Ramadhan

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

Ramadhan is the 9th month of the Islamic (Hijiri) calendar, it comes after Sha'ban and before Shawwal. Muslims all over the world are commanded to fast from sunrise until sunset as Allah says in the Qur'an,

"يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ"

O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you—as it was for those before you—so perhaps you will become mindful (of Allah). Baqarah :183

and also,

أَيَّامًۭا مَّعْدُودَٰتٍۢ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍۢ فَعِدَّةٌۭ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُۥ فِدْيَةٌۭ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍۢ ۖ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًۭا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌۭ لَّهُۥ ۚ وَأَن تَصُومُوا۟ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

(Fast a) prescribed number of days. But whoever of you is ill or on a journey, then (let them fast) an equal number of days (after Ramaḍân). For those who can only fast with extreme difficulty, compensation can be made by feeding a needy person (for every day not fasted). But whoever volunteers to give more, it is better for them. And to fast is better for you, if only you knew. Baqarah : 184

These verses are well known and the command to fast is not something that Muslims dismiss as it is a pillar of Islam, in various authentic hadiths the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) obligated upon muslims to fast in ramadan,

Narrated Talha bin 'Ubaidullah:

A bedouin with unkempt hair came to Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم)! 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 (صلى الله عليه وسلم) 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 (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, "If he is saying the truth, he will succeed (or he will be granted Paradise)." Bukhari - 1891

In another well known hadith where a man sat close to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and asked him a few questions, one of which,

"...What is Islam?" Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied, "To worship Allah Alone and none else, to offer prayers perfectly to pay the compulsory charity (Zakat) and to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan..." Bukhari - 50

and it turned out it was Jibreel teaching the religion indirectly to the companions رضى الله عنهم. Ramadhan should be a time of revitalising one's faith and connection with Allah, this can be achieved through prayer, making adhkar, reading Qur'an and various good acts. 11 months we spend doing however we please but how much of those months were spent in worshipping? Allah has blessed people with good health, wealth, children, and all other kinds of worldly possessions but can we say that the amount of thanks and praises to Allah equates his blessings? Ramadhan should be a month when we can renew our faith and also improve ourselves in character and worship. In a hadith,

Narrated Masruq:

We were sitting with `Abdullah bin `Amr who was narrating to us (Hadith): He said, "Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was neither a Fahish (lewdness)nor a Mutafahhish (lewd person), and he used to say, 'The best among you are the best in character (having good manners)."' Bukhari - 6035

which is why many scholars strongly advise giving Zakat Fitr (before the Eid prayer) to remove our bad deeds (gossiping, foul mouth, etc).

Ramadhan is expected to fall on the night of 18th February 2026, please reach out to your local mosque of the exact date.

We ask Allah to let us experience Ramadhan, make it easy for us to fast and help us to improve our faith and character. Ameen