”[^11] Hence, ‘fasting’ is a factor that can refine the spirit of the human being so much that he can qualify to be taught directly by Allāh (SwT). Some supplications teach us to ask Almighty Allāh to be hosted in ‘paradise’ in this month.
In one of the supplications recommended during sahar time of the nights of the Holy month of Ramadān, we ask Almighty Allāh for Paradise: وَقَدْ أَوْجَبْتَ لِكُلِّ ضَيْفٍ قِرىً، وَأَنَا ضَيْفُكَ، فَاجْعَلْ قِرَايَ اللَّيْلَةَ الْجَنَّةَ، يَا وَهَّابَ الْجَنَّةِ، يَا وَهَّابَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ، وَ لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِكَ...
“…And very you have made obligatory for every guest to be entertained; and I am Your guest; therefore make my banquet tonight to be ‘Paradise’, O the Bestower of Paradise, O Bestower of forgiveness, and there is no strength nor any power save by You…”[^12] It is possible that the reason why this supplication was followed by the two sublime names of Allāh - ‘ Yā Wahhāb al-Jannah ’ and ‘ Yā Wahhāb al-maghfirah ’ was to ask Allāh (SwT) for Paradise, and thus, necessarily also ask Him for relief from the Hell Fire, which enables one to enter Paradise.
In other words, we are trying to seek the same ‘ qirā ’ (meal served to the guest) that we seek in holy precincts of Ka’bah during the seventh round of our circumambulation around the Ka’bah. We are taught to say: أَللٌّهُمَّ الْـبَيْتُ بَيْـتُكَ، وَالْعَبْدُ عَبْدُكَ، وَهٌذَا مَقَامُ الْعَائِذِ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ، أَللٌّهُمَّ اِنِّي حَلَلْتُ بِفِنَائِكَ، فَاجْعَلْ قِرَايَ مَغْفِرَتَكَ...
“O Allāh, the house is Your house; and this servant is You servant; and this is where one who seeks Your Refuge from Hellfire stands; O Allāh, surely I have stopped at Your courtyard; therefore make my banquet to be Your forgiveness .”[^13] In fact there is clear mention of seeking salvation from the Hell Fire in many supplications that we are taught to read in the Holy month of Ramadān.
In the famous du ‘ ā that most of us recite after every prayer, we say: يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ يَا غَفُورُ يَا رَحِيمُ...مُنَّ عَليَّ بِفِكَاكِ رَقَبَتِي مِنَ النَّارِ... “O Exalted One, O All-Great, O All Forgiving, O All-Merciful….bless me with freedom from the Hell Fire.”[^14] And during the ā‘māl of laylat al-qadr we are taught to open the Holy Qur’ān and say: ...وَفِيهِ اسْمُكَ الأَكْبَرُ، وَأَسْمَآؤُكَ الْحُسْنَى، وَمَا يُخَافُ وَيُرْجَى، أَنْ تَجْعَلَنِي مِنْ عُتَقَائِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ...