Common Mistakes During Fasting

MUHAMM7D

Muslim
Some seemingly innocent errors made by a fasting person can actually affect his fasting.

We will take a look at some of these mistakes in the hope of improving our fasting and to make it more prefect for the sake of Allaah.

Not sniffing water during ablution

Neglecting the order to sniff during ablution to the extent of violation by just washing the tip of their nose. A person is required not to exaggerate during sniffing, if he is fasting, but not to violate by leaving it altogether either. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, sai: "Exaggerate while sniffing unless you are fasting." Imaam As-San'aani, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "The narration is evidence to exaggerate the sniffing when not fasting. Exaggeration is forbidden when fasting in case something comes down the throat and ruins the fasting."

Not abstaining from food


Some people keep eating or drinking even after the mu'athen starts the call for Fajr prayer. If you advise them, they say it is allowed until the person calling the Athaan says: Come to success, "haya ala fallah." Afterwards they start their fasting. Something like this should have a firm daleel. Research and investigation revealed no such evidence. It is something some people prefer. This is rejected according to the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, who said: "Anything added to our religion, which is not in it, is rejected." Another narration says: "Whoever does a deed, not in our religion, is rejected." In addition, the Quran and Sunnah stated that abstinence is when we can detect the white line from the black line at dawn. When they are detected, everyone has to stop eating and drinking. Allaah Says (what means): "Eat and drink until you can distinguish between the black line and white line at dawn." [Quran; 2:187] The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "Bilal calls for salah at night. Eat and drink until Ibn Um Maktoom calls." Ibn Um Maktoom, may Allaah be pleased with him, was a blind man who did not call for prayer until he was told it is time. From the previous verse and narration, it is clear that abstinence should be at dawn and that the Athaan is a sign of it. Therefore when the Athaan starts, it is time for abstinence and not when he says "haya ala assalah."



Having Suhoor early

Having Suhoor (the pre-dawn meal) early is another violation. By doing that we are rejecting a lot of rewards. The Sunnah states that a Muslim should delay the Suhoor in order for him to be following the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: "We had Suhoor with the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, and then prayed."



Delaying the call for Maghrib prayer


From the violations that some people do in Ramadhaan is that they only call for prayer when it becomes completely dark. They are not satisfied with the complete setting of the sun and claim that it is better to be cautious. This is against the Sunnah. The Sunnah is to call for prayer when the sun sets completely without regard to anything else. Allaah Says (what means): "Then complete the fast till the night [i.e. sunset]." [Quran; 2:187]

Allaah made the end of fasting when the night begins, that is when the sun completely sets. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "If night comes from this side, day goes form that side and the sun has gone, then break your fast." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] Imaam Ahmad Ibn Nasr Al-Marozy, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said after mentioning the above verse: "The scholars have agreed that if the sun has set, that means night has begun and it is time to break the fast."



Delaying breaking the fast

Some people fall into the trap of delaying the breaking of their fast. Two points are relevant here: first delaying breaking the fast can delay Maghrib prayer or cause you to miss it altogether - which is worse. Therefore, a Muslim must eat on time in order to be able to catch the congregational Salah with other Muslims. Second, delaying Iftaar is a contradiction to the Sunnah and an agreement with the Christians and the Jews based on the following: Sahl Ibn Sa'd, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "People will continue to be upon virtue as long as they hasten the Iftaar." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]. He, may Allaah be pleased with him, also narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "My nation is still following my Sunnah as long as they don’t wait for the stars to break their fast." [Ibn Hibban] Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that he Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "Our religion will stay visible as long as people hasten breaking their fast because the Jews and Christians delay."



Not using the Siwaak

Another violation related to fasting is that some people do not use the Siwaak (traditional cleaning stick for teeth) in the afternoon and disapprove of those who do. Their reasoning in this is that the Siwaak eliminates the breath's smell, which Allaah prefers over the smell of musk, as stated in the following narration: The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "I swear by He who has my soul in His hands that a fasting person's breath is preferred by Allaah over the smell of musk." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]. Ash-Shawkani, may Allaah have mercy upon him, referred to this when speaking about the dispute about whether the smell of a fasting person's breath was meant to be in this life on earth or in the hereafter. He, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "Due to this dispute, it was said that siwaak is disliked when fasting." He, may Allaah have mercy upon him, then said: "In truth the siwaak is desirable for a fasting person to use in the morning and in the late afternoon and that is the opinion of the majority of scholars." What also proves the permissibility of the Siwaak is the fact that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, generalized when he said: "If it wasn’t going to be tough on my nation, I would have ordered them to use the Siwaak at every prayer." Imaam Al-Bukhaari, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, did not specify a fasting or non-fasting person."



The guilt associated with waking up in janabah

Another violation is the great guilt that fasting people feel if they wake up in janabah (defilement due to sleeping with one's spouse). To those we say there should be no guilt, complete your fast. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, used to be in janabah when dawn came and he would take a bath and fast.



Shaykh Abdul-'Azeez Ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy upon him, was asked if a fasting person has a wet dream on a Ramadhaan morning, does it ruin the fast and does that person have to take a bath? He replied that wet dreams do not ruin the fast because it is not a voluntary act and that a bath is necessary if semen is secreted. It's okay to delay the washing until Thuhr prayer if the wet dream occurred after fajr salah. The same goes for janabah, you can take a bath after dawn if it occurred at night because it was proven that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, used to wake up in janabah then wash and fast. It is better to wash from janabah before Fajr prayer in order to be able to make prayer in congregation.



Feeling guilty in tasting food

Some women are reluctant to taste their food in case they ruin their fasting. There is no need for this reluctance as long as no food is swallowed. Ibn 'Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: "It is okay to taste the food." [Al-Bukhaari]. Shaykh 'Abdullaah Ibn Jibreen, may Allaah have mercy upon him, was asked: "Can a cook, while fasting, taste the food being cooked to make sure it is good?" He, may Allaah have mercy upon him, replied: "It's okay to taste the food when necessary by placing it at the tip of the tongue to know its sweetness, saltiness or the like. Nothing should be swallowed but it should be spit out. That will not ruin the fast."

Source: Al-Jumaa'h
 

alkathiri

As-Shafaa'i(Brother)
JazakAllah khair ,very useful.
We should have more articles about ramadhan , inshAllah , since it is coming soon
 

um muhammad al-mahdi

لا اله الا الله محمد رسول الله
Staff member
Delaying breaking the fast

Some people fall into the trap of delaying the breaking of their fast. Two points are relevant here: first delaying breaking the fast can delay Maghrib prayer or cause you to miss it altogether - which is worse. Therefore, a Muslim must eat on time in order to be able to catch the congregational Salah with other Muslims. Second, delaying Iftaar is a contradiction to the Sunnah and an agreement with the Christians and the Jews based on the following: Sahl Ibn Sa'd, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "People will continue to be upon virtue as long as they hasten the Iftaar." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]. He, may Allaah be pleased with him, also narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "My nation is still following my Sunnah as long as they don’t wait for the stars to break their fast." [Ibn Hibban] Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that he Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "Our religion will stay visible as long as people hasten breaking their fast because the Jews and Christians delay."

:salam2:
that's right! I've noticed that some people don't break the fast while they are going back home from work. So I think: since you don't know if you will be home on time for Iftaar why don't you take few dates & a small bottle of water with you?? that would help :inshallah:
 

ummrayhan

Junior Member
ramadan

Allaah the Most High says in His Noble Book:

The month of Ramadhaan in which was revealed the Qur'aan, 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 Ramadhaan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu-Akbar; Allaah is the Most Great) on seeing the crescent of the months of Ramadhaan and Shawwaal] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him. Sooratul Baqarah (2): 185

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Ramadhaan has come to you - a blessed month. Allaah has made obligatory upon you its fasting. In it, the gates of heaven are open, the gates of the Hellfire are closed and the evil devils are chained. To Allaah belongs a night in it, which is better than a thousand months. Whosoever is prevented from its good, then he has been deprived." This hadeeth is reported by Ahmad and An-Nasaa'ee. See Ahmad Shaakir's checking of the Musnad (no. 7148) and Saheeh At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb of Al-Albaanee (1490) as well as Tamaam-ul-Mannah (395)
 

Muhammad_A

Penguin fancier

Not abstaining from food


Some people keep eating or drinking even after the mu'athen starts the call for Fajr prayer. If you advise them, they say it is allowed until the person calling the Athaan says: Come to success, "haya ala fallah." Afterwards they start their fasting.

Well, if you ask me (and I know you didn't, but that doesn't really bother me), eating during prayers is just downright rude and disrespectful. So this should apply regardless of when the prayer is.


Having Suhoor early
Having Suhoor (the pre-dawn meal) early is another violation. By doing that we are rejecting a lot of rewards. The Sunnah states that a Muslim should delay the Suhoor in order for him to be following the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: "We had Suhoor with the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, and then prayed."

Lessee. According to my handy Masjid timetable subha sadik tomorrow is at 4:39 and Fajr begins at 4:54. That gives me approximately 15 minutes to eat suhoor and get to the masjid. Except we have to take around five minutes off for a nice leisurely couple of sunnah rakats and another 3 or so minutes to actually get to the masjid. This leaves roughly seven minutes to eat. I don't know about YOUR culture, but in mine we're taught not to bolt down our food.
 

abubaseer

tanzil.info
Staff member
Well, if you ask me (and I know you didn't, but that doesn't really bother me), eating during prayers is just downright rude and disrespectful. So this should apply regardless of when the prayer is.




Lessee. According to my handy Masjid timetable subha sadik tomorrow is at 4:39 and Fajr begins at 4:54. That gives me approximately 15 minutes to eat suhoor and get to the masjid. Except we have to take around five minutes off for a nice leisurely couple of sunnah rakats and another 3 or so minutes to actually get to the masjid. This leaves roughly seven minutes to eat. I don't know about YOUR culture, but in mine we're taught not to bolt down our food.


As Salaam ALaykum Brother,

The time that you are referring (4:39AM in your case ) is the end time of sehri...

You can take your usual time to eat sehri (till 4:39AM. in your case), there is no specified "start time" of sehri anywhere in Sunnah.

We are encouraged to have Sehri as late as we can, BUT we should end eating before the time Fajr starts

1. It is NO the time of Fajr Salaah Jamaah in our Masjid.
2. It may be/ may not be the the time of Adhaan in our Masjids, because our Masjid's time of Azaan can be late.
 

abubaseer

tanzil.info
Staff member
Related to the topic

Baseless objection to the idea that stopping eating before Fajr is an innovation (bid’ah)
In reference to question 12602, where you stated that stopping eating about 5 minutes before fajr (when fasting) is a form of bid'ah. I found the following hadith in Bukhari: Narrated Anas: Zaid bin Thabit said "We took the sahoor with the Prophet (saw). Then he stood for prayer." I asked, "What was the interval between the sahoor and the adhan?" He replied "The interval was sufficient to recite fifty verses of the Qur'an." Chapter 13, 3:144. Reciting 50 verses should take about 5 or 10 minutes, even more. So how is it a bid'ah to stop eating 5 minutes before fajr?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Al-Bukhaari (1921) narrated from Anas that Zayd ibn Thaabit said: “We ate suhoor with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then he stood up to pray.” I [Anas] said: “How long was there between the adhaan and suhoor?” He said: “As long as it takes to recite fifty verses.”

This hadeeth indicates that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to eat suhoor this amount of time before the adhaan, not that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) started to fast and stopped eating and drinking this amount of time before Fajr. There is a difference between the time of suhoor and the time of stopping eating and drinking. This is clear, praise be to Allaah. It is like saying, “I ate suhoor two hours before Fajr.” This does not mean that you started fasting from that time, rather you are simply stating what time you ate suhoor.

What may be understood from the hadeeth of Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allaah be pleased with him) is that it is mustahabb to delay suhoor and it is not mustahabb to stop eating and drinking a while before Fajr.

Allaah has permitted those who intend to fast to eat and drink until they are certain that dawn has come. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Sawm (fast) till the nightfall”

[al-Baqarah 2:187]

So it is permissible to have intercourse, eat and drink during the nights of Ramadaan from the beginning of the night until dawn comes, then we are commanded to complete the fast until night comes.

Stated by Abu Bakr al-Jassaas in Ahkaam al-Qur’aan, 1/265.

Al-Bukhaari (1919) and Muslim (1092) narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that Bilaal used to give the adhaan at night, and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktoom gives the adhaan, for he does not give the adhaan until the dawn comes.”

Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo’ (6/406):

Our companions and other scholars are agreed that suhoor is Sunnah, and that delaying it is preferable. The evidence for all of that is the saheeh ahaadeeth. And because suhoor and delaying suhoor helps one to fast, and they involve being different to the kuffaar. Moreover the time for fasting is the day, so there is no sense in delaying iftaar or refraining from eating suhoor at the end of the night.

The Standing Committee (10/284) was asked: I read in some tafseers that the fasting person should stop eating and drinking 20 minutes before the adhaan of Fajr, and this is described as being on the safe side. How much time should there be between stopping eating and drinking and the adhaan of Fajr in Ramadaan? What is the ruling on one who hears the muezzin saying “al-salaatu khayrun min al-nawm (prayer is better than sleep)” and he says can still drink so long as the adhaan is still going on. Is this correct?

They replied:

The basic principle regarding when the fasting person should stop eating and drinking and should break the fast is the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Sawm (fast) till the nightfall”

[al-Baqarah 2:187]

It is permissible to eat and drink until the dawn appears, which is the white thread of light that Allaah has made the latest time when it is permissible to eat and drink. When the second dawn appears, it is haraam to eat and drink and do other things that break the fast. Whoever drinks whilst hearing the adhaan for Fajr, if the adhaan comes after the second dawn, then he has to make up that day, but if that was before dawn, then he does not have to make it up.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz was asked about making the time for stopping eating and drinking approximately fifteen minutes before Fajr. He replied:

I do not know of any basis for this, rather what is indicated by the Qur’aan and Sunnah is that we should stop eating and drinking when dawn comes, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Sawm (fast) till the nightfall”

[al-Baqarah 2:187]

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Dawn is of two types, a dawn when it becomes haraam to eat and permissible to pray, and a dawn when you should not pray [i.e., Fajr prayer] and it is permissible to eat.” Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah and al-Haakim, who classed it as saheeh in Buloogh al-Maraam. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Bilaal gives the adhaan at night, so eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktoom gives the call to prayer.” The narrator said: Ibn Umm Maktoom was a blind man who did not give the call to prayer until someone said to him, ‘Morning has come, morning has come.’” Saheeh – agreed upon.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 15/281.
 

Al-Kashmiri

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Baarak Allaahu feek.

Akhi, can you provide the reference for Shaykh Ibn Baaz's fatwa on delaying the ghusl till zhuhr. I was talking about the issue with someone, and now I'm aware of 3 opinions, so the source would be of great help.

Wa`alaykum salaam
 
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