Some Sunnahs for the fasting person

Shishani

moderator
Staff member
Some Sunnahs of fasting that the fasting
person is encouraged to uphold

Question
What are the Sunnahs of fasting?

Answer

Praise be to Allah

Fasting is one of the greatest acts of worship, and the reward of the one who fasts, seeking thereby the reward of Allah, is not known to anyone except Allah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, said: ‘Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting. It is for Me and I shall reward for it.’” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1904) and Muslim (1151).

The Ramadan fast is one of the pillars of Islam, and the Muslim must pay attention to preserving his fast, whether it is obligatory or supererogatory, so that Allah may bestow upon him this abundant reward.

There are many Sunnahs with regard to fasting, of which we will mention some:

1. It is Sunnah, if someone reviles the fasting person or tries to fight him, to respond to his mistreatment with kindness and to say: “I am fasting.”

2. It is Sunnah for the fasting person to eat sahoor, for sahoor is a blessing (barakah).

3. It is Sunnah for him to hasten to break the fast, and to delay sahoor.

4. It is Sunnah for him to break the fast with fresh dates; if he cannot find any, then he should break his fast with dried dates. If he cannot find any dates, then he should break his fast with water.

5. It is mustahabb for the fasting person to say, when he breaks his fast: “Dhahaba al-zama’ wa abtalat al-‘urooq wa thabata al-ajr in sha Allah (Thirst is gone, the veins are moistened and the reward is certain if Allah wills).”.

ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ، وَابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ، وَثَبَتَ الْأَجْرُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ

Please see the answer to question no. 39462 for the texts that speak of all these matters.

6. It is mustahabb for the fasting person to offer a great deal of supplication (du‘aa’), because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There are three whose supplication will not be rejected: the just ruler, the fasting person until he breaks his fast, and the supplication of one who has been wronged.” Narrated by Ahmad (8043); classed as saheeh by the commentators on al-Musnad, taking into account all its isnaads and corroborating evidence.

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It is mustahabb for the fasting person to offer supplication whilst fasting with regard to what concerns him of the hereafter and of this world, for himself, for those whom he loves, and for the Muslims. End quote from al-Majmoo‘ (6/375)

7. If it is a Ramadan fast, then it is mustahabb to do the following:

- To sit in the mosque to read Qur’an and remember Allah (dhikr)

- To observe i‘tikaaf in the last ten days

- To pray Taraweeh

- To give a great deal of charity and do a great deal of good deeds

- To study the Qur’an.

Al-Bukhaari (6) and Muslim (2308) narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the most generous of people, and he was at his most generous in Ramadaan when Jibreel used to meet him. He would meet with him every night in Ramadaan and revise the Qur’aa with him, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was more generous in doing good than the blowing wind.

And the fasting person should not waste his time in doing things that are of no benefit or no use – and may adversely affect his fast – such as sleeping a great deal, jokingly a great deal, and so on. He should not make eating different kinds of food and drink his main concern. All of that will prevent him from doing a great deal of good deeds whilst fasting.

For more information, please see the answer to question no. 12468 and 26869

And Allah knows best.
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/222064/
 

Shishani

moderator
Staff member
Some of the Sunnahs of fasting

Question
What are the Sunnahs of fasting?

Answer

Praise be to Allaah.

There are many Sunnahs of fasting, including the following:

1 – It is Sunnah if someone insults you to respond in a better manner and say, “I am fasting,” because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fasting is a shield or protection so there should be no obscene or offensive talk or behaviour. If a person fights him or insults him, let him say, ‘I am fasting,’ twice. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, the smell coming from the mouth of the fasting person is better before Allaah then the fragrance of musk. [Allaah says:] ‘He gives up his food, drink and desire for My sake. Fasting is for Me and I will reward for it, and a good deed receives the reward of ten like it.’” Al-Bukhaari, no. 1894; Muslim, 1151.

2 – It is Sunnah for the fasting person to eat suhoor, because it was proven in al-Saheehayn that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Eat suhoor for in suhoor there is blessing.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1923; Muslim, 1059).

3 – It is Sunnah to delay suhoor because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari from Anas from Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “We ate suhoor with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then he got up to pray.” I said: “How much time was there between the adhaan and suhoor?” He said: “The time it takes to recite fifty verses.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1921).

4 – It is Sunnah to hasten to break the fast because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The people will continue to be fine so long as they hasten to break the fast.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1957; Muslim, 1098). See also question no. 49716)

5 – It is Sunnah to break the fast with fresh dates; if none are available then with dry dates; if none are available then with water – because of the hadeeth of Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to break his fast with fresh dates before praying; if there were no (fresh dates) then with dry dates, and if there were no (dried dates) then he would take a few sips of water.

(Nararted by Abu Dawood, no. 2356; al-Tirmidhi, 696; classed as hasan in al-Irwa’, 4/45)

6 – It is Sunnah when breaking the fast to say what is narrated in the hadeeth, which is to say Bismillaah. This is obligatory according to the correct view because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined that. The words “Allaahumma laka sumtu wa ‘ala rizqika aftartu, Allaahumma taqabbal minni, innaka antaal-samee’ al-‘aleem (O Allaah, for You I have fasted and with Your provision I have broken my fast, O Allaah accept (this fast) from me for You are the All-Hearing, All-Knowing) are da’eef (weak), as stated by Ibn al-Qayyim (Zaad al-Ma’aad, 2/51).

There is also another report: “Dhahaba al-‘zama’ wa abtallat al-‘urooq wa thabata al-ajr in sha Allaah (the thirst is gone, the veins have been moistened and the reward is assured, if Allaah wills).” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2357; al-Bayhaqi, 4/239; classed as hasan in al-Irwa’, 4/39).

There are ahaadeeth which speak of the virtue of the du’aa’ of the fasting person, such as the following:

(i) It was narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Three prayers are not rejected: the prayer of a father, the prayer of a fasting person, and the prayer of a traveler.” Narrated by al-Bayhaqi, 3/345; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Saheeh 1797.

(ii) It was narrated from Abu Umaamah in a marfoo’ report: “Every time the fast is broken Allaah has people whom He ransoms.” Narrated by Ahmad, 21698; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/491.

(iii) It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri in a marfoo’ report: “Allaah ransoms people every day and night – i.e., in Ramadaan – and every day and night the Muslim has a prayer that is answered.” Narrated by al-Bazzaar; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/491.

See also questions no. 37745, 37720, 13999, 14103.

https://islamqa.info/en/answers/39462/
 
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