‘Ramadan: Sleep less, be more generous’

An Islamic scholar, Ustaz Hassan Abubakar Dikko, has said that the last 10 nights of the Ramadan require Muslims to cut down on sleep and redouble effort in offering nafil prayers, recitation of the Holy Qur’an and seeking forgiveness towards attaining Allah’s mercy and sustaining the spiritual high they strived for in the preceding days of the blessed month.

Ustaz Dikko, who is presenting the Ramadan tafsir at the Federal Housing Estate mosque, Maitama, Abuja, organised by the Jos Izala Islamic group, said Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) always deprived himself of sleep, along with members of his family, in the last 10 days of the Ramadan to enable them engage in nafil prayers and reciting the Qur’an.

“The Prophet (pbuh) never slept in the last 10 days of Ramadan. He used to wake the members of his household, male and female and engaged them in supererogatory prayers until the end of the month,” he quoted a hadith from Aisha (ra) transinitted by Bukhari.

He also said it is unacceptable in Islam for anyone who could afford sumptuous iftar and sahur to allow his parents in the village, poor neighbour or relation to go hungry. “The ummah should be extra-generous during these last 10 nights of fasting by sharing with their relations, neighbours and friends because open-handedness and having a feeling for others are among lessons that are strongly encouraged during Ramadan, especially the last 10 nights.

“This generosity, coupled with other good attributes of the Muslim should also be extended to even the nonMuslims as this shows the non-believers the peaceful and progressive nature of the Islamic religion, and attract them to it,” he explained.

Ustaz Dikko noted that Ramadan, recurring after every 11 months, also serves as a boost to the imam of the ummah, reminding them of the need to strive to be close to Allah (swt), their creator and sustainer. “Ramadan shackles evil and teaches patience to the impatient and charity to the greedy.”

This opportunity offered by Ramadan should be used by the Muslim especially now that they are facing challenges locally and internationally, he said, adding that the ground for acceptance of the du’a, in whatever language or tribe of by Allah are the good deeds of man in accordance to the dictates of the Shari’ah.

He lauded the effort of the Sultan, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, as Muslims now start the Ramadan fast same day.