Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "He who fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from God will have his past sins forgiven; he who prays during the night in Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from God will have his past sins forgiven; and he who passes Lailat al-qadr [Night of Decree] in prayer with faith and seeking his reward from God will have his past sins forgiven."(Bukhari and Muslim.)
The Threefold Path to Divine Forgiveness
This blessed hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, as recorded in Mishkat al-Masabih 1958, outlines three distinct yet interconnected acts of worship during the sacred month of Ramadan, each carrying the immense promise of forgiveness for previously committed sins, provided they are performed with the correct spiritual orientation.
The Condition of Sincere Faith (Iman)
The phrase "with faith" (imanan) is the foundational condition. It signifies that the fasting, prayer, and vigil must be performed with a heart firmly believing in God's commandment, affirming the truth of the Prophet's message, and recognizing the immense virtue and reality of these acts. It is not a mere physical abstention or ritual motion, but an act of conscious, heartfelt submission.
The Condition of Sincere Intention (Ihtisab)
The phrase "seeking his reward from God" (ihtisaban) means to perform these deeds with a pure intention, solely for the sake of attaining God's pleasure and His divine reward in the Hereafter. It necessitates freedom from ostentation (riya'), worldly gain, or any other ulterior motive. The servant's gaze is fixed upon the Divine Countenance alone.
The Merit of Fasting Ramadan
Fasting the entire month of Ramadan, when fulfilled with the aforementioned conditions, becomes a comprehensive spiritual purge. The scholars state that the "past sins" forgiven here refer specifically to the minor sins (al-sagha'ir), for major sins (al-kaba'ir) require specific, sincere repentance (tawbah). The fast serves as an atonement, cleansing the believer from the spiritual stains accumulated throughout the year.
The Merit of the Night Prayer (Qiyam)
Praying during the nights of Ramadan, most notably the Tarawih prayers, is singled out for this great virtue. This night vigil (qiyam al-layl) is the practice of the righteous, a time when the soul is most receptive, the distractions of the world are minimal, and the believer engages in intimate communion with the Lord of the worlds.
The Supreme Merit of Lailat al-Qadr
Passing the Night of Decree (Lailat al-Qadr) in prayer is the culmination of these acts. This single night is described in the Qur'an as "better than a thousand months" (97:3). To stand in prayer on this night with faith and sincere hope is to seize an opportunity for divine reward and forgiveness that surpasses a lifetime of worship, a unique mercy from the All-Merciful to this Ummah.
Conclusion: A Complete Spiritual Renewal
Thus, this hadith from the chapter on Fasting in Mishkat al-Masabih presents a complete program for spiritual renewal. It combines the daytime devotion of fasting with the nighttime devotion of prayer, crowned by the vigil on the most blessed night of the year. For the believer who fulfills these acts with a sound heart, it is a promise of emerging from Ramadan pure, forgiven, and reborn, as if on the day his mother bore him.