Complete Guide to Ramadhan & Fasting

We have developed this 48 page book which covers all aspects of Ramadhan including Moon sighting, Sehri, Duas, Fasting rules, Itikaaf, Taraweeh, Lailatul qadr, Eid etc.

Your Complete Guide to Ramadhan
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 Core Hadith on Ramadhan:

Salmaan (RA) reports, “On the last day of Sha-baan Rasulullah
(SAW) addressed us and said, ‘0 people there comes over you now
a great month, a most blessed month in which lies a night more greater
in virtue than a thousand months. It is a month in which Allah has
made Fasting compulsory by day. And has made sunnah the Taraaweeh
by night. Whosoever intends drawing near to Allah by performing
any virtuous deed, for such person shall be the reward like the
one who had performed a fardh in any other time. And whoever performs
a fardh, shall be blessed with the reward of seventy faraa-idh in
any other time.

This is indeed the month of patience, and the reward for true patience
is Jannah ( paradise. It is the month of sympathy with one’s fellowmen.
It is the month wherein a true believer’s rizq is increased. Whosoever
feeds another who fasted, in order to break the fast at sunset,
for the feeder there shall be forgiveness of sins and emancipation
from the fire of Jahannam (hell}, and for such feeder shall be the
same reward as the one who Fasted (who he fed) without that persons
reward being decreased in the least.”

Thereupon we said, “0 messenger of Allah, not all of us possess
the means whereby we can give a fasting person to break his fast.”
Rasulullah (SAW) replied, “Allah grants the same reward to
the one who gives a fasting person to break the fast a mere date,
or a drink of water, or a sip of milk.”

“This is a month, the first of which brings Allah’s mercy,
the middle of which brings His forgiveness and the last of which
brings emancipation from the fire of Jahan-nam.”

“Whosoever lessens the burden of his servants (bonds-men)
in this month, Allah will forgive him and free him from the fire
of Jahannam.”

“And in this month four things you should continue to perform
in great number, two of which shall be to please your Lord, while
the other two shall be those without which you cannot do. Those
which shall be to please your Lord, are that you should in great
quantity bear witness that there is no deity to worship except Allah
(i.e. recite the Kalimah Tayyibah Laa llaaha illallaah) and make
much Istighfaar beg Allah’s forgiveness with Astagirfirul-laah).”
And as for those without which you cannot do, you should beg of
Allah, entrance into paradise and ask refuge in Him from Jahannam.”

“And whoever gave a person who fasted water to drink, Allah
shall grant that giver to drink from My fountain, such a drink where
after that person shall never again feel thirsty until he enters
Jannah.”

Reported by ibn Khuzaimah in his ‘Saheeh.

Brief Overview:

Increase your good works, especially in Ramadan, for the reward of a
supererogatory act performed during it equals that of an obligatory act
performed at any other time. Ramadan is also a time when good works are
rendered easy and one has much more energy for them than during any
other month. This is because the soul, lazy when it: comes to good
works, is then imprisoned by hunger and thirst, the devils who hinder it
are shackled, the gates of the Fire are shut, the gates of the Garden
are open, and the herald calls every night at God’s command: ‘O you who
wish for goodness, hasten! And O you who wish for evil, halt!’

You should work only for the hereafter in this noble month, and embark
on something worldly only when absolutely necessary. Arrange your life
before Ramadan in a manner which will render you free for worship when
it arrives. Be intent on devotions and approach God more surely,
especially during the last ten days. If you are able not to leave the
mosque, except when strictly necessary, during those last ten days then
do so. Be careful to perform the Tarawih prayers during every Ramadan
night. In some places it is nowadays the custom to make them so short
that sometimes some of the obligatory elements of the prayer are
omitted, let alone the sunnas. It is well known that our predecessors
read the whole Qur’an during this prayer, reciting a part each night so
as to complete it on one of the last nights of the month. If you are
able to follow suit then this is a great gain; if you are not, then the
least that you can do is to observe the obligatory elements of the
prayer and its proprieties.

Watch carefully for the Night of Destiny [Laylat’ul-Qadr], which is
better than a thousand months. It is the blessed night in which all
affairs are wisely decided. The one to whom it is unveiled sees the
blazing lights, the open doors of heaven, and the angels ascending and
descending, and may witness the whole of creation prostrating before
God, its Creator.

Most scholars are of the opinion that it is in the last ten nights of
Ramadan, and is more likely to fall in the odd numbered ones. A certain
gnostic witnessed it on the night of the seventeenth, and this was also
the opinion of al-Hasan al-Basri. Some scholars have said that it is the
first night of Ramadan, and a number of great scholars have said that
it is not fixed but shifts its position each Ramadan. They have said
that the secret wisdom underlying this is that the believer should
devote himself completely to God during every night of this month in the
hope of coinciding with that night which has been kept obscure from
him. And God knows best.

Hasten to break your fast as soon as you are certain that the sun has
set. Delay suhur long as you do not fear the break of dawn. Feed those
who fast at the time when they break it, even if with some dates or a
draught of water, for the one who feeds another at the time of breaking
the fast receives as much reward as he without this diminishing the
other’s reward in any way. Strive never to break your fast nor to feed
anyone else at such a time except with lawful food. Do not eat much,
take whatever lawful food is present ‘ and do not prefer that which is
tasty, for the purpose of fasting is to subdue one’s lustful appetite,
and eating a large quantity of delicious food will on the contrary
arouse and strengthen it.

Fast on the days on which the Law encourages you to fast, such as the
day of Arafat for those who are not participating n the pilgrimage, the
ninth and tenth [‘Ashura] of Muharram, and the six days of Shawwal,
starting with the second day of the Feast, for this is the more
effective discipline for the soul. Fast three days in each month, for
these equal a perpetual fast. It is better if these are the White Days,
for the Prophet, may blessings and peace be upon him, never omitted to
fast them whether he was at home or traveling. Fast often, especially in
times of special merit such as the Inviolable Months, and noble days
such as Mondays and Thursdays. Know that fasting is the pillar of
discipline and the basis of striving. It has been said that fasting
constitutes half of fortitude. The Messenger of God, may blessings and
peace be upon him, said: ‘God the Exalted has said: “All good deeds of
the son of Adam are multiplied ten to seven hundredfold, except fasting,
for it is Mine, and I shall reward a man for it, for he has left his
appetite, his food and drink for My sake!”‘ ‘The one who fasts has two
joys, one when breaking his fast, the other when meeting his Lord.’ And;
‘The odour of the fasting man’s mouth is more fragrant to God than that
of musk.’