Ramadan Special Prayer in Ramadan

Allah says in [51:55]:

ر رى فإن وذك ك نينتن فع الذ م ؤ ال م

And remind (by preaching the Quran, O Muhammad) for verily, the

reminding profits the believers.

The more you believe in Allah, the more you will be reminded. And a

reminder ذكرة is opposite of انسان. Because ذكرة means to remember or the

things you forget, and Insaan means the one who forgets.

And it’s your faith that is the cause of you being reminded. The more faith

you have, the more the reminder will benefit you.

We’ll be welcoming Ramadan in about two weeks, but not everyone is

excited. This is because you need to have faith to welcome this month. And

you need to welcome Ramadan with faith and joy. You need to welcome

the month of Ramadan with reliance on Allah SWT

So we need to welcome the month of Ramadan with three things:

1) Emaan – Faith

2) Tawakkul – Reliance on Allah

3) Farrah – Joy

And what a beautiful opportunity from your Creator that you have a month

like the month of Ramadan. From morning till night you have endless

opportunities to get closer to your Lord in this month.

The Highlight of Ramadan is Fasting and Prayer. Today we’ll discuss

Prayer

There are people whom fasting is easy for and they love to fast but you find

that they don’t pray. When Ramadan comes they fast and don’t pray. But

there is no excuse for the prayer, even if you’re in a battle, scared sick,

travelling, there’s no excuse not to pray.

Salaah is a very strong connection with Allah. And every single pillar of

Islam reforms a person.

The testimony of faith- (Ashhadu an laa illaha illa Allah) is your foundation.

But in order to build your building you need prayer. And prayer strengthens

you from within because it makes your connection with Allah very strong.

Ramadan, it gives you the strength to control your desire.

So when you’re looking at the bigger picture, which one should hold more

priority? As- Salaah. Because we pray Salaah five times a day.

So how can you even control your desire by fasting without reforming

yourself with the prayer?

1) The Obligatory Prayers

We have to discuss the obligatory prayers before talking about the

voluntary. We need to build the first floor of the building before the

remaining floors.

If we focus on our obligatory prayers, Allah will help us with the voluntary.

It’s not the other way around.

Because sometimes, the person doesn’t pray the obligatory but will pray the

Taraweeh and Qiyaam ul-Layl in Ramadan. Yes, all these ARE important

but if you want Allah to help you pray them you have to focus on your

obligatory prayers first.

One of the mistakes we fall into in Ramadan is that when we’re praying in

the Masjid and the Imaam has already finished Isha and will begin Taraweeh

in sometime, people end up quickly finishing Isha in order to catch

Taraweeh.

But Isha prayer has more priority because it’s obligatory and thus more

beloved to Allah SWT.

So we need to think about the importance of prayer in Ramadan especially

the obligatory; 5 times prayer.

Allah has said that Islam is built on 5 pillars. First the Shahadatain, Second

the Salaah (prayer). Immediately after Shahadatain comes the Salaah. It’s a

very important pillar.

And it’s not permissible to delay the prayer or leave it. It’s a priority in our

lives.

E.g. You’re working and your boss tells you that he needs you to come at 10

am tomorrow to collect your salary and get some privileges. What will you

do? Will you reach an hour or two late? Rather you’ll try and reach before

time just so that you don’t miss it, because if you do- you know you’ll be in

big trouble.

E.g. If you got a doctors’ appointment, will you delay it? No because if you

do, you know you’ll miss it.

And if this is how we deal with the people, and their rights, then what

about when we are dealing with the Lord of the worlds and His rights? Just

because Allah is forbearing and merciful and kind towards us does it mean

we neglect our prayer? That’s why we need faith to deal with Allah.

Make the obligatory prayers your first priority. We cannot leave the prayer

for ANY reason. Even the sick person who cannot get up from his bed

cannot leave the prayer. So what about the person who is healthy? Allah has

given us health to worship Him.

There is a Hadith by Prophet (saw) which says that between Imaan and

disbelief is leaving the prayer.

That means the person who leaves the salaat is considered is a Kaafir. He

doesn’t want the connection with Allah (swt).

Don’t wait for Ramadan to start the prayer.. you need to start the

repentance from NOW. You need to feel so guilty and repent and stop this

sin immediately.

What does Salaat mean in Arabic?

It comes from the word Sila’ meaning to be connected. Because this is a

connection between you and Allah , from the time you say Allahu Akbar till

the time you say the Tasleem.

In life to get an appointment with a human, you have to contact their

secretary or someone below them… And then wait for a month or two to

finally meet the person. And sometimes it’s not even guaranteed if you will

even get an appointment.

But with Allah, the Lord of us and everything around us, you don’t even

need an appointment. He is so generous and Merciful that you just have to

say “Allahu Akbar” to get connected with Him! No one will make you wait

at the door, no one will ask you to wait.. all you have to do is have the

intention, purify yourself and say Allahu Akbar. It’s so much more easier to

get connected to Him than to anybody else.

And yet we are so lazy about connecting with Allah…even when He is the

Provider, the Most High. And once you connect to Him, you’ll never be

miserable. And prayer helps keep you away from evil. In [29:45]:

“Recite (O Muhammad SAW) what has been revealed to you of the Book (the Quran), and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat). Verily, As-Salat (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahsha' (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed, etc.) and the remembering (praising, etc.) of (you

by) Allah (in front of the angels) is greater indeed [than your remembering (praising, etc.) Allah in prayers, etc.]. And Allah knows what you do.”

And after all this, we’re still not praying?!

It’s a loss that you connect with everything but you don’t connect with the

Most High.

2) The Voluntary Prayers

Once you prioritise your obligatory prayer, Allah will help you with you

voluntary prayer.

What voluntary prayers can one do in Ramadan?

Voluntary prayers are the best deeds that make you close to Allah swt after

the obligatory and Jihaad fi sabeelillah (even seeking knowledge about Allah

and His religion).

One may ask how come student of knowledge has more reward than the

voluntary prayer? if you have more knowledge, your prayer will have

better Quality. Knowledge reforms you and reforms the society.

There is a hadith by (saw) that says that you will not pray voluntary prayers

(increase in your sujood) Allah will elevate you in rank for every sujood and

erase one sin.

What is Nawaafil? It should be done after the obligatory prayer and is called

‘Rawaatib’

The voluntary associated with the obligatory prayers.

Rawaatib before Obligatory Rawaatib after

2 Fajr 2

2+2 Dhuhr 4 2

Asr 4

Maghrib 3 2

Isha 4 2

This can be done in any other month as well. Not just Ramadan.

And the Prophet (Saw) has said that whoever prays these twelve ‘rakaat of

Rawaatib, will have a house built in paradise for him.

Salaat ad-Duhaa:

This is done in the morning and its performed from about 12 minutes after

sunrise, to 12 minutes before Thuhr. The minimum is two Rak’ah, and the

maximum is as much as you want. It’s prayed two by two.

Al- Witr: (Performed throughout the year)

This prayer is prayed in odd numbers. It is Sunnah Mua’kaddah (hightly

recommended)

Best time: in the last third of the night. But if you cannot then you can pray

it before you go to bed at night. Min. 1 ra’kaa. Max. Any odd number

(1..3..5..7..9..)

Salaat At-Taraaweeh:

This is specially done in Ramadan. Taraweeh comes from the word ‘Raaha’

because you pray two Ra’kaa but take a small break and then pray another

two Ra’kaa.

The men pray it in the Masjid. And for it women, it depends on what they

feel like. They can pray in the house or in the Masjid. But it’s better for them

to pray it at home.

The Wives of the Prophet’s house was in the Masjid, but still they prayed at

home.

What actions are done in the prayer and how to

attain the Khushoo

One unit of the prayer is called Ra’kaa. So the main part of the prayer is the

Ra’kaa.

The Rak’aa consists of the Standing, the Rukoo, the raising up from Rukoo,

the Sujood, the sitting between the Sujood, sitting after the Sujood before

the Tasleem.

Preparation

But before you start with your prayer, you need to understand that As-Salat

is a connection between you and Allah. And before you enter the

connection you need to prepare yourself with purity. You need to take care

of your heart and you need to take care of the cleanliness of the place

you’re going to pray in, and your cleanliness which is why we make

Wudhoo/Ghusl to pray.

So preparation is needed before you stand in front of Allah

Allahu Akbar

And how do you start the connection with you and Allah? When you say

one magical word; ‘Allahu akbar’. This Allahu akbar is called ‘takbeeratul

ihram. And when you say this, you need to understand what this means.

Allahu Akbar means Allah is The Greatest.. Greater than what? Greater than

anything and everything in your life. If you are working and youre praying,

and you say Allahu Akbar, it means that He is Greater than your work. If

you are busy with business you say Allah is greater than my business. If you

are engaged with your family and say Allahu abkar, you say Allah is greater

than my family, husband, children, parents.. everything. Allah is greater than

every single thing in my life.

Because whatever is great in your life, your keep thinking about it, unless

you bring something that is greater than what you’ve been thinking about-

Allah.

And when you start your prayer with such an intention, then with time,

Allah will make it easy for you to fully concentrate with your connection

with Him in throughout your prayer In shaa Allah.. because we as humans

keep getting distracted.

As soon as you say ‘Allahu Akbar’ now and begin your connection with

Him, Allah places His face in front of your face. We don’t know how this

happens, but we believe in it. As long as your heart or face doesn’t turn

away, Allah has His Face in front of yours.

After you say Allahu Akbar and raise your hands to start the prayer, as if

youre saying ‘Ya Rabb I am submitting to you. I’m leaving everything

behind me.. my work, my business, my family, my husband, my money, my

house and starting a meeting with you.’

And when you start a new connection/meeting with Him you have to push

all of the Dunya behind you.

This should be our struggle, none of us are perfect so this is what we should

be struggling with all the time; perfecting our prayer.

The Standing in front of Allah

And now that you have started your prayer, imagine yourself to be standing

in front of Allah on the Day of Judgement.

I need to take care of my standing in front of Allah in this dunya, so that

Allah will take care of my standing in front of Him on the day of Qiyaama.

May Allah make it easy for us. And when you stand, stand like a slave.. his

eyes are on the floor and his hands are on the chest and his heart is filled

with submissiveness in front of his Master. Its as if youre saying, ‘O my Lord,

I’m at your service.’

Seeking Refuge from the Shaytan

After you finish your opening supplication and before you begin with

anything else, you start off by seeking refuge in Allah from the Shaytaan

because he will be coming again and again in your prayer. And you notice

my beloved sisters, as soon as you pray he will come and remind you of so

many things. And this is why we begin by seeking refuge from the Shaytaan.

Basmallah

Then you say

In other words:- I’m starting my prayer and I need your help Ya Rabbi.. and

I want your mercy O Allah. And one cannot attain His mercy without asking

Him for it.

Surah Al-Fatihah

When you read the faatiha, the special thing about the faatiha is that in

every ra'kaa you make a dua. and without faatiha the prayer isnt accepted.

it is the opening of the prayer. It is a conversation between you and Allah.

How is this surah supposed to be read? You read an ayah and then pause..

read an ayah and then pause...

Verse 2:

“All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).”

When you say this Allah says "My slave is praise is praising me. We cannot

hear it but we need to believe he is saying it.

Verse 3:

“The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.”

I want your mercy O Allah. And Allah replies saying "my slave over praise

me.”

Verse 4:

“The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)”

I admit O my Rabb that you are the owner of everything. I don’t want

anything in my life, and I have seen your kingship over everything.

Allah says in response: My slave has exalted me.

Verse 5:

“You (Alone) we worship, and you (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).”

You created me to worship and I cannot do so without your help.

Allah says "This is between me and my slave"

It as if Allah is saying He will grant his slave whatever he asks; Whatever dua

he makes. And what is the dua?

In Verse 6:

“Guide us to the Straight Way”

This is the best of the invocations. I want to be guided to the right path, to

be able to take the right decision, guided to meet the best of the people, to

buy the best of the things, etc. I want Allah to guide me to every step in my

life.

Verse 7:

“The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace , not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).”

I want the way of the Messengers and the Prophets. And for complete

guidance, we don’t want to be among those whom Allah is angry upon nor

amongst those whom Allah has misguided.

And then you conclude the dua with Ameen (O Allah, respond to my

supplication)

You need to pause between every verse while you’re reciting Surah Al-

Faatihah. Try to have your heart together AT LEAST for this surah.

The Rukoo

Now we come to the rukoo- as soon as you go into the Rukoo you say

Allahu Akbar! And this Allahu Akbar reminds you that Allah is the greatest,

so remove everything else from your heart.

You straighten your back in this position and glorify Allah. What should you

say? Subhaana rabbi'al adheem.

I am magnifying Allah because He is the Most Great. Nobody is greater than

Allah. I am bowing to the One who is great in His attributes and actions. So

I glorify Him by saying Subhaan Rabbi Al-Atheem.

The Standing after Rukoo

After you raise from bowing you say “SamiAllah liman Hamida”, which

means (Allah responds to the one who praises him)

It’s like you’re saying Ya rabbi respond to my praise.

In life, you need to show your submission thru your prayer. On the Day of

Judgement the ones who really bow to Allah in this Dunya will be able to

bow to Allah on that day. Don’t take the prayer as a burden. This is the best

enjoyment. When you are talking to your lord and your Lord is responding

to you. Nothing can be equal to that beautiful meeting.

And then you say “Rabbana walakal hamd”

The prayer is a praise; it’s a dialogue between you and Allah. It’s a feeling..

a belief of submission. It’s not an exercise..

The Sujood

Now after this praise you will go to the most beautiful action in the prayer;

the Sujood. We don’t know but Allah knows the wisdom behind 2 sujood

in one Ra'kaa. Everything else is once in the Rak'aa. Imagine from standing

you go to the lowest position of touching your forehead on your ground.

The Prophet has said the more sujood you do, the more Allah honours you;

because you put the most honourable part of your body on the ground just

for Allah's sake. When you do sujood you put all of your face on the

ground and tell Allah that o my Lord I am your slave. and this is the

position in which the slave is in the closest place to his Lord. and you say

Subhaana rabbi al 'Alaa. O my Lord you are the most High. you are the

most Great.

We need to fight the Shaytaan and push away all our thoughts. Push the

dunya behind us. And the sujood, because this place is so special... you make

dua there. Talk to Allah there... pour your heart to Him there.

In order to get all the feelings in your prayer is to pray as though it is your

last prayer subhan Allah. For example you’re praying Fajr, keep telling

yourself this is your last prayer, and this will automatically help you perfect

it.

The Sitting in between Sujood

Now it comes when you come up from your first sujood:

What do you do here? You say ‘Rabbigh firlee, rabbighfirlee, Rabbighfirlee’

three times. Meaning, ‘O Allah forgive me, O Allah forgive me, O Allah

forgive me.’ What is the wisdom behind asking Allah for forgiveness after

prostrating to Him? Its because I’m not worshipping Him as He should be

worshipped Subhan Allah!

You notice that after every position in the prayer there is a dua and an

action.

The Tashahud

Before the last, you have the tashahud. Before you finish the prayer, what

does tashahhud mean? Testimony. It is an adab before you finish the prayer.

All the greetings of this world belongs to Allah. Does He need your

greetings? No.. all the prayers belongs to Allah. All the connections only

belongs to Allah and no one else. All the goodness belongs to Allah.

Then salaam upon the Nabi, may Allah be pleased be upon you ya Nabi.

People be upon every Muslim slaves.

Imagine when you say this Du’a, it hits every Muslim around the world.