Etiquettes of Fasting in the Month of Ramadan

Dear blessed congregation,

Let us increase our taqwa to Allah s.w.t. with true piety. Obey all His commands and refrain from all His prohibitions. Let us improve our etiquette and actions in all matters. May Allah s.w.t. grant us His pleasure. Amin, ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.

Honourable Congregation,

Ramadan al-Mubarak will greet us soon. Its arrival will nourish our barren hearts and breathe the spirit of iman into our souls.

After nearly a year, it will return once again, encouraging us to continuously improve ourselves.

If the month of Ramadan is usually associated with hunger and thirst, let us not make that the only thing we gain from it this time.

My dear brothers and sisters, pay close attention to the words of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., which means: "Perhaps, a fasting person gains nothing from his fast except hunger, and perhaps, one who stands (at night) in prayer gains nothing from his prayer except sleeplessness." (Narrated by Ibn Majah)

Beloved Congregation,

We may think our fast is complete simply because we have refrained from acts that invalidate it, such as eating and drinking, for nearly 13 hours a day.

However, whether we realise it or not, if we continue to engage in actions that nullify the rewards of fasting – even though they do not invalidate the fast itself, we may fall into the category mentioned in the hadith, that is, those who gain nothing from their fast except hunger and thirst.

This highlights the importance of etiquette or adab in worship, especially in fasting, which we perform solely to seek the pleasure of Allah.

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim r.h. discussed that adab towards Allah consists of three aspects:

Preserving our worship so that it is not tainted with shortcomings.
Guarding our hearts so that they do not turn away from Allah.
Controlling our will (desire) so that they are not attached to things which incur Allah’s displeasure.

Blessed Congregation,

As we approach the month of Ramadan, and before we strive against our desires through fasting, allow the sermon to convey two friendly reminders:

First: Leave our bad habits behind

Ramadan is the best time to overcome our bad habits, such as backbiting, spreading falsehoods, arguing, and harbouring animosity.

The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. said in a hadith which means: "If one of you is fasting, let him not engage in foul speech or actions. If someone insults or argues with him, let him say: ‘إِ نييِ صِا ئم – Indeed, I am fasting.'” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari & Muslim) This aligns with Allah’s word in Surah Al-Isra’, verse 53:

Which means: "And tell My servants to say what is best. Indeed, Satan sows discord among them. Indeed, Satan is a clear enemy to mankind."

Furthermore, the adab of fasting also requires us to guard our other senses. Our eyes must be guarded from looking at unlawful or inappropriate things, including those on social media which we frequently use. Our ears must be guarded from hearing things that cause heedlessness. Our hands must be restrained from causing damage or harm.

Second: Manage our time and increase our good deeds

Ramadan al-Mubarak is a month full of opportunities to multiply our rewards. Our bodies usually need time to adjust to new routines, such as waking up early for suhur and engaging in night prayers. Thus, we must manage our time wisely and adapt ourselves accordingly. Otherwise, we may fall into the trap of laziness and neglect.

There is an encouragement in the sunnah, for us to sacrifice some of our rest for the sake of worship. In a hadith, the Prophet s.a.w. said: "Fasting and the Quran will intercede for a servant on the Day of Judgment. The fast will say: ‘O my Lord, I kept him from food and desires during the day, so allow me to intercede for him.’ The Quran will say: ‘I kept him from sleeping at night, so allow me to intercede for him.’ Thus, both will be allowed to intercede.” (Narrated by Ahmad)

Therefore, let us manage our time wisely. Use the daytime to carry out our duties and perform worship according to our ability, and dedicate our nights to performing Tarawih prayers, reciting the Quran, and engaging in qiyamullail. Let this Ramadan be the spark that revives our hearts and souls, drawing us closer to Allah.

Beloved Congregation,

Let us welcome Ramadan with full awareness and preparation. Do not let our fasts be merely about hunger and thirst, but rather make them a means of self-improvement and spiritual growth.

By upholding the adab of fasting, may this Ramadan become a turning point for us all. May Allah s.w.t. grant us physical and spiritual strength, and accept all our forthcoming acts of worship.

Amin, ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.

أقُ وْلُ قَ وْيلِ هَذَا وَأسْتَ غيفرُ اللهَ العَ يظيْمَ يلِ وَلكُمْ، فاسْتَ غيفروهُ إينهُ هُوَ الغفُوْرُ الريحيْم.

Second Sermon

الحمْدُ يلله حََدًا كَثييرا كَمَا أمَرَ، وَأشْهَدُ أن لََ إيلهَ إيلََّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لََ شَيريكَ لهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أنَّ سَيي دَنََ مَُُمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرسُولهُ. اللهُمَّ صَي ل وَسَلي مْ عَلى سَيي يدنََ مَُُمَّدٍ وَعَلى آلييه وََأصْحَابييه أجْْيعينَ. أمَّا بَ عْدُ، فَ يا يعبادَ الله، ايتَّ قُوا اللهَ تَ عَالََ يفيمَا أمَرَ، وَانتَ هُوا عَمَّا نََاكُم عَنْهُ وَزجَرَ.

ألََ صَلوا وَسَلي مُوا عَلى النييب المُصْطفَى، فَ قَدْ أمَرَنََ اللهُ بيذَليكَ حَيْثُ قال يفِ كيتَابييه العَيزييز: إينَّ اللهَ وَمَلََئيكَتهُ يصَلونَ عَلى النَّييب يَ ا أيُّ هَا الَّيذينَ ءَامَنوا صَلوا عَلَييه وَسَلي مُوا تسْلييمًا. اللهُمَّ صَيل وَسَلي مْ وَبََيركْ عَلى سَيي يدنََ مُُمَّدٍ وَعَلى آيل سَيي يدنََ مُُمَّدٍ.

وَارْضَ اللهُمَّ عَ ين الخلفَايء الرايشيدينَ المهْيديي ينَ سَادَاتينا أيبِ بكْرٍ وَعمَرَ وَعثمَانَ وَعَلي يي، وَعَن بيقيية الصَّحَابية وَالقَرابية وَالتابييعينَ، وَتََبييعي التابييعينَ، وَعَنا مَعَهُم وَيفييهم بيرَحَْتيكَ يََ أَرحَ مَ الراييحَينَ.

اللهُمَّ اغْيفرْ ليلمُؤْيمنيينَ وَالمؤْيمنا يت، وَالمسْلييمينَ وَالمسْليمَا يت، الأحْيَايء يمنهُم وَالأمْوَا يت. اللهُمَّ ارحََنا وَارحَمْ وَالييدينَ ا وَارحَمْ أمَّةَ نبييي نا مُُمَّدٍ أجْْيع ينَ. اللهُمَّ أصْليحْ ولََةَ أمُوْيرنََ، وََويف قْهُمْ ليمَا يفيْيه صَلََحُ الأُ مَّية أجْْيع ينَ. اللهُمَّ وَي ل أمُوْرنََ يخيَارنََ، وَلََ تُ وَي ل أمُوْرنََ يشرارََنَ، وَارفعْ مَقْتكَ وَغضَبكَ عَنا، وَلََ تسَلي طْ عَليْ نا بيذُنوبينا مَنْ لََ يََافكَ وَلََ يَ رْحََُنا، وَحَ يولْ حَالنا إيلََ أحْسَ ين الْأحْوَايل، وَفَ يرجْ مَا نَ زَلَ بينا يمنَ الْأهْوَايل، بيرَحَْتيكَ يََ أرحَمَ الراييحَينَ . اللهُمَّ اجْ عَ لْ هَ ذَ ا البَ لَدَ وَسَ ا ئيرَ ا ل بيلََ يد عَامَّ ةً آيم ناً مُ طْمَ ئينا سَ خَ ا ءً رَ خَاءً بيقُدْرتيكَ يََ ربَّ العَاليمينَ . اللهُمَّ انصُرْ إيخْوَانَ نا المسْتضْعَيفيْنَ يفِ غز ةَ وَيفِ يفيلسْ يطينَ، وَيفِْ كُيل مَكَانٍ يََ أرحَمَ الراييحَينَ. اللهُمَّ ب يدلْ خَوْفَ هُمْ أمْنا، وَحُزْنََمْ فَ رحًا، وَهََهُمْ فَ رجًا، يََ ربَّ العَاليمينَ. رََّب نا آتينا يفِ الدُّنيا حَسَنةً، وَيفِ الآيخرَية حَسَنةً، وَيقنا عَذَابَ الناير.

يعبادَ يالله، إينَّ اللهَ يََمُرُ يبَلعَدْيل وَا يلإحْسَاين وَإييتايء يذي القُرْبََ، وَيَ نْ هَى عَ ين الفَحْشَايء وَالمنكَير وَالبَ غ يي، ييعظكُمْ لعَلكُمْ تذكَّرُونَ، فاذكُرُوا اللهَ العَ يظيمَ يذكُركُمْ، وَاشْكُرُوهُ عَلى نيعَيميه ييزدكُمْ، وَاسْألوهُ يمن فضْلييه يُ عْ يطكُم، وَليذكْرُ يالله أكْبََُ، وَاللهُ يَ عْلمُ مَا تَصْنَ عونَ.