On Ramadaan
March 24, 2023 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ʿUthaimīn said, “During the day [in Ramaḍān] you are in a state of worship from Fajr to sunset [because fasting in Ramaḍān] is one of the pillars of Islam and you are carrying it out from fajr to sunset—even if you are asleep, even if you are buying and selling, even if you are talking to your friends, you are all the while engulfed in one of the pillars of Islām, subḥānallāh.”
Jalasāt Ramaḍāniyyah, vol. 1, p. 11.
On Overeating and Being Obese | No. 44 | “Withhold Your Belching from Us.”
May 5, 2020 § Leave a comment
From Ibn ʿUmar رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ, “A man belched in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ so he said, ‘Withhold your belching from us. For indeed those who eat their fill most in the world will be the hungriest on the Day of Resurrection.’”
Abu Juhaifah [the Companion رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ in the above narration] said, “So I haven’t eaten my fill for thirty years.”
Silsilah, no. 343, [1260], Al-Jūʿ, p. 27.
Uthaimeen on Not Giving Reminders During Taraaweeh
May 28, 2018 § Leave a comment
Ibn Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, was asked: Here in Kuwait we have a reminder after four rak’ahs during the night prayer, is that allowed? And if it is, how is this reminder to be conducted?
Uthaimeen: I hold that it should not be done. Firstly, because it isn’t from the Salaf’s guidance. Secondly, because some people like to come to tahajjud and then leave to go home [as soon as it’s finished]. Having a reminder hinders them, bores them, and forces them to stay to listen to it.
If a reminder is not received well then its harm is more than its benefit, and that is why the Prophet ﷺ used to look after his Companions by preaching to them at suitable times and wouldn’t make it burdensome for them or repetitive. So I hold that leaving it is more correct. And if the Imaam does intend to preach to the people then let him do it at the end, when the prayer has completely finished.
Also see Shaikh al-Albaani’s answers here and here, and another of Shaikh Uthaimeen’s answers here.
Al-Khudair on How a Person Can Protect his Fast
May 18, 2018 § Leave a comment
Questioner: How can a person protect his fast?
Al-Khudair: When a person visualises the excellence of fasting and the many rewards associated with it, and the greatness of opening the fast especially when it is an obligatory one, when he pictures that, then there is no doubt that he will strive to guard his fast from things that ruin it, and the Salaf used to guard theirs by staying in the mosque, since when a person is in his house or the place where he sits or mixes with other people he might be susceptible to things that could harm his fast, intentionally or unintentionally, but when he sits in the mosque—and the mosque is the house of every person who is conscious of Allaah—you can’t imagine him backbiting anyone, because he is conscious that it is a place of obedience and not sin, just as he will protect himself from harming himself in relation to things connected to his wife for example, because he is in the mosque etc., for this reason it was reported from the Salaf that they would guard their fasts by staying in the mosque.
Ibn Baaz’s Ramadaan Advice in 1993
May 17, 2018 § Leave a comment
Questioner: What words of advice do you direct to the Islamic Ummah concerning the month of Ramadan?
Ibn Baaz: بسم الله، والحمد لله، وصلى الله على رسول الله، وعلى آله وأصحابه، ومن اهتدى بهداه، أما بعد
Concerning the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadaan for this year 1414H/1993 I advise my brother Muslims in all places to fear Allaah, and to race to all that is good, to exhort one another to truth and to be patient in that, cooperating upon righteousness and taqwaa, being wary of everything that Allaah has forbidden, of all sins in all places, especially during this precious month, for it is a great month in which righteous deeds are multiplied, and the sins of the people who fast and stand in prayer during it out of sincere faith and seeking its reward from Allaah are forgiven, due to the saying of the Prophet ﷺ, “Whoever prays during the night in Ramadaan out of sincere faith and seeking its reward from Allaah, will have all of his previous sins forgiven.” [Reported by Bukhaari and Muslim] And his saying ﷺ, “When Ramadaan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.” And his saying ﷺ, “Fasting is a shield. When any one of you is fasting, he should neither indulge in obscene language nor raise his voice. If anyone reviles him or tries to quarrel with him he should say, ‘I am fasting.’” And his saying ﷺ, “Allaah the Exalted and Majestic said: ‘Every act of the son of Adam is for him, the reward of every (good) deed of a person is multiplied tenfold, except fasting which is (exclusively) for Me, and I will reward him for it. He has abstained from food and drink, and sexual pleasures for My sake. The one who fasts experiences two pleasures: he feels pleasure when he breaks his fast and he will be joyful when he meets his Lord, and surely the breath of someone fasting is better smelling to Allah than the fragrance of musk.”
And he ﷺ used to give his Companions the joyous news of Ramadaan’s arrival, saying to them, ‘The month of Ramadaan has come to you, a month of blessings, Allaah sends down Mercy in it, wipes away sins, answers supplications, boasts of you before His Angels, so show Allaah good from yourselves, for the wretched one is the one who is deprived of Allaah’s Mercy in it.’ And he ﷺ said, ‘Whoever does not give up evil and ignorant speech, and acting in accordance with it, then Allaah has no need of him giving up his food and drink,” reported by Bukhaari in his Saheeh and the hadiths about the excellence of Ramadaan and the encouragement to do extra [good] deeds in it are numerous.
So I advise my brother Muslims to remain steadfast during its days and nights and to compete [with each other] in all good deeds, amongst which is increasing in ones recitation of the Noble Quran with reflection and understanding and increasing how much one says Subhaanallaah … alhamdulillaah … Laa ilaaha illallaah … Allaahu Akbar … and astaghfirullaah and in how much one asks Allaah for Paradise and seeks refuge from the Fire and in all good supplications [in general].
Just as I also advise my brothers to increase in giving in charity, and in consoling the poor and needy, paying attention to producing one’s zakaah and giving it to those who deserve it, along with paying attention to calling to Allaah سبحانه, educating the ignorant, enjoining the good and forbidding evil with gentleness, wisdom and a good manner, whilst being careful of all sins and sticking to repentance and remaining steadfast upon the truth, doing so due to His Saying, ‘And turn to Allaah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed,’ [24:31] and His Saying, ‘Indeed those who say, ‘Our lord is Allaah,’ and then follow the straight path there is no fear, nor shall they grieve. Those are the companions of Paradise, abiding eternally therein as reward for what they used to do.’ [46:13-14]
May Allaah grant everyone success in doing that which pleases Him, and may He grant refuge to all from trials that lead one astray, and from the whispers of the Devil, indeed Allaah is the Magnanimous, Most Generous.
Ibn Baaz on the Blessing of Even Reaching Ramadaan
May 17, 2018 § Leave a comment
Questioner: Are there any particular legislated acts a Muslim should do to welcome the [arrival of the] month of Ramadan?
Ibn Baaz: Ramadaan is the best month of the year because Allaah سبحانه وتعالى singled it out by making it obligatory to fast during it and made it the fourth pillar of Islaam, and He legislated that the Muslims pray during its nights as the Prophet ﷺ said, “Islaam is built on five (pillars): testifying to (the fact) that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, establishing the Prayer, paying the Zakaah, Pilgrimage to the House (Ka’bah) and fasting [the month of] Ramadan.” [Reported by Bukhaari and Muslim] And he ﷺ also said, “Whoever prays during the night in Ramadan out of sincere faith and seeking its reward from Allaah, will have all of his previous sins forgiven.” [Reported by Bukhaari and Muslim]
I don’t know of anything specific to welcome Ramadaan apart from the fact that a Muslim should do so with joy, happiness, delight and thanks [shukr] to Allaah that He has allowed him to reach Ramadaan, and that He has granted him success in allowing him to be from the people who are alive to see it and who are competing to perform good deeds during it—for [even] reaching Ramadaan is a tremendous blessing from Allaah and for this reason the Prophet ﷺ would give his Companions the joyous news of its advent, clarifying its excellence and the huge reward that Allaah has prepared for the people who fast and stand in prayer during it. And it is legislated that the Muslim welcomes this precious month with sincere repentance and by preparing to fast and stand to pray in it with a sincere intention and truthful resolve.
’Uthaimeen on Making Up Missed Fasts of Ramadaan Before Fasting the Six Days of Shawwaal
July 29, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “The Sunnah is that a person fasts the six days of Shawwaal after completing the outstanding fasts of Ramadaan [he may have], not before that. So if he had fasts to make up but [instead] fasted the six days of Shawwaal [first] then he will not receive their reward, because the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Whoever fasts Ramadaan …’ and it is not correct to say about a person who has some fasts from Ramadaan remaining that he has fasted [the whole of] Ramadaan, rather he has [only] fasted some of it.”
Ash-Sharh al-Mumti’, vol. 6, p. 466.
’Uthaimeen: “My Brothers, Finish Ramadaan by Turning to Allaah in Repentance from Having Sinned Against Him.”
July 26, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “My brothers, finish Ramadaan by turning to Allaah the Most High in repentance from having sinned against Him, and by returning to Him in repentance by doing what pleases Him, for no person is void of having mistakes or shortcomings, all of the Children of Aadam make mistakes and the best of those who do so are those who repent. And when He addressed him, Allaah the Mighty and Majestic urged the Prophet ﷺ to seek His forgiveness and to turn to Him in repentance, saying, ‘And turn to Allaah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.’”
Majaalis Shahr Ramadaan, p. 229.
“Let’s Pray Here at Home,” So Ibn Baaz Became Silent [Lowering his Head] and then Struck the Floor with his Walking Stick, and said …
February 15, 2014 § Leave a comment
“An ambassador had invited the Shaikh to open his fast with him during Ramadaan, and so he did along with a group of guests. Then when he wanted to pray [maghrib] the host said, ‘We’ll pray in congregation [here] in the house, O Shaikh.’
So Ibn Baaz became silent [lowering his head], and then struck the floor with his walking stick and stood up saying, ‘‘Whoever hears the call and does not come, his prayer is not valid, except for those who have an excuse,’ [Ibn Maajah, Al-Albaani said, ‘Saheeh’] get up and go to the mosque.’
So they stood up, all of them, and prayed in congregation in the mosque.”
Al-Imaam Ibn Baaz, Duroos wa Mawaaqif wa ’Ibar, p. 42.
Uthaimeen on The Intention to Fast Ramadaan
July 9, 2013 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “The correct [opinion] is that an intention [to fast] Ramadaan is not required except on the first night alone because the rest [of the month] follows on from that, unless he intends to break it due to the presence of something which allows him to do so, and so he does break it and then resumes fasting again during the month, here he must renew his intention.”
At-Ta’leeq ’alaa Haqiqatis-Siyaam, p. 170.
Uthaimeen on Fasting in Sha’baan, the Month Before Ramadaan
June 10, 2013 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “The people of knowledge said, ‘Fasting Sha’baan is like the Rawaatib Sunnahs in relation to the prescribed prayers, they act as an introduction to Ramadaan,’ i.e., they are like a raatibah [Sunnah] for Ramadaan, that’s why fasting in Sha’baan has been established as a Sunnah.
And the six days of fasting in Shawwaal [i.e., the month after Ramadaan] have been established as a raatibah [Sunnah] before the prescribed fast [of the coming year’s Ramadaan] and after [the Ramadaan that has just passed].
And fasting in Sha’baan has another benefit which is to settle the soul and prepare it for fasting so that it is ready for the fast of Ramadaan and so that it is easy for it to perform it.”
Fatawaa Arkaanil-Islaam, p. 491.
Which is Better, Fasting the Six Days of Shawwaal or Fasting Mondays and Thursdays?
August 26, 2012 § 1 Comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, was asked, “Which is better, fasting the six days of Shawwaal or fasting Mondays and Thursdays?” So he replied, “Each of these days has its merit. So fasting the six days of Shawwaal–when a person fasts Ramadaan and then follows it up with these six days he will be like someone who has fasted a lifetime, and this is a merit which is not obtained by fasting Mondays and Thursdays. But if a person fasted the Mondays and Thursdays of the month of Shawwaal and through that intended that it was part of the [fasting of] the six days of Shawwaal too, he will obtain the reward.”
Fataawaa Nurun-alad-Darb, CD.
Uthaimeen Asked About Someone Who Missed Months of Ramadaan and then Started Practicing, Should He Make Up Those Months?
August 24, 2012 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, was asked that if a person never fasted Ramadaan for months after having reached the age of responsibility but then he started practicing, is it then incumbent upon him to make up those missed Ramadaans? So he replied, “The strongest opinion from the statements of the people of knowledge is that it is not incumbent upon him to make up those months which, without an excuse, he had left, based upon the fact that worship is scheduled [to be performed at certain times] and when a person delays it beyond its legislatively appointed time, then it is not accepted from him, and making it up later will not benefit him at all.”
Fiqhul-Ibaadaat, pp. 256-257.
Uthaimeen on The Wisdom Behind Fasting the Six Days of Shawwaal
August 20, 2012 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “The wisdom behind fasting the six days of Shawwaal is the same as the wisdom regarding other optional acts which Allaah has ordained for His Servants in order to make the obligatory actions complete. So fasting the six days of Shawwaal is like the supererogatory Sunnah prayers [ar-Raatibah] which are performed after the obligatory prayers in order to complete any deficiencies in them. And from Allaah, the Most High’s, Wisdom is that He made Sunnah [prayers] for the obligatory ones in order to complete them and raise them [in rank], so fasting the six days of Shawwaal has this great benefit.”
Fataawaa Nurun-Ala-Darb.
Uthaimeen On Zakaatul-Fitr
August 18, 2012 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Zakaatul-Fitr is obligatory and like all other obligatory actions each individual person him/herself is being addressed with this order. So you give the Zakaatul-Fitr on your own behalf even if you have a father or brother [who could give it for you] and likewise the wife gives it on her own behalf even if she has a husband, but if the family’s guardian wants to give it on behalf of his family then there is no harm in that. So if there is a father who wants to spend on his son’s behalf and who wants to give the Zakaatul-Fitr for him, there is no harm in that.”
Fataawaa Fiz-Zakaati Was-Siyaam, p. 221.
Uthaimeen on Specifying the 27th Night to Perform Umrah
August 12, 2012 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him said, “I want to point out a mistake that many people in the present time fall into when they seek out the twenty-seventh night [of Ramadaan] to perform umrah, for you will find that on it the Masjid al-Haraam is crammed with people. Singling out the twenty-seventh night for Umrah is an innovation since Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم did not, in his actions or statements, earmark it for [performing] umrah.”
Tafseer Juzz, p. 278.
Uthaimeen on the Last Ten Nights of Ramadaan
August 7, 2012 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “The last ten nights of Ramadaan are the best part of Ramadaan and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to single them out for i’tikaaf seeking Lailatul-Qadr and he صلى الله عليه وسلم [also] used to single them out by standing to pray all night. So during these ten nights a person should be eager to stand for prayer at night and should extend the recitation, bowing and prostration in it, and if he is [praying] with an Imaam he should stay with him until he departs.”
Fataawaa Nurun alad-Darb.
Ibn Baaz on How to Achieve Forgiveness and Freedom from the Fire During Ramadaan
August 3, 2012 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “It is obligatory for the fasting person to beware of everything that Allaah has forbidden for him and to safeguard everything that Allaah has made obligatory upon him, and by doing so it is hoped that he will be forgiven and freed from the Fire and that his fasting and standing to pray will be accepted.”
Vol. 15, p. 15.
Ibn Baaz on How Ramadaan Ought to Be Received
August 3, 2012 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “It is legislated that the Muslim receive this noble month with true and sincere repentance and by being prepared to fast and pray throughout it with a righteous intention and true conviction.”
Vol. 15, p. 9.
Uthaimeen’s Encouragement to Feed the Fasting
July 24, 2012 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Whoever has the ability should be keen on providing people who are fasting with iftaar, either in the mosques or in any other place, because, “Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward like that of the fasting person.” So when a person feeds his fasting brothers he will have a reward like theirs, thus whoever Allaah the Most High has enriched [from His Bounty] should seize the opportunity to attain this great reward.”
48 Su’aal Fis-Siyaam, p. 20.
Gifts of Knowledge 