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Ramadan is the Month of Patience
Author : Mufti Anas Khasasbeh
Date Added : 30-08-2023

Ramadan is the Month of Patience

 

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah say: "The month of patience (Ramadan) and three days of each month is fasting for a lifetime." (Transmitted by Ahmad).

The Prophet, peace be upon him, described Ramadan as the month of patience because it encompasses various forms of patience:

Patience in obeying Allah, patience in abstaining from what Allah has prohibited, and patience in enduring the painful decrees of Allah. Fasting in this month involves patience in obeying Allah through acts of worship such as prayer, remembrance, recitation of the Quran, and other forms of obedience. It also entails patience in refraining from the prohibited desires. Additionally, there is patience in enduring the hardships of hunger, thirst, weakness of the self and body that the fasting person experiences during Ramadan. The fasting person is rewarded for such patience.

Since fasting is the crucible, workshop, origin, and source of patience, we can understand what is confirmed in the authentic Hadith collections and others when the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting, for it is for Me and I shall reward for it. He gives up his desires and his food for My sake... There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts: joy when he breaks his fast, and joy when he meets his Lord. The smell that comes from the mouth of a fasting person is better with Allah than the scent of musk." This narration emphasizes the reward of fasting because fasting embodies the essence of the worship of patience. Allah the Almighty has also mentioned the reward of the patient in the Quran where He says {What means}: "those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure!"  (Az-Zumar, 10).

Indeed, fasting is exempt from the multiplication by a known measure that applies to other deeds. All deeds are multiplied by ten to seven hundred times their value, except for fasting. Its reward is not limited to this specific number; rather, Allah, the Almighty, multiplies its reward with numerous increments beyond enumeration.

 Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "One of the best forms of patience is fasting. This is because it encompasses patience in the three types: patience in obeying Allah, patience in refraining from disobeying Allah, as the servant abandons their desires for the sake of Allah, even though their soul might urge them towards those desires." [Jāmi' al-ʿUlūm wal-Ḥikam Vol. 2, Page 649].

It can be deduced from the profound wisdom of the act of fasting that this great religion came to instill in human beings the strength of will, sincere determination, steadfastness in adversity, and patience in the face of hardships. A person who can endure abstaining from the necessities of food and drink, which are essential for their survival and well-being, throughout the daylight hours of a whole month every year, is certainly capable of controlling their desires and curbing unnecessary cravings. This reflects their mastery over their own impulses and inclinations, which go beyond their basic needs.

Indeed, Ramadan becomes a catalyst for raising one's aspirations and elevating one's soul. How many are there who stand in devotion reciting the verses of Allah? How many are there who generously give from their wealth? How many are there whose tongues remain moist with the remembrance of Allah? And how many are there who spend hours assisting widows and orphans?

Let us approach this blessed month with sincere intention and strong determination, seizing the divine blessings within it. Just as Ramadan is like a rainfall, it requires a fertile ground to receive it. When the rain combines with good soil, good crops grow by the permission of Allah. May Allah make fasting easy for us and include us among those who fulfill this obligation in a manner that pleases Him. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all worlds.

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

How to perform the witr prayer in terms of connection (wasl) and separation (fasl)?

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The Witr prayer has several forms that vary in terms of virtue:
 
The First Form: Separating every two units (rak‘ah) with a Tashahhud and a Taslim (salutation). This is superior to connecting the units, even if it is only a single rak‘ah. This is based on the Hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray eleven units between the end of the ‘Isha prayer and dawn, performing the Taslim after every two units and performing Witr with a single unit.' (Related by al-Bukhari & Muslim).
 
The Second Form: Connecting the units with only one final Tashahhud at the very end.
 
The Third Form: Connecting with two Tashahhuds—meaning reciting the Tashahhud before the final unit without performing the Taslim, then standing to complete the final unit. This form is considered the lowest in rank so that the Witr prayer remains distinct from the obligatory Maghrib prayer, as stated in the Hadith: 'Do not make the Witr resemble the Maghrib prayer.' (Narrated by Al-Daraqutni, who stated its narrators are trustworthy).
 
It is stated in Bushra al-Karim Sharh al-Muqaddimah al-Hadramiyyah: 'It is permissible to connect [the Witr] with one Tashahhud in the final unit—which is better—or with two Tashahhuds in the last two units, as both methods are established in Sahih Muslim from the actions of the Prophet ﷺ. In the connected method, more than two Tashahhuds are prohibited. Furthermore, separating (al-Fasl) is better than connecting (al-Wasl) if the number of units is the same, because the Hadiths supporting it are more numerous and it involves more devotional actions.' And Allah the Exalted knows best."

What is the ruling on the prayer of the individual following the imam whose prayer is broadcasted via television?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Among the conditions for the validity of following an Imam (Sihhat al-Iqtida’) is that the Imam and the follower (Ma’mum) must be in the same location. Therefore, the prayer of one who follows an Imam whose prayer is being broadcast via television from a distant location is not valid. However, if the follower is with the Imam in the same mosque, the prayer is valid. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

If someone fasts on the White Days with the intention of making up for missed fasts (qada), will they receive the reward for both voluntary and obligatory fasting?

Making up missed obligatory fasts (qada) is mandatory, and the intention for qada must be specified.
If a person makes up their missed Ramadan fasts on the White Days, they must intend qada, but they may also intend to fast the White Days, and Allah willing, they will receive the reward for both.
This is similar to entering a mosque and praying an obligatory prayer, where the person also earns the reward of Tahiyyat al-Masjid (greeting the mosque) if they intend both.
● If the person missed their fasts due to a valid excuse, they may wait and fast on the White Days.
● However, if they missed the fasts without a valid excuse, they must make up the fasts immediately and should not delay them until the White Days.

What is the ruling on performing the Istikhara prayer after the Witr paryer?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The Istikhara prayer (Prayer for seeking guidance) is a Sunnah. It consists of two units (rak’ahs) performed outside of the obligatory prayers, after which the person supplicates with the traditionally narrated du’a. It is permissible to perform it before or after the Witr prayer, as the Istikhara prayer is recommended at all times except during the disliked times—the periods in which prayer is prohibited. This is because its specific reason (the Istikhara and supplication) occurs after the prayer itself, and any prayer with a subsequent reason is not permitted during the prohibited times. It should be noted that the two rak’ahs of Istikhara are not fulfilled by performing only one rak’ah, nor by a prostration of recitation (Sajdat al-Tilawah), nor by a funeral prayer (Janazah). And Allah the Exalted knows best.

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