The Six Fasts of Shawwal

Posted on August 13, 2013 by wordmonster16

Please read the disclaimer before reading the post!

Assalamu3laikum!

Hope all you guys had a very blessed Eid! Well, all I can say that I can truly feel Shaytaan’s back in action as it’s getting so hard to find time for things I never gave a 2nd thought in Ramadan! May Allah keep us steadfast and give us the willpower to stay firm on our deen 🙂

InshaAllah, I’ll be traveling on the 17th so the blog will be on a hiatus for a week or so. I will be starting a new series dedicated to ‘The Prophet’s Prayer’ which I will do in detail so that we can improve our Salah performing ‘skills’. May Allah grant me the ability to do so. Ameen.

The virtue of fasting six days of Shawwaal

Fasting six days of Shawwaal after the obligatory fast of Ramadaan is Sunnah Mustahabbah, not obligatory.
It is recommended for the Muslim to fast six days of Shawwaal, and in this there is great virtue and an immense reward. Whoever fasts these six days will have recorded for him a reward as if he had fasted a whole year, as was reported in a saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

Abu Ayyoob (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan and follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.” (Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah). (1)

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained this when he said: “Whoever fasts for six days after (Eid) al-Fitr has completed the year: (whoever does a good deed (hasanah) will have ten hasanah like it).”

According to another report: “Allaah has made for each hasanah ten like it, so a month is like fasting ten months, and fasting six days completes the year.” (al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah) (2)

It was also narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah with the wording: “Fasting for the month of Ramadaan brings the reward of ten like it, and fasting for six days brings the reward of two months, and that is the fasting of the whole year.”

The Hanbali and Shaafa’i fuqaha’ explained that fasting six days of Shawwaal after fasting Ramadaan makes it as if one has fasted for an entire year of obligatory fasts, because the multiplication of the reward applies even to naafil fasts, because each hasanah brings the reward of ten like it.

Another of the important benefits of fasting six days of Shawwaal is that is makes up for any shortfall in a person’s obligatory Ramadaan fasts, because no one is free of shortcomings or sins that have a negative effect on his fasting.

On the Day of Resurrection, some of his naafil deeds will be taken to make up the shortcomings in his obligatory deeds, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The first thing for which people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be their salaah (prayer). Our Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, will say to His angels – although He knows best – ‘Look at the salaah of My slave, whether it is complete or incomplete.’ If it is perfect, it will be recorded as perfect, and if something is lacking, He will say, ‘Look and see whether My slave did any voluntary (naafil) prayers.’ If he did some voluntary prayers, [Allaah] will say, Complete the obligatory actions of My slave from his voluntary actions.’ Then all his actions will be dealt with in a similar manner.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood). Hadith Qudsi (3)

Miscellaneous issues concerning the six fasts of Shawwaal

A lot of women ask if they have to make up for their missed fasts, and then fast in Shawwal. (This is also applicable to men who have missed their fasts). You must remember that I’m not a scholar, but there are two very clear opinions on this.

Better to complete missed fasts and then Shawwal fasts.
Let me post the hadith below:

“Whoever fasts Ramadaan and follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.”

The hadith clearly mentions ‘whoever fasts Ramadaan AND follows it with 6 days of Shawwaal’. Hence the condition of completing missed fasts becomes necessary in order to gain the reward.

Can fast in Shawwaal and make up for missed fasts before the onset of next Ramadan.
This condition is less favourable in the eyes of the scholars as it does not follow the above hadith by word. The only two hadiths that does support this condition is of Aa’ishah (RA) where it is narrated as follows:

Aishah narrated:

“I would not make up what was due upon me from Ramadan except in Sha’ban, until the Messenger of Allah died.” (Graded as Hasan; Jami’ Al Tirmidhi) (5i)
It was narrated that ‘Aishah said:

“I would own fasts from Ramadan and I would not make them up until Shaban came.” (Graded as Sahih; Sunan An’Nasai) (5ii)

Also we must remember that the precise rewards for the deeds which we do for the sake of Allaah is something which is known only to Allaah. If a person seeks the reward from Allaah and strives to obey Him, his reward will not be lost, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

18:30

Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds. (Surah Kahf 18:30) (4)

Fasting consecutively for 6 days.

There is no basis from the main hadith that we need to fast all 6 days in succession. The only condition mentioned is completion of the missed fasts of Ramadan and as long as the fasts are completed within Shawwal. Though scholars have mentioned that since it is generally disliked to fast on (only) Fridays, one must try to fast on other days too.

For other issues regarding fasting in Shawwal, I’d request you to headover to ‘www.islamqa.com‘ for detailed insights, answers to questions pertaining this month.

And Allah knows best!

Jazakallah Khair.

References:

http://www.sunnah.com/tirmidhi/8/78
Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 1/421
http://www.sunnah.com/qudsi40/9
http://quran.com/18/30
i) http://www.sunnah.com/tirmidhi/8/102
ii) http://www.sunnah.com/nasai/22/230

Ramadan Is Here! Part 2: What Should A Woman Do During ‘Those Days’?

Posted on July 22, 2013 by wordmonster16

Please read the disclaimer before reading the post!

Assalamu3alaikum!

Continuing from where I’d left of in the last post, I will now conclude the 2 part series of things women can do during their periods.

5. Reading Up on Islamic books or anything related:

I’m sure some of us have Islamic books apart from the Qur’an at home that we can simply pick up and start reading. Alhamdulillah for my mother, who makes sure that I get my English Islamic books just like she gets her Urdu books at the same time 🙂 (FYI: I would recommend books from the Darussalam publishers.)

Allah says in the Qur’an:

58:11

O you who have believed, when you are told, “Space yourselves” in assemblies, then make space; Allah will make space for you. And when you are told, “Arise,” then arise; Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do. (Surah Mujaadila) (1)

It was narrated from Jabir that :

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “Ask Allah for beneficial knowledge and seek refuge with Allah from knowledge that is of no benefit.” (Hasan) (2)

Allah has given us the ability to think, to distinguish between the right and wrong:

90:4

90:5

90:6

90:7

90:8

We have certainly created man into hardship. Does he think that never will anyone overcome him? He says, “I have spent wealth in abundance.” Does he think that no one has seen him? Have We not made for him two eyes? And a tongue and two lips? And have shown him the two ways (obedience and disobedience) ? (Al-Balad 90:4-10) (3)

There is so much knowledge out there, waiting to be read by us, to be spread by us! Alhamdulillah with so much Islamic content available on the internet, I don’t see how we can go wrong.

I’ll list some websites which are having Ramadan specials:

Mufti Menk’s Pearls of Peace – Ongoing Ramadan series
Muslim Matters ‘Ramadan 2013‘ series
Ramadan Tafseer series Surah Ta Ha
Ramadan TV
Bayyinah Institute

If we have 7 days in hand, even these 7 days won’t be enough to see all the content that is available here. And then we wonder how is it that we have so much time on our hands.

6. Serving your parents:

Trust me on this. I do realise the first 1-3 days are horrible and you don’t feel like moving out of your bed. But, remember. Your mum/sister/aunt/relative/maid is probably working in the house while in the state of fasting. It won’t really kill us to assist them in the kitchen. Wash dishes, clear the table after iftar so that they can pray Maghrib in peace, and if you have to prepare for dinner then make sure you start the preps. I’m sure your mum will give you a lot of duas for just assisting her in these daily chores. 🙂

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr:

A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) asking his permission to take part in Jihad. The Prophet (PBUH) asked him, “Are your parents alive?” He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet (PBUH) said to him, “Then exert yourself in their service.” (Sahih Bukhari) (4)

Treating our parents with kindness, obeying them forms a big part of Islam. It is stressed both in the Hadiths and the Qur’an that it is one of the highest noble deeds in Allah’s eyes to obey them, treat them with kindness and respect. And that their status in Islam comes after worshipping Allah.

17:23

The Quran says,

And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], “uff,” and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. – (Surah Al Isra 17:23) (5)

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Apostle (PBUH) as saying:

Let him be humbled into dust; let him be humbled into dust. It was said: Allah’s Messenger, who is he? He said: He who sees either of his parents during their old age or he sees both of them, but he does not enter Paradise. (Sahih Muslim) (6)

It is reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah that the Apostle of Allah observed:

The best of’ the deeds or deed is the (observance of) prayer at its proper time and kindness to the parents. (Sahih Muslim) (7)

So a women in her menses should do what she can to serve her parents in anyway that she can like for eg clean the house so that her parents do less, attend to their every need etc. Surely she will be pleasing Allah so much and gaining unimaginable rewards!

7. Character.

A lot of us deal with our hormones all over the place during periods. Mood swings are horrible and nothing looks right. Been there, done that.

I think striving to be on character is something I (alongwith many others) need to learn. I feel so out of control that I have to stop myself to talk to people, in the hopes of not hurting their feelings. I’m sure a lot of us feel this way. But we can’t afford to live by this or be irrational. As much as we think we can’t control it, it is the opposite. Having sabr (patience) is important to us. Sometimes we feel the entire world is out to get us. But patience is a blessed virtue. It teaches us to be humble, to be strong, to be calm. A good muslim will never let his patience get better of himself/herself.

Narrated AbuHurayrah:

The Prophet (PBUH) said: The most perfect believer in respect of faith is he who is best of them in manners. (Sunan Abi Dawud) (8)

Abu Ad-Dardha narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:

“Nothing is placed on the Scale that is heavier than good character. Indeed the person with good character will have attained the rank of the person of fasting and prayer.”(Hasan, Jami Tirmidhi) (9)

Good character isn’t just limited to Ramadan, but outside of it as well. The person with a good character has the rank equivalent to that of the person who fasts and prays alhamdulillah. We should strive to be one of those who are not just muslims who pray or fast, but are of good mannerisms 🙂

Jabir bin ‘Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with them) said:

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “The dearest and the closest of you to me on the Day of Resurrection will be those who are the best in behaviour; and the most hateful and the farthest from me on the Day of Resurrection will be the talkative and the most pretentious and the most rhetorical.” (Riyadh Us-Saliheen, Tirmidhi) (10)

We should ask Allah (SWT) to help us be people of good conduct, character, patience as these traits will bring us closer to Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and inshaAllah elevate us in rank in Jannah.

8. Volunteering/Charity

Even if you have a spare dirham, rupee, dollar, pound, give charity.

It was narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:

“Envy consumes good deeds just as fire consumes wood, and charity extinguishes bad deeds just as water extinguishes fire. Prayer is the light of the believer and fasting is a shield against the Fire.” (Ibn Majah) (11)

Charity should be paid secretly:

The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Righteous deeds protect a person from an evil end; a charity spent in secret extinguishes Allah’s wrath; and maintaining good ties of kinship increases ones lifespan.” (Tabaraani)

Removing harmful objects from people’s way is charity:

Narrated AbuHurayrah:

The Prophet (PBUH) said: A man never did a good deed but removed a thorny branch from the road; it was either in the tree and someone cut it and threw it on the road, or it was lying in it, he removed it. Allah accepted this good deed of his and brought him into Paradise. (Sahih, Albani, Sunan Abi Dawud) (12)

Providing for ones family is a charity:

Narrated Abu Masud Al-Badri:

The Prophet (PBUH) said, “A man’s spending on his family is a deed of charity.” (Sahih Bukhari) (13)

Participating as volunteers in events such as providing iftars to the needy, packing iftar, volunteering at the child-care section of the local masjid, giving charity (and not making a big deal out of it), volunteering at Ramadan forums.. So many to choose from! Just looking after your relatives baby cousins/sisters/brothers/children etc. will count as charity if you hope for a reward from Allah 🙂

Conclusion

At the end of this two-part series, the number of things I’ve suggested alhamdulillah, are more than enough and inshaAllah will suffice for the entire duration of our periods. We should remember that periods are not a limitation. We can do more, and strive to do more! May Allah guide us all and forgive our sins this Ramadan! 🙂

Jazakallah Khair!

References

Ramadan Is Here! Part 1: What Should A Woman Do During ‘Those Days’?

Posted on July 20, 2013 by wordmonster16

Please read the disclaimer before reading the post!

Assalamu3alaikum!

It is the 11th of Ramadan today! Time has been flying so fast. I’m sure many of you would agree with me that once it’s Ramadan, you don’t like the time flying like it does usually. The ambiance, the very air we breathe seems different. Alhamdulillah 🙂 Only Allah can make fasting for 15 odd hours seem pleasurable. 🙂

The topic of this blog has been a question for me and various women every Ramadan. What exactly are we supposed to do if we can’t pray or read the Qur’an? I will inshaAllah deal with this topic in two parts as it might be quite an extensive read!

To start with, women should remember that just because we get our periods, it doesn’t mean we can’t be rewarded for our deeds. If our intention is to please Allah, to make the maximum out of Ramadan, then inshaAllah, the angels who write down our deeds will continue to do so 🙂

Here are a few things women can do during her periods in Ramadan (as well as after Ramadan too)

1. Listen to Qur’an recitation:

It is surprising how little we think about ‘listening’ to Qur’anic recitations. We focus on how we should read more, which is true. But even listening to someone reciting the Qur’an is a part of our deen. Listening to the Qur’an being recited has a positive effect on us. If you’ve ever concentrated on listening to the Qari/Iman reciting the Qur’an, you know how it calms one down, you feel positive.

Allah says in the Qur’an:

39:17

39:18

But those who have avoided Taghut, lest they worship it, and turned back to Allah – for them are good tidings. So give good tidings to My servants (17)

Who listen to speech and follow the best of it. Those are the ones Allah has guided, and those are people of understanding. (18) (Surah Zumar, 39:17-18) (1)

2. Reading the Commentary (Tafseer) and Meanings (Tarjumah) of the Qur’an

For Arabic and non-Arabic speakers alike, reflecting upon the words of Allah, to understand the deep meanings behind it, one should make it a must to read and understand the Qur’an in their local language (if they are non-Arabic speakers).

To reflect upon the verses of Allaah is a form of worship; it is something that will draw one close to Allah, Most High.

4:82

Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah , they would have found within it much contradiction. (Surah An-Nisa 4:82) (2)

Maybe you have a favorite ayah, or ayats that you want to learn more about? Or maybe you have memorised a surah and now you want to know what it means? The possibilities are endless 🙂

3. Dhikr of Allah:

A women on her periods can do excessive dhikr night and day. This is a blessing in disguise. While fasting we get so busy with praying and reading the Qur’an that we don’t read du’as or do dhikr!

Mu`adh Ibn Jabal (RA) said that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “The People of Paradise will not regret anything except one thing alone: the hour that passed them by in which they made no remembrance of Allah.” (Bayhaqi) (3)

Abu Hurairah (RA) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Allah the Exalted says: ‘I am as my slave expects me to be, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me inwardly, I will remember him inwardly, and if he remembers Me in an assembly, I will remember him in a better assembly (i.e., in the assembly of angels).” (Riyadh As-Saliheen, Bukhari & Muslim) (4)

The following are some dhikr that we can make day and night, whenever we can remember, while walking, while sitting, or doing anything for that matter. 🙂

1. اللْهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

– Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘annee

– O Allah, You are pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.’

This du’a if you’ve noticed is read extensively in the last 10 nights of Ramadan. So make sure you’re in the habit of reading them 🙂

2. سبحان الله

– SubhaanAllah

– Glory be to Allah

3. الحمد لله

– Alhamdulillah

– Praise to Allah

4. الله أكبر

– Allahu Akbar

– Allah is Great

5. لا اله الا الله

– Laa ilaaha illallah

– There Is No God But Allah

6. لا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إلاّ بِاللهِ

– La Hawla Wa La Quwwata Illa Billah

– There is no might nor power except with Allah.

7. أستغفر الله‎

– Astaghfirullah

– I seek forgiveness from Allah

8. سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ

– Subhan-Allahi wa bi Hamdihi

– Glory be to Allah and Praise Him

9. سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ ، والْحَمْدُللّهِ ، وَ لا اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ ، وَ اللّهُ اَكْبَرُ ، وَ لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّهِ

– Subhāna-llāhi, wa-l-hamdu li-llāhi, wa lā ilāha illā-llāhu, wa-llāhu akbar. Wa lā hawla wa lā quwwata illā bi-llāhi-l-aliyyi-l-azīm

– Glory be to Allah, All Praise is for Allah, There is No God but Allah, Allah is the Greatest, There is no might or any power Except with Allah

10. لا اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

– Lā ilāha illā-llāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu lahu-l-mulku wa lahu-l-ḥamdu wa huwa alā kulli Shay-in qadīr

– There is No God But Allah Alone, who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the raise, and He is Able to do all things

11. Durood e Ibrahim

“O Allah, let Your Blessings come upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have blessed Ibrahim and his family. Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have blessed Ibrahim and his family. Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious”.

Or one can also read: Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallim (Peace Be Upon Him)

Imagine, even you read ‘SubhanAllah’ 20 times, if you read in 5 times a day, it becomes 100! How wonderful is it to glorify the Almighty a 100 times without even putting so much thought into saying it?

You can find more dhikr here

4. Dua & Repentance

2:186

And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. (Baqarah 2:186) (5)

Allah loves repentance & loves those who turn to him in sincere repentance:

2:222

And they ask you about menstruation. Say, “It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allah has ordained for you. Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.“(Qur’an 2:222) (6)

The times when Dua’s are most accepted during Ramadan are:

1. The third portion of the night shortly before suhoor/During Tahajjud.

2. In the state of fasting.

3. Between ‘Asr & Maghrib.

4. Few minutes before opening the fast.

5. On Jum’uah, before & after khutbah.

6. The time between sounding the Azaan & the Iqamah.

7. When it rains.

8. After reciting the Qur’an.

9. The Night of Qadr/Last 10 nights of Ramadan.

We should not be among those who let Ramadan pass by and do not repent for their sins or asking for Allah’s forgiveness.

Kaab Ibn Ujrah (RA) relates that Rasulullah (SAW) said ‘Come near to the mimbar*’ and we came near the mimbar. When He (SAW) climbed the first step of the mimbar, He (SAW) said “Aameen”, When He (SAW) ascended the second step, He (SAW) said “Aameen”, When He (SAW) climbed the third step, He (SAW) said “Aameen” When He (SAW) came down, We said “O Rasool of Allah (SAW), we have heard from you today something which we never heard before” He (SAW) said When I climbed the first step, the angel Jibraeel (A.S.) appeared before me and said

“Destruction to him who found the blessed month of Ramdhan and let it pass by without gaining forgiveness”
upon that I said ‘Aameen’. When I climbed the second step, he said,

“Destruction to him before whom thy name is taken and then he does not make Dua for Allah’s blessing on me (by saying, for example SAW).”
I replied ‘Aameen’. When I climbed the third step, he said

“Destruction unto him in whose lifetime his parents or either one of them reaches old age, and (through failure to serve them) he is not allowed to enter Jannah”. I said ‘Aameen’. (Hakim, Baihaqi) (7)

We should ask Allah to accept all of our good deeds during Ramadan & be hopeful that Allah will accept it from us. We should also have FULL hope that Allah will accept our Dua’s if not in this world then in the hereafter. We should accept his decree for he knows best in all matters.

*****

End of Part 1