The jurist, Abū’l-Ḥasan ʿAlī b. ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Aḥmadānī al-Aswarī, [1] narrated to us, saying that Makkī b. Aḥmad b. Saʿdawayh al-Barwāghī narrated to him among others, saying that the jurist Aḥmad b. ʿAbd Allāh narrated to him among others, saying that Abū ʿAmrū Yaʿqūb b. Yūsuf al-Qazwīnī narrated to him among others—in Baghdad—saying that Abū’l-Qāsim b. al-Ḥakam al-ʿArī narrated to him among others, saying that Hāshim b. al-Walīd narrated to him among others, from Ḥammād b. Sulaymān al-Sadūsī, saying that the elder teknonymised as “Abū’l-Ḥasan” narrated to him among others, from al-Ḍaḥḥāk b. Muzāḥim, from ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās, that he heard the Messenger of Allāh صلى الله عليه وعلى آله saying: “Verily! From year to year, Paradise is beautified and adorned to welcome the month of Ramaḍān. So, when it is the first night of the month of Ramaḍān, a scent emanates from beneath the Throne—which is called “al-Mutanazzah”—rustling the leaves of the trees of Paradise and the rings of its gates on its way, thereby making a sound of which there is no other more melodious than it. The celestial maidens (ḥūr al-ʿayn) shall adorn themselves and stand between the honour of the soldiers, calling out: “Is there anybody who would declare before Allāh عز وجل that he may take us in marriage?,” and then the angels shall exclaim: “O’ Riḍwān, what is this night?,” while he is chanting in praise. Then he will respond: “O’ winsome goodnesses! This is the first night of the month of Ramaḍān. The gates of the Paradisiacal realms have been opened for those who fasted from among the community of Muḥammad.” Allāh عز وجل will then say: “O’ Riḍwān! Open the gates of the Heavenly realms! O’ Mālik! Shut the gates of Hell to those who fasted and stood upright for prayer from among the community of Muḥammad. O’ Jibraʿīl! Descend to the Earth and inter the rebellious devils, shackle them with strong shackles and then cast them into the depths of the seas so that they will not cause disorder in the community of My beloved while they are fasting.” The Messenger of Allāh صلى الله عليه وعلى آله continued his narration: “And in every night of the month of Ramaḍān, Allāh عز وجل bids His angels descend thrice, while Allāh عز وجل calls: “Is there any asker of a favour that I may give him that which he has asked for? Is there any repenter seeking My acceptance of his repentance? Is there any seeker of forgiveness to whom I may grant forgiveness? Who would grant a loan to the Unassessably Wealthy One Who is never in need, and the Loyal without wrongdoing?” Verily, every day of the month of Ramaḍān—at the time of breaking the fast—Allāh تبارك وتعالى grants certain people freedom from the Fire. On the night and day of Friday, in every hour, He frees a million souls from the Fire, all of whom were otherwise condemned to punishment. On the last day of the month of Ramaḍān, He will absolve as many souls from perdition on that day as He has throughout the entire month, from its first to its last day. When the Night of Power arrives, Allāh عز وجل shall command Jibraʿīl to descend to the Earth with a host of angels accompanying him and a green banner, which he shall plant atop the Kaaba. Jibraʿīl has six hundred wings, two of which he does not unfurl except on the Night of Power—so he will spread them on that night, extending over the East and the West. Jibraʿīl عليه السلام will then bid the angels disperse among this community so that they greet every sitting, standing, praying, and remembering person, shake their hands, and say “Āmīn” to their supplications until the break of dawn. When dawn breaks, Jibraʿīl will call out: “O’ assembly of angels, depart! Depart!” They will say: “O’ Jibraʿīl! What has Allāh decreed concerning the needs of the believers of Muḥammad’s صلى الله عليه وعلى آله community?” He shall reply: “Verily, Allāh عز وجل has looked upon them and forgiven them this night—all of them—except for four.” It was asked: “O’ Messenger of Allāh! Who are these four?” He replied: “A man who dies addicted to alcohol, one who is undutiful to his parents, one who severs ties of kinship, and one who harbours enmity.” It was asked: “O’ Messenger of Allāh, what is meant by one who harbours enmity?” He replied: “One who refuses to reconcile. The night before ʿĪd al-Fiṭr is called the Night of Reward. When morning arrives on the day of Fiṭr, Allāh عز وجل sends forth the angels to all lands, and they descend to the Earth, stopping at the entrances of alleyways and calling out with a voice heard by all creation—except humans and jinn—saying: “O’ community of Muḥammad, come forth to your Lord! A Noble Lord Who bestows generously and forgives greatly!” When the people emerge to proceed to their place of prayer, Allāh عز وجل shall say: “O’ My angels, what is the recompense of a worker who has fulfilled his task?” The angels shall reply: “O’ our God and Master! His recompense is that You, being true to Your promise, grant him his due reward.” He عز وجل shall say: “I bear witness before you, My angels, that I have made My pleasure and My forgiveness the reward for their fasting in the month of Ramaḍān and their standing in prayer.” Then He جل جلاله will say: “O’ My servants! Ask of Me, for by My Might and Majesty, you shall not ask Me for anything today—whether for your Hereafter or your worldly life—except that I shall grant it or take it into account for you. By My Might, I shall conceal your faults as long as you remain mindful of Me. By My Might, I shall neither disgrace nor expose you before the companions of eternity. Depart, for you are forgiven—you have pleased Me, and so I am pleased with you.” The angels will then ascend, rejoicing over what Allāh عز وجل has bestowed upon this community when they depart from the month of Ramaḍān.” Abū ʿAmrū al-Qazwīnī said: “Al-Ḥasan b. ʿUrfa al-ʿAbdī asked me about this narration in the year 46 AH, so I narrated it to him, and al-Ḥasan narrated it forth—from a certain man—from Qāsim b. al-Ḥakam al-ʿAranī.”