Ramadan Khutbah of the Prophet Muhammad (saw)
Ibn Khuzaimah (rh) reported on the authority of Salman al-Farsi (ra), 'The Messenger of Allah (saw) addressed us on the last day of Sha'ban and said:
"O people, there comes over you now a great month, a blessed month, a month in which there is a night which is better than a thousand months [this night refers to Layla-tul-Qadr, the Night of Power].听Allah has made fasting in it compulsory, and standing (in prayer) at night voluntary听[i.e.听Salat-ul-Taraweeh听is not compulsory but it is Sunnah].
"Whoever draws near to Allah by performing any virtuous deed [i.e. even a small good action]听shall be like the one who had performed an obligatory act (Fard)听in any other time, and whoever performs an obligatory act (Fard), shall be like the one who performed seventy obligatory acts in any other time.
"It is the month of patience (Sabr), and the reward for patience is Paradise. It is the month of sympathy with one's fellow men. It is the month wherein a believer's provision (Rizq) is increased.
"Whoever provides Iftar for a fasting person in it [i.e. in Ramadan], then that shall be a forgiveness for his (the feeder's) [minor] sins and freedom from the Fire.听And for such a feeder shall be the same reward as the one who fasted (whom he fed), without that person鈥檚 reward being decreased in the least".
They [the Companions (ra)] said, "O Messenger of Allah, not all of us possess the means whereby we can provide Iftar to a fasting person". He (saw) said, "Allah grants this reward to the one who gives a fasting person to break the fast one date or a drink of water or a sip of milk.
"And it is a month, the first (part) of which is mercy, the middle (part) of which is forgiveness and the last (part) of which is freedom from the Fire. Whoever lessens the burden of his servant [in this month] Allah will forgive him and free him from the Fire.
"So in it [this month], increase in four things: two of these things you will please your Lord by doing, and two of these things are indispensable to you. As for those two things which you will please your Lord by, they are testifying听that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah听[i.e. reciting the Kalimah] and seeking His forgiveness.听As for those two things which are indispensable to you, you should ask Allah for Paradise and seek refuge in Him from the Fire.
"And whoever gave听[in Ramadan]听to a fasting person water to drink, Allah shall grant that giver a drink from my fountain, such a drink where that person shall never again feel thirsty until he enters Paradise"'.
All italics are ours.
The rewards of giving Iftar in Ramadan are truly amazing, which is why it is one of our biggest appeals. This Ramadan, we are aiming to provide 4.5 million meals in 21 locations across the world, including Ramadan Family Food Parcels and cooked Iftar meals in Gaza. We hope you take advantage of these immense blessings. May Allah multiply the rewards of our fasts, grant us forgiveness for our sins and freedom from the Fire, and allow us to drink from the Prophet's (saw) fountain, Ameen.
