Articles

Ramadan: The Month of the Qur’an
Author : Dr. Mohammad Al-Hunaiti
Date Added : 06-05-2025

Allah, The Almighty, Says in the Qur'an (What means): "Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong)." [Al-Baqarah/2]. Ramadan is the month of goodness, charity, generosity, and blessings. In it, the believers race towards attaining The Pleasure of Allah, His forgiveness, and mercy.

Undoubtedly, the doors to goodness and opportunities to increase acts of worship during this great month are many and varied; each person benefits from them in ways that increase their good deeds, elevate their ranks, and earn The Pleasure of Allah, The Exalted. Among these doors are: reciting the Noble Qur’an, studying it, and gaining understanding of its rulings.

Indeed, reading the Holy Quran is among the best and most esteemed deeds in the sight of Allah the Almighty. How could it not be, when the Holy Quran is the speech of The Lord of The Worlds, which He sent down as guidance for the righteous, and revealed to His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, as a mercy to the worlds.

Moreover, reading the Quran is recommended at all times, and it is even more emphasized during the month of Ramadan, because good deeds are multiplied in this virtuous month.

Among the evidence for the virtue of reading the Holy Quran is His saying, the Most High (What means: " For me, I have been commanded to serve the Lord of this city, Him Who has sanctified it and to Whom (belong) all things: and I am commanded to be of those who bow in Islam to God’s Will,- And to rehearse the Qur’an: and if any accept guidance, they do it for the good of their own souls, and if any stray, say: "I am only a Warner"." [An-Naml/91-92].

He The Almighty also Says (What means): "Those who rehearse the Book of God, establish regular Prayer, and spend (in Charity) out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly, hope for a commerce that will never fail:" [Fatir/29].

In addition, Abdallāh Ibn ‘Amr (May Allah Be Pleased with them) reported God’s messenger as saying: "The one who was devoted to the Qur’ān will be told to recite, ascend and recite carefully as he recited carefully when he was in the world, for he will reach his abode when he comes to the last verse he recites." [At-Tirmithi].

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "The one who memorized the Qur'an shall come on the Day of Judgment and (the reward for reciting the Qur'an) says: 'O Lord! Decorate him." So he is donned with a crown of nobility. Then it says: "O Lord! Give him more!' So he is donned with a suit of nobility. Then it says: "O Lord! Be pleased with him.' So He is pleased with him and says: "Recite and rise up, and be increased in reward with every Ayah. "[At-Tirmithi].

‘Abdallah Ibn ‘Amr (May Allah Be Pleased with them) reported God’s messenger as saying: "Fasting and the Qur’an intercede for a man. Fasting says, ‘O my Lord, I have kept him away from his food and his passions by day, so accept my intercession for him.’ The Qur’an States (What means): ‘I have kept him away from sleep by night, so accept my intercession for him.’ Then their intercession is accepted." [Ahmad].

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Allah has His own people among mankind.' They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, who are they?' He said: 'The people of the Qur'an, the people of Allah and those who are closest to Him." [Ibn Majah].

Abū Umāma (May Allah Be Pleased with him) said he heard God’s messenger say: "Recite the Qur’ān, for on the day of resurrection it will come as an intercessor for those who recite it." [Moslim].

However, it is obligatory upon the Muslim not to read the Quran as he reads other books, nor should his greatest concern be to increase the number of times he completes it. Rather, he should read the Holy Quran with contemplation and reflection. That is why the noble Companions would not move on from a verse until they acted upon it. Allah The Almighty Says (What means): "Then do they not reflect upon the Quran, or are there locks upon their hearts?" [Muhammad/24].

An-Nawwās Ibn Sam'ān (May Allah Be Pleased with him) said he heard the Prophet say: "On the day of resurrection the Qur’ān and those who acted according to it will be brought with sūra al-Baqara and Āl ‘Imran preceding them* like two black clouds or canopies with light between them, or as though they were two flocks of birds in ranks pleading for the one who recited them." [Moslim].

 I conclude with the saying of Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah Be Pleased with him): "The bearer of the Quran should be recognized by his night when people are sleeping, by his day when people are eating, by his sadness when people are rejoicing, by his weeping when people are laughing, by his silence when people are  engaging in idle talk, and by his humility when people are being arrogant.'" [Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in "Al-Musannaf"].

In this great month, the Muslim seizes every moment in obedience to Allah The Almighty and in reciting His verses, so that he may attain Allah's Pleasure and Paradise.

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

Article Number [ Previous | Next ]

Read for Author




Comments


Captcha


Warning: this window is not dedicated to receive religious questions, but to comment on topics published for the benefit of the site administrators—and not for publication. We are pleased to receive religious questions in the section "Send Your Question". So we apologize to readers for not answering any questions through this window of "Comments" for the sake of work organization. Thank you.




Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on intramuscular injections? Do they break the fast?

Therapeutic injections administered under the skin or into the muscles do not break the fast, as they do not enter the body cavity (jauf) through an open passage.
However, intravenous (IV) injections that provide nourishment do break the fast because they function like food and drink in effect.

What is the Sharia basis of the Udhiyah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
The Sharia basis of the Udhiyah (sacrificial offering) is firmly established through the Quran, the Sunnah, and the Consensus (Ijma') of the Muslims:
1. Evidence from the Holy Quran
Allah the Exalted says {what means}: "And the camels and cattle We have appointed for you as among the symbols of Allah; for you therein is good." [Al-Hajj/36]. He also says {what means}: "So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone]" [Al-Kawthar/2]. According to the most well-known scholarly interpretations of this verse, "prayer" refers to the Eid prayer, and "sacrifice" refers to the slaughtering of the Udhiyah.
2. Evidence from the Sunnah
Al-Bara' bin 'Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "The first thing we start with on this day of ours is to pray, then we return and sacrifice. Whoever does that has followed our Sunnah, and whoever slaughters before [the prayer], it is merely meat he has provided for his family; it is not part of the ritual sacrifice in any way" [Reported by Bukhari & Muslim].
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Prophet ﷺ sacrificed two white rams with horns. He slaughtered them with his own hand, mentioned the name of Allah (Tasmiyah), and said the Takbir" [Reported by Bukhari & Muslim].
3. Evidence from Scholarly Consensus (Ijma')
The Muslims have reached a unanimous consensus on the Sharia basis of the Udhiyah, and no one among the scholars has disagreed with this. [Al-Sherbini, Mughni al-Muhtaj, Vol.6/P.122].And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What are the Sunnahs and etiquettes related to the slaughtering of an animal?

 

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
1-Avoid terrifying the animal before it is slaughtered.
 
2-Do not slaughter the animal in front of others of its kind.
 
3-Offer water to the animal before the sacrifice.
 
4-Sharpen the knife thoroughly prior to slaughtering to ensure the cut is made as quickly and cleanly as possible. This is in accordance with the statement of our Master, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Indeed, Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, has prescribed excellence (Ihsan) in all things. So when you kill, kill well; and when you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each of you sharpen his blade, and let him put his sacrificial animal at ease." (Narrated by Muslim)
 
Do not begin skinning the carcass until you are absolutely certain that the animal has completely passed away.
 
Slaughter cattle, sheep, and goats while they are lying down on their left side, facing the Qiblah (direction of prayer). Leave the right leg untied so the animal can move it, helping it rest more easily during its final moments. For camels, however, the preferred method (Nahr) is to slaughter them while they are standing up, with their left knee tied. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

What is the ruling on offering a sheep as a sacrifice (Udhiyah) if its fat-tail is sound, except that when it was young, the tip of its fat-tail was cut so that it would grow larger? And what is the ruling in case of doubt regarding the amount that was cut?

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Cutting a minor, insignificant portion from the tip of an animal's fat-tail (al-alyah) to encourage it to grow larger is not considered a defect, and it does not prevent the animal from being valid for sacrifice (Udhiyah).
 
It is stated in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (Vol.9/P.352): "There is some scholarly deliberation regarding the common practice of cutting the tip of the fat-tail so that it grows larger. It could potentially be likened to a partial cut of the ear—supported by the jurists' general rule: 'even if it is a small amount.' On the other hand, if it is an exceptionally minor cut, it might have no effect on validity. This is explicitly clarified by the juristic exception to the general rule, which states that cutting a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm. This latter view is more well-founded.
 
Furthermore, I found that some scholars investigated this matter and concluded: 'It should not affect validity if a custom-sanctioned portion of its fat-tail is removed during its youth to make it grow larger and look better, just as castrating a male animal causes no harm.' However, applying this unconditionally contradicts the established texts of the jurists, as understood from what I have laid out; thus, the restriction I specified is what must be relied upon."
 
Similarly, it is mentioned in Nihayat al-Muhtaj (8/135): "If a small piece is cut from the fat-tail to help it grow larger, the most well-founded view is that the sacrifice remains valid, as was given in a formal legal verdict (Fatwa) by my father [Shihab al-Din al-Ramli], may Allah be pleased with him. This is proven by the jurists' maxim: 'The loss of a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm.'"
 
In cases where there is doubt as to whether the portion cut was large or small, the animal is still deemed valid for sacrifice. It is noted in Hashiyat al-Shubramallisi ‘ala Nihayat al-Muhtaj (Vol.8/P.135):
 
"This matter requires careful consideration, but the closer and more correct view is that it is valid. This is because soundness is the default state for the animal from which the piece was cut, and it aligns with what usually occurs—namely, that the part removed to help the fat-tail grow larger is naturally very small." And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.