Sharfaa Mustapha, 17, is currently doing the one year Usul al Din course at Madina Institute. She is an animal lover, and is very adventurous. She loves the outdoors  and enjoys reading and knitting in my free time. She is passionate about community empowerment and embracing new challenges.

The virtues and mercies of the last ten days of the holy month of Ramadan

Ramadan is a blessed month for Muslims all over the world in which they increase in Ibaadah and good acts of worship in the hope that Allah ta’ala will forgive them their sins and free them from the fire of Jahannam.

The last ten days of this beautiful month is very special and is associated with freedom from the fire of Jahannam. Muslims spend these nights engaging in increased thikr, dua, istighfaar,and recitation of the holy Quran. They have a strong desire of attaining closeness to their Creator, while not only abstaining from food, drink and sexual interaction, but undergoing spiritual cleansing as well.

It is an opportunity for the erasing of previous sins and of creating good habits that can be practiced outside of the month of Ramadan as well.

There are many small changes we can make to the good things we do to ensure multiplied blessings. We can encourage our friends to accompany us to the mosque to pray solaah and taraweeg, we can make a bit extra food and feed our neighbors to ensure everyone has something to break their fast with, we can spend time with orphans and the elderly… the options are limitless.

Muslims also search for the night of Qadr (power) in the last ten days as the holy Quran was revealed to the beloved Nabi Muhammad (Sallahu alayhi wa alhi wa sallam) on this very night as a guidance for mankind. It is said to be a night greater than 1 000 months and anything we do on this night will have maximized rewards. When Rasullulah (Sallahu alayhi wa alhi wa sallam) was asked what prayer to recite during Laylatul Qadr he replied, “Say: O Allah, You are forgiving and You love to forgive, so forgive me.”

May Allah ta’ala grant us to reach Ramadan and gain the benefits thereof inshallah.

By Sharfaa Mustapha