Ramadan for a Novice
By Ginger Rutland for the Sacramento Bee
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
I attended my first iftar earlier this month.
Iftar is the breaking of the fast that takes place every night in the homes of observant Muslims during the month of Ramadan. Hosted by the Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims, the iftar I attended was an interfaith event, intended to educate non-Muslims like me about the significance of Islam's holiest month.
Arden Fair Mall
I learned that Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, the month Mohammed was supposed to have first received divine revelations from the Archangel Gabriel that became the Holy Qur'an. For a full lunar cycle, from full moon to crescent, adult Muslims around the world refrain from food, drink and sexual relations from dawn to sunset.
The fasting or sawm - the word in Arabic literally means self-restraint - is meant to build discipline. As Imam Azeez, the spiritual leader of the SALAM center, explained it, when people deny themselves the simple permissible pleasures - food, drink, sex - it becomes easier to refrain from the impermissible - alcohol or drugs or criminal behavior. While attention focuses on food and drink, the faithful are also supposed to refrain from foul language, gossip, evil thoughts and even war during Ramadan.
Fasting is also a way to build understanding and empathy for those who are suffering. Those who cannot fast because of illness or because they are pregnant are required to feed the poor each day that they themselves fail to refrain from.
Finally, Ramadan, we were told, is about family. At the end of the day, after prayer, families and friends come together for iftars, to break the fast. By tradition, the first foods eaten are dates and milk. At the SALAM center that Saturday night, a sumptuous feast of spiced rice, lamb, fried dumplings and sweets followed, all served in a joyful holiday spirit.
It felt like Christmas. Our hosts regaled us with tales of Ramadan back home in Egypt, Syria and Pakistan. They told us the month is very much like Christmas, a time when mothers prepare their favorite dishes and families and friends visit. On the last day of Ramadan, gifts are exchanged. In fact, in many Muslim countries, Ramadan, like Christmas, has become the principal shopping season and that has some worried that, like Christmas, Ramadan will become tainted by commercialism.
But as I've watched the Muslims I know this Ramadan and in the past, it seems unlikely. The central ritual of Ramadan, the fast itself, prevents the Muslim holy season from drifting too far from its spiritual roots.
To deny oneself all food and drink for 12 hours - not even a sip of water is permitted - is very hard. To do that not just for a day or a week, but for a full month, represents a commitment to faith that is rare and precious and real. Certainly, it seems so to someone like me, who has a hard time walking past the candy vending machine at work, even after I've just had lunch. So, I left my first iftar impressed and deeply moved.
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Rich and Poor Pilgrims Fill Makkah During Ramadan
Rich and Poor Pilgrims Fill Makkah During Ramadan
By Souhail Karam
BBC News Online
Wed Oct 18, 2006, 12:01 PM ET
MECCA, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - To many pilgrims, sleeping and eating on the cool white-marbled floor of the Grand Mosque in Mecca is a heavenly luxury. For others, the luxury hotels overlooking the mosque are the place to be.
Muslims flock to Mecca in the last 10 days of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, a favorite time for the lesser pilgrimage, called 'Umra, two months before the Hajj pilgrimage which is a duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it.
'Umra attracts up to 2 million Muslims in this period from 80 countries, including some of the world's poorest, as well as many Saudis.
Sleeping in the Mosque
"Why would I spend 1,000 riyals ($267) for a room when I can sleep in the mosque in front of the Kaaba? This is God's house," said Abdullah Faraghani from Yemen, referring to the black structure at the center of the Grand Mosque which Muslims throughout the world turn to in prayer.
"Besides, I came in Ramadan to meditate, pray and repent -- not to use the remote control," he said, while sharing a meal of rice and chicken with other pilgrims.
The majority of those who cannot afford the five-star accommodation around the mosque come with packages for a month-long stay costing them up to $1,500.
Real Estate Boom
Mecca is currently witnessing a real estate boom as exclusive hotels, apartments and malls rise around the mosque.
"Those who can afford it come for just the last ten days of Ramadan, pay $10,000 for the stay in the hotel and the flights. But they can pray from their room and just look at the Kaaba," a Saudi travel agent said.
Nayla Bennani, a woman from Morocco, is one of them.
"First I'm alone, so I can't stay anywhere," she said, sipping a cup of Turkish coffee. "Pilgrimage can be very tiring, the long prayers, circling the Kaaba, staying up all night to read the Quran -- so you need somewhere comfortable to stay."
The central idea of pilgrimage in Islam is that all Muslims are equals, regardless of social status or race. Men wear only two pieces of white cloth, while women avoid perfumes.
Sometimes Saudi guards make an effort to clear away the squatters inside the mosque. Occasionally they will allow a foreign dignitary to move unhindered through the crowds in order to touch the Kaaba and its famed black stone.
Social Disparities
Outside the mosque, Mecca offers a clearer snapshot of the social disparities. Pilgrims who cannot find a place to sleep near the mosque look for the nearest shopping mall, where they are less harassed by security.
In their robes, they stroll past shops offering famed brands such as Givenchy and Dior. But few buy.
"Just like in Monaco or Saint-Tropez, the Muslim jet-set has its haunts in Mecca," the Saudi travel agent said.
By Souhail Karam
BBC News Online
Wed Oct 18, 2006, 12:01 PM ET
MECCA, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - To many pilgrims, sleeping and eating on the cool white-marbled floor of the Grand Mosque in Mecca is a heavenly luxury. For others, the luxury hotels overlooking the mosque are the place to be.
Muslims flock to Mecca in the last 10 days of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, a favorite time for the lesser pilgrimage, called 'Umra, two months before the Hajj pilgrimage which is a duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it.
'Umra attracts up to 2 million Muslims in this period from 80 countries, including some of the world's poorest, as well as many Saudis.
Sleeping in the Mosque
"Why would I spend 1,000 riyals ($267) for a room when I can sleep in the mosque in front of the Kaaba? This is God's house," said Abdullah Faraghani from Yemen, referring to the black structure at the center of the Grand Mosque which Muslims throughout the world turn to in prayer.
"Besides, I came in Ramadan to meditate, pray and repent -- not to use the remote control," he said, while sharing a meal of rice and chicken with other pilgrims.
The majority of those who cannot afford the five-star accommodation around the mosque come with packages for a month-long stay costing them up to $1,500.
Real Estate Boom
Mecca is currently witnessing a real estate boom as exclusive hotels, apartments and malls rise around the mosque.
"Those who can afford it come for just the last ten days of Ramadan, pay $10,000 for the stay in the hotel and the flights. But they can pray from their room and just look at the Kaaba," a Saudi travel agent said.
Nayla Bennani, a woman from Morocco, is one of them.
"First I'm alone, so I can't stay anywhere," she said, sipping a cup of Turkish coffee. "Pilgrimage can be very tiring, the long prayers, circling the Kaaba, staying up all night to read the Quran -- so you need somewhere comfortable to stay."
The central idea of pilgrimage in Islam is that all Muslims are equals, regardless of social status or race. Men wear only two pieces of white cloth, while women avoid perfumes.
Sometimes Saudi guards make an effort to clear away the squatters inside the mosque. Occasionally they will allow a foreign dignitary to move unhindered through the crowds in order to touch the Kaaba and its famed black stone.
Social Disparities
Outside the mosque, Mecca offers a clearer snapshot of the social disparities. Pilgrims who cannot find a place to sleep near the mosque look for the nearest shopping mall, where they are less harassed by security.
In their robes, they stroll past shops offering famed brands such as Givenchy and Dior. But few buy.
"Just like in Monaco or Saint-Tropez, the Muslim jet-set has its haunts in Mecca," the Saudi travel agent said.
How the Salaf Observed Ramadhan
How the Salaf Observed Ramadhan
A Message to Every Muslim
On the Occasion of this Blessed Month
(Editor's Note: Salaf means precedessors. The term is used to describe our pious predessors, i.e. the first generations of Muslims, the Sahaabah, the tabi'een and the tabit-tabi'een, who were closest to the Prophet Muhammad, saws, in their understanding and practice of Islam.)
Reprinted from As-Sahwah.com
Brother and sister Muslims, may the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.
I send you this message filled with love and greetings. I send it to you from a heart that loves you for the sake of Allah and I ask Him to bring us together in the abode of His Benedictions and Mercy.
On the occasion of the blessed month of Ramadan, I extend to you this advise as a humble gift which I hope you will accept with an open mind and that in turn, you advise me. May Allah protect you and take care of you.
How do we receive the blessed month of Ramadan? Allah the Almighty says,
"You who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you that you may attain piety" [Qur'an 2:183].
My esteemed brothers and sisters:
Allah has distinguished Ramadan from other months with many merits and virtues which include:
The bad breath from the mouth of a fasting person is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk.
The angels ask forgiveness for those fasting until they break their fast.
Allah beautifies His Paradise each day and says, "My righteous servants are about to be spared suffering and harm, then they will be sent to you."
The devils are chained during the month.
The doors of Paradise are opened while those of Hell are locked.
The night, Laylat al-Qadr, which is better than a thousand months occurs in this month. Whoever is deprived of the good of this night has indeed been deprived of goodness altogether.
Those fasting receive forgiveness on the last night of Ramadan.
Allah saves people from Hellfire during each night of Ramadan.
My esteemed brother and sister:
How then do we receive the month containing these merits and virtues? Is it by occupying ourselves with playfulness and spending our nights with non-beneficial things? Or do we feel burdened and panic at its arrival? We seek refuge with Allah from such attitudes. The righteous servants of Allah welcome it with repentance and true determination to reap its benefits and fully utilize its precious time. They ask Allah to help them perform their acts of worship in the best manner. I therefore present to you my dear brothers and sisters, the righteous deeds that are stressed during Ramadan.
1. Fasting (Sawm):
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Every good deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied. He will receive ten-fold to seven-hundred-fold reward for a good deed. Allah the Glorious and Majestic has said 'but fasting is exceptional, for it is done for Me and I will give reward for it, since one abandons his passion and food for My sake. There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts, joy when he breaks it and joy when he meets his Lord; and the breath (of an observer of fast) is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk." [Related by AI-Bukhari and Muslim].
Undoubtedly, this great reward will not be for those who only abstain from food and drink, but as the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever does not abandon obscene speech and evil action, Allah does not need his refraining from eating and drinking." [Related by Al-Bukharij. The Prophet (pbuh) also said, "Fasting is a shield. When anyone of you is fasting on a day, he should neither indulge in obscene language, nor raise his voice; rather if anyone reviles him or quarrels with him, he should say, 'I am fasting."' [Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Therefore when you fast, servant of Allah, let your hearing, sight, tongue and all your limbs fast, so that your fasting and non-fasting days are not the same.
2. Praying Qiyam Al-Layl:
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh.) said, "He who observes the fast of the month of Ramadan with sincere faith and hope for the reward of Allah will have his past sins forgiven." [Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Also, Allah says,
"And the servants of Allah most gracious are those who walk on the earth with humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say (Peace); Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrating and standing" [Qur'an 63-64].
Thus, waking up in the night to pray qiyam al-layl i.e. performing prayer in the middle of the night, was a regular act of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "Do not abandon qiyam al-layl, for the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) never left it. If he was not well or he felt heavy, he prayed sitting."
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, used to pray at night what he wished, until it was in the middle of the night, when he would wake up his family to pray; then he would say to them "prayer.. prayer," and would recite this verse of the Qur'an, "Enjoin prayer on your people, and be constant therein. We ask you not to provide sustenance: We provide it for you. But the fruit of the Hereafter is for righteousness" [Qur'an 20:132].
Ibn Umar used to recite,
"Is one who worships devoutly during the hours of the night, prostrating himself or standing (in adoration), who takes heed of the Hereafter, and who places his hope in the Mercy of his Lord like one who does not?" [Qur'an 39:9].
He said that was referring to Uthman Ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). Ibn Abi Hatim said Ibn Umar said that it was due to the length of the prayer of the commander of the faithful, Uthman, at night and his recitation to the extent that he may have recited the entire Qur an in one rak'ah.
Alqamah Ibn Qays narrated, "I slept with Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) one night. He woke up in the early part of the night and began to pray. He recited with a recitation similar to that of the neighborhood imam with a medium regular pace. Those around him could hear him and he continued until what remained of the night's darkness was equal to the time between the adhan (call) for maghrib prayer and the end of the maghrib prayer time, i.e. a short time before daybreak. He then performed witr prayer."
Furthermore, Al-Sa'ib Ibn Zayd narrated in a hadith that the reciter would recite (the Qur'an) with hundreds of verses such that we supported ourselves with staves due to the lengthiness of the prayer and did not leave until the time of fajr (dawn prayer).
Caution: Brother Muslim, you have to complete the tarawih prayer with the imam in order to be reckoned as one of those who stood (the night) in prayer. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever stays with his imam until he completes the prayer, will have the night written for him as one who performed qiyam al-layl, i.e. one who stood the night in prayer." [Related by compilers of sunan books].
3. Charity (Sadaqah):
The Prophet (pbuh) was the most generous of people, and he was most generous during Ramadan. He was more generous with good deeds than the blowing wind. The Messenger of Allah also said, "The best charity is one given during Ramadan." [Related by Al-Tirmidhi from Anas].
Zayd Ibn Aslam narrated from his father as saying, "I heard Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) say, 'The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) commanded us to donate to charity, so I gave some of my wealth. Then I said, 'Today I will compete with Abu Bakr if I can ever do so.' Then I donated half of my wealth. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked me, 'What did you leave for your family?' He said, 'I said the same as what I gave out.' But Abu Bakr brought all of his wealth and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked him, 'What did you leave for your family?' He replied, 'I left them with Allah and His Messenger,' I said, 'I will never compete with you for anything again.
Talha Ibn Yahya Ibn Talha narrated, "My grandmother Sa'da bint Awf AI-Mariyah who was the wife of Talha Ibn Ubaydullah related to me, 'Talha came to me one day disconcerted. So I asked him, 'Why is it that I see you with a gloomy face? What is the matter with you? Is there anything that I can help you with?" He said, "No, you are a faithful Muslim wife." I said, "Then what is the matter?" He said, "The wealth that I have has increased and that disturbs me." I said, "Don't worry, distribute it." She said, 'He divided it until not even a single diniam was left." Talha Ibn Yahya said: "I asked the custodian of Talha's property how much the amount was." He said, 'Four hundred thousand."'
Therefore dear brothers and sisters, charity during Ramadan has special significance, so hasten to give it out according to your means. Charity takes many forms.
a) Feeding the Needy:
Allah the Almighty says,
"And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive, (saying), 'We feed you for the sake of Allah Alone. No rewards do we desire from you, nor thanks. We only fear a Day of frowning and stress from the side of our Lord.' But Allah will deliver them from the evil of that day, and will spread over them brightness and a (blissful) joy. And because they were patient and constant, He will reward them with a garden (and garments of) silk." [Qur'an 76:8-12].
The Salaf used to ensure feeding others and they placed it before many acts of worship, and it is equally rewarded whether you feed a hungry person or a good Muslim brother of yours. Hence, poverty is not a condition for feeding a person.
The Messenger of Allah (')buh) said, "When a believer feeds a hungry believer, Allah will feed him from the fruits of Paradise. And when he quenches the thirst of a believer, Allah will make him drink from the pure sealed wine of Paradise." [Related by Al-Tirmidhi with a good chain of narration].
Some of our pious predecessors said, "For me to invite ten of my friends and feed them with a meal that they like is better for me then freeing ten of the descendants of (Prophet) Isma'il." Many among the Salaf used to leave their food for breaking the fast for others. They included Abdullah Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), Dawud Al-Ta'i, Malik Ibn Dinar and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal. Ibn Umar did not break his fast except with the orphans and the needy. Sometimes, if he learned that his family had turned back the orphans and the needy, he would not break the fast that night. Also among the Salaf were those who fed their brother Muslims while they still continued to fast. They also served them and attended to their well-being. Among them were AI-Hassan Al-Basri and Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak.
Abu Al-Sawar Al-'Adwi said, "Some men from Banu Adiy tribe used to pray in the mosque. None of them ever broke the fast alone with his food. If he found someone to share with, he ate with him, if not, he would take it to the mosque, so that others ate with him and he ate with others. Feeding other people is an act of worship which triggers many other acts of worship. Ties of love and brotherliness are strengthened between you and the person you feed and that may lead you to Paradise." The Prophet (pbuh) said, "You will not enter Paradise until you believe and you will not believe until you love one another." This deed will keep you close to righteous people and Allah will reward you as the food you provide helps them with their acts of obedience (to Allah).
b) Providing Food to Break the Fast:
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward equal to that of the fasting person, without any reduction in his reward." [Related by Ahmad and Al-Nasai. Also verified by Al-Albani as sahih]. In a hadith narrated by Salman Al-Farisi, the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever feeds a fasting person, will be recompensed with forgiveness of sins and salvation from Hell. He will receive the same reward as the fasting person without causing him any reduction (in his reward)." (The Companions) said, 'Messenger of Allah, not all of us can find something to feed a fasting person.' The Prophet (pbuh) said, 'Allah will give this reward to he who feeds a fasting person with a sip of milk or a piece of dates, or a sip of water. And Allah will make him who quenches the thirst of a fasting person to drink from my cistern a drink that he will never feel thirsty until he enters Paradise (where there is no thirst)."
4. Intensifying the Recitation of the Qur'an:
I will remind you dear brother of two actions of the pious Salaf of this Ummah:
a) Undertaking Much Recitation of the Qur 'an:
The month of Ramadan is the month of the Qur'an. The Muslim must therefore recite the Qur'an a great deal. The Salaf used to pay particular attention to the Book of Allah, and angel Jibril (Gabriel) used to study the Qur'an with the Prophet (pbuh) during Ramadan. Uthman Ibn Affan used to complete reciting the Qur'an once each day. Some of the Salaf also completed the Qur an in their qiyam prayer every three nights. Others completed it every seven days, while some others completed it every ten nights. They used to recite the Qur'an during prayers and at other times. During Ramadan, Al-Shafi'i used to complete reciting the Qur'an sixty times, excluding prayer times. AI-Aswad used to complete reciting the Qur'an every two nights. Qatada regularly completed the Qur'an within seven nights, while during Ramadan, he completed it every three nights, but in the last ten days of Ramadan, he completed it every night. When Ramadan came, Al-Zuhri left studying the hadith and study circles with scholars and he concentrated on reciting the Qur'an from the book (i.e. not from memory).
Also, when Ramadan came, Sufyan Al-Thawri left all other acts of worship and concentrated on the Qur'an.
Ibn Rajab said that it was reported from the Prophet (pbuh) that the Qur'an may not be completed in less than three days by those who recite it constantly. As for the blessed times such as Ramadan, especially during the nights of expecting Laylat al-Qadr or when in holy places such as Makkah for those not inhabiting it, it is recommended that the recitation of the Qur'an be increased in order to benefit from the blessings of the time and the place. This is the opinion of Ahmad, Ishaq and others among the distinguished scholars. As we indicated earlier, the actions of other scholars also support this view.
b) Weeping During the Recitation of the Qur'an:
It was not reported from the Salaf that they chanted the Qur'an like poetry without pondering and understanding (its meanings); rather, they were moved by the Words of Allah, and they in turn changed the hearts of others with it. In a hadith in AI-Bukhari, Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, 'Recite (the Qur'an) to me.' Then I said, 'How can I recite to you when it was revealed to you?' The Prophet (pbuh) said, 'I like to hear it from someone else."' Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud said, "I recited the Qur'an from Surah Al-Nisa' until I reached the verse that says, 'How will it be then, when We bring from every nation a witness and bring you to witness over all of them"' [Qur'an 4:41]. The Prophet (pbuh) said, 'That is enough.' I turned to the Prophet (pbuh) and found his eyes flooding with tears."'
Al-Bayhaqi related from Abu Hurayrah that he said, "When the verse of the Qur'an that says 'Do you then wonder at this recital (the Qur'an) and you laugh at it and weep not.' [Qur'an 53:59-60] was revealed, the Companions residing in the Suffah, (the courtyard of the Prophet's mosque) wept until tears began to trickle down their cheeks." When the Prophet (pbuh) heard their weeping, he wept with them and his weeping made us weep. The Messenger of Allah said, "The person who weeps in humility to Allah will not enter Hell."
Ibn Umar read surah Al-Mutaffifin until he reached '...the Day when (all) mankind will stand before the Lord of the Worlds...' [Qur'an 83:6]. He wept to such an extent that he fell to the ground and could not move on to the next verses. Furthermore, Muzahim Ibn Zafar related, "Sufyan Al-Thawn lead us in maghrib prayer, and when he reached 'You (Alone) do we worship and You (Alone) do we ask for help' [Qur'an 1:5], he began to weep so that his recitation was disrupted. So he started from Alhamdulillah again."
It has been reported that Ibrahim Al-Ash'ath said, "One night, I heard Fudhayl Ibn Ayadh reciting this verse of the Qur'an, repeatedly as he wept, 'And We shall try you until We test those among you who strive their utmost and persevere in patience, and We shall test your facts (whether true or false)' [Qur'an 47:31] But he kept on saying the words of Allah, 'And We shall test your facts', then he would say, 'And You will test our facts? If You test our facts, You will disgrace us and expose our secrets. Indeed if You do that, You will destroy us and punish us,' and he would continue crying.
5. Sitting in the Mosque Until Sunrise
"When the Prophet (pbuh) prayed fajr prayer, he sat in his prayer place until sunrise." [Related by Muslim].
At-Tirmidhi narrated from Anas that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever prays fajr in the congregation and remains seated, remembering Allah until sunrise, then performs two rak"at; it will be for him as the reward of complete Hajj and Umrah." [Verified by Al-Albani as sahih].
This is the reward promised for everyday, so how will it be for Ramadan?
Dear brother, may Allah protect you, have a good sleep at night to assist you in getting this great reward. Also, emulate righteous people and train your soul to strive for the pleasure of Allah. Have high aspirations to reach the highest of the grades of Paradise.
6. Observing I'tikaf:
The Prophet (pbuh) used to observe I'tikaf during ten days of Ramadan. But in the year of his death, he stayed in I'tikaf for twenty days. [Related by Al- Bukhari). Thus, I'tikaf which means staying in the mosque continuously for a certain period of time, is an act of worship that embraces many acts of obedience to Allah, such as reciting the Qur'an, praying, remembering Allah, supplicating, etc.
The person who has not experienced it might think that is difficult to bear, but it is easy for whomever Allah makes it easy. Thus, whoever arms himself with good intentions and true determination, Allah helps him undertake the task with ease. I'tikaf is stressed more during the last ten days of Ramadan in anticipation of laylat al-Qadr. It is a permissible form of seclusion as the person observing it holds himself in seclusion out of obedience to Allah and His remembrance. He also cuts himself off from anything that would distract him from the observance of I'tikaf His heart is set on all deeds that draw him closer to Allah and the only desire he has is to do what pleases Allah.
7. Performing Umrah During Ramadan:
It has been established that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "An Umrah performed in Ramadan is equal in reward to Hajj." [Related by AlBukhari and Muslim). In another version the Prophet (pbuh) said, "The same (reward) as performing Hajj with me." So, congratulations to you my brother (who succeeds) in performing a pilgrimage with the Prophet (pbuh).
8. Anticipating Laylat Al-Qadr:
Allah the Almighty says,
"We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power. And what will explain to you what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months." [Qur'an 97:1-3).
The Prophet (pbuh) said, "He who observes laylat al-Qadr with sincere faith and hope for the reward of Allah will have his past sins forgiven." [Related by AI-Bukhari and Muslim). The Prophet (pbuh) used to look out for laylat al-Qadr and commanded his Companions also to look out for it. He used to wake up his family members during the last ten nights in the hope that they would succeed in meeting the blessed night (in worship).
It is related in Musnad Ahmad from Ubada that the Prophet (pbuh said, "Whoever stays awake in anticipation of laylat al-Qadr, and succeeds in getting it, will have all of his sins both past and future forgiven." [AlNasai reported a similar hadith, while Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar said that its chain meets the conditions for authenticity].
It has been reported that some of our predecessors among the Companions and their successors took a complete bath and used perfume during the last ten nights (of Ramadan) in anticipation of laylat al-Qadr, which has been highly honored by Allah.
So those of you who have wasted their time with nothing beneficial, make up for what you have missed by observing the night of laylat al-Qadr, as it is reckoned from your age. Good deeds undertaken in this night are better than (the deeds of) a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its benefits has indeed been much deprived.
9. Remembering Allah, Supplicating and Seeking Forgiveness
Dear brother, the days and nights of Ramadan are distinguished times, so seize the opportunity by increasing your remembrance of Allah, and making supplications, especially during the chosen periods when they are more acceptable to Allah. These include:
When breaking the fast, since the fasting person's supplications are not rejected.
The last third of the night, when our Lord descends and says, "Is there anyone asking that I may give;is there anyone seeking forgiveness that I may forgive?"
Asking for forgiveness at dawn, as Allah says, "And in the hours of early dawn, they (were found) praying for forgiveness." [Qur'an 51:18].
Looking out for the chosen hour on Friday when supplications are answered. This hour is most likely to be the last hour of Friday (before sunset).
Finally, dear brothers and sisters:
After this round in the garden of Paradise, under the shade of righteous deeds, I would like to draw your attention to an important issue. Do you know what that is? It is sincerity. Yes, sincerity. How so many are the people who fast but benefit nothing other than hunger and thirst from their fast. And how so many are the people who stay awake in worship but get nothing other than sleeplessness and fatigue. May Allah save you and me from that kind of outcome. Consequently, we find the Prophet (pbuh) stressing this matter when he said, "(Fasting) with full faith and hoping for a reward from Allah." The Salaf therefore used to do their righteous deeds secretly in fear of falling into showing off.
Hence, we find this great Tabi'i, i.e. from the generation succeeding the Companions of the Prophet, Ayyoub Al-Sakhtiyani, about whom Hamad Ibn Zayd said, "Sometimes, when studying hadith, Ayyoub would be so moved and he would turn (away) to blow his nose. Then he would say, 'How severe this cold is! Pretending to be having a cold to hide his weeping."
It has been reported that Muhammad Ibn Wasi' said, "I have known men among whom there is one whose head would be placed beside that of his wife on the same pillow, so that the part of the pillow under his cheek would become wet from tears without his wife noticing it. I have also known men, who while in the row for prayer, tears would pour down their cheeks and the one next to them would not notice it. Ayyoub Al-Sakhtiyani used to remain awake for the entire night (in worship) yet he would hide it. So when morning came, he raised his voice as if he had woken up that instant. Ibn Adiy related that Dawud Ibn Abi Hind fasted for forty years without his family knowing about it. His occupation was embroidery, so he would take his lunch along with him (to work) but donate it to charity on the way. When he returned at night, he would break his fast with the family and they did not know that he was fasting."
Sufyan Al-Thawri said, "The servant of Allah would do his deeds secretly, and the devil would persist in tempting him until he convinces him to do it openly. The devil would then continue to insist until the person wants to be thanked for the deed. So, it will be converted from a deed done openly to one done for showing off."
Amusement During Ramadan:
Dear brothers and sisters, I think I have prolonged my admonition to you to seize this opportunity. I have taken some of your time, but let us look together at a very critical phenomenon that we all fall into, especially during Ramadan. It is the phenomenon of wasting time and spending it in ways other than obedience to Allah. This indeed means a lack of awareness and amounts to turning away from the Mercy and Bounty of Allah Who says,
"But whosoever turns away from My Message, Verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise Him up blind on the Day of Judgment. He will say, 'My Lord, why have You raised me up blind while I had sight (before)?' Allah will say, 'Thus did you, when our signs came upon you, forget them; So will you be this day forgotten. And thus do we recompense him who transgresses and believes not in the signs of his Lord. And the chastisement of the Hereafter is far more grievous and enduring." [Qur'an 20:124-127].
One feels so much pain in his heart and is so much dismayed to find Muslim youth filling the sidewalks and playgrounds during the most virtuous nights of Ramadan.
How so many are the sins and forbidden acts committed during the nights of Ramadan! Yes, the Muslim must be truly concerned about the manner in which Muslims spend their time. He must also be disturbed to find Muslim youth spending their time in ways that are not pleasing to Allah. But do not worry. The path to your happiness and that of your Muslim brothers is to call them to apply Islamic teachings (i.e. doing da 'wah) and to make supplications for them. Yes, da 'wah to those Muslims who have become unaware of their Islamic duties, and guiding them to the Straight Path. Also, make supplications for them in their absence that Allah may accept it from you and that they do not become among those deprived of guidance
A Message to Every Muslim
On the Occasion of this Blessed Month
(Editor's Note: Salaf means precedessors. The term is used to describe our pious predessors, i.e. the first generations of Muslims, the Sahaabah, the tabi'een and the tabit-tabi'een, who were closest to the Prophet Muhammad, saws, in their understanding and practice of Islam.)
Reprinted from As-Sahwah.com
Brother and sister Muslims, may the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.
I send you this message filled with love and greetings. I send it to you from a heart that loves you for the sake of Allah and I ask Him to bring us together in the abode of His Benedictions and Mercy.
On the occasion of the blessed month of Ramadan, I extend to you this advise as a humble gift which I hope you will accept with an open mind and that in turn, you advise me. May Allah protect you and take care of you.
How do we receive the blessed month of Ramadan? Allah the Almighty says,
"You who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you that you may attain piety" [Qur'an 2:183].
My esteemed brothers and sisters:
Allah has distinguished Ramadan from other months with many merits and virtues which include:
The bad breath from the mouth of a fasting person is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk.
The angels ask forgiveness for those fasting until they break their fast.
Allah beautifies His Paradise each day and says, "My righteous servants are about to be spared suffering and harm, then they will be sent to you."
The devils are chained during the month.
The doors of Paradise are opened while those of Hell are locked.
The night, Laylat al-Qadr, which is better than a thousand months occurs in this month. Whoever is deprived of the good of this night has indeed been deprived of goodness altogether.
Those fasting receive forgiveness on the last night of Ramadan.
Allah saves people from Hellfire during each night of Ramadan.
My esteemed brother and sister:
How then do we receive the month containing these merits and virtues? Is it by occupying ourselves with playfulness and spending our nights with non-beneficial things? Or do we feel burdened and panic at its arrival? We seek refuge with Allah from such attitudes. The righteous servants of Allah welcome it with repentance and true determination to reap its benefits and fully utilize its precious time. They ask Allah to help them perform their acts of worship in the best manner. I therefore present to you my dear brothers and sisters, the righteous deeds that are stressed during Ramadan.
1. Fasting (Sawm):
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Every good deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied. He will receive ten-fold to seven-hundred-fold reward for a good deed. Allah the Glorious and Majestic has said 'but fasting is exceptional, for it is done for Me and I will give reward for it, since one abandons his passion and food for My sake. There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts, joy when he breaks it and joy when he meets his Lord; and the breath (of an observer of fast) is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk." [Related by AI-Bukhari and Muslim].
Undoubtedly, this great reward will not be for those who only abstain from food and drink, but as the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever does not abandon obscene speech and evil action, Allah does not need his refraining from eating and drinking." [Related by Al-Bukharij. The Prophet (pbuh) also said, "Fasting is a shield. When anyone of you is fasting on a day, he should neither indulge in obscene language, nor raise his voice; rather if anyone reviles him or quarrels with him, he should say, 'I am fasting."' [Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Therefore when you fast, servant of Allah, let your hearing, sight, tongue and all your limbs fast, so that your fasting and non-fasting days are not the same.
2. Praying Qiyam Al-Layl:
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh.) said, "He who observes the fast of the month of Ramadan with sincere faith and hope for the reward of Allah will have his past sins forgiven." [Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Also, Allah says,
"And the servants of Allah most gracious are those who walk on the earth with humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say (Peace); Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrating and standing" [Qur'an 63-64].
Thus, waking up in the night to pray qiyam al-layl i.e. performing prayer in the middle of the night, was a regular act of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "Do not abandon qiyam al-layl, for the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) never left it. If he was not well or he felt heavy, he prayed sitting."
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, used to pray at night what he wished, until it was in the middle of the night, when he would wake up his family to pray; then he would say to them "prayer.. prayer," and would recite this verse of the Qur'an, "Enjoin prayer on your people, and be constant therein. We ask you not to provide sustenance: We provide it for you. But the fruit of the Hereafter is for righteousness" [Qur'an 20:132].
Ibn Umar used to recite,
"Is one who worships devoutly during the hours of the night, prostrating himself or standing (in adoration), who takes heed of the Hereafter, and who places his hope in the Mercy of his Lord like one who does not?" [Qur'an 39:9].
He said that was referring to Uthman Ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). Ibn Abi Hatim said Ibn Umar said that it was due to the length of the prayer of the commander of the faithful, Uthman, at night and his recitation to the extent that he may have recited the entire Qur an in one rak'ah.
Alqamah Ibn Qays narrated, "I slept with Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) one night. He woke up in the early part of the night and began to pray. He recited with a recitation similar to that of the neighborhood imam with a medium regular pace. Those around him could hear him and he continued until what remained of the night's darkness was equal to the time between the adhan (call) for maghrib prayer and the end of the maghrib prayer time, i.e. a short time before daybreak. He then performed witr prayer."
Furthermore, Al-Sa'ib Ibn Zayd narrated in a hadith that the reciter would recite (the Qur'an) with hundreds of verses such that we supported ourselves with staves due to the lengthiness of the prayer and did not leave until the time of fajr (dawn prayer).
Caution: Brother Muslim, you have to complete the tarawih prayer with the imam in order to be reckoned as one of those who stood (the night) in prayer. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever stays with his imam until he completes the prayer, will have the night written for him as one who performed qiyam al-layl, i.e. one who stood the night in prayer." [Related by compilers of sunan books].
3. Charity (Sadaqah):
The Prophet (pbuh) was the most generous of people, and he was most generous during Ramadan. He was more generous with good deeds than the blowing wind. The Messenger of Allah also said, "The best charity is one given during Ramadan." [Related by Al-Tirmidhi from Anas].
Zayd Ibn Aslam narrated from his father as saying, "I heard Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) say, 'The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) commanded us to donate to charity, so I gave some of my wealth. Then I said, 'Today I will compete with Abu Bakr if I can ever do so.' Then I donated half of my wealth. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked me, 'What did you leave for your family?' He said, 'I said the same as what I gave out.' But Abu Bakr brought all of his wealth and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked him, 'What did you leave for your family?' He replied, 'I left them with Allah and His Messenger,' I said, 'I will never compete with you for anything again.
Talha Ibn Yahya Ibn Talha narrated, "My grandmother Sa'da bint Awf AI-Mariyah who was the wife of Talha Ibn Ubaydullah related to me, 'Talha came to me one day disconcerted. So I asked him, 'Why is it that I see you with a gloomy face? What is the matter with you? Is there anything that I can help you with?" He said, "No, you are a faithful Muslim wife." I said, "Then what is the matter?" He said, "The wealth that I have has increased and that disturbs me." I said, "Don't worry, distribute it." She said, 'He divided it until not even a single diniam was left." Talha Ibn Yahya said: "I asked the custodian of Talha's property how much the amount was." He said, 'Four hundred thousand."'
Therefore dear brothers and sisters, charity during Ramadan has special significance, so hasten to give it out according to your means. Charity takes many forms.
a) Feeding the Needy:
Allah the Almighty says,
"And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive, (saying), 'We feed you for the sake of Allah Alone. No rewards do we desire from you, nor thanks. We only fear a Day of frowning and stress from the side of our Lord.' But Allah will deliver them from the evil of that day, and will spread over them brightness and a (blissful) joy. And because they were patient and constant, He will reward them with a garden (and garments of) silk." [Qur'an 76:8-12].
The Salaf used to ensure feeding others and they placed it before many acts of worship, and it is equally rewarded whether you feed a hungry person or a good Muslim brother of yours. Hence, poverty is not a condition for feeding a person.
The Messenger of Allah (')buh) said, "When a believer feeds a hungry believer, Allah will feed him from the fruits of Paradise. And when he quenches the thirst of a believer, Allah will make him drink from the pure sealed wine of Paradise." [Related by Al-Tirmidhi with a good chain of narration].
Some of our pious predecessors said, "For me to invite ten of my friends and feed them with a meal that they like is better for me then freeing ten of the descendants of (Prophet) Isma'il." Many among the Salaf used to leave their food for breaking the fast for others. They included Abdullah Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), Dawud Al-Ta'i, Malik Ibn Dinar and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal. Ibn Umar did not break his fast except with the orphans and the needy. Sometimes, if he learned that his family had turned back the orphans and the needy, he would not break the fast that night. Also among the Salaf were those who fed their brother Muslims while they still continued to fast. They also served them and attended to their well-being. Among them were AI-Hassan Al-Basri and Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak.
Abu Al-Sawar Al-'Adwi said, "Some men from Banu Adiy tribe used to pray in the mosque. None of them ever broke the fast alone with his food. If he found someone to share with, he ate with him, if not, he would take it to the mosque, so that others ate with him and he ate with others. Feeding other people is an act of worship which triggers many other acts of worship. Ties of love and brotherliness are strengthened between you and the person you feed and that may lead you to Paradise." The Prophet (pbuh) said, "You will not enter Paradise until you believe and you will not believe until you love one another." This deed will keep you close to righteous people and Allah will reward you as the food you provide helps them with their acts of obedience (to Allah).
b) Providing Food to Break the Fast:
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward equal to that of the fasting person, without any reduction in his reward." [Related by Ahmad and Al-Nasai. Also verified by Al-Albani as sahih]. In a hadith narrated by Salman Al-Farisi, the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever feeds a fasting person, will be recompensed with forgiveness of sins and salvation from Hell. He will receive the same reward as the fasting person without causing him any reduction (in his reward)." (The Companions) said, 'Messenger of Allah, not all of us can find something to feed a fasting person.' The Prophet (pbuh) said, 'Allah will give this reward to he who feeds a fasting person with a sip of milk or a piece of dates, or a sip of water. And Allah will make him who quenches the thirst of a fasting person to drink from my cistern a drink that he will never feel thirsty until he enters Paradise (where there is no thirst)."
4. Intensifying the Recitation of the Qur'an:
I will remind you dear brother of two actions of the pious Salaf of this Ummah:
a) Undertaking Much Recitation of the Qur 'an:
The month of Ramadan is the month of the Qur'an. The Muslim must therefore recite the Qur'an a great deal. The Salaf used to pay particular attention to the Book of Allah, and angel Jibril (Gabriel) used to study the Qur'an with the Prophet (pbuh) during Ramadan. Uthman Ibn Affan used to complete reciting the Qur'an once each day. Some of the Salaf also completed the Qur an in their qiyam prayer every three nights. Others completed it every seven days, while some others completed it every ten nights. They used to recite the Qur'an during prayers and at other times. During Ramadan, Al-Shafi'i used to complete reciting the Qur'an sixty times, excluding prayer times. AI-Aswad used to complete reciting the Qur'an every two nights. Qatada regularly completed the Qur'an within seven nights, while during Ramadan, he completed it every three nights, but in the last ten days of Ramadan, he completed it every night. When Ramadan came, Al-Zuhri left studying the hadith and study circles with scholars and he concentrated on reciting the Qur'an from the book (i.e. not from memory).
Also, when Ramadan came, Sufyan Al-Thawri left all other acts of worship and concentrated on the Qur'an.
Ibn Rajab said that it was reported from the Prophet (pbuh) that the Qur'an may not be completed in less than three days by those who recite it constantly. As for the blessed times such as Ramadan, especially during the nights of expecting Laylat al-Qadr or when in holy places such as Makkah for those not inhabiting it, it is recommended that the recitation of the Qur'an be increased in order to benefit from the blessings of the time and the place. This is the opinion of Ahmad, Ishaq and others among the distinguished scholars. As we indicated earlier, the actions of other scholars also support this view.
b) Weeping During the Recitation of the Qur'an:
It was not reported from the Salaf that they chanted the Qur'an like poetry without pondering and understanding (its meanings); rather, they were moved by the Words of Allah, and they in turn changed the hearts of others with it. In a hadith in AI-Bukhari, Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, 'Recite (the Qur'an) to me.' Then I said, 'How can I recite to you when it was revealed to you?' The Prophet (pbuh) said, 'I like to hear it from someone else."' Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud said, "I recited the Qur'an from Surah Al-Nisa' until I reached the verse that says, 'How will it be then, when We bring from every nation a witness and bring you to witness over all of them"' [Qur'an 4:41]. The Prophet (pbuh) said, 'That is enough.' I turned to the Prophet (pbuh) and found his eyes flooding with tears."'
Al-Bayhaqi related from Abu Hurayrah that he said, "When the verse of the Qur'an that says 'Do you then wonder at this recital (the Qur'an) and you laugh at it and weep not.' [Qur'an 53:59-60] was revealed, the Companions residing in the Suffah, (the courtyard of the Prophet's mosque) wept until tears began to trickle down their cheeks." When the Prophet (pbuh) heard their weeping, he wept with them and his weeping made us weep. The Messenger of Allah said, "The person who weeps in humility to Allah will not enter Hell."
Ibn Umar read surah Al-Mutaffifin until he reached '...the Day when (all) mankind will stand before the Lord of the Worlds...' [Qur'an 83:6]. He wept to such an extent that he fell to the ground and could not move on to the next verses. Furthermore, Muzahim Ibn Zafar related, "Sufyan Al-Thawn lead us in maghrib prayer, and when he reached 'You (Alone) do we worship and You (Alone) do we ask for help' [Qur'an 1:5], he began to weep so that his recitation was disrupted. So he started from Alhamdulillah again."
It has been reported that Ibrahim Al-Ash'ath said, "One night, I heard Fudhayl Ibn Ayadh reciting this verse of the Qur'an, repeatedly as he wept, 'And We shall try you until We test those among you who strive their utmost and persevere in patience, and We shall test your facts (whether true or false)' [Qur'an 47:31] But he kept on saying the words of Allah, 'And We shall test your facts', then he would say, 'And You will test our facts? If You test our facts, You will disgrace us and expose our secrets. Indeed if You do that, You will destroy us and punish us,' and he would continue crying.
5. Sitting in the Mosque Until Sunrise
"When the Prophet (pbuh) prayed fajr prayer, he sat in his prayer place until sunrise." [Related by Muslim].
At-Tirmidhi narrated from Anas that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever prays fajr in the congregation and remains seated, remembering Allah until sunrise, then performs two rak"at; it will be for him as the reward of complete Hajj and Umrah." [Verified by Al-Albani as sahih].
This is the reward promised for everyday, so how will it be for Ramadan?
Dear brother, may Allah protect you, have a good sleep at night to assist you in getting this great reward. Also, emulate righteous people and train your soul to strive for the pleasure of Allah. Have high aspirations to reach the highest of the grades of Paradise.
6. Observing I'tikaf:
The Prophet (pbuh) used to observe I'tikaf during ten days of Ramadan. But in the year of his death, he stayed in I'tikaf for twenty days. [Related by Al- Bukhari). Thus, I'tikaf which means staying in the mosque continuously for a certain period of time, is an act of worship that embraces many acts of obedience to Allah, such as reciting the Qur'an, praying, remembering Allah, supplicating, etc.
The person who has not experienced it might think that is difficult to bear, but it is easy for whomever Allah makes it easy. Thus, whoever arms himself with good intentions and true determination, Allah helps him undertake the task with ease. I'tikaf is stressed more during the last ten days of Ramadan in anticipation of laylat al-Qadr. It is a permissible form of seclusion as the person observing it holds himself in seclusion out of obedience to Allah and His remembrance. He also cuts himself off from anything that would distract him from the observance of I'tikaf His heart is set on all deeds that draw him closer to Allah and the only desire he has is to do what pleases Allah.
7. Performing Umrah During Ramadan:
It has been established that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "An Umrah performed in Ramadan is equal in reward to Hajj." [Related by AlBukhari and Muslim). In another version the Prophet (pbuh) said, "The same (reward) as performing Hajj with me." So, congratulations to you my brother (who succeeds) in performing a pilgrimage with the Prophet (pbuh).
8. Anticipating Laylat Al-Qadr:
Allah the Almighty says,
"We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power. And what will explain to you what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months." [Qur'an 97:1-3).
The Prophet (pbuh) said, "He who observes laylat al-Qadr with sincere faith and hope for the reward of Allah will have his past sins forgiven." [Related by AI-Bukhari and Muslim). The Prophet (pbuh) used to look out for laylat al-Qadr and commanded his Companions also to look out for it. He used to wake up his family members during the last ten nights in the hope that they would succeed in meeting the blessed night (in worship).
It is related in Musnad Ahmad from Ubada that the Prophet (pbuh said, "Whoever stays awake in anticipation of laylat al-Qadr, and succeeds in getting it, will have all of his sins both past and future forgiven." [AlNasai reported a similar hadith, while Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar said that its chain meets the conditions for authenticity].
It has been reported that some of our predecessors among the Companions and their successors took a complete bath and used perfume during the last ten nights (of Ramadan) in anticipation of laylat al-Qadr, which has been highly honored by Allah.
So those of you who have wasted their time with nothing beneficial, make up for what you have missed by observing the night of laylat al-Qadr, as it is reckoned from your age. Good deeds undertaken in this night are better than (the deeds of) a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its benefits has indeed been much deprived.
9. Remembering Allah, Supplicating and Seeking Forgiveness
Dear brother, the days and nights of Ramadan are distinguished times, so seize the opportunity by increasing your remembrance of Allah, and making supplications, especially during the chosen periods when they are more acceptable to Allah. These include:
When breaking the fast, since the fasting person's supplications are not rejected.
The last third of the night, when our Lord descends and says, "Is there anyone asking that I may give;is there anyone seeking forgiveness that I may forgive?"
Asking for forgiveness at dawn, as Allah says, "And in the hours of early dawn, they (were found) praying for forgiveness." [Qur'an 51:18].
Looking out for the chosen hour on Friday when supplications are answered. This hour is most likely to be the last hour of Friday (before sunset).
Finally, dear brothers and sisters:
After this round in the garden of Paradise, under the shade of righteous deeds, I would like to draw your attention to an important issue. Do you know what that is? It is sincerity. Yes, sincerity. How so many are the people who fast but benefit nothing other than hunger and thirst from their fast. And how so many are the people who stay awake in worship but get nothing other than sleeplessness and fatigue. May Allah save you and me from that kind of outcome. Consequently, we find the Prophet (pbuh) stressing this matter when he said, "(Fasting) with full faith and hoping for a reward from Allah." The Salaf therefore used to do their righteous deeds secretly in fear of falling into showing off.
Hence, we find this great Tabi'i, i.e. from the generation succeeding the Companions of the Prophet, Ayyoub Al-Sakhtiyani, about whom Hamad Ibn Zayd said, "Sometimes, when studying hadith, Ayyoub would be so moved and he would turn (away) to blow his nose. Then he would say, 'How severe this cold is! Pretending to be having a cold to hide his weeping."
It has been reported that Muhammad Ibn Wasi' said, "I have known men among whom there is one whose head would be placed beside that of his wife on the same pillow, so that the part of the pillow under his cheek would become wet from tears without his wife noticing it. I have also known men, who while in the row for prayer, tears would pour down their cheeks and the one next to them would not notice it. Ayyoub Al-Sakhtiyani used to remain awake for the entire night (in worship) yet he would hide it. So when morning came, he raised his voice as if he had woken up that instant. Ibn Adiy related that Dawud Ibn Abi Hind fasted for forty years without his family knowing about it. His occupation was embroidery, so he would take his lunch along with him (to work) but donate it to charity on the way. When he returned at night, he would break his fast with the family and they did not know that he was fasting."
Sufyan Al-Thawri said, "The servant of Allah would do his deeds secretly, and the devil would persist in tempting him until he convinces him to do it openly. The devil would then continue to insist until the person wants to be thanked for the deed. So, it will be converted from a deed done openly to one done for showing off."
Amusement During Ramadan:
Dear brothers and sisters, I think I have prolonged my admonition to you to seize this opportunity. I have taken some of your time, but let us look together at a very critical phenomenon that we all fall into, especially during Ramadan. It is the phenomenon of wasting time and spending it in ways other than obedience to Allah. This indeed means a lack of awareness and amounts to turning away from the Mercy and Bounty of Allah Who says,
"But whosoever turns away from My Message, Verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise Him up blind on the Day of Judgment. He will say, 'My Lord, why have You raised me up blind while I had sight (before)?' Allah will say, 'Thus did you, when our signs came upon you, forget them; So will you be this day forgotten. And thus do we recompense him who transgresses and believes not in the signs of his Lord. And the chastisement of the Hereafter is far more grievous and enduring." [Qur'an 20:124-127].
One feels so much pain in his heart and is so much dismayed to find Muslim youth filling the sidewalks and playgrounds during the most virtuous nights of Ramadan.
How so many are the sins and forbidden acts committed during the nights of Ramadan! Yes, the Muslim must be truly concerned about the manner in which Muslims spend their time. He must also be disturbed to find Muslim youth spending their time in ways that are not pleasing to Allah. But do not worry. The path to your happiness and that of your Muslim brothers is to call them to apply Islamic teachings (i.e. doing da 'wah) and to make supplications for them. Yes, da 'wah to those Muslims who have become unaware of their Islamic duties, and guiding them to the Straight Path. Also, make supplications for them in their absence that Allah may accept it from you and that they do not become among those deprived of guidance
Who is Obliged to Fast in Ramadhan?
Who is Obliged to Fast in Ramadhan?
Reprinted from As-Sahwah.com
Fasting is an obligation on every adult, sane, settled [i.e., not travelling] Muslim who is able to fast and has nothing such as hayd [menstruation] or nifaas [post-natal bleeding] to prevent him or her from doing so.
A person is deemed to have reached adulthood when any one of the following three things occur: emission of semen, whether in a wet dream or otherwise; growth of coarse pubic hair around the private parts; attainment of fifteen years of age. In the case of females, there is a fourth, namely menstruation; when a girl reaches menarche (starts her periods), she is obliged to fast even if she has not yet reached the age of ten.
Children should be instructed to fast at the age of seven, if they are able to, and some scholars said that a child may be spanked at the age of ten if he does not fast, just as in the case of salaah. (See al-Mughni, 3/90). The child will be rewarded for fasting, and the parents will be rewarded for bringing him up properly and guiding him to do good. Al-Rubay’ bint Mu’awwidh (may Allaah be pleased with her) said, speaking about Ramadaan when it was made obligatory:
"We used to make our children fast, and we would make them a toy made out of wool. If any one of them started to cry for food, we would give them that toy to play with until it was time to break the fast." (al-Bukhaari, Fath, no. 1960).
Some people do not think it is important to tell their children to fast; indeed, a child may be enthusiastic about fasting and may be capable of doing it, but his father or mother may tell him not to fast, out of so-called "pity" for him. They do not realize that true pity and compassion consist of helping him get used to fasting. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded." [al-Tahreem 66:6].
Extra attention must be paid to the matter of a girl’s fasting when she has just reached maturity, because she may fast when she has her period, out of shyness, and then not make up the fast later.
If a disbeliever becomes Muslim, or a child reaches puberty, or an insane person comes to his senses during the day, that person should refrain from eating for the rest of the day, because he or she is now among those who are obliged to fast, but he does not have to make up for the days of Ramadaan that he has missed, because at that time he was not among those who are obliged to fast.
The insane are not responsible for their deeds (their deeds are not being recorded), but if a person is insane at times and sane at other times, he must fast during his periods of sanity, and is excused during his periods of insanity. If he becomes insane during the day, this does not invalidate his fast, just as is the case if someone becomes unconscious because of illness or some other reason, because he had the intention of fasting when he was sane. (Majaalis Shahr Ramadaan by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, p.28). A similar case is the ruling governing epileptics.
If someone dies during Ramadaan, there is no "debt" on him or his heirs with regard to the remaining days of the month.
If someone does not know that it is fard (obligatory) to fast Ramadaan, or that it is haraam to eat or have sexual intercourse during the day in this month, then according to the majority of scholars, this excuse is acceptable, as is also the case for a new convert to Islam, a Muslim living in Daar al-Harb (non-Muslim lands) and a Muslim who grew up among the kuffaar. But a person who grew up among the Muslims and was able to ask questions and find out, has no excuse.
Reprinted from As-Sahwah.com
Fasting is an obligation on every adult, sane, settled [i.e., not travelling] Muslim who is able to fast and has nothing such as hayd [menstruation] or nifaas [post-natal bleeding] to prevent him or her from doing so.
A person is deemed to have reached adulthood when any one of the following three things occur: emission of semen, whether in a wet dream or otherwise; growth of coarse pubic hair around the private parts; attainment of fifteen years of age. In the case of females, there is a fourth, namely menstruation; when a girl reaches menarche (starts her periods), she is obliged to fast even if she has not yet reached the age of ten.
Children should be instructed to fast at the age of seven, if they are able to, and some scholars said that a child may be spanked at the age of ten if he does not fast, just as in the case of salaah. (See al-Mughni, 3/90). The child will be rewarded for fasting, and the parents will be rewarded for bringing him up properly and guiding him to do good. Al-Rubay’ bint Mu’awwidh (may Allaah be pleased with her) said, speaking about Ramadaan when it was made obligatory:
"We used to make our children fast, and we would make them a toy made out of wool. If any one of them started to cry for food, we would give them that toy to play with until it was time to break the fast." (al-Bukhaari, Fath, no. 1960).
Some people do not think it is important to tell their children to fast; indeed, a child may be enthusiastic about fasting and may be capable of doing it, but his father or mother may tell him not to fast, out of so-called "pity" for him. They do not realize that true pity and compassion consist of helping him get used to fasting. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded." [al-Tahreem 66:6].
Extra attention must be paid to the matter of a girl’s fasting when she has just reached maturity, because she may fast when she has her period, out of shyness, and then not make up the fast later.
If a disbeliever becomes Muslim, or a child reaches puberty, or an insane person comes to his senses during the day, that person should refrain from eating for the rest of the day, because he or she is now among those who are obliged to fast, but he does not have to make up for the days of Ramadaan that he has missed, because at that time he was not among those who are obliged to fast.
The insane are not responsible for their deeds (their deeds are not being recorded), but if a person is insane at times and sane at other times, he must fast during his periods of sanity, and is excused during his periods of insanity. If he becomes insane during the day, this does not invalidate his fast, just as is the case if someone becomes unconscious because of illness or some other reason, because he had the intention of fasting when he was sane. (Majaalis Shahr Ramadaan by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, p.28). A similar case is the ruling governing epileptics.
If someone dies during Ramadaan, there is no "debt" on him or his heirs with regard to the remaining days of the month.
If someone does not know that it is fard (obligatory) to fast Ramadaan, or that it is haraam to eat or have sexual intercourse during the day in this month, then according to the majority of scholars, this excuse is acceptable, as is also the case for a new convert to Islam, a Muslim living in Daar al-Harb (non-Muslim lands) and a Muslim who grew up among the kuffaar. But a person who grew up among the Muslims and was able to ask questions and find out, has no excuse.
Sunnahs Neglected in Ramadhan
Sunnahs Neglected in Ramadhan
By Imaam al-Albaani
Source: Silsilah al-Hudaa wan-Noor, Tape No. 590
Article ID : IBD090005
Question: "Could the Shaikh give us some words of benefit for the blessed month of Ramadaan, on this fine occasion?"
Shaikh al-Albaanee, may Allah have mercy upon him replied:
"Allah, the Exalted and Most High, says in the Noble Quraan:
O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become people having Taqwaa. Soorah al-Baqarah (2):183
So in this aayah, as will not be hidden to all those who are present, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, informs the Ummah of Muhammad, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, through this aayah, that He has made Fasting obligatory upon them just as He had made its like obligatory upon the nations before us. This is a matter that is well-known to all of the Muslims who read this aayah, and clearly understand its meaning. But what I wish to speak about is something else, a matter which very few of the general people notice-‹and this is the saying of Allah, the Exalted and Most High, at the end of this aayah:
So that you may become people having Taqwaa.
So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, when He commands His believing servants, or obligates them with some Legislation, (then He) usually just mentions the command, without explaining the wisdom for it. This is because the general wisdom behind Allah, the Mighty and Majestic¹s, placing duties upon His servants is that He should test them by it, so that it should become apparent (as to) those who will obey Him and those who will disobey Him, the Exalted and Most High.
However in this aayah, He mentioned something that is not found frequently in the Noble Quraan, which is that He mentioned the reason for the order to Fast, by His Saying:
So that you may become people of Taqwaa.
So the wisdom behind the Believers to fast is not just that they should prevent themselves from enjoyable and permissible and good things, even though this is an obligation upon the Fasting person - but this is not the only thing that is required and intended by this Fasting. So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, concluded His command to fast by His Saying:
So that you may become people of Taqwaa.
Meaning: that the wisdom behind the prescription of Fasting is that the Muslim should increase in obedience to Allah, the Exalted and Most High, in the month of Fasting, and become more obedient than he was before it.
Then the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, clearly stated and completely clarified this point of divine wisdom, by his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying, as is reported in the Saheeh of al-Bukhaaree (no. 1903), that he sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, said, "Whoever does not abandon falsehood in speech and action, then Allah has no need that he should leave his food and drink." Meaning: that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, did not intend and desire, by the obligation of Fasting - which is to withhold for a stated time, well known to you all - that they should only withhold from eating and drinking. Rather they should also withhold from that which Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has forbidden with regard to sins and acts of disobedience to Him; and from that is falsehood in speech and action.
So the Messanger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, is emphasizing the aayah:
So that you may become people of Taqwaa.
i.e. that you should, as an act of worship to draw you closer to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, in addition to withholding from food and drink, also withhold from forbidden actions such as backbiting, carrying tales to cause harm to people, false witness, lying and so on, with regard to those forbidden manners that we are all aware of.
Therefore it is obligatory that all the Muslims should be aware that actions which disrupt the Fast are not just the physical acts, which are generally known, which are eating, drinking and sexual intercourse. The Fast is not just that you withhold from this. Therefore some of the scholars differentiate, and divide those things which disrupt the Fast into two categories, and this is what I intend by this talk of mine at this time that is blessed, if Allah wills.
This is especially important since those who deliver Khutbahs and admonish the people during Ramadaan, when they speak about those things which disrupt the Fast, then they only speak about the material things, those things that we have just mentioned (eating, drinking and sexual intercourse). But what they should do, as sincere advisers and people who give reminder to the Muslims in general, is to concentrate a great deal upon the second category of things which disrupt the Fast. This is because the people have become used to thinking that Fasting is just to refrain from the first category, to withhold from the material things. But there is another category of things which disrupt the Fast, which we are able to call the non-material things which disrupt the Fast.
So you have just heard his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying, "Whoever does not abandon falsehood in speech and action, then Allah has no need that he should leave his food and drink."
Therefore every Fasting person should examine himself and see: is he just withholding from the material things, or is he also withholding from those non-material things? Meaning: has he made his manners and behaviour good when the blessed month of Ramadaan comes? If that is the case, then he has fulfilled the Saying of Allah, the Exalted and Most High, at the end of the aayah:
So that you may become people of Taqwaa.
But as for he one who restricts himself in his Fasting to just withholding from food and drink, but who continues and persists upon the evil manners which he was upon previously, before Ramadaan, then this is not the Fasting that is desired and required from the wisdom behind the legislation of this noble month, which our Lord, the Mighty and Majestic indicates in His Saying:
So that you may become people of Taqwaa.
Therefore we advise and remind our brother and sister Muslims that they should remind this other category of things, those that are non-material, which disrupt the Fast, and it is something which the admonishers and those who seek to direct the people to the correct way rarely speak about, not to mention the general people, who are not aware of this category of things which disrupt the fast, i.e., the non-material things.
This is what I wanted to remind our brothers and sisters who are present in this fine gathering about, if Allah wills, so that it may be cause of their increasing in acts of worship seeking to draw closer to Allah, the Exalted and Most High, in this blessed month, the month of Fasting, which is such that we hope that Allah, the Exalted and Most High, will guide and grant us all the success of fulfilling the due right of this blessed month, which is that we withhold from both the material and the non-material things which disrupt the Fast.
Then in addition to this word, I hope that you will pay attention to some affairs which have been neglected by the majority of the general Muslims, indeed and also by those having knowledge.
There is a hadeeth which is very often neglected because of another hadeeth, because the majority of people are unable to reconcile in practice and application between them. So this hadeeth is his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying, "My Ummah will continue to be upon good for as long as they hasten to break the fast and delay the pre-dawn meal."
So here two matters were mentioned, and they are neglected by most of the people, and they are: hastening to break the fast, and delaying the pre-dawn meal (Suhoor).
As for neglect of the first matter, which is hastening to break the Fast, then in the view of some people it contradicts another hadeeth, which is his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying, "My Ummah will continue to be upon good for as long as they hasten to pray the Maghrib Prayer."
So here we have two commands, to hasten with two matters. So it appears to some people that we cannot hasten to perform both of them together.
But reconciling between the command to hasten with breaking the Fast and the command to hasten to pray the Maghrib Prayer is a very easy matter. So it is something which our Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, made clear to us by his action and practice. So he, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, used to break the Fast with three dates. He would eat three dates. Then he would pray the Maghrib Prayer, then he would eat again if he found that he needed to eat the evening meal.
But today we fall into two offences:
Firstly we delay the Adhaan from its legislated time. Then after this delay comes another delay, which is that we sit down for a meal - except for a few people who are eager and pray the Maghrib Prayer in the mosque. But the majority of the people wait until they hear the Adhaan, and then they sit down to eat as if they are having a dinner, or their evening meal, and not just breaking their fast.
So the Adhaan these days - in most of the lands of Islaam, is, unfortunately, I have to say, and not just in Jordan, and I have known this from investigation, in most of the lands of Islaam - the Adhaan for Maghrib is given after the time it becomes due. And the reason for this is that we have abandoned adhering to and applying the Islamic rulings, and instead we have come to depend upon astronomical calculations. We depend upon the timetable.
But these time-tables are based upon astronomical calculations which count the land as being a single flat plane. So they give a time for this flat plain, whereas the reality is that the land, particularly in this land of ours varies, varying between the depression of valleys and the elevation of mountains. So it is not correct that a single time be given which covers the shore, the plains and the mountains. No, each part of the land has its own time. So therefore whoever is able in his place of residence, in his city or his village, to see the sun set with his own eye, then whatever time it sets at, then that is the hastening that we have been commanded with in his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying, which we just mentioned, "My Ummah will continue to be upon good as long as they hasten to break the fast." So the Prophet sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, was careful to implement this Sunnah by teaching it, and by putting it into practice.
As for his teaching, then he, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, said, in the hadeeth reported by al-Bukharee in his Saheeh (no. 1954), "If the night appears from this side," and he pointed towards the east ,"and the day has departed from here," and he pointed towards the west , "and the sun has set, then the Fasting persons fast is broken."
What does, 'the Fasting persons fast is broken' mean? It means he has entered under the ruling that he should break his fast. So then comes the previous ruling where the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, encouraged hastening to break the Fast, and the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, used to implement this, even when he was riding on a journey.
So it is reported in the Saheeh of al-Bukharee (no.1955) that the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, ordered one of his Companions to prepare the Iftaar for him. So he replied, O Messenger of Allah it is still daytime before us.¹ Meaning: the light of the sun, so even though it had set, yet its light was still clear in the west. So the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, did not respond to what he had said, rather he re-emphasised the command to him to prepare the Iftaar. So the narrator of the hadeeth who said, "We could see daylight in front of us (meaning: the light of day, the light of the sun) when we broke our fast," said, "If one of us had climbed onto his camel he would have seen the sun." The sun had set from their location, and the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, ordered one of the Companions to prepare the Iftaar. Why? To hasten upon good "My Ummah will continue upon good for as long as they hasten to break the Fast."
So what is important is that we notice that the Iftaar which is legislated to be hastened must be done with a few dates. Then we must hasten to perform the Prayer. Then after this the people can sit and eat as they need.
This is the first matter which I wanted to remind of, and it is how to reconcile the two matters which the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, commanded we should hasten to perform. The first being the command to hasten the breaking of the Fast, and the second being the command to hasten to perform the Maghrib Prayer. So the Iftaar should be done with some dates, as occurs in the Sunnah, and if dates are not available, then with some gulps of water. Then the Prayer should pray in congregation in the mosque. Then the other matter which I want to remind of is what occurs in the previous hadeeth, "And they delay the pre-dawn meal" Meaning: what is required here is the opposite to the case of the Iftaar. So he, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, commanded us to hasten to perform the Iftaar. But as for the Suhoor, then it should be delayed. But what happens today is totally contrary to this, since many people eat their Suhoor before the appearance of Fajr by perhaps an hour. This is not befitting. This is contrary to the Sunnah shown by the saying of the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, and by his practice. So the Companions of the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, used to leave the Suhoor so late, that one of them would almost hear the Adhaan and he would still be eating. He delayed the Suhoor.
Indeed there is an authentic hadeeth reported from the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, which shows the ease afforded by Islaam, which is to be counted as one of the principles of Islaam, which the Muslims are proud of, especially with regard to the matter of Fasting, since Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, concluded the aayahs concerning Fasting with His Saying:
Allah desires ease for you, and He does not desire to make things difficult for you.
So from this ease is his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying, "If one of you hears the call to Prayer and the vessel is in the hand of one of you, then let him not put it down until he fulfils his need from it."
"If one of you hears the call to Prayer," and he has had his fill of whatever he was eating, then it is not allowed for him to then have any more, whether it be a drink, or some fruit."
But as for the one who hears the Adhaan and he has not yet taken what he needs from the food and the drink, then the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, made that lawful for him. So he clearly said, in the clear and eloquent Arabic language, "If one of you hears the call to Prayer, and the vessel is in his hand, then let him not put it down until he fulfils his need from it."
And what is meant here by the call is the second call, the second Adhaan. It is not the first Adhaan, which they wrongly call the Adhaan for withholding (al-Imsaak). We must know that there is no basis for calling the first Adhaan the Adhaan for withholding (imsaak).
The second Adhaan is when we are to withhold, and this is clearly stated in the Quraan, since Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes clear to you from the black thread of the night.
So eating becomes forbidden at the start of the time of the Fajr Prayer. There is no separation between these two things. There is no withholding from food and drink for a quarter of an hour, or less than that, or more than that, before the start of the time for the Fajr Prayer. Not at all. Because the Prayer becomes due when the true dawn appears, and food becomes forbidden for the Fasting person when the true dawn appears. So there is no separation between these two matters at all.
So therefore there occurs in the hadeeth agreed upon by al-Bukharee and Muslim, from the hadeeth of ¹Abdullaah ibn ¹Umar ibn al-Khattaab, radiyAllahu ¹anhumaa, that the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, said, "Let not the Adhaan of Bilaal deceive you," meaning, the first Adhaan, "because he gives the Adhaan in order to awaken the person who is sleeping, and so that the person who wishes to eat the pre-dawn meal can do so. So eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktoon gives the Adhaan."
Ibn Umm Maktoon, and his name was 'Amr, he was a blind man, and he was the one about whom the Saying of Allah, the Exalted and Most High, came down: He frowned and turned away, that the blind man came to him." to the end of the Aayahs.
So he used to give the second Adhaan, the Adhaan which means that eating becomes prohibited, and that it is now time for the Fajr Prayer.
How had he used to give the adhaan when he was blind? This is a question which naturally occurs to some people. So 'Amr ibn Umm Maktoom used to climb upon the roof of the mosque, and he could not see the dawn, but he would wait until someone passing by saw the dawn. So when someone saw that the dawn had appeared and spread across the horizon, then they would say to him, It is morning. It is morning. Then he would give the Adhaan.
So you will notice here that the Adhaan of 'Amr ibn Umm Maktoom was after the Fajr had appeared, and had been seen by the people whilst they were walking in the streets. So the when it was said to him, "It is morning. It is morning," he would give the Adhaan.
So therefore there is latitude in the affair, since the muadhdhin would be delayed in giving the Adhaan until he heard the people telling him, "It is morning, it is morning." And then Allah¹s Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, said, "If one of you hears the call to Prayer and the vessel is in his hand, then let him not put it down until he has fulfilled his need from it."
So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, spoke truly when He said at the end of those Aayahs relating to Fasting: Allah desires to make things easy for you, and He does not desire to make things difficult for you.
and,
And that you should complete the number of days, and that you should glorify Allah by mentioningtakbeer for His having guided you, and that you should be thankful.
So therefore from the Fiqh that is to be criticised, and which runs contrary to this Sunnah, is that a person says, "If someone hears the Adhaan and has some food in his mouth, then he must spit it out." So this is over-strictness, and (ghuluww) exceeding the limits in the Religion, and the Lord of all of the creation admonished us, and reminded us, in His Book and in the Sunnah of His Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, that we should not exceed the due limits in our Religion. So He said, in the Noble Quraan:
O people of the Book! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, and do not say anything about Allah except the truth.
And our Messenger sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam said, "Beware of (ghuluww) exceeding the limits in the Religion. Because those who came before you were destroyed by their exceeding the limits in their Religion."
So when Allah¹s Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, has made it clear to us that there is in the matter of a persons taking suhoor, latitude and a margin of ease, to the extent that he said, "If one of you hears the call to Prayer whilst the vessel is in his hand, then let him not put it down until he has completed his need from it."
So it is opposition to Allah and to the Messenger that a person says that one who hears the adhaan whilst he has food in his mouth must spit it out upon the ground. This is not from the Sunnah. Rather this is contrary to the Sunnah, and is contrary to the clear command of the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam. And I have been asked many times, so I will not leave the need for such a question, but rather I will precede you in it, by stating that this hadeeth is to be found in some of the most famous books of the Sunnah. From them being the Sunan of Aboo Daawood, and it is the third book from the well-known six books. The first of which is Saheehul-Bukhaaree, the second being Saheeh Muslim, and the third being the Sunan of Aboo Daawood.
This hadeeth is to be found in it, and it is likewise reported by Aboo Abdullaah al-Haakim in his Mustadrak, and it is likewise reported by the Imaam, the Imaam of the Sunnah Ahmad ibn Hanbal, rahimahullaah, in his tremendous book known as the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad. So the hadeth is not a strange hadeeth, rather it is a well-known hadeeth, and was reported by the Imaams of the sunnah in the early times, and with an authentic chain of narration.
So here I say, to conclude this talk, since perhaps some of you have questions, which we will answer if Allah wills, so I conclude it with his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying "Allah loves that His allowances be acted upon just as He loves that His prescribed duties be carried out," and in one narration, "Just as He hates that disobedience to Him be committed."
So there are two narrations, "Allah loves that His allowances be acted upon just as He loves that His prescribed duties be carried out", and the second narration is, "as He hates that disobedience to Him be committed."
So therefore the Muslim should not practice false piety, and (as a result) refrain from obeying the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, in that which he encouraged us upon and clarified to us.
And what has been said is sufficient, and all praise is for Allah, the Lord of all of the creation
By Imaam al-Albaani
Source: Silsilah al-Hudaa wan-Noor, Tape No. 590
Article ID : IBD090005
Question: "Could the Shaikh give us some words of benefit for the blessed month of Ramadaan, on this fine occasion?"
Shaikh al-Albaanee, may Allah have mercy upon him replied:
"Allah, the Exalted and Most High, says in the Noble Quraan:
O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become people having Taqwaa. Soorah al-Baqarah (2):183
So in this aayah, as will not be hidden to all those who are present, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, informs the Ummah of Muhammad, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, through this aayah, that He has made Fasting obligatory upon them just as He had made its like obligatory upon the nations before us. This is a matter that is well-known to all of the Muslims who read this aayah, and clearly understand its meaning. But what I wish to speak about is something else, a matter which very few of the general people notice-‹and this is the saying of Allah, the Exalted and Most High, at the end of this aayah:
So that you may become people having Taqwaa.
So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, when He commands His believing servants, or obligates them with some Legislation, (then He) usually just mentions the command, without explaining the wisdom for it. This is because the general wisdom behind Allah, the Mighty and Majestic¹s, placing duties upon His servants is that He should test them by it, so that it should become apparent (as to) those who will obey Him and those who will disobey Him, the Exalted and Most High.
However in this aayah, He mentioned something that is not found frequently in the Noble Quraan, which is that He mentioned the reason for the order to Fast, by His Saying:
So that you may become people of Taqwaa.
So the wisdom behind the Believers to fast is not just that they should prevent themselves from enjoyable and permissible and good things, even though this is an obligation upon the Fasting person - but this is not the only thing that is required and intended by this Fasting. So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, concluded His command to fast by His Saying:
So that you may become people of Taqwaa.
Meaning: that the wisdom behind the prescription of Fasting is that the Muslim should increase in obedience to Allah, the Exalted and Most High, in the month of Fasting, and become more obedient than he was before it.
Then the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, clearly stated and completely clarified this point of divine wisdom, by his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying, as is reported in the Saheeh of al-Bukhaaree (no. 1903), that he sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, said, "Whoever does not abandon falsehood in speech and action, then Allah has no need that he should leave his food and drink." Meaning: that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, did not intend and desire, by the obligation of Fasting - which is to withhold for a stated time, well known to you all - that they should only withhold from eating and drinking. Rather they should also withhold from that which Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has forbidden with regard to sins and acts of disobedience to Him; and from that is falsehood in speech and action.
So the Messanger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, is emphasizing the aayah:
So that you may become people of Taqwaa.
i.e. that you should, as an act of worship to draw you closer to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, in addition to withholding from food and drink, also withhold from forbidden actions such as backbiting, carrying tales to cause harm to people, false witness, lying and so on, with regard to those forbidden manners that we are all aware of.
Therefore it is obligatory that all the Muslims should be aware that actions which disrupt the Fast are not just the physical acts, which are generally known, which are eating, drinking and sexual intercourse. The Fast is not just that you withhold from this. Therefore some of the scholars differentiate, and divide those things which disrupt the Fast into two categories, and this is what I intend by this talk of mine at this time that is blessed, if Allah wills.
This is especially important since those who deliver Khutbahs and admonish the people during Ramadaan, when they speak about those things which disrupt the Fast, then they only speak about the material things, those things that we have just mentioned (eating, drinking and sexual intercourse). But what they should do, as sincere advisers and people who give reminder to the Muslims in general, is to concentrate a great deal upon the second category of things which disrupt the Fast. This is because the people have become used to thinking that Fasting is just to refrain from the first category, to withhold from the material things. But there is another category of things which disrupt the Fast, which we are able to call the non-material things which disrupt the Fast.
So you have just heard his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying, "Whoever does not abandon falsehood in speech and action, then Allah has no need that he should leave his food and drink."
Therefore every Fasting person should examine himself and see: is he just withholding from the material things, or is he also withholding from those non-material things? Meaning: has he made his manners and behaviour good when the blessed month of Ramadaan comes? If that is the case, then he has fulfilled the Saying of Allah, the Exalted and Most High, at the end of the aayah:
So that you may become people of Taqwaa.
But as for he one who restricts himself in his Fasting to just withholding from food and drink, but who continues and persists upon the evil manners which he was upon previously, before Ramadaan, then this is not the Fasting that is desired and required from the wisdom behind the legislation of this noble month, which our Lord, the Mighty and Majestic indicates in His Saying:
So that you may become people of Taqwaa.
Therefore we advise and remind our brother and sister Muslims that they should remind this other category of things, those that are non-material, which disrupt the Fast, and it is something which the admonishers and those who seek to direct the people to the correct way rarely speak about, not to mention the general people, who are not aware of this category of things which disrupt the fast, i.e., the non-material things.
This is what I wanted to remind our brothers and sisters who are present in this fine gathering about, if Allah wills, so that it may be cause of their increasing in acts of worship seeking to draw closer to Allah, the Exalted and Most High, in this blessed month, the month of Fasting, which is such that we hope that Allah, the Exalted and Most High, will guide and grant us all the success of fulfilling the due right of this blessed month, which is that we withhold from both the material and the non-material things which disrupt the Fast.
Then in addition to this word, I hope that you will pay attention to some affairs which have been neglected by the majority of the general Muslims, indeed and also by those having knowledge.
There is a hadeeth which is very often neglected because of another hadeeth, because the majority of people are unable to reconcile in practice and application between them. So this hadeeth is his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying, "My Ummah will continue to be upon good for as long as they hasten to break the fast and delay the pre-dawn meal."
So here two matters were mentioned, and they are neglected by most of the people, and they are: hastening to break the fast, and delaying the pre-dawn meal (Suhoor).
As for neglect of the first matter, which is hastening to break the Fast, then in the view of some people it contradicts another hadeeth, which is his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying, "My Ummah will continue to be upon good for as long as they hasten to pray the Maghrib Prayer."
So here we have two commands, to hasten with two matters. So it appears to some people that we cannot hasten to perform both of them together.
But reconciling between the command to hasten with breaking the Fast and the command to hasten to pray the Maghrib Prayer is a very easy matter. So it is something which our Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, made clear to us by his action and practice. So he, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, used to break the Fast with three dates. He would eat three dates. Then he would pray the Maghrib Prayer, then he would eat again if he found that he needed to eat the evening meal.
But today we fall into two offences:
Firstly we delay the Adhaan from its legislated time. Then after this delay comes another delay, which is that we sit down for a meal - except for a few people who are eager and pray the Maghrib Prayer in the mosque. But the majority of the people wait until they hear the Adhaan, and then they sit down to eat as if they are having a dinner, or their evening meal, and not just breaking their fast.
So the Adhaan these days - in most of the lands of Islaam, is, unfortunately, I have to say, and not just in Jordan, and I have known this from investigation, in most of the lands of Islaam - the Adhaan for Maghrib is given after the time it becomes due. And the reason for this is that we have abandoned adhering to and applying the Islamic rulings, and instead we have come to depend upon astronomical calculations. We depend upon the timetable.
But these time-tables are based upon astronomical calculations which count the land as being a single flat plane. So they give a time for this flat plain, whereas the reality is that the land, particularly in this land of ours varies, varying between the depression of valleys and the elevation of mountains. So it is not correct that a single time be given which covers the shore, the plains and the mountains. No, each part of the land has its own time. So therefore whoever is able in his place of residence, in his city or his village, to see the sun set with his own eye, then whatever time it sets at, then that is the hastening that we have been commanded with in his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying, which we just mentioned, "My Ummah will continue to be upon good as long as they hasten to break the fast." So the Prophet sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, was careful to implement this Sunnah by teaching it, and by putting it into practice.
As for his teaching, then he, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, said, in the hadeeth reported by al-Bukharee in his Saheeh (no. 1954), "If the night appears from this side," and he pointed towards the east ,"and the day has departed from here," and he pointed towards the west , "and the sun has set, then the Fasting persons fast is broken."
What does, 'the Fasting persons fast is broken' mean? It means he has entered under the ruling that he should break his fast. So then comes the previous ruling where the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, encouraged hastening to break the Fast, and the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, used to implement this, even when he was riding on a journey.
So it is reported in the Saheeh of al-Bukharee (no.1955) that the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, ordered one of his Companions to prepare the Iftaar for him. So he replied, O Messenger of Allah it is still daytime before us.¹ Meaning: the light of the sun, so even though it had set, yet its light was still clear in the west. So the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, did not respond to what he had said, rather he re-emphasised the command to him to prepare the Iftaar. So the narrator of the hadeeth who said, "We could see daylight in front of us (meaning: the light of day, the light of the sun) when we broke our fast," said, "If one of us had climbed onto his camel he would have seen the sun." The sun had set from their location, and the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, ordered one of the Companions to prepare the Iftaar. Why? To hasten upon good "My Ummah will continue upon good for as long as they hasten to break the Fast."
So what is important is that we notice that the Iftaar which is legislated to be hastened must be done with a few dates. Then we must hasten to perform the Prayer. Then after this the people can sit and eat as they need.
This is the first matter which I wanted to remind of, and it is how to reconcile the two matters which the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, commanded we should hasten to perform. The first being the command to hasten the breaking of the Fast, and the second being the command to hasten to perform the Maghrib Prayer. So the Iftaar should be done with some dates, as occurs in the Sunnah, and if dates are not available, then with some gulps of water. Then the Prayer should pray in congregation in the mosque. Then the other matter which I want to remind of is what occurs in the previous hadeeth, "And they delay the pre-dawn meal" Meaning: what is required here is the opposite to the case of the Iftaar. So he, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, commanded us to hasten to perform the Iftaar. But as for the Suhoor, then it should be delayed. But what happens today is totally contrary to this, since many people eat their Suhoor before the appearance of Fajr by perhaps an hour. This is not befitting. This is contrary to the Sunnah shown by the saying of the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, and by his practice. So the Companions of the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, used to leave the Suhoor so late, that one of them would almost hear the Adhaan and he would still be eating. He delayed the Suhoor.
Indeed there is an authentic hadeeth reported from the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, which shows the ease afforded by Islaam, which is to be counted as one of the principles of Islaam, which the Muslims are proud of, especially with regard to the matter of Fasting, since Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, concluded the aayahs concerning Fasting with His Saying:
Allah desires ease for you, and He does not desire to make things difficult for you.
So from this ease is his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying, "If one of you hears the call to Prayer and the vessel is in the hand of one of you, then let him not put it down until he fulfils his need from it."
"If one of you hears the call to Prayer," and he has had his fill of whatever he was eating, then it is not allowed for him to then have any more, whether it be a drink, or some fruit."
But as for the one who hears the Adhaan and he has not yet taken what he needs from the food and the drink, then the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, made that lawful for him. So he clearly said, in the clear and eloquent Arabic language, "If one of you hears the call to Prayer, and the vessel is in his hand, then let him not put it down until he fulfils his need from it."
And what is meant here by the call is the second call, the second Adhaan. It is not the first Adhaan, which they wrongly call the Adhaan for withholding (al-Imsaak). We must know that there is no basis for calling the first Adhaan the Adhaan for withholding (imsaak).
The second Adhaan is when we are to withhold, and this is clearly stated in the Quraan, since Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes clear to you from the black thread of the night.
So eating becomes forbidden at the start of the time of the Fajr Prayer. There is no separation between these two things. There is no withholding from food and drink for a quarter of an hour, or less than that, or more than that, before the start of the time for the Fajr Prayer. Not at all. Because the Prayer becomes due when the true dawn appears, and food becomes forbidden for the Fasting person when the true dawn appears. So there is no separation between these two matters at all.
So therefore there occurs in the hadeeth agreed upon by al-Bukharee and Muslim, from the hadeeth of ¹Abdullaah ibn ¹Umar ibn al-Khattaab, radiyAllahu ¹anhumaa, that the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, said, "Let not the Adhaan of Bilaal deceive you," meaning, the first Adhaan, "because he gives the Adhaan in order to awaken the person who is sleeping, and so that the person who wishes to eat the pre-dawn meal can do so. So eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktoon gives the Adhaan."
Ibn Umm Maktoon, and his name was 'Amr, he was a blind man, and he was the one about whom the Saying of Allah, the Exalted and Most High, came down: He frowned and turned away, that the blind man came to him." to the end of the Aayahs.
So he used to give the second Adhaan, the Adhaan which means that eating becomes prohibited, and that it is now time for the Fajr Prayer.
How had he used to give the adhaan when he was blind? This is a question which naturally occurs to some people. So 'Amr ibn Umm Maktoom used to climb upon the roof of the mosque, and he could not see the dawn, but he would wait until someone passing by saw the dawn. So when someone saw that the dawn had appeared and spread across the horizon, then they would say to him, It is morning. It is morning. Then he would give the Adhaan.
So you will notice here that the Adhaan of 'Amr ibn Umm Maktoom was after the Fajr had appeared, and had been seen by the people whilst they were walking in the streets. So the when it was said to him, "It is morning. It is morning," he would give the Adhaan.
So therefore there is latitude in the affair, since the muadhdhin would be delayed in giving the Adhaan until he heard the people telling him, "It is morning, it is morning." And then Allah¹s Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, said, "If one of you hears the call to Prayer and the vessel is in his hand, then let him not put it down until he has fulfilled his need from it."
So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, spoke truly when He said at the end of those Aayahs relating to Fasting: Allah desires to make things easy for you, and He does not desire to make things difficult for you.
and,
And that you should complete the number of days, and that you should glorify Allah by mentioningtakbeer for His having guided you, and that you should be thankful.
So therefore from the Fiqh that is to be criticised, and which runs contrary to this Sunnah, is that a person says, "If someone hears the Adhaan and has some food in his mouth, then he must spit it out." So this is over-strictness, and (ghuluww) exceeding the limits in the Religion, and the Lord of all of the creation admonished us, and reminded us, in His Book and in the Sunnah of His Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, that we should not exceed the due limits in our Religion. So He said, in the Noble Quraan:
O people of the Book! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, and do not say anything about Allah except the truth.
And our Messenger sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam said, "Beware of (ghuluww) exceeding the limits in the Religion. Because those who came before you were destroyed by their exceeding the limits in their Religion."
So when Allah¹s Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, has made it clear to us that there is in the matter of a persons taking suhoor, latitude and a margin of ease, to the extent that he said, "If one of you hears the call to Prayer whilst the vessel is in his hand, then let him not put it down until he has completed his need from it."
So it is opposition to Allah and to the Messenger that a person says that one who hears the adhaan whilst he has food in his mouth must spit it out upon the ground. This is not from the Sunnah. Rather this is contrary to the Sunnah, and is contrary to the clear command of the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam. And I have been asked many times, so I will not leave the need for such a question, but rather I will precede you in it, by stating that this hadeeth is to be found in some of the most famous books of the Sunnah. From them being the Sunan of Aboo Daawood, and it is the third book from the well-known six books. The first of which is Saheehul-Bukhaaree, the second being Saheeh Muslim, and the third being the Sunan of Aboo Daawood.
This hadeeth is to be found in it, and it is likewise reported by Aboo Abdullaah al-Haakim in his Mustadrak, and it is likewise reported by the Imaam, the Imaam of the Sunnah Ahmad ibn Hanbal, rahimahullaah, in his tremendous book known as the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad. So the hadeth is not a strange hadeeth, rather it is a well-known hadeeth, and was reported by the Imaams of the sunnah in the early times, and with an authentic chain of narration.
So here I say, to conclude this talk, since perhaps some of you have questions, which we will answer if Allah wills, so I conclude it with his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying "Allah loves that His allowances be acted upon just as He loves that His prescribed duties be carried out," and in one narration, "Just as He hates that disobedience to Him be committed."
So there are two narrations, "Allah loves that His allowances be acted upon just as He loves that His prescribed duties be carried out", and the second narration is, "as He hates that disobedience to Him be committed."
So therefore the Muslim should not practice false piety, and (as a result) refrain from obeying the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, in that which he encouraged us upon and clarified to us.
And what has been said is sufficient, and all praise is for Allah, the Lord of all of the creation
What Time To Stop And Start Fasting
What Time To Stop And Start Fasting
Shaykh Abdullah al-Jarullah
Reprinted from As-Sahwah.com
Once the entire disk of the sun has disappeared, the fasting person should break his fast, and not pay any attention to the red glow that remains on the horizon, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Once night comes from there and the day disappears from there, and the sun has set, the fasting person should break his fast." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 1954; the issue is also mentioned in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 25/216).
The Sunnah is to hasten in breaking the fast. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would not pray Maghrib until he had broken his fast, if only with a sip of water. (Reported by al-Haakim, 1/432; al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 2110). If a fasting person cannot find anything with which to break his fast, he should have the intention in his heart to break his fast, and he should not suck his finger, as some of the common people do. He should beware of breaking the fast before the correct time, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw some people hanging from their hamstrings with blood pouring from the corners of their mouths, and when he asked about them, he was told that they were people who broke their fast before it was time to do so. (The hadeeth is in Saheeh Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1986, and in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/420). If a person is certain, or thinks it most likely, or is not sure whether he broke the fast before the proper time, he should make up the fast later on, because the basic principle is that the day is still there and has not ended. (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/287). He should beware of relying on the word of small children or untrustworthy sources, and he should also beware of the time differences between different cities and villages when he hears the adhaan on the radio and so on.
When the dawn comes – which is the white light coming across the horizon in the East – the fasting person must stop eating and drinking straightaway, whether he hears the adhaan or not. If he knows that the muezzin calls the adhaan at dawn, he has to stop eating and drinking as soon as he hears his adhaan, but if the muezzin calls the adhaan before Fajr, he does not have to stop eating and drinking when he hears it. If he does not know the muezzin’s usual practice, or there are differences among the muezzins, and he cannot determine the time of dawn for himself – as is usually the case in cities because of lighting and buildings – he should take the precaution of referring to a printed timetable, so long as he is sure that the calculations on which it is based are not incorrect.
The idea of being on the safe side by stopping eating and drinking a certain time before Fajr, such as ten minutes before, is bid’ah. On some timetables you can see one heading for "imsaak" (stopping eating and drinking) and another for Fajr; this is something that is contrary to Islam.
The Muslims living in cities where there is a distinct alternation of night and day in every twenty-four hour period are obliged to fast, no matter how long the day is, so long as that distinction between night and day is there. In some places there is no such distinction between night and day; Muslims in these places should fast according to the times in the nearest city in which there is a distinct alternation of night and day.
Shaykh Abdullah al-Jarullah
Reprinted from As-Sahwah.com
Once the entire disk of the sun has disappeared, the fasting person should break his fast, and not pay any attention to the red glow that remains on the horizon, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Once night comes from there and the day disappears from there, and the sun has set, the fasting person should break his fast." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 1954; the issue is also mentioned in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 25/216).
The Sunnah is to hasten in breaking the fast. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would not pray Maghrib until he had broken his fast, if only with a sip of water. (Reported by al-Haakim, 1/432; al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 2110). If a fasting person cannot find anything with which to break his fast, he should have the intention in his heart to break his fast, and he should not suck his finger, as some of the common people do. He should beware of breaking the fast before the correct time, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw some people hanging from their hamstrings with blood pouring from the corners of their mouths, and when he asked about them, he was told that they were people who broke their fast before it was time to do so. (The hadeeth is in Saheeh Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1986, and in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/420). If a person is certain, or thinks it most likely, or is not sure whether he broke the fast before the proper time, he should make up the fast later on, because the basic principle is that the day is still there and has not ended. (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/287). He should beware of relying on the word of small children or untrustworthy sources, and he should also beware of the time differences between different cities and villages when he hears the adhaan on the radio and so on.
When the dawn comes – which is the white light coming across the horizon in the East – the fasting person must stop eating and drinking straightaway, whether he hears the adhaan or not. If he knows that the muezzin calls the adhaan at dawn, he has to stop eating and drinking as soon as he hears his adhaan, but if the muezzin calls the adhaan before Fajr, he does not have to stop eating and drinking when he hears it. If he does not know the muezzin’s usual practice, or there are differences among the muezzins, and he cannot determine the time of dawn for himself – as is usually the case in cities because of lighting and buildings – he should take the precaution of referring to a printed timetable, so long as he is sure that the calculations on which it is based are not incorrect.
The idea of being on the safe side by stopping eating and drinking a certain time before Fajr, such as ten minutes before, is bid’ah. On some timetables you can see one heading for "imsaak" (stopping eating and drinking) and another for Fajr; this is something that is contrary to Islam.
The Muslims living in cities where there is a distinct alternation of night and day in every twenty-four hour period are obliged to fast, no matter how long the day is, so long as that distinction between night and day is there. In some places there is no such distinction between night and day; Muslims in these places should fast according to the times in the nearest city in which there is a distinct alternation of night and day.
Thursday, 10 March 2011
The New Marriage: Transcending the Happily-Ever-After Myth
The New Marriage: Transcending the Happily-Ever-After Myth
by Linda Miles, Ph.D. & Robert Miles, M.D.
Paperback, 144pp. ISBN: 1879384396
Cypress House, October 2000
Review by Sheri Stritof
The authors begin this book on how to put your relationship back on track with the question, "What is happening to relationships?" Giving some historical background about marriage, they point out the changes that have happened in marriages. This book was written to help couples make sense of their suffering and to teach them how to enjoy the benefits that can result from being in a long-term, meaningful relationship. It will also help those who may be living in a dead relationship to recognize it as such and to move on.
Drawing on the wisdom of other psychologists, therapists, researchers, and writers, Linda and Robert Miles share their philosophy of marriage in a non-jargon way. They use real-life examples of couple relationships that many people will be able to identify with.
Some statements from The New Marriage:
"The term "New Marriage" in no ways suggests that people should dispose of current partners or troubled relationships and start over with someone new. On the contrary, the term is used to remind us of today's new relationship dynamic and how couples might redefine and renew their relationships to make them stronger. A "New Marriage" can refer to newlyweds who are just beginning their journey, to remarriages of those stalled in the valley, or to long-term couples."
"We've never seen an open marriage save a relationship or succeed over time."
"John Gottman found that the most often-reported reason for a dying marriage was not because couples fought too often or because there'd been an affair, but because they grew apart and there was deadness between them."
"...what separates happy couples from unhappy couples is not whether they have problems, but how they approach them."
If it seems as the honeymoon is over, and apathy has set in, this practical and insightful guide could help you get your marriage back on track. It is a guide to help you know where you are going and to provide a road map for getting there. However, for it to truly be beneficial to your relationship, you will need to answer the questions in the exercises for each part and to be willing to let go of your psychological baggage from your past.
Drs. Linda and Robert Miles have included an index and a great list of resources which would be helpful to couples who want to continue to deepen their marital relationship. It is refreshing to read a book about marriage that speaks of joy within marriage.
The New Marriage is a finalist in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards (self-help category). It has been receiving positive feedback from both individuals and therapists
by Linda Miles, Ph.D. & Robert Miles, M.D.
Paperback, 144pp. ISBN: 1879384396
Cypress House, October 2000
Review by Sheri Stritof
The authors begin this book on how to put your relationship back on track with the question, "What is happening to relationships?" Giving some historical background about marriage, they point out the changes that have happened in marriages. This book was written to help couples make sense of their suffering and to teach them how to enjoy the benefits that can result from being in a long-term, meaningful relationship. It will also help those who may be living in a dead relationship to recognize it as such and to move on.
Drawing on the wisdom of other psychologists, therapists, researchers, and writers, Linda and Robert Miles share their philosophy of marriage in a non-jargon way. They use real-life examples of couple relationships that many people will be able to identify with.
Some statements from The New Marriage:
"The term "New Marriage" in no ways suggests that people should dispose of current partners or troubled relationships and start over with someone new. On the contrary, the term is used to remind us of today's new relationship dynamic and how couples might redefine and renew their relationships to make them stronger. A "New Marriage" can refer to newlyweds who are just beginning their journey, to remarriages of those stalled in the valley, or to long-term couples."
"We've never seen an open marriage save a relationship or succeed over time."
"John Gottman found that the most often-reported reason for a dying marriage was not because couples fought too often or because there'd been an affair, but because they grew apart and there was deadness between them."
"...what separates happy couples from unhappy couples is not whether they have problems, but how they approach them."
If it seems as the honeymoon is over, and apathy has set in, this practical and insightful guide could help you get your marriage back on track. It is a guide to help you know where you are going and to provide a road map for getting there. However, for it to truly be beneficial to your relationship, you will need to answer the questions in the exercises for each part and to be willing to let go of your psychological baggage from your past.
Drs. Linda and Robert Miles have included an index and a great list of resources which would be helpful to couples who want to continue to deepen their marital relationship. It is refreshing to read a book about marriage that speaks of joy within marriage.
The New Marriage is a finalist in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards (self-help category). It has been receiving positive feedback from both individuals and therapists
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