Ramadan-the ninth month of the Hijri calendar [Islamic calendar],regarded as the most highly esteemed & hallowed month of the same calendar, is about to cast it's sanctified shade upon us. It is the only month whose eminence & excellence is directly mentioned in the holy Quran by name, identically no other month of the same calendar is mentioned in the Quran by name nor such virtues of any other month are described .Ramandan's brilliance can be assessed by this fact that beloved Prophet(Pbuh) used to wait for this sanctified month for the whole year. Even some reports suggest that Prophet( PBUH) used to pray two months before Ramadan(In Rajab & Shaban) like,"O Allah bless us in Rajab & Shaban & enable us to reach Ramadan". So it is more than a huge blessing for a Muslim to be the part of this auspicious cum wonderful month.

It is apt to begin with some glimpses of that famous sermon reported by Salman al Farsi (RZ), which was delivered by the Prophet(PBUH) to his Sahaba on the last day of Shaban. "A sublime month, a blessed month, a month consisted of a night which is better than a thousand nights is about to cast it's shadow upon you .Observing fasting during it is an obligatory act. If someone performs a supererogatory act during this month it will be like as he performed an obligatory act in another month,& one who performs an obligatory act during this month It will be like one who fulfills 70 obligatory acts in another month .It is the month of patience & the remuneration of patience is Elysium .It is the month of sharing with others,& a month in which a believer's subsistence is increased. It is a month whose first ten days are mercy, whose middle 10 days are forgiveness, and the last ten days are freedom from hell. If anyone makes things easy for his subordinate during this month, Allah will forgive him and free him from hell"(Mishkat al-Masabih:1965).
Books of Hadith[Corpus of sayings of the prophet(PBUH)] are full of virtues, merits & rewards of Ramadhan, showing how monumental & glorified this month is. Here we quote few among them that add more to the excellence & brilliance of this blessed month.
It was narrated that Anas Ibn e Malik (Rz) said: "Ramadan began, and the Prophet(PBUH) said: "This month has come to you & in it there is a night that is better than a thousand months. whomsoever is deprived of it is deprived of all goodness,& no one is deprived of its goodness except one who is truly deprived"(Sunan ibn majah:1644).This Hadith clearly shows the importance & blessings of Ramadan & speaks about that special night within this month referred to as Laylat al-Qadr(The night of power) which is better than a thousand months(Al-Quran).This Hadith serves an impulse for Muslims to take full advantage of this blessed month & make sure that they don't miss out on its goodness.
Abu Huraira(Rz) reported: Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) said, when the month of Ramadan commences ,the doors of the Paradise are opened & the doors of the hell are locked & devils are chained(Sahih Bukhari:1899).In the context of this beautiful Hadith, a famous scholar comments as, Firstly, opening of the gates of paradise means believers are stimulated to engage ourselves in ample acts of worship like prayer, charity, recitation of Quran etc .Secondly, the doors of Hell are locked, for the reason minimum sins are recorded therein from the believers. Thirdly ,Devils are chained implies their hands are chained, so that they are not able to do what they do in other months(Ref: Riyadus Salihin).
In other Hadith,Abu Saeed al-Khudri reported; Prophet (PBUH) said, Whoever fasts during Ramadan, discerns its ambits ,and has saved himself from those acts about what he should have been about saving during it, will have expiated what came before(Meaning, his all former sins will be forgiven)(Musnad Ahmad:3659).This hadith is a glad tiding from the Prophet(PBUH),for one who has an ability to fast during this month & during his fast he is cognizant of & apply the circumscription of Allah, of what Allah has enjoined upon him & prohibitions(like indecent language ,immorality, false speech & actions etc. Allah(SWT) will expiate his former sins as a reward for his fasting.
In another well known Hadith the prophet said; Every deed of Adam's son is for him, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.' Fasting is a shield or aegis from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.' By Him in Whose Hands my soul is' The unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.(Sahih Bukhari:1904).
To conclude, we are blessed to witness another Ramadan in our lives, might be our last. Let us welcome it with gratitude & obedience. There can be no golden opportunity than this to consolidate our relationship with Allah(Swt).O seeker of Khyar, come forth. Make the most out of this ample opportunity.

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