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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 on swimming while fasting?

Swimming while fasting is disliked (makruh) due to the risk of water entering the body cavity (jauf) through the nose, ears, or mouth, which would break the fast.
Ramadan is a month of tasbeeh (glorifying Allah), not Sibaha (swimming).

What is the ruling on a second congregation [being formed] in the mosque?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is disliked to deliberately seek to establish a second congregation in a mosque that is not one frequented by transient passersby — such as a neighborhood mosque with a regular, appointed imam — unless permission is granted by that imam, since doing so implies criticism and an affront to him. However, if the mosque is one frequented by transient passersby — such as mosques located in marketplaces — then a second or even third congregation is permissible there, whether or not it has a regular, appointed imam, and whether or not that imam gives his permission. This is because such mosques experience a continuous flow of people coming and going, so no implication of criticism toward the imam is perceived in the formation of multiple congregations in that setting. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

There are olive trees within the precincts of the mosque, and my father covers the costs of electricity, water, and other needs of the mosque. Is it permissible for him to take the olive harvest?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
If trees and fruit-bearing crops are planted in a mosque for the mosque itself, they may only be spent on the mosque’s interests. If they were planted for the public way (musabbalah), that is, for the general public, then any Muslim who enters the mosque may eat from them. If the planter’s intention is unknown, they are treated like those dedicated for public use, wherever custom has so run.
It is stated in Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj (Vol.6/p.295): “The fruit of a tree planted for the mosque within it is not freely permitted without compensation. Rather, the imam spends its equivalent value on the mosque’s interests. The tree left its planter’s ownership here without any verbal declaration because of the evident indication. The case of planting it for the mosque excludes planting it as musabbalah, in which case eating from it without compensation is permissible, and likewise if his intention is unknown, where custom has so run. The tree may be uprooted from the mosque if the imam sees fit. Indeed, if he makes the plot a mosque while a tree stands in it, the imam may uproot it, even if the endower included it within the endowment (waqf).”
The father is a donor (mutabarriʿ), so he is not entitled to take anything in return for his donation to the mosque.
The Ministry of Awqāf is the body that supervises the affairs of endowments, so it must be consulted and the Sharīʿah and administrative instructions regulating such matters must be considered. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on making up the regular pre-Dhuhr *sunnah* (*al-sunnah al-rātibah al-qabliyyah*) for one who missed it in the Dhuhr prayer?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Every timed supererogatory prayer (nāfilah) is recommended (mandūb) to be made up if its time passes. As for a nāfilah that precedes the obligatory prayer, performing it before the farḍ is a matter of proper etiquette (adab); if it is prayed after the farḍ, it is still considered adāʾ (performed within its time). If the time of the farḍ has ended, it is recommended to make up (qaḍāʾ) the nāfilah for one who did not pray it.
Whoever misses the sunnah before Dhuhr, whether with an excuse or without one, it is recommended for him to pray it after the obligatory Dhuhr prayer, within the time of Dhuhr, even at its end, and it counts as adāʾ, not qaḍāʾ. It is also recommended for one who missed the pre-Dhuhr sunnah to pray it before the post-Dhuhr sunnah, in observance of the proper order. It is stated in ʿUmdat al-Sālik wa ʿUddat al-Nāsik (Vol.1/p.60): "What precedes the obligatory prayer has the same time as the obligatory prayer, and performing it before the farḍ is a matter of etiquette; after it, it is adāʾ. What follows the farḍ has its time begin with the performance of the farḍ and end with the end of its time."
If the time of Dhuhr has ended, it is recommended for him to pray both the pre- and post-Dhuhr sunnahs, and they count as qaḍāʾ for both. It is stated in ʿUmdat al-Sālik (1/61): "Every timed nafl, such as the ʿĪd prayer, Duha, Witr, and the regular rawātib of the obligatory prayers, if it is missed, it is recommended to make it up forever." And Allah Almighty knows best.

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