Rulings of Fasting and Praying in Ramadan and the Wisdom behind its Obligation

A Friday Sermon By The Great Scholar

Shaikh Muhammad Salih Al-Uthaimeen (d. 1421 AH)

(رحمه اللّه)

All praise is for Allah, we seek His aid and forgiveness, and we seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and sinful deeds.  Whoever Allah guides there is none to lead him astray and whoever Allah allows to stray there is none to guide him.  I bear witness that there is no deity worshiped in truth other than Allah, who is alone and without partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger may peace and blessings be upon him, his family, companions, and followers in perfection until the last day.  As to what proceeds;

O people fear Allah the most High, your Lord and thank Him for His blessings upon you from this season of goodness and blessing and what He has granted you from virtue and honor, for you are the best nation brought from mankind.  Thank Allah for this and glorify these seasons and recognize their importance and position with obedience, pious acts and refraining from sin and transgression, for these seasons have been made to forgive your evil deeds and increase your good deeds, to raise your position, and to energize you in doing righteous actions.  Servants of Allah, there has shaded us a noble month, a season of great reward, a month where the good deeds are multiplied and the evil deeds are greater, a month wherein the first part is mercy, the second is forgiveness, and the third is freedom from the fire.  We ask Allah to include all of us in His mercy, forgiveness, and freeing from the fire.  This is the month of Ramadan in which Allah the Mighty and Majestic chose to reveal the Quran, the book which He sent down to mankind,

هُدىً لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ

a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). (Al-Baqarah 2:185)

Allah has made fasting during its day obligatory and praying in its night voluntary.  Whoever fasts this month with faith, counting on the reward from Allah then He will forgive him what has proceeded of sin.  Likewise, whoever prays having faith and counting on His reward, Allah will forgive him from what has proceeded of sin and whoever performs Umrah in this month his reward will be that of Hajj.  In this month the doors of paradise are opened, the goods deeds are increased, the doors of the fire are locked and evil deeds of those who believe are decreased. (Bukhari & Muslim)  On the authority of Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu), the Prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, Allah the Mighty and Majestic said, “every deed of the son of Adam is for him except fasting which it is for Me and I reward for it”, and in another narration, “he leaves his food, drink, and desires for My sake”.  Fasting is a shield, it is a barrier from sin and the fire, so if someone is fasting then he is not to be obscene nor shout and if someone curses him or fights with him, he is to say, ‘I am fasting’ and is not to respond to the issue, he is to say I am fasting, I am fasting.   By the one whose hand Muhammad’s soul is in, the breath of the one fasting is better with Allah than the scent of Musk.  The fasting person has two times of happiness, happiness when he breaks his fast and happiness when he meets his Lord.  As for the happiness when he breaks his fast then he is happy by eating food from what Allah has bestowed upon him of that which He made permissible and the blessing of Allah of completing a day of fasting from the obligations of Islam. As for the happiness when he meets his Lord, may Allah make us of those who are happy when they meet their Lord, then he is happy with what Allah has prepared for him of reward and victory in the place of peace.  In Al-Bukhari the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “In paradise there is a door called Ar-Rayaan, the people who fast will enter from it and no one else will enter from it, so if they enter, it will be locked and will not open for others”.  O Allah, make us from those that enter that door!  O Allah, make us from those that enter that door!  O Allah, make us from those that enter that door and those who you are pleased with! O Lord of the worlds!  Likewise the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “three people will not have their supplication rejected; the one fasting until he breaks his fast, the just leader, and the oppressed, Allah raises it above the clouds and the doors of the heavens are opened for it and the Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, says, ‘by My Might and Majesty I will aid you even after some time’”.

O Muslims, how many are in the graveyards wishing to reach the month of Ramadan and they don’t see it?  How many people are on the verge of reaching it but never do?  How many people reach its beginning but never see its end?  Verily the fixed time and ages are in the hand of Allah and this life is the place of cultivation for the next life and the next life is the final destination and abode.  O brothers, do not let this life effect the next life thus losing this world and the next, rather let the next life effect this world as Allah the Mighty and Majestic said,

بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا  وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى

Nay, you prefer the life of this world; Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting. (Al-A’la 87:17)

O Muslims, the days and nights of Ramadan are numbered so take advantage of them by increasing in worship, prayer, reciting the Quran, the remembrance of Allah, being benevolent to the creation monetarily and physically, being forgiving, and overlooking anyone who does wrong to you for Allah is forgiving and loves forgiveness.  O brothers, seek to increase in four actions, two of which you will please your Lord and two you cannot do without.  As for the two which will please your Lord then they are witnessing that there is no deity worshiped in truth other than Allah and seeking His forgiveness.  And as for the two which you cannot do without then they are you asking Allah for paradise and seeking refuge with Him for the fire.  There is no deity worshiped in truth except Allah, we ask Allah for forgiveness and repent to Him, we ask for the paradise and seek refuge from the fire.

O Muslims, safeguard your fast from that which nullifies it.  Safeguard it from false vain speech, acting by it, and ignorance for whoever does not leave false speech and acting by it and ignorance then Allah is not in need of him to leave his food and drink.  Servants of Allah, do you think that Allah has prohibited eating, drinking, and sexual intercourse during the day of Ramadan, do you think that He has prohibited all of that to constrict and punish you with hunger, thirst, and abstention from women?  No, by Allah! He has done so  for that which is much greater and loftier which is none other than taqwa or fear of Allah the Mighty and Majestic so listen to your Lord the Most High,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (the pious – see V.2:2).  (Al-Baqarah 2:183)

This is the wisdom behind the obligation of fasting upon the servants, so that they fear Allah the Mighty and Majestic.  Listen to what I have read to you from the statement of the Prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam), “whoever does not leave false and vain speech, acting by it, and ignorance then Allah has no need for him to leave his food and drink” meaning that Allah does not want from us to leave off food and drink (alone) but He wants us to leave false vain speech, acting by it, and ignorance.  False vain speech is every impermissible word such as cursing, lying, backbiting, slandering, and obscenity.  So have some dignity and do not make the days you fast and the days you do not fast the same.  As for acting by it then this is doing every impermissible act such as cheating, betrayal in buying and selling, usury and interest.  Safeguard your fast, may Allah have mercy on you, from listening to music. Do not be deceived from what some stations contain of programs that are designed to draw the Muslims away from worship and place them in that which is impermissible.  Stay away from all of this and do not listen to it.  Be aware of this great loss.

O Muslims, do that which Allah obligated upon you such as the prayer in congregation at its fixed time.  Do not be lazy in regards to the prayer, do not neglect it and miss out on it due to sleep for it is the pillar of the religion and there is no place in Islam for the one who leaves the prayer as the leader of the believers Umar Khattab said based upon the statement of the leader of the pious and seal of the prophets when he (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “the covenant which is between us and them is the prayer so whoever leaves it has disbelieved”.  Some people have failed as they fast and squander away the prayer.  They who stay up at night and sleep through the dawn prayer with the congregation have failed and it is possible that they do not pray the prayer until after the rising of the sun.  They have failed and lost.  How can they sleep during the obligatory prayer and not perform it in congregation?  How can they sleep during the obligatory prayer and not perform it in its fixed time.  So I say to those people, if they had hearts or if they would listen and they are witnesses I say to them, whoever delays the prayer on purpose without a valid excuse then it is not accepted by Allah even if he were to pray 1000 times for Allah the Mighty and Majestic has prescribed a specific time for the beginning of the prayer and the end and He the Mighty and Majestic said,

تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ… وَمَنْ يَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَ اللَّهِ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

These are the limits ordained by Allâh,… And whoever transgresses the limits ordained by Allâh, then such are the Zâlimûn (wrong-doers, etc.). (Al-Baqarah 2:229)

So how can Allah accept from the one who is an oppressor and oversteps that which Allah has set regarding the time of the prayer.  It has also been reported that the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Whoever does an action which has not been ordered by me then it is rejected”.  There is no doubt that whoever delays the prayer without a valid excuse then he has done a deed which has not been ordered by Allah and His messenger (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) thus it is rejected.  O brother, fear Allah!  How do you fast and not pray?  How can you imagine that you will be rewarded for your fasting and you are wasting that which is greater than it with Allah and higher in rank in the pillars of Islam?  Truly the prayer is greater than the fast.  The prayer, if left is disbelief and there is no deed that if left is disbelief other than the prayer.  So fear Allah O servants of Allah and recognize the wisdom behind fasting for the servants for it is a pillar from the pillars of Islam whoever denies its obligation then he is a disbeliever in Allah and a liar with Allah and His messenger (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) outside of the Muslims, so it is an obligation upon every sane mature Muslim who is a capable male of female except she who is experiencing her menstrual cycle or post-natal bleeding in which is to be made up and as for the young child who has not reached the age of puberty then he or she does not have to fast but is ordered to do so it he or she is capable in order to become accustomed to it.  The companions (radi Allahu `anhum)  would make their young fast so much so that they would cry from hunger and be given a toy to be distracted until the sunset.  Puberty is obtained by three things; reaching the age of 15, the growth of pubic hair, and the release of seminal fluid while sleeping etc. and for females, a fourth is added being the menstrual cycle.  Thus whenever one of these mentioned things occurs, the person has reached puberty and the obligations of Allah have become binding so if pubic hair grows then he or she is mature regardless if they have reached 15 years of age or not and if the female has her menstrual cycle then she has become mature even if she has reached 15 years of age or not and even if she is 10 years old she is pubescent.  From what I hear is that there are some females who have their menstrual cycle at an early age and are shy to tell their parents which is incorrect as it is obligatory that the girl tell her family of these things so that they will be insightful regarding her situation.  As for the one who has lost their reasoning then he or she does not have to fast regardless if the reasoning was lost due to insanity, old age, or an accident, accordingly the old senile person does not have to fast nor pray as he has no reasoning likewise is the one who has had an accident and lost their reasoning and intellect and does not know what he says or what is said to him nor does he have to feed the poor due to his not fasting.  As for the old aged sane person who if is able to fast then he must fast and if he is not able to fast due to weakness in old age then he is to feed a single poor person 5 Sa`as of rice or wheat for every day which was not fasted and it is better to include with the rice or wheat some meat or fat and this feeding must be given to a poor person for every day missed so if the month was 29 days then 29 people must be fed and if the month was 30 days then 30 poor must be fed and it is not permissible to give all of the food to one person as it is an obligation to feed one poor person for every one day.  Whoever is unable to fast due to an incurable illness then the ruling is that of the old person feeding the poor like the one who has diabetes who is not able to wait to drink water or the person with cancer etc. from the un-curable diseases then he is feed a poor person for every day missed.    As for the sick person who hopes to be cured then he is to wait until he is better and make up the missed days according to the statement of Allah,

وَمَنْ كَانَ مَرِيضاً أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ

and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days. (Al-Baqarah 2:185)

As for the sick who is able to fast without great difficulty or harm then it is obligatory for him to fast and not permissible to break it unless the sickness is increased due to fasting or the healing is delayed then he is to break his fast.  Likewise the pregnant woman who has a baby in her womb and faces difficulty in fasting due to weakness or a heavy pregnancy then it is permissible for her to break her fast and then make up the missed days just as the one breast feeding who finds difficulty in fasting or fears that her milk supply will decrease then she too is allowed to break the fast and make up the days.  Also the traveler who does not intend with his travels trickery or deception in his fasting so that he can intentionally break his fast then it is permissible to break the fast and is to choose between fasting and breaking the fast and should take the easier of the two and if the two are equal in terms of easiness then fasting is better as that is the action of the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) as him fasting with the people in general was easier for him than making up days and it was a quicker route to clearing the conscience as one fasts in the term appointed by Allah and if he found fasting to be difficult during travels then it was disliked for him and if it was very difficult then it was impermissible for him, for the prophet r went out to Makkah in the year of the opening in Ramadan and fasted and it was said to him, “O messenger of Allah! Some of the people have found difficulty in fasting and they are waiting to see what you do.  So he (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) called for some water after the Asr prayer and raised it until the people looked to him and then it was said to him that some people fasted and said, ‘they are the sinners, they are the sinners’” (Muslim, on the authority of Jabir Abdullah).  And there is no difference between the travel of those who always travel such as drivers who are allowed to break their fast and make up the days in the winter time for they are travelers and if the time was like this for the most part the time is moderate as the day is short for they whose travels are constant and are away from their land and family which is the nature of travel.  The women experiencing her menstrual cycle or post-partum bleeding do not have to fast rather the fasting is not accepted from them until after they have become pure before the dawn prayer even by a second thus the fast being binding even if they performed the ritual bathing after sunrise.  It is also binding that they make up the missed days and with this issue I bring to your attention the fact that some women become pure or clean before the dawn prayer and do not fast thinking that it is not correct except after they have had a bath which is incorrect as it is obligatory upon her to fast and to take a bath after the arrival of the dawn prayer.  Also the one who is in a state of sexual impurity, he is to fast even if he does not have a bath until after the arrival of the dawn prayer.  I ask Allah the Blessed and High to make me and you from those that fast and pray the month of Ramadan having faith in Allah and relying upon Him for reward.  O Allah! Make us of those who fast the month of Ramadan having faith in You and relying upon You for reward.  O Allah! Make us of those who fast the month of Ramadan having faith in You and relying upon You for reward.  O Allah! Aid us in this month with righteous deeds and keep us from evil impermissible actions.  O Lord of the worlds! O Allah! Make it a witness for us and not against us for you are the Most Generous.  All praise is for Allah and may peace and blessings be our prophet Muhammad, upon his family and companions.

Allah praise is for Allah and I bear witness that there is do deity worshipped in truth except Allah who is alone and has no partner, a witness in which I hope for happiness on the day we meet Him.  Likewise I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, the chosen one and His close friend, may peace and blessing be upon him his family, companions, and those that follow his guidance.  As to what proceeds;

The prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said about fasting, “If you see it, the crescent, then fast and if you see it then stop fasting and if it is concealed from you then complete the period” meaning 30 days of Shaban or the period of Ramadan and if it is at the end of the month then the one to sees the crescent on the 30^th night of Shaban must report it to the proper authorities so that he can be a cause of goodness for the Islamic nation having it fast a day by his sighting and there is no doubt that whoever points others to good then he is like those that do good.  Likewise it is not permissible to delay reporting his witness is he sighted it with certainty as informing the people of this news is a communal obligation no one is to rely on the other is it is from that which Allah has blessed one with such as strong vision and knowledge of the moons locations in the sky.  The prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) has prohibited that the person proceed Ramadan with a day or two of fasting as he said, “do not proceed Ramadan by fasting a day or two except he who fasts those days regularly” meaning that whoever fasts the day or two days which fall before Ramadan he may fast them.  So whoever habitually fasts Thursday for example and it coincides with the day before Ramadan then there is no sin upon him to fast it.   Likewise is the one who habitually fasts three days of every month and it is not easy for him to fast before the end of the month then he may fast them even if they are before Ramadan by a day or two and as you have heard in the sermon whoever performs Umrah in Ramadan he is as the one who has performed the pilgrimage but the Umrah must be performed from its state of ihram to the end of it in the month of Ramadan so whoever enters into the state of ihram before the setting of the Sun on the last day of Shaban and then performs all the required actions in Ramadan then it is not counted as having been performed in Ramadan and due to that whoever wished to gain this reward then he is not to enter into the state of Ihram at the meeqat until after the month of Ramadan has officially started.  Likewise is the person who enters into the state of Ihram before the sunset of the last day of Ramadan and then performs the remaining actions of Umrah in the night of Eid then it will not be counted as being performed in Ramadan.

O brothers!  Truly the most important action that any person can do from the voluntary acts is praying in the night for the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam), “whoever stands in prayer having faith in Allah and relying upon him for the reward, that which has proceeded from his sins will be forgiven”.  Many of the common people have understood this praying to be that which occurs in the last 10 nights which is an incorrect understanding and due to this you find them in the last ten saying, “I prayed taraweeh with so and so and then prayed the night prayer with so and so” thusly distinguishing between the two and the reality is that taraweeh is from the praying in Ramadan (mentioned in the hadeeth).  Accordingly, it is a must that every individual be aware of this and to intend that the taraweeh is the praying in Ramadan which is a confirmed sunnah which was performed by the prophet r 3 nights with his companions and due to his compassion and mercy for his nation and feared that it would be made obligatory so he stopped praying it with them for the remaining day of the month as he was afraid that it would be made an obligation upon the Muslim nation and they would be unable to perform it.  Thusly it is an authentic sunnah according to the guidance of the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) and not as many people think being a sunnah of Umar ibn Al-Khattab and for arguments sake even if it was a sunnah of Umar then Umar is from the rightly guided predecessors who was granted success in agreement with the truth so much so that in the life of the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) he would suggest something for the Muslims and then revelation would be sent down in agreement to his suggestion.  The important thing is that this taraweeh prayer in congregation is a practice from our prophet’s (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) sunnah which he left fearing it would become obligatory so when he (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) passed away were secure from it being obligatory for there is no revelation after the death of the messenger (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) and it remained that way during the leadership of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq which was a short period of two years and a few months in which they prayed alone or in small groups of two or three then in the time of Umar ibn Al-Khattab, he held the opinion that it was better and more befitting to join the people behing one Imam thusly ordering Ubai ibn Kab and Taym Ad-Dari to lead the people in 11 units of prayer.  Later he went out one night and people were praying and he said, “what a good innovation this is” and called it an innovation because it was left for some time and then later reestablished making it a relative innovation and an innovation in the religion as the prophet r legislated it for his nation.

O Brothers! Have concern and care for the taraweeh, perform it slowly and relaxed with fear and submission to Allah.  Follow the bowing and glorify your Lord and follow the prostration and strive hard in it with supplication for the prophet r, when the statement of Allah the Most High,

فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ

Then glorify with praises the Name of your Lord, the Most Great.  (Al-Waqi’ah 56:74)

he said, “make it in the bowing” and when the verse,

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى

Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High, (Al-A’la 87:1)

he said, “make it in your prostration”.  In accordance with this, I encourage myself and you to pay attention to this affair, that the person should say, “Glory to Allah the Great” in the bowing position being conscious that he is following the order of Allah and His messenger (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam), following the order of Allah as He the Most High said,

فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ

Then glorify with praises the Name of your Lord, the Most Great.  (Al-Waqi’ah 56:74)

And following the order of the command of the messenger of Allah when he specified this statement in this position of the prayer and in the prostration so that the individual can be in compliance with the order of Allah and following the messenger of Allah (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) according to his specifying the position in the prayer.  Increase in glorifying Allah in the bowing.  The messenger (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said , “Indeed I have prohibited you from reading the Quran while bowing or prostrating, as for the bowing then glorify your Lord in it and as for the prostration then strive hard in it with supplication and be assured so that you will be answered”.  And he (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “The closest the servant is to his Lord is when he is prostrating”.  Pay attention to these great affairs and wise sacraments.  Do not squander them from yourselves and do not make your prayer as if it is just movements that you perform for verily it is a connection with you and Allah.  I ask Allah to aid you and I in actualizing this.

O brothers!  Be devoted to performing the taraweeh.  O leaders!  Fear Allah the Most High in yourselves and fear Allah the Most High regarding those behind you as you may not see another Ramadan after this year so pray in the manner which the Muslims find tranquility, glorify Allah in your bowing and make much supplication in prostration.  Pray the prayer which frees you of your obligation for you do not pray for yourselves rather you are praying for other than you and if you lead the people in the prayer then try hard to make your prayer in accordance with what has been related on the prophet r and beware of the Shaitan luring you into rushing in the bowing and prostration positions and recitation so that the people will increase in number behind you for the point is that the how is not your concern.  I ask Allah to aid you in that which contains our guidance and goodness.

O Muslims!  Praying in Ramadan is not restricted to a specific number of units in the prayer but the best number for any person to pray is 11 or 13 as our Imam and messenger of Allah, Muhammad (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) did.  The mother of the believers Aisha, the most knowledgeable of the mothers of the believers regarding the condition of the prophet r and was higher ranked than many of the men, was asked about the prayer of the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) in Ramadan and she said, “He used not to exceed upon 11 units of prayer in the month of Ramadan and out of Ramadan and would pray 4 then he would pray 4 and then he would pray three all beautiful and lengthy”.  Her saying that he prayed 4 does not mean 4 with one tasleem as it has been authentically reported from her that he would pray 2 with one tasleem and that he would pray four and then rest then pray four and rest, both sets of four having 2 tasleems each.  In accordance with this, the righteous predecessors that came before used to lengthen the taraweeh prayer and if they completed four units they would rest so as to re-energize for the remainder of the prayer and for this reason it was named ‘taraweeh’ as the people seek rest after every four units of prayer.  Strive hard in these prayers and whoever prays more that this then he is not to be blamed, prohibited, or called an innovator for this affair is vast and all praise is for Allah.  The prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) was asked about the night prayer and he said, “the night prayer is two by two and if you fear the coming of dawn then you are to pray one to close what you have prayed” and he did not specify a number rather he said to one of his companions when he said, “I ask you messenger of Allah to be in your company in paradise” and he (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “aid yourself by increasing in prostration”.  Thus the one who increases upon 11 units or 13 units is not to be shamed, claimed to be astray, or made an innovator.  The affair in totality is vast, and all praise if or Allah, and I am amazed at people who pray in the Holy Mosque of Makkah or the Prophet’s Mosque and sit without praying after they have finished 5 sets and the Muslims are praying asking Allah the Mighty and Majestic while they are sitting cutting the rows and there is not one of those praying next to them preventing them.  There are even some of them that have coffee and tea that sit and drink and perhaps converse with others distracting the people.  Verily they are in opposition to the way of the righteous predecessors for they loved joining and hated splitting.  So I say to you brothers and hope that none of you do this fore mentioned things, do you not know that the leader of the believers Uthamn ibn Affan the third to rule over the Muslims for 12 years prayed for 6 or 8 years in Mina 2 units then 2 units of 4 sets and then prayed 4 units with 4 sets and it was said to some of the companions that Uthman has completed or perfected which reached Abdullah ibn Masood who replied, “verily to Allah we belong and Him we return. I prayed behind the prophet r, Abu Bakr, and Umar and none of them exceeded 2 units and there are no 2 units more beloved to me than four” and with this he used to pray with Uthman 4 units and he would exceed that with 2 units and Abdullah would see that as not being from the sunnah but he would pray behind him in Ramadan fearing to cause splitting and tribulation.  So it was said to him, “O Abu Abdur-Rahman how can you pray behind Uthman 4 units” and he replied, “Verily differing is evil”.  So be aware, O brothers, of this great statement that differing is evil.  Likewise the prophet r sent Muath ibn Jabal and Abu Musa Al-Ashari to Yemen and ordered them to obey one another and seek advice from one another which means that one obeys the other and does not oppose him and there is no doubt that joining is good so I advise those and hope that my speech reaches them to fear Allah the Mighty and Majestic and to follow the Imam and they will be upon goodness until they achieve what the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “whoever stands with the Imam until he leaves, the reward of praying the entire night will be written for him”.  So I advise you Muslims to not neglect the taraweeh prayer by praying only 2 or 3 tasleems in this mosque or others wasting your time but if you enter a mosque and pray the night prayer and continue until the Imam finishes from the taraweeh prayer so that you may obtain this great reward having the reward of praying the entire night written for him.  He will have this reward even if he is sleeping in his bed or enjoying the intimate company of his wife so all praise if for Allah the Lord of the Worlds.  O Allah bless us with thanking your for you bounties and your perfect worship.  O Allah bless us with thanking your for you bounties and your perfect worship. I say this and seek forgiveness with Allah for me, you, and all the Muslims from every sin.  Seek forgiveness from Him for He is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

Translated by John ‘Eesa’ Starling

Found in:

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, May 2009

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, June 2009

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, July 2009

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, August 2009

Tags: Allah, Fasting, Forgiveness, Islam, Mercy, Praying, Ramadan, Uthaimeen