Category: Q n A

`Umar said, O Allah! Grant me martyrdom in Your cause, and let my death be in the city of Your
Apostle.”

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) mentioned Ramadan and said, “Do not fast unless you see the crescent (of Ramadan),
and do not give up fasting till you see the crescent (of Shawwal), but if the sky is overcast (if you
cannot see it), then act on estimation (i.e. count Sha’ban as 30 days).

A bedouin with unkempt hair came to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! Inform me what
Allah has made compulsory for me as regards the prayers.” He replied: “You have to offer perfectly
the five compulsory prayers in a day and night (24 hours), unless you want to pray Nawafil.” The
bedouin further asked, “Inform me what Allah has made compulsory for me as regards fasting.” He
replied, “You have to fast during the whole month of Ramadan, unless you want to fast more as
Nawafil.” The bedouin further asked, “Tell me how much Zakat Allah has enjoined on me.” Thus,
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) informed him about all the rules (i.e. fundamentals) of Islam. The bedouin then said,
“By Him Who has honored you, I will neither perform any Nawafil nor will I decrease what Allah has
enjoined on me. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “If he is saying the truth, he will succeed (or he will be granted
Paradise).

The Prophet (ﷺ) observed the fast on the 10th of Muharram (‘Ashura), and ordered (Muslims) to fast on
that day, but when the fasting of the month of Ramadan was prescribed, the fasting of the ‘Ashura’ was
abandoned. `Abdullah did not use to fast on that day unless it coincided with his routine fasting by
chance.

(The tribe of) Quraish used to fast on the day of Ashura’ in the Pre-Islamic period, and then Allah’s
Apostle ordered (Muslims) to fast on it till the fasting in the month of Ramadan was prescribed;
whereupon the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “He who wants to fast (on ‘Ashura’) may fast, and he who does not want
to fast may not fast.”

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Fasting is a shield (or a screen or a shelter). So, the person observing fasting
should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if
somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell him twice, ‘I am fasting.” The Prophet (ﷺ) added,
“By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is
better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. (Allah says about the fasting person), ‘He has left
his food, drink and desires for My sake. The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person) for it
and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times.”

`Umar asked the people, “Who remembers the narration of the Prophet (ﷺ) about the affliction?” Hudhaifa
said, “I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, ‘The affliction of a person in his property, family and neighbors is
expiated by his prayers, fasting, and giving in charity.” `Umar said, “I do not ask about that, but I ask
about those afflictions which will spread like the waves of the sea.” Hudhaifa replied, “There is a
closed gate in front of those afflictions.” `Umar asked, “Will that gate be opened or broken?” He
replied, “It will be broken.” `Umar said, “Then the gate will not be closed again till the Day of
Resurrection.” We said to Masruq, “Would you ask Hudhaifa whether `Umar knew what that gate
symbolized?” He asked him and he replied “He (`Umar) knew it as one knows that there will be night
before tomorrow, morning.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “There is a gate in Paradise called Ar-Raiyan, and those who observe fasts will enter
through it on the Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it. It will be said,
‘Where are those who used to observe fasts?’ They will get up, and none except them will enter
through it. After their entry the gate will be closed and nobody will enter through it.”

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Whoever gives two kinds (of things or property) in charity for Allah’s Cause,
will be called from the gates of Paradise and will be addressed, ‘O slaves of Allah! Here is prosperity.’
So, whoever was amongst the people who used to offer their prayers, will be called from the gate of
the prayer; and whoever was amongst the people who used to participate in Jihad, will be called from
the gate of Jihad; and whoever was amongst those who used to observe fasts, will be called from the
gate of Ar-Raiyan; whoever was amongst those who used to give in charity, will be called from the
gate of charity.” Abu Bakr said, “Let my parents be sacrificed for you, O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! No distress
or need will befall him who will be called from those gates. Will there be any one who will be called
from all these gates?” The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, “Yes, and I hope you will be one of them.”

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened.”