Bismihi Ta`ala

*THE DISTINCTIVE PRIORITIES OF RAMADHAAN: FASTING, ZAKAAT, SALAAH AND QUR-AAN.* 

*In Surah Baqarah verse 185,  Allah Ta`ala mentioned *‘’THE MONTH OF RAMADHAAN’’* with a highlighting eloquence in the Qur-aan:*

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ 

*THE MONTH OF RAMADHAAN is the one in which Qur-aan was revealed as guidance for mankind, and as clear signs that show the right way and distinguish between right and wrong. So those of you who witness the month must fast in it. But the one who is sick or is in a journey(should fast) as much from other days(as he missed). Allah intends to provide ease for you and does not intend to create hardship for you.*

(Surah 2: verse 185).*

 *We have to read lots of Quraan during Ramadhaan. It is sunnah to do tilawat khatmes of Quraan (excluding taraweeh) during Ramadhaan(Bukhari):

*وقال مسروق عن عائشة عن فاطمة عليها السلام أسر إلي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن جبريل كان يعارضني بالقرآن كل سنة وإنه عارضني العام مرتين ولا أراه إلا حضر أجليبخاري*

Before the beloved prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam departed from this world, he whispered in the ears of Fatima r.a. that every year, he used to rehearse the Quraan wholly to Jibra-eel a.s. once. But this last Ramadhaan, he rehearsed me twice. I find no reason for that surplus but to believe that my life has come to term.*(Bukhari)*

*At least do one khatme and also note that pious people used to do one khatme daily! So use all the time corners possible to score more Khatmes of Qur-aan as possible.*  

*Since Quraan revelation started during Ramadhaan, then know that it is the best month to connect to Qur-aan. And also note that Allah Ta`ala has chosen to restart Islam during Ramadhaan and hence if there is anything to start, then start it during Ramadhaan. Also one is invited to follow the guidance of the revealed Qur-aan.(see above verse) Amongst the obligation of revelation is belief. So strengthen our belief with sacrifice for deen. Sacrifice starts from the heart, then to the body and also pulls from our wealth. In whole, spending freely from things that we cherish for the pleasure of All Mighty.* 

*Amongst those expenditures, the most unnoticed is Fasting. To walk, sit and work without eating, drinking and intimacy is a normal state of humans. But no one knows about that one who purposely left eating from before daybreak(sehri) and will remain hungry and thirsty until sunset. That is why Allah Ta`ala said: ‘’Fasting is mine. And hence I will personally compensate for that.’’(Bukhari) So fasting increases faith volume together with Taqwa(carefulness in obedience) and brings patience. Also a fasting person will bring love from Allah such that the mouth odour of a fasting person is more pleasant to Allah than Musk perfume.(Bukhari) That is why we should try to make our children easy on fasting by making them fast a few fast as small as 5, 7 years old. Then they should fast wholly at 10.*   

*Salaah is a basic component of faith that is physically seen. This sacrifice of being always timely conscious of prostrating in front of Allah is a sacrificial component that is increased during Ramadhaan. Besides the 5 daily salaahs, 20 Rakaats of taraweeh increases closeness and happiness to the divine pleasure. Listening to one whole Qur-aan during Taraweeh salaah is recommended. The harmonious sound wave of Qur-aan was revealed and hence more heart soften during Ramadhaan. One is recommended to do at least one Qur-aan reading outside salaah during Ramdhaan.* 

*And know that deen will not be complete until we sacrifice part of the wealth that we cherish.(Surah 3;verse 92). 2.5% is a minimum sacrifice of those who are rich.(Nisaab is 612.36 gram of silver) This is called Zakaat. And this 2.5% zakaat is spent on poor muslims to enhance a better wealth distribution and annihilate poverty. Such that the pinnacle of Islam is a world free of social danger and absolutely no poor people in the society.(See the prophecies of prophet Muhammad).* 

*Zakaat is connected to Ramadhaan because ulamas of the first generations and the last generation preferred that month due to its surplus virtue. In fact there are riwayahs that Hazrat Usman r.a. linked-according to most ulamas- Zakaat with the month of Ramadhaan:*

قال عثمان رضى الله عنه: ” هذا شهر زكاتكم , فمن كان عليه دين فليقضه ثم يزكى بقية ماله “.أخرجه ابن أبى شيبة فى ” المصنف ”  

*Hazrat Usman r.a. said: ”This is the month for calculation of your Zakaat. One who has a debt should pay that debt and then calculate his zakaat from the rest of his wealth.”(Ibn Abi Shaibah)*

 *Although some ulamas refered to Muharram, but most of the ulamas are of view that the month referred to here is Ramadhaan.(Bada`i; Fathul Bari; Al Mughni, etc)* 

*And we find the virtue of spending during Ramadhaan from the hadith of Bukhari sent before and also from the following hadith of Tirmizi where Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said that the most virtuous Sadaqah are those given during Ramadhaan:*

عَنْ ثَابِتٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَسُئِلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَيُّ الصَّوْمِ أَفْضَلُ بَعْدَ رَمَضَانَ فَقَالَ شَعْبَانُ لِتَعْظِيمِ رَمَضَانَ قِيلَ فَأَيُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ صَدَقَةٌ فِي رَمَضَانَترمذي *

Techically, your exact date of Zakaat accountability should have been when first time you have had nisaab in your financial career after puberty. But since almost all of us have forgot the first day that we had nisaab during our life, then the above ahadiths indicates that Ramadhaan is the best month to choose. Any date during Ramadhaan may be specified as such and zakaat calculation will be done exactly that date every year. But, basing on the principle of awwaliyat, the best day to calculate Zakaat during Ramadhaan is the 1st Ramadhaan.*

*Anyhow, that Islamic date would have been the yearly inventory date whereby the NET CURRENT ASSETS of each company should be valued. An individual would value his Stock, Debtors, Jewellery, shares at market price value then minus(-) the creditors and loans. As such account everything as at that date every year, irrespective of money deposited even yesterday or last Shawaal. Get the bank balance today, get the stock valued at realising value as at today and the jewellery value if realised today by the jeweller. Minus those who you owe.*

*Shareholders will calculate their share fraction in the company to multiply that to the net current assets and that to 2.5.*

*Whole Ramadhaan Fasting and Salaah with conviction, faith and hoping to obtain goodness from Allah, brings complete forgiveness.(Bukhari)* 

*And know that the ultimate aim of spending a sacrificial Ramadhaan is closeness to Allah, forgiveness and a power bank of will for obedience to Allah for the whole year. Having more Ramadhaan in a life is a bonus definitely compared to those who had less Ramadhaan in their lives.(Musnad Ahmad)*

 Mufti Mackoojee @MuftiMackoojee

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