‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported: “When the last 10 days of Ramadan came, the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam would stay up all night, wake his family and gird his loins”. [Al-Bukhari & Muslim].
In the book of Imaam Muslim the narration read: “He strove hard and girded his loins”. Imaam Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “His staying all night was in worship and acts of obedience, and the reason he woke his family was for them to pray the optional night prayers, and girding his loins referred to him abstaining from sleeping with his wives.”
‘Aa’ishah reported: “The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam used to strive hard (in worship) during the last 10 days of Ramadan in a way that he did not strive at any other times.” [Muslim]
Zaynab bint Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported: “Whenever the last 10 nights of Ramadan came, the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam would not leave any member of his family who could physically pray the night prayers but would wake them up.” [At-Tirmithi]
The Way of the Prophet in I’tikaaf
‘Aa’ishah reported: “The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam used to do I’tikaaf (residing in the mosque with the intention of worship) during the last 10 days of Ramadan until he passed away, then his wives did I’tikaaf after him.”
Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam used to do I’tikaaf during the last 10 days of Ramadan.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
‘Aa’ishah reported: “When the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam wanted to do I’tikaaf, he would pray Fajr, then enter the place where he was to do I’tikaaf” [Al-Bukhari & Muslims]
Once the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam wanted to do I’tikaaf in the last 10 nights of Ramadan, so he commanded a small tent be placed for him in the mosque. Zaynab also commanded a tent be placed for her for I’tikaaf, and after that other wives of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, commanded likewise. After he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, prayed the Fajr prayer he noticed the tents and commanded his tent to be removed and did not resume I’tikaaf the remaining part of Ramadan, and instead he went into I’tikaaf the first 10 nights of the month of Shawwaal. This proves that he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, had a special isolated area away form the people for I’tikaaf that was enough only for him.
Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam used to perform I’tikaaf every year in the month of Ramadan for ten days, and when it was the year of his death, he stayed in I’tikaaf for twenty days”. [Al-Bukhari]
Ibn ‘Umar narrated that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Seek Laylatul-Qadr (i.e. the Night of Decree) in the last ten days of Ramadan” [Al-Bukhari]
Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam did I’tikaaf during the first ten days of Ramadan, then he did I’tikaaf during the middle ten days in a Turkish tent [a circular structure] in which a mat was placed. He said: “So he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, took the mat in his hand and put it at the side of the tent, then he raised his head to speak to the people, so they came closer to him. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “I did I’tikaaf during the first ten days, seeking this night, then I did I’tikaaf during the middle ten days. Then someone came to me and told me that it is in the last ten days, so whoever among you wants to do I’tikaaf, let him do so.” So the people did I’tikaaf with him. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “I was shown an odd-numbered night, in the morning of which I was prostrating in mud and water”. Then in the morning of the 21st, he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, got up to pray the Fajr prayer and it was raining; the roof of the mosque leaked, and there was mud and water. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, came out when he had finished praying, and there was mud and water on his forehead and nose. That was the morning of the 21st, one of the last 10 days. [Muslim]
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Whoever stays up praying during Laylatul-Qadr (i.e. in prayer) out of faith and in the hope of Allah’s reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
‘Aa’ishah reported: “When the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam was in I’tikaaf, he inclined his head towards me and I combed his hair whilst I was on my menses inside my room (i.e. which overlooked the mosque), and he did not enter the house except for a need (i.e. relieving himself).” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam would walk his wives back home if any of them visited him in the mosque during I’tikaaf.
Al-Husayn Ibn Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “Safiyyah the wife of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam came and visited him during his I’tikaaf in the mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan. She spoke with him for a while, then she stood up to go home. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam stood up with her to walk her back, then when she reached the door of the mosque, by the door of Umm Salamah, two men of the Ansaar passed by and greeted the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam and rapidly moved away. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said to them: “Wait, this is Safiyyah bint Huyay.” They said: “SubhaanAllah, O Messenger of Allah!” They felt distressed (that he thought they might think something bad). The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “The devil is as close to a man as his blood.” In another report: “The devil flows through the veins of a man like blood. I was afraid that the devil might cast some evil ideas into your hearts.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/
Unintentional swallowing of toothpaste while fasting
Question: What is the ruling on unintentionally swallowing a little bit of toothpaste while making up for a missed fast, even if that happened during or at the beginning of the azan of the Fajr?
Fatwa: All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
If that toothpaste was swallowed unintentionally, whether at the beginning or at the end of the day, then it does not invalidate one’s fast, based on the verse (that means): {So fear Allah as much as you are able.} [Qur’an 64:16]
Ibn Qudamah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said in his Al-Mughni:
If the fasting person during rinses his mouth or snuffs water into his nostrils while making ablution and some of it goes into their throat unintentionally and without exaggeration, then their fast is still valid. The same opinion was adopted by Al-Awza’i, Is’haq and Ash-Shafi’i in one of his two opinions; and it was also narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him. Therefore, the fast of that person is valid and does not need to be made up.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that it is impermissible to break a fast that is done to make up for a missed one intentionally and without a valid excuse.
Allah knows best.
Source: The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs
