The Second Ashra of Ramadan: The Days of Forgiveness

Every moment of Ramadan is precious like a pearl for Muslims. They spend the entire month seeking  the pleasure of Allah, His blessings, and His forgiveness. This is the second Ashra of the holy month, which is especially focused on forgiveness. Therefore; it is called the Ashra of forgiveness (Maghfirah).

Why Beg for Pardon in the Second Ashra of Ramadan: Hadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)

In a Hadith, the holy Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon Him said, “If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah), Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not.” (Abu Dawud). Seeking pardon and absolution is very dear to Allah Almighty. He loves His bondsman, who happens to commit sin but repents of his sin. He who asks forgiveness from Allah SWT is rewarded in several ways by Allah. We are destined to make mistakes, being human. Hence, it becomes important to ask for pardon from Allah. He never demands extreme piety from us. He loves forgiving the sinner, who begs for forgiveness from Him. He loves His bondsmen, who commit sin, and repent afterward and beg pardon from Him. The 2nd Ashra of Ramadan is primarily dedicated to this act, which is desired by Allah SWT.

What to do in the 10 Days of Absolution:

Starting from day 11th to day 20th, the Second Ashra of Ramadan reflects the Forgiveness of Allah. It is a golden opportunity for the Muslims to wash out their past sins and beg pardon from Allah SWT. Allah Almighty loves His bondsmen, who ask for forgiveness and absolution. Every believer must ask for forgiveness for all his past sins, with determination to leave the sinful life. They should utilize every precious moment of these 10 days of absolution and cry before Allah SWT for repentance while regretting for all of their mistakes and seek forgiveness. Whereas, seeking forgiveness must not be a superficial action. They must repent for their sinful doings with a strong determination to leave all sinful activities in the future. The important things to do in this Second Ashra are as follows:

2nd Ashra Dua:

They should recite the dua taught for the 2nd Ashra as much as possible to beg pardon from Allah SWT.

أسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ رَبي مِنْ كُلِ ذَنبٍ وَأتُوبُ إلَيهِ

“I ask forgiveness of my sins from Allah who is my Lord and I turn towards Him.”

The Holy Prophet especially taught this dua for the second Ashra of Ramadan.

Obligatory prayers and Taraweeh:

They should seek forgiveness and pardon from Allah SWT through devotional prayers. Allah Almighty gives a much bigger reward to the faithful for devotional prayers, especially during the month of Ramadan.  They should not miss the obligatory prayers. Besides, they should regularly offer Taraweeh (nightly prayers) during the month of Ramadan.

Reciting the Holy Quran:

We should recite and understand the Quran-Kareem, as much as possible. This brings the pleasure of and blessings of Allah to the believers.

Spending in The Name of Allah:

We should spend in the name of Allah, and give alms and sadaqaat to the poor as much as possible. This will help us seek Allah’s will.

Practicing Forgiveness:

Lastly, we must practice forgiveness with the people around us. Allah Almighty loves forgiveness and loves the person who forgives in the name of Allah.