Conditioning Oneself To Fast And Other Good Deeds After Ramadan: Imam Ibn Rajb
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Few excerpts from wonderful work (Lataif al Maa'rif) of Al Hafith ibn Rajab
–may Allah have mercy on him.
Al Hafith Ibn Rajab (died 795h) stated:
Benefits obtained in conditioning oneself to fast after Ramadan
1. Fasting the six days of Shawwal completes the reward for fasting a full
year.
2. Fasting these six days and previously fasting in the month of Shabaan
(prior to Ramadan) is similar to the sunan ar rawaatib (voluntary prayers
associated to each obligatory prayer). These prayers proceed and succeed the
obligatory prayers, and correct the deficiency and insufficiency present
within them. Indeed voluntary prayers strengthen and perfect any deficiency
present within obligatory prayers as has been mentioned by the Messenger –salAllahu
alayhi wa salem- in several narrations. Most people possess fault and defect
in their obligatory prayers, and because of this the Messenger –salAllahu
alayhi wa salem- forbid a person from sayin: I have fasted and stood (in
prayer) the full month of Ramadan. (Abu Dawud, Nisaee) A companion upon
hearing this hadith said: I don't know if this forbiddance was due to dislike
of praise or due to defect present in the act of worship.
3. Conditioning oneself to fast these days of Shawwal is a sign of acceptance
of Ramadan. If Allah accepts an action from His servant He gives that
individual the tawfeeq (success) to perform another righteous action
thereafter. Some (of the Salaf) used to say: The reward for a good deed is the
good deed that follows it. Therefore, whoever performs a good deed, and
follows it up with another, this is considered a sign of acceptance of the
first deed performed. Likewise, if one were to perform a good deed, and
thereafter perform an evil deed, this is considered a sign that the first
action was rejected and not accepted from that person.
4. Fasting the month of Ramadan warrants forgiveness for previous sins, as has
been mentioned previously. In addition to the fasting individuals being
rewarded for their completion of the month on the day of Eid, which is also
titled: The Day of Prizes. With this being the case, fasting the (6) days of
Shawwal is done to show appreciation for this great blessing (forgiveness of
sins), for indeed there is no greater blessing than it.
The Messenger –salAllahu alayhi wa salem- used to stand in prayer at night
until his feet bled. Upon doing so he was asked, would you perform such an
action while Allah has forgiven you your past and future sins?! The Messenger
–salAllahu alayhi wa salem- replied: Should I not be a grateful servant? Allah
–The Most Glorified and The Most High- has ordered His servants to glorify Him
in appreciation for fasting the month of Ramadan. This is done through
remembrance of Him and other forms of gratitude. Allah said:
{And in order for you to complete the prescribed days and
magnify Allah for having guided you, and so that you may be grateful to Him}
al Baqarah:185
And from those forms of gratitude of the servant to his Lord for having given
him success to fast Ramadan, assisting him in doing so, and forgiving him of
his sins and faults, is the servant fasting (6 days of Shawwal) upon the
completion of Ramadan as a means of appreciation. If the Salaf were given
success to pray night prayer on a particular night, they would fast the
following day in show of gratitude.
Wahb bin al Ward was asked about the reward for performing a particular
action, such as Tawwaf (encircling the Ka'ba), he responded: Don't ask about
the reward for performing such an action, but instead ask about what is upon
the individual of gratitude in appreciation for the success and assistance in
performing the action.
(Poetry)
If you have not increased in actions (of piety) in appreciation for the
blessings upon, then verily you are not grateful.
One must show gratitude for every blessing that Allah has bestowed upon him in
his religion and in worldly affairs. Once a person is given this tawfeeq to
(actually) show gratitude, then it is once more upon him to show gratitude in
appreciation for this tawfeeq. This is a continuous cycle of gratitude, and
because of this, a servant will never be able to fully show thankfulness (for
the blessings granted to him). The reality of gratitude is that an individual
confesses to his inability to (completely) show thankfulness. It was said:
(Poetry)
If showing thankfulness to Allah for a blessing bestowed on me is (itself)
another blessing, then it is incumbent upon me to show further gratitude.
(With this being the case), how can one (truly) show gratefulness except with
His (Allah's) favor, when days continue and life persists (constantly on
going).
Abu ‘Omrin as Shaybani said:
Musa –alayhi salam- said on the day of his visit to Mountain Turr: Oh Allah,
if I pray, then I do so by Your favor, if I give charity, then I do so by Your
favor, and if I spread Your message, then I do so by Your favor. How can I
show (complete) gratitude to You!? Allah responded: Oh Musa, now you have
showed gratitude.
As for the one who repays the blessing of being able to fast Ramadan, by
indulging in sin upon completion of the month, then this person is from those
who have repaid the blessings of Allah with ungratefulness. If this individual
is certain that once the month is over, he will return to sin, then his fast
is not accepted and the door of mercy is shut in his face.
The author further stated:
5. The actions of obedience that were performed during Ramadan do not end at
the conclusion of Ramadan, rather these actions continue as one has life. This
is similar to the previously (early in chapter) mentioned hadith: ''The one
who fasts after Ramadan is like the one who fled from the battle field and
later (after realizing the tremendous sin he committed) returns to fight in
the way of Allah.''
This is because, many people rejoice at the conclusion of Ramadan due to the
difficulty, boredom and length of fasting. A person who views fasting Ramadan
in such a way will more than likely not immediately return to (voluntarily)
fasting. Therefore, the person who immediately begins fasting after completing
Ramadan (Shawwal) is displaying his strong desire to fast and he is
demonstrating that he did not become bored nor did he dislike fasting the
month of Ramadan.
The author further said:
It was said to Bishrin: Indeed the people are worshipping and diligently
(performing good deeds in Ramadan). He replied: How terrible are the people
that only acknowledge the rights of Allah in Ramadan. Verily the pious
individual is one who worships and is diligent throughout the year.
The actions of The Messenger –salAllahu alayhi wa salem- were constant. ‘Aisha
–may Allah be pleased with her- was asked: Did The Messenger choose a specific
day (for the performance of righteous deeds)? She replied: No, his actions
were constant. She also stated: He would never increase in Ramadan nor in
other than Ramadan over 11 units (in voluntary night prayer).
The author later stated: The (righteous) actions of a believer do not end
until death befalls him.
Hasan al Basri said: Indeed Allah did not indicate an end to the actions of a
believer except at the time of death. Then Hasan recited the verse of Allah:
{And worship your Lord until death approaches} surah hajr:99
The author continued:
These months, years and days are all limited durations and times of actions,
then they (time) will quickly pass and end. But The One (Allah) who created
this time and duration, and designated within them merits, He will always
remain and never end, He is everlasting and unchangeable, and He is at all
times one Lord. He is always a watcher and seer over the actions of His
servants. Glory is to He who has revolved His servants at various times,
through actions of obedience. He bestows great merits upon them during these
various times, and upon completion (of these actions) He rewards them with
generosity and kindness. Once the three precious forbidden months (ashur al
hurm) are complete, the first of them being the forbidden month, and the last
of them being the fasting month, these three months then approach the month of
Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House of Allah (bayti Allahi al Haram). So just as
''Whoever fasts Ramadan and stands within it with faith and seeking a reward,
all his past sins will be forgiven for him'', similarly: ''Whoever performs
Hajj to the House of Allah and does not have sexual relations nor commit
indecent acts, he will return (from Hajj) similar to the day his mother gave
birth''
Therefore, there is not a time that passes in the life of the believer except
that there are specific actions of obedience designated by Allah upon His
servants during that time. The believer revolves between these various times
seeking a means of closeness to his Lord while in a state of hope and fear.
The one who loves Allah does not become bored from seeking nearness to Him
through voluntary actions, nor does he desire other than His nearness and
pleasure.
He (author) later stated:
Ask Allah to make you firm upon (His) obedience until death approaches you,
and seek refuge with Him from the changing of one's heart and from wickedness
after piety. How strange is shamefulness of sin after worthiness of obedience,
and how strange is poverty of greed, after wealth of contentment!
He (author) later stated:
Oh youths of Tawbah (mature individuals who perform tawbah): Do not return to
suckling from the breast of desire (hawaa) after you have weaned from it.
Indeed breastfeeding is only befitting for babies and not for (grown) men, but
one must be patient upon the bitterness of weaning. If you are patient in this
matter the taste of desire (hawaa) will be substituted with the sweetness of
faith (eman) in your hearts. Whoever abandons something for the sake of Allah,
he will not miss that thing, and Allah will substitute it with that which is
better. Allah says:
{If Allah knows that you have good present in your heart, He will give you
better than what was taken from you and forgive you your sins} surah al
Anfal:70
It is stated in a hadith: ''Verily the look (at what is haram) is an arrow
from the arrows of Ibless (Shayton). If one abandons this look out of fear,
Allah will replace it with sweetness in the heart'' (recorded by Hakim and
declared to be weak)
The youth are being addressed in this hadith, but as for the elder person,
then he committing sins after completion of Ramadan is worse and more
repulsive. This is because a young person may intend to repent toward the end
of his life, and this is also dangerous because death may suddenly approach
him, but concerning the elder person, his boat (of life) has docked at the
pier of Manun (death), so what does he intend?!
These were just a few excerpts from this wonderful work (Lataif al Maa'rif) of
Al Hafith ibn Rajab –may Allah have mercy on him.
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon His last Messenger Muhammed, and
upon his family members and companions.
Important note: In yesterdays gathering with Sheikh Alee bin Yahya al Haddadee
(senior student of Sheikh Yahya an Najmee), the Sheikh informed: Being that
the 6 days of Shawwal are specific voluntary days, one must make the intention
to fast before fajr. This can be done on each individual day, or if one is
fasting 6 consecutive days, then they can make the intention at one time upon
beginning the fast. If a person does not make his/her intention to fast the 6
days of Shawwal before fajr, then he/she will not receive the reward of
fasting Shawwal.
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