Some Common Mistakes in Ramadan
1 : Taking Ramadan as a ritual:
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.
"'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.
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.
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 Ramadan revolves around food.
They spend the ENTIRE day planning, cooking, shopping and thinking
about only food, instead of concentrating on Salaah, Quran 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.
He (Allah) 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 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).
worship, makes him lazy and also makes the heart heedless.
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:
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:
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.
for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)"
[al-Baqarah 2:183]
"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:
as it is one of al-Khabaaith (evil things). And this includes
ALL kinds of smoking material eg.cigars, cigarettes, pipes, sheesha, hookah etc.
and prohibits them as unlawful Al Khabaa'ith (all evil and unlawful things)
[al-Araaf :157]
but also to the ones around him. It is also a means of wasting ones wealth.
"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:
"Eat suhoor for in suhoor there is blessing."(Bukhaari, Muslim).
"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 :
to observe Imsaak.
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]
of Ibn Umm Maktoom, for he does not give the adhaan until dawn comes."
prescribed, so it is false. It is a kind of extremism in religion, and the
Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:
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 Allah overcomes everything.
12 : Saying the intention to fast out loud or saying
a specific dua to start fasting:
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 Ramadan calendars, etc. is a Bidah.
13 : Delaying breaking fast:
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 people will continue to do well so long as they hasten to break the fast."(Bukhaari, Muslim)
and then have tawakkul on Allah and break your fast exactly on time.
14 : Eating continuously until the time for Maghreb is up
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:
at the time of breaking fast.
"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).
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:
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)
they are all 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:
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.
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.
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 Allah."
21 : Praying ONLY on the night of the 27th
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 Ramadan."
(Bukhaari, Muslim).
22 : Wasting the last part of Ramadan 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.
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
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.
