Multiply Your Rewards: The Power of Paying Zakat During Ramadan

During Ramadan – Acting Head of the Islamic Studies Department, Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Dr. Idris ONI, talks to FATTEH HADI on the importance of the five daily prayers when fasting and why Muslims shouldn’t miss any of them, in addition to other matters

What is the significance of the evenings in Ramadan?

Each evening of Ramadan is just as good as the day of Ramadan, and every second of Ramadan is crucial because it’s unlike any other month in the year. We are particularly concerned about the final ten nights of Ramadan because the awe-inspiring Qur’an is revealed during these nights. The last ten nights are among the most significant nights of this month, called Ramadan. However, as I mentioned, each night is equally important.

It is said that the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) stated that each night during Ramadan is when the Almighty Allah takes people out of hell and welcomes them into heaven.

This is why we are advised to make many prayers each evening throughout Ramadan and throughout the day by performing many charitable acts, including studying the Qur’an and offering alms.

This is why you can see that during Ramadan, people can give charitable acts greater than they do during other times in the calendar. Also, every day of the month can be crucial, and more importantly, the final ten days.

Does it exist that Muslims who don’t observe the five prayers of the day are not eligible for the benefit of not fasting during Ramadan?

We all know that Islam is a religion that Allah created, and there are methods to it. Islam is founded on five pillars. The first one is to believe in Allah, followed by Solat, a prayer five times a day. Then, there is Zakat, Ramadan, and then Hajj, which is the journey to the sacred place of Makkah.

Numerous scholars have stated that if a person isn’t praying while doing a fast, Allah will not take the fast seriously, and this is from the hadith, which states that if a person dies, the first thing to be inspected on their good deeds is their acts of Solat. Once completed and kept to a certain point, every other act is accepted, and mistakes are cleansed.

Suppose daily prayer is not observed or marked; all other acts, even fasting, are deemed unworthy. In this regard, certain scholars have argued that if one isn’t able to pray the daily prayers and fasts, then their prayers, as well as other actions, become null and void and are not eligible for reward in the future.

However, one of our educated scholars also claimed there is a reward for fasting and for praising each day’s prayers. Suppose someone has faith and trusts in Allah and His Messenger, yet they don’t offer prayers, possibly because they do not think it to be essential or do not have the right attitude toward praying or any other issue.

These scholars believe that if one isn’t praying Solat, they fast during Ramadan. In that case, Allah will still be rewarded for the fast, and the person could remain penalized for not following all five prayers of the day.

What is the most appropriate time to pray for Allah in Ramadan?

During Ramadan, the entire time is ideal for prayer. However, there are specific times when praying every day of our lives is recommended. When the times are in the month of Ramadan, they are more effective, and prayers are accepted. What exactly are these dates?

There are three phases: from 7 pm until midnight, from midnight to 3 am, and between 3 am and Fajr (the time for the morning prayer). Prayers offered during the night’s third period cannot be disregarded; this is a decisive moment to supplicate before waking to the mosque following the morning prayer.

Don’t doze off, but instead study the Qur’an or contemplate Shurooq (when it is the time when the sun is entirely up early in the day), then take 2 Rakats of prayers, then pray. Prayers are accepted during this time, too.

In addition, during the time between Zuhr and Asr prayers, prayers aren’t rejected, and supplications that follow obligatory prayers by lifting both hands towards Allah are not rescinded.

Prayers are made when we break our fasts at night just before drinking dates or water. Allah will never accept prayers offered at that time. Prayers in prayers during the Maghrib or Ishai prayers, during the conclusion of the Tahajjud (midnight prayer), are considered.

These are just a few instances when prayers are strongly recommended. As I mentioned, every second during Ramadan is a moment in which prayers are recited and for prayers to be granted and accepted.

What is the importance of Muslims participating in Tafseer (evening lectures during Ramadan)? Should it be compulsory or encouraged?

Participating in the Tafseer in Ramadan is highly recommended but not required. It is a good idea because Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an. That’s why we conduct much Quranic research during this time since it is the month when The Qur’an first came out and the revelation was initiated.

Attending these gatherings is extremely rewarding, and the benefits are distributed across various sectors. It’s rewarding since it makes fasting more simple. It is worth spending time on because when you are at the Tafseer, you can comprehend the Qur’an.

It is a chance to communicate with Allah through the Tafseer. He talks to you through the Tafseer, which you then read and understand the meaning behind the Qur’an.

Additionally, we learn to appreciate our religion more thoroughly and comprehend to a greater degree what Allah would like to do and what He doesn’t do. Attending the Tafseer isn’t required, but strongly advised due to the rewards you can get from it. There’s no offense if one does not follow, but it’s encouraged and essential for Muslims to attend these gatherings.

We discussed the Night of Majesty earlier in the past ten days. What exactly is the Night of Majesty, and what are the indicators to look for that? Indeed, this night is, in particular, one of the Nights of Majesty.

The Night of Majesty has its particularity in regards to the signs. However, the signs we discussed about them can be observed on other days as well. Sometimes, it’s difficult to determine because Allah has created it that way to allow us to continue searching for the signs.

One of the things we have learned from the experts is that nighttime will be something like a small shower. The night sky generally won’t have any stars at all. The morning is also likely to have some light rain.

As the day ends, as the sun begins to rise, we’ll be able to observe that the sun that grows in the morning will be white, making it a bit different compared to the kind of day we experience every day.

Then, it will become a calm. These are just some of the opinions of scholars; however, I’ve observed that there isn’t a single view on the signs that are associated with this Night of Majesty, which is the reason that no one can state without absolute certainty that this could be an actual Night of Majesty.

I believe that the doubts over whether it’s the night of this night or not are precisely the things Allah would have wanted to do for us during the last ten days to ensure that we may increase our worship and increase our closeness to Allah and not be content with the days of these weeks until we know that we have done our best in our acts of worship during the last 10, days, and even nights. We should then have been able to meet that Night of Decree.

Categories: PRAYER (Salat), ALMS (Zakat), SAWN (Fasting) HAJJ (Pilgrimage) & DUA (Supplications), Hadith and Tafseer, The Holy Quran, Quran Jaz 1- 114

Topics: Ushr and Zakat, Hijab, Arabic Corner, Faith, Islamic History, Biography, Sirat ul Nabi PBUH, Islamic Studies, Halal & Haram

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