From one of my teacher,
Assalamu'alaikum wrh wbkt
I am writing this email to you in the last days of this Blessed Month of Ramadhan. Here is some advice on what to do in these last days. It is long email, so only read on if you have the time.

The last days of Ramadhan

1) Feel the intense sadness that Ramadhan is leaving us, together with its blessings and forgiveness and barokah.

2) Feel the regret about the time wasted in this Holy Month, and double - no, triple - all efforts to do as much ibadah as humanly possible in these last days, and nights, right up to the last night.

3) Pray to Allah, that we be amongst those who will meet the next Ramadhan to come, and make a sincere intention to improve further, the standard of our fasts, in the coming Ramadhan.

4) Pray to Allah, that He accepts whatever little we have sent forth in this month by His Infinite Grace and Mercy, and that He allows us to leave this month, sin-free and with an improvement in Taqwa and Iman. Ameen.

On the night of Hari Raya

1) There is no terawih on this night.

2) Instead, we are to do the takbir -
Allahu akbar (three times), Lailaha illalhu Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar wa lillahil hamd.
The recital of this takbir may be done until the end of the Hari Raya prayers the next day.

3) This is a VERY SPECIAL NIGHT, one of 4 during the entire year, according to Sayyidina Ali (ra). One who is in ibadah on this night, his heart will not die, when the hearts of others do, says Rasulullah (saw).

So spend the night in prayer and supplication (doa). Do tahajjud, Qur'an reading and taubat,

Thank Allah sincerely for giving you the blessings of Ramadhan - so many have died from disasters before and during Ramadhan, yet our country is peaceful and you are still alive to peace and wonderful ibadah. Alhamdulillah wa Syukrulillah, thank Allah, and He will add more blessings upon His grateful servants.

4) Make a sincere intention to continue practising the good amalan that you have done in Ramadhan - like eating less, talking less, backbiting less, praying more and reading Qur'an more - good deeds that you have picked up in Ramadhan. Also make intention to leave all bad amal that you have left in Ramadhan - like backbiting, overeating, laziness, overspending, time wasting etc.

5) DO NOT GO SHOPPING ON THIS NIGHT - whether at Geylang Bazaar or elsewhere. Not when Allah is handing out the gifts and blessings all night long. When does a worker get paid for doing his job? At the end of his job, right? Would any worker be dumb enough to leave before being paid? Obviously, no. Allah asks that same question to His angels on that night - What should a worker get at the end of a job well done? So it's payment time, in the form of blessings and forgiveness, and it would be so unimaginable if you were shopping in Geylang at that moment.

On Hari Raya Day itself

1) Check the timing of the Solat Eidul Fitri, as it is different in different parts of Singapore. Given the choice of praying at the mosque or at a Multi Purpose hall, stadium or open space, choose the latter. The Prophet (Saw) did not perform Solat Eidul Fitri at the Mosque, he held it at the open ground, so it is a Sunnah to do that.

2) Before going to the prayer, bathe (mandi Sunnat hari raya). Put on perfume and EAT A LIGHT MEAL BEFORE GOING. That is also Sunnah. It is forbidden to fast on this day.

3) Women and children are also encouraged to join in the festivities by going to the Solat Eidul Fitri. Even menstruating women may go, and although they cannot pray, they can listen to the Khutbah Hari Raya.

4) In the Solat Hari raya, the Khutbah is after the prayer (unlike Friday prayers when the Khutbah is before solat). DO not talk during the Khutbah - listen respectfully, as if it were the Prophet (saw) speaking to you from the mimbar.

5) The Solat Hari raya is a two raka'at prayer. It is identical to any other 2 raka'at prayer except that there are some extra takbirs (Allahu akbar) inserted in each raka'at. In the first ra'ka'at, between the Takbiratul ihram and Suratul Fatihah, there are 7 additional takbirs. In the second raka'at, before reading Suratul Fatiha, there are 5 additional takbirs.You may say the niat for the prayer in Malay
or English - that is allowed. Simply said, it is as follows - I am performing my Sunnat Eidul Fitri prayer, 2 raka'at, for the sake of Allah.

6) After the prayer and khutbah is over, do stay for a while to make doa.

7) Return home by a different route from which you came. This is also a Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw).

8) If you missed the prayer at the mosque because you woke up late, you may pray this Solat Hari Raya at home, on your own. Just make the niat, and pray a two raka'at prayer, remembering to add the 7 extra takbirs in the first raka'at, and the 5 extra takbirs in the second raka'at. The prayer can be done anytime from 7am to just before the azan of Solat Zuhur. Once past the azan, the time for the Solat Hari Raya has lapsed.

9) Seek forgiveness from family and friends all day long. Forgive all those who have hurt you in any way too. (You can start forgiving now, no need to wait for Hari Raya). Give priority to parents, in-laws, grandparents, elders, ustads, teachers and senior members of a family, when visiting.

10) You have spent Ramadhan in isolation, uzlah and iktikaf, so spend this day in visiting, and joining family ties.

11) Leave all family fueds behind. Be the first to visit, never feel that someone must visit you first, because you are senior. The Prophet (saw) said that the better of 2 brothers is the one that gives the salam first. So be the first to bury the hatchet and to join family ties. The Prophet (saw) said, "Shall I show you an amal that will increase your sustenance (rizqi) and lengthen your life? Join the family ties."

12) Spend the day in good acts, like zikir (as you jalan-jalan), charity and ensure that you perform all your fardhu prayers. So many people skip prayers on the pretext that it is inconvenient to pray while on the move. Do not destroy your Ramadhan's amal in a day!

The effect of performing a Haji or Umrah, is seen when the person returns from the Holy Lands - has he turned for the better? Similarly, the effect of Ramadhan is seen when a person finishes Ramadhan - has he become more obedient, more fearful of defying Allah - or is he the same? You be the judge of your own Ramadhan.

13) Many ladies dress provocatively on this day, so as to look 'attractive' for visiting. Dress modestly, and Islamically.

The end of Ramadhan marks the re-appearance of Iblis and Syaitan, and they are very very upset to see all their hard work gone - as Allah has forgiven His servants and has given them His blessings.

So Iblis and Syaitan then vow to work extra hard from this first day of Syawal to drag us back into sin and into Allah's wrath. Remember, Iblis is your enemy, why take his advice over Allah's? Allah teaches women to dress modestly in the Qur'an, but Iblis says, flaunt what you have. Who's advice will you take?

14) The Prophet (saw) summarised how we should spend Hari Raya in a beautiful hadees, "Decorate your Hari Raya with Takbir (Allahu akbar), Tahmid (Alhamdulillah), Tahlil (Lailahaillallah) and Tasbih (Subhanallah)."

Adab of visiting

1) Do check with the host when it is convenient to visit. Do not surprise people.

2) Do not make the host wait - if you have promised to be at his house at 2pm, be there at 2pm. The host may himself wish to visit others, and by being late, you are inconveniencing the host.

3) Do not go with the intention to collect money. The intention is to join family ties and to spread love and forgiveness.

4) Do not comment on the amount of money given to you or your children. Some people say things like,"Oh, what a stingy guy, he gave my son $2, but we gave his daughter $5." Such words are evil back biting and also destroys your amal.

Be sincere in giving, and expect nothing in return. Remember, many people are out of a job now in Singapore, so they may not be able to give as generously as before.

5) Do not over eat. Remember, your body has been fasting for one month, and is not ready for a sudden, massive increase in food.

6) Finally, do not overstay your welcome, as the host may have plans to go visiting too. So do politely check with the host, if you wish to stay on.

Adab in Syawal

1) Do fast (puasa sunnat) 6 more days in Syawal. You may fast on Mondays and Thursdays so as to get added pahala and you may even niat to pay back any fast you have missed at the same time. So that's a 3 in 1 fast - niat puasa Sunnat Syawal + niat puasa Sunnat Isnin or Khamis + niat puasa Qadha.

2) Do not fast when visiting - it is rude to the host, who may feel offended that you are not eating.

3) If guests arrive when you are fasting, it is best to break your fast and join your guests (you will still get the reward for fasting). Do not make your guest uncomfortable by fasting while they are eating.

4) Finally, start saving money, so that you can participate in the next major Islamic celebration - Hari Raya Haji - where the best amal that can be done on that day (besides performing Haj), is to sacrifice an animal for Allah. So do save up, so that you too can afford to sacrifice an animal.

For those going to perform the Haj (pilgrimage) take this period to do lots of taubat and doa, as preparation for the life-changing journey ahead.


Conclusion
Eidul Fitri means - to return to purity. So that summarises what Ramadhan is all about, and what this celebration is all about - thankfulness that Allah has rightly guided us back to the path of self purification, hence closeness to Allah. Alhamdulillah and Ameen.


There you go, some advice about the post - Ramadhan period. I do apologise for this email being so long. Do email me if you have queries or if you need clarification on any point.

I would like to take this opportunity, for myself, and behalf of my whole family (Shariza, Sakeenah and little Sufyan), to seek your forgiveness on all that we have said, done, thought or assumed about you, both in your presence, or your absence. Ma'af zahir dan bathin, sincerely from the bottom of our hearts. Do find it in your heart to overlook our faults, and to pray for our forgiveness to Allah. Jazakallahu khair, have wonderful remaining days of Ramadhan, Eid Mubarak, and Wassallam.

Khan