Hadiths about Ramadan and Fasting
HADITHS ABOUT RAMADAN
Many Muslims around the world want to know and
learn the Prophet’s (S.A.W.) Hadiths about the blessed month of Ramadan. Learning about these Hadiths will
make a believer more eager and motivated to make most out of Ramadan by doing
good deeds. Following are some Hadiths / part of Hadith about this great month.
Fasting is one of Five Pillars of Islam
Islam’s foundation is based on five pillars and
Fasting is one of them. These pillars are also foundation of a believer and a true
Muslim is required to observe them with utmost devotion. Allah’s messenger
(S.A.W.) said:
“Islam is based on Five Principles and to observe Fast (according to Islamic Teachings) during the
month of Ramadan is one of them.”
Learn about Five Pillars of Islam
Obligation of Ramadan Fasting
Every Muslim must realize
that fasting during the month of Ramadan is obligatory and Allah has prescribed
it for us in His Book:
“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed
upon those before you that you may become righteous.”
Thus, Allah teaches us that Fasting is an obligation
and fulfilling of obligatory deeds will bring a believer closer to Allah. The
same is evident from following Hadith:
Prophet (S.A.W.) said that
Allah Said:
"The most beloved deeds with which my slave comes closer to Me are
the obligatory deeds."
So observe the obligation of fasting during
Ramzan and become pious and closer to Allah.
Month of Revelation of Quran
Ramadan also significant for
all the Muslims because Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W.)
during this holy month. As Allah says in Quran:
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a guidance for
mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong).”
Dua of a Fasting Person is not rejected
One of the most generous
blessings by Allah during the month of Ramadan is the opportunity of having our
Duas (supplications) accepted. Prophet (S.A.W.) said:
“There are three whose supplication is not
rejected: The fasting person when he breaks his fast, the just
leader, and the supplication of the oppressed person……”
Umrah during Ramadan is equal to Hajj
If you have the means, both
financially and physically, then you should perform Umrah during this blessed month
as our Prophet (S.A.W.) said:
“When
Ramadan comes, go for Umrah, for Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj.”
Click here to know about complete Umrah Guide
Ramadan Fasting with Shawwal Fasting
Ramadan Fasting is obligatory
(fardh) and fasting for six days during Shawwal (month comes after Ramadan) is
a Sunnah (optional) but virtues of these 6 Shawwal Fasting are immense. Prophet
(S.A.W.) said:
“Whoever
fasts Ramadan, then follows it with six from Shawwal, then that is (equal in
reward) to fasting every day.”
Wording of the Hadith clearly
explains that if you add fast of six days during the month of Shawwal with the
Ramadan fasts, the reward for a believer is just like a full year of fasting
with one condition, we have completed fasting a month of Ramadan.
Learn
more about 6 Shawwal Fasting
Eating Suhoor during Ramadan is a blessing
Suhoor is a meal which fasting person take
before starting his/her fast during Ramadan (before starting of Fajr Prayer).
We should not skip this meal during Ramadan in the light of following Hadith of
Prophet (S.A.W.):
“Take
Suhoor (late night meal) as there is a blessing in it.”
Break Fast with Date or Water
Iftar is a meal which fasting person take upon
completing his/her fast during Ramadan (at the time of Maghrib Prayer). This is
Sunnah to breaking fast with Dates in the light of the following Hadith in
which Prophet (S.A.W.) has said:
“Whoever
has dried dates, then let him break the fast with that, and whoever does not,
then let him break the fast with water, for indeed water is purifying.”
Fasting while Traveling
Fasting is not obligatory for a person who is
travelling according to the following Quran Verse:
“So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first
night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe
Saum (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number
[of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other
days.”
Although a travelling person can skip his/her
fast during the travelling days and can make-up for the skipped fast after
Ramadan but following Hadith clearly shows that its upto a travelling person
whether he/she wants to observe fast or not during Travel.
According to the Hadith, when Prophet (S.A.W.)
asked about fasting during travel, He (S.A.W.) replied:
“If
you (travelling person) wish, then fast and if you wish, do not fast.”
[Sahih Msulim: 1121(a)]
Tarawih Prayer during Ramadan
Tarawih Prayers during Ramadan (after Isha
Prayer) is one of the blessing of Ramadan and is of great importance. Although
Tarawih Prayer is Sunnah (optional) and not an Obligation (Fardh) for a
believer, but due to its significance and reward, we should try to offer this
prayer, in congregation, during the whole month of Ramadan. Prophet (S.A.W.)
said:
“Whoever
prays Qiyaam (Taraweeh Prayer) with the imam until he finishes, it will be
recorded as if he spent the whole night in prayer.”
So if you want to get reward of whole night
prayer then pray Tarawih Prayer during Ramadan.
Abstain
from sins during Fast
During fast, abstaining from only eating and
drinking is not sufficient to achieve piety but realistic and sincere effort is
demanded from a fasting person to avoid all kinds of sins. Prophet (S.A.W.)
said that Allah Said:
“Whoever
does not give up evil and ignorant speech, and acting in accordance with that,
Allah has no need of his giving up his food and drink.”
We abstain from Allah’s lawful things (eating
and drinking) so avoiding the things which are already prohibited (Haram) in a
state of fasting becomes more necessary. So if we do not refrain ourselves from
evil things and bad habits during fast then Allah will not accept our fast as
one of the purpose of fast is to become pious and get pleasure of Allah but
without giving up evil deeds, how can you expect your Fast to be accepted by
Allah.
Observe
Itakaf during 3rd Ashra of Ramadan
It is Sunnah of Prophet (S.A.W.) to spend the
last ten days and nights of Ramadan in the Mosque. This is called Itakaf or Seclusion
in Masjid. According to Hadith narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (R.A.) that:
“Allah's
Messenger (S.A.W.) used to practice I`tikaf in
the last ten days of the month of Ramadan.”
So, observe Itakaf during last 10 days of
Ramadan and fulfil this great Sunnah of our beloved Prophet (S.A.W.).
Hadith about Laylatul Qadr
Laylat al Qadr is one of the odd nights of last
10 days of Ramadan and this night is better than a thousand months and
worshiping on this night is better than eighty-three years of worship. There
are many Hadiths and Quranic verses which signifies its importance; some of
them are given below:
“Search
for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.”
“Verily,
We have sent it (this Qur’an) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree).”
“Whoever
spends the night of Lailat Al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of
reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”
(Nasai: 5027)
So pray and supplicate as much as you can
during Laylatul Qadr and get rid of all your past sins and also get the reward
of worshiping 1,000 months in just one night (or odd nights of last 10 days of
Ramadan).
Click here to know more about Laylatul Qadr
Blessings of Ramadan and Fasting
1-
Gates of Heaven are opened:
During the whole month of Ramadan, Allah Opens
the gates of Heaven and Closed the doors of Hell. Prophet (S.A.W.) said:
“When
the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates
of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.”
2-
Fasting is a shield from Hell:
Ramadan Fasting is a great worship and
following Hadith clearly shows that it is a shield against fire of hell and
also a shield against committing sins. Prophet (S.A.W.) said:
“Fasting
is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins.”
3- Reward of Obligations increased by Seventy Times:
In a long Hadith about Ramadan, Salman Farsi
(R.A.) has said that Prophet (S.A.W.) said:
“… Whoever
performs a fardh (obligation), shall be given the reward of seventy faraaidh (obligations)
in any other time ….”
(Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Hadith No. 1887)
4- Rizq (Sustenance) is increased:
In the same Hadith mentioned above, Prophet
(S.A.W.) said:
“… It is
the month in which a true believer’s rizq (food, money, etc.) are increased….”
(Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Hadith No. 1887)
5- Dedicated Gate of Heaven for Fasting person:
Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) has said:
“There is a gate in Paradise called Ar-Raiyan, and those who observe
fasts will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection and none except them
will enter through it.”
6- Expiation of sins committed during the year:
Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) has said:
“The five daily prayers and from one Friday prayer to the next Friday
prayer, and from one Ramadan to the next are an expiation for whatever (sins)
come in between, so long as one avoids major sins.”
7- Fasting teaches us Self-Disciplining:
Ramadan Fasting is more than not drinking and
eating as it has a spiritual purpose. Fasting helps us draw away from things
which Allah has forbidden us. By fasting we can embrace spiritual things and get
closer to Allah. Following Hadihts of our Prophet (S.A.W.) teaches us how we
can avoid evil things during Ramadan Fasting:
“…. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his
wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he
should say, 'I am fasting…..”
There are many more Hadihts about Ramadan which
we have not covered in this article. However, purpose of mentioning these
Hadiths is to provide knowledge to Muslims about Ramadan and fasting and also
to motivate them to spent this month according to teachings of Prophet (S.A.W.)
in order to get maximum benefits out of this sacred month.
Click Here to learn about Ramadan Dua
Learn about Duas for Three Ramadan Ashras
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