By The-Muhaddith, Sincere Advisor, and Successor to Imaam Muqbil Al-Waadi’ee,
Shaykh Yahya Al-Hajoree(may Allah preserve him)
Ramadan Fasting
1. Question: A woman while fasting comes on her period before Maghrib. What must she do?
Answer: She must stop fasting immediately. Even if a woman gets her menses right before Maghrib by five minutes or so she has to break her fast. She will have to make up this day at another time. It is not permissible for a woman on her period to fast. Fasting in this state is considered in invalid based on the consensus of the scholars.
2. Question: Do we say Ramadan or the Month of Ramadan?
Answer: Imam Al-Bukhari dealt with this issue in his Sahih. He wrote a chapter titled “ Ramadan or the Month of Ramadan”. He mentioned the hadeeth
إِذَا دَخَلَ رَمَضَانَ فُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ ، وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ جَهَنَّمَ ، وَسُلْسِلَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ
“When the Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.”[ Bukhari-1899].
And another proof for saying Ramadhan is the hadeeth.
الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ وَالْجُمُعَةُ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ مُكَفِّرَاتٌ مَا بَيْنَهُنَّ إِذَا اجْتَنَبَ الْكَبَائِرَ
“Practicing the five daily prayers, Praying every Jumu’âh, and fasting during every Ramadhan serve as an expiation of sins as long as you aren’t committing Major sins.”[ Muslim 574].
These are just two of the many hadeeth which mention Ramadhan. Now in reference to the hadeeth which is reported on Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) by way of Abu Mâ’shir Najeeh As-Sindee, that says, “Don’t say Ramadan because it’s one of Allah’s names, but say the month of Ramadan.” text is Munkar[1]. The isnad is weak as well.
3. Question : What is the condition of the hadeeth
ذَهَبَ الظَّمأُ ، وابْتَلَّتِ العُرُوقُ ، وثَبَتَ الأجرُ إِن شاءَ اللهُ
The thirst is gone and the veins are moist. If Allah wills the reward is certain.
And are there any legislated supplications made at the time of breakfast?
Answer: This hadeeth is unauthentic (Comment from Ibn Shahid: Other scholars have declared this hadith authentic like Shaykh Al-Albanee rahimahullah and this seems to be the most correct opinion Allahu ‘alam). The person fasting supplication is answered, whether he makes dua at breakfast or before. Allah says,
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ
And your Lord said: “Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islâmic Monotheism)] (and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness, (Islâmic Monotheism)] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!” [ Ghafir 60 ]
The more a person is in need of assistance and draws near to Allah the closer he is to having is supplication answered. The hadeeth you mentioned is weak because of Marwan ibn Salim Al-Muqfa’ā. He is unknown.
4. Question: Does swallowing phlegm or mucus break one’s fast?
Answer: There is a difference of opinion among the scholars over this issue. The majority of them hold that mucus obtained through the nose breaks the fast. They say it’s nasty and harmful. Therefore based on this we advise the person to spit it out when it reaches his throat. Now in reference to mucus breaking the fast then it appears that it doesn’t; as it’s not food or drink. I recommend the person to refrain from swallowing mucus while fasting based on the hadeeth” Avoid the things that make you doubt for the things you are certain about.”
5. Question: Does chewing bubble gum which doesn’t dissolve break a person’s fast?
Answer: Our brother has worded the question in a way which means chewing gum isn’t food. No doubt swallowing candy breaks the fast. Conversely chewing sugar-less gum which doesn’t dissolve doesn’t break the fast. However this goes against the outward appearance of a fasting person. And perhaps the person’s saliva will dissolve the gum and make the him tired from chewing it. The strongest evidence that chewing gum doesn’t break the fast is the statement from Ibn Âbbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said,” The person fasting can taste food.” Tasting food is like chewing gum, but I don’t advise the fasting person to chew gum based on the previous reason why.
6: Question: Some people don’t pray until Ramadan comes. Is their fast acceptable?
Answer: The meaning of this question is the other eleven months of the year they don’t pray. And when Ramadan comes they pray and join the congregation. This type of person isn’t considered praying, fasting or a Muslim. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said”
مَنْ تَرَكَ صَلاَةَ الْعَصْرِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُ
“Whoever willfully abandons the Asr prayer has invalidated his deeds” Bukhari #553
Hence if a person doesn’t pray Asr until its time passes loses his deeds, what do you think about the person that doesn’t pray the rest of the year? And when Ramadan comes he prays with the people only at that time of the year. This kind of individual’s fast is unacceptable unless he repents, prays and fasts. Then his fast in Ramadan is acceptable.
7.Question: What is the status of the hadeeth
أَوَّلُ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ رَحْمَةٌ وَأوسَطَهُ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَآخِرهُ عَتِقٌ مِنَ النَّارِ
The first part of Ramadan is a mercy. Its middle is forgiveness and its end is freedom from Hell.
Is it weak or authentic?
Answer: It’s narrated on Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from Sallam ibn Sulayman ibn Sowar. Sallam is weak in his narration.This has hadeeth has narrator in its chain who was accused of lying. This is mentioned in Meezan al-Itteedal and Ad-Dhua’fa by ‘Uqaylee. The one accused of lying is Muslimah ibn As-Sallt. Abu Hatim said” He’s Matruk-Abandoned.”The complete chain for this hadeeth is found in ‘Uqaylee’s book Ad-Dhua’fa # 671.
8. Question: Is there any blame on the person who doesn’t pray Taraweeh in congregation?
Answer: Taraweeh is a sunnah not an obligation. This prayer has become one of the religious practices which distinguish the people of Sunnah from the Shi’ite. And based on this to practice it in congregation is better. I advise Muslims to pray Taraweeh in congregation based on the Prophet’s statements, ‘ The man’s prayer in congregation is twenty seven times better than his praying alone.” And ”Whoever prays with the imam in congregation until he finishes will be recorded that he prayed the entire night.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed Taraweeh in congregation, but stopped out of fear that it would be made a duty for his nation. Revelation has stopped and we don’t have to worry about this prayer being made a duty on us. The pious predecessors such as Umar ibn Khataab (may Allah be pleased with him) used to offer this prayer in congregation with the Imam.
The majority of the scholars view that it is better to pray Taraweeh in congregation than alone. Now as for the hadeeth narrated on Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,”
فَإِنَّ أَفْضَلَ صَلاَةِ الْمَرْءِ فِى بَيْتِهِ ، إِلاَّ الصَّلاَةَ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ
“The best prayer a person can offer is in his house, except the obligatory prayer.” Bukhari # 7290
is explained by the hadeeth collected by Imam Muslim in his Saheeh # 1858 on the authority of Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him). This hadeeth states the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,”
إِذَا قَضَى أَحَدُكُمُ الصَّلاَةَ فِى مَسْجِدِهِ فَلْيَجْعَلْ لِبَيْتِهِ نَصِيبًا مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ جَاعِلٌ فِى بَيْتِهِ مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ خَيْرً
When any one of you observes prayer in the mosque he should reserve a part of his prayer for his house, for Allah would make the prayer as a means of betterment in his house.”
This hadeeth from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) shows that the sunnah prayer other than Taraweeh is done in the house. Taraweeh in congregation is superior to praying it alone. This is our position and all praises belong to Allah.
8 Question: If a person while fasting misses one of the obligatory prayers does this invalidate his fast?
Answer: If he intentional misses a prayer then yes. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘said”
مَنْ تَرَكَ صَلاَةَ الْعَصْرِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُ
“Whoever willfully abandons the Asr prayer has invalidated his deeds” Bukhari #553
And in another hadeeth he said, “
مَنْ فَاتَتْهُ صَلاةُ الْعَصْرِ فَكَأَنَّمَا وُتِرَ أَهْلَهُ وَمَالَهُ
“Whoever misses the Asr prayer shares the resemblance to a person who has lost his family and wealth.”
The distinction between the two texts is clear. One says abandons which means deliberately. Any person who willfully loses a prayer for reasons other than sleep or forgetfulness needs to repent to Allah. The prayer that he didn’t offer nullifies his Islam, Fast and Hajj.
After he repents does he have to perform Hajj again? The answer is no. His first pilgrimage is acceptable as long as he dies a Muslim. Apostasy doesn’t invalidate a person’s deeds unless he dies a disbeliever. Allah says,
وَمَنْ يَرْتَدِدْ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
And whosoever of you turns back from his religion and dies as a disbeliever, then his deeds will be lost in this life and in the Hereafter, and they will be the dwellers of the Fire. They will abide therein forever.” (Al-Baqarah 217)
The deeds a person does before he apostates are acceptable and not rendered void, but he must die as a Muslim to have them acknowledged.
9 Question: Does Toothpaste break the fast? And what about the squirt bottle that the barber uses does this break the fast. Also if person swallows the saliva of someone else does this break the fast, and last but not least the remaining food in the teeth if swallowed does it break the fast?
Answer: Toothpaste is like siwak. It doesn’t break the fast. The squirt bottle that the barber uses doesn’t break the fast as well. Now swallowing someone’s saliva other than your own breaks the fast. Even if you ate wood or dirt then this is considered something that would invalidate the fast. Some pregnant women eat clay which is harmful for their body. There is no authentic hadeeth that supports a prohibition for eating it, but it must be avoided as it is proven to cause harm; as mentioned in Nayl Al-Awtar by Imam Ash-shawkani (may Allah have mercy upon him).
If a person swallows someone else’s saliva then it breaks his fast. The hadeeth about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) tongue kissing ‘Âisha (may Allah be pleased with her) is unauthentic. And tongue kissing passes saliva. There is nothing authentic which shows that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) tongue kissed.
The majority of scholars view that if food remaining in the mouth such as meat, bread or anything similar is swallowed then the fast would be broken. This is considered food. And if it is something small which is mixed with saliva, then rinse out your and this won’t affect the fast.
Translated by Abu Aaliyah Abdullah Ibn Dwight Lamont Battle
Doha, Qatar © 20/8/1429
Taken from the book “ Ithafaul Karaam bee Ajwabutu Ahkam zakah Hajj wa siyam “ By shaykh Yahya (may Allah preserve him) printed by Darul Al-emam Ahmad 2006
*If you read this and benefitted make dua for me. Barakallah feek
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