Ramadan is perhaps one of the Holiest months in the Islamic calendar. It’s a time to learn patience and self-discipline.
The significance of this month inspires us to act with generosity and charity. Muslims alter their daily routines, dedicating themselves to seeking Allah’s forgiveness and seeking His blessings during this time of year.
In Ramadan, Muslims aim to avoid actions that might compromise their fasting and jeopardize the hard-earned blessings and rewards.
In a Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said,
“When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.” (Bukhari)
Hence, any awful act that happens from a Muslim, it is his or her own doing.
There are some common mistakes during Ramadan that every Muslim should know and avoid doing them.
1- NOT FASTING BECAUSE OF WORK OR EXAMS
We all know that fasting is fardh (farz) for all Muslims. Exams or work should not be one of the reasons to skip the fast. Remember, pleasing Allah is more important than “Good Grades”. You can study at night if it is too hard to do that during the day. Allah will help you in everything you do if you prioritize “Him” alone.
2- TAKING RAMADAN AS A RITUAL
For many of us, Ramadan has lost its spirituality and mostly served as a routine rather than a time for performing good deeds. We fast continuously from dawn to night simply because everyone else is doing the same. We have failed to realize that this is a time to purify our heart and soul.
3- FOCUSING ON FOOD
Instead of focusing on Salaah, the Qur’an, and other acts of worship, some people spend the whole day preparing meals and thinking about food. All they can think of is “FOOD”. They turn the month of ‘fasting’ into the month of ‘feasting’.
4- PEOPLE DON’T MAKE NIYYAH (INTENTIONS) TO FAST FOR RAMADAN
A lot of people say that niyyah(Niyyat) is something in the heart and does not need to be verbal. But this is not true. Niyyah is important and it should be said verbally.
5- NOT GIVING ZAKAT
Giving Zakat is obligatory for all eligible Muslims and is based on the current nisab values.These can vary year to year. To simplify the rules around paying zakat, it is better to use the nisab values for each year. It is required to donate 2.5% of the savings to charity each lunar year. It is known as zakat.
6- SKIPPING THE SUHOOR
Some people choose to forego suhoor. It is undoubtedly the most important part of a good day’s fast since a healthy meal will provide you with the energy you need to keep up your level of fitness throughout the day.
7- DELAYING IN BREAKING THE FAST
Muslims make the mistake of delaying their iftar.
“The people will remain on the right path as long as they hasten the breaking of the fast.” (Bukhari)
While you might believe that delaying your Iftar will provide you greater reward for putting up with your hunger- it’s actually the total opposite.
8- SLEEPING ALL DAY
Ramadan is a precious time, and Muslims must take full advantage of it by spending as much time as they can in praying to Allah Almighty. Muslims stay up at night so they can sleep during the day in order to avoid the hunger and thirst that arise throughout the day. This goes against what fasting teaches us and is wrong
9- WASTING TIME
In this month of mercy and forgiveness, we should try and spend every moment possible in the Ibadah (Ibadat) of Allah so that we can make the most of the blessings. A Muslim should have no time to waste. But, some of us spend our days watching TV, movies, or even listening to music, or even worse, playing video games
10- FASTING WITHOUT PRAYER
If a Muslim does not pray regularly and instead simply experiences hunger and thirst throughout the day, they may not be observing Ramadan in the proper manner. Muslims are expected to pray often during this month in order to seek Allah Almighty’s blessings.