Our respected muhaddith shaikh Yahya bin Ali Al-Hajoori was asked what is the sunnah concerning congratulating others on the onset of Ramadhan.
Question:
What is the hukm [ruling] on wishing others well as Ramadhan approaches and saying ‘Ramadhan kareem?’
Answer:
I do not know of any authentic hadith which confirms this. What does one say at to welcome the onset of Ramadhan? There is no daleel [authentic proof] which confirms saying ‘Ramadan Kareem’ , nor are there any aathaar [statements] from the salaf. Indeed, during the month of fasting or at the end of it, the salaf used to say:
‘ta-qab-bal min-naa wa minkum’ [may Allah accept this-act of worship- from us and you] or that which is simular, likewise they would say this to whosoever returned from Hajj or Umrah. There are aathaar mentioned affirming this by As-Suyooti in his booklet titled ‘At-tahaani’
But as for the saying ‘Ramadan kareem’, then this isnt a tahaani [well wishing/congratulations etc] for you nor for the onset of Ramadan. Actually it is a statement meaning , ‘Ramadan is kareem [ie Ramadan is a noble, honored month] it isn’t well wishes/congratulations etc, nor have you said a duaa that Allah accepts your acts of worship nor have you said a duaa for another that their acts of worship is accepted
So it is better that it is not to said, because we do not know of any authentic evidence confirming it.
It is sufficient that a person is happy with the Bounty of Allah and His Mercy. Allah Azza wa Jal says
{قل بفضل الله و برحمته فبذلك فليفرحوا هو خير مما يجمعون}
Inform them oh Messenger, that they should rejoice
[10:58]
in the fact that they have been guided above others to Islam, the religion of truth, to the Quran and the authentic sunnah and to the worship of Allah, etc. This is better than anything you can gather of worldly gain.
Translator’s Note:
For example, it is sufficient to rejoice at what Allah has guided us to in fasting Ramadan and to that which is authentic concerning it without adding to that
Translated by
Oum Abdillah Shaheeda Al-Biritaaniya
Shaykh Yahya al-Hajooree sees the same ruling applies for saying Ramadan Mubarak since he grades the hadeeth to say Ramadan Mubarak to be weak, which is the following hadeeth:
أخرج الأصبهاني في (الترغيب) عن سلمان الفارسي قال:خطب رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم-
في آخر يوم من شعبان، فقال: ( أيها الناس إنه قد أظلّكم شهرٌ عظيمٌ شهرٌ مبارك، شهرٌ فيه ليلة خيرٌ من ألف شهر ). الحديث
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave a sermon on the last day of the month of Shabaan and said: “There has come to you a great month, a month Mubarak [a blessed month]. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand months”
Abridged.
Ash-Shaykh Muhammad bin Bajamaal, may Allah preserve him, said:
المخالفة الثانية: التهنئة بقدوم شهر رمضان، كقول بعضهم: (شهر مبارك)
The Second Opposition: Is to congratulate one another for the approach of the month of Ramadan by saying: [Ramadan] a month Mubarak…
For that reason, Shaykh Yahya mentions at the end of his advice that one can rather be sufficient with merely rejoicing with the fact Allah has guided him to reach the month of Ramadan. However, those scholars who grade the aforementioned hadeeth to be authentic see that it is okay to congratulate one another with the wording Ramadan Mubarak, as noticeable from the audio of Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan found here.
Translated by
AbdulFattaah Bin Uthman
Abu Fajr
