The holy month of Ramadan is a sacred time for prayer, reflection, and drawing closer to Allah the Almighty. In his Friday Sermons during Ramadan 2024, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V (may Allah be his Helper) emphasized that the true spirit of Ramadan lies in sincere prayer, humility, and seeking divine nearness.
The extracts below are taken from those sermons and include some prayers from the writings of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) which Huzoor-e-Anwar (may Allah be his Helper) has instructed us to recite regularly.
Readers are always encouraged to refer to the original sermons and benefit directly from the guidance of our Beloved Imam (may Allah be his Helper).
Ramadan Has a Special Connection with Prayers
In his Friday Sermon of March 29, 2024, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V (may Allah be his Helper) said:
“Ramadan has a special connection with prayers. That is why, during Ramadan, there is a heightened focus on Salat, voluntary prayers (nawafil), Tahajjud, Tarawih, and other acts of worship. Every true Muslim realizes that during these days, God Almighty bestows His special gaze of love upon His servants.
“Even on ordinary days, Allah the Almighty looks upon His servants with love. … However, when it is the month of Ramadan—a month dedicated solely to drawing closer to Allah the Almighty—and the entire atmosphere encourages a person to remember Him, then how immensely merciful must Allah the Almighty be! We cannot even fathom it. But the condition is that all these acts should be done with sincerity, from the depths of the heart, and with firm faith, rather than superficially.”
[Al-Fazl International, April 19, 2024, p. 3, translated from Urdu]
Pray to Attain Nearness to Allah
Huzoor-e-Anwar (may Allah be his Helper) also said:
“Our prayers should not be solely for personal desires; rather, they should be for attaining nearness to Allah the Almighty and seeking His love. To acquire Allah’s love, if we take a span toward Him, a hand’s length, or hasten toward Him, then He will turn toward us even more and will come running to our aid. He will hear our prayers.
“However, Allah the Almighty has made it clear that mere verbal claims of love will not grant us this status. No, rather, we must accept His words, follow His commandments, fulfill the rights of Allah and the rights of His creation. Along with this, we must strengthen our faith—a faith that never wavers. Only when this is achieved can we be counted among His true servants.”
[Al-Fazl International, April 19, 2024, p. 3, translated from Urdu]
Prayers to Recite in Ramadan
On April 5, 2024, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V (may Allah be his Helper) instructed Ahmadis to offer certain prayers from the Holy Qur’an, Hadith and writings of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), especially during the blessed month of Ramadan. Some of those prayers, from the writings of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) are on the following pages. [Al-Fazl International, April 26, 2024, pp. 2–8; Al Hakam, May 3, 2024].
Prayer for Attaining Concentration in Salat
Someone wrote to the Promised Messsiah (peace be upon him), asking him how to attain true concentration and focus in Salat. He responded:
“The method is to continually pray for yourself during Salat and not be content with a superficial and inattentive prayer. Rather, as much as possible, offer Salat with full concentration. And if focus is not attained, then during each of the five daily prayers, after every rak’ah, stand humbly before Allah the Almighty and supplicate as follows:
اے خدائے تعالىٰ قادر ذوالجلال! مَىں گنہگار ہوں اور اس قدر گناہ كے زہر نے مىرے دل اور رگ و رىشہ مىں اثر كىا ہے كہ مجھے رقت اور حضور نماز حاصل نہىں ہو سكتا تُو اپنے فضل و كرم سے مىرے گناہ بخش اور مىرى تقصىرات معاف كر اور مىرے دل كو نرم كر دے اور مىرے دل مىں اپنى عظمت اور اپنا خوف اور اپنى محبت بٹھا دے تاكہ اس كے ذرىعہ سے مىرى سخت دلى دُور ہو كر حضور نماز مىں مىسر آوے۔
“[Translation: ‘O Almighty God, the All-Powerful Lord of Majesty! I am a sinner, and the poison of my sins has so deeply affected my heart and my entire being that I am unable to experience humility and true concentration in Salat. Out of Your grace and mercy, forgive my sins and pardon my shortcomings. Soften my heart, instill in it Your greatness, Your fear, and Your love, so that through this, the hardness of heart may be removed and I may attain true focus in Salat.]”
[Maktubat-e-Ahmad, vol. 5, p. 471, 2015 ed., translated from Urdu]
Prayer Seeking God’s Forgiveness
اے مىرے محسن اور مىرے خدا! مَىں اىك تىرا ناكارہ بندہ پُر معصىت اور پُرغفلت ہوں تُو نے مجھ سے ظلم پر ظلم دىكھا اور انعام پر انعام كىا اور گناہ پرگناہ دىكھا اور احسان پر احسان كىا۔ تُو نے ہمىشہ مىرى پردہ پوشى كى اور اپنى بے شمار نعمتوں سے مجھے متمتع كىا۔ سو اب بھى مجھ نالائق اور پُرگناہ پر رحم كر اور مىرى بے باكى اور ناسپاسى كو معاف فرما اور مجھ كو مىرے اس غم سے نجات بخش كہ بجز تىرے اَور كوئى چارہ گر نہىں۔آمىن
Translation: “O my Benefactor and my God! I am but a worthless and sinful servant of Yours, steeped in negligence. You have witnessed injustice upon injustice from me, yet You have bestowed blessing upon blessing. You have seen sin upon sin from me, yet You have granted favour upon favour. You have always concealed my faults and favoured me with Your countless bounties. So now, too, have mercy upon this unworthy and sinful one. Forgive my boldness and ingratitude, and deliver me from this sorrow, for apart from You, there is no other helper. Ameen!”
[Maktubat-e-Ahmad, vol. 2, p. 10, 2015 ed., translated from Urdu]
Regarding this prayer, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V (may Allah be his Helper) said, “In my opinion, this is a prayer that we must recite on a daily basis.” [Al Hakam, May 3, 2024]
Prayer Seeking Divine Mercy
اے رب العالمىن! تىرے احسانوں كا مَىں شكر نہىں كر سكتا تُو نہاىت ہى رحىم و كرىم ہے اور تىرے بے غاىت مجھ پر احسان ہىں۔ مىرے گناہ بخش تامَىں ہلاك نہ ہو جاؤں۔ مىرے دل مىں اپنى خالص محبت ڈال تا مجھے زندگى حاصل ہو اور مىرى پردہ پوشى فرما اور مجھ سے اىسے عمل كرا جن سے تُو راضى ہو جائے۔ مَىں تىرى وجہ كرىم كے ساتھ اس بات سے پناہ مانگتا ہوں كہ تىرا غضب مجھ پر وارد ہو۔ رحم فرما اور دنىا اور آخرت كى بلاؤں سے مجھے بچا كہ ہر اىك فضل و كرم تىرے ہى ہاتھ مىں ہے۔آمىن
Translation: “O Lord of all the worlds! It is beyond me to offer You gratitude for all Your favours. You are most Merciful and Compassionate, and the bounties that You have conferred upon me are countless. Forgive me my sins, lest I am ruined. Fill my heart with sincere love for You, so that I may receive life. Cover my faults and allow me to perform such deeds which become the source of Your pleasure. I seek refuge in Your noble countenance lest your punishment befalls me. Have mercy and save me from the calamities of this world and the hereafter. For all grace and compassion is in Your hand. Ameen, and again, Ameen.”
[Malfuzat — Volume 1, English Translation, p. 241, 2018 ed.]
Prayer Seeking Guidance
اے مىرے قادر خدا! اے مىرے پىارے رہنما!! تُو ہمىں وہ راہ دكھا جس سے تجھے پاتے ہىں اہلِ صدق و صفا اور ہمىں ان راہوں سے بچا جن كا مدعا صرف شہوات ہىں ىا كىنہ ىا بغض ىا دنىا كى حرص و ہوا۔
Translation: “O my Almighty God, my Beloved Guide! Show us the path which leads the righteous and the sincere to Thee. And save us from treading the path which leads to carnal desires, malice, spite and worldly pursuits.”
[A Message of Peace, p. 5, 2007 ed.]