What is the meaning of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven"? Does fasting suffice without the other acts of worship?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : What is the meaning of this noble hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari 38? Does this mean that fasting suffices without the other acts of worship? For example, a man fasts but does not pray, while he performs the rest of the acts of worship. Is this included in this hadith? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : The questioner mentioned in this hadith:Sunan Abi Dawud 4963Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani), but the addition, which is his saying: , is not authentic. The established saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is: Sahih al-Bukhari 38. The meaning of his saying: is faith in Allah the Exalted and affirmation of His news. The meaning of is anticipating the reward and recompense attached to fasting Ramadan. As for the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan an-Nasa'i 2194Sahih (Darussalam), the intended meaning is the minor sins that preceded, not the major ones. This is the opinion of the majority regarding such a hadith, interpreting it in light of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Mishkat al-Masabih 564. Accordingly, the hadith does not indicate the forgiveness of major sins. Some scholars took the general meaning and said that all sins are forgiven, but on the condition that these sins do not lead to disbelief. If they lead to disbelief, then repentance and returning to Islam are necessary. With this, the answer to the second part of the question becomes clear, which is his saying: Does this hadith suffice for the rest of the acts of worship, such that if a man fasts and does not pray, he is forgiven? We say, to complete the answer: The person who does not pray, his fasting, zakah, Hajj, and other acts of worship are not accepted from him, because the one who does not pray is a disbeliever, and the acts of worship of a disbeliever are not accepted, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: [At-Tawbah 9:54]. The scholars have agreed that a condition for the validity of worship is that the person be a Muslim. If this person fasts and does not pray, his fasting does not benefit him, just as if one of the Jews or Christians fasts, his fasting does not benefit him. Indeed, the state of the apostate is worse than the state of the original disbeliever. So we say to this one who fasts and does not pray: Pray first, then fast second. We have previously explained in this program, several times, the evidence indicating the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer, from the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the sayings of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and the correct reasoning. There is no harm in repeating this due to its importance. We say: The Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and the sayings of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) indicate that the one who abandons prayer is a disbeliever with major disbelief that takes him out of the religion.
Among the evidence from the Qur'an is the saying of Allah the Exalted regarding the polytheists:[At-Tawbah 9:11]. Allah the Exalted made three conditions for their brotherhood with us in the religion to be established:
The first condition is that they repent from shirk (associating partners with Allah). If they remain upon shirk, they are not our brothers in the religion.
The second is establishing prayer. If they do not establish prayer, they are not our brothers in the religion.
The third is giving zakah. If they do not give zakah, they are not our brothers in the religion.
As for the first, which is that if they do not repent from shirk, they are not our brothers, this matter is clear and there is no doubt in it. As for the second, which is that if they do not establish prayer, they are not our brothers in the religion, this is also clear from the verse. It is supported by other texts, including the saying of the Exalted:[Maryam 19:59-60]. His saying: [Maryam 19:60] indicates that in their state of neglecting prayer, they are not believers.
Among the evidence indicating the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 82b. Disbelief with the definite article "al" indicating reality is only the disbelief that takes one out of the religion. With this, the difference between this wording and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 67 becomes clear. He said: , meaning from disbelief. This is not with the definite article "al", so it does not indicate the real disbelief that takes one out of Islam, but rather it indicates that this is one of the characteristics of disbelief. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) pointed to this meaning in his book *Iqtida' al-Sirat al-Mustaqim Mukhalafat Ahl al-Jahim*.
Among the evidence indicating his disbelief is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam).
These evidences from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) necessitate that the one who does not pray is a disbeliever with disbelief that takes him out of the religion. As for the saying of the Exalted:, its indications that the one who does not give zakah is not our brother in the religion are through the implication (mafhum). However, this implication is opposed by an explicit statement that the one who abandons zakah, who prevents giving it to its rightful recipient, is not outside of Islam. In Sahih Muslim, from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 987a. His saying: Sunan Abi Dawud 1658Sahih (Al-Albani) is evidence that he is not a disbeliever, because if he were a disbeliever, he would have no way to Paradise.
As for the sayings of the Companions indicating the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer with disbelief that takes him out of the religion, they are many. Among them is the saying of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): "There is no share in Islam for the one who abandons prayer". Some scholars reported the consensus of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) on the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer. And 'Abdullah ibn Shaqiq said: "The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not consider any of the deeds, the abandonment of which is disbelief, except prayer".
As for the meaning that necessitates the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer, every person knows the importance of prayer and Allah's care for it, and the reward attached to its performance, and the punishment attached to its abandonment. It is not possible for him to abandon it completely while having even an atom's weight of faith in his heart. If he abandons it completely, it necessitates that the heart is empty of faith entirely. Accordingly, the Book, the Sunnah, the sayings of the Companions, and the meaning—all these evidences necessitate the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer. If he is a disbeliever, his fasting of Ramadan does not benefit him or profit him, because Islam is a condition for the validity and acceptance of deeds. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.
من صام رمضان إيماناً واحتساباً غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه وما تأخرThe Shaykh : The questioner mentioned in this hadith:
was forgiven all his sins, past and those followed
غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه وما تأخرand his subsequent sins
وما تأخرWhoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.
من صام رمضان إيماناً واحتساباً غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبهout of faith and seeking reward
إيماناً واحتساباًseeking reward
احتساباًhe will be forgiven his previous sins
غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبهThe five [daily] prayers, Friday to Friday and Ramadan to Ramadan make atonement for what has happened since the previous one when major sins have been avoided.
الصلوات الخمس، والجمعة إلى الجمعة، ورمضان إلى رمضان، مكفرات لما بينهن، ما اجتنبت الكبائرAnd what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger and that they come not to prayer except while they are lazy and that they do not spend except while they are unwilling.
وَمَا مَنَعَهُمْ أَنْ تُقْبَلَ مِنْهُمْ نَفَقَاتُهُمْ إِلَّا أَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا بِاللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِ وَلا يَأْتُونَ الصَّلاةَ إِلَّا وَهُمْ كُسَالَى وَلا يُنفِقُونَ إِلَّا وَهُمْ كَارِهُونَAmong the evidence from the Qur'an is the saying of Allah the Exalted regarding the polytheists:
But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion; and We detail the verses for a people who know.
فَإِنْ تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَنُفَصِّلُ الآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَThe first condition is that they repent from shirk (associating partners with Allah). If they remain upon shirk, they are not our brothers in the religion.
The second is establishing prayer. If they do not establish prayer, they are not our brothers in the religion.
The third is giving zakah. If they do not give zakah, they are not our brothers in the religion.
As for the first, which is that if they do not repent from shirk, they are not our brothers, this matter is clear and there is no doubt in it. As for the second, which is that if they do not establish prayer, they are not our brothers in the religion, this is also clear from the verse. It is supported by other texts, including the saying of the Exalted:
(59) But there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil - (60) Except those who repent, believe and do righteousness; for those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged at all.
فَخَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلاةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّا * إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلا يُظْلَمُونَ شَيْئًاExcept those who repent, believe
إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَAmong the evidence indicating the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Between man and polytheism and unbelief is the abandonment of salat.
بين الرجل وبين الشرك والكفر ترك الصلاةTwo (things) are found among men which are tantamount to unbelief: slandering one's lineage and lamentation on the dead.
اثنتان في الناس هما بهم كفر: الطعن في النسب، والنياحة على الميتare considered disbelief for them
هما بهم كفرAmong the evidence indicating his disbelief is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
The covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committed Kufr.
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة فمن تركها فقد كفرThese evidences from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) necessitate that the one who does not pray is a disbeliever with disbelief that takes him out of the religion. As for the saying of the Exalted:
and give zakah
وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَIf any owner of gold or silver does not pay what is due on him, when the Day of Resurrection would come, plates of fire would be beaten out for him; these would then be heated in the fire of Hell and his sides, his forehead and his back would be cauterized with them. Whenever these cool down, (the process is) repeated during a day the extent of which would be fifty thousand years, until judgment is pronounced among servants, and he sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or to Hell.
ما من صاحب ذهب ولا فضة لا يؤدي منها حقها، إلا إذا كان يوم القيامة صفحت له صفائح من نار وأحمي عليها في نار جهنم، فيكوى بها جنبه وجبينه وظهره كلما بردت أعيدت، في يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنة، حتى يقضى بين العباد، ثم يرى سبيله إما إلى الجنة وإما إلى النارhe sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or to Hell
حتى يرى سبيله إما إلى الجنة وإما إلى النارAs for the sayings of the Companions indicating the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer with disbelief that takes him out of the religion, they are many. Among them is the saying of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): "There is no share in Islam for the one who abandons prayer". Some scholars reported the consensus of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) on the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer. And 'Abdullah ibn Shaqiq said: "The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not consider any of the deeds, the abandonment of which is disbelief, except prayer".
As for the meaning that necessitates the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer, every person knows the importance of prayer and Allah's care for it, and the reward attached to its performance, and the punishment attached to its abandonment. It is not possible for him to abandon it completely while having even an atom's weight of faith in his heart. If he abandons it completely, it necessitates that the heart is empty of faith entirely. Accordingly, the Book, the Sunnah, the sayings of the Companions, and the meaning—all these evidences necessitate the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer. If he is a disbeliever, his fasting of Ramadan does not benefit him or profit him, because Islam is a condition for the validity and acceptance of deeds. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.