Day 30: Renewing Our Intentions

Umar bin al-Khattab (ra) relates that: “I heard Rasulullah (saw) saying, “Verily actions are by intentions, and for every person is what he intended…” (Bukhari; Muslim)

In a hadith Qudsi, the Prophet (saw) tells us that Allah (swt) said, “And My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more loved to Me than the religious duties I have obligated upon him. And My servant continues to draw near to me with nawaafil (extra good) deeds until I Love him. When I Love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to seek refuge with Me, I would surely grant him refuge.” (Bukhari)

Ibn Al-Qayyim said, “Those who are the closest to Allah are the ones who

Welcome to the 2011 Ramadan Countdown!

Assalamu Alaikum and welcome to the Ramadan 30 Day Countdown! This is a humble effort from a handful of brothers and sisters, hoping to remind themselves and others of daily tips in order to prepare us all to get the most out the blessed month of Ramadan.

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) told us, “When the month of Ramadan comes, the Gates of Heaven are thrown open and the Gates of Hell are shut, and the shayateen are put behind bars.” In another report, the “Gates of Mercy” are mentioned in place of the “Gates of Heaven”. [Bukhari and Muslim]

People have often wondered how is it that we still struggle in the month of Ramadan, and commit sins while even the shayateen are locked up? Ibn Hajjar in his discussion of this hadith in Fath al-Bari, noted that