A Beginner’s Guide to Fasting Ramadan (Shafii)

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO FASTING

BY UST. DAUD BURKE

SHAFI‘I FIQH FOR THE EDUCATED LAYMAN

Anyone may use or share this for non-commercial purposes

Any mistakes or notes may be submitted to the author at [email protected]

This is an excerpt from the New Muslim Course edited specifically for Fasting and is in accordance with the shafii’ madhhab.

May Allah accept this from me and you.

Detailed Table of Contents .............................................................................................3

Foreword ...................................................................................................................6

Sawm — Fasting in Ramadan .........................................................................................7

Definition of Fasting (Ṣawm - صَوْم) .........................................................................................7

The Basis of Fasting in the Qur’an and Sunnah ...........................................................................7

How is Ramadan Determined? ..............................................................................................7

1. Sighting the new moon:

2. Completing 30 days of Shaʿbān (شعبان):

Conditions for Fasting to Be Obligatory ...................................................................................8

1. Being Muslim (الإسلام)

2. Reaching the Age of Maturity (Bulūgh - بلوغ)

3. Being Sane (ʿAql - عقل)

4. Being Free from Menstruation (Ḥayḍ - حيض) and Postpartum Bleeding (Nifās - نفاس)

5. Being Physically Able to Fast

Conditions for Fasting to Be Valid ..........................................................................................9

1. Being Muslim

2. Having Discernment (Tamīz - تمييز) (reaching at least 7 lunar years)

3. Being Free from Menstruation/Postpartum Bleeding

4. Fasting in an Acceptable Time

The Pillars of Fasting ..........................................................................................................9

1. The Fasting Person

2. The Intention (Niyyah - نية)

3. Refraining from Anything That Breaks the Fast (Mufattirāt)

What Breaks the Fast? (Mufattirāt) ........................................................................................10

1. Intentionally Eating and Drinking

2. Anything That Enters an Open Body Cavity

3. Intentional Vomiting (Qayʾ - قَيْء)

4. Intentional Intercourse (Jimaʿ - جِمَاع)

5. Intentional Ejaculation (Istimnāʾ - اِسْتِمْنَاء)

6. Menstruation (Ḥayḍ - حيض) or Postpartum Bleeding (Nifās - نفاس)

7. Losing Sanity (Junn - جنون) or Apostasy (Ridda - رِدَّة)

Things That Do Not Break the Fast .........................................................................................11

Note: Regarding Eating or Drinking at the Last Moment of Suḥūr

Sunnah Acts of Fasting .......................................................................................................12

1. Breaking the Fast Immediately at Sunset

2. Breaking the Fast with Fresh Dates, Dried Dates, or Water

3. Making Duʿāʾ at the Time of Iftār

4. Providing Iftār for Others

5. Eating Suḥūr (سُحُور) – The Pre-Dawn Meal

6. Delaying Suḥūr

7. Performing Ghusl (غُسْل) Before Fajr from Janābah

8. Increasing in Good Deeds

9. Praying Extra Ṣalāh (Taraweeh & Qiyām al-Layl)

10. Performing Iʿtikāf (اِعْتِكَاف) – Staying in the Masjid

Makrūh (مَكْرُوه) – Disliked Acts While Fasting ...........................................................................14

1. Neglecting Recommended Acts

2. Engaging in Prohibited Speech & Actions

3. Cupping (Ḥijāmah - حِجَامَة) & Bloodletting

4. Tasting Food & Chewing on Things

5. Kissing

6. Continuous Fasting Without Breaking (Wiṣāl - وِصَال)

Valid Excuses for Breaking the Fast ........................................................................................15

1. Sickness (Marad - مرض)

2. Travel (Safar - سفر)

3. The Elderly and Chronically Ill

4. Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women

Making Up Missed Fasts (Qaḍāʾ - قَضَاء) ...................................................................................17

1. Obligation of Making Up Missed Fasts

2. Delaying Makeup Fasts Past One Year

3. When Can Makeup Fasts Be Performed?

4. If Someone Dies Before Making Up Their Missed Fasts

Fidyah (فدية) – Compensation for Not Fasting ..........................................................................18

The Fidyah is:

When Can Fidyah Be Given?

Kaffārah (كفّارة) – Expiation for Breaking the Fast ......................................................................19

1. When Is Kaffārah Required?

2. The Three Levels of Kaffārah (In Order)

3. If None of the Above Is Possible

4. If the Sin Is Repeated

Miscellaneous Aspects of Ramadan (Outside of Fasting) ......................................................20

Iʿtikāf (اِعْتِكَاف) – Spiritual Retreat in the Masjid .......................................................................20

1. Definition: Iʿtikāf is spending time in the masjid with intention for worship.

2. Rulings on Iʿtikāf

Pillars (Arkān - أركان) of Iʿtikāf and Its Conditions ....................................................................20

1. The Person Performing Iʿtikāf (Muʿtakif - مُعْتَكِف)

a. Muslim

b. Sane

c. Free from major impurity (like Janābah - جَنَابَة)

2. The Masjid (المسجد)

3. Intention (Niyyah - نِيَّة)

4. Remaining in the Masjid

What Breaks Iʿtikāf? .........................................................................................................21

1. Intentional Intercourse (Jimaʿ - جِمَاع) while in a state of Iʿtikāf.

2. Leaving the masjid without a valid reason.

3. Apostasy (Ridda - رِدَّة).

4. Becoming intoxicated.

5. Losing sanity (Junūn - جُنُون).

6. Menstruation (Ḥayḍ - حَيْض) or Postpartum Bleeding (Nifās - نِفَاس).

Laylat al-Qadr (لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْر) – The Night of Decree and Power ...........................................................22

1. Meaning and Significance

2. What Happens on Laylat al-Qadr?

3. When Is Laylat al-Qadr?

Extra Prayers in Ramadan ...................................................................................................23

Sunnah Prayers (Sunan al-Rawātib - سُنَنُ الرَّوَاتِبِ)

Tarāwīḥ (تَرَاوِيح) – Night Prayers in Ramadan ............................................................................23

How Many Rakʿāt in Tarāwīḥ?

When Is Tarāwīḥ Prayed?

How Is Tarāwīḥ Prayed?

Can a Person Sit During Tarāwīḥ?

Praying After Tarāwīḥ and Witr

Holding a Mushaf (Qur’an) in the night prayer (Qiyām al-Layl)

Voluntary Fasts ................................................................................................................25

Prohibited and Disliked Fasts ..............................................................................................25

Prohibited Days:

Al-ḥamdu liLlāhi Rabb al-ʿĀlamīn [الحمد لله رب العالمين].

Waṣ-ṣalātu waṣ-salāmu ʿalā Sayyid al-Mursalīn [والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين]

wa ʿalā ālihi wa ṣaḥbihi ajmaʿīn [وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين].

This is a guide to fasting Ramaḍān, taken from my curriculum for new Muslims. It is in accordance with the Shāfiʿī madhhab, unless explicitly stated otherwise. I have tried to break down the various conditions and mention the evidences from the Qurʾān and the authentic Sunnah, using the book Al-Wasīṭ fī fiqh al-Shāfiʿī [الـــــــوســـــــيط فـــــــي فـــــــقه الـــــــشافـــــــعي] by Dr. Muḥammad al-Zuhaylī [حــــفظه الله تــــعالــــى], as a guide. I did not bind myself to a word-for-word translation. Rather, I took its spirit and that which was most relevant to the English layman or beginner student of knowledge, and made it readily accessible so he may learn that which he needs to know about his dīn alongside the aḥādīth and evidences upon which these rulings are based.¹

There is a great difference between one who performs an action while remembering the statement of Allah or His Messenger ﷺ, and one who merely follows the statement of a faqīh or ʿālim from a book that makes no mention of divine revelation. When a person reads the Qurʾān or the ḥadīth and then acts upon it, he carries the awareness that he is acting in obedience to Allah and His Messenger in that matter.

I take great care to break down the rulings into all of their components and organize them into sections that can be easily reviewed. The detailed table of contents in the beginning serves as a type of mukhtaṣar [مــــــــــــــــــخـتـصـر]—a brief overview of everything one will learn in this work.

I pray that this work is of benefit to all who read it and learn from it, and to those fasting in Ramaḍān. I ask Allah to accept it from me and from all who contributed to it— especially Dr. Muḥammad al-Zuhaylī for the book he authored—and from all the scholars of the Shāfiʿī madhhab and of Islam who conveyed this dīn to us, generation after generation, from the Prophet ﷺ and his companions, [عليهم رضوان الله تعالى].

Ustadh Daud ʿAbdur-Raḥmān Burke

Qurain, al-Sharqiyyah, Egypt

18 March 2026

28 Ramaḍān 1447

• Linguistically, fasting means refraining from something.

• In Sharīʿah (Islamic law), it refers to refraining from anything that breaks the fast from the beginning of Fajr (فجر) until the complete setting of the sun, for a person who is obliged to fast, with the intention (نية [niyyah]).

• Allah says:

“O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may attain Taqwā (تقوى).” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:183)

• Ramadan (رمضان) is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed.

• The Prophet ﷺ said:

“When Ramadan comes, the doors of Jannah are opened, the doors of Hellfire are closed, and the major Shayāṭīn (شياطين) are locked up.”

• Islam is built upon five pillars, including fasting in Ramadan.

• If a trustworthy person in the local community sees the cresent moon of Ramadan, they give testimony to it, and fasting becomes obligatory on the community.

• Since an Islamic month cannot exceed 30 days, if the moon is not seen, Shaʿbān is completed, and Ramadan begins the next day.

In our modern times:

• Follow the local community in determining the start and end of Ramadan.

• If there is a difference of opinion, prioritize the local sighting over one from another territory.

For fasting to be obligatory (wājib - واجب), the following five conditions must be met:

• Acts of worship are only accepted from a Muslim.

• If a person embraces Islam during the day in Ramadan, it is recommended (mustaḥabb - مستحبّ) for them to continue fasting that day, but fasting only becomes obligatory the next day.

• Children are not obligated to fast.

• However, if they reach the age of seven and can handle fasting, then they should be told to fast.

• If fasting becomes too difficult, they can break their fast.

• A person who is insane is not obligated to fast.

• Hadith: The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The pen is lifted from three: the child until he reaches maturity, the sleeping person until he wakes up, and the insane person until he regains sanity.”

• Note: If a person faints but wakes up later in the day, their fast is valid.

• If a woman starts menstruating at any point during the day, her fast is invalid and must be made up later.

• If fasting causes severe hardship, the person is allowed to break their fast and make it up later if able.

• Elderly people or those with chronic illnesses pay Fidyah² (فدية) instead:

For fasting to be valid (Ṣaḥīḥ - صحيح), these conditions must be met:

2. Having Discernment (Tamīz - تمييز) (reaching at least 7 lunar years³)

• One cannot fast on Eid or doubtfully on the 30th of Shaʿbān without a valid reason.

A pillar (rukn - ركن) is an essential part of the action itself, without which the entire fast is invalid. The pillars of fasting are:

• The intention must be made before Fajr each night.

• It is not required to verbalize it, but it is recommended by the Shafi’i school of thought for assurance.

• A single intention for the whole month is insufficient—each day requires its own renewed intention.

• Unanimously prohibited during Ramadan without an excuse.

• If done knowingly and willingly, the fast is broken.

• If done out of forgetfulness, the fast remains valid.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever forgets while fasting and eats or drinks, let him continue his fast, for it is Allah who provided him food and drink.”

• If someone mistakenly eats after Fajr or before Maghrib, thinking the time was correct, they must make up the fast.

• If a visible substance enters the stomach, intestines, or other internal cavities through an open passage that has the ability to absorb nutrients, the fast is broken. Like the throat and nose.

• If someone intentionally makes themselves vomit, their fast is broken.

• If a person is overcome by vomiting and does not intend it, their fast remains valid.

• After vomiting, they should rinse their mouth and ensure they do not swallow anything.

• Unanimously agreed that it breaks the fast.

• If someone wakes up in a state of Janābah (جنابة), their fast remains valid.

• Hadith: The Prophet ﷺ would wake up in a state of Janābah (not from a wet dream) and still fast.

• If ejaculation occurs due to intentional stimulation, such as masturbation, it breaks the fast.

• If ejaculation happens without deliberate action, such as a wet dream, the fast remains valid.

• Foreplay and kissing:

• Do not break the fast unless ejaculation occurs.

• If a person fears it will lead to something impermissible, it becomes ḥarām.

• Otherwise, it is Makrūh (discouraged) but not invalidating.

• If menstruation starts at any point in the day, the fast is invalid.

• The fast must be made up later.

• If a person loses their sanity, their fast is invalid.

• If someone leaves Islam, their fast is also invalid. (May Allah keep us firm upon the dīn.)

• Ḥijāmah does not break the fast, as the Prophet ﷺ was narrated as having cupping done while fasting.

• Eye drops do not break the fast.

• Injections (IV, intramuscular, subcutaneous) do not break the fast.

• Rinsing the mouth (Madhmaḍah - مَضْمَضَة) and nose (Istinshāq - اِسْتِنْشَاق)

this does not break the fast as long as a person does not exaggerate while performing Wuḍūʾ (وضوء).

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Exaggerate in rinsing the nose unless you are fasting.”

————————

• If Fajr enters while food is in one’s mouth, they must spit it out immediately.

• If swallowed after Fajr enters, the fast is invalid.⁴

• Once the sun sets for certain, it is Sunnah to break the fast immediately.

The Prophet ﷺ said,

“People will continue to be in a good state as long as they hasten to break their fast.”

The Prophet ﷺ used to break his fast:

• With fresh dates; if unavailable,

• With dried dates; if unavailable,

• With a few sips of water.

• Supplications at the time of breaking the fast are accepted.

• The Prophet ﷺ would say:

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ صُمْتُ وَعَلَى رِزْقِكَ أَفْطَرْتُ

“O Allah, I fasted for You, and upon Your provision, I break my fast.”

And also:

ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ وَابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ وَثَبَتَ الْأَجْرُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ

“The thirst has gone, the veins have been moistened, and the reward is confirmed, if Allah wills.”

• The Prophet ﷺ said,

“Three people’s prayers are not rejected: the fasting person at ifṭār, the righteous leader, and the oppressed person.”

• It is Sunnah to feed a fasting person, even with a small amount such as dates or water.

The Prophet ﷺ said,

“Whoever provides ifṭār for a fasting person will receive the same reward as him, without reducing his reward.”

• Taking Suḥūr is Sunnah, as it provides strength for the fasting day ahead.

• The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Take Suḥūr, for indeed there is a blessing in it.”

• The time for Suḥūr is from midnight until before Fajr enters.

• It is Sunnah to delay Suḥūr until shortly before Fajr enters.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“My Ummah will continue to be upon goodness as long as they hasten to break their fast and delay their Suḥūr.”

• It is recommended (Mustaḥabb - مُسْتَحَبّ) to perform Ghusl from major impurity before Fajr enters.

• Giving charity

The Prophet ﷺ was asked,

“O Messenger of Allah, what is the best Ṣadaqah?”

He replied, “Charity in the month of Ramadan.”

• Being kind to family and neighbors

• Especially during the last 10 nights of Ramadan.

• Reciting and studying the Qur’an.

• Standing in prayer during Ramadan is highly encouraged.

The Prophet ﷺ said,

“Whoever stands in prayer during Ramadan with faith and seeking reward, all his past sins will be forgiven.”

• The Prophet ﷺ used to increase his efforts in worship during the last 10 nights more than at any other time.

• Iʿtikāf is a Sunnah act of dedicating time in the Masjid for worship and devotion.

• Not following the Sunnah acts mentioned above, such as delaying Suḥūr or hastening to break the fast.

• While haram in essence—it is even more important in Ramadan to avoid:

• Lying, backbiting, gossiping, cursing, foul speech, and slander.

• Looking at the impermissible (e.g., lowering the gaze).

• Listening to music or engaging in distractions.

The Prophet ﷺ said,

“Whoever does not leave off false speech and acting upon it, Allah has no need for him to leave off his food and drink.”

• Note: These do not break the fast, but they destroy its reward.

• Makrūh while fasting, as it can weaken the body.

• Disliked as it may lead to accidentally swallowing something, which would break the fast.

• Makrūh if it doesn’t arouse the person.

• If it arouses them and/or leads to ejaculation, it becomes ḥarām.

• Fasting for multiple days without eating in between is prohibited.

The Prophet ﷺ warned against this and said, “Beware of Wiṣāl! Beware of Wiṣāl!”

When the companions asked why he did it, he replied,

“I am not like you; my Lord provides me with food and drink.”

• As previously mentioned, a person who is ill and finds fasting difficult may break their fast.

If fasting will:

• Worsen the illness

• Delay recovery

• Cause extreme hardship

Then the person is allowed to break their fast and must make it up later.

• Qur’an:

وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ

“And whoever is ill or on a journey, then let them fast an equal number of days later.” (Surah Al- Baqarah 2:185)

• If a person is traveling a minimum of 85 kilometers (approximately 53 miles) one way, they are permitted to break their fast.

Conditions for this:

• The travel must be permissible (not sinful).

• The journey must begin before Fajr enters.

• If a person starts the journey after Fajr, they must continue fasting unless they experience extreme hardship.

Choice for the traveler:

• If fasting is easy, it is better to fast.

• If fasting is difficult, it is better to break the fast.

• If a traveler fasts and then wishes to break it, they may do so.

• If they reach their destination after breaking their fast, it is recommended (Mustaḥabb - مُسْتَحَبّ) to refrain from eating for the rest of the day in respect for Ramadan, but it is not obligatory.

• Same ruling applies to a sick person who recovers during the day.

A person who:

• Is elderly and physically weak, or

• Has a chronic illness with no hope of recovery, or

• Must take medication that cannot be delayed until after sunset

Is exempt from fasting and must instead pay Fidyah (فدية).

• A pregnant or breastfeeding woman is permitted to break her fast if she fears...

Breakdown of rulings:

• If she fears for her own health, she is like a sick person—she makes up the fast later but does not pay Fidyah.

• If she only fears for her child, not herself, she must:

• Make up the fast later, and

• Pay Fidyah for each missed day.

• Anyone who misses a fast must make it up before the next Ramadan.

If someone broke their fast without a valid excuse, they must:

• Continue refraining from eating for the rest of the day, and

• Make up the fast later ASAP.

• If a person was able to make up their fast but delayed it without a valid excuse until the next Ramadan began, then:

• They must make up the fast, and

• They must pay Fidyah for each delayed day.

Narration from Ibn ʿAbbās, Ibn ʿUmar, and Abū Hurayrah:

“Whoever delays making up their fast until the next Ramadan, feeds a poor person.”

• If multiple years pass, the Fidyah repeats and accumulates each year, unless they had a valid excuse—in which case, they only need to make up the fast.

Anytime during the year, except:

• During another Ramadan.

• On Eid days.

• On the three days of Tashrīq (11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Ḥijjah).

It is best to make up the fasts sooner rather than later.

They can be:

• Spread apart, or

• Completed consecutively (which is Mustaḥabb - recommended).

If the person had a valid excuse and could not make up the fasts before passing away,

• there is no sin upon them and no action is required.

If they had no valid excuse and delayed the fasts unnecessarily, then:

• A relative may fast on their behalf or

• Others may fast for them with the family’s permission.

• The Prophet ﷺ said,

“Whoever dies owing fasts, his guardian should fast on his behalf.”

• Some scholars also permit giving Fidyah on their behalf.

• 0.2 gallons (370 ml) of food given to a poor person for each missed day.

• Must be a whole staple food (e.g., rice, wheat) and not processed food.

• Qur’an:

وَعَلَى لَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ

“And upon those who can only fast with difficulty, they must give a ransom: feeding a poor person.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:184)

• If the person is poor and cannot afford Fidyah, they are exempt from paying it.

Difference between men and women:

• A man must pay Fidyah when he is able (it becomes a debt).

• A woman is not obligated if she cannot afford it.

• An elderly person who is physically unable to fast and a chronically ill person may not give Fidyah before Ramadan begins.

• However, they are allowed to give it after each day of fasting has begun or after Ramadan.

If a Muslim intentionally breaks their fast during Ramadan by engaging in intercourse, without any valid excuse:

• They must make up the missed day.

• They must refrain from eating and drinking for the rest of that day.

• They have committed a great sin and must pay Kaffārah.

• Kaffārah must be done in order—one cannot move to the next option unless they are unable to do the previous one.

1. Freeing a believing slave.

2. If unable to free a slave, then they must fast for two consecutive months without interruption (except at night).

3. If unable to fast for two consecutive months, then they must feed 60 poor people, giving each one Mudd (مُدّ) of food (0.2 gallons / 370 ml of staple food).

• If a person cannot do any of the three, the Kaffārah remains a debt upon them until they are able to fulfill it.

• If a person breaks their fast in this manner more than once in different days, they must perform a separate Kaffārah for each day of violation.

• It is an act of devotion meant to strengthen the soul by dedicating time to the worship of Allah.

Evidence from the Sunnah:

• The Prophet ﷺ used to perform Iʿtikāf in the last ten nights of Ramadan.

• After his passing, his wives continued this practice.

• Iʿtikāf was also observed by previous nations, including Prophets Ibrāhīm (إِبْرَاهِيم) and Ismāʿīl (إِسْمَاعِيل).

There are two types of Iʿtikāf:

1. Mustaḥabb (Recommended) Iʿtikāf –

• Permissible at any time of the year, but especially in Ramadan.

• Even more emphasized during the last ten nights.

2. Wājib (Obligatory) Iʿtikāf –

• If a person makes a vow (Nadhr - نذر) to perform Iʿtikāf, then it becomes obligatory.

Must be:

• Children who have reached the age of Tamīz (تمييز) may also perform Iʿtikāf.

• Women may also perform Iʿtikāf with the following condition:

If married, she must have her husband’s permission.

If she performs Iʿtikāf without permission,

• her Iʿtikāf is valid, but she is sinful for disobeying her husband.

• Iʿtikāf must be performed in a masjid; it does not count if done at home.

• All texts about Iʿtikāf are linked to the masjid, indicating it must be done there.

• Iʿtikāf requires intention.

• It can be for any duration (even a few minutes).

• The duration must be a meaningful period of staying in the masjid.

A person may perform Iʿtikāf for:

• A few minutes, An hour, or A full day and night (which is preferred)

Mustahabb (Recommended) Acts During Iʿtikāf:

• Fasting during Iʿtikāf is especially recommended (Mustaḥabb).

• And other acts of worship like reading quran, dhikr and salah.

a. Valid reasons to leave the masjid include:

i. Using the restroom

ii. Eating (if necessary) with the intention of returning

• Laylat al-Qadr means “The Night of Decree” or “The Night of Power”, as the word “Qadr” (قَدْر) holds these multiple meanings.

• It occurs within the last ten nights of Ramadan, which is why these nights hold special importance for increasing acts of worship.

• Iʿtikāf (اِعْتِكَاف) is strongly emphasized during this time, ensuring one is engaged in worship when this night occurs.

• On this night, the angels (Malāʾikah - مَلَائِكَة) descend with Allah’s decree for the coming year.

Qur’an:

تَنَزَّلُ لْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَ لرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ

“The angels and the Spirit (Jibrīl) descend therein, by permission of their Lord, for every matter.” (Surah Al-Qadr 97:4)

• Worship on this night is better than a thousand months (~83 years).

Qur’an:

لَيْلَةُ لْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

“The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.” (Surah Al-Qadr 97:3)

• Because of its immense rewards, missing it is a great loss.

• The exact night is unknown—Allah has kept this knowledge hidden.

• While many narrations suggest different individual nights, they indicate that Laylat al-Qadr moves around each year.

• It is usually on an odd night (21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, or 29th).

• The 27th night is commonly believed to be Laylat al-Qadr, but other narrations point to different nights.

• Laylat al-Qadr changes every year, and we never know for certain when it will be.

• Wisdom in this: Not knowing its exact date encourages us to strive in worship all ten nights to seek it.

• Throughout Ramadan, as in all months, extra Sunnah prayers should be observed, especially the highly emphasized (Mu’akkadah - مُؤَكَّدَة) ones:

• Two before Fajr.

• Four before Ẓuhr and two after it.

• Two after Maghrib.

• Two after ʿIshāʾ.

• Witr (وِتْر) prayer.

What Is Tarāwīḥ?

• Tarāwīḥ is a form of Qiyām al-Layl (قِيَامُ اللَّيْل) specific to Ramadan.

• It is prescribed to be performed in congregation, though it can also be prayed individually.

Hadith: “Whoever stands in prayer during Ramadan with faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”

• 20 rakʿāt⁵ – This is what ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه prescribed when he established it in congregation.

• And Medina is special in that it is 36 as it was done from the first generations until this day.

• It is best to pray it in congregation, though praying it alone is allowed.

Timeframe:

• Every night of ramadan from after praying ʿIshāʾ until Fajr enters.

Witr in Congregation:

• Tarāwīḥ is usually concluded with Witr prayer in congregation.

• If a person wishes to continue praying after Witr that night, they may do so, but they should not repeat Witr, as there is only one Witr in a night.

• Tarāwīḥ is prayed in sets of two rakʿāt (2 by 2).

• Each set requires a specific intention for Tarāwīḥ.

• Ideally, the entire Qur’an should be completed in Tarāwīḥ across the month.

• This means reciting one Juzʾ (1/30th of the Qur’an) per night.

• It is recommended (Mustaḥabb - مُسْتَحَبّ) to have a long recitation in Tarāwīḥ to maximize the rewards of Ramadan.

• If one finds real hardship, they may sit, and their prayer is still valid with full reward.

• If a person sits without a valid hardship, they receive half the reward.

• Hadith: “A person praying while sitting receives half the reward of a person standing.”

Note: half a reward is better than no reward at all!

• Praying extra night prayers after sleeping some (Tahajjud - تَهَجُّد) is allowed after Tarāwīḥ and/or Witr.

• The night prayer (Qiyām al-Layl) has no limit—one may pray as much as they wish.

• If a person prays Witr in congregation but later wants to pray more, they may do so without repeating Witr.

• It is permissible to hold a Mushaf (Qur’an) and read from it while praying.

• Minimizing movement while holding the Mushaf is recommended, but slight movements do not invalidate the prayer—even if it was fardh.

Types of Sunnah Fasts:

• Six Days of Shawwal: After completing Ramadan, fasting six days in Shawwal is highly recommended.

• Day of Arafah (9th of Dhul-Hijjah): Expiates the sins of two years (for non- pilgrims).

• Day of Ashura (10th of Muharram): Recommended to fast along with the 9th or 11th day.

• Mondays and Thursdays: As practiced by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

• The White Days (13th, 14th, and 15th of each lunar month) .

• Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha: It is strictly forbidden to fast on these two festival days.

• Days of Tashreeq (11th, 12th, 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) except for those performing Hajj Tamattu’ or Qiran who cannot find a sacrificial animal .

• Fasting on the Day of Doubt (the 30th of Sha’ban) unless it coincides with one’s regular fasting routine.

Disliked Fasts:

• Fasting exclusively on Fridays without fasting the day before or after.

May Allah accept from us our fasting and praying.

وصلى الله وسلم على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين

والحمد لله رب العالمين

Detailed Table of Contents .........................................................3

Foreword ..................................................................................6

Sawm — Fasting in Ramadan ......................................................7

Definition of Fasting (Ṣawm - صَوْم) ..........................................................................7

The Basis of Fasting in the Qur’an and Sunnah .........................................................7

How is Ramadan Determined? .................................................................................7

Conditions for Fasting to Be Obligatory ...................................................................8

Conditions for Fasting to Be Valid ............................................................................9

The Pillars of Fasting ...............................................................................................9

What Breaks the Fast? (Mufattirāt) .........................................................................10

Things That Do Not Break the Fast ..........................................................................11

Sunnah Acts of Fasting ..........................................................................................12

Makrūh (مَكْرُوه) – Disliked Acts While Fasting ..........................................................14

Valid Excuses for Breaking the Fast ........................................................................15

Making Up Missed Fasts (Qaḍāʾ - قَضَاء) .................................................................17

Fidyah (فدية) – Compensation for Not Fasting .........................................................18

Kaffārah (كفّارة) – Expiation for Breaking the Fast ....................................................19

Miscellaneous Aspects of Ramadan (Outside of Fasting) ............20

Iʿtikāf (اِعْتِكَاف) – Spiritual Retreat in the Masjid .......................................................20

Pillars (Arkān - أركان) of Iʿtikāf and Its Conditions .....................................................20

What Breaks Iʿtikāf? ..............................................................................................21

Laylat al-Qadr (لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْر) – The Night of Decree and Power ....................................22

Extra Prayers in Ramadan .....................................................................................23

Tarāwīḥ (تَرَاوِيح) – Night Prayers in Ramadan .........................................................23

Voluntary Fasts .....................................................................................................25

Prohibited and Disliked Fasts .................................................................................25

¹ ↩

Note: Oftentimes, the aḥādīth and āyāt of the Qurʾān are clear in how a particular ruling is derived. In other cases, the connection may not be clear. For someone to fully understand how evidences are connected and how rulings are extracted from them, he would need a strong grasp of the Arabic language, along with uṣūl al-fiqh [أصول الفقه]. The purpose of this book is to show the basis for the rulings whenever possible.

² ↩

0.2 gallons (370 ml) of staple food per day to a poor person. It must be unprocessed local staple food (e.g., rice, wheat), not processed foods like bread or noodles.

³ ↩

Or knows his right from left and is able to clean himself after using the bathroom

⁴ ↩

Imām al-Nawawī said:

“As for the ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه), that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘If one of you hears the call (adhān) while a vessel is in his hand, then he should not put it down until he fulfills his need from it,’ it was narrated by Abū Dāwūd with a ḥasan chain, and al-Bayhaqī said: its chain is ṣaḥīḥ.

Our companions (أصحابنا — i.e., the Shāfiʿī scholars) said: this is to be understood as referring to when he hears the call before the rising of Fajr, and that is the call of Bilāl, because he used to give the adhān before Fajr, as is authentically established in the two Ṣaḥīḥs: ‘Indeed, Bilāl gives the adhān at night, so eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktūm gives the adhān.’

They said: when Fajr has risen, then food and drink become forbidden for the fasting person, without any اختلاف (difference of opinion).”

⁵ ↩

There has never been a scholar—from the earliest generations, from the Ṣaḥābah (الصحابة), until recent times—who denied the permissibility and prescription of praying Tarāwīḥ (التراويح) with more than eleven rakʿāt. This claim is a newly introduced opinion that comes from people interpreting certain aḥādīth without taking into consideration the consensus that preceded them in this matter and expanding the scope of bida’ to include that which the sahabah practiced, and here that which they all agreed upon!

If someone limits Tarāwīḥ to eight rakʿāt with three of Witr (وتر), then he is praying it incompletely. It would be sunnah (سنة) for the person who prays this in congregation to complete it after returning home to make it twenty. If he does not, then he is simply missing out on part of the sunnah.

As for making inkār (إنكار — condemnation) of those who pray twenty, this is completely rejected, because it goes against the statements of all the scholars before. We do not find any scholar making inkār of someone for praying twenty, rather the position that twenty is sunnah is something for which no اختلاف (difference of opinion) is known,.