Common Mistakes in Ramadan you should avoid

Ramadan is the holy month dedicated to fasting, prayer, and spiritual growth, allowing Muslims to deepen their faith and purify their hearts. However, amid our busy lives, it’s easy to make certain mistakes that can diminish the blessings of this sacred month. From skipping Suhoor to getting caught up in distractions, these missteps can reduce the spiritual and physical benefits of fasting.

In this article, we will highlight 10 common mistakes Muslims make during Ramadan and provide practical tips on how to avoid them, ensuring that you get the most out of this holy month.

Taking Ramadan as a ritual

For many of us, Ramadan has lost its spirituality and has become more of a ritual than a genuine act of worship. We fast from morning to night almost like zombies, simply following the crowd. We forget that this month is meant to purify our hearts and souls from all evil. We neglect to supplicate, to ask Allah for forgiveness, and to seek protection from the Fire. While we may refrain from food and drink, that seems to be the extent of our observance.

Too much stress on food and drink

For some people, the entire month of Ramadan revolves  around food. They spend the ENTIRE day planning, cooking, shopping and thinking about food, instead of concentrating on the prayer, Quran and other acts of worship. All they can think of is FOOD. So much so that they turn the month of fasting into the month of feasting. Come Iftaar time, their table is a sight to see, with the multitudes and varieties of food, sweets and drinks. They are missing the very purpose of fasting, and thus, increase in their greed and desires instead of learning to control them. It is also a kind of waste & extravagance. “…..and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allah) likes not those who waste by extravagance” [Surah al-Aa’raf: 31]

Eating too much

Some people stuff themselves at Suhoor until they are ready to burst, because they think this is the way to not feel hungry during the day and others eat at Iftaar like there is no tomorrow, trying to make up for the food missed. However, this is completely against the Sunnah.Moderation is the key to everything. The Prophet (pbuh) said: “The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach; for the son of Adam a few mouthfuls are sufficient to keep his back straight. If you must fill it, then (fill) one-third for food, one-third for drink and one-third for air.”(Tirmidhi) Too much food distracts a person from many deeds of obedience and worship, makes him lazy and also makes the heart heedless.

Spending all day cooking

Some of the sisters, either by their own choice or due to their husbands’ demands, are cooking all day and night. By the end of the day, they are often too exhausted to even pray Isha, let alone perform Taraweeh or Tahajjud, or read the Quran. This is the month of mercy and forgiveness. So, turn off that stove and turn on your Imaan!

Wasting time

The month of Ramadan is a truly special time. Before we realize it, this month of mercy and forgiveness will come to an end. We should strive to spend every possible moment in the worship of Allah to fully appreciate this blessing. Unfortunately, some of us waste our days playing video games or, even worse, watching TV, movies, or listening to music. Subhaan Allaah! How can we seek to obey Allah while disobeying Him?

Skipping Suhoor: 

The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Eat suhoor, for in suhoor there is blessing.” (Bukhari, Muslim). He (pbuh) also stated: “The thing that differentiates our fasting from that of the People of the Book is eating suhoor.” (Muslim)

Fasting but not giving up evil

Many of us observe fasting but struggle to let go of negative behaviors such as lying, cursing, fighting, and backbiting. Some fast while still engaging in cheating, stealing, participating in haram activities, buying lottery tickets, selling alcohol, or committing fornication, often without realizing that the essence of fasting is not merely abstaining from food and drink. Instead, the true purpose is to cultivate a fear of Allah.

As mentioned in the Quran: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious” (Surah al-Baqarah: 183).

Furthermore, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, as well as ignorance, Allah has no need of him giving up his food and drink.” (Bukhari)

Missing the golden chance of having your Dua accepted

 The prayer of a fasting person is guaranteed to be accepted at the time of breaking their fast. The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Three supplications are not rejected: the supplication of a father, the supplication of a fasting person, and the supplication of a traveler.” (Al-Bayhaqi).

Instead of taking advantage of this precious time to supplicate, some individuals get caught up in frying samosas, chatting, setting the food, and filling their plates and glasses. It’s important to reflect: is food really more important than the opportunity to have your sins forgiven or your supplications answered?

Praying ONLY on the night of the 27th

Some people only pray on the 27th night to seek Lailat ul-Qadr, neglecting all other odd nights. However, the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Seek Lailat ul-Qadr among the odd numbered nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

Sleeping all day

Some people spend a significant part of their day sleeping away their fast. Is this really what is expected of us during this noble month? Those who do often miss the true purpose of fasting and become slaves to their desires for comfort and ease. They struggle to stay awake and face a little hunger, lacking the self-control needed during this time. For a person who is fasting to spend most of the day asleep is nothing less than negligence on their part.