Ramadhān Q&A | Fatāwā No: 476

Question: What are the best of deeds in Ramadhan?

Answer: Ramadhan, without a doubt, is a great month in which the doors of jannah are opened and the doors of jahannam are closed and the shayatin are chained. Ramadhan is a month in which the Qurʾan descended, and in it is Laylat al-Qadr and also in it is the pillar of fasting.

Ramadhan, in it is the blowing of the breeze of favours, the increase in acts of obedience, and the seeking of blessings, and thus one should exert himself in obedience, especially in Ramadhan.

From the best of actions in Ramadhan is Qiyam al-Layl in congregation, and it is a great sunnah, and likewise the recitation of the Qurʾan and striving hard in it, and to be keen on completing it as was the Prophet (sallallahu ʿalayhi wa sallam). Jibril used to meet him in every night of Ramadhan to review the Qurʾan with him.

Likewise from the best of actions are spending and charity and it is from the guidance of the Prophet (sallallahu ʿalayhi wa sallam). As al-Bukhari narrated on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbas who said: “The Prophet (sallallahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) was the most generous of the people; and he was the most generous during the month of Ramadhan when Jibril visited him.”

And likewise from the best of deeds is the remembrance of Allah (ʿazza wa jalla), such as tasbih, tahmid, tahlil, takbir, and istighfar. So this is befitting for every muslim that he persists in it and exerts himself in it especially in the pre-dawn hours.

Likewise from the great sunan in Ramadhan is al-Iʿtikaf. Especially in the last 10 nights of Ramadhan as it is a confirmed Sunnah. He (sallallahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) performed it regularly.

And likewise from the best of actions is the Jihad, raiding (the enemy), and ribat in Ramadhan. As al-Bukhari and Muslim reported in their Sahih compilations on the authority of Abu Saʿid al-Khudri (radiyallahu ʿanhu) who said: “I heard the Prophet (sallallahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) say: ‘Whoever fasts for a day (while engaged in Jihad) in the cause of Allah, Allah will distance his face from the fire by seventy (years).’”

And we ask Him (subhanahu), that He accepts from all of us in Ramadhan and to aid us in His (subhanahu) obedience in it (i.e. Ramadhan).

Allah (taʿala) knows best.
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17 Ramadan: Battle of Badr

Ruling on following the imam’s recitation in a book in which there is a translation of the meanings of the Qur’aan
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Question
A group of brothers were getting together to pray Qiyam during the month of Ramadan, and they are mostly converts. Is it wrong for the Imam to lead the prayer from the (arabic) Mushaf, and for them to join him in prayer, while following with the English translation? They say that when they do this, they can follow along and get a greater khushu' by following along and getting the meaning.

Answer
Praise be to Allah.

Firstly:

📍Following the recitation of the imam in the Mushaf is contrary to the Sunnah and is to some extent makrooh. This has been explained previously in the answers to questions nos. 52876 and 10067.

Secondly:

With regard to following the imam’s recitation in a book in which there is a translation of the meanings of the Qur’aan, this requires further discussion:

1.

If he says something from the book whilst following the imam’s recitation [i.e., moving his lips whilst reading], then his prayer is invalid, because the translation of the meaning of the Qur’aan is regarded as a commentary on it (tafseer), and it is not Qur’aan according to the consensus of the scholars and it does not come under the same rulings as Qur’aan, so these words invalidate the prayer.

See: Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’, 4/165

2.

If it is limited to following the words by looking and thinking without speaking, then the prayer is valid even though it is makrooh.

al-Nawawi said: “If he turns the pages sometimes during his prayer, it is not invalidated, and if he looks at a book other than the Qur’aan and reads that in his mind, it does not invalidate his prayer, even if it is done for a long time, but it is makrooh.

End quote from al-Majmoo‘, 4/95

Al-Mardaawi said: Prayer does not become invalidated by looking for a long time in a book if he reads it in his mind, if he does not actually utter the words, according to the correct view. ... It was narrated from Imam Ahmad that he did that. And it was said that it does invalidate the prayer.

End quote from al-Insaaf, 2/98

Something similar to this was said in Fath al-Qadeer, 1/403

◻️ Following the recitation by looking in the book and pondering the meaning is permissible, although it is makrooh, but this denoscription of it being makrooh does not apply if there is a need for that, because the basic principle according to the fuqaha’ is that that which is makrooh becomes permissible if there is a need.

🔶Seeking to focus properly in prayer and understand the meaning of what the imam is reciting is a kind of need that makes this no longer makrooh, because understanding the meaning of the verses is something that is important for the person praying behind the imam, so that he may ponder them and think of their meanings.

Something similar to this was stated in a fatwa by Shaykh Ibn Baaz, that it is permissible for the person praying qiyaam al-layl behind the imam to hold a Mushaf in which there is tafseer, and if he does not understand a word he may look at its meaning. This was mentioned in the answer to question number 9505.

But what is better than that is to strive to learn Arabic and learn the Holy Qur’aan and its meanings, so that it will be easy for you to ponder it and focus properly in prayer, and you will not need to carry this book and look at it whilst praying.

And Allah knows best.

Adorning oneself for Laylatul Qadr

Ibn Rajab (رحمه الله) said:

During the nights which are hoped to be Laylatul Qadr, cleanliness, dressing up, taking a bath (or shower), applying perfume and wearing one's best clothing is preferred. Just as it is legislated to do so for Jumu'ah and 'Īd, it's also legislated to wear nice clothing to the other prayers; as Allāh said,

"Take your adornment while praying."

(Sūrah Al-A'rāf: 31)

Ibn 'Umar stated, "Allāh is more deserving of being adorned for." Additionally, it is narrated from him and attributed to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) that, "outward adornment is not complete, except with inner adornment; by repentance and turning back to Allāh Ta'ālá."

[Lataa'if Al-Ma'aarif pg. 189]

#SeekingLaylatulQadr

Is it better to give in charity in the last ten days of Ramadān, or to spend the nights of those days in prayer and Dhikr?
_______________________________

Praise be to Allāh.
What was narrated from the Prophet ﷺ concerning staying up at night during the last ten nights of Ramadān is that those nights should be spent in prayer and dhikr. 

Charity during Ramadān is better than charity at other times, but we do not know of anything in the Sunnah to indicate that giving charity in the last ten days is better. 

But the scholars stated that righteous deeds are better when done at times of virtue, and undoubtedly the last ten nights of Ramadān are better than any other nights, because Laylat al-Qadr is among them, which is better than a thousand months. 

Whatever the case, what is prescribed for the Muslim is to give a great deal of charity throughout Ramadān.
'The Prophet ﷺ was the most generous of people and he was at his most generous during Ramadān.'

[Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6; Muslim, 2308]
And Allāh knows best.

Source

#HoldfasttotheropeofAllāh
#RamadanTheBlessed

I'tikaf Infographic

It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to observe i'tikaaf during the last ten nights of Ramadaan, Agreed upon. This indicates that the period of i’tikaaf is counted by the nights, not the days. And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And by the ten nights”

[al-Fajr 89:2]

The last ten nights start with the twenty-first.

📍Based on this, he should enter the mosque before the sun sets on the night of the twenty-first.

(More info: https://www.islamqa.info/amp/en/answers/49002 )

‘Â’ishah said: “O Messenger of Allâh صلى الله عليه وسلم, what do you think I should say in my du’â’, if I come upon Laylatul-Qadr?" He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: Say: ‘O Allâh, You are Forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me’.
[اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي]

This hadîth was weakened by shaykh Sulaymân al-‘Alwân, ‘Abdullâh as-Sa’d, at-Tarîfî, al-Hârith al-Hasanî and al-Wâdi’î. The chain comes by the way of ‘Abdullâh ibn Buraydah from ‘Â’ishah, and ad-Dâraqutnî and Imâm an-Nasâ’î said ‘Abdullâh ibn Buraydah did not hear from ‘Â’ishah. So the weakness is that there’s a break/disconnection in the chain.

[NOTE: if one wants to say this du’â’ then there’s no problem, as long as they don’t attribute it to the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, or claim it to be a sunnah, and that they don’t restrict saying this du’â’ to the last 10 odd nights of Ramadân.]

Below is a recorded translation of the above conerning the Virtues of the Last Ten Days of Ramaḍān by Shaykh al-Ḥārith ibn ˋAlī al-Ḥasanī 👇🏼