Laws of Apologize Before Ramadan Arrives

The tradition of apologize before Ramadan arrives has  become a tradition for the majority of Moslems. Indeed, apologize is an obligation that must be done by everyone to others as a part of rewards in Ramadan. Especially for they who have faults or abuse others. As in the hadith below :

“Someone who has abused his brother in anything, than today he must ask his act to be halal by his brother, before the day that there is no dinar or dirham come. Because if that person has a good deed, it will be decreased to pay his absolutism. But if he has not a good deed, then he will be added sin to him from people who has been abused by him.” (Narrated by Bukhari number 2449)

Forgiving and apologize each other are not only a tradition. But it is a value that must be implanted. Because in Islam, apologize each other is a key to make unity and avoid enmity. As the word of the Messenger of Allah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam,

إن الله تجاوز لي عن أمتي الخطأ والنسيان وما استكرهوا عليه

“Indeed Allah has forgiven His people that make mistakes because they are not intentionally, or because they forget, or because they are forced.” (Narrated by Ibn Majah, 1675, Al Baihaqi, 7/356, Ibn Hazm in Al Muhalla, 4/4, it is validated by Al Albani in Shahih Ibn Majah)

Basically, apologize should not wait the fasting month arrives. But, we are advised to apologize when we have a mistake. Because in the daily life, we are never far away from mistakes or sin or error. But, how Islam view exactly the tradition of apologize before Ramadan. For more detail, here will be explored about the law of apologize before Ramadan arrives.

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The Law of Apologize Before Ramadan Arrives

The tradition of apologize before Ramadan is a tradition that must be preserved. The basic of that tradition is this hadith below :

عن أبي هريرة  أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم رقي المنبر فقال : آمين آمين آمين فقيل له : يارسول الله ما كنت تصنع هذا ؟ ! فقال : قال لي جبريل : أرغم الله أنف عبد أو بعد دخل رمضان فلم يغفر له فقلت : آمين ثم قال : رغم أنف عبد أو بعد أدرك و الديه أو أحدهما لم يدخله الجنة فقلت : آمين ثم قال : رغم أنف عبد أو بعد ذكرت عنده فلم يصل عليك فقلت : آمين  قال الأعظمي : إسناده جيد

“From Abu Hurairah: Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi Wasallam came up to the pulpit then he said : ‘Amen, Amen, Amen’. The companions asked : “Why do you say like that, O Messenger of Allah?” Then he said, “Jibril just said to me : ‘Allah curses a servant who pass Ramadan without forgiveness’, then I said, ‘Amen’, then Jibril said again, ‘Allah curses a servant who know that his parents are still alive, but He does not make him to enter the Jannah (because he does not devote to them),’ then I said : ‘Amen’. Then Jibril said again, ‘Allah curses a servant who does not shalawat when your name is mentioned’, then I said, ‘Amen’.” Al-A’zhami sai : “This sanad hadith is jayyid)

It is told us more about this in hadith that its interpretation means :

When Rasulullah was doing khutbah on Friday prayer (in the month of Sya’ban), he said Amen three times, and as soon as companions heard Rasulullah said Amen, they are shocked and spontaneous to said Amen, too. But companions were confused, why Rasulullah said amen until three times.

When Friday prayer finished, companions asked to Rasullah, then he explained : “When I was doing khutbah, came Jibril and whispered, hi Rasulullah, please say amen to my dua.”answered Rasulullah. [AdSense-B]

Dua of Jibril are:

“O Allah, please ignore the fasting of Muhammad people, if before entering the month of Ramadan, he did not do these things :

1). Not apologize first to their parents (if they are still alive);

2). Not apologize first between husband and wife;

3). Not apologize first with people near him.

See also :

• How to gain forgiveness in Islam
• How to get sins forgiven in Islam

Based on the two hadith above, of course it is clear that the law of apologize before Ramadan arrives is something that advised. Because the consequence if this apologize tradition is not done, then your fasting will be not given rewards.

Of course, this thing will be very adverse, because Ramadan is a noble month. Where you can do some good activities and get multiply rewards if it is compared with other months. As the hadith below :

“Whoever at that month approach to Allah with a goodness, the value like a person who do obligation acts in other months. And whoever do an obligation in that month, the value is as same as seventy times from an obligation that is done in the other months. The virtue of alms is an alms of Ramadan.” (Narrated by Bukhari-Muslim)

The month of Ramadan is a blessed month. As the hadith below :

“Indeed has come to you a blessed month. Allah obligates you to fast, because the door of heaven will be opened, the door of hell will be closed, Satan will be shackled, and there will be met a night that is more valuable than a thousand months. Whoever unsuccessful to get goodness, indeed he will not get it forever.” (Narrated by Ahmad, An-Nasa’i and Baihaqi)

There are still many virtues of Ramadan that must be taken advantages by all of Moslems. Because it is not only welcome happily, but it is expected that it can keep tradition before Ramadan. Where the tradition of apologize must be done, so you can get blessings and virtues of Ramadan.

As a blessed month, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala also promises to His people who worship earnestly in this month where they will get very delicious rewards, such as they meet prayers at the night of Lailatul Qadar. As the word of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala below :

“Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Lailatul Qadar (The Night of Decree). And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.” (QS. Al Qadr 1 – 3) [AdSense-C]

Let us not get many virtues of Ramadan such as the reward of sahur in Ramadan that is very expected and missed by all of Moslems.

To get it, we must understand rightly about the law of apologize before Ramadan arrives. So we can do the worship before Ramadan earnestly. Hopefully this article can help us to get many blessings in the month of Ramadan. Amen.

See also :

• How to not be lazy doing prayer when Ramadan
• Importance of reciting Quran in Ramadan
• Dua for the last 10 days of Ramadan