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Admonishments & Warnings

The Sanctity of Ramadan and Fasting

A comprehensive guide to warnings, admonishments, and spiritual growth during the blessed month of Ramadan.

Introduction: The Divine Significance

Ramadan is a month of unparalleled spiritual opportunity and blessings. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) described it as a time when:

“Allah turns towards you and sends down His special Mercy, forgives your faults, accepts prayers, appreciates your competition for the greatest good and boasts to the angels about you.”
(Reported by Ubaadah bin Saamit)

Allah emphasises the significance of fasting in the Qur’an:

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain Taqwa (God-consciousness).”
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:183)

Fasting serves as a divine means to refine character, strengthen faith, and instil greater awareness of Allah’s presence. The warnings and admonishments associated with Ramadan safeguard its sanctity, urging believers to fully embrace its rewards.

1. Major Transgressions and Their Consequences

Deliberately Breaking the Fast

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned:

“Whoever breaks his fast on one day of Ramadan without a valid excuse or sickness, even if he were to fast for eternity, it would not make up for it.”
(Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

Such a violation not only leads to an irreplaceable spiritual loss but also necessitates sincere repentance (tawbah). Depending on the transgression, expiation (kafarah) may include fasting for 60 consecutive days or feeding 60 poor people.

The Corruption of Worship Through Haraam

Fasting is described as a protective shield:

“Fasting is a protective shield for Man, as long as he does not tear up that protection.”
(Reported by Abu Ubaidah)

However, consuming forbidden (haraam) items or engaging in sinful actions can invalidate its spiritual benefits. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“Many a greatly distressed person lifts up his hands to the heavens, praying and crying, ‘O Allah, O Allah,’ but the food he eats is haraam, his drink is haraam, his clothes are of haraam—how then can his prayer be accepted?”
(Muslim)

2. Spiritual Nullifiers and Their Impact

Empty Worship

The Prophet (peace be upon him) highlighted the futility of fasting without spiritual commitment:

“Many are those who fast but gain nothing through such fasting except hunger, and many who perform night prayers obtain nothing except the discomfort of staying awake.”
(Ibn Majah)

Actions such as lying, backbiting, or consuming haraam can render fasting an empty ritual, devoid of spiritual reward.

The Severity of Backbiting

Backbiting is defined as:

“Mentioning something about your brother behind his back which he would resent.”
(Muslim)

The consequences of backbiting, especially during fasting, include spiritual decline and potential torment in the grave.

3. Practical Guidelines for Preserving the Fast’s Sanctity

  • Guard the Tongue: Avoid false speech, backbiting, and slander. Respond to insults by saying, “I am fasting.”
  • Maintain Physical and Spiritual Purity: Ensure all food and drink are halal, and guard the heart from envy or ill intentions.
  • Engage in Positive Actions: Increase acts of charity, recitation of the Qur’an, and dhikr (remembrance of Allah).
  • Seek Forgiveness: Make sincere tawbah for any transgressions, and resolve not to repeat them.

Conclusion: Striving for True Success in Ramadan

Fasting is a transformative practice that aligns the body and soul with divine guidance. It purifies the heart, instils Taqwa, and strengthens one’s connection with Allah. The warnings and admonishments in the Qur’an and Sunnah protect the sanctity of this sacred month, urging Muslims to uphold its obligations and avoid wilful neglect.

“Woe to him who found the blessed month of Ramadhaan and let it pass by without gaining forgiveness.”
(Al-Haakim)

Let us heed these reminders, enrich our fasts with devotion, and leave Ramadan with cleansed hearts and renewed faith.

Du’a: “O Allah, grant us sincerity in our fasting, steadfastness in our prayers, and acceptance of our deeds. Help us guard our tongues, purify our hearts, and earn Your mercy and forgiveness in this blessed month. Ameen.”

Kaab bin Ujra relates, “Rasulullah (SAW) said, “Come near to the mimbar”. And we came near to the mimbar.

When he ascended the First step of the mimbar he said “Aameen”.
When he ascended the second step of the mimbar he said, “Aameen”.
When he ascended the third step he said, “Aameen”.

 

When he descended we said, “0 Rasul of Allah, we have heard from you today something which we never heard before”. He said, When I ascended the first step) Jibra-eel A.S. appeared before me and said, “Woe to him who found the blessed month of Ramadhaan and let it pass by without gaining forgiveness”, Upon that I said, “Aameen”.

When I ascended the second step, he said “Woe to him before whom thy name is mentioned and then does not read Durood (salaat alan Nabi) on you”. I replied “Aameen”.
When I ascended the third step he said, “Woe unto the person in whose presence both parents or one of them attain old age, and (through failure to serve them) is not allowed to enter Jannah” I said “Aameen”.
Reported by Haakim.
Ubaadah bin Saamit (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said one day when Ramadhaan had drawn near; “The month of Ramadhan, the month of blessings has come to you, wherein Allah turns towards you and sends down to you His special Mercy, forgives your faults, accepts prayers, appreciates your competition for the greatest, good and boasts to the angels about you. So, show to Allah your righteousness; for verily, the most pitiable and unfortunate one is he who is deprived of Allah’s Mercy in this month.
When ‘Haraam’ is consumed, the prayers are not accepted. Rasulullah said: “Many a greatly distressed person lifts up his hands to the heavens. praying and crying: ‘O Allah, O Allah.’ But the food he eats is “Haraam”, what he drinks is “Haraam”, his clothes are of “Haraam”; then in such cases how can his prayer be accepted?’
A story is related about a group of people in Kufa, whose prayers used to be always accepted. Whenever a (bad) ruler was placed over them, they used to pray for a curse upon him, which quickly came to destroy him. When Hajjaaj became ruler there, he invited these people amongst others, to a feast. After they had all eaten, he said: “I am no longer afraid of the curse upon me from these people, because “Haraam” food has now entered their stomachs.”
Abu,Hurayra (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) relates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said: “Many of those who fast obtain nothing through such fasting except hunger, and many a one performs “Salaat” by’ night but obtains nothing by it, except the discomfort of staying awake.”

COMMENTARY

With regard to this Hadith, the “Ulama” have mentioned three different interpretations: First, this Hadith may refer to those who fast during the day and then for “Iftaar” eat food that is “Haraam”; all the reward for fasting is lost because of the greater sin of eating ‘Haraam’ and nothing is gained except remaining hungry. Secondly, it may mean those who fast duly but, during fasting, engage themselves in backbiting and slandering others (see later). Thirdly, the person referred to may be one who, while fasting, did not stay away from evil and sin. In this Hadith all such possibilities are included. Similar is the case of the person performing ‘Salaat’ all night voluntarily; because of backbiting or any other sinful act (e.g. missing, Fajr salaat or keeping Awake for show), his night of devotion goes unrewarded.
Abu Ubaidah (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) reports: “I have heard RasuluLlah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) saying: “Fasting is a protective Shield for Man, as long as he does not tear up that protection’

COMMENTARY

Once somebody inquired from Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam), “What causes the fast to be rent?” He replied: ‘Telling lies and backbiting.
One of the ‘Sahaaba’ inquired from Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) “What is backbiting?” Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) replied: “To mention something about your brother behind his back, which he would resent.” The ‘Sahaabi’ then said: “And is it still backbiting if the thing mentioned about him is really true?” Our Nabi (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said: ‘In that case (if that which was mentioned is really true) it is precisely backbiting; but if what is mentioned is false, then you have in fact slandered him.” Once our Nabi (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) passed by two graves. He said: “On both the inmates of these graves, punishment is being inflicted in the grave. One is being punished because of backbiting, the other because of not having taken precautions (to stay clean) when passing urine. Rasulullah ((Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) also said: “There are more than seventy degrees of evil in (Usury) interest. The lowest form of it is comparable to committing incest with own mother; and taking one ‘Dirham’ of interest is a worse evil than having fornicated thirty five times. The worst and most evil degree of taking interest is the slandering of a Muslim.”
Abu Hurayrah reports that Rasulullah S.W. S.W. said, “Whosoever eats on one day of Ramadhaan without a valid reason or excuse or genuine illness (acceptable in Shari-ah), shall never be able to compensate for that day even by fasting the rest of his life”

Reported by Ahmad,Tirmizhi, Abu Dawood, and Ibn Majah.

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