Mistakes And Innovations In Ramadan
Preface
Allah says "Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad SAW) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much." (Qur'an 33:21).
”But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you [Muhammad] judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.” [al-Nisaa’ 4:65]
So the Prophet (salallahu 'alayhi wasalam) is to be followed in all our acts of worship.
We pray as he prayed and likewise we fast as he did. The Prophet fasted nine Ramadan from 2 AH to 10 AH. May the peace and blessings of Almighty Allah be on him, his family,his companions and all those who follow his path till the last day. Aamin
We should strive more in Ramadan. Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ascended the pulpit and he said, “Amin, amin, amin.” It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, you ascended the pulpit and said amin, amin, amin.” The Prophet said, “Verily, Gabriel came to me and he said: Whoever reaches the month of Ramadan and he is not forgiven, then he will enter Hellfire and Allah will cast him far away, so say amin. I said amin....
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān 915, Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani
Because Ramadan is of such a high status, acts of obedience during the month are of immense virtue and earn a greatly multiplied reward, and the sin of acts of disobedience during this month is greater and more serious than sins at other times. So the Muslim should make the most of this blessed month by doing acts of worship and righteous deeds, and giving up bad deeds, in the hope that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will bless him by accepting those deeds and will enable him to adhere to the truth. But the bad deed always incurs an equal burden of sin, and is never multiplied, either in Ramadan or at other times, whereas a good deed receives a multiple reward, tenfold up to many times more than that.
End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz (15/447)
Mistakes and Innovations in Ramadan in no specific order
The Prophet (salallahu 'alahi wasalam) said: "Whoever tells a lie against me (intentionally), then (surely) let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
1. Making the intentions aloud: Reciting intentions before acts of worship like prayer and fasting is an innovation. Intention is simply making resolve to do a deed. It is compulsory to resolve to fast the next day during the month of Ramadan as deeds are not accepted without intention. No intention is to be said before Taraaweeh, before the start of Ramadan, before Witr…
2. Night of Qadr: This is done in a gathering from late in the night through the mid-night on a particular date set by the innovators. Several posters are posted and pasted almost every for each mosques’ Night of Qadr program. Is this how it was done by the Prophet?
Laylat al Qadr should be sought in the last ten days of Ramadan individually. One should do established acts of worship during these nights. It is best to be in “itikhaf” to get the best of those nights.
3. Making At-Taraaweeh prayer short, and quickly reciting the Quran therein; rather, perhaps there might be no tranquility or humble submission, let alone understanding what is being recited. It is also wrong to prolong and exaggerate the qunoot supplication along with observing rhyme and adhering to certain supplications—especially upon concluding the Quran—that were not reported to have been said by the Prophet and his companions, may Allah be pleased with them.
4. After Taraaweeh prayer, some dua’s are read for the congregation in the following Format:
Nafila for Ramadan Night 12, 20 Rakah, 10 Salama. Recite 10 Baqorah on each standing.
After the Nawaafil, Recite Yaa Razaq Yaa Fataah Ten Billion. This is an innovation.
5. Focusing too much on Food: Some of us have extra concern for food that we forget most of the Sunnah of the Prophet. The Prophet told us to repeat what the caller to prayer says and then we should say: “laa aola walaa quwwata illabillah” when he says “Hay’ala al salah” & “Hay’ala al falah”. Also, recite blessings on the Prophet in the legislated way after the Adhan. It is sufficient to break the fast lightly and then hasten to Magrib prayer before going to complete the rest of the food.
6. Break the fast with just any fruit: The Sunnah is to break the fast with wet dates. If this is not available, then dry dates and if that is not available water. One is free to take anything halal after this.
7. Eating too much and wasting food: Ramadan is a period of reflection. A period wherein the rich feel the pangs of hunger just like the poor. Do not eat too much and avoid wastages. It is encouraged to give out food to the poor, the needy, wayfarer, etc as one who does so will have immense rewards. In Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (22/341) it says: “Leftover food must be saved for the next time or it should be given to the needy; if there are no needy people, then it should be given to animals, even after it has dried out, for the one who is able to do that.”
8. Wasting time on frivolities during Ramadan i.e. Watching TV, movies, etc.
9. Staying up late for unnecessary chats, meetings, etc. Staying up in obeying Allah is appropriate.
10. Not training the kids on Fasting, praying and Islam in general. Never leave your kids only in the hands of the Madrasa Mallam or their Schoolteachers. Be involved in their development both worldly and for the hereafter.
11. Shyness to eat: Menstruating/Post-partum women being embarrassed to eat during the day in Ramadan. It is forbidden for them to fast so they must be eating to nourish themselves and the newborn.
13. Unnecessary free mixing with non-mahrams (persons of the opposite sex whom one can marry which includes cousins).
14. Comiting Major Sins: Not praying at all or regularly, not paying the Zakat for many years, not performing Hajj even if one is rich enough for it, or engaging in backbiting, tale bearing, bribery, cheating, and other forbidden major sins that lead one to lose the rewards of his fasting.
15. Public Disturbance: It is inappropriate to disturb our neighbors (Muslims or non-Muslims) with our 'ibaadah. We need to appropriately reduce the sound emanating from our microphones, sound speakers, TV-sets, etc as we use all this for our various acts of worship. STOP THE UNNECESSARY BROADCAST OF LECTURES ON LOUDSPEAKERS.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say, when beginning a khutbah (sermon): " The best of speech is the Book of Allaah and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The worst of things are those which are newly-invented, and every innovation is a going astray" (reported by Muslim, no. 867)
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us that: “Every innovation is going astray, and every going astray will be in the Fire.” Narrated by Muslim (867) and an-Nasaa’i (1578)
Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever innovates something into this matter of ours which does not belong to it will have it rejected.”
In another narration, the Prophet said, “Whoever performs a deed that is not in accordance with our matter will have it rejected.”
Hadith Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2550, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1718, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
May Allah accept all our acts of worship. May He Heal our sick, grant succor to the distressed/depressed, forgive & pardon us our sins and let us see Him in Aakhirah. Aamin! Via Nairaland http://bit.ly/2EGOhmN
Allah says "Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad SAW) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much." (Qur'an 33:21).
”But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you [Muhammad] judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.” [al-Nisaa’ 4:65]
So the Prophet (salallahu 'alayhi wasalam) is to be followed in all our acts of worship.
We pray as he prayed and likewise we fast as he did. The Prophet fasted nine Ramadan from 2 AH to 10 AH. May the peace and blessings of Almighty Allah be on him, his family,his companions and all those who follow his path till the last day. Aamin
We should strive more in Ramadan. Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ascended the pulpit and he said, “Amin, amin, amin.” It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, you ascended the pulpit and said amin, amin, amin.” The Prophet said, “Verily, Gabriel came to me and he said: Whoever reaches the month of Ramadan and he is not forgiven, then he will enter Hellfire and Allah will cast him far away, so say amin. I said amin....
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān 915, Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani
Because Ramadan is of such a high status, acts of obedience during the month are of immense virtue and earn a greatly multiplied reward, and the sin of acts of disobedience during this month is greater and more serious than sins at other times. So the Muslim should make the most of this blessed month by doing acts of worship and righteous deeds, and giving up bad deeds, in the hope that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will bless him by accepting those deeds and will enable him to adhere to the truth. But the bad deed always incurs an equal burden of sin, and is never multiplied, either in Ramadan or at other times, whereas a good deed receives a multiple reward, tenfold up to many times more than that.
End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz (15/447)
Mistakes and Innovations in Ramadan in no specific order
The Prophet (salallahu 'alahi wasalam) said: "Whoever tells a lie against me (intentionally), then (surely) let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
1. Making the intentions aloud: Reciting intentions before acts of worship like prayer and fasting is an innovation. Intention is simply making resolve to do a deed. It is compulsory to resolve to fast the next day during the month of Ramadan as deeds are not accepted without intention. No intention is to be said before Taraaweeh, before the start of Ramadan, before Witr…
2. Night of Qadr: This is done in a gathering from late in the night through the mid-night on a particular date set by the innovators. Several posters are posted and pasted almost every for each mosques’ Night of Qadr program. Is this how it was done by the Prophet?
Laylat al Qadr should be sought in the last ten days of Ramadan individually. One should do established acts of worship during these nights. It is best to be in “itikhaf” to get the best of those nights.
3. Making At-Taraaweeh prayer short, and quickly reciting the Quran therein; rather, perhaps there might be no tranquility or humble submission, let alone understanding what is being recited. It is also wrong to prolong and exaggerate the qunoot supplication along with observing rhyme and adhering to certain supplications—especially upon concluding the Quran—that were not reported to have been said by the Prophet and his companions, may Allah be pleased with them.
4. After Taraaweeh prayer, some dua’s are read for the congregation in the following Format:
Nafila for Ramadan Night 12, 20 Rakah, 10 Salama. Recite 10 Baqorah on each standing.
After the Nawaafil, Recite Yaa Razaq Yaa Fataah Ten Billion. This is an innovation.
5. Focusing too much on Food: Some of us have extra concern for food that we forget most of the Sunnah of the Prophet. The Prophet told us to repeat what the caller to prayer says and then we should say: “laa aola walaa quwwata illabillah” when he says “Hay’ala al salah” & “Hay’ala al falah”. Also, recite blessings on the Prophet in the legislated way after the Adhan. It is sufficient to break the fast lightly and then hasten to Magrib prayer before going to complete the rest of the food.
6. Break the fast with just any fruit: The Sunnah is to break the fast with wet dates. If this is not available, then dry dates and if that is not available water. One is free to take anything halal after this.
7. Eating too much and wasting food: Ramadan is a period of reflection. A period wherein the rich feel the pangs of hunger just like the poor. Do not eat too much and avoid wastages. It is encouraged to give out food to the poor, the needy, wayfarer, etc as one who does so will have immense rewards. In Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (22/341) it says: “Leftover food must be saved for the next time or it should be given to the needy; if there are no needy people, then it should be given to animals, even after it has dried out, for the one who is able to do that.”
8. Wasting time on frivolities during Ramadan i.e. Watching TV, movies, etc.
9. Staying up late for unnecessary chats, meetings, etc. Staying up in obeying Allah is appropriate.
10. Not training the kids on Fasting, praying and Islam in general. Never leave your kids only in the hands of the Madrasa Mallam or their Schoolteachers. Be involved in their development both worldly and for the hereafter.
11. Shyness to eat: Menstruating/Post-partum women being embarrassed to eat during the day in Ramadan. It is forbidden for them to fast so they must be eating to nourish themselves and the newborn.
13. Unnecessary free mixing with non-mahrams (persons of the opposite sex whom one can marry which includes cousins).
14. Comiting Major Sins: Not praying at all or regularly, not paying the Zakat for many years, not performing Hajj even if one is rich enough for it, or engaging in backbiting, tale bearing, bribery, cheating, and other forbidden major sins that lead one to lose the rewards of his fasting.
15. Public Disturbance: It is inappropriate to disturb our neighbors (Muslims or non-Muslims) with our 'ibaadah. We need to appropriately reduce the sound emanating from our microphones, sound speakers, TV-sets, etc as we use all this for our various acts of worship. STOP THE UNNECESSARY BROADCAST OF LECTURES ON LOUDSPEAKERS.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say, when beginning a khutbah (sermon): " The best of speech is the Book of Allaah and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The worst of things are those which are newly-invented, and every innovation is a going astray" (reported by Muslim, no. 867)
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us that: “Every innovation is going astray, and every going astray will be in the Fire.” Narrated by Muslim (867) and an-Nasaa’i (1578)
Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever innovates something into this matter of ours which does not belong to it will have it rejected.”
In another narration, the Prophet said, “Whoever performs a deed that is not in accordance with our matter will have it rejected.”
Hadith Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2550, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1718, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
May Allah accept all our acts of worship. May He Heal our sick, grant succor to the distressed/depressed, forgive & pardon us our sins and let us see Him in Aakhirah. Aamin! Via Nairaland http://bit.ly/2EGOhmN
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