All you should know about Laylatul Qadr – لیلة القدر

The hallmark of the month of the Ramadan is the Night of the Qadr - Laylatul Qadr "لیلة القدر". It is the most blessed night of all the nights of the Islamic calendar. It is the night that comes on any of the odd nights of the last ten days of the month of Ramadan. The blessings and rewards for those who found this night while being awake and in worship in the odd nights of the last tend days are unimaginable.

In Qur'an, in the opening verses of Surah 44. Ad Dukhan (Smoke), Allah mentions of a blessed night in which Qur'an was revealed:

( 2 )   By the clear Book,  ( 3 )   Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind].

Having said this, then a complete Surah / Chapter of Qur'an was revealed, namely Surah 97. Al Qadr in which Allah explains the night when we revealed the Qur'an is the blessed night which is better than the worship of 1000 months, or the worship of 84 years (83 years and 4 months exactly). 

According to a tradition related in Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of Abu Hurairah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The one who remained standing in worship in the state of belief and for the sake of rewards from Allah during Laylatul Qadr, would have all his previous sins forgiven.

We have already posted on the subject which should be read for additional input:

Believers!! Look for the night in last ten odd nights of Ramadan which is better than 1000 months of worship

We should not while away this night if we are lucky to to have found it. In fact we should concentrate more on our forms of worship on all odd nights for we would never know for sure when it would occur. Thus we should seek the night in worship and spend the whole of the odd nights in complete submission and devotion. We should offer Tahajjud prayers and read Qur'an as much as we can. It is said that the Prophet ﷺ used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than any other time. Thus, this night is to be used for soul searching, evaluating the dark patches of our life, repenting and seeking Divine forgiveness. In fact we should be bowing down with more humility than before in front of our Lord and seek His mercy, for one never knows whether we will be alive to catch up the next Ramadan and this blessed night.

While our odd nights should be spent in worship and recitation of Qur'an, our following days should see us more charitable, humble and loving. 

The Imam of Masjid Al-Haram, Shaykh Abdur Rahman Al, has given an excellent formula for the last ten days of Ramadan.

• Donate one dirham (one rupee) every day, if the day falls between Lailatul Qadr, you will get the reward of donating one rupee every day for 84 years or 1000 months.
• Perform two rak'at nafal prayers daily, if the day falls in the middle of Lailatul Qadr, you will get the reward of performing two rak'at nafal prayers daily for up to 84 years.
• Recite Surah Ikhlas three times daily, if the day falls in the middle of Lailatul Qadr, you will get the reward of reciting one Khatam Qur'an every day for 84 years.

He also said, spread these words among the people, those who will listen to your words and do deeds, you too will get rewards equal to their deeds, inshallah.  Because the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, said, "The one who guides good deeds will receive the same amount of reward as the doer, but there will be no deficiency in the reward of the doer."  (Muslim, 2674)

Today we share an enlightening video by eminent Muslim scholar Nauman Ali Khan in which he elaborates the importance of this night and some hints as to how can one find this night, if so lucky. Please watch the video:

Nouman Ali Khan, born to a Pakistani family, is an American Muslim speaker and Arabic instructor who founded the Bayyinah Institute for Arabic and Qur’anic Studies, after serving as an instructor of Arabic at Nassau Community College. He has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is our duty to convey only to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

| Photo | 

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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I’tikaf: Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ of retiring to Masjid for remembrance of Allah

The last ten days of the month of Ramadan are loaded with immense rewards and blessings of Muslims fasting all through this month. The ultimate comes in these last ten days when many a Muslim retire to the nearby masjid for remembrance of Allah observing I'tikaf " اعتكاف‎ " - an act of special form of worship exclusive to the month of Ramadan.

Read our exclusive post What is Itikaf and how it is Observed in Ramadan to know more about I'tikaf

The presence in the masjid while observing I'tikaf also allows the believers to be in the home of Allah and in the state of worship when Night of Qadr, A night better than the worship of a thousand months, takes place in the odd nights of the last ten days of the Ramadan.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to enter into state of I'tikaf all along his life and his wives also followed the suit and even continued to observe it even after the death of the revered Prophet of Allah. 

In a Hadith mentioned in Sahi Bukahri, `Aisha, revered wife of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has narrated:

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to practice I`tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan till he died and then his wives used to practice I`tikaf after him.

From the  above quoted Hadith, it is known that I'tikaf is not only to be observed by men, but by women as well, for the have the equal right of earning reward and blessings of Allah from this form of worship. While men have to retire to a masjid for I'tikaf, women should observe it at their home in a secluded place which should be used by non-Mehram men of the family.

So let us take advantage of many blessings of the last ten days of the Ramadan and observe I'tikaf as was observed by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ regularly during his life.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Saum - Fasting in Ramadan for more Hadiths on the subject

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | Source of Hadith

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Believers!! Look for the night in last ten odd nights of Ramadan which is better than 1000 months of worship

The month of Ramadan is full of Divine blessings of Allah for those who fast during the entire month only to please Allah. They abstain from all otherwise Halal things and acts during the period of fasting as a testimony of their true faith and belief in the commandments of Allah, for it is Allah who commands His servants to fast for Him alone, and none else, and enforce a strict discipline on self by keeping away from drinking and eating from pre-dawn to dusk.

And when a believer undergoes the rigours of fasting, specially during the peak summer season,  he is promised immense reward by Allah. Although the the first 20 days are also full of blessings and rewards, the last 10 days of the month assume an added reward for those who remain awake throughout the odd nights of the Ramadan in the hope of finding a night which is promised  to be better than 1000 months of worship. This blessed night is called Laylat al-Qadr "لیلة القدر"or the Night of Qadr - the Night of Destiny, Night of Decree, Night of Determination, or the Precious Night. In Qur'an, the 97th Chapter (click here to read the tafsir / exegesis) is exclusively earmarked to unveil the blessings  of this night. It is said:

Indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree.

And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?

The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.

The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.

Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.

This is thus the night in which the Qur'an was revealed unto Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the revered Prophet of Allah has been quoted as saying: "Anyone who finds this night in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan is sure to have been blessed and forgiven of his sins provided he prays as hard as he could to ask forgiveness of his sins."

Please read our earlier post: A night better than thousand months to know more about The Night of Qadr and watch an enlightening video on the subject by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan.

It has been Narrated by Aisha: With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work hard) and used to pray all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers. (Sahih al-Bukhari 2024)

It is for this reason, that many a Muslims around the world undertake the special worship of Aitikaf, in which the spend the last ten days/nights in the masjid so as to be in state of worship at all times and to find this blessed night in a state of total worship. During these 10 days, the Aitikaf observing Muslims do not leave the premises of the masjid and their family members supply them daily food for suhoor (the pre-dawn mandatory food for keeping the fast) and iftar (time of breaking the fast in the evening) there in the masjid. 

Read our previous post: What is Itikaf and how it is Observed in Ramadan to know about this form of worship in last ten days of Ramadan

As for the importance of the night of Qadr, let us read a hadith by Abu Huraira who reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who observed the fasts of Ramadan with faith and seeking reward (from Allah), all his previous sins would be forgiven, and he who observed prayer on Lailat-ul- Qadr with faith and seeking reward (from Allah), all his previous sins would be forgiven. [Sahih Muslim Book 6, Hadith 209]

So we are all geared up to find this blessed night in the  odd nights of the last ten days of the Ramadan. During these odd nights, we must fully devote ourselves to the worship of Allah to seek His forgiveness and be among the blessed ones.

We now share a special supplication which Prophet Muhammad ﷺ recommended to be recited during the last ten days of the sacred month. (This supplication is mentioned Jami` at-Tirmidhi  (Book # 48 Chapters on Supplication كتاب الدعوات عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم / Chapter # 84 Concerning "The Virtue of Asking for Al-Afiyah and Al-Mu’afah")s Hadith number # 3513):

Narrated by Aishah:

“I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is your view if I know when the Night of Al-Qadr is, then what should I say in it?” He said: ‘Say: “O Allah, indeed You are Pardoning, [Generous,] You love pardon, so pardon me (Allāhumma innaka `Afuwwun [Karīmun], tuḥibbul-`afwa fa`fu `annī).’”

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ الضُّبَعِيُّ، عَنْ كَهْمَسِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ عَلِمْتُ أَىُّ لَيْلَةٍ لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ مَا أَقُولُ فِيهَا قَالَ ‏ "‏ قُولِي اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ كَرِيمٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏

It is a small yet very powerful Dua which can be easily remembered and recited. Let us my brothers and sisters of Islam stay awake during the odd nights of the last days of the Ramadan and recite the above quoted supplication as much as we can, for who know our supplication coincides with the blessed hour on the night of Al Qadr and we are rewarded profusely by our Lord.

An Imam of Haram Makkah once gave some very practical advice  Ideas for the last ten days of Ramadan   (1). Give one Riyal in charity every night of last ten days of Ramadan, so if it falls on Laila tul Qadr it's as if you gave charity everyday for 84 years.  (2). Pray two ra'kaat every night, so if it falls on Laila tul Qadr it's as if u prayed everyday for 84 years.  (3). Read Surah Ikhlaas three times a night, so if it falls on Laylat al-Qadr  it's as if u read the whole Quran everyday for 84 years.  He then says spread this as you may find it on your account of good deeds  Allah make us of the victorious. In sha Allah Ameen

So let us, our brothers and sisters in Islam, try to be awake during the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan and worship as much as we can by offering Tahajjad prayers, reciting Qur'an so that we find the night of Qadr while in complete state of worship. Please do not while away this night by watching TV or surfing through mobile phones. Who knows next year we may not get a chance to be alive to find this night and get benefitted from its fathomless blessings!!

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing..

To know more about fasting and importance of month of Ramadan, please consult our reference page: Ramadan - A month of fasting and Blessings.  You may also refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Saum - Fasting in Ramadan for more Hadiths on the subject

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

May Allah show us the right path so that we do not go astray due to what man has interpreted verses of religious scriptures to suit their own religions and faith. Aameen.

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If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Ramadan: Difference of opinion in the timing of breaking the fast (Scholars' viewpoint)

In one of our previous posts, we shared a Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in which the revered Prophet of Allah had advised to "HASTEN" the breaking of the fast at the time of the sunset. However, despite such Hadiths, the interpretation of the time of the breaking fast remains ambiguous and two main branches of Islam, that is Sunni and Shia, widely differ on the issue.

The hadith is mentioned in our post: Ramadan - Hasten to break the fast

Explaining the Hadith to hasten to break the fast, Al-Nawawi said: “This hadith urges us to hasten to break the fast as soon as it is established that the sun has set. What this means is that the ummah will continue to be in a sound state and they will be fine so long as they continue to adhere to this Sunnah.

Based on this interpretation, Sunnis break their fast at sunset, once the sun is no longer visible, but there is still light in the sky. However, for Shias they wait to break after it gets completely dark, which is usually ten minutes later than the sunset time. 

This being the opinion of two main sects, let us listen to the views of Professor Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, a Pakistani Muslim theologian, Quran scholar, Islamic modernist, exegete and educationist, on the subject. The video is in Urdu, but has English subtitles for those who cannot understand Urdu:

Note: The opinion given below is that of mainstream Sunni Muslims. For view point of Shia Muslims, please click on link [2] given below:

May Allah guide us to know Islam and its various injunctions and Hadiths of the Prophet of Allah to avoid any misleading on issues related to some of the important aspects of Islam. 

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is our duty to convey only to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 |

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Ramadan: Hasten to break the fast (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Fasting during the month of Ramadan specially during the hotter part of the year adds another test to the fasting believers as during the summers not only the time duration of the fasting period increases, it also completely dehydrates the believers due to lack of water in the body. Therefore, it is advisable, as stated in Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, that one must hasten to break the fast, though some people delay in breaking the fast.

This Hadith is mentioned Jami` at-Tirmidhi  (8 - The Book on Fasting / كتاب الصوم عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم / Chapter # 13 What Has Been Related About Hastening To Break The Fast / باب مَا جَاءَ فِي تَعْجِيلِ الإِفْطَارِ  ) as Hadith number # 702:

Abu Atiyyah said:

"Masruq and I entered upon Aishah and we said: 'O Mother of the Believers! There are two men from the Companions of Muhammad, one of them hastens to break the fasts and he hastens to perform Salat. The other delays breaking the fast and he delays the Salat.' She said: 'Which of them hastens to break the fast and hastens to perform the Salat?' We said that it was Abdullah bin Mas'ud. She said: 'This is how the Messenger of Allah did it.' And the other was Abu Musa."

Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عَطِيَّةَ، قَالَ دَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَمَسْرُوقٌ، عَلَى عَائِشَةَ فَقُلْنَا يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَجُلاَنِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَحَدُهُمَا يُعَجِّلُ الإِفْطَارَ وَيُعَجِّلُ الصَّلاَةَ وَالآخَرُ يُؤَخِّرُ الإِفْطَارَ وَيُؤَخِّرُ الصَّلاَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ أَيُّهُمَا يُعَجِّلُ الإِفْطَارَ وَيُعَجِّلُ الصَّلاَةَ قُلْنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ هَكَذَا صَنَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ وَالآخَرُ أَبُو مُوسَى ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَأَبُو عَطِيَّةَ اسْمُهُ مَالِكُ بْنُ أَبِي عَامِرٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ وَيُقَالُ مَالِكُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ وَابْنُ عَامِرٍ أَصَحُّ ‏.‏

We should follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and should  not unnecessarily delay our breaking of the fast and then offer the salat / prayer of Maghrib (the sunset time prayer).

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Saum - Fasting in Ramadan for more Hadiths on the subject

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | Source of Hadith

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Fasting in Ramadan: A chance to reformat our sinful memory (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Man has always been susceptible to the enticement of the Satan to commit sin, harm others and become arrogant of one's achievements rather than attributing them to Allah. The pleasure of committing is so intense that even the most pious sometimes fall into the Satanic trap, only to be left with shame, sorrow and regret.

Cognizant of man's weakness to give into the Satanic machination, Allah provides fasting specially in the month of Ramadan, or even otherwise throughout the year for the man to come clean out of his sinful past or acts and reformat his dark memory. Fasting, thus of done with complete and sincere faith faith in Allah can help us out from continuing to live with our bad or dark memory.

The hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ being shared today carries this glad tidings for the believers for a chance to reformat their bad memory. This Hadith is mentioned in Sahi al-Bukhārī  (Book 30 - Fasting /  كتاب الصوم / Chapter 6:  Whoever observed fast in Ramadan out of sincere Faith with honest intention / باب مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا وَنِيَّةً نَاسِيًا) as Hadith 1901, given herein under:

Narrated by Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever established prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven; and whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven."

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ، وَمَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Let us, in the light of the above quoted Hadith, make our fasting a way out of our darker past and reformat our part of the memory, that contains terabytes of porn stuff, sins, mistakes and actions that harmed others for the sake of taking self benefits, and start over yet again afresh never to commit sins again. In sha Allah!

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Saum - Fasting in Ramadan for more Hadiths on the subject

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | Source of Hadith

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Ramadan: Eating forgetfully does not Invalidate the Fast (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Ramadan is a month of enforcing self discipline on self and refrain from eating and drinking and many other  aspects as have already mentioned in number of our earlier posts. Today we take a very important aspect of fasting which often misinterpreted by many. This is regarding eating and drinking forgetfully and when one realizes that he has violated the basics of fasting, he is confused and does not know what to do.

We share a hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which clarifies the issue and makes things very clear. This Hadith is mentioned in Sahi al-Bukhārī  (Book 30 - Fasting /  كتاب الصوم / Chapter 26:  If a person observing Saum ate or drank forgetfully / باب الصَّائِمِ إِذَا أَكَلَ أَوْ شَرِبَ نَاسِيًا) as Hadith 1993, given herein under:

Narrated by Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If somebody eats or drinks forgetfully then he should complete his fast, for what he has eaten or drunk, has been given to him by Allah."

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ سِيرِينَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا نَسِيَ فَأَكَلَ وَشَرِبَ فَلْيُتِمَّ صَوْمَهُ، فَإِنَّمَا أَطْعَمَهُ اللَّهُ وَسَقَاهُ ‏"‏‏.‏

Explanation:

• Unintentional Actions: The hadith clarifies that if a person eats or drinks by mistake or forgets that they are fasting, their fast is still valid, and they are not required to make up for that part of the fast later. This shows the mercy and understanding of Allah toward His servants.
• Allah’s Will: The phrase "for what he has eaten or drunk, has been given to him by Allah" highlights that the food or drink that was consumed during forgetfulness is not considered a violation of the fast, because it happened due to Allah’s will. In essence, it is as if Allah allowed this action to happen for the individual’s benefit, and thus, there is no sin attached to it.
• Completing the Fast: Despite the accidental consumption, the person should continue fasting for the rest of the day, as the fast is still valid. This encourages a person to stay committed to their fast even if something unintended happens.
• Mercy of Allah: The hadith demonstrates Allah’s mercy and kindness. If someone makes an honest mistake, He does not penalize them, and instead, they are to complete their fast with no further obligations. This is a reassurance for people that Allah understands human nature and doesn’t hold us accountable for actions that are beyond our control, such as forgetfulness.

In conclusion, this hadith teaches that forgetfulness does not break the fast, and the person should continue to observe the fast, knowing that Allah is merciful and understanding. It emphasizes the importance of intention in Islamic acts of worship, and that accidental actions without intent to break the fast are forgiven by Allah. This also applies to all acts that are otherwise restricted or not allowed while fasting. He should then seek forgiveness while repenting is forgetful act. Allah in all His mercy will forgive him. In sha Allah

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Saum - Fasting in Ramadan for more Hadiths on the subject

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | Source of Supplication

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Ramadan: Fasting is a shield (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

The month of Ramadan assumes special significance for the Muslims for fasting during the month is one of the most pleasing acts of a believer in the eyes of Allah. It is a month full of blessings of Allah for His servants. Any good act during this month has far more rewarding than the months other than the Ramadan.

It is the month in which the fast acts as a deterrent for the evil to come close to the fasting men and women. For this very reason Prophet Muhammad ﷺ called fasting as a shield for the fasting men. 

I first heard this Hadith in my childhood and since then it is ingrained in my memory. 

This Hadith is mentioned in Sahi al-Bukhārī  (Book 30 - Fasting /  كتاب االصوم / Chapter 2:  The superiority of As-Saum (the fasting) / باب فَضْلِ الصَّوْمِ) as Hadith 1894, given herein under:

Narrated by Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Fasting is a shield (or a screen or a shelter). So, the person observing fasting should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell him twice, 'I am fasting." The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. (Allah says about the fasting person), 'He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake. The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times."

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ الصِّيَامُ جُنَّةٌ، فَلاَ يَرْفُثْ وَلاَ يَجْهَلْ، وَإِنِ امْرُؤٌ قَاتَلَهُ أَوْ شَاتَمَهُ فَلْيَقُلْ إِنِّي صَائِمٌ‏.‏ مَرَّتَيْنِ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَخُلُوفُ فَمِ الصَّائِمِ أَطْيَبُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى مِنْ رِيحِ الْمِسْكِ، يَتْرُكُ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ وَشَهْوَتَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِي، الصِّيَامُ لِي، وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ، وَالْحَسَنَةُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا ‏"‏‏.‏

As we know a shield is protective gear for the soldiers which is used to shield / protect oneself from the incoming arrows or lances or even bullets. This is the artful use of the shield by which a soldier can protect himself from any harm to him. Likewise, fast or saum has been referred to as shield or screen by the revered Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which means that a fasting man must use his fast as a shield against all attempts of the evil which may invalidate his saum. Thus, the fasting must guard his fast by adopting a good attitude and avoiding a bad one, so that fasting will produce the expected results and thus he will earn the forgiveness that is promised in return. 

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Saum - Fasting in Ramadan for more Hadiths on the subject

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | Source of Supplication

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Responding to Objections about Islam: Why Muslims starve themselves during month of Ramadan?

There is general ignorance and resultant misconception about Islam, its basic pillars, form of worship, rituals and festivals among the non Muslims around the world. Thus most of the objections raised against Islam are generally because of ignorance and insuffient knowledge. We have been trying to address these objections, misinformation and disinformation, beside naked criticism about Islam in our series of posts, which have been combined in our reference page: The Rebuttal: Countering disinformation being spread about Islam.

Today we share an objection which basically stems from the ignorance of one's own faith for many even do not know what their faith directs and expects of them. And one of the objection is about fasting by Muslims in the month of Ramadan. In one of many posts on Ramadan, one non Muslim objected: Why Muslims starve themselves by during month of Ramadan?

We start answering this question from a verse from Qur'an in which its is said that fasting is made obligatory to all Muslims as was made for the previous people:

O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may develop God-consciousness. — Quran 2:183

The first thing that we make it clear that fasting is not exclusive to Muslims only. In fact fasting has been observed by the Jews and Christians as ordained by the Holy Scriptures they follow. It is another thing that by and by Jews and Christians (mostly) have distanced them from the teachings of their Holy Books and drifted away from the obligation made upon them of fasting. Muslims have firm faith that when they fast, they fast exclusively to please Allah, and in return Allah has promised special rewards for them for they have abstained all pleasures otherwise Halal for them for sake of Allah.

Let us see how fasting is observed by the Jews and Christians, traditionally and not practically as very few adhere to fasting being a Divine obligation:

Fasting in Judaism: There are six days in a year when observant Jews fast. Two “Major Fasts” call for a fast from sundown on the day before to sundown on the day itself, and four “Minor Fasts” call for a fast from sunrise to sundown. Jews have many fast days, most famously Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Unlike the days of Ramadan, that is a full-day fast, from sunset one evening before to nightfall the following evening. Fasting in Judaism requires a strong commitment. While some contemporary fasts may involve choosing specific items to abstain from, traditional Jewish fasting entails refraining from everything. It goes beyond abstaining from food and includes restrictions on water consumption, extending to activities like brushing teeth and bathing.

Fasting by Christians: Fasting is a practice in several Christian denominations and is done both collectively during certain seasons of the liturgical calendar, or individually as a believer feels led by the Holy Spirit. Many Christians also fast before receiving Holy Communion. This is known as the Eucharistic Fast. The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, written in the first century A.D., directed Christians to fast on both Wednesdays, in remembrance of the betrayal of Christ by Judas on Spy Wednesday, and Fridays, in mourning of the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday.[17] Historically, the Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican and Methodist denominations of Christianity have emphasized the importance of the Friday fast, which has traditionally involved fasting and abstinence from meat, lacticinia and alcohol. In Western Christianity, fasting is observed during the forty-day season of Lent by many communicants of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches, Anglican Communion, Moravian Church, Methodist Churches, Western Orthodox Churches, United Protestant Churches and certain Reformed Churches, to commemorate the fast observed by Christ during his temptation in the desert.

Therefore, it should not come as a surprise for people of other faiths why Muslims "starve" themselves during the month of Ramadan. In fact fasting has many health benefits, And for this very reason, the concept of intermittent fasting is getting popular around the world.  Besides it is regarded principally as a method of self purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even for a short time, a fasting person gains true sympathy with those who go hungry as well as growth in one's spiritual life.

• The first object of fasting in Islam is that it has been Divinely ordained for us to fast, for the sole pleasure of our Creator. We leave what is otherwise Halal for us during the period of fasting, that commences from pre-dawn to sunset. 
• Secondly, fasting is prescribed only for the able bodied, adult and healthy men and women. Even there are concessions given for the travelers to abstain from fasting and make up for the missed fasts during travel when back from journey.
• (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will,- it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew. - Surah 2 Al Baqarah (The Cow):184
• Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful. - Surah 2 Al Baqarah (The Cow):185
• In one of his Hadiths, Allah's Messenger Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, "Allah said, 'All the deeds of Adam's sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.' Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.' By Him in Whose Hands my soul is' The unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting." - Sahi al-Bukhārī Hadith 1904
• The fasting also creates a feeling of affection and love for people who are less blessed, for both the rich and poor feel the same amount of thirst and hunger when they are fasting.
• Since Islamic calendar is based on lunar movement rather than sun, the month of Ramadan keeps advancing by ten days every year. This means one will be fasting in severe winters to severe summers and men fasting would know how the poor brave their fasts during the extreme weather, specially the summers.

No matter how one fasts, it has numerous health, spiritual and social benefits. 

Spiritually, it cleans one inner self and removes the bugs left behind evil and ill thoughts. The spiritual discipline that can help you draw closer to God, humble yourself before Him, resist temptation, seek His guidance, and show solidarity with others. By fasting and praying, you can grow in our relationship with God and become more obedient to His will.

Fasting has pleasant effects of one's health and body.  It can can slow down aging, prevent the development of diabetes, thyroid disorders, hypertension and heart disease and increase the chances of a long and healthy life. It also promotes weight loss. A healthy body weight automatically translates to healthier joints and a great body image. The concept of intermittent fasting which has lately become very popular and is widely adopted is based on the fasting which is applicable to people of the varying faiths.

Fasting also has its social dimension. Since the basic purpose of fasting is to discipline oneself, A fasting man is not allowed to use foul language and be harsh to others for it is against the spirit of fasting. It aids in preventing quarrels, backbiting and lies and fighting. This sudden change can have healthy effects on the society for everyone would be making an endeavour to be good to others to take full benefits of fasting as promised by Allah.

You may like to listen to eminent Muslim scholar of present times, Nouman Ali Khan, giving a short introductory talk on why should we fast:

Thus, Fasting is not merely starving oneself, but is primarily an exercise of devotion to willingly renounce oneself, for a definite period of time, from all bodily appetites in order to form spiritual discipline and self-control.  And Muslims with for this month of 30 days fasting to observe fasting to please Allah and be rewarded.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may read more posts on countering / responding to lies / misinformation and disinformation about Islam: The Rebuttal: Countering disinformation being spread about Islam (Reference Page)

You may also refer to our reference pages for knowing more about Ramadan and fasting:

• Ramadan - the month of fasting and blessings
• Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about fasting - Saum in Ramadan
• General Reference Pages

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | Resource References: | Wikipedia |

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