Posts Tagged ‘Eid’
Introduction
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah (swt), the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful
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All Praise be to Allah, we praise Him and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our own selves and from our evil deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides cannot be misled, and whomsoever He leaves astray cannot be guided. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah alone, with no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
Allah has blessed His slaves with certain seasons of goodness, in which Hasanat (rewards for good deeds) are multiplied, Sayi’at (bad deeds) are forgiven, people’s status is raised, the hearts of the believers turn to their Master, those who purify themselves attain success and those who corrupt themselves fail. Allah has created His slaves to worship Him.
“And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except that they should worship Me (Alone).”
[Al Qur’an – Surah al-Dhaariyaat (051:056)]
A day in the life of an Imam (Anwar al Awlaki) during Ramadaan:
1. One of the greatest acts of worship is fasting, which Allah has made obligatory on His slaves.
“O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil).”
[Al Qur’an – Surah Al Baqarah (002:183)]
2. Allah encourages His slaves to fast.
“…and that you fast is better for you if you know…”
[Al Qur’an – Surah Al Baqarah (002:183-184)]
3. He guides them to give thanks to Him for having made fasting obligatory on them.
“…and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful…”
[Al Qur’an – Surah Al Baqarah (002:185)]
4. He has made fasting dear to them, and has made it easy so that people do not find it too hard to give up their habits and what they are used to.
“…for a certain number of days…”
[Al Qur’an – Surah Al Baqarah (002:184)]
5. He has mercy on them and keeps them away from difficulties and harm.
“…but whoever among you is sick or on a journey, then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days…”
[Al Qur’an – Surah Al Baqarah (002:184)]
No wonder then, that in this month the hearts of the believers turns to their Most Merciful Lord, fearing their Lord above them, and hoping to attain His reward and the great victory (Paradise).
As the status of this act of worship is so high, it is essential to learn the ahkaam (rulings) that have to do with the month of fasting so that the Muslim will know what is obligatory, in order to do it, what is Haram, in order to avoid it, and what is permissible, so that he need not subject himself to hardship by depriving himself of it. This book is a summary of the rulings, etiquette and Sunnah of fasting. May Allah make it of benefit to myself and my Muslim brothers. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
(The compilations of topics concerning rulings are primarily the work of Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid with additions from the lectures of Sheikh Yasir Qadhi. A few other topics have been taken from www.islam4uk.com. Other articles were produced by various UMW admins. Edited by UMW admin and the editing are primarily for the sake of better presentation and simplicity)
What Is Siyam?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah (swt), the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful
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Linguistically in Arabic the word Siyam means to abstain from.
From Shariah prospective Siyam means to abstain from factors which break your sawm from dawn until sunset (Al Muftirat) having first made the intention (niyyah) to fast..
The Ummah is agreed that fasting the month of Ramadaan is obligatory, the evidence for which is in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil).
[Al Qur’an – Surah Al Baqarah (002:183)]
The Prophet (saws) said: “Islam is built on five [pillars]…” among which he mentioned fasting in Ramadaan.
[Sahih Bukhari]
Whoever breaks the fast during Ramadaan without a legitimate excuse has committed a serious major sin.
The Prophet (saws) said, describing a dream that he had seen: “… until I was at the mountain, where I heard loud voices. I asked, ‘What are these voices?’ They said, ‘This is the howling of the people of Hellfire.’ Then I was taken [to another place], and I saw people hanging from their hamstrings, with the corners of their mouths torn and dripping with blood. I said, ‘Who are these?’ They said, ‘The people who broke their fast before it was the proper time to do so,’ i.e., before the time of Iftaar.”
[Sahih al Targheeb]
Al-Haafiz al-Dhahabi (r) said, “Among the believers it is well-established that whoever does not fast in Ramadaan without a valid excuse is worse than an adulterer or drunkard; they doubt whether he is even a Muslim at all, and they regard him as a heretic and profligate.”
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (r) said: “If a person does not fast in Ramadaan knowing that it is Haram but making it Halal for himself to do so, kill him; and if he does it because he is immoral [but believes it is Haram], then punish him for not fasting.”
[Majmoo al Fataawa]
- A very serious message:
What Are the Virtues of Fasting?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah (swt), the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful
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The virtues of fasting are great indeed:
On the authority of Abu Hurairah (r) from the Prophet (saws), who said:
Allah (swt) says: ‘Fasting is Mine and it is I who give reward for it. [A man] gives up his sexual passion, his food and his drink for My sake. Fasting is like a shield, and he who fasts has two joys: a joy when he breaks his fast and a joy when he meets his Lord. The change in the breath of the mouth of him who fasts is better in Allah’s estimation than the smell of musk.’
[Sahih Bukhari]
1. One of the things reported in the Sahih Ahadith is that Allah (swt) has chosen fasting for Himself, and He will reward it and multiply the reward without measure.
[Hadith of Bukhari]
2. Fasting has no equal and the du’a of the fasting person will not be refused.
[Hadith of Al Bayhaqi]
3. The fasting person has two moments of joy: one when he breaks his fast and one when he meets his Lord and rejoices over his fasting.
[Hadith of Bukhari]
4. Fasting will intercede for a person on the Day of Judgment, and will say, “O Lord, I prevented him from his food and physical desires during the day, so let me intercede for him.”
[Hadith of Ahmad]
5. The smell that comes from the mouth of a fasting person is better with Allah (swt) than the scent of musk.
[Hadith of Bukhari]
6. Fasting is a protection and a strong fortress that keeps a person safe from the Fire.
[Hadith of Ahmad]
7. Whoever fasts one day for the sake of Allah (swt), Allah (swt) will remove his face seventy years’ distance from the Fire.
[Hadith of Muslim]
8. Whoever fasts one day seeking the pleasure of Allah (swt), if that is the last day of his life, he will enter Paradise.
[Hadith of Ahmad]
9. In Paradise there is a gate called al-Rayyaan, through those who fast will enter, and no one will enter it except them; when they have entered it will be locked, and no one else will enter through it.
[Hadith of Bukhari]
10. Fasting is a pillar of Islam.
[Hadith of Bukhari]
11. The Qur’an was revealed in this month.
[Al Qur’an]
12. In Ramadaan there is a night that is better than a thousand months.
[Al Qur’an]
13. When Ramadaan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are put in chains.
[Hadith of Bukhari]
14. Fasting Ramadaan is equivalent to fasting ten months.
[Hadith of Ahmad]
15. Whoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and with the hope of reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.
[Hadith of Bukhari]
16. At the breaking of every fast, Allah (swt) will choose people to free from Hellfire.
[Hadith of Ahmad]
What Are the Benefits of Fasting?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah (swt), the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful
[Our Group – Click Here]
There is much wisdom and many benefits in fasting, which have to do with the Taqwa mentioned by Allah (swt) in the Ayah:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil).
[Al Qur’an – Surah Al Baqarah (002:183)]
The interpretation of this is that if a person refrains from Halal things hoping to earn the pleasure of Allah (swt) and out of fear of His punishment, it will be easier for him to refrain from doing Haram things.
If a person’s stomach is hungry, this will keep many of his other faculties from feeling hunger or desires; but if his stomach is satisfied, his tongue, eye, hand and private parts will start to feel hungry. Fasting leads to the defeat of Shaytaan; it controls desires and protects ones faculties.
When the fasting person feels the pangs of hunger, he experiences how the poor feel, so he has compassion towards them and gives them something to ward off their hunger. Hearing about them is not the same as sharing their suffering, just as a rider does not understand the hardship of walking unless he gets down and walks.
Fasting trains the will to avoid desires and keep away from sin; it helps a person to overcome his own nature and to wean himself away from his habits. It also trains a person to get used to being organized and punctual, which will solve the problem that many people have of being disorganized, if only they realized.
Fasting is also a demonstration of the unity of the Muslims, as the Ummah fasts and breaks its fast at the same time.
Fasting also provides a great opportunity for those who are calling others to Allah (swt). In this month many people come to the mosque who are coming for the first time, or who have not been to the mosque for a long time, and their hearts are open, so we must make the most of this opportunity by preaching in a gentle manner, teaching appropriate lessons and speaking beneficial words, whilst cooperating in righteousness and good deeds. The dai’yah should not be so preoccupied with others that he forgets his own soul and becomes like a wick that lights the way for others while it is itself consumed.
What Should Be Done During This Great Month?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah (swt), the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful
[Our Group – Click Here]
1. Preparing oneself and ones environment for worship.
2. Hastening to repent and turn back to Allah.
3. Rejoicing at the onset of the month.
4. Fasting properly.
5. Having the right frame of mind and fearing Allah when praying Taraaweeh.
6. Not feeling tired during the middle ten days of the month
7. Seeking Laylat al-Qadr
8. Reading the entire Qur’an time after time
9. Trying to weep and trying to understand what you are reading.
10. Umrah during Ramadaan is equivalent to Hajj.
11. Charity given during this virtuous time is multiplied.
12. I’tikaaf (retreat in the mosque for worship) is confirmed (as part of the Sunnah).
13. There is nothing wrong with congratulating one another at the beginning of the month. The Prophet (saws) used to tell his Companions the good news of the onset of Ramadaan, and urge them to make the most of it.
Abu Hurairah (r) said: “The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, ‘There has come to you Ramadaan, a blessed month. Allah 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.’”
[An Nasa’i]
Who Is Obliged To Fast?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah (swt), the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful
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1. Fasting is an obligation on every adult, sane, settled [i.e., not travelling] Muslim who is able to fast and has nothing such as haidh [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 occurs:
i) Emission of semen, whether in a wet dream or otherwise.
ii) Growth of coarse pubic hair around the private parts;
iii) 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.
2. 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 smacked at the age of ten if he does not fast, just as in the case of Salaat.
The child will be rewarded for fasting, and the parents will be rewarded for bringing him up properly and guiding him to do good.
Narrated by Al-Rubay’ bint Mu’awwidh (r):
The prophet (saws) sent a messenger to the village of the Ansar in the morning of the day of Ashura (10th of Muharram) to announce: ‘Whoever has eaten something should not eat but complete the fast, and whoever is observing the fast should complete it.’ She further said, “Since then we used to fast on that day regularly and also make our boys fast. We used to make toys of wool for the boys and if anyone of them cried for food, he was given those toys till it was the time of the breaking of the fast.
[Sahih Bukhari]
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 making him get used to fasting.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَائِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَا يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ
O ye who believe! save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded.
[Al Qur’an – Surah At Tahrim (066:006)]
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.
3. If a kaafir becomes Muslim, or a child reaches puberty, or an insane person comes to his senses during the day, they should refrain from eating for the rest of the day, because they are now among those who are obliged to fast, but they do not have to make up for the days of Ramadaan that they have missed, because at that time they were not among those who are obliged to fast.
4. 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. A similar case is the ruling governing epileptics.
5. If someone dies during Ramadaan, there is no “debt” on him or his heirs with regard to the remaining days of the month.
6. If someone does not know that it is Fard (obligatory) to fast Ramadaan, or that it is Haram 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 revert 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.
How Do We Determine the Beginning And the Ending of Ramadaan?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah (swt), the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful
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There are 3 ways by which we can determine the beginning of the month of Ramadaan:
1) When the month of Sha’aban is completed with 30 days, the month of Ramadaan starts automatically (in the Islamic calendar every month has either 29 or 30 days only).
If you have NOT sighted the moon on the 29th of Sha’aban even when the sky is clear, this means that there is a 30th day of Sha’aban. Now even if you see NO moon on the 30th day of Sha’aban it means that Ramadaan starts on the very next day as the month of Sha’aban has automatically ended as 30 days are complete.
2) When you see the moon on the 29th day of Sha’aban as the sky is clear then Ramadaan begins on the very next day, as the month of Sha’aban has now ended due to the appearance of the moon.
3) When the sky is cloudy on the 29th day of Sha’aban and you cannot see the moon, then you assume that there is a 30th day of Sha’aban and Ramadaan begins on the day after that 30th day.
Ibn Umar (r) reported Allah’s messenger (saws) as saying in connection with Ramadaan:
‘Do not fast till you see the new moon, and do not break fast till you see it; but if the weather is cloudy calculate about it.’
[Sahih Muslim]
There are differences of opinion on whether it is one man or two men, who have to witness the sighting of the moon.
Some scholars say one man for determining the beginning of Ramadaan and two men for determining the end of Ramadaan.
Some scholars say two men at the beginning and one at the end.
Some other scholars say two at the beginning and two at the end.
However inshaAllah we can say (by combining all narrations regarding the issue) that it is sufficient for there being just one man witnessing the moon for the beginning and one man for the ending given that the person is TRUSTWORTHY. To be safe we can say that 2 men being witnesses for beginning and the ending are better.
The witnesses MUST be Muslims and they must be adult, sane, with good sight and they must literally see the moon and it cannot be from calculations as this is innovation.
Regarding the moon sighting that one should follow in case of someone seeing the moon in another part of the World first, there are good evidences for both sides of the arguments on whether to follow the first sighting or sighting of your own community. It is best to follow whatever they are following in your own community and not to break apart from them. In the future we will inshaAllah update on the evidences that scholars give after we ourselves do more research on the matter. Allah (swt) knows best.
When Does One Start And Stop Fasting?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah (swt), the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful
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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.
The Prophet (saws) said: “Once night comes from there and the day disappears from there, and the sun has set, the fasting person should break his fast.”
[Sahih Bukhari]
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.
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.
What Is the Nature of the Niyyah (Intention) of Fasting?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah (swt), the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful
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Niyyah (intention) is a required condition in Fard (obligatory) fasts, and in other obligatory fasts such as making up missed fasts or fasts done as an act of expiation (kafaarah).
The Prophet (saws) said: “There is no fast for the person who did not intend to fast from the night before.”
[Abu Da’ud]
The intention may be made at any point during the night, even if it is just a moment before Fajr.
Niyyah means the resolution in the heart to do something; speaking it aloud is bid’ah (a reprehensible innovation), and anyone who knows that tomorrow is one of the days of Ramadaan and wants to fast, has made the intention.
The person who is fasting Ramadaan does not need to repeat the intention every night during Ramadaan; it is sufficient to have the intention at the beginning of the month. If the intention is interrupted by breaking the fast due to travel or sickness – for example – he has to renew the intention to fast when the reason for breaking the fast is no longer present.
If a person does not know that Ramadaan has started until after dawn, he has to stop eating and drinking for the rest of the day, and he has to make that day up later on, according to the majority of scholars.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There is no fasting for the one who does not have the intention to fast from the night before.”
[Abu Da’ud]
If a prisoner or captive knows that Ramadaan has begun by sighting the moon himself or by being told by a trustworthy person, he has to fast. If he does not know when the month is beginning, he must try to work it out for himself (ijtihaad) and act according what he thinks is most likely. If he later finds out that his fasting coincided with Ramadaan, this is fine according to the majority of scholars, and if his fasting came after Ramadaan, this is fine according to the majority of fuqahaa’, but if his fasting came before Ramadaan, this is not acceptable, and he has to make up the fast.
If part of his fasting coincided with Ramadaan and part of it did not, what coincided with it or came after it is fine, but what came before is not OK. If the matter never becomes clear to him, then his fasting is fine because he did the best he could, and Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope.
What Are the Etiquettes And Sunnah of Fasting?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah (swt), the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful
[Our Group – Click Here]
Some aspects are obligatory (Wajib) and others are recommended (Mustahab).
1. We should make sure that we eat and drink something at suhur, and that we delay it until just before the adhaan of Fajr.
The Prophet (saws) said: “Have suhoor, for in suhoor there is blessing (barakah).”
[Sahih Bukhari]
The Prophet (saws) said: “Suhoor is blessed food, and it involves being different from the people of the Book. What a good suhoor, for the believer is dates.”
[Abu Da’ud]
2. Not delaying Iftaar.
The Prophet (saws) said: “The people will be fine so long as they do not delay Iftaar.”
[Sahih Bukhari]
3. Breaking ones fast in the manner of the prophet (saws).
Narrated by Anas (r):
“The Prophet (saws) used to break his fast with fresh dates before praying; if fresh dates were not available, he would eat (dried) dates; if dried dates were not available, he would have a few sips of water.”
[At Tirmidhi]
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.
4. After Iftaar, reciting the words that the prophet (saws) recited.
Narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (r), according to which the Prophet (saws), when he broke his fast, would say: “Dhahabaz zama wabtallatil urooq, wathabatal ajru inshaAllah” (The thirst is gone and the veins are quenched, and reward is confirmed, if Allah wills).
[Abu Da’ud]
5. Keeping away from sin.
The Prophet (saws) said: “When any of you is fasting, let him not commit sin…”
[Sahih Bukhari]
The Prophet (saws) said: “Whoever does not stop speaking falsehood and acting in accordance with it, Allah has no need of him giving up his food and drink.”
[Sahih Bukhari]
6. The person who is fasting should avoid all kinds of Haram actions, such as backbiting, obscenity and lies; otherwise his reward may all be lost.
The Prophet (saws) said: “It may be that a fasting person gets nothing from his fast except hunger.”
[Ibn Majah]
7. Among the things that can destroy ones Hasanat (good deeds) and bring Sayi’at (bad deeds) is allowing oneself to be distracted by quiz-shows, soap operas, movies and sports matches, idle gatherings, hanging about in the streets with evil people and time-wasters, driving around for no purpose, and crowding the streets and sidewalks, so that the months of Tahajjud, Dhikr and worship, for many people, becomes the month of sleeping in the day so as to avoid feeling hungry, thus missing their prayers and the opportunity to pray them in congregation, then spending their nights in entertainment and indulging their desires.
Some people even greet the month with feelings of annoyance, thinking only of the pleasures they will miss out on. In Ramadaan, some people travel to kaafir lands to enjoy a holiday! Even the mosques are not free from such evils as the appearance of women wearing makeup and perfume, and even the Sacred House of Allah (swt) is not free of these ills.
Some people make the month a season for begging, even though they are not in need. Some of them entertain themselves with dangerous fireworks and the like, and some of them waste their time in the markets, wandering around the shops, or sewing and following fashions. Some of them put new products and new styles in their stores during the last ten days of the month, to keep people away from earning rewards and Hasanat.
8. Not allowing oneself to be provoked.
The Prophet (saws) said: “If someone fights him or insults him, he should say, ‘I am fasting, I am fasting.’”
[Sahih Bukhari]
One reason for this is to remind himself, and another reason is to remind his adversary. But anyone who looks at the conduct of many of those who fast will see something quite different. It is essential to exercise self-control and be calm, but we see the opposite among crazy drivers who speed up when they hear the adhaan for Maghrib!
9. Not eating too much.
The Prophet (saws) said: “The son of Adam fills no worse vessel than his stomach.”
[At Tirmidhi]
The wise person wants to eat to live, not live to eat. The best type of food is that which is there to be used, not that which is there to be served. But people indulge in making all kinds of food (during Ramadaan) and treating food preparation as a virtual art form, so that housewives and servants spend all their time on making food, and this keeps them away from worship, and people spend far more on food during Ramadaan than they do ordinarily. Thus the month becomes the month of indigestion, fatness and gastric illness, where people eat like gluttons and drink like thirsty camels, and when they get up to pray Taraweeh, they do so reluctantly, and some of them leave after the first two rak’ahs!
Some may even relate this issue as “we cook all day and we eat all night”.
10. Being generous by sharing knowledge, giving money, using ones position of authority or physical strength to help others, and having a good attitude.
Ibn ‘Abbaas (r) said: “The Messenger of Allah (saws) was the most generous of people [in doing good], and he was most generous of all in Ramadaan when Jibreel (as) met with him, and he used to meet him every night in Ramadaan and teach him the Qur’an. The Messenger of Allah (saws) was more generous in doing good than a blowing wind.”
[Sahih Bukhari]
How can people exchange generosity for stinginess and action for laziness, to the extent that they do not do their work properly and do not treat one another properly, and they use fasting as an excuse for all this!?
Combining fasting with feeding the poor is one of the means of reaching Paradise.
The Prophet (saws) said: “In Paradise there are rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside and the inside can be seen from the outside. Allah 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.”
[Ahmad]
The Prophet (saws) 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.”
[At Tirmidhi]
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (r) said: “What is meant is that he should feed him until he is satisfied.”
[Al-Ikhtiyaaraat al-Fiqhiyyah]
A number of the Salaf (r) preferred the poor over themselves when feeding them at the time of Iftaar. Among these were Abdullah ibn Umar (r), Maalik ibn Deenaar (r), Ahmad ibn Hanbal (r) and others. Abdullah ibn Umar (r) would not break his fast unless there were orphans and poor people with him.
The Ultimate Muslim Warriors 