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad). Laa ilaaha illallaah (there is none worthy of worship but Allah). Subhaanallaah (glorified is Allah). Allaahu Akbar (Allah is the Most Great). Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa billaah (There is no power and no might except by Allah). Alhamdu Lillaah (Praise is for Allah). Laa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, Allahu Akbaru kabeeran, walhamdu lillahi katheeran, subhaanallahi rabbil aalameen, laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa billahil-azeezil-hakeem (there is none worthy of worship but Allah, who has no partner, Allah is the Great, the most Great, and praise is to Allah, lord of the worlds. There is no power and no might but by Allah the Mighty, the Wise. 

The above adhkar were reported in different authentic hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The above Adhkar are by no means exhaustive. A fasting person can recite any or all of the above Adhkar as many times as he can.  

Last Ten Days of Ramadan

We are already in the last ten days of Ramadan, which the Prophet (pbuh) described as the most blissful of all Ramadan days. It is in these days that Allah blesses mankind with a night called Lailatul-Qadr (Night of decree), which Allah (saw) described as a night that is better than a thousand months. That is to say that worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Him for a thousand months or 83 years and four months. (Qur’an 97:3).

In these days, one is required to intensify his ibadat (worships). One of the ways of observing the last ten days of Ramadan is performing the voluntary prayers of Tarawih and Tahajjud.

The importance and blessings that Allah grants to those that stand to perform voluntary prayers of Tarawih or Tahajjud cannot be overemphasised. On account of these prayers one’s previous sins are absolved and forgiven, provided that in performing them one has complete and absolute faith in Allah’s reward.

The Prophet (pbuh) is reported by Bukhari and Muslim in a hadith as saying: “He who prays during the night in Ramadan with faith and desire for his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. Therefore, Qiyamul-lail (praying in the night) should not be done for the purpose of merely showing off, but with intention of seeking Allah’s blessings and rewards.” Some Islamic scholars regard the above hadith as a conditional one that promises forgiveness only to those that have a sound Aqida (belief-creed) when they perform the voluntary prayers.

The supererogatory prayer or Ramadan Tarawih or Tahajjud is eleven raka’at. A’isha (wife of the Prophet, pbuh) was reported by Bukhari and Muslim as saying that Allah’s messenger (pbuh) never offered more than 11 (voluntary) raka’at during Ramadan or any other month. Some scholars have sought to provide reasons for considering more than 11 raka’at.

The Surahs (chapters of the Holy Qur’an) to be recited in the Tarawih or Tahajjud depend on one’s ability to stand and one’s memorisation of the Holy Qur’an. But long recitation, especially in Tahajjud, is recommended for those who have the ability to do that. That according to the Prophet will increase one’s reward.

Long recitation is not all that matters in the supererogatory prayers of Tarawih and Tahajjud. Dhikr (glorifying Allah), with prescribed recitations, is also recommended especially in Sujud (prostrating) and Ruku’u (bowing) and all intervals of the prayers where dhikr is stipulated as sunnah.

In voluntary prayers like Tarawih and Tahajjud one is allowed to look up the Qur’an while reciting especially for those who cannot memorise the Holy Qur’an.

A’isha (ra) said in a hadith reported by Bukhari and Muslim that Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) preoccupied himself during the last ten days of Ramadan with the worship of Allah, stayed awake at night, and woke up his entire family.

A’isha (ra) is also reported in Bukhari’s and Muslim’s hadiths as saying that it was the habitual practice of the Prophet (pbuh) to carry out a private devotion (Al-Itikaf) in the last ten days of Ramadan. “The prophet used to engage in private devotion in the mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan until Allah, the Great and Glorious, took his soul and his wives followed his practice after his death.”

The above two hadiths suggest that this act of worship is recommended to both male and female believers. Some scholars have however said that the private devotion (Al-Itikaf) not Tahajjud is only allowed in three mosques, namely, the holy Mosque of Mecca (Ka’aba), the Holy Mosque of the Prophet (pbuh) in Medina, and the Holy Mosque of Baitul-Muqadds in Jerusalem. Tirmidhi reported that the Prophet (pbuh) only said Al-Itikaf (private devotion) is only performed in aforementioned three mosques.

We pray to Allah to grant us His Rahma in this holy month. We pray to Him to heal all those that are suffering from one disease or the other, particularly our President, Muhammadu Buhari. May He take away all calamities and evils from our dear nation.  

Ramadan Talk continues next week, in shaa Allah. Before then, observation, corrections, suggestions and other contributions can be forwarded to 0803-8608418 or [email protected]