Virtues of Ramadan: Hadith 03

Today's hadith has specially been picked as i have received tons of emails and messages asking me if its okay to do one thing after the breaking of the fast. I wont go into much details of the contents of the messages but it involves acts that would be considered haraam. The hadith hits home on some many levels so I decided it was about time i shared it. Abu Hurairah RA relates that Rasulullah (SAW) said: "Many of those who fast obtain nothing through such fasting except hunger, and many a one performs Solat by night but obtains nothing by it, except the discomfort of staying awake."

COMMENTARY With regard to the above Hadith, many scholars of Islam have mentioned three different interpretary explanations:

First, this Hadith may refer to those who fast during the day and then for Iftaar eat food or drink what is Haraam - and thus, all the reward for fasting is lost because of the greater sin of eating Haraam and nothing is gained except remaining hungry.

Secondly, it refers to those who fast duly but, during fasting, engage themselves in backbiting and slandering others. This voids the fast and as a result there is nothing gained from the day's fast.

Thirdly, the person referred to may be one who, while fasting, did not stay away from evil and sin. A lot of us fall into this category knowingly or otherwise. We are so accustomed to our daily routine that we sin and commit evil without realizing it.

In the above Hadith all such possibilities are included. Similar is the case of the person performing Solat all night voluntarily - but because of backbiting or any other sinful act, his night of devotion goes unrewarded. What a waste and a shame.

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