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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 ‘Azza wa Jall have Mercy upon his soul, and reward him abundantly for his service to Islaam.
Translation originally published on 3 April, 2023
