Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr: "Allah's Apostle was informed that I had taken an oath to fast daily and to pray (every night) all the night throughout my life (so Allah's Apostle came to me and asked whether it was correct): I replied, "Let my parents be sacrificed for you! I said so." The Prophet said, "You can not do that. So, fast for few days and give it up for few days, r ray and sleep. Fast three days a month as the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times and that will be equal to one year of fasting." I replied, "I can do better than that." The Prophet said to me, "Fast one day and give up fasting for a day and that is the fasting of Prophet David and that is the best fasting." I said, "I have the power to fast better (more) than that." The Prophet said, "There is no better fasting than that." (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 197)"
Narrated Umm Salamah, Ummul Mu'minin: "Hunaydah al-Khuza'i reported on the authority of her mother who said: I entered upon Umm Salamah and asked her about fasting. She said: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to command me to fast three days every month beginning with Monday or Thursday. (Translation of Sahih Muslim, Book 13, Number 2446)"
Alhamdulillah, I fast 3 days a month as per these narrations between Monday to Thursday, but can anyone share any narrations (if there any),on what reward is on offer besides that mention in the first Hadith.
I ask because there is that one door of 7 that will call those people who fasted, I take it this includes voluntary fasts too.
Question: Who will enter the door of ar rayan. Would those who fast in ramadhan enter it?
Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I pray that you are well, insha'Allah.
Yes, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) informed us that those who fasted shall enter Paradise through the door of Rayyan.
Sahl ibn Sa'd reported that the Prophet, (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "There is a gate in the Garden called ar-Rayyan which those who fast will enter on the Day of Rising, and none but they will enter it." It will be said, 'Where are the fasters?' They will stand up and none but they will enter it. When they have entered it, it will be closed and no one else will enter it." [Agreed upon]
And Allah alone gives success.
Those who used to fast will be called from the gate of al-Rayyaan
My husband tells me about the "Gate of Ridwan" of which is opened only during the month of Ramadan. I am told that when this gate is opened, wealth is poured from Allah (SW) through this gate. Can you confirm/clarify this statement and offer guidance for more understanding?
Praise be to Allaah. �
Firstly:�
Allaah has enjoined upon the Muslims fasting the month of Ramadaan, and He has promised a great reward to those who fast. Because the virtue of fasting is so great, Allaah has not specified the reward for it, rather He said - in a hadeeth qudsi - "... except for fasting, for it is for Me, and I shall reward for it."�
The virtues of the month of Ramadaan are many. For example, that which Allaah has promised those who fast, namely the gate of al-Rayyaan. This is the name which was narrated in the hadeeth whose authenticity is agreed upon. Sahl (may Allaah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "In Paradise there is a gate called al-Rayyaan, through which those who used to fast will enter on the Day of Resurrection, and no one but they will enter it. It will be said, 'Where are those who fasted?' They will get up, and none will enter it but them. When they have entered, it will be locked, and no one else will enter." (al-Bukhaari, 1763; Muslim, 1947).�
Among the ahaadeeth which explain the reward for fasting are the following:�
It was narrated from Abu Salamah that Abu Hurayrah said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 'Whoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.'" (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Eemaan, 37).�
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 'Allaah says: "Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except for fasting; it is for Me and I shall reward for it." Fasting is a shield and when one of you is fasting he avoid sexual relations with his wife and quarreling. If somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.' By the One in Whose hand is my soul, the unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allaah than the smell of musk. The fasting person will have two moments of joy: one when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.'"
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1771)�
Secondly:�
It is known that Paradise has many gates, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):�
"'Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens), which they shall enter and (also) those who acted righteously from among their fathers, and their wives, and their offspring. And angels shall enter unto them from every gate"
[al-Ra'd 13:23]�
"And those who kept their duty to their Lord (Al-Muttaqoon - the pious) will be led to Paradise in groups till when they reach it, and its gates will be opened (before their arrival for their reception) and its keepers will say: Salaamun 'Alaykum (peace be upon you)! You have done well, so enter here to abide therein"
[al-Zumar 39:73]�
In the saheeh ahaadeeth it says that there are eight gates:�
It was narrated from Sahl ibn Sa'd (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "In Paradise there are eight gates, among which is a gate called al-Rayyaan, which none will enter but those who fast." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3017).�
It was narrated from 'Ubaadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever bears witness that there is no god but Allaah alone, with no partner or associate, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, and that 'Eesa is the slave of Allaah and His Messenger, and a word which Allaah bestowed on Maryam and a spirit created by Him (cf. al-Nisa' 4:171), and that Paradise is true and Hell is true, will have the right to be admitted by Allaah to Paradise through whichever of the eight gates he wishes, because of his good deeds." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3180; Muslim, 41)�����������������
One of the bounties that Allaah has bestowed upon this ummah is that He opens all the gates of Paradise during the month of Ramadaan, not just one gate. Whoever says that there is a gate in Paradise called Baab al-Radwaan has to produce evidence for that.�
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When Ramadaan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up."�
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3035; Muslim 1793)�
We ask Allaah to make us among those who will enter Paradise. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
What is the ruling on fasting six days of Shawwaal? Is it waajib (obligatory)?
Praise be to Allaah.
Fasting six days of Shawwaal after the obligatory fast of Ramadaan is Sunnah Mustahabbah, not waajib. It is recommended for the Muslim to fast six days of Shawwaal, and in this there is great virtue and an immense reward. Whoever fasts these six days will have recorded for him a reward as if he had fasted a whole year, as was reported in a saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Abu Ayyoob (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever fasts Ramadaan and follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime." (Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa'i and Ibn Maajah).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained this when he said: "Whoever fasts for six days after (Eid) al-Fitr has completed the year: (whoever does a good deed (hasanah) will have ten hasanah like it)." According to another report: "Allaah has made for each hasanah ten like it, so a month is like fasting ten months, and fasting six days completes the year." (al-Nisaa'i and Ibn Maajah. See also Saheeh al-Targheeb wa'l-Tarheeb, 1/421). It was also narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah with the wording: "Fasting for the month of Ramadaan brings the reward of ten like it, and fasting for six days brings the reward of two months, and that is the fasting of the whole year."
The Hanbali and Shaafa'i fuqaha' explained that fasting six days of Shawwaal after fasting Ramadaan makes it as if one has fasted for an entire year of obligatory fasts, because the multiplication of the reward applies even to naafil fasts, because each hasanah brings the reward of ten like it.
Another of the important benefits of fasting six days of Shawwaal is that is makes up for any shortfall in a person's obligatory Ramadaan fasts, because no one is free of shortcomings or sins that have a negative effect on his fasting. On the Day of Resurrection, some of his naafil deeds will be taken to make up the shortcomings in his obligatory deeds, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The first thing for which people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be their salaah (prayer). Our Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, will say to His angels - although He knows best - 'Look at the salaah of My slave, whether it is complete or incomplete.' If it is perfect, it will be recorded as perfect, and if something is lacking, He will say, 'Look and see whether My slave did any voluntary (naafil) prayers.' If he did some voluntary prayers, [Allaah] will say, Complete the obligatory actions of My slave from his voluntary actions.' Then all his actions will be dealt with in a similar manner." (Narrated by Abu Dawood).
Days on which it is prescribed to observe naafil (supererogatory) fasts
I would like to learn the exact time for iftar and sahur, how many days in month one should fast, exactly which day of the week it supposed to be as well.Please provide me with as much as you can details about that.
Praise be to Allaah. �
By His Wisdom, Allaah has prescribed that His slaves should voluntarily seek to draw closer to Him, after performing the obligatory acts of worship, by doing more of the same kinds of acts of worship, and He has assigned to that great rewards, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that his Lord said: "My slave does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My slave continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I will love him, When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, he seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it." (al-Bukhaari, 6502).�
Naafil fasts fall into two main categories:�
1 - General voluntary fasts (i.e., not restricted to any particular time or circumstances). The Muslim may observe a voluntary fast on any day of the year that he wishes, except those which are known to be forbidden, such as the two Eid days, on which fasting is haraam, and Ayaam al-Tashreeq (the three days following Eid al-Adha), on which fasting is haraam except on Hajj for those who do not have a hadiy (animal for sacrifice). Also excluded is deliberately singling out Friday for fasting, because it was reported that this is not allowed. One of the best forms of voluntary fasting is to fast alternate days for those who are able to do that, as it says in the hadeeth: "The most beloved prayer to Allaah is the prayer of Dawood (peace be upon him), and the most beloved fasting to Allaah is the fasting of Dawood. He used to sleep half the night, stand in prayer for one-third of the night, and sleep for one-sixth, and he used to fast alternate days." (al-Bukhaari, 1131; Muslim, 1159). In order for this kind of fasting to be regarded as virtuous, it should not weaken a person and make him unable to do his primary duties, as it says in the hadeeth: "he used to fast alternate days, and he never ran away from battle (because he used to break his fast at times of jihad)." (al-Bukhaari, 1977; Muslim, 1159)�
2 - Specific voluntary fasts. These are superior to general voluntary fasts, and are of two types:�
The first type is fasts which are specific to a type of person, such as young men who cannot get married, as mentioned in the hadeeth of 'Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him): "We were young men with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and we did not have anything (i.e., we could not afford to get married). The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to us, 'O young men, whoever among you can afford to get married, then let him do so, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding chastity. And whoever is not able to do that, then let him fast, for that will be a shield for him.'" (al-Bukhaari, 5066; Muslim, 1400).�
This kind of fasting is more emphasized so long as a person is single, and this prescription is more emphatic the more provocation there is. There is no mention of any specific number of days in this case.�
The second type is fasts prescribed at specific times, which vary, with some being weekly, some monthly and some annual. The weekly fasts are on Monday and Thursday, on which days fasting is mustahabb. It was narrated that 'Aa'ishah said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was keen to fast on Mondays and Thursdays." (al-Nasaa'i, 2320; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami' al-Sagheer, 4827). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, and he said: "Those are two days on which people's deeds are shown to the Lord of the Worlds, and I want my deeds to be shown to Him when I am fasting." (al-Nasaa'i, 2358; Ibn Maajah, 1740; Ahmad, 8161; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami', 1583). He was asked about fasting on Mondays and he said, "On that day I was born and on that day revelation came to me." (Muslim, 1162).�
With regard to the monthly fasts, it is mustahabb to fast on three days of each month. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "My close friend [i.e., the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] advised me to do three things which I will never give up until I die: fasting three days each month, praying Duha, and sleeping after praying Witr." (al-Bukhaari, 1178; Muslim, 721). It is mustahabb to observe this fast in the middle of the hijri month, on the days called Ayaam al-Beed. It was narrated that Abu Dharr said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to me, 'If you fast any part of the month then fast on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth.'" (al-Nasaa'i, 2424; Ibn Maajah, 1707; Ahmad, 210; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami' al-Sagheer, 673).�
Annual fasts are observed on specific days, or during periods when it is Sunnah to fast.�
The specific days include the following:�
1-���� The day of 'Aashoora' which is the tenth of Muharram. It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) was asked about fasting on the day of 'Aashoora'. He said, "I do not know of any day on the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted that was better than this day and any month that was better than this month, meaning Ramadaan." (al-Bukhaari, 2006; Muslim, 1132). It is Sunnah to fast the day before or the day after along with 'Aashoora', in order to be different from the Jews.
2-���� The day of 'Arafaah, which is the ninth day of Dhu'l-Hijjah. It is mustahabb only for those who are not standing in 'Arafaah itself, as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning the virtue of the three fasts mentioned above: "The observance of three days' fast every month and that of Ramadan every year is equivalent to fasting for the entire year. I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of 'Arafaah may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming years, and I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of 'Aashoora' may atone for the sins of the preceding year." (Muslim, 1162).�
The periods during which it is Sunnah to fast include the following:�
1-���� The month of Shawwaal. It is Sunnah to fast six days of Shawwaal, because the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever fasts Ramadaan then fasts six days of Shawwaal, it is as if he fasted for a lifetime." (Muslim, 1164). See also Question no. 7859.
2-���� The month of Muharraam: it is Sunnah to fast whatever one can of this month, because of the hadeeth: "The best of fasting after Ramadaan is the month of Allaah Muharram, and the best of prayer after the obligatory prayers is prayer at night (qiyaam al-layl)." (Muslim, 1163).
3-���� The month of Sha'baan, as it was narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast until we thought that he would never break his fast, and he would not fast until we thought that he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fast an entire month apart from Ramadaan, and the month in which I saw him fast the most was Sha'baan. He used to fast all of Sha'baan or all of it apart from a few days."� (al-Bukhaari, 1969; Muslim, 1156).�
The Muslim who is keen to do good must realize the great virtue of performing voluntary fasts for the sake of Allaah, as it says in the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "Whoever fasts one day for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will keep his face seventy years' distance from Hell," (al-Nasaa'i, 2247; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan al-Nasaa'i, 2121).�
We ask Allaah to make us among those whose faces He keeps far away from Hell and its heat, and to bless us with Paradise.�
With regard to the precise timing of Suhoor and Iftaar:�
As mentioned in the definition of fasting, fasting means abstaining from food, drink and all other things that break the fast from dawn until sunset, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):�
"and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Sawm (fast) till the nightfall"
[al-Baqarah 2:187]�
So the fasting person must begin to abstain from things that break the fast when dawn begins and continue until the sun has set. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning the time of iftaar: "When the night has come from here and the day has gone from here, and the sun has set, then let the fasting person break his fast." (al-Bukhaari, 1818; Muslim, 1841). With regard to the time of suhoor, the majority of fuqaha' said that it is the time from the last half of the night until the second dawn. It is Sunnah to delay it, according to the majority of scholars, so long as the second dawn has not begun, because of the verse quoted above and because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Hasten iftaar and delay suhoor." (Narrated by al-Tabaraani and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami', 3989). The purpose of suhoor is to give one strength to fast, so the closer it is to dawn the more effective it will be in helping one to fast. We ask Allaah to make us among those who adhere to His laws and act according to them.
May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad.
Brother Jinn, may Allah reward him sent me the following narration:
Jareeh ibn Abdullah (RA) narrated Prophet (SAW) said: Fasting 3 days a month is fasting for a lifetime and ayyam al-beed are the 14th, 15th and 5th? From Saheeh al-Targheeb
Beed is the plural of Abyad which means white. Three days of 13, 14 and 15 of lunar months are called AlAayyam-ul-Beed for the reason that their nights are bright because of the moonlight. The moon begins to diminish gradually after 3 days,
Abu Dar (RA) said Prophet (SAW) said: If you fast any part of the month, then fast on the the 13th, 14th and 15th from Tirmidhi.
If you reconcile this Hadith with the ones I posted in the OP then are you supposed to look for Mon-Thurs that fall on the 13th, 14th and 15th?
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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