Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

1. What is the rulling about giving food to a non muslim during the day time of Ramadhan? e.g a servant who is non muslim etc, is it a sin?

2. By praying witr does it mean that you have closed the chapter for praying on that night? i.e if i pray tar weeh, and the witr, it means i cant wake up later at night and pray again?

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Answer:

Make witr last prayer

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: What is the rulling about giving food to a non muslim during the day time of Ramadhan? e.g a servant who is non muslim etc, is it a sin?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 187:

Permitted to you on the night of the fasts is the approach to your wives. They are your garments. And ye are their garments. Allah Knows what ye used to do secretly among yourselves; but He turned to you and forgave you; so now associate with them and seek what Allah hath ordained for you; and eat and drink until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast till the night appears; but do not associate with your wives while ye are in retreat in the mosques. Those are limits (set by) Allah; approach not nigh thereto. Thus doth Allah make clear His signs to men that they may learn self-restraint.

It is only those who wish to observe the worship of fasts who are guided to abstain from food and drink during the daylight hours of Ramadan. If a believer is ill or on a journey, or a believing woman is experiencing her menstruation, or the disbelievers who obviously do not observe the worship of fasts in Ramadan, etc…..if such people who are not observing the fasts choose to eat and drink during Ramadan, or are presented with food and drink, there is absolutely no restriction or harm in doing so.

Allah Subhanah has Commanded and Guided the believers who wish to honor the obligatory fasts of Ramadan from eating and drinking during the daylight hours……there is absolutely nothing in Shariah which prohibits or prevents or restricts a believer from presenting food and drink to those who are not fasting.

Your Question: By praying witr does it mean that you have closed the chapter for praying on that night? i.e if i pray tar weeh, and the witr, it means i cant wake up later at night and pray again?

It is reported that Hadrat Ali (r.a.) said: "The witr prayer is not required like your obligatory prayers, but the Prophet (saws) would perform the witr prayer and say: 'O you people [followers] of the Qur'an, perform the witr prayer, for Allah is One and He loves the witr.'"

The Prophet (saws) said: 'The night prayer is sets of two rak'at. If one fears the coming of the dawn, he should perform one rak'ah, thereby making all of them odd [witr].'

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.112 Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar

The Prophet (saws) said, "Make Witr as your last prayer at night."

The ‘witr’ prayers are not obligatory, but an extremely preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), and he (saws) time and again exhorted the believers to offer the ‘witr’ prayers and make it the absolute last prayer of the night.

If one intends to wake up later at night and offer additional voluntary prayers, it would be best for them to abstain from praying the ‘witr’ prayers after the ‘tarawih’ prayers….and offer their ‘witr’ after they have completed their late night prayers, thus making the ‘witr’ the absolute last prayer of the night.

But if lets say one did not intend to wake up later at night and offer additional voluntary prayers and thus one offered the ‘witr’ prayers along with the ‘tarawih’ in Ramadan…..and one happens to wake up and makes intention then to offer additional prayers at night, there is absolutely no harm in doing so; but one should not pray the ‘witr’ prayer again….the ‘witr’ prayer one offered after the ‘Isha’ and ‘tarawih’ prayers would suffice.

But if one has made an intention to wake up later at night and offer additional prayers after the ‘tarawih’ prayers of Ramadan, it would be best for them to abstain from praying the ‘witr’ along with the ‘tarawih’ congregation and observe their ‘witr’ prayer only after they have completed all their prayers for the night.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan