Last Ten Days of Ramadan - Acts of Worship and Innovations

 

صلى الله عليه وسلم - used to specify the last ten days of Ramadaan with specific actions that he wouldn't practice during the rest of the month.

Actions Specific to the Last Ten of Ramadaan

The Messenger -

Amongst them: Staying up at night, it is possible that what is meant is that he would stay up the whole night, in the Hadeeth of 'Aa-ishah:

"The Messenger used to combine between sleep and prayer during the first twenty days, when that last ten came in, he would role up his sleves and tighten his Izaar." [Narrated by Ahmad]

It is also possible that what is meant is; he used to stay up the majority of the night, this opinion is supported by a Hadeeth collected by Muslim on the authority of 'Aa-ishah:

"I do not know that he ever stayed up until the morning for even one night."

Amongst them: The Messenger - صلى الله عليه وسلم - used to wake his family for the prayer during the last ten days and not in other nights. Sufyaan at Thawree stated: Praying Tahajud in [the last part of] the night is beloved to me, and that a person strives in it, and wakens his family and children to pray if they are able. It has been authentically reported that the Messenger - صلى الله عليه وسلم - used to knock on Faatimah and Alee's door at night and say to them: "Will you not wake up and pray." [Collected by both Bukhaaree and Muslim.]

He used to wake 'Aa-ishah up at night after he finished praying Tahajud before he prayed Witr. An encouragement has been narrated for the spouses, that each one wakes the other and lightly sprays water on their face. A narration in Muwata Maalik states that 'Umar ibn al Khataab used to pray at night what Allaah willed him to pray, when the middle of the night approached, he would wake his family to pray and say to them: "The prayer, the prayer." and recite this verse:

{ And enjoin the prayers on your family, and be patient upon them } [Taha: 132]

Abu Muhammad, Habeeb al Faarisee's wife used to say to him at night:

"The night is passing, ahead of us is a long journey and our provision is scarce, the caravans of the righteous have passed on ahead of us while we remain."
O Sleeping one get up and lay down later,
wake up my beloved, the time has come.
Take from the night and its time,
some remembrance while the sleeping one sleeps.
One who sleeps until the night is gone,
then when would he reach his home or tire. 

Amongst them, is that the Prophet - صلى الله عليه وسلم - used to tighten his Izaar. The scholars differed about its meaning; amongst them are those who said that it is an idiom indicating his eagerness and his efforts in worship, this explanation is not free of scrutiny. The correct understanding is that it means he used to refrain from [sexual relations with] women. This is how the Salaf and the Imaams of the earlier generations explained it, amongst them is Sufyaan ath Thawree. He mentions in his Tafseer that he would not retire to his bed until Ramadaan was over, and in the Hadeeth of Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him: "He used to forsake his bed and refrain from [sexual relations with] women."

Some of the Salaf explained the saying of Allaah:

{ So now have sexual relations with them and seek what Allaah has ordained for you. } [Al Baqarah: 187]

They explained that this is due to seeking Laylatul Qadr. The meaning is that when Allaah permitted sexual relations with women in the nights of fasting until the dawn becomes clear, He also ordered the seeking of Laylatul Qadr, so that the Muslims are not busy during the nights of this month with permissible pleasures that would make them miss Laylatul Qadr. It is from this angle that the Messenger used to have relations with his family during the first twenty days; he would then refrain and free himself to seek Laylatul Qadr in the last ten.

Amongst them; al 'Itikaaf. In a Hadeeth collected by both Bukhaaree and Muslim on the authority of 'Aa-ishah that the Messenger of Allaah - صلى الله عليه وسلم - used to practice 'Itikaaf on the last ten days until he passed away. In Saheeh al Bukhaaree on the authority of Abu Hurayrah:

"The Messenger of Allaah used to practice 'Itikaaf for ten days every Ramadaan, in the year that he passed away, he practiced 'Itikaaf for twenty."

The Mu'takif imprisons himself to the obedience and remembrance of Allaah, he cuts off all the issues that distract him, he turns to his Lord and all that draws close to Him with his heart, and nothing remains with him other than Allaah and what pleases Him. The more the knowledge of Allaah and love for Him is strengthened, the more a person is able to completely cut himself off from anything other than Allaah the Eleveated.

[Translators note] Al Haafidh ibn Rajab also mentions the issue of bathing between the Maghrib and 'Ishaa and delaying breaking the fast until Sahoor on the last ten. Some of the scholars have declared that Hadeeth to be inauthentic so it has been omitted until the authenticity of the Hadeeth can be asertained.

Author: Ibn Rajab al Hanbalee
Reference: Lataa-if al Ma'aarif : P.207

http://subulassalaam.com/articles/article.cfm?article_id=64Innovations During the Last Ten

Specifying the last Jum'ah of Ramadaan with a specific prayer

Ash Shuqayree cites from 'Kitaab Sharh al Mawaahib: "…and even worse is what some people practice in some countries by praying 'Salaat al Khums' in this [last] Jum'ah claiming that it makes up for the missed prayers during the whole year or a whole lifetime. This is not permissible for reasons that are clear." [As Sunnan wal Mubtadi'aat P.39, al Manaathir –Shaykh Saalih aal ash Shaykh P. 44]

Glorifying the last Thursday of Ramadaan

Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul Wahhaab stated: "What takes place in Ramadaan concerning glorifying Thursdays, specifically the last Thursday of Ramadaan must be rebuked." [Ad Durrah as Siniyyah 5/261]

Anasheed bidding farewell to Ramadaan

Shaykh Muhammad Jamaal ad Deen al Qaasimee stated concerning these Anasheed: "This distasteful custom that is practiced in most Masaajid, when there is only five or three nights remaining in Ramadaan, the Mu-adhins and other volunteers gather, when the Imaam finishes the Witr and gives Salaams, they leave off reading what was authentically reported such as Tasbeeh and take turns reading parts of a poem about the sorrow of the departure of Ramadaan. Whenever one of them finishes singing a part of it with a loud voice, his companions follow up with their part, exerting all their effort in singing and shouting it as loud as possible with a clamor that would make a person go deaf, rather a deaf person would be able to hear it. Their melody is willfully aided by the rest of those who come for the prayer." [Islaah al Masaajid P.146, Tasheeh ad Du'aa P.510]

The statement of the Khateeb in the last Jum'ah of Ramadaan: 'Laa Awhash Allaah minka yaa Shahr Ramadaan'

Ash Shuqayree stated: "As for the statement of the Khutabaa on the Manaabir on the last Jum'ah of Ramadaan; 'Laa Awhash Allaah minka yaa Shahr Ramadaan, Laa Awhash Allaah minka yaa Shahr al Qur-aan., O month of lanterns, O month of Taraweeh, O month of victory.' There is no doubt that this is embarrassing ignorance, it is a strange thing from them and those who author books, that they speak out such utterly useless speech to people while they know that the people are in need of understanding just one Ayah and one Hadeeth from the speech of Allaah and His messenger - صلى الله عليه وسلم. [As Sunan wal Mubtadi'aat P. 143, Islaah al Masaajid P. 146, Tasheeh ad Du'aa P.510]

The innovation of memorizing specific things in the last Jum'ah of Ramadaan

They are papers that they call 'Hafaa-idh' in the last Jum'ah of Ramadaan, they call this Jum'ah 'the orphaned Jum'ah', included in what they write in these papers; 'Laa Alaa ila Alaa-uk…'

Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd stated: "The Du'aa in the last Jum'ah of Ramadaan while the Khateeb is upon the Minbar saying: ''Laa Alaa ila Alaa-uk…' This is innovation and misguidance, this supplication is innovated, a false talisman, they call it 'At Tahweetah'. [Tasheeh ad Du'aa P. 510, As Sunan wal Mubtada'aat P. 140]

The Gatherings on Laylatul Qadr, the selling of sweets and the mixing that takes place

Al Imaam at Tartooshee stated: "Amongst the innovations is the gathering of people in al Andalus (spain) and selling sweets on the twenty seventh night of Ramadaan…and the mixing of men and women in their outings to witness this." [kitaab al Hawaadith wal Bida' P.150]

Specifying the night of 'Eed with Qiyaam

It was reported in an inauthentic Hadeeth: "Whoever stands in prayer on the night of the two 'Eeds anticipating the reward from Allaah, his heart would stay alive on the day that hearts die." [Declared as extremely weak by al Albaanee – as Silsilah ad Da'eefah 521]

Al Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal stated: "As for standing in prayer on the night of 'Eed, then this is not pleasing to me, I have not heard of anybody doing so except 'Abdur Rahmaan. I do not see it to be legislated because Ramadaan would have already past, and this night is not from it. I do not like to do it and nothing has reached us from our Salaf that they used to do it." Abu 'Abdullaah used to pray the obligated prayer on the 'Eed and leave, he never prayed it with him and used to dislike that it was prayed in Jamaa'ah. [Badaa'i al Fawaa-id 4/93, As Sunan wal Mubtada'aat P. 153]

Constantly observing complete silence during 'Itikaaf

Shaykhul Islaam ibn Taymiyyah stated: "As for remaining silent unrestrictedly while fasting or practicing 'Itikaaf or otherwise, then this is an innovation with the consensus of the scholars. [Majmoo' al Fataawa 25/292]

Muwafaqud Deen ibn Qudaamah stated while mentioning 'Itikaaf: "As for remaining silent then this is not from the legislation of Islaam." [Al Kaafee 2/293, Al Majmoo' 6/376]

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