When Allah سبحانه و تعالى‎ told his angels to prostrate to Adam عليه السلام‎, everyone did except Iblees. When Allah asked him why he wouldn't submit, he replied that "I am better than Adam." He was told to leave but he asked to have time until the Day of Judgment. When he received it, he vowed to tempt humankind until the last day.

Allah responded by saying that, in your competition with my people, those who manage to save themselves will be my elect people. Shaytaan (Iblees) asked Allah for provisions in his battle, and he was given the ability to be unseen by humans and have a progeny such that there will be multiple shaytaans for every human. Hazrat Adam عليه السلام‎ also asked for provisions. Allah سبحانه و تعالى said, whenever you commit a sin and repent, I will forgive you. This is our greatest might, to be able to wipe our slates clean of any sin.

Please take a moment to consider the existence of Shaytaan. Just like a mother never likes to place blame on her child, she'll just say "He is a good kid, his friends misguided him," similarly through His divine love, Allah سبحانه و تعالى also does not like to place blame on his people. On that Day, He will say that Shaytaan misguided His people. If there were no Shaytaan, then wouldn't we be solely responsible for all of our sins? The Shaytaan is an excuse for His forgiveness.

In this month of Ramadan, not only are all the temptations of Shaytaan eliminated, but the rewards for our good deeds are multiplied (Nafl=Fard, Itikaf= 2 Hajj and Umrah, etc.). Additionally there are great moments of acceptance, like during sahoor and before iftar. Allah سبحانه و تعالى is sending down blank checks in these great moments and we should fill them as much as we can.

The worship done in the blessed night of Laylatul Qadr is equivalent to 1000 months of worship (meaning 83 years). Everyone receives forgiveness in this night except four:

-the one who drinks
-the one who is disobedient to parents
-the one who breaks familial relations
-And the one who harbors malice for others

It is our fasting and our Quran that will be our saviors on the last day. Just how the citizens of a country can enter it easily, one door of Paradise called "Bab-e-Rayyaan" will be the easy access for the diligent in fasting. Allah سبحانه و تعالى has said that "Fasting is for me, so its reward is with me." Let us immerse ourselves in worship during Allah's month. Let us do such good deeds that we become absolved of all our past misdeeds.

Some notes on Shaykh Zulfiqar's recent talk called Ramadan: The Treasure of Mercy and Absolution (translated).