Fiqh of Fasting: Recommended Acts of Fasting

9. Recommended Acts of Fasting

a. Breaking fast quickly and without delay at sunset – It is from sticking to the sunnah if one breaks his fast as soon as he gets information of the sunset, and in our time we can get this down to the minute. The Prophet (sall Allâhu’ alayhi wa sallam) said, “My nation will continue to be in good shape as long as they delay the suhoor and rush to the iftaar.”

b. Delaying suhoor until shortly before fajr –The sunnah is to delay the suhoor as much as possible as the Prophet (sall Allâhu’ alayhi wa sallam) said above. It is not good for a person to stay up until the middle of the night and eat and then wake up just for fajr. Rather it is recommended that he wake up a short duration before fajr and eat the suhoor and then pray.

c. Increasing one’s good deeds –One is encouraged to do more and more good deeds during this month like reading the Quraan because Ramadhaan is the month of the Quraan. And also remembering Allah and helping one’s parents or helping a muslim to do good. And equally a good deed is also when one refrains from bad deeds.

d. Say “I am fasting” if one is provoked – The Prophet (sall Allâhu’ alayhi wa sallam) said, “When one is fasting, when one is argumentative, and if a person insults him then he must say “I am fasting”. One must do this during Ramadhan, but on a voluntary fast it is better to say this to oneself in order to avoid Riyaa’ (showing off).

e. To make du’a upon breaking fast –It is recommended that one makes a dua when breaking his fast and the reported one is, “Dhahaba adh-dhama’ wa abtallat al-‘urooq wa wajaba al-ajr in shaa Allah.” meaning, “The thirst has gone, the veins are moist and the reward is establish if Allah wills.” There are quite a few duas that are mentioned in books but it is recommended for one to stick to an authentic one as many are the weak and fabricated duas that we come across.

f. Breaking fast with dates and water – Preference of what to break the fast with are 1. Rutab – undried dates 2. Tamar – dried dates 3.Water

Related Posts:
Prologue
Introduction
Chapter 1: Fasting in Ramadhaan
1. A pillar of Islam
2. Obligation of Fasting
3. Sighting of the Moon for start of Ramadhaan
4. One reliable witness’ presence is sufficient
5. Conditions that make Ramadhan Obligatory for an Individual
6. Expiation for the inability to fast due to age or illness
7. Requirements of a valid fast
8. Obligations to fulfill during fasting
9. Recommended acts of fasting

Chapter 2: Conditions in which breaking fast is Permissible, Impermissible, or Recommended
Chapter 3: That which Invalidates Your Fast
Chapter 4: Repayment of Missed or Broken Fasts
Chapter 5: Recommended, Disliked, and Impermissible Days of Fasting

(Chapter 4 & 5 – Insha’Allah comming soon around Eid al Fitr)