Common Mistakes During Ramadan Which Every Muslim Should Know

Common mistakes during Ramadan

Common mistakes committed by Muslims in the month of Ramadan can be broadly classified into four categories.
  • The common mistakes in obligatory rules and regulations of fasting.
  • Common mistakes which are contradictory to the Sunnah of fasting.
  • Common mistakes committed by Muslims due to neglecting the obligatory duties and indulging in acts which are prohibited.
  • Other common mistakes committed by Muslims in the month of Ramadan.
In the four categories of common mistakes during Ramadan, 32 common mistakes have been discussed, most of with their solutions.


Commonly Made Mistakes In Ramadan:

The most grievous amongst the mistakes in the first category are:

1. Not having the intention of fasting.

The most common mistake is Muslims many a times don't do the niyah of fasting. The intention is very important.

Without niyah, without intention, fasting is not accepted. So making intention is obligatory.

2. Continue to eat even after the Fazar Adhan started.

Even after the Fazar Adhan has started yet Muslims continue eating and they think that the end of suhoor time is only at the end of Fazar Adhan.

In fact, the moment the Fazar Adhan starts, the moment the beginning of dawn starts, the suhoor time ends.

So, this is the common mistake which nullifies or invalidates the fast.

3. Paying Zakat after Eid al Fitr.

If we pay the Zakat al Fitr after Eid al Fitr, it is like a normal charity. It doesn't come under Zakat al Fitr.

The common mistakes committed in the second category are:

4. Skipping the Suhoor (pre-dawn meal).

Some people skip their suhoor or some have an early suhoor that is they have their Suhoor 1 or 2 hours before the Fazr time.

In fact, suhoor is a blessing, every Muslims should have and the Prophet Muhammad said we should delay the suhoor as much as possible. You should have till just before the Fazr time.

5. Delaying in breaking the Fast. 

Common mistakes committed by Muslims is that they delay in breaking their fast, they delay their iftar and our Prophet Muhammad said:
The people will be good as long as they hasten in breaking their iftar.

That means immediately after the sunset, they should break their fast.

6. Reading unauthentic dua. 

The most authentic dua as far as iftaar is concerned is:
The thirst is gone, the veins are moistened and the reward is confirmed if Allah wills.
Authentic iftar dua

Some people read this dua before breaking their fast contrary to the meaning. The meaning says that my thirst has been quenched and the veins have been moistened.

See, your thirst cannot be quenched before breaking the fast. So normally it should be said after you eat the date after you have water, and you are satisfied, maybe after some minutes, you break the fast.

7. Eating too much while breaking the fast. 

Many Muslims eat excessively during iftaar and many of them even eat throughout the night.

8. Missing the Taraweeh Prayer.

The eighth common mistake is that many of them are negligent as far as Taraweeh is concerned.

Because Taraweeh is not a Fardh, they think it is no problem if a Muslim misses Taraweeh prayer.

Though Taraweeh is not a fardh, it is very important sunnah and a Muslim who misses Taraweeh is missing a great deal of reward.

9. Reading Taraweeh very fast.

And many Muslims who perform Taraweeh, they read it very fast.

They try and finish Taraweeh in a short time and they defeat the purpose.

In fact, you should read with a moderate pace so that people understand and grasp the message of Allah.

10. Socializing during Itkaaf.

The 10th common mistake committed by Muslims during Ramadan is that those who go for itkaaf, many of them socialize during itkaaf as though it's time to meet people and friends which is totally contrary to the Sunnah.

11. Awaiting for the Laylatul Qadr only on 27th night of Ramadan.

Many Muslims think that the Laylatul Qadr is on the 27th night of Ramadan and they worship Allah on this night only.

Infact our beloved Prophet Muhammad ï·º said:
Search for the Laylatul Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days, the last Ashra.

Therefore Laylatul Qadr can fall either on 21st night or 23rd or 25th or 27th or 29th. So this is one of the common mistake made by Muslims. 

12. Spending Ramadan's time in unproductive works.

The 12th common mistake is that they spend their time during Ramadan in unproductive works, rather than spending in Dhikr and worshipping Allah.

They should spend their time rather for offering besides the compulsory Salah, the Nawaafil, the voluntary salah, the Sunnah Salah.

13. Not Asking For Forgiveness.

The 13th error is that most of us don't ask Allah for Forgiveness. This is the month of forgiveness. We should ask Allah for it.

14. Not Reading the Quran.

Muslims should read the Quran as much as possible in this month of Ramadan to get the blessings of Allah.

15. Staying Hungry But Not Attaining God Consciousness.

Muslims keep themselves hungry but basically, they are not mentally prepared for the fast and it is as though they are staying hungry but the main purpose of fasting, to acquire Taqwah is not obtained.

16. Not Observing Dua During Ramadan.

Muslims should observe dua as much as possible in this month.
This was in brief regarding the second category.

The common mistakes committed by Muslims in the third category, that is errors regarding negligence in performing the Faraaid, the obligatory duties in Islam are as follows:

17. Staying awake the full night, eating early suhoor and sleeping without praying Fajr.

Missing Fajr Salah is a sin. Many of them, because they stay awake full night, they sleep the full day and they even miss their Dhuhr and their Asr Salah which is a grave sin.

They are trying to acquire blessings but neglecting the obligatory duties which is totally prohibited.

18. Not giving Zakat.

Zakat is one of the pillars of Islam 8n which every Muslim who has a saving of Nisaab level that is those who have a saving of 85 grams of Gold, they should give 2.5% of their savings every Lunar year in charity. This is called Zakat.

19. Not calculating Zakat properly. 

Most of the Muslims give Zakat but they commit the mistake of not calculating it properly.

Other common errors made during this month:

As far as common mistakes committed by Muslims in the month of Ramadan that is indulging in prohibited acts.

Though these acts are prohibited for a Muslim irrespective whether it is the month of Ramadan or not, but specifically every Muslims should be more careful, trying to avoid these acts throughout our life.
The most common are:

20. Backbiting and slandering.

21. Telling lies.

22. Using abusive & vulgar languages.

23. Gossiping.

24. Involving in False Actions.

25. Listening to Music and Un-Islamic songs.

26. Watching Un-Islamic television programs and movies.

27. Reading Un-Islamic magazines.

28. Going to Un-Islamic portals.

29. Spending too much and extravagantly.

The 29th common mistake during the month of Ramadan committed by Muslims is, to kill time, they watch Un-Islamic television programs and Un-Islamic movies.

30. Wasting lot of foods.

31. Asking the women to make varieties of dishes for Iftaar and Suhoor.

Many of the muslims ask the womenfolk in their family to prepare a variety of dishes for Iftaar and Suhoor thus making women in their family to spend their majority of the time in the kitchen which is a commonly mistake seen in most of the muslim families.

Infact, the family should spend most of the time in remembering Allah.

32. Giving lavish ifaar parties in the month of Ramadan.

Final note:

These are some of the common mistakes committed by Muslims in the month of Ramadan and I hope inshaAllah that we will abstain from these errors in Ramadan.

And please do share with every Muslims, It is our duty!
Common mistakes during Ramadan fasting


This is the transcripted version of the program "Ramadhaan: A day with Dr. Zakir Naik" hosted by Yusuf Chamber, the video of the show you can watch below in youtube.

2 Comments

  1. Very informative content, this is so knowledgeable, mashaAllah you have a great knowledge about Islam.

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