The Obligation of Fasting Ramadhan

Fasting the month of Ramadhan is obligatory according to the Book (Al-Quran), the Sunnah and the Ijma (consensus) of the Ummah (Muslim community). Verily Allah the Almighty said:

(The month of Ramadhan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the Criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadhan), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month).) (2:185)

And His Messenger (S.A.W.S.) said:

(Islam was built upon five (pillars): The testimony that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, the establishment of the prayer, paying Zakah, pilgrimage (Hajj) to the House (the Kabah( and fasting Ramadhan.) (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

And his statement:

(The handholds of Islam and the fundamentals of the religion are three. Islam was established upon them. Whoever abandons one of them, then he is a disbeliever (Kafir) because of it and his blood is lawful: The testimony that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, the obligatory prayer and fasting Ramadhan.) (Abu Yala in his Musnad, and its chain of narration is Hasan.)

The Virtue of Ramadhan

Ramadhan has great virtues and numerous merits that none of the other months have. The following Hadiths verify and affirm this:

The Prophet's statement:

(The five prayers, and Friday prayer to Friday prayer, Ramadhan (fasting) to Ramadhan (fasting) are expiators for whatever was between them (of sins), as long as the major sins are avoided.) (Muslim)

And his statement:

(Whoever fasts Ramadhan with faith and seeking reward, he will be forgiven for his previous sins.) (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

And he (S.A..W.S) said:

(And I saw a man from my Ummah (followers) panting with thirst. Every time he came to a pond (to drink) he was prevented from it. Then the fasting of Ramadhan came to him and gave him drink, and it quenched his thirst.) (At-Tabarani in a Hadith about the Prophet's long dream during his sleep.)

And his statement:

(When it is the first night of Ramadhan, the devils and the rebellious Jinns are chained up, the doors of the (Hell) Fire are closed and none of them is opened, and the doors of Paradise are opened and none of them is closed. A caller calls out, 'O seeker of good, advance (in your effort), and O seeker of evil, restrain yourself!' And Allah will free people from the (Hell) Fire, and that is every night) of Ramadhan.)

The virtue of righteousness and goodness during Ramadhan

Due to the virtue of Ramadhan, all good deeds, acts of righteousness and goodness that are practiced during it are also favoured. From that:

1. As-Sadaqah (charity): As the Prophet (S.A.W.S) said:

(Whoever feeds the person who is breaking his fast, he will have his reward (for his fasting) without decreasing anything from the reward of the fasting person.) (Ahmad and At-Tirmithi, and it is Sahih.)

And he (S.A.W.S.) said:

(Whoever feeds a person who is breaking his fast with food and drink from that which is lawful, the angles pray for blessings upon him during the hours of the month of Ramadhan and Jibril prays for blessings upon him during the Night of Decree (Laylat-ul-Qadr).) (At-Tabarani and Abu Ash-Shaykh)

The Prophet (S.A.W.S) was the most generous person in doing good deed, and he was more generous than ever during Ramadhan when he would meet with Jibril. (Al-Bukhari)

2. Qiyam-ul-Layl (standing at night for prayer): As the Prophet (S.A.W.S.) said:

(Whoever stands (For prayer at night) during Ramadhan, with faith and seeking reward, he will be forgiven for his previous sins.) (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The Prophet (S.A.W.S) used to be more active (in prayer) during the nights of Ramadhan and during the last ten nights, he would wake everyone in his family, young and old, whoever was able to perform prayer. (Muslim)

3. Recitation of the Noble Quran: As the Prophet (S.A.W.S) used to recite the Noble Quran often during Ramadhan and Jibril, upon him be peace, used ro review the Quran with him during Ramadhan. (Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet (S.A.W.S) used to prolong his recitation for Qiyam (standing in prayer at night) of Ramadhan more than he did at other times. Hudhayfah prayed with him one night and he recited Surah Al-Baqarah, then Aal Imran and then An-Nisa. He did not pass a verse that caused fear except that he stopped at it and asked (supplicated to Allah). He did not complete two Rakahs ( units of prayer) until Bilal came and called him to prayer (Salat-ul-Fajr). This narration has been related in the Sahih (of Al-Bukhari). The Prophet (S.A.W.S.) said:

(Fasting and standing in prayer (at night) will intercede for the servant (of Allah) on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, 'My Lord, I prevented him from food and drink during the day,' and the Quran will say, 'I prevented him from sleeping during the night, so allow us to intercede for him.') (Ahmad and An-Nisa)

4. Al-Itikaf: This means staying in the Masjid for worship, seeking to draw nearer to Allah the Almighty. The Prophet (S.A.W.S.) performed Al-Itikaf and he always made Al-Itikaf during the last ten nights of Ramadhan until Allah the Almighty took him away. This has been related in the Sahih (of Al-Bukhari.) He (S.A.W.S.) said:

(The Masjid is the house of every pious person and Allah takes care of whoever has the Masjid as his home, with compassion, mercy and safe passage over the Bridge to the Pleasure of Allah and Paradise.) (At-Tabarani and Al-Bazzar)

5. Umrah: This means visiting the Sacred House of Allah (the Kabah) for the performance of Tawaf and Sa'y during Ramadhan, as the Prophet (S.A.W.S.) said,

(An Umrah performed during Ramadhan is equivalent to a Hajj performed with me.) (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

And he (S.A.W.S.) said,

(Al-Umrah to Al-Umrah is an expiation for whatever (sins were committed) between them.) (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)



Taken from (post 1 and 2): Minhaj Al-Muslim (Vol. 2) - Abu Bakr Jabir Al-Jaza'iry.

__________________
Regards,
P.R.