[center][size=18pt]What you are required to do in Ramadan[/size][/center]

We should realize that Allah made saum (fasting) obligatory on us as a way for us to worship Him: and for the fasting to be acceptable and beneficial, we should observe the following condition:

1. Guard the Salat; unfortunately many persons neglect Salat which is a pillar of the religion and abandoning it is an act of disbelief.

2. Be well-mannered: beware of disbelief and cursing the religion, and treating people badly, using the fast as an excuse; fasting is to train the
        self not to ruin the manners, and disbelief puts a Muslim outside of the religion.

3. Do not use foul or harsh language, even while joking, as it will spoil (the reward of) the fast. The Prophet (SAW) said:

“If one of you is fasting, he should not use obscenity that day or shout; and if someone speaks abusive or want to fight with him he should      say; verily I'm fasting, verily I’m fasting"

4. Take advantage of fasting to give up smoking, which causes cancer, high blood pressure and other diseases; try to make a firm conviction to leave it by night as you left it by day. Save your health and your money.

5. Do not overeat at the time of breaking the fast, as the benefit of fasting is canceled and it is not healthy.

6. Do not waste your time by going to movies or watching television.

7. Do not stay so late at night that you are not able to wake up for Sahur (the predawn meal) or Salat-ul-Fajr, and take your duty early in the morning. The Prophet (SAW) said:

“O Allah, bless my Ummah in their early morning (acts).” (Tirmidhi)


8. Increase spending in charity, on relatives and the needy, visit your relatives and make peace with those with whom you had some disputes.

9. Increase your remembrance of Allah, and recitation of the Holy Qu'ran and listening to it, and contemplation of its meanings. Act on it and attend the beneficial discussions in the mosques, and practice I'tikaf in the Masjid at the end of Ramadan (this is Sunnah).

10. Read the pamphlets on fasting to learn its rules, for instance,
- if you ate or drank, forgetting that you were fasting, it doesn't break the fast ( but you have to immediately as soon as you realize what you're doing);
- A person who became Junub at night (because of intercourse ,for example), and he doesn't get a chance to perform the Ghusl (bath) before the appearance of the dawn, that doesn't prevent him from fasting; he just has to perform the Ghusl and offer Salat and go ahead and observe the Saum (fast).

11. Be mindful of the fast of Ramadan, and get your children used to it when they are able to endure it, and beware of breaking the fast without a valid excuse. Whoever does so must repent for that and make up for that day, and whoever has intercourse with his wife during the daytime of Ramadan he has to expiate the sin. He must free a slave, if he's able do so. If not, he should fast two month continuously ( 60 days without missing a day); and if he can't do that, he should feed 60 poor persons one meal.

12. Beware my Muslim Brothers and Sisters, from breaking the fast of Ramadan without excuse. And beware of doing so openly in front of people. Because breaking the fast is audacity with Allah, and disrespect for Islam, and shamelessness among people.

[size=14pt]Ramadam Kareem !!!![/size]

The Prophet(SAW) said, "There is a gate in Paradise called Ar-Raiyan, and those who observe fasts will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it. It will be said, 'Where are those who used to observe fasts?' They will get up, and none except them will enter through it. After their entry the gate will be closed and nobody will enter through it."

Narrated by Bukhari,