In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.
All praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds and peace and blessings be upon his prophet Muhammad, his family and his followers.
The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) (may Allah exalt his mention) would not begin fasting the month of Ramadan until there was a verified sighting of the crescent indicating the month or with the testimony of two trustworthy Muslim witnesses or just one witness.
But when there was no sighting or testimony or the night of the thirtieth day of the month of Sha'baan (the eighth month of Islamic calendar) was cloudy and the crescent could not be sighted, he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would complete thirty days for Sha'baan and then fast after that.
He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) forbade that a Muslim fast a day or two days prior to the start of Ramadan as a precaution, unless those days coincided with days he normally fasted.
He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would not break his fast until immediately after the disk of the sun had disappeared. Then Muslims were ordered to hasten in breaking their fast. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) , would break his fast with fresh dates before praying the Maghrib (sunset) prayer. If he didn't find them, then with old dates and if he didn't find them, then with sips of water. When breaking his fast, he would say: "dhahaba adh-dhama'u wabtallatil-'urooqu wa thabatal-ajr in sha’ Allah”, which means: “The thirst has gone, the veins are moistened and the reward is certain, if Allah wills."
When he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would travel in Ramadan, he would either fast or not fast and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, would choose between the two. So they agreed that whoever had energy and fasted that was good, and whoever was weak and broke his fast, that also was good.
It was from the Prophet’s sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) practice, that Fajr (dawn) prayer sometimes would arrive while he was still in the state of Janaabah (sexual impurity), so he would bathe (make ghusl) after it dawned and then continue the fasting.
He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) used to kiss his wives while he was fasting in Ramadan, but he was the best amongst mankind at preventing his desires (from overtaking him).
He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) used the Siwaak, washed his mouth and nose while fasting, but would not let the water go deep in his nose or mouth.
He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would pour water on his head while fasting, due to thirst or the heat.
He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) used to eat dates for his pre-dawn meal (suhoor) and incited the Muslims to take the suhoor even if it was only a gulp of water. He used to delay the suhoor until shortly before Fajr. The time between his suhoor and the Fajr prayer was the time it takes a man to recite fifty verses from the Book of Allah (the Qur’an).
Objectives and points of the article:
1. Showing the correct way the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) fasted Ramadan.
2. Practices of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) during Ramadan
