Common Mistakes In Ramadan

In the Name of Allh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

By Sheikh Ahmad Musa Jibril (May Allah hasten his release)

Bismillah Wasalatu wasalam A'la Rasulillah. Ama Ba'ad Common Mistakes During Ramadan: 1) Focusing on food; to the extent that people begin to worry about eating more then actually fasting. This also goes along with spending tons of money on Iftars even though a person does not need to eat that much food. 2) Making Suhr way before Fajr. Some people eat Suhr a few hours after Tarawih or Isha Salah, this is wrong. It should be eaten closer to the time of Fajr. 3) People don't make Niyyah [intentions] to fast for Ramadhan. This is something in the heart and does not need to be verbal. Also it only needs to be done once, at the beginning of Ramadhan and not every single day. 4) If you find out late that Ramadhan started, you should stop eating and fast for that day, making that day up after Ramadhan/Eid ends. 5) Many people don't think you pray Tarawih on the first night of Ramadhan. They believe you pray it after the first day you actually fast. They forget that the Islamic calendar runs on the moon, maghrib is the start of the new day. 6) Many people believe if you eat or drink on accident this breaks your fast. This is false, if you do this on accident then you continue fasting and do not need to make up the day. 7) Some people take the opinion that if they see someone eating or drinking they should not remind the person that he/she is fasting. According to Shaykh Bin Baz [ra], this is incorrect and it is an order from Allah for us to ordain the good and forbid the evil. Thus we tell the person, because we are forbidding the evil this way. 8) Many sisters believe they cannot use Hennah while fasting. This is incorrect, they are allowed to use it during Ramadhan. 9) Some people believe when you are cooking you cannot taste the food to see if it has the right spices/flavors. This is false, and allowed in Islam as long as the person cooking is not eating the food. Rather they can taste it to see if it needs salt, or more spices. 10) Many people think you cannot use a Miswak or toothbrush during Ramadhan. This is false, for the Prophet [saw] used to use a miswak during Ramadhan. Also you CAN use toothpaste; the reasoning by the scholars is that the Miswak has flavor, thus toothpaste is okay to use [if you are not eating it]. 11) Some people make the Fajr Adhan early. They do this so people will stop eating before Fajr and not invalidate their fast. This is wrong and something we should not do.

12) Some people make the Maghrib Adhan late. They do this so people will start eating late, just incase Maghrib has not come in yet. This too is wrong and we should not do this. 13) Many many people believe you cannot have intercourse with your spouse during the whole month of Ramadhan. This is false, you cannot do this only during the times when you are fasting. Between Maghrib and Fajr it is permissible to do. 14) Many women believe that if their period has just ended and they did not make Ghusl, they cannot fast that day [considering their period ended at night, and they went to bed without Ghusl, waking up without having a chance to make it]. This is incorrect, if a women has not made Ghusl she can still fast. 15) Many men believe that if he has had intercourse with his wife and did not make Ghusl [similar to the above] then he cannot fast the next morning. This is also incorrect, for he can fast even if he has not made Ghusl. 16) Some people pray Dhur and Asr prayers together during Ramadhan. (mainly in Arab countries) This is incorrect and should be avoided. 17) Some people believe you cannot eat until the Muadhthin is done calling the Maghrib Adthan. This is incorrect, as soon as he starts a person can break their fast. 18) Many people don't take advantage of making Dua before they break their fast. This is one of the three times when Allah accepts a person Dua. 19) Many people make the mistake of spending the later part of Ramadhan preparing for Id, neglecting Ramadhan. This is incorrect and these people lose the concept of what Ramadhan is about. 20) Many parents do not let their children fast during Ramadhan [young children]. This is something counter productive to a child. By allowing him to fast he will grow up to know he must do this act. 21) Many people think Ramadhan is just about not eating and forget about controlling their tempers and watching what they say. In actuality we are supposed to control our tempers and mouths even more during Ramadhan. 22) People often waste their time during Ramadhan. They go to sleep during the day and get nothing done. We should be taking advantage of this blessed month by doing extra Ibadat. 23) Some people don't go on trips or 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 [with making it up later], and if you don't you can continue fasting. 24) Many people who are able don't make Itikaf at the masjid. We should take advantage of our good health and spend lots of time at the Masjid, especially the last 10 days of Ramadhan. 25) Some people believe they cannot cut their hair or nails during Ramadhan. This is also false. 26) Some people say you cannot swallow your spit during Ramadhan. This too is false. However you cannot swallow mucus that has entered your mouth. 27) Some people say you cannot use scented oils or perfumes during Ramadhan. This too is false. 28) Some people believe bleeding breaks the fast. This is not true. 29) Some people believe if you throw up on accident it breaks your fast. This is not true,

however if you do it intentionally it does. 30) Some people think you cannot put water in your nose and mouth during wudhu in Ramadhan. This too is incorrect.

The Virtues of Fasting in the Summer

In the Name of Allh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

By Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali Ibn Rajab commented on the virtues of fasting in the heat in 'Lata'if al-Ma'arif' (p. 272-273): "...And from the acts of worship whose reward is multiplied during the heat is fasting, and this is because of the thirst that one experiences in the mid-day heat. This is why Mu'adh bin Jabal expressed regret on his deathbed that he would no longer experience this mid-day thirst, as did other early Muslims. And it was related that Abu Bakr would fast in the summer and not fast in the winter, and 'Umar advised his son 'Abdullah on his deathbed: "Try to obtain the characteristics of faith," and the first one he mentioned was fasting in the intense summer heat. And al-Qasim bin Muhammad said that 'A'ishah would fast in the intense heat, and he was asked: "What drove her to do this?" He replied: "She would take advantage of the days before death." And some of the righteous women would choose the hottest days and fast them, saying: "If the price is low, everyone will buy," meaning that she wanted to do those actions that only a few were capable of due to how hard it was to do them, and this is indicative of the high aspirations these women had. And Abu Musa al-Ash'ari was on a boat, and he heard someone calling out: "O passengers, stand up!" And he said this three times. So, Abu Musa told him: "How can we stand up? Don't you see where we are? How can we stand up?" So, the caller said: "Let me tell you of a rule that Allah made upon Himself: whoever makes himself thirsty for Allah's sake on a hot day has the right upon Allah to have his thirst quenched on the Day of Resurrection." So, Abu Musa would search out the days that were so hot that one would feel he was being cooked, and he would fast those days. Ka'b said that Allah Said to Musa: "I made it incumbent upon Myself that whoever is thirsty for My sake will have his thirst quenched on the Day of Resurrection," and others said that it's written in the Torah: "Glad tidings for whoever makes himself hungry in anticipation of the Great Day where he will have his hunger satisfied, and glad tidings for whoever makes himself thirsty in anticipation of the Great Day where he will have his thirst quenched." al-Hasan said: "A maiden of Paradise will speak to the wali of Allah while he is laying with her on the shore of a river of honey in Paradise while she hands him a glass of the sweetest drink, and she will ask him: "Do you know what day Allah married me to you? He Saw you on a long summer day while you were thirsty in the mid-day heat, and He called the Angels and Said: "Look at My slave. He has left his wife and pleasure and food and drink for Me out of his desire for what I have for him. Bear witness that I have Forgiven him," and He Forgave you on that day and married you to me."" And when 'Amir bin 'Abd Qays went from Basrah to Sham, Mu'awiyah would ask him to tell him what he needed. He refused to ask of him, and eventually said: "All I need is for you to return the heat of Basrah to me to make the fasting a bit harder, as it is too easy in your lands." And al-Hajjaj was on a journey between Makkah and Madinah. He pulled out his dinner and invited a bedouin to eat with him, and the bedouin said: "I have been invited by One who is better than you and I have accepted the invitation." He asked: "And who is this?" The man replied: "Allah invited me to fast, and I fasted." al-Hajjaj asked: "On this very hot day?" The man replied: "Yes. I am fasting it in anticipation of a much hotter day." al-Hajjaj said: "So, eat today and fast tomorrow." The man replied: "Only if you can guarantee that I will live until tomorrow." al-Hajjaj said: "This isn't in my hands." The man said: "How can you ask me to do something now when there is something of the future that isn't in your hands?"

And Ibn 'Umar went on a trip once with some companions, and they saw a sheep-herder who they invited to eat with them. He said: "I am fasting," and Ibn 'Umar said: "You are fasting in heat like this, and while you are between all these plants and sheep?" The herder replied: "I'm taking advantage of my remaining days." Ibn 'Umar was impressed by this reply and said: "Can you sell one of your sheep to us? We'll feed you from its meat when you break your fast, and we'll also pay you for it." The herder said: "It doesn't belong to me. It belongs to my master." Ibn 'Umar said: "What would your master say if you told him that it was eaten by a wolf?" The herder raised his finger to the sky and said: "What about Allah?" Ibn 'Umar kept repeating this phrase that the herder was saying, and when he got to the city, he went to the herder's owner and bought him and his sheep from him. He then freed the herder and gave him his sheep as a gift. And Ruh bin Zinba' was traveling between Makkah and Madinah on a very hot day. A herder living on a mountain approached him, and he said to him: "O herder, come eat with me." The herder said: "I'm fasting." Ruh said: "You're fasting in this heat?" The herder replied: "Should I let my days pass by in vain?" So, Ruh said: "You have used your days wisely, O herder, while Ruh bin Zinba' has wasted his." And Ibn 'Umar used to fast extra days until he would almost faint, and this wouldn't cause him to break his fast. And al-Imam Ahmad would fast until he was about to pass out, and would wipe water over his face. He was asked about fasting very hot days, and he replied: "There is nothing wrong with wetting a towel to squeeze the water on himself to cool down with." And the Prophet (saw) would pour water over his head while fasting. And Abu ad-Darda' would say: "Fast the very hot days in anticipation of the Day of Resurrection, and pray two rak'at in the darkness of night in anticipation of the darkness of the grave." And it's reported in the two 'Sahih's that he said: "You have seen us with the Messenger of Allah (saw) on some of his journeys on very hot days, and a man would hold his hand against his head due to the intensity of the heat, and none of them would be fasting except the Messenger of Allah and 'Abdullah bin Rawahah." And the narration of Muslim states that Abu ad-Darda' said: "This was during the month of Ramadan." When those who fast for Allah in the heat are patient despite their intense thirst, He set aside a specific gate of the gates of Paradise for them. This is the gate called Rayyan, and whoever enters through it will drink, and whoever drinks after entering it will never be thirsty again. When they enter through it, it will be locked for those after them, and none will enter through it except them..."

Notes from chapters on fasting in Fath al-Bari'

In the Name of Allh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

By Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani Here a few useful notes the first few chapters of Kitab as-Sawm in Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani's Fath al-Bari (4/123 onwards): 1 - The lexical and Shari definitions of : Linguistically, siyam is to refrain from something. Sharan, it is to hold back from something specific for a specific amount of time, under specific conditionsit is said to the knight who has refrained from joining an expedition for some time that he is saim. And in the Shar, it is that one who is tasked with this obligation is to refrain from food, drink, sexual pleasure, and vomiting from sunrise to sunset. 2 - Fasting is a shield: and the narrations that are related to this show that it is a shield from the Hellfire, and this is what Ibn Abd al-Barr opined. As for the author of an-Nihayah, he said: What is meant by it being a shield is that it protects the person from that which can harm him of desires. al-Qurtubi said: It is a curtain. So, it is a must for the one fasting to avoid that which will corrupt him and decrease his reward A nd al-Iyad said in al-Ikmal: It is a shield from sins or the Fire, or both of these, and anNawawi took this opinion. 3 - The meaning of : This means that he should not do anything that is customary of the ignorant people, such as making foolish noises, fooling around, etcal-Qurtubi said: It is not to be understood here that this is allowed when one is not fasting. Rather, it is even more incumbent to avoid such things when one is fasting." 4 - The various levels of fasting: And Ibn al-Arabi narrated from some of the ascetics that they said that fasting is of four types: 1) the fast of the layman, and that is from food, drink, and sex; 2) the fast of the chosen among the layman, and that is by avoiding all the forbidden statements and actions; 3) the fast of the chosen people, and that is to abstain from everything but the remembrance and worship of Allah; and 4) the special fast of the chosen people, and that is to fast from anything other than Allah, and there is no breaking of this fast until the Day of Resurrection." 5 - The meaning of Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith, and awaiting his reward:

What is meant by out of faith is that he deeply believes in fasting being an obligation, and awaiting his reward is that he seeks the reward from Allah. al-Khattabi said: This means he should be energetic and willful, and should fast with the hope of getting a reward and purifying his soul, and he should not look at fasting as a burden, and should not be counting the days until Ramadan is over." 6 - The fasting person has two instances of joy: when he breaks his fast, and when he meets his Lord: al-Qurtubi said, in regards to the joy of breaking the fast, that this is because his hunger and thirst are gone, since he can now break his fast, and this is a natural type of happiness. It is also said that his happiness at breaking his fast is because he has completed his worship, been relieved from his Lord, and knows that he is able to fast again with help from Him. I say that it is possible that the issue is more general than what has been mentioned, as each persons happiness is in accordance with his different level in regards to his worship. So, there are some that express the permissible happiness, which is the natural joy of being able to eat, and some people express the happiness that is preferred

The Likeness of Ramadan and Prophet Yusuf

In the Name of Allh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

By Ibn al-Jawzi From Ibn al-Jawzi's 'Bustan al-Wa'idhin wa Riyad as-Sami'in' (p. 213-214): "The month of Ramadan to the other months is like Yusuf to his brothers. So, just like Yusuf was the most beloved son to Ya'qub, Ramadan is likewise the most beloved month to Allah. A nice point for the nation of Muhammad (saw) to ponder over is that if Yusuf had the mercy and compassion to say {"There is no reproach for you today..."} [Yusuf; 92], Ramadan is likewise the month of mercy, blessing, goodness, salvation from the Fire, and Forgiveness from the King that exceeds that of all the other months and what can be gained from their days and nights. Another nice point to think about is that Yusuf's brothers came to rely on him to fix their mistakes after all those they had made. So, he met them with kindness and helped them out, and he fed them while they were hungry and allowed them to return, and he told his servants: "Carry their belongings with you so that they don't lose them." So, one person filled the gaps of eleven others, and the month of Ramadan is likewise one month that fills the gaps of our actions over the other eleven months. Imagine the gaps and shortcoming and deficiency we have in obeying Allah! We hope that in Ramadan, we are able to make up for our shortcomings in the other months, to rectify our mistakes, and to cap it off with happiness and firmness on the Rope of the Forgiving King. Another point is that Ya'qub had eleven sons who were living with him and whose actions he would see at all times, and his eyesight did not return because of any of their clothing. Instead, it returned due to Yusuf's shirt. His eyesight came back strong, and he himself became strong after he was weak, and seeing after he was blind. Likewise, if the sinner smells the scents of Ramadan, sits with those who remind him of Allah, recites the Qur'an, befriends on the condition of Islam and faith, and avoids backbiting and vain talk, he will (by Allah's Will) become forgiven after he was a sinner, he will become close after he was far, he will be able to see with his heart after it was blind, his presence will be met with happiness after it was met with repulsion, he will be met with mercy after he was met with disdain, he will be provided for without limit or effort on his part, he will be guided for his entire life, he will have his soul dragged out with ease and smoothness when he dies, he will be blessed with Forgiveness when he meets Allah, and he will be granted the best levels in the Gardens of Paradise. So, by Allah, take advantage of this greatness during these few days and you will soon see abundant blessing, high levels of reward, and a very long period of rest and relaxation by the Will of Allah. By Allah, this is the true relaxation..."

A Simple Ramadan Program

.
{O you who believe! Fasting was prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become pious. Fast for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number should be made up from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, they have to feed a poor person. But, whoever does good of his own accord, it is better for him. And that you fast, it is better for you if only you knew.} [al-Baqarah; 183-184] It is, as the Lord of Glory Said, a fixed number of days. Rather, it is a fixed number of hours! The month of Ramadan is either 720 hours, or 696 hours, and every minute of it has a price and a value. The Salaf and the Companions may Allah be Pleased with them used to await these days of Ramadan from the year to year, as it has been reported in a narration that the Companions used to say, when Rajab had arrived: O Allah, assist us in worshiping You in Rajab and Shaban, and allow us to witness Ramadan.Because Ramadan is the annual occasion of the cleansing of the soul, spirit, and body, its effect on the human spirit and body is not that profound. The acts of worship of the soul are many, and as much as the body receives its share of pain during the course of its worship, it will receive its share of light. That is why Jihad is the uppermost peak of Islam; because it is the most painful and difficult of the acts of worship. Its reward is greater, its effect on the soul deeper, and its result in building the spirit and in ingraining Tawhid in it is great. Therefore, there are acts of worship dealing with ones wealth. However, its effect on the soul is usually less than the effect of an act of worship dealing with the body. So, Zakah has a deep effect on the soul, as it purifies it from covetousness. However, you cannot truly sympathize with the poor person unless you feel his pain, live as he lives, and starve as he starves. If you starve, then you feel your body becoming stronger and more durable. At that time, you become joyous that you were able to sacrifice something and purify yourself from covetousness. Jihad is the same way: Jihad with ones wealth does not purify ones soul in the same way as Jihad with ones self does. And because of this, Islam did not relieve any of the Companions of the obligation of Jihad with his self, no matter what his position in society, and no matter how good his reputation, such as in the case of Uthman. And the Salaf - may Allah be Pleased with them would calculate Ramadan by the minute. They were praying behind Ubayy bin Kab and Umar bin al-Khattab was praying Tarawih behind him and they would require sticks to support themselves on as a result of his long standing in the prayer, and the Companions would say: We fear that we will miss the suhur praying behind Ubayy, and we fear that the Fajr time will come, causing us to miss the Blessed Meal they used to refer to suhur as the Blessed Meal so, let our children rush to prepare the meal. And it was reported from some of the Tabiin, and those who came after them, in regards to their Quran and prayer, that some of them would complete reciting the Quran sixty times in Ramadan, and this was specifically narrated in regards to al-Imam ash-Shafii; he used to complete it once during the day, and once during the night. Some of them would complete it once during the night and day, and others would complete it once every three days, until they reached the last ten days, in which they would seclude themselves in the mosque, completing it once a day. And to complete the Quran in a day is easy, if we keep in mind that to recite the Quran slowly (tartil) takes about 24 hours, and a quicker recitation takes about ten hours. It is possible for the one who has memorized the Quran to complete one juz in 20 minutes, allowing him to complete all thirty juzs in ten hours. I was told by Abu al-Hasan an-Nadawi: I saw my teachers, and some of them would not speak at all in Ramadan. Rather, they would only engage in worship; either Quran or prayer. If someone were to speak to them, they would count out their words, and calculate them by the minutes and seconds. So, Ramadan consists of fasting and prayer.

Because of this, the Salaf, such as al-Imam Malik, would seclude themselves until the time of giving a class, saying: Verily, Ramadan is for praying and reciting the Quran. Some of them would say: Ramadan is praying, giving charity, and reciting the Quran. And in Ramadan, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of Hell are shut, and the devils are chained up. This is something that actually happens, as one of my trustworthy friends who used to have contact with the jinn - but has since repented informed me: When I would ask the jinn who I would work with to relay to me any news, they would say: We are inactive in Ramadan. I used to think that they were believing jinn, as they would pray and fast with me. However, I realized from their answer, that they were devils (i.e., disbelieving jinn). Later, after an experiment, I confirmed for myself that they were disbelievers: I requested from them one day that they heal my cousin, so, they said: She will not be cured unless she puts on a cross. So, I said to them: You really are devils. You are from the disbelieving jinn. They said: We are from the believing jinn. I said: From now, we have nothing to do with each other. They said: We will hurt you, then. I said: I dare you to try to hurt me. We will meet at midnight at the graveyard, the most secluded and frightening place I can think of, and at midnight, I made ablution and prayed two rakahs, and went to the graveyard. I did this for three nights in a row, but the jinn were unable to even come near me. So, it is something physical, not simply metaphoric. The devils are chained, and they are unable to move about and cause evil between the people. The major jinn are the ones who are chained, while the minor devils are left to move about. And Ramadan is the Ramadan of Jihad, so, I advise everyone of you to not fall short in a single day in Ramadan. I was in Qatar, or the Emirates, and I was told: The brothers in America called, asking if you could go spend the last ten nights with them. I said: Subhan Allah! I spend the last ten nights in America, and I leave Jalalabad, Qandahar, and Kabul erupting? The hour in these places is better than standing in prayer for sixty years, and I go and enter America, even if in Ramadan? And because of this, for the duration of my stay here, especially in the last five years, I always loved to spend every Ramadan outside of Peshawar, and to not enter Peshawar unless it was necessary. I would spend it either in the training camp in Sada, Jadji, or any other place, so that it would be written for me as a Ramadan of ribat, and the Ramadan in the land of ribat is a thousand times better than Ramadan outside of the land of ribat, as the Prophet said: Ribat for one day in the Path of Allah is better than a thousand days in any other place, even if one were to fast all day and pray all night. [Reported by atTirmidhi and an-Nasa'i] So, brothers, whoever of you stays in Peshawar, then let him comply with the following daily program: Do not stay up late in Ramadan, as Ramadan is the time of praying, fasting, and seeking Allahs forgiveness during the morning hours. So, break your fast in your homes on some dates or water, or in the mosque, and provide some dates and water in the mosques for those who might break their fast there, and glad tidings to the one who provides food for the one breaking his fast: Whoever provides food for the fasting person, then, he will have the same reward as the fasting person, without the fasting persons reward being diminished at all, even if it is only on a piece of a date, so, for this, let the competitors compete for this great reward. I was in Qatar, and some of the good-doers said to me: We wish to provide food for a thousand fasting Mujahidin for all of Ramadan. How much does each Mujahid require in Ramadan? I said: He requires three Qatari riyals or dirhams. Suddenly, a check was being written for 90,000 Qatari riyals, with him saying:This is the cost of food for a thousand Mujahidin in Jalalabad, and I ask that you alert me of its arrival. When it arrived the next day,

I was surprised to hear the phone ring, with him telling me: The money for the food of two thousand more is on the way. Feed them rice and meat, as they are the best of foods. Comply with this program, and it is easy: break your fast in the mosque, then pray the Maghrib. Return to your homes, eat as much as Allah has Willed for you to eat, and after that, make istighfar while you are awaiting the time for Isha. Then, pray the Isha and Tarawih in the mosque, then, return to your homes. Eat the suhur, and be particular about this time. In addition to it being a blessed meal, the best time to make istighfar is in these early morning hours. So, after the suhur, rush to make ablution and perform some Tahajjud, and increase in your connection with the Lord of Glory: Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night, Asking: Who will call on Me so that I may respond to him? Who is asking something of Me so I may give it to him? Who is asking for My forgiveness so I may forgive him? So, take advantage of these times the early morning hours in which an answered supplication is almost certain. {Those who are patient, those who are true, the obedient with sincere devotion in worship to Allah, and those who spend in the Way of Allah, and those who pray and beg Allahs Pardon in the last hours of the night.} [Al 'Imran; 17] {They used to sleep but little by night, and in the hours before dawn, they were asking for forgiveness.} [adh-Dhariyat; 17-18] So, when the Fajr time enters, go to the mosque and pray there. And try, if you do not have work, to not sleep during the time between Fajr and sunrise: For me to sit with a group of people after the morning prayer, remembering Allah the Mighty and Majestic until the Sun rises is more beloved to me than freeing four slaves from the children of Ismail [Reported by Abu Dawud] After this, go and rest until midday. From midday until Asr, attend to the needs of your family. Try to generally decrease in eating, drinking, and consuming sweets, keeping in mind that you are surrounded by widows, children, and orphans who are unable to afford plain rice. Set aside your sweets, bread, and rice for such people. Your women are also in need of cleansing their souls, and they are in need of freeing themselves for the recitation of the Quran and worship. Their preoccupation with preparing food is a preoccupation from the essential activities of Ramadan; it is a preoccupation from istighfar, recitation, and worship. So, if you pray the Asr, and you have no other obligations to keep you busy, seclude yourself in the mosque until the Sun sets, and indulge in the recitation of the Quran: and for me to sit with a group of people after the Asr prayer, remembering Allah the Mighty and Majestic until the Sun sets is more beloved to me than freeing four slaves from the children of Ismail. So, when it is time for Maghrib prayer, pray it, and return to your home. This is a program that anyone can follow, either most or all of it. Pay close attention to these days, in particular, and pay attention to these hours. In Ramadan, there is no time for he said, she said, or watching television, or socialization. Do not visit one another in your houses during the nights of Ramadan, as this constitutes wasting and theft of time of this blessed month. There is the mosque in which you are able to meet and chat in after praying Tarawih, and any of your brothers who need something from you, your meeting place is in the mosque, and your place of departure is the mosque. Do not preoccupy the people with your presence in their homes during the nights of Ramadan ['at-Tarbiyah al-Jihadiyyah wal-Bina''; 3/86-93]