Law of Ramadan Fasting without Doing Salaah Prayer

The month of Ramadan has arrived. This blessed month always be expected by all of Muslim in the world. Ramadan is a month where we must fast for a whole month and hold our lust.

The law of this fasting is obligatory and it is same as doing five daily prayers because both of them are parts of Islamic pillars and those make different between Muslim and non-Muslim.

As long as a Muslim still lives and breaths, then both of them become obligation for him. Salaah and Ramadan fasting have a same important meaning in the level of someone’s faith.

We may not consider that one of them is more important than other because those are the valid requirements of Ramadan fasting. Like this moment, many people do Ramadan fasting but they neglect to do five daily prayers.

From Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu ‘anhu, The Prophet Muhammad shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said,

رُبَّ صَائِمٍ حَظُّهُ مِنْ صِيَامِهِ الْجُوعُ وَالْعَطَشُ وَرُبَّ قَائِمٍ حَظُّهُ مِنْ قِيَامِهِ السَّهَرُ

“How many people who fast only get hunger and thirsty. Also how many people who do night prayers only stay up at night.” (Narrated by Ahmad 2 : 373. Syaikh Syu’aib Al Arnauth said that sanad this hadith is jayyid)

The hadith above explains that fasting without doing Salaah prayer is an useless thing. For more details about this topic, this article will explain about the law of Ramadan fasting without doing Salaah prayer below.

See also :

• Importance of hoy month of Ramadan in Islam
• Last ten nights of the month of Ramadan

The Law of Ramadan Fasting without Doing Salaah Prayer

Syaikh Muhammad bin Sholih Al ‘Utsaimin –rahimahullah– has been asked : What is the law of someone who fast but he leaves Salaah prayers?

He rahimahullah answered,

“Fasting that is done by someone who leaves Salaah is not  accepted because someone who leaves Salaah is a kafir and apostate.” This dalil explains that leaving Salaah is including to the form of paganism as the word of Allah Ta’ala below,

فَإِنْ تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآَتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَنُفَصِّلُ الْآَيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

“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.” (Q.S. At-Taubah : 11)

Another reason is the word of the Prophet Muhammad shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam,

بَيْنَ الرَّجُلِ وَبَيْنَ الشِّرْكِ وَالْكُفْرِ تَرْكُ الصَّلاَةِ

“The veil between a Muslim with polytheism and paganism is leaving Salaah.” (Narrated by Muslim number 82)

Salaah is the second part of Islamic pillars after saying shahada which means that Salaah is the first obligation after someone becomes a Muslim.

While fasting is the third of Islamic pillars after Salaah. It means that Salaah and fasting have a same essence as obligation of Muslim. There is a statement which reads “Do Salaah then do fasting.” Of course, this confirms that fasting without Salaah is an useless thing. [AdSense-B]

The Messenger of Allah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam also said,

رَأْسُ الأَمْرِ الإِسْلاَمُ وَعَمُودُهُ الصَّلاَةُ وَذِرْوَةُ سَنَامِهِ الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيْلِ اللهِ

“The point (main) of all matters is Islam, its pillar is Salaah and its top is Jihad in the way of Allah.” (Narrated by Tirmidzi with valid sanad from Mu’adz bin Jabal radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

See also : Importance of Jihad in Islam

That hadith explains that Salaah is a very basic obligation. So it is compared that Salaah is a pillar of religion. A building with strong pillar must be a strong building and immovable. So is Salaah, a Muslim who Salaah diligently must have a strong faith.

In a hadith is explained :

“Salaah is a main worship in Islam and it must be done by someone who have fulfilled requirements. In a hadith is mentioned that Salaah is the first good deed that is looked (hisab) by Allah in the Hereafter later.” (Narated by Ibn Majah)

The hadith explains clearly that Salaah is the first good deed that wil be looked or hisab. In this case, it is more confirm that Salaah is a worship that cannot be neglected and become the second thing.

[AdSense-A] Doing Ramadan fasting and neglecting five daily prayers is a fault. Because both of them are obligatory worship that must be done together.

See also :

• The importance of prayer in Islam
• Types of Salat prayer

Imam Ahmad –rahimahullah– said,

“Every person who neglect Salaah matter, it means that he has neglected religion. Someone has a part in Islam comparable to his protection of  five daily prayers. Someone who is said spirit in Islam is someone who really notices five daily prayers.

Know yourself, O the servant of Allah. Watch out! Do not you meet Allah, while you do not have a part of Islam. The level of Islam in your heart is according to the level of Salaah in your heart.” (See Ash Sholah, page 12)

If you do Ramadan fasting but you do not do Salaah, it is same with neglect Salaah. In the hadith above, neglecting Salaah is same with neglect religion.

Of course, if you do Ramadan fasting without doing Salaah prayer, you cannot get nothing except hunger and thirsty. So, it must be very harmful yourself.

According to Drs. H. Fathurrahman Azhari. Mhi,

“Must be sorted first what does someone leave Salaah because he disobeys his obligation, lazy or intentionally, such as asleep or forget.” Some Ulama agree, a person who disobeys Salaah is including to apostasy and kafir.

The hadith of Rasulullah SAW : From Jabir bin ‘Abdillah, Rasulullah SAW said :

“(The veil) between a Muslim and polytheism and paganism is leaving Salaah.” (Narrated by Muslim number 257)

The opinions of Ulama are divided to two groups people who leave Salaah because they are lazy. The first opinion : A person who leave Salaah is not punished as a Kafir. This is an opinion from Imam Mallik, Imam asy-Syafi’i and Imam Ahmad. You may also read how to not be lazy doing prayer when Ramadan.

But, the second opinion : A person who leave Salaah because he is lazy is fasiq (a big sin doer) and he must be jailed, so he wants to do Salaah. This is an opinion of mazhab Hanafi. (Al-Mawsu’ah Al-Fiqhiyah Al Kuwaitiiah, 22/186-187)

Another reason behind someone do not do Salaah in Ramadan because he forgets. In this case, there is an opinion about leaving Salaah accidentally, such as asleep or forget, then he is a fasiq. As the word of Rasulullah SAW :

“Be appointed from my people sins because error, forget or something that is forced to him.” (Narrated by Ibn Hibban)

See also : Punishments to leaving Shalat intentionally

We can be concluded that the fasting of Kafir is not valid. But the fasting of a fasiq is still valid, but he does not get rewards. And the fasting of someone who leave Salaah because he forgets or asleep is still valid and get rewards.

This is the law of Ramadan fasting without doing Salaah prayer. For a fasting person who does not do Taraweeh prayer, it does not influence his fasting, but he does not get additional rewards.

Thus this article about the law of Ramadan fasting without doing Salaah prayer. Hopefully it can be additional knowledge for us, so we can do Ramadan fasting well and get many rewards in this holy month. Amen.