Islam::Facts to Know About Ramadan

Introduction

Assalamu Alaikum! The special and blessed month of Ramadan has arrived bringing along for us many benefits. This ninth month of the Islamic calendar is special for many reasons. One reason is that the Quran, the ultimate source of guidance for mankind, was revealed in Ramadan. Hence, extra importance must surely be given to Quran in this month. Another reason is that the Night of Decree (Laila-tul-Qadr), which is a night of great importance and is better than a thousand months, falls in Ramadan. This is the night which decides fate.

"Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments."
[Holy Quran, Surah 44, Ayah 4]

So we must look for this night and pray as much as we can. Laila-tul Qadr, the Night of Decree, which falls in the month of Ramadan was the day when the Quran was first revealed.

Fasting, one of the pillars of Islam, is compulsory in this month on every Muslim, male and female, who is sane and mature. Fasting in Ramadan is of such immense importance that if a Muslim misses a single fast in this month without a strong and valid reason, then even if they fast their entire lifetime to make up for that missed day of Ramadan, it would not be the same and Allah knows best.

Allah reveals the purpose of fasting in the following verse of the Quran:

"Oh you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain piety (righteousness)."
[Holy Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 183]

Thus, it is clear that fasting is not merely the abstinence from food and from fulfilling the needs of the body but it is to nourish the soul. In other words, fasting helps in spiritual development.

Some Hadith on Fasting

Sahl b. Sa'd (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: In Paradise there is a gate which is called "Rayyan" through which only the observers of fast would enter on the Day of Resurrection. None else would enter along with them. It would be proclaimed: "Where are the observers of fast that they should be admitted into it?" -and when the last of them would enter, it would be closed and no one would enter it.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book 6, Number 2569]

Abu Sa'id al Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Every servant of Allah who observes fast for a day in the way of Allah, Allah would remove, because of this day, his face farther from the Fire (of Hell) to the extent of seventy years' distance.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book 6, Number 2570]

Fasting has many conditions which if missed out, turns the fast into mere starvation devoid of reward.

Things that break one's fast:

Eating or drinking on purpose
Intentionally vomitting mouth-full

Things that are disliked during fasting:

Seeing those things which are forbidden to look at
By lying and gossiping
Insulting or swearing at others

Read the Fiqh of fasting for more information on what is allowed and disallowed during fasting.

Below are a few points regarding Ramadan that every Muslim ought to know:

When the moon is first sited, the first day of Ramadan begins. Taraweeh also starts from this night. We must all make an effort to perform Taraweeh prayers during Ramadan as our Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) stressed its importance and the innumerable benefits and rewards it reaps.

Narrated Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him): I heard Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) saying regarding Ramadan, "Whoever prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven."
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 32, Number 226]
To eat Suhoor is highly recommended and it preferably should be taken when the time for Fajr is near, not somewhere around midnight.

Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Take a meal a little before dawn, for there is a blessing in taking meal at that time.
(Sahih Bukhari, Book 6, Number 2412)

Amr b. al-'As (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The difference between our fasting and that of the People of the Book is eating shortly before dawn.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book 6, Number 2413]
As you hear the Fajr Azan, you must make the intention for fasting. Intention i.e. niyyah is very necessary, but it must be made with in the heart and is not to be uttered aloud. This intention has to be made once only in the heart at the beginning of Ramadan and not necessarily every day.
While fasting, we must try to do as many good deeds as possible, refrain from uttering bad words and having unnecessary conversations unrelated to Islam. Some good deeds that we can do is to pray Nafl prayers (optional prayers), learn about our Prophet (may peace be upon him), his companions and his wives (Allah be pleased with them), recite the Quran, when alone remember Allah with the heart and keep your tongue busy with Allah's zikr and remembrance by doing Tasbeehat or reading Duas, helping a poor and needy person with charity, teaching someone about Islam, etc. Care must be taken so that prayers are performed with concentration and on time.
If a person comes to you and starts fighting or calls you names, tell them that you are fasting.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: When any one of you gets up in the morning in the state of fasting, he should neither use obscene language nor do any act of ignorance. And if anyone slanders him or quarrels with him, he should say: "I am fasting, I am fasting."
[Sahih Bukhari, Book 6, Number 2563]
It is incorrect to spend the fasting day sleeping. This is actually a waste of time in this sacred month. The good deeds are multiplied many times in this month. At the same time, bad deeds will also have more serious consequence in this month as compared to in other months.

"There are two blessings which many people lose: good health and free time."
[Sahih Al-Bukhari]

"All of the actions of the sons of Adam are multiplied except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it."
[Hadith Qudsi reported by Bukhari and Muslim]
If by mistake a person happens to eat or drink something, the fast does not become invalid. But as soon as they remember that they are fasting, they must spit out what is in the mouth and continue their fast, which remains valid.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: If anyone forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks he should complete his fast, for it is only Allah Who has fed him and given him drink.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book 6, Number 2575]
If a person spots another person eating or drinking something forgetfully, then it is their duty to remind the person of their fast. This is because of the ayah (verse) in the Quran which orders us to command good and forbid evil.

"...Help you one another in righteousness and piety."
[Holy Quran, Surah Al-Maidah, Ayah 2]
As far as I know, brushing one's teeth is allowed while fasting as it is reported in a hadith that Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) used the Miswaak. Miswaak has taste and similarly does tooth paste. But it must be remembered that nothing is to be swallowed, neither water nor tooth paste.

Reply to those who say that using tooth paste is not allowed while fasting.
As soon as we hear the Maghrib Azan, we must break our fast. One must not wait till the Azan is completed.
Some people say it is incorrect to cut their hair or nails during Ramadan or while fasting. This is incorrect to the best of my knowledge as I have not come across any hadith which supports this notion. In fact, cutting one's nails is a form of charity.
It is assumed that it is obligatory to complete the recitation of the Quran at least once during Ramadan. However, it is not obligatory but it is a Sunnah of the Prophet (may peace be upon him). What is actually necessary in this month, is to read the Quran properly with Tajweed and to try to contemplate and understand the message of the Quran. This can be done by reading its translation and understanding its commentary. And of course, then applying in our lives what we have learnt and spreading it to people.
It is commonly assumed that there will be no accountability (hisaab) on what you spend in Ramadan, so people make a lot of clothes, jewellery and buy other household stuff in Ramadan. This has no evidence in the Shariah. Ofcourse, one should be more generous to others in Ramadan - that's Sunnah.
Some people don't go on trips or and do not travel during Ramadhan. They think they have to break their fast when traveling. This is actually optional, if you want to break your fast while traveling you can (while making it up later), and if you don't want to break it, you can continue fasting.
The month of Ramadan is divided into three parts each consisting of 10 days or "Ashura". The first 10 days of Ramadan are for Mercy, the next 10 days are for Forgiveness and the last 10 days are for Asking Allah to save us from Hell fire.

Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who is anxious to seek it (Lailat-ul-Qadr) should seek it in the last ten (nights of Ramadan).
[Sahih Bukhari, Book 6, Number 2622]

Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Seek it (Lailat-ul-Qadr) in the last (ten nights). If one among you shows slackness and weakness (in the earlier part of Ramadan), it should not be allowed to prevail upon him in the last week.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book 6, Number 2621]

Aishah (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book 6, Number 2644]

Narrated Aishah (Allah be pleased with her): Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said, "Search for the night of Al-Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan."
[Sahih Bukhari, Hadith Number 2017]

Eid-ul-Fitr

Eid-ul-Fitr, the long-awaited day after Ramadan; the time to rejoice with family, relatives and friends. Muslims have reason to rejoice because they are hopeful that Allah has accepted their fasts, prayers and good deeds performed during this month.

A few hadiths about Eid-ul-Fitr:

Narrated Anas bin Malik (Allah be pleased with them): Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) never proceeded (for the prayer) on the Day of Eid-ul-Fitr unless he had eaten some dates. Anas also narrated: The Prophet used to eat odd number of dates.
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 15, Number 73]

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) forbade to observe fast on these two days, Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book 6, Number 2534]

Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah: On the Day of Eid the Prophet used to return (after offering the Eid prayer) through a way different from that by which he went.
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 15, Number 102]

Narrated Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (may peace be upon him) ordered the people to pay Zakat-ul-Fitr before going to the Eid prayer.
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 25, Number 585]

Narrated Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) enjoined the payment of one Sa' of dates or one Sa' of barley as Zakat-ul-Fitr on every Muslim, slave or free, male or female, young or old, and he ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the Eid prayer. (One Sa' = 3 Kilograms approx.)
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 25, Number 579]

After Eid

Apart from the first day of Eid, fasting six days in Shawwal (anytime during the month of Shawwal), has great importance as is evident from the following Hadith.

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who observed the fast of Ramadan and then followed it with six (fasts) of Shawwal, it would be as if he fasted perpetually.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book 6, Number 2614]

However, it must be remembered that these six fasts of Shawwal are optional fasts and may be kept only if one has completed or made up all the compulsory fasting of the month of Ramadan, if in case any had been missed.

References for this article:
Holy Quran
Sheikh Ahmad's Fiqh Class

May Allah guide us all to the straight path and enable us to make the most of this Ramadan as possible, Ameen. I request you to remember me in your prayers. Jazakallah Khair for reading this article.