Bismillahir
Rahmanir Raheem
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barkatuh!
Some Common Mistakes in Ramadaan
Lets Strive Not to Repeat the Same
By Asma bint Shameem
1 : Taking Ramadaan as a ritual
For many of us
Ramadaan has lost its spirituality and has become more of a ritual than a
form of Ibaadah. We fast from morning to night like a zombie just
because everyone around us is fasting too. We forget that its a time to
purify our hearts and our souls from all evil....we forget to make dua,
forget to beseech Allaah to forgive us and ask Him to save us from the
Fire. Sure we stay away from food and drink but that's about all.
Although the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:
"'Jibreel said to me, May Allaah rub his nose in the dust, that person
to who Ramadaan comes and his sins are not forgiven, and I said, Ameen.
Then
he said, May Allaah rub his nose in the dust, that person who lives to
see his parents grow old, one or both of them, but he does not enter
Paradise (by not serving them) and I said, Ameen.
Then he said,
May Allaah rub his nose in the dust, that person in whose presence you
are mentioned and he does not send blessings upon you, and I said,
Ameen.'" (Tirmidhi, Ahmad, others. Saheeh by al-Albaani)
2 : Too much stress on food and drink
For
some people, the entire month of Ramadaan revolves around food. They
spend the ENTIRE day planning, cooking, shopping and thinking about only
food, instead of concentrating on Salaah, Quraan and other acts of
worship. All they can think of is FOOD. So much so that they turn the
month of fasting into the month of feasting. Come Iftaar time, their
table is a sight to see, with the multitudes and varieties of food,
sweets and drinks. They are missing the very purpose of fasting, and
thus, increase in their greed and desires instead of learning to control
them. It is also a kind of waste & extravagance.
".....and
eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allaah) likes
not Al-Musrifoon (those who waste by extravagance) " [al-Araaf :31]
3 : Spending all day cooking
Some
of the sisters (either by their own choice or forced by their husbands)
are cooking ALL day and ALL night, so that by the end of the day, they
are too tired to even pray Ishaa, let alone pray Taraweeh or Tahajjud or
even read Quraan. This is the month of mercy and forgiveness. So turn
off that stove and turn on your Imaan!
4 : Eating too much
Some
people stuff themselves at Suhoor until they are ready to burst,
because they think this is the way to not feel hungry during the day and
some people eat at Iftaar, like there is no tomorrow, trying to make up
for the food missed. However, this is completely against the Sunnah.
Moderation is the key to everything.
The Prophet (Sal Allaahu
Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse
than his stomach; for the son of Adam a few mouthfuls are sufficient to
keep his back straight. If you must fill it, then one-third for food,
one-third for drink and one-third for air." (Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah.
saheeh by al-Albaani).
Too much food distracts a person from many deeds of obedience and worship,
makes him lazy and also makes the heart heedless.
It was said to Imam Ahmad: Does a man find any softness and humility in his
heart when he is full? He said, I do not think so.
5 : Sleeping all day
Some
people spend their entire day (or a major part of it) sleeping away
their fast. Is this what is really required of us during this noble
month? These people also are missing the purpose of fasting and are
slaves to their desires of comfort and ease. They cannot bear to be
awake and face a little hunger or exert a little self-control. For a
fasting person to spend most of the day asleep is nothing but,
negligence on his part.
6 : Wasting time
The
month of Ramadaan is a precious, precious time, so much so that Allaah
calls this month "Ayyamum Madoodaat" (A fixed number of days). Before we
know it, this month of mercy and forgiveness will be over. We should
try and spend every moment possible in the worship of Allaah so that we
can make the most of this blessing. However, there are some of us who
waste away their day playing video games, or worse still, watching TV,
movies or even listening to music. Subhaan Allaah! Trying to obey Allaah
by DISOBEYING him!
7 : Fasting but not giving up evil
Some
of us fast but do not give up lying, cursing, fighting, backbiting,
etc. and some of us fast but do not give up cheating, stealing, dealing
in haraam, buying lotto tickets, selling alcohol, fornication, etc. and
all kinds of impermissible things without realizing that the purpose of
fasting is to not stay away from food and drink; rather the aim behind
it is to fear Allaah.
"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed
for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become
Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)" [al-Baqarah 2:183]
The Prophet (Sal
Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "Whoever does not give up false speech
and acting upon it, and ignorance, Allaah has no need of him giving up
his food and drink." (Bukhaari)
8 : Smoking
Smoking
is forbidden in Islam whether during Ramadaan or outside of it, as it
is one of al-Khabaaith (evil things). And this includes ALL kinds of
smoking material eg.cigars, cigarettes, pipes, sheesha, hookah etc.
"he
allows them as lawful At Tayyibaat (all good and lawful things), and
prohibits them as unlawful Al Khabaa'ith (all evil and unlawful things)
[al-Araaf :157]
It is harmful, not only to the one smoking, but also to the ones around him.
It is also a means of wasting ones wealth.
The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "There should be no harming
or reciprocating harm."
This is especially true during fasting and it invalidates the fast. (Fatwa -Ibn
Uthaymeen)
9 : Skipping Suhoor
The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "Eat suhoor for in suhoor
there is blessing."(Bukhaari, Muslim).
And
he (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "The thing that differentiates
between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is eating
suhoor." (Muslim)
10 : Stopping Suhoor at Imsaak
Some people stop eating Suhoor 10-15 minutes earlier than the time of Fajr to
observe Imsaak.
Shaykh
Ibn Uthaymeen said: This is a kind of bidah (innovation) which has no
basis in the Sunnah. Rather the Sunnah is to do the opposite. Allaah
allows us to eat until dawn: "and eat and drink until the white thread
(light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness
of night)" [al-Baqarah 2:187]
And the Prophet (pbuh) said: "….eat
and drink until you hear the adhaan of Ibn Umm Maktoom, for he does not
give the adhaan until dawn comes."
This imsaak which some of the
people do is an addition to what Allaah has prescribed, so it is false.
It is a kind of extremism in religion, and the Prophet (Sal Allaahu
Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:
"Those who go to extremes are doomed, those who go to extremes are doomed,
those who go to extremes are doomed." (Muslim)
11 : Not fasting if they missed Suhoor
Some
people are too scared to fast if they miss Suhoor. However, this is a
kind of cowardice and love of ease. What is the big deal if you missed a
few morsels of food? Its not like you will die. Remember, obedience to
Allaah overcomes everything.
12 : Saying the intention to fast out loud or saying a specific dua to start
fasting
The
intention is an action of the heart. We should resolve in our heart
that we are going to fast tomorrow. That is all we need. It is not
prescribed by the Shariah for us to say out loud, "I intend to fast", "I
will fast tomorrow" or other phrases that have been innovated by some
people. Also, there is no specific dua to be recited at the time of
starting the fast in the correct Sunnah. Whatever dua you may see on
some papers or Ramadaan calendars, etc. is a Bidah.
13 : Delaying breaking fast
Some
people wait until the adhaan finishes or even several minutes after
that, just to be on the safe side. However, the Sunnah is to hasten to
break the fast, which means breaking fast whenever the adhaan starts,
right after the sun has set. Aaishah (RA) said: This is what the
Messenger of Allaah (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) used to do. (Muslim)
The
Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "The people will continue
to do well so long as they hasten to break the fast." (Bukhaari,
Muslim)
Determine to the best of your ability, the accuracy of
your clock, calendar, etc. and then have tawakkul on Allaah and break
your fast exactly on time.
14 : Eating continuously until the time for Maghrib is up
Some
people put so much food in their plates when breaking their fast and
continue eating, enjoying dessert, drinking tea, etc., until they miss
Maghrib. That is obviously not right. The Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh)
was that once he broke his fast with some dates, them he would hasten to
the prayer. Once you are done with the prayer, you can always go back
and eat some more if you wish.
15 : Missing the golden chance of having your Dua accepted
The prayer of the fasting person is guaranteed to be accepted at the time of
breaking fast.
The
Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "Three prayers are not
rejected: the prayer of a father, the prayer of a fasting person, and
the prayer of a traveler." (al-Bayhaqi, saheeh by al-Albaani).
Instead
of sitting down and making Dua at this precious time, some people
forego this beautiful chance, and are too busy frying samosas, talking,
setting the food, filling their plates and glasses, etc. Think about
it....Is food more important than the chance to have your sins forgiven
or the fulfillment of your Duas.
16 : Fasting but not praying
The
fasting of one who does not pray WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. This is because
not praying constitutes kufr as the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa
Sallam) said: "Between a man and shirk and kufr there stands his giving
up prayer." (Muslim)
In fact, NONE of his good deeds will be accepted; rather, they are all annulled.
"Whoever does not pray Asr, his good deeds will be annulled." (Bukhaari)
17 : Fasting and not wearing Hijaab
Not
wearing the Hijaab is a major sin as it is obligatory for Muslim women.
(See Surah Nur, Surah Ahzaab). So fasting and not wearing hijaab
certainly takes away enormously from the rewards of fasting, even if
does not invalidate it.
18 : Not fasting because of exams or work
Exams
or work is NOT one of the excuses allowed by the Shariah to not fast.
You can do your studying and revision at night if it is too hard to do
that during the day. Also remember that pleasing and obeying Allaah is
much more important than good grades. Besides, if you will fulfil your
obligation to fast, even if you have to study, Allaah will make it easy
for you and help you in everything you do.
"Whosoever fears
Allah, He will appoint for him a way out and provide for him from where
he does not expect, Allah is Sufficient for whosoever puts his trust in
Him." (Surah at-Talaaq 2-3)
19 : Mixing fasting and dieting
DO
NOT make the mistake of fasting with the intention to diet. That is one
of the biggest mistakes some of us make (esp. sisters). Fasting is an
act of worship and can only be for the sake of Allah alone.
Otherwise, mixing it with the intention of dieting may become a form of (minor)
Shirk.
20 : Fighting over the number of Rakaah of Taraweeh
There
is no specific number of rakahs for Taraweeh prayer, rather it is
permissible to do a little or a lot. Both 8 and 20 are okay. Shaykh Ibn
Uthaymeen said: "No one should be denounced for praying eleven or
twenty-three (rakaah), because the matter is broader in scope than that,
praise be to Allaah."
21 : Praying ONLY on the night of the 27th
Some
people pray ONLY on the 27th to seek Lailat ul-Qadr, neglecting all
other odd nights, although the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam)
said: "Seek Lailat ul-Qadr among the odd numbered nights of the last ten
nights of Ramadaan." (Bukhaari, Muslim).
22 : Wasting the last part of Ramadaan preparing for Eid
Some
people waste the entire last 10 days of Ramadaan preparing for Eid,
shopping and frequenting malls, etc. neglecting Ibadah and Lailatul
Qadr. although, the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) used to
strive the hardest during the last ten days of Ramadaan in worship
(Ahmad, Muslim) and not in shopping. Buy whatever you need for Eid
before Ramadaan so that you can utilize the time in Ramadaan to the max.
Aaishah
(RA) said: "When the (last) ten nights began, the Messenger of Allaah
(Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam)) would tighten his waist-wrapper (i.e.,
strive hard in worship or refrain from intimacy with his wives), stay
awake at night and wake his family." (Bukhaari and Muslim).
23 : Iftaar parties
Although
inviting each other for breaking fast is something good and encouraged,
some people go to extremes with lavish Iftaar parties with all sorts of
disobedience to Allaah, from flirting, mixing of the sexes and
hijaab-less women, to show-off and extravagance, to heedlessness to
Salaah, and Taraweeh.
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