By Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih Al-‘Uthaymeen
Translated by ‘Abdullaah Al- Faarisi May Allah preserve and reward them both
OBLIGATORY CONDITIONS OF FASTING
Performing the other acts of worship and duties is most important, and Salah is of particular importance, as without it no other act of worship is accepted by Allah.(17) Praying in congregation is a great aspect in our religion. Everyone should attend.(18) Its reward is twenty seven times greater than that which is performed individually.(19) At one time the prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم was about to burn the houses on those who did not attend the congregational prayers.(20)
Refraining from bad behavior such as lying, cheating music, smoking, backbiting and slandering others to create animosity among backbiting and slandering others to create animosity among them. The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “ No slanderer shall enter paradise.”(21) The prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “The Prophet, Peace be upon him, said: "There will exist in my ummah (followers) those who will make unlawful things into the lawful such as; fornication, silk for the men, intoxicating beverages and the playing of musical instruments." [Bukhari Volume 7 #494B]
17. This is based upon the ruling of one group of scholars that whoever abandons the Salah is a kafir, and thus, none of his deeds are accepted. The basis for this ruling is several hadeeths in which the prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم indicated that abandoning the prayer is disbelief, such as, “ Between a man and shirk and kufr is only the abandonment of the Salah.” [ Muslim and Ahmad; Saheeh Al-Jaami As sagheer, # 2848] Another group of scholars divides those who do not pray into categories, judging them according to their intention. An excellent discussion of the two opinions can be found in the book on the issue of Takfeer by Shaikh Ahmad Fareed [
18. Saheeh Al –Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol.3, # 127. This statement is directed to men. As for the woman, the best place for her to pray is in her home. The prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “ Do not prevent your women (from going to) the masjids, but their houses are better for them.” [Ahmad, Abu Daawud, Al- Haakim saheeh. Saheeh Al-Jaami As-Sagheer, # 7458].
19. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/ English), vol, 1. # 618, and Saheeh Muslim (English trans), # 1365.
20. This was because of the gravity of their sin. Saheeh Al –Bukhaari (Arabic/ English), vol. 1, # 617. and Saheeh Muslim (English trans), # 1369.
21. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/English, vol, 8, # 82, and Saheeh Muslim (English trans), # 189 Also refer to The Bad Consequences of the Tongue by Shaykh Ahamad Zamzami (
PRAISEWORTHY ETIQUETTE OF FASTING
* Taking the meal of suhoor. The prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said: “ Take (the meal of) Suhoor because there is blessing in it.”(23) He also said: “ The difference between our fasting and that of the people of the book is taking the meal of Suhoor.”(24) Even taking a cup of water in lieu of a meal for Suhoor has blessing in it, too.
- Breaking the fast as soon as the sun sets.(25)
- Making Dua’ upon breaking fast.(26)
- Reciting as much Qur’an as possible during the month of Ramadhan.
PRACTICES WHICH BREAK THE FAST
- Sexual intercourse in the daytime. The willful violation of the fast by this practice requires the fast of sixty consecutive days in order to make up for the day in which the intercourse took place.(27)
- Willful ejaculation by means of kissing or caressing, etc. Wet dreams and unintentional ejaculation do not break the fast.
- Eating, drinking, smoking or taking any food substitutes, such as receiving blood, glucose, or I. V. substances while observing the fast.
- Willful, not unintentional, vomiting.
- Menstrual bleeding.(28)
Days in which the above practices 2 through 5 took place are to be made up a day for a day once Ramadhan is over.
22. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/ English), vol. 7, # 494 (B).
23. Saheeh Al- Bukhaari (Arabic/ English), vol, 3, # 146 , and Saheeh Muslim (English trans.), #2412. The blessing in it is form obeying the prophet’s orders and following his example, as well as the physical blessing, which is nutrition for the body in order to have the strength to fast. [See Fatawa As-Siyaam, P 40].
24. Saheeh Muslim (English trans.) # 2413.
25. Saheeh al-Bukhaari (Arabic/ English), vol . 3,#178. and Saheeh Muslim (English trans), #1491.
26. Sunan Abee Dawoud (English trans). #2350. Also reported by Al- Bayhaqi, Al-Haakim and others, and Daraqutni declared its isnaad (Chain of narrators) to be hasan (acceptable).
27. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol, 3, #157, and Saheeh Muslim (English trans), # 2457.
28. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol. 3, #172. This is regardless of what time of day menses begins. This rule also applies to post-natal bleeding.
On the other hand, the application of kuhl (surmah), eye, ear or nose drops do not break the fast; they are neither food nor a substitute thereof. Wearing perfumes, using the Siwak or toothbrush without toothpaste do not break fast since it has been reported that the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم used to do so.(29)
QIYAM OR TARAWEEH PRAYER
Allah has made five daily prayers obligatory on the Muslims, which He, due to His Grace, made the reward thereof fifty-fold.(30) He also encourages the believers to perform supererogatory of Nafl prayers. Among these is the night prayer which falls between midnight and dawn. Allah praised those who engage themselves in prayer at night:
)تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفاً وَطَمَعاً)(السجدة: من الآية16)
Their sides forsake their beds to invoke their Lord in fear and hope …. [As-Sajdah (32):16]
The prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said : “ The best prayer next to obligatory is the night prayer.”(31) In another tradition he said : “O people ! Spread the (Islamic) greeting (i.e. by saying ‘ Assalaamu alaykum”), give the food (to those who need it), connect your relatives (by visitation) and pray at night while the others are asleep, and you shall enter Jannah peacefully.”(32) Of the night prayer is Witr, the minimum of which is one rak’ah and maximum of which is eleven rak’ahs.(33)
Performing night prayer in Ramadhaan is far more superior to the performing in any other month by virtue of its recommendation by the prophet,صلي الله عليه وسلم who said, “Whoever prayed at night in it (i. e. Ramadhaan) out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.”(34)
29. The prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said “ The Sewaak is a means of cleansing the month and pleasing the Lord.” [ Saheeh al-Jaami, As-Sagheer # 3695].
30. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol. 1, # 345.
31. Saheeh Muslim (English trans), # 2611-2612; See Saheeh Al- Jaami As-Sagheer #1116.
32. Reported by Ahmed, At-Tirmithi, Ibn Maajah and Al- Haakim, saheeh [Saheeh Al-jaami, #7865].
33. Saheeh Muslim (English trans), # 1641.
34. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol. 3, # 226, and Saheeh Muslim (English trans), # 1662.
Taraaweeh prayer is considered the night prayer in Ramadhaan, and, therefore, one should take good care the observe it, To pray taraaweeh in jamaa’ah (congregation) is a sunnah initiated by our beloved prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم and revived by the second Rightly-Guided Khaleefah, Umar رضي الله عنه (35) Though there has been a difference if opinion among the scholars in the past as to how many rak’ahs taraaweeh should be, all of them unanimously agreed that the best is to apply the sunnah of performing it with eleven rakahs only. The prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم did not pray more than eleven rak’ahs in Ramadhaan or any other month. ‘ Aa’ishah, the wife of the prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “ The prophet never prayed more than eleven rak’ahs at night in Ramadhaan or in any other month.(36)
The full reward of taraaweeh is obtained only when it is performed in jamaa’ah. The person who performs it in jamaa’ah will be considered, according to authentic tradition, as if he spent the rest of that night praying.”(37)
THE VIRTUES OF RECITING THE QUR’AN.
There are two types of Qur’an recitation :
- Practical recitation, which means reading with belief in and application of the orders of Allah and refraining from the unlawful things.
- Word recitation, There are many hadeeths in which emphasis is laid on the great reward for those who recite the Qur’an. The prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “ The best of you is he who learns the Qur’aan and teaches it.”(38) He also said : “ The one who excels in reciting the Qur’aan will be in the company of the honored angels.”(39) And, “ The example of the believer who reads the Qur’aan is like that of the utrujah (a citrus fruit) which has a beautiful fragrance and a beautiful taste. While the example of the believer who does not read the Qur’aan is like that of the date fruit : It has sweet taste, but has no fragrance.”(40) He also said : “ He who recites one letter of the Book of Allaah, will be rewarded for it, and the reward will be multiplied in folds.”(41)
35. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol, 3.# 227-229. See also Saheeh Muslim (English trans), # 1667.
36. Saheeh Al-Bukhari (Arabic/English), vol. 2, # 248 & vol. 3, #330, and Saheeh Muslim (English trans), # 1607.
37. This is part of a lengthy hadeeth recorded by At-Tirmithi.
38. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol. 6, # 545 & 579.
39. Saheeh Muslim (English trans), # 1745.
40. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol. 6, # 538, and Saheeh Muslim (English trans), # 1743.
There are certain soorahs of the Qur’an that have more reward for their recitation. The prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم verified that Satan does not enter the house wherein Soorat Al-Baqarah(42) is recited. When one recites Ayaatul-Kursi(43) at the night, as the prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم informed us, he shall be protected by Allah, and Satan shall not come near him till he wakes up in the morning.(44) The same results may be achieded by the recitation of the last two verses of Soorat Al-Baqarah,(45) as well as the last three soorahs of the Qur’an.(46)
Our pious predecessors used to busy themselves extensively in reciting the Qur’an during the month of Ramadhaan. It was customary for them not to go beyond ten verses before they learned the rulings and the knowledge those ten verses contained.
ETIQUETTES OF READING THE QUR’AN
The Qur’an which we recete contains the actual words of Allah revealed to Muhammad صلي الله عليه وسلم. Therfore, we should observe the following when reciting it :
- Seek refuge in Allah before reading it (أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم “ A’oothu billaahi minash –shaytaanir-rajeem)”
- Have the intention that the recitation thereof is purely to seek the pleasure of Allah alone.
- Recite with an alert heart that you may comprehend its contents, imagining while reciting it that Allah is speaking to you though the Qur’an.
- Make sure you are clean before touching the Qur’an. Do not read it when you are in the state of impurity.(47)
- Do not read the Qur’an in lavatories or similar places.
- Read it slowly with pleasant sound and rhythm.
- Prostrate wherever a verse requires prostration.
41. At- Tirmithi and Al-Haakim, saheeh [Saheeh Al-Jaami As-Sagheer, 6469].
42. Saheeh Muslim (English trans) # 1707.
43. The 255th ayah of Soorat Al-Baqaraj (2).
44. Saheeh Al-Bakhaari (Arabic/English), vol. 6, #530.
45. The first edtion of this booklet said “ the last ten ayahs,” but Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen confirmed that this was an error. The prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “Whoever recited the last two verses of soorat Al-Baqarah at night, that will be sufficient for him.” [ Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol. 6, # 530.]
46. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol, 6, #536-A.
47. i. e. if you need to make gust.
THE VIRTUES OF THE LAST TEN DAYS OF
RAMADHAAN AND LAYLAY AL-QADR
It has been reported that the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم used to put extra effort in his devotion in the last ten days of Ramadhaan.(48) He used to awaken his family in the night that they may not lose the benefit of those nights.(49) It is also reported that he used to make ‘ ittikaaf by spending the last ten days in the masjid.(50)
Laylat al Qadr means the night of honor and decree. It is sometimes erroneously into the night of power. The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم recommended to be sought in the last ten days of Ramadhaan. This night is valued to be better than a thousand months spent in devotion to Allah. One of the privileges of this night is that the Qur’an was revealed in it. In it too, the angels descend to earth with blessings, goodness and mercy (51). It is a peaceful night in which many are saved from the Hell. Forgiveness of past sins is granted to those who spend it busying themselves in prayer and the remembrance of Allah. (52) The prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “Seek it in the odd nights of the last third of Ramadan.(53)
48. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari ( Arabic / English ), vol. 3 # 241 and Saheeh Muslim ( English Trans).# 2643-2644.
49. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari ( Arabic / English ), col.3, #241 and Saheeh Muslim ( English Trans) # 2643.
50. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari ( Arabic / English ), col.3, #241 and Saheeh Muslim ( English Trans)# 2636.
51. Soorat Al-Qadar (97).
52. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/ English ), vol 1 # 34 & vol.3 # 231 and Saheeh Muslim (English trans.) # 1665.
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