Mistakes to avoid in Ramadan

Ramadan is just around the corner so in the next couple of days we will be going over some common mistakes to avoid during Ramadan in sha Allah


1. Not Making An Intention For Ramadan


Making the intention to fast Ramadan is extremely important and many people fall into the mistake of entering the month without actually making an intention.

Making an intention to fast Ramadan is a priority because the Prophet (ﷺ)) said: “Whoever does not intend to fast before dawn, there is no fast for him.” ( al-Tirmidhi, 730)


The intention can be made either the night before Ramadan starts (before Fajr) or on every night of Ramadan;

However, scholars have said that since intending to observe the month of Ramadan basically implies fasting every day of the month, then it will be sufficient to make only one intention at the beginning unless there is an interruption during the month for any reason (menstruation, traveling, illness). In that case if one is to resume fasting, then he/she must renew their intentions again to fast. This is the more correct view.

2. Making Ramadan about Feasting instead of Fasting


Many people spend more time preparing and thinking about food and their meals than they actually do focusing on the real purpose of Ramadan. Their whole Ramadan revolves around grocery shopping and what kind of food they will eat that day, what appetizers and desserts should be made, who they should invite over today, and the most popular question "how long until Maghrib?''

The whole point of Ramadan is to leave the Dunyia behind and shift our focus into feeding our hearts and souls spiritually and NOT our stomachs physically.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to strive more in worship during Ramadan than he strove in any other time of the year; and he would devote himself more (in the worship of Allah) in the last ten nights of Ramadan than he strove in earlier part of the month. [Muslim]

3. Overeating (during Suhoor and Iftar)

One of the most discouraged of habits practiced every Ramadan by many people is the habit of overeating and filling the stomach to its full. We fill our stomachs during Suhoor to ensure we don't get hungry during the day, and then stuff ourselves during Iftar as if we are compensating for a week's loss of food.

This is actually not only defeats the purpose of fasting, but it's completely against the sunnah of eating in moderation.

"….and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess." (7:31)

The Prophet (ﷺ) say: ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.’” (Sunan Ibn Majah 3349)

4. Fasting but not Praying


One very common misconception among those who do not pray regularly or even at all, especially during Ramadan, is that fasting and prayer are two acts of worship not related to each other. This is wrong.

Accordingly to the majority scholarly view, fasting will not be accepted if one does not pray and this is based on the hadith :
The Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ)said: “Whoever does not pray ‘Asr, his good deeds will be annulled.” (Al-Bukhaari 520)

Futhermore, intentionally leaving the prayer constitutes Kufr.
"And the Prophet (ﷺ)said: “Between a man and shirk and kufr stands his giving up prayer.” ( Muslim, 82.)

And he (ﷺ) said: “The covenant that separates us from them is prayer; whoever gives up prayer is a kaafir.”
(al-Tirmidhi, 2621)

" This is also the view of most of the Sahaabah, if not their consensus. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Shaqeeq (may Allaah have mercy on him), who was one of the well-known Taabi’een, said: The companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) did not think that omitting any action made a person a kaafir, except for prayer.

Based on this, if a person fasts but he does not pray, then his fast is rejected and not accepted, and it will not avail him anything before Allaah on the Day of Resurrection. We say to him: Pray then fast, because if you fast but do not pray, then your fast will be rejected, because acts of worship are not accepted from a kaafir. " Source: Islamqa

5. Spending the majority of the day in the Kitchen

This advice goes out especially for the womenfolk of the household.

Please try to manage and limit your cooking time in the kitchen during Ramadan as much as possible. Every second during Ramadan counts.

Remember, every act of worship is rewarded multiple times over so don't spend all your time invested in the kitchen while missing out on so much reward because you're too exhausted or lazy to do anything at the end of the day.

Moreover, a message to the husbands and males of the household as well -- please have some mercy and empathy towards your wives. Don't pressure and expect them to cook up a hundred different types of food or meals that are time consuming during this blessed month because you want your pakoras, biryani, stuffed duck or mahshi for Iftar. You need to take into consideration her precious time and all the acts of worship she's missing out on.

The whole purpose of Ramadan is to fill our souls with Eman, not our stomachs with food. A simple meal will be sufficient and allow you to concentrate in your acts of worship.

6. Wasting Time & Sleeping all day


Sleeping the whole day or wasting time doing unproductive things completely defeats the whole purpose of Ramadan. This is one of the main reasons why many would leave Ramadan without benefiting from this blessed month or gaining any spiritual progress.

Every second of Ramadan is valuable so don't lose this opportunity that can possibly be your last.

Imagine just how inconceivable it would be if one is taken to the bank and is given the whole day to grab as much money as he is able to and instead decides to spend most of that day sleeping or focusing on something else. Crazy, right?

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “There are two blessings which many people do not make the most of and thus lose out: good health and free time.” ( al-Bukhaari, 6412).

7. Indulging in Entertainment (watching TV series & movies)


One of the worst traps Muslims fall into every Ramadan is watching films and series that have been made to screen exclusively during the month of Ramadan.

This is literally one of the easiest ways to ruin your Ramadan. Yes, Shaitan is locked up during Ramadan, but that still will not prevent him from working in advance in order to hype Muslims up for these series and films so that when they enter this blessed month, he would have already caused them to not only gain sin during this the month of forgiveness, but to also lose out on so much rewards.

Watching these sorts of entertainment is already haram outside of Ramadan due to the non-Islamic contents included, so to do it during a month where we are supposed to be in the height of spirituality and closeness to Allah is an extreme and utter loss.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "May he be humiliated, that person who Ramadaan comes and his sins are not forgiven" (al-Tirmidhi, 35)

8.Not giving up Evil in Action or Speech


Ramadan is all about self-control, not only in refraining from eating or drinking, but also in controlling our words and actions.

Fasting comes in a full package and we must be very careful with the mistake of thinking that Ramadan is only about avoiding food.

The Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, and ignorance, Allaah has no need of him giving up his food and drink.” (Al-Bukhaari 1903)

The phrase “false speech” includes lying, backbiting, gossiping, using foul language, spreading slander and every kind of speech that is haraam.

The Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) said: “Fasting is a shield, so let [the fasting person] not utter any obscene or ignorant speech, and if someone tries to fight him or insults him, let him say: ‘I am fasting,’ twice.” ( al-Bukhaari 1894)

9. Skipping Suhoor or eating it too early


Not only is eating Suhoor a Sunnah, but it is a source of blessing as well.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Eat sohoor(pre-dawn meal) , for in sohoor there is blessing.” (al-Bukhaari, 1923)

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever wants to fast, let him eat something for suhoor.” ( Ahmad, 14533)

The Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) said: “Suhoor is a blessed meal, so do not omit it, even if one of you only takes a sip of water, for Allaah and His angels send blessings on those who eat suhoor.” ( Ahmad, 11003)

Delaying Suhoor just before Fajr

Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “We ate suhoor with the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ), then he got up to pray.” I said: “How much time was there between the adhaan and suhoor?” He said: “The time it takes to recite fifty verses.” (al-Bukhaari, 1921)

10. Forgetting to Supplicate during breaking of Fast


As the Maghrib approaches, many of us are just so focused on preparing our meals and getting ready to gorge on the food once the adhan begins that we actually forget to supplicate when breaking the fast and lose out on the opportunity to supplicate to Allah and have of our duas answered.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Three prayers are not rejected: the prayer of a father, the prayer of a fasting person, and the prayer of a traveler) al-Bayhaqi, 3/3345


Give yourself just one minute of your time alone during the breaking of your fast and make as much duas as you can. Also encourage your family to dedicate this time to dua as well.

11. Continuing to Eat even after Adhan of Fajr

One mistaken belief some Muslims have is that eating Suhoor even after the adhan of the Fajr is called is acceptable.

Some Muslims are under the assumption that once the adhan is completed, that's when eating should be stopped. This is absolutely incorrect and one will have already invalidated his fasting before the day has even started.

Right when dawn appears, this is when a person must refrain from eating any longer.

"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]

12.Delaying Breaking the Fast

Another very common misconception many Muslims have is thinking that breaking the fast can only happen either once the Mu'azzin completely finishes calling the Adhan, or once he reaches a specific part of the Adhan.

This is wrong. Once the Mu'azzin says "Allahu Akbar" then the fasting person should immediately break his fast because once the sun has set, Maghrib has entered and eating is now permissible and should not be delayed.

Not only is this a sunnah, but it is a reason for more prosperity among the Muslims.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The people will continue to do well so long as they hasten to break the fast.” (al-Bukhaari)

13. Missing Maghreb in Masjid (for men)

Many brothers fall into the mistake of not going to the Masjid for Maghrib and completely missing prayer in congregation because they have decided to eat join their family and have full Iftar first before praying the fardh; or perhaps are under the impression that since food is served, one must eat first.

This is not correct.

Breaking your fast on a couple of dates and drinking water will be enough to satisfy your hunger for the moment until you return back home and eat a proper meal.

Fasting does not exempt one from missing Maghrib in the masjid in order to eat Iftar. Moreover, to be diligent in attending Maghrib in the masjid the whole year only to come to one of the most important months of the year and miss it, is counterintuitive.
Don't lose out on rewards or intentionally fall short in your obligatory acts of worship during Ramadan. Our efforts and commitment should be increased during this month, not decreased.

14.Smoking and Breaking fast with a cigarette

Smoking is haram whether in or outside of Ramadan, however the issue becomes more serious when this habit is continued throughout this blessed month.

Those who have managed to fast the whole day and then scramble at the time of the adhan for Maghrib to break fast with a cigarette really need to reconsider their intentions entering Ramadan.

The whole point of Ramadan is to come out of it as a better Muslim. Ramadan is a month of spiritual change and giving up habits that weigh us down and prevent us from pleasing Allah.

It is stated in the Quran that Allah says, "O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may again Taqwa." (Quran 2:183).

Taqwa means developing God-consciousness and fearing Allah. If a person continues to commit the same sin repeatedly during and even after Ramadan, then what has he really gained except abstaining from eating and drinking?

15. Focusing only on the 27th night of Ramadan

This is one of the most crucial of mistakes that can be made. No one knows exactly when Laylatul Qadr is. What we can gather from the hadiths however, is that this Night is most likely to fall on an odd night.

On the other hand, based on one hadith that seeks Laylatul Qadr according to the days that remain, if we were to count the nights from the end, then there is a possibility that Laylatul Qadr can be on an even night if the month is 30 days.

Based on the above, one must not take any risks and seek Laylatul Qadr every night of the 10 nights and not just focus on the 27th.

The Night is better than a 1000 months and whoever fails to observe that night is truly at a huge loss.