Salman al-Farisi told of God’s messenger saying in a sermon which he delivered to them on the last day of Sha'ban, “A great month, a blessed month, a month containing a night which is better than a thousand months has approached you people. God has appointed the observance of fasting during it as an obligatory duty, and the passing of its night in prayer as a voluntary practice. If someone draws near to God during it with some good act he will be like one who fulfils an obligatory duty in another month, and he who fulfills an obligatory duty in it will be like one who fulfills seventy obligatory duties in another month. It is the month of endurance, and the reward of endurance is paradise. It is the month of sharing with others, and a month in which the believer’s provision is increased. If someone gives one who has been fasting something with which to break his fast it will provide forgiveness of his sins and save him from hell, and he will have a reward equal to his without his reward being diminished in any respect.” Some of them remarked to God’s messenger that they did not all have the means to give one who had been fasting something with which to break his fast, and he replied, “God gives this reward to him who gives one who has been fasting some milk mixed with water, or a date, or a drink of water with which to break his fast, and anyone who gives a full meal to one who has been fasting will be given a drink from any tank by God and will not thirst till he enters paradise. It is a month whose beginning is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness, and whose end is freedom from hell. If anyone makes things easy for his slave during it, God will forgive him and free him from hell.”
The Excellence of Ramadan
This blessed hadith from Mishkat al-Masabih 1965 comprehensively outlines the virtues of Ramadan. The Prophet (ﷺ) describes it as "a great month, a blessed month" containing Laylat al-Qadr, superior to a thousand months. The scholars explain that this indicates the immense spiritual opportunities Ramadan presents, where ordinary acts carry extraordinary weight in divine scales.
Obligatory and Voluntary Acts
Fasting is ordained as obligatory (fard) while night prayers are emphasized as voluntary (nafilah). The classical commentators note that the combination of obligatory and supererogatory acts creates perfect worship. Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali states that the voluntary prayers complete what is lacking in obligatory acts.
The multiplication of rewards is extraordinary: a good deed equals an obligatory act in other months, while an obligatory act equals seventy such acts. Scholars like Al-Qurtubi explain this reflects Allah's boundless generosity, not mere arithmetic calculation.
The Month of Patience and Charity
Ramadan is termed "the month of endurance" (sabr). Al-Ghazali explains that fasting cultivates patience against desires, and the reward is Paradise. It is also "the month of sharing," where the believer's provision increases spiritually and materially through barakah.
Providing iftar, even with simple items like dates or water, brings immense reward: forgiveness of sins and protection from Hell. Scholars emphasize that the intention matters more than the quantity, making this accessible to all Muslims regardless of wealth.
Divine Mercy in Three Stages
The hadith beautifully divides Ramadan: beginning with mercy (rahmah), middle with forgiveness (maghfirah), and end with emancipation from Hell. Imam Al-Suyuti comments that this structure encourages continuous worship throughout the month, as each phase offers distinct divine blessings.
The final exhortation regarding easing the burden on slaves applies today to treating employees and subordinates with kindness. Classical scholars affirm that such compassion during Ramadan earns Allah's forgiveness and liberation from Hellfire.