Visit our YouTube channel for more
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said[1]:
On this night, the night of Sunday 11th of the blessed month of Ramadhaan, [of the] year 1420 (December 19th 1999).
Tonight is the night of Sunday, [which is] the first day of the week.
Tonight is the night of Sunday, [which is] the first of the middle ten [nights] of Ramadhaan.
We ask Allaah Ta’aala to rectify for us the first [ten – which have just passed] and the last [ten – which are to come].
On this night, I would like to remind myself and you all to take advantage of time before it passes, for indeed, the days are passing [by] quickly, particularly in this time of ours.
[Take for example] a person, while he is on the day of Jumu’ah, and all of a sudden it is the following [day of] Jumu’ah; as if there was only one day between the two!
And this is the meaning of the statement of the Prophet ﷺ:
«The Hour will not be established until time passes rapidly…» – Sunan at-Tirmidhee, no.2332; authenticated by al-AlbaaneeAs for his statement:
«…until time passes rapidly…»…some of the scholars have said [about it]:
“The meaning [of this] is that the cities will grow bigger, so where the distance between two cities was 10 days [of travel], when they have grown bigger, it has become less than that.”
So the time [to travel between the two cities] has become shorter.
However, that which is apparent [to me] is that it explains where we are today.
Time is short, [and] passing very, very rapidly.
Try [and ponder on this] yourself [it is as if] the month of Ramadhaan last year had only passed in Sha’baan!
This is what I find in myself, and I don’t know [about you all]; do you find that within yourselves or not?
Yes?
You find?
You do find that [to be the case too]!
It is as if the month of Ramadhaan this year [only] began last night.
And [right] now a third of it has passed, “and a third is plenty”!
We ask Allaah Ta’aala to pardon [us for] what has passed, and to aid us to do righteous actions in what remains [of Ramadhaan].
The middle ten [nights of Ramadhaan] are better than the first ten [nights], and the last ten [nights] are better than the middle ten [nights].
You will also find that in general this is consistent; that, of the virtuous [periods of] time – the latter [part] is better than the beginning.
[On] the day of Jumu’ah, the time of ‘Asr is better than its beginning.
[And on] the day of ‘Arafah, the time of ‘Asr is better than its beginning.
And the wisdom behind that – and Allaah has the complete knowledge [of all affairs] – is that when the souls begin to do [righteous] actions, they become tired and bored; so they are encouraged, they are encouraged with the virtues of the latter [periods of] time over the beginning [periods of time], so they may be [motivated to be] active during the latter [period] of time, so they may be active during the latter [period] of time, and then do righteous actions.
[1] This sincere advice of the Shaykh was recorded just 13 months before he passed away. May Allaah ﷻ have Mercy upon his soul, and reward him abundantly for his service to Islaam.
Translation originally published on 3 April, 2023
