In the name of Allah,
Allah says “the month of Ramadan in which the Qur’an was revealed.” (2:185). Qur’anic recitation, dhikr, fasting, prayer, sadaqah, and other forms of worship are performed to honor it[i].
To know more about: The virtues of fasting and the holy month of Ramadhan, click here
Guarding The Tongue and The Limbs
Fasting means protecting your tongue and limbs. Hearing, sight, tongue, hands, feet, belly, and genitals are the seven limbs. The tongue causes the most harm. The limbs cry to the tongue every morning “Be straight and we shall be straight, by Allah.
If you’re not straight, we won’t be either. Umar went to see Abu Bakr and saw him pulling his tongue. ‘What, Abu Bakr!’ he exclaimed. Things have happened because of it.” Throughout Ramadan, people should restrain their speech[ii].
Avoiding evil
This is because of what the Prophet (Peace be on him) has said about it. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said when any of you is fasting, let him not commit sin[iii].
He also (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does not stop speaking falsehood and acting in accordance with it, Allaah has no need of him giving up his food and drink.”[iv]
Fasting Muslims must refrain from backbiting, vulgarity, and lying or risk losing their reward. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“It may be that a fasting person gets nothing from his fast except hunger.”[v]
Quiz shows, soap operas, movies, sports games, idle meetings, hanging out on the street with bad people and time-wasters, driving around for no reason, and crowding the streets and pavements can ruin good acts and bring sayi’aat. (bad deeds).
During the months of tahajjud, dhikr, and prayer, many people sleep all day to escape feeling hungry.
Some individuals beg even when they don’t need to. Others spend their time on risky hobbies like fireworks, while others buy, sew, and stay up with fashion. Some offer new products and trends in the last 10 days of the month to discourage customers from earning rewards.
Avoid overeating
Because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “The son of Adam fills no worse vessel than his stomach.”[vi]
Eat to live, not live to eat.
But, during Ramadaan, people make various kinds of food and treat it like an art form, so housewives and slaves spend all their time on food and are prevented from praying.
Hence, the month becomes the month of indigestion, fatness, and stomach sickness, as people eat like gluttons and drink like thirsty camels, reluctantly do Taraaweeh and some even abandon after the first two rak’ahs.
Fasting and feeding the needy is one way to reach paradise, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“In Paradise, there are rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside and the inside can be seen from the outside. Allaah has prepared them for those who feed the poor, who are gentle in speech, who fast regularly, and who pray at night when people are asleep.” [vii]
It is Sunnah for a capable person to give food to people who are fasting so they can break their fast.
This helps the poor, brings love between Muslims, and earns rewards. If a fasting person is given something to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as the faster. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Whoever gives food to a fasting person with which to break his fast, will have a reward equal to his, without it detracting in the slightest from the reward of the fasting person.[viii]”
This is similar to providing assistance to one another in the practice of religiosity and righteousness. One of these is giving the person who is fasting something to break his fast with.
It is said that it means whoever gives him something, even if it is something small like a date fruit, to break his fast. Other scholars stated that the goal is to give him something that will satisfy him to break his fast and help him throughout the night.
However, this hadeeth implies that anyone who breaks the fast of a fasting person, even with a date fruit, will receive the same reward[ix].
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The meaning is that he should feed him until he is full.”[x].
Some Salaf (may Allaah have compassion on them) favored feeding the needy at iftaar over themselves. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar, Maalik ibn Deenaar, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and others.
‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar would not break his fast until orphans and needy people were with him[xi].
Begin the month with greetings
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to remind his Companions about Ramadaan and encourage them to make the most of it. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah bless him) said, “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said,
‘There has come to you Ramadaan, a blessed month. Allaah has made it obligatory on you to fast (this month). During it, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are locked, and the devils are chained up. In it, there is a night that is better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is deprived indeed.’[xii]
When someone curses or fights with you while you’re fasting, it is Sunnah for you to respond by saying, “I am fasting, I am fasting.”[xiii]
To know What are the things that invalidate fasting, click here.
To know: As-Suhoor: Its Rules, Timings, and Virtues, Click here
May Allah’s peace and blessings be on the last and final prophet
Sources:
See Rulings pertaining to Ramadan, A Collection of Works by Sheikh Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid, Islamfuture, page 49
Summarized Islamic Fiqh In Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah, Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Abdullah al-Tuwayjiri 1st Edition, page 855
[i] The Risala Ibn Abi Zayd Al Qaywarani’s Manual of Islamic Law, Translated by Aisha Bewley page 375
[ii] The Risala Ibn Abi Zayd Al Qaywarani’s Manual of Islamic Law, Translated by Aisha Bewley page 375
[iii] Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 1904
[iv] Al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 1903).
[v] Grade: Hasan (Darussalam)
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 1690
(Reported by Ibn Maajah, 1/539; Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/453).
[vi] Al-Tirmidhi 2380 labeled this a hasan saheeh hadeeth. Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)
[vii] Reported by Ahmad 5/343; Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 2137. Al-Albaani said in his footnote, its isnaad is hasan because of other corroborating reports.
[viii] Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 3/171; Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/451).
[ix] An Explanation of Riyadh al-Saliheen. from the words of the Master of the Messengers, Explanation, and Completion of His Eminence Shaykh Muhammad bn Salih Uthaymeen. Vol -5, page 338
[x] Al-Ikhtiyaaraat al-Fiqhiyyah, p. 109
[xi] Rulings pertaining to Ramadan, A Collection of Works by Sheikh Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid, Islamfuture, page 23
[xii] Reported by al-Nisaa’i, 4/129; Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/490
[xiii] Sahih Muslim 1151a