Salamun alaykum,
Question to Salim:
In the last days of Rajab, Salim visited the sixth Imam J’afar As Sadiq a.s. On seeing him the Imam inquired if he had kept any fast during the month of Rajab. Salim responded that he had not.
Reflect:
What would be your response if today, the beloved living Imam al Mahdi (AF) were to pose this question to you?
Great reward missed:
The Imam said,” How much reward have you missed that only Allah can estimate; for this is the month to which Allah has granted excellence over other months and great honour and has made respect for those who fast in this month obligatory upon Himself”.
What to do?
Salim then asked if he would be able to earn some of the rewards for fasting in this month if he kept fasts for the remaining days.
Imam J’afar As Sadiq a.s. replied, ”O Salim! Whoever keeps even one fast during its last days will be protected by Allah from the pains at the time of death, the fear after death and the punishment in grave. If a person keeps two fasts during its last days, he will pass over ‘sirat’ with ease and whoever keeps three fasts during its last days, will be protected from the great fear of the Day of Judgment and the great difficulties of the day and will be granted pardon from the fire of hell.”
Take advantage of these last days of Rajab:
Would you like to quench your thirst from the river Rajab on the final day, granted the great reward of Ridwan (Divine pleasure); be distanced from the wrath of Allah and a door of the Hell to be closed for you?.
We have been blessed by Allah SWT with life to once again witness this auspicious month of Rajab. Sadly we are now drawing close to the end of this sanctified month of Rajab.
How will you take advantage of the remaining days?
Why not grab the opportunity to act on the recommendation for fasting?
Close a door of hell:
“Know that whosoever fasts a day in the month of Rajab will be granted the great reward of Ridwan (Divine pleasure); the wrath of Allah shall be distanced and a door of the Hell shall be closed.”
(Noble Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.w.)
Unable to fast:
There is great emphasis on fasting even for a day during this month such that if one is unable to fast then it is recommended to offer food to the needy for each day.
As for one unable to do so then, in order to reap the thawab for fasting, one is to recite the following tasbih hundred times every day:
Subhaanal ilahil Jalil , Subhaana man la yanbaghi-t tasbihu illa lahu , Subhaanal a-'azzil akram , Subhaana man labisal ‘izza wa huwa lahu Ahlun.
(Glory be to Allah the Grand. Glory which befits none but Him. Glory to the Most Mighty, the Most Bountiful. Glory to Him Who reserved the power for Himself and which He alone deserves.)
Do not miss fast of 27th day of Rajab:
“Do not abandon fasting of the day of 27th Rajab. For it is the day on which Prophethood was commissioned upon Muhammad (SAWW) and its reward for you is equivalent to fasting sixty months.” Imam J’afar As Sadiq a.s.
This year, InshAllah, it will be on Thursday 8th February, 2024.
Wa ma tawfiqi illa billah.
With salaams and duas,
Sheikh Fazle Abbas Datoo
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Resident Alim
Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat