Fasting is obligatory for all Muslims, however the prophet ﷺ has prescribed us a number of things you can do in order to improve your worship this Ramadan. These are just six of the many Sunnahs:
1. Break your fast with a date.
It was no secret that the Prophet ﷺ loved dates. Therefore this Sunnah should come as no surprise to any muslim who fasts that the Prophet also told us to break our fast with dates through this hadith:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to break his fast before praying with some fresh dates
Sunan Abi Dawud
2. Hasten to break your fast.
The Prophet ﷺ instructed us to hasten in breaking the fast through many hadith including this one.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said
The people will continue to prosper as long as they hasten the breaking of the fast.
Sahih Muslim
3. Eat the Suhoor (pre-dawn) meal.
The Prophet ﷺ told us to eat Suhoor for our own benefit to make fasting much more easier.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said
Eat Sahur, for in Sahur there is blessing.
Sunan an-Nasa’i
4. Pray the Taraweeh prayers.
The Taraweeh congregational prayers were introduced by the Caliph Umar, whom the Prophet instructed us to follow.
5. Avoid vain talk
To fast in the month of Ramadan is not conclusive to refrain from eating or drinking, but to refrain from speaking ill of others and talking useless speech.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said
Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink
Sahih al-Bukhari
6. Respond to abuse with “I am fasting”.
We have all been in this position. Someone (Muslim or non-Muslim) insults you in the month of Ramadan and all you want to do is insult him or her back, but you can’t because you will break your fast. This is the Prophet ﷺ solution:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said
If a person fights him or insults him, let him say, ‘I am fasting,’
Sunan an-Nasa’i
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