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
it's a time to purify our hearts
and our souls from all evil....we
forget to make dua, forget to
beseech Allah 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.
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 food, instead of concentrating on
Salah, 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.
".....and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance,
certainly 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 Quran. 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 others 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)
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 Ramadan is a precious, precious time, so much so
that Allah 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 Allah 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 Allah 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 Allah.
"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 (SAW) said: "Whoever
does not give up false speech and acting upon it, and ignorance,
Allah has no need of him giving up his food and drink." (Bukhari)
8 : Skipping Suhoor
The Prophet (SAW) said: "Eat suhoor for in suhoor there is
blessing."(Bukhari, Muslim). And he (SAW) said: "The thing that
differentiates between our fasting and the fasting of the People
of the Book is eating suhoor." (Muslim)
9 : Stopping Suhoor at Imsak
Some people stop eating Suhoor 10-15 minutes earlier than the
time of Fajr to observe Imsak. 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. Allah 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]
10 : 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? It's not like you
will die. Remember, obedience to Allah overcomes everything.
11 : Saying the intention to fast out loud
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 Shari'ah for us to say out loud, "I intend
to fast", "I will fast tomorrow" or other phrases that have been
innovated by some people.
12 : 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). 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.
13 : 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 (SAW)
said: "Between a man and shirk and kufr there stands his giving
up prayer." (Muslim)
14 : 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 Allah is
much more important
than good grades.
Besides, if you will fulfil
your obligation to fast,
even if you have to
study, Allah 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)
15 : 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
(especially 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.
16 : 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."
17 : 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 Ramadan."
(Bukhari, Muslim)
18 : Wasting the last part of Ramadan preparing for Eid
Some people waste the entire last 10 days of Ramadan
preparing for Eid, shopping and frequenting malls, etc.
neglecting Ibadah and Lailatul Qadr. Although, the Prophet
(SAW) used to strive the hardest during the last ten days of
Ramadan in worship (Ahmad, Muslim) and not in shopping.
Buy whatever you need for Eid before Ramadan so that you
can utilize the time in Ramadan to the max. Aishah (RA) said:
"When the (last) ten nights began, the Messenger of Allah
(SAW) 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." (Bukhari and Muslim)
19 : 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 Allah, from
flirting, mixing of the sexes, to show-off and extravagance, to
heedlessness to Salah and Taraweeh...
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