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The Family and Ramadan
Author : Dr. Ahmad Al-Harasees
Date Added : 26-04-2021

The Family and Ramadan

 

 

Allah The Almighty Says (What means): "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,-" [Al-Baqara/183]. One of the greatest blessings that Allah bestows on a Muslim is the ability to reach Ramadan, endure fasting and perform Qiyyam (Taraweeh prayer). Ramadan is the month of mercy, forgiveness and freeing from Fire. During this blessed month, the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained to help the believers exert maximum effort in offering acts of obedience to Allah. Therefore, a Muslim should strive to make the most of this month and the goodness it brings.

Ramadan is the perfect time for the family to come together for Iftar and Suhur. It is like a training course that teaches a lot of positive morals and etiquettes.

Attaining Taqwa (Piety) is one of the major priorities in this month and it is reflected through celebrating the values of tolerance, mercy and kindness. We hope that this year we will be able to enhance these positive aspects and by doing so turn theory into practice.

A major point in this regard is setting up a schedule for our household members in terms of religious duties, such as dedicating a certain time for reciting Quran, reading a certain book about the righteous predecessors, remembering Allah or offering night prayers to enhance team work. 

A major societal issue during Ramadan is extravagance. It is true that a Muslim has the right to enjoy the blessings of Allah, but some make different types of foods most of which go to the garbage can. Thus, we should preserve the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon us so that He the Almighty gives us more and more.

Moreover, it isn`t permissible to overburden the wife with preparing food and cleaning up since Ramadan is an opportunity for cooperation among family members following the example of the most honorable among all creation, Prophet Mohammad (Peace and blessings be upon him). Our beloved Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) used to keep himself busy helping members of his family, stitched his clothes and mended his sandals.

 

In addition, special care should be given to the children during this blessed month in terms of raising them up well, bringing them up properly and urging them to do all kinds of goodness and getting used to that. Our honored Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) taught that parents should train their children on performing acts of obedience, such as performing prayer, where he (PBUH) said: "Command your children to perform Salat (prayer) when they are seven years old." Moreover, it was reported that the wives of the companions used to teach their children to fast and spend time beneficially. This actually falls under educating them, however, it should be done gently because they aren`t of responsible age to perform religious duties in the first place.

 

Another milestone of this blessed month is to pray Qiyyam (Taraweeh prayer). The Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings be upon him) used to urge (the people) to perform (optional Taraweeh) prayer at night during the month of Ramadan. He did not order them or make it obligatory on them. He (Peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whosoever performs (optional Taraweeh) prayers at night during the month of Ramadan, with Faith and in the hope of receiving Allah's reward, will have his past sins forgiven." [Agreed upon]. 

This is an opportunity to take one`s children to the mosque and to encourage them to perform this prayer and learn the etiquettes of the mosque.

In conclusion, Ramadan is an excellent opportunity to improve morality, come closer to Allah, enhance ties of kinship, enhance solidarity and mercy, and celebrate tolerance. 

 

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on someone who wakes up in a state of janābah (major ritual impurity) near the very end of the prayer's designated time, during cold weather — should he heat water in order to perform ghusl, even though the prayer's time will expire as a result, or should he perform tayammum instead?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
If the water is cold, and cannot be used due to fear of harm that is not ordinarily tolerable, or that would result in illness, then in this case it becomes obligatory to heat the water — even if heating it causes the time for Fajr to expire — and no sin is incurred in doing so, due to his valid excuse. He may not resort to tayammum (dry ablution) instead, since water remains available [and merely needs to be heated].
Imam Shihāb ad-Dīn Aḥmad ar-Ramlī (raḥimahullāh) said: "He was asked regarding a person who, if he were to use cold water, would experience harm that permits tayammum, and who has access to something with which he could heat the water — but if he heats it, the prayer's time will expire. Is it obligatory for him to heat it even if the time expires, or should he pray with tayammum within the prescribed time? He answered that it is obligatory for him to heat the water, even if the time for that particular obligatory prayer expires." [Fatāwā ar-Ramlī, Vol.1/P.98]
Imam al-Bājūrī (raḥimahullāh) said in his Ḥāshiyah on Sharḥ Ibn Qāsim (Vol.1/P.173): "And if he fears [harm] from using cold water, and is currently unable to heat it, but knows of a place where firewood is available, such that if he were to go there he would not return until after the prescribed time has expired — what appears [to be the correct position] is that it is obligatory for him to go and seek the firewood, even if the time expires as a result, as this is the position ultimately settled upon by ar-Ramlī, and as related from him by Ibn Qāsim." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling on reciting aloud (*jahr*) in a silent (*sirriyyah*) prayer?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Reciting aloud (jahr) in the Fajr prayer, in the first two rakʿahs of Maghrib and ʿIshāʾ, and reciting silently (isrār) in the Dhuhr and ʿAṣr prayers is a sunnah. If the worshipper recites aloud where silence is prescribed, or the reverse, his prayer is valid, although it is better to follow the sunnah, in imitation of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “In every prayer there is recitation. What the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) let us hear, we let you hear, and what he concealed from us, we conceal from you. If you add nothing to Umm al-Qurʾān (al-Fātiḥah), it suffices, and if you add to it, it is better.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī.
Shaykh al-Islām Imam al-Nawawī (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Majmūʿ (Vol.3/389): “The sunnah is to recite aloud in the two rakʿahs of Ṣubḥ (Fajr), Maghrib, and ʿIshāʾ, and in the Friday prayer, and to recite silently in Dhuhr, ʿAṣr, the third rakʿah of Maghrib, and the third and fourth of ʿIshāʾ. All of this is by the consensus of the Muslims, together with the mutually reinforcing authentic ḥadīths on the matter. This is the ruling for the imam. As for the individual worshipper (munfarid), it is sunnah for him to recite aloud according to us and according to the majority… If he recites aloud where silence is prescribed, or the reverse, his prayer is not invalidated, nor is there a prostration of forgetfulness (sujūd al-sahw) for it, but he has committed something disliked (makrūh).” And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on performing the Duha (forenoon) prayer before its time has begun, because I go to school early in the morning?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The Duha (forenoon) prayer is not valid if performed before its time has begun. Its time starts when the sun has risen to a noticeable height, that is, approximately fifteen minutes after sunrise, and it ends when the sun reaches its zenith (zawāl), shortly before the Dhuhr (noon) prayer. It is stated in Mughni al-Muhtaj (Vol.1/p.455): “Its time is from the rising of the sun [to a spear’s height] until the zenith.”
Accordingly, the Duha prayer is not valid if offered before the sun has risen, and its time remains open until just before Dhuhr. It may be performed at any time at school, during the break between classes or during recess. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on the prayer of one who said "Subḥāna Rabbiya al-ʿAẓīm" in prostration (*sujūd*) and forgot to correct it?

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Saying “Subḥāna Rabbiya al-ʿAẓīm” in bowing (rukūʿ) and “Subḥāna Rabbiya al-Aʿlā” in prostration (sujūd) is one of the hayʾāt (non-essential sunnahs) of the prayer. Whoever omits it, whether deliberately or by forgetfulness, or replaces it with another remembrance (dhikr), his prayer is valid and he does not perform sujūd al-sahw. Shaykh al-Islām Imam al-Nawawī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Our school holds that one does not prostrate for omitting the audible or silent recitation, the tasbīḥ, and the rest of the hayʾāt.” [al-Majmūʿ, Vol.4/p.127]
If he performs sujūd al-sahw for something that does not call for it, his prayer is invalidated, because he introduced a prostration of forgetfulness without a cause, and he must repeat the prayer. The exception is one who did so out of forgetfulness or ignorance, whether because he recently entered Islam or because he lives far from scholars; he is excused and his prayer is not invalidated.
It is stated in Mughni al-Muḥtāj (Vol.1/p.417): “It is stated in al-Anwār: If he does something that does not call for sujūd al-sahw, thinking that it does, and then prostrates, his prayer is not invalidated if he is ignorant because he recently entered Islam or because he is far from scholars.”
Since this issue is hidden from the laity, as it is among the subtleties of knowledge, and the laity are excused for ignorance of whatever is of such a nature, and their act of obedience is not invalidated because of it, it may be said that the prayer of one who has not acquired knowledge of the issue is not invalidated. As for after knowing it, the prayer is invalidated.
Whoever realizes while still in the prayer that his prostration was out of place, it is sunnah for him to perform sujūd al-sahw. And Allah Almighty knows best.

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