Ramadhan

This page describes the excellence and rewarded practices of Ramadhan, as well as as Fidyah, which must be paid when someone is unable to fast due to a legitimate reason, and they are unable to make up those missed days by fasting at another time (such as due to chronic illness or old age etc).

رمضان المبارك

The Blessed Month of Ramadhan

Ramadhan is the most blessed month of the Islamic calendar in which Allah S.W.T. guides us to good deeds. It is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed as clear guidance and judgment to all people. It is the month in which good deeds are multiplied and sins are forgiven. This is a month, the first part of which brings Allah’s Mercy, the middle of which brings Allah’s Forgiveness, and the last part of which brings emancipation from Hellfire, and in which is a night better than one thousand months. Allah S.W.T. has enjoined fasting during the day as a pillar of Islam and made the extra prayers during the night voluntary. If anyone observes fasting believing in its obligation and anticipating its rewards, all his previous sins are forgiven. In this month, the gates of paradise are opened and faithful increase good deeds, the gates of Hell are shut and sinful acts reduced. Devils are chained, so they are no longer able to affect faithful people as they do in other times.

The fast of Ramadhan is Fardh (obligatory) according to the Qur’an, sunnah and Ijmaa’ (consensus).

The evidence from the Qur’an consists of the following two verses:

“O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for the people before you in order for you to gain God consciousness.”(2:183) And, “…The month of Ramadhan, during which the Qur’an was revealed, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance and the criterion; and whoever of you is resident, let him fast the month”. (2:185).

From the Sunnah we have the following statements of the Prophet S.A.W.:

“Islam is built upon [the following] five pillars: testifying that there is no God except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, the establishment of the prayer, the giving of Zakah, the fast of Ramadhan and the pilgrimage to (Baitullah) the house of Allah.”

Talhah ibn ‘Ubaidullah reported that a man came to the Prophet S.A.W. and said:

“O Messenger of Allah, tell me what Allah requires of me as regards to obligatory fasting.” He answered, “The month of Ramadan.” The man asked: “Is there any other [fast] which is obligatory?” The Prophet answered: “No, unless you do so voluntarily.”

The whole Muslim ummah agrees that the fast of Ramadan is obligatory. It is one of the pillars of Islam, and if one denies this, he cannot be called a Muslim.

The excellence of fasting

In a Hadith Qudsi narrated by Abu Hurairah R.A.A. the Prophet S.A.W. is reported to have said:

“Allah, the Almighty and Master of Honour, says: All actions of a person are for himself, except his fasting, which is exclusively for Me and I shall reward him for the same. The fast is a shield (against vice and the fire of hell). Therefore when anyone of you is fasting he should abstain from loose talk and avoid verbosity and the noisy exchange of words. If somebody starts abusing him or picks a quarrel with him, he should tell him that I am observing a fast. By Allah in whose Hand is the life of Mohammad, the breath of the mouth of one who is fasting is more pleasant in the sight of Allah than the fragrance of musk. A fasting person obtains two kinds of pleasures; first, pleasure when he breaks his fast, and second, he will be joyful by virtue of his fast when he meets his Sustainer“. (Bukhari, Muslim).

Warning against neglecting the fast

The Prophet S.A.W. has placed great emphasis on observing the fast of the month of Ramadhan, and has warned of severe consequences for neglecting it. The Prophet S.A.W. said,

“Whoever eats during one day of Ramadhan without a valid excuse (acceptable in shari’ah) shall never be able to recapture that day even by fasting for the rest of their life.” (Tirmizi, Ibn Majah).

Azh-Zhahabi says:

“It is an established fact among the Muslims that anyone who leaves the fast of Ramadhan without being sick is worse than a fornicator or an alcoholic. In fact, their Islam becomes doubtful.

We should be careful in our fasting so that we do not spoil it with any wrongdoing and we should try to make it as valuable as possible by engaging in good deeds and virtuous activities, and keeping ourselves away from sin and vice. The Prophet S.A.W. said

“If a person does not refrain from lying and indecent activities, Allah S.W.T. does not need him to abstain from eating and drinking.” (Bukhari).

The Prophet S.A.W. also said,

“Many of those who fast obtain nothing through such fasting except hunger. And many who perform salat by night obtain nothing from it except the discomfort of staying awake.” (Ibn Majah, Nasaaee)

Sahur

The importance of eating sahur (the pre dawn meal) has been highlighted in a number of ahadith, and it is considered a very blessed meal.

Abdullah Ibn Umar R.A.A. relates that Rasulullah S.A.W. said:

“Verily Allah and His angels send mercy upon those who eat sahur (the meal well before dawn).” (Tabarani, Ibn Hibban).

In another hadith the Prophet S.A.W said:

“Eat sahur, for it is a blessed meal.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

How great is Allah’s favour upon us that even the partaking of food before dawn for the sake of fasting should be so greatly rewarded. And yet many people are deprived of this great reward because of their own laziness, What great blessings they do lose. The time for the Sahur is between the middle of the night and dawn. It is considered best to delay it.

Iftar

It is related on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-’Aas R.A.A. that the Prophet S.A.W. said:

“A fasting person, upon breaking his fast, has a supplication that will not be rejected. When ‘Abdullah broke his fast he would say: “O Allah, I ask of You, by Your mercy that encompasses everything, to forgive me.” (Ibn Majah)

It is preferred for the fasting person to hasten in breaking the fast when the sun has set. Sahl ibn Sa’d R.A.A. reported that the Prophet S.A.W. said:

“The people will always be with the good as long as they hasten in breaking the fast.” (Bukhari and Muslim).

We must also note that to eat sahur at the latest possible time is better and greater in reward than eating it earlier. On the other hand breaking the fast at the earliest possible time is better and greater in reward than breaking the fast later.

The Prophet S.A.W. said,

“People would continue to receive goodness as long as they hasten in breaking the fast and delay in eating sahur.” (Musnad Ahmad).

A great deal of importance is placed on those who feed a fasting person. Ramadhan thus provides an excellent chance to welcome and host other Muslims for Iftar and gain extra reward.

Lailatul Qadr

The month of Ramadhan enjoys a spiritual superiority over all the other months of the year. Likewise, its last ‘Asharah or ‘ten days’ are superior to the two earlier ‘Asharahs, and Lailatul Qadr or the Night of Decree falls in it. This is the most blessed night of the year. In fact this is the most distinctive aspect of the month of Ramadhan. This is that very night in which Allah chose to reveal the Holy Quran upon our beloved Prophet S.A.W. This is also the night wherein Allah decides the destiny, sustenance, birth, and death etc. for His creation. That is why the Prophet S.A.W. devoted himself more intensively in prayer and other forms of worship during it and urged others also to do the same.

It is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an that this night is better than a thousand months (83 years & four months) as Allah S.W.T. Himself states:

“Verily! We have sent it (this Qur’an) down in the Night of Decree (Lailatul-Qadr). And what will make you know what the Night of Decree is? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. Therein descend the angels and the Rooh (i.e. Jibreel [Gabriel]) by Allah’s Permission with all Decrees, Peace! until the appearance of dawn.” (97:1-5)

Prophet S.A.W. said:

“Whosoever stood up before Allah on the night of Qadr with iman and true conviction of attaining reward from Allah, in return, Allah will forgive all his previous sins.” (Muslim)

It is preferred to seek this night during the last ten odd nights of Ramadhan, as the Prophet S.A.W. strived his best in seeking it during that time. The Prophet S.A.W. would stay up during the last ten nights, would wake his wives, and then would remain apart from them to worship his Lord.

Things one should do in this night

In this night a person should apply extra exertion in worship of Allah S.W.T., even though there is no special form of worship prescribed for this night, one can engage in the offering of nafl prayers, supplications, recitation of the Holy Qur’an, or any other deed considered good in Shari’ah.

I`tikaf

I`tikaf is seclusion by staying in the mosque with the intention of becoming closer to Allah. This was the practice of the Prophet, S.A.W. especially during the last ten days of Ramadhan. He would do it during other months as well.

According to the scholars of Islam I’tikaf of last ten days of Ramadhan is Sunnah Muakkadah Alal Kifaya, which means if some people from the local Muslim community perform this practice it will suffice for the rest of the community, but if no one attends to this then the whole community will be responsible for neglecting such Sunnah which the Prophet S.A.W. never missed.

Imam Az-Zuhri said:

“How strange the Muslims are! They have given up I’tikaf, despite the fact that the Prophet S.A.W. never abandoned this practice from the time he came to Madinah until his death.”

Aisha R.A.A. reported that the Messenger of Allah S.A.W. used to practice I`tikaf in the last ten nights of Ramadhan and used to say,

“Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadhan” (Bukhari).

Abu Hurairah R.A.A. said:

“Allah’s Messenger S.A.W. used to perform i`tikaf for ten days every Ramadhan, and the year in which he was taken (died), he performed I`tikaf for twenty days. (Bukhari)

Aisha R.A.A. reported that the Prophet S.A.W. used to practice

I`tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadhan until he died and then his wives used to practice I`tikaf after him. (Bukhari).

I’tikaf of Ramadhan is sunnah. There are two other kinds of I’tikaf; Wajib, where a person takes a vow unto himself that he will perform I’tikaf if such and such happens, as soon as that thing is fulfilled I’tikaf becomes Wajib on him, the other is nafl I’tikaf.
Nafl I’tikaf has no special conditions or limitations on time. Whenever you enter the mosque for worship you can make intention of I’tikaf. You will receive reward of nafl I’tikaf as long as you stay in the mosque. When you leave the mosque your I’tikaf will end, and when you re-enter next time with intention of I’tikaf, it will start again.

Fidyah

When someone is unable to fast due to a legitimate reason, they should try and make up those missed days by fasting at another time. However, if one was unable to fast those days (due to chronic illness or old age etc.) then they must pay Fidyah, to feed a poor person for each day a fast is missed. The Fidyah amount of NZ $15 for Ramadan in 2023G/1444H will provide an individual in need, an iftar pack in Ramadan.