Merits of the Month of Ramaḍān
Faḍāʾil al-Ashhur al-Thalātha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 1
حدثنا محمد بن علي ماجيلويه، قال: حدثنا عمي محمد بن أبي القاسم، قال: حدثني محمد بن علي القرشي، قال: حدثنا أبو الربيع أخبر به، عن ليث بن أبي سليم، عن مجاهد، قال: قال عبد الله بن عبّاس: سمعت رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) يقول، وذلك في شهر رمضان: إن الله جل جلاله يقول كل ليلة من هذا الشهر: وعزتي وجلالي لقد أمرت ملائكتي بفتح أبواب سماوات للداعين من عبادي وإمائي فما لي أرى عبدي الغافل ساهياً عني متى سألني فلم أعطه ومتى ناداني فلم أجبه ومتى ناجاني فلم أقربه ومتى رجاني فخيبته ومتى أملني فحرمته ومتى قصد بابي فحجبته ومتى تقرب فباعدته ومتى هرب مني فلم أدعه ومتى رجع إلي فلم أقبله ومتى أقر بذنوبه فلم أرحمه ومتى استغفرني فلم اغفر له ذنبه ومتى تاب فلم أقبله توبته عبدي كيف تقصد برجائك ملكاً مملوكاً ولا تقصدني برجائك وأنا ملك الملوك أم كيف تسأل من يخاف الفقر ولا تسألني وأنا الغني الذي لا افتقر أم كيف تخدم ملكاً ينام ويموت ولا تخدمني وأنا الحي الذي لا يموت ولا يأخذني سنة ولا نوم يا سوئه لمن عصاني ويا بؤساً للقانطين من رحمتي بعزتي حلفت لآخذنه أخذ عزيز مقتدر يغضب لغضبه السماء والأرض فأين تفر مني إلا ألي وأنا الله العزيز الحكيم.
Muḥammad b. ʿAlī (b.) Mājīlawayh narrated to us, saying that his paternal uncle, Muḥammad b. Abī’l-Qāsim narrated to him among others, saying that Muḥammad b. ʿAlī al-Qurashī narrated to him, saying that Abū’l-Rabīʿ narrated to him among others, thereby informing him of it, from Layth b. Abī Salīm, from Mujāhid, saying that ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās has said: “I heard the Messenger of Allāh صلى الله عليه وعلى آله saying, and that was during the month of Ramaḍān: “Indeed, Allāh جل جلاله says, every night of this month: “By My Glory and Might, I have commanded My angels to open up the gates of the Celestial Realms for those among My male and female servants. So why do I see My servant being neglectful and absent-minded about Me? When has he asked Me, and I have not given him? When has he invoked Me, and I have not responded to him? When has he whispered to Me, and I have not drawn near to him? When has he sought Me, and I have disappointed him? When has he hoped in Me, and I have deprived him? When has he knocked upon My Door, and I have concealed Myself from him? When has he sought closeness to Me, and I have distanced Myself from him? When has he fled from Me, and I have not called upon him (to come back)? When has he returned to Me, and I have not accepted him back? When has he confessed his sins to Me, and I have not had mercy upon him? When has he sought My forgiveness, and I have not forgiven him his sin? When has he repented, and I have not accepted his repentance? Servant of Mine, how do you place your hopes with an earthly king who himself is a subject (of Mine), and yet you do not place your hopes with Me while I am the King of kings? How do you ask he who fears poverty, and yet you do not ask Me, while I am the Infinitely Wealthy Who does not fear to go poor? How do you serve a king who sleeps and will die, but you do not serve Me, while I am the Eternally Alive, Who will not ever die, Who will never fall prey to slumber nor fall asleep? Woe to those who disobey Me! How miserable are those who despair of My mercy! By My Might, I swear, that I will seize him with such a seizing as appropriate of the Almighty, the All-Powerful, Who lets known His wrath that unleashes itself upon Heaven and Earth! Where will you run to from Me, except to Me! For I am Allāh, the Almighty, the All-Wise.”