Whenever winter arrived,
Abdullah Ibn Umar [radiyallaahu-anhumaa] used to say,
"O people of the Qur'aan!
Your nights are longer for your prayers
& your days are shorter for your fasting,
therefore acquire benefit".
The word for winter in Arabic is "Ash-shitaa."
(Check out my Hijri Calendar home page for resources to teach the season names in Arabic--scroll down to seasons)
Winter - A True Blessing for the Believers - audio on Soundcloud (15:05) - Abu Idrees
From the Benefits of Winter - Sayings of the Salaf - AbdurRahman.org
Excerpt:
It is reported from ‘Ubayd b. ‘Umayr – Allâh have mercy on him – that he said: It used to be said when winter came: O people of the Qur`ân, the night has become long so you can pray (more) and the day has become short for you to fast.
Winter if a Time for Increased Worship and Contemplation (as of 12/28, the site is briefly offline, but I'm leaving this link for when it returns, insha Allah)
