Hadhrat Salman radiyallahu anhu says that on the last day of Shabaan, Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam spoke to us and said:
“O People, there comes to you a great month now, a most blessed month, in which is a night greater in value and goodness than a thousand months. It is a month in which Allah Ta’ala has made fasting obligatory by day and has made Taraweeh Sunnah at night. Whosoever wants to be close to Allah Ta’ala by doing any good deed (optional deed), for such person shall be the reward like the one who had performed an obligatory act in any other time and whoever performs an obligatory act, shall be given the reward of seventy obligatory actions in any other time.”
This is indeed the month of patience and the reward for true patience is Jannah (paradise). It is the month of showing kindness to everyone. It is the month in which a true believer’s sustenance is increased. Whosoever feeds a fasting person in order to break the fast at iftar (sunset), for him there shall be forgiveness of sins and freedom from the fire of Jahannam (hell) and he shall receive the same reward as the fasting person (whom he fed) without the fasting person losing any reward.
Thereupon we said, ‘O Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, not all of us can afford to give a fasting person something to break his fast with.’
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam replied, ‘Allah Ta’ala gives the same reward to the one who gives a fasting person to break the fast, just one date or a drink of
water or a sip of milk.’
This is a month, the first of which brings Allah Ta’ala’s mercy, the middle of which brings His forgiveness and the last of which brings freedom from the fire of Jahannam.
Whosoever gives less work to his servants or workers (who are also fasting in this month), Allah Ta’ala will forgive him and free him from the fire of Jahannam.
There are four actions you should undertake abundantly in this month, two of which shall be to please Allah Ta’ala, while the other two shall be those which you cannot do without. Those which shall be to please Allah Ta’ala, are that you should recite in great number the Kalimah Tayyibah – Laa ilaaha illallah, and to recite istighfaar (seek forgiveness by reciting astaghfirullah) and as for those which you cannot do without, you should beg of Allah Ta’ala for admission into Jannah and seek protection in Him from Jahannam.
And whoever gives a fasting person water to drink, Allah Ta’ala shall grant him to drink from my fountain, such a drink, after which that person shall never feel thirsty again until he enters Jannah.”
(Saheeh Ibn Khuzaimah)
Muslims First 