Question
Is there a reference for this narration?
Once Hasan Basri (rahimahullah) saw some people who were laughing and joking during the month of Ramadan. He told them: “Allah has made Ramadan a time for people to compete in doing good deeds to please Him. In this month, some succeed and others fall behind. How can anyone laugh and joke when some are earning success while others are failing?”
Answer
Imam Ghazali (rahimahullah) has cited this statement of Hasan Basri (rahimahullah).
Hasan Basri (rahimahullah) once passed by a group of people who were laughing on the Day of ‘Eid and remarked: “Allah ‘Azza wa Jalla has made the month of Ramadan a time for His creation, wherein they compete with one another in acts of obedience to Him. It is truly astonishing that one would indulge in laughter and idle play on a day when the successful have triumphed and the negligent have lost out. Were the veils to be lifted, the one whose deeds were accepted would be so overjoyed that he would have no time for play while the regret of the one whose efforts were rejected would be would be so overwhelming that he would find no reason to laugh.”
(Ihya ‘Ulumid Din, vol. 2, pg. 116. Also see: Lataiful Ma’arif, pg. 369)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar
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التخريج من المصادر العربية
إحياء علوم الدين: (٢/ ١١٦)
فقد روي عن الحسن بن أبي الحسن البصري أنه مر بقوم يوم العيد وهم يضحكون فقال إن الله عز وجل جعل شهر رمضان مضماراً لخلقه يستبقون فيه لطاعته فسبق أقوم ففازوا وتخلف أقوام فخابوا فالعجب كل العجب للضاحك اللاعب في اليوم الذي فاز فيه السابقون وخاب فيه المبطلون. أما والله لو كشف الغطاء لاشتغل المحسن بإحسانه والمسيء بإساءته أي كان سرور المقبول يشغله عن اللعب وحسرة المردود تسد عليه باب الضحك.
لطائف المعارف ط:المكتب الاسلامي: (ص: ٣٦٩)
و عن الحسن قال : إن الله جعل شهر رمضان مضمارا لخلقه يستبقون فيه بطاعته إلى مرضاته فسبق قوم ففازوا و تخلف آخرون فخابوا فالعجب من اللاعب الضاحك في اليوم الذي يفوز فيه المحسنون و يخسر فيه المبطلون.