When Anas b. Mâlik – Allâh be pleased with him – used to finish a complete reading of the Qur`ân he would gather his wife and children and supplicate for them.

Al-Firyâbî, Fadâ`il Al-Qur`ân article 83; Al-Dârimî, Al-Sunan hadith 3477 et al. Shaykh Al-Albânî graded one of its chains of transmission sahîh. See Marwîyât Du’â Khatm Al-Qurân article 12.

More:

1. Greetings of the Companions [a little known Sunnah]
2. Who can give a Fatwa?
3. Don’t ask the Polytheists
4. Supplicating for an Unbeliever
5. Dead Hearts and Empty Supplications

This is from Sayings of the Salaf - English translations of narrations from the Salaf - the earliest believers, our righteous predecessors, and true scholars of Islam. Selected and translated by Owais Al-Hashimi

I would rather die and be resurrected, die and be resurrected, and again die and be resurrected than to see the private part of a Muslim’s body or for a Muslim to see mine.

Imâm Ahmad, Al-Zuhd p192. 1^st ed. 1983. Dâr Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmîyah. Beirut, Lebanon.

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh b, ‘Umar – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

Verily, part of disregarding the trust upon you is to look inside [other people's] apartments and houses.

Ibn Abî Al-Dunyâ, Kitâb Al-Wara’ article 71.

It is reported that Anas b. Mâlik – Allâh be pleased with him – said:

If a woman passes in front of you, lower your eyes until she has passed by.

Ibid. article 72.

It is reported that Al-’Alâ b. Ziyâd – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

Let not your sight follow the nice looking back of a woman [as she passed], for indeed the look causes the desire in the heart.

Ibid. article 77.

It is reported on the authority of Al-Wakî’ b. Al-Jarrâh:

We went out one Eid with Sufyân Al-Thawrî and he said, “The first thing we will do on this day of ours is to lower our gaze.”

Ibid. article 66.

It is reported that Hassân b. Abî Sinân – Allâh have mercy on him – went out one Eid and when he returned home his wife said, “How many beautiful women have you looked at today?” After she kept asking him, he said, “Woe to you! I have looked at nothing but my toe from when I went out to when I returned to you.”

Ibid. article 68.

More:

1. Studying Manners
2. The Trick of the Eyes
3. Who to Love and Trust, Hate and Suspect [signs of sincerity]
4. Umar on obeying the Muslim Ruler
5. A Penny worth Thirty-Three

This is from Sayings of the Salaf - English translations of narrations from the Salaf - the earliest believers, our righteous predecessors, and true scholars of Islam. Selected and translated by Owais Al-Hashimi

A man once recited in front of Anas [ibn Mâlik – Allâh be pleased with him] in this manner and he detested it.

Abû Bakr Al-Khallâl, Al-Amr bil-Ma’rûf wa Al-Nahî ‘an Al-Munkar, p110.

It is reported that Sâlim [b. 'Abdillâh b. 'Umar b. Al-Khattâb] – Allâh have mercy on him – was asked to listen to someone leading the prayer. When he heard the recitation he turned back exclaiming:

Singing! Singing!

Ibn Al-Jawzî, Al-Qussâs wa Al-Mudhakkirîn article 183.

It is reported that there was a man who used to lead the prayer in Al-Madînah. One night, he became euphoric (got carried away by emotion). ^[2] Al-Qâsim b. Muhammad recited:

Verily it is a mighty and noble Book. Falsehood does not approach it, neither before it nor behind. It is a revelation from the Most Wise, Most Praiseworthy. [Al-Quran, Fussilat: 41, 42]

And he detested [the behavior of the reciter].

Ibid. article 184.

It is reported that Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyâd – Allâh have mercy on him – was asked about reciting the Qurân with melodies,
^[1] to which he replied:

This is something they took from singing.

Ibid. article 182

Ibn Dâwûd ['Abdullâh b. Dâwûd b. 'Âmir Al-Khuraybî] – Allâh have mercy on him – was once asked by Bishr b. Al-Hârith:

If I pass by a man reciting, should I sit and listen? He asked, “Does he become euphoric ^[2] (because of emotional recitation)?” Bishr replied, “Yes.” Ibn Dâwûd said, “He has shown his bid’ah, do not sit with him.”

Ibid article 186.

Hanbal reports:

Abû ‘Abdillâh (Imâm Ahmad) used to detest this innovated recitation which is called Al-Alhân (melodious, musical recitation).

Ibid. article 187.

And it is reported that Imâm Ahmad said:

“This innovated recitation which is called Al-Alhân, I detest it.” He was very strict against it. He said, “I believe it resembles singing, and the Qurân is to be preserved from this.”

Ibid. article 188.

There are numerous narrations from Imâm Ahmad about this, amongst them:

When asked about it once he said:

It is something innovated. But [to recite in a beautiful voice is fine] if it is naturally his voice, as was Abû Mûsâ [Al-Ash'arî – Allâh be pleased with him].

When asked about reciting with alhân another time, he replied:

No. [It is allowed] if that is his natural voice, like the voice of Abû Mûsâ. As for learning how to recite like this, then no.

He was asked about recitation with melodies and harmonies, to which he replied:

“It is a bid’ah.” It was said to him, ‘They gather to listen to it.” He said, “Allâhul-musta’ân (‘Allâh is the one whose aid is sought’; a statement of sorrow and disapproval.)”

Also, he said:

It is a bid’ah, not to be listened to.

‘Abdullâh b. Yazîd Al-’Anbarî reports:

A man once asked Ahmad b. Hanbal:

“What do you say about reciting with alhân?” Abu ‘Abdillâh said, “What is your name?” The man replied, “Muhammad.” Imâm Ahmad said, “So would you like to be called Moohammad?”

Al-Khallâl, op. cit., p99+.

Imâm Mâlik – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

I do not like reciting in melodies, neither in Ramadan nor at other times, because it resembles singing, and it causes the Qurân to be laughed at. It is said ‘this person is a better reciter than that person (the Quran becomes the subject of rivalry and entertainment).

It has reached me that the slave-girls are taught to recite like this as they are taught how to sing. Do you think this was the way Allâh’s Messenger – peace and blessings be upon him – used to recite?

Al-Qayrawânî, Kitâb Al-Jâmi’ p166.

[1] Arabic: Alhân. This refers to reciting in a melodious, song-like tone. See notes.

[2] Arabic: Al-tarb. This refers to a state of emotional intensity which may bring about physical expression. See notes.

Notes

After relating some of these traditions, Ibn Al-Jawzî states:

Know that melodious musical recitation (Al-Alhân) is detested for a number of reasons, amongst others: [its reciters] merge letters that are not supposed to be merged, they extend vowels (madd) where there should be no extension, and they omit the hamzah and the doubling of consonants (tashdîd) just in order to preserve the melody. Also, this kind of recitation causes people to get emotionally carried away (al-tarb) and it distracts people from pondering the Quran. ^[3]

Explaining the type of recitation that is praiseworthy and the type that is detestable, Ibn Kathîr states:

What is sought in the Sharî’ah (teachings of Islam) is the type of beautification of the voice that leads to pondering the Quran and seeking to understand it, to submission, humility and compliance with the obedience [of Allah].

As for using voices with novel melodies, composed on distracting and entertaining rhythms and musical rules, then the Quran is far removed from this and is too respected and esteemed to have this approach taken in its delivery.^[4]

[3] Ibn Al-Jawzî, Al-Qussâs wa Al-Mudhakkirîn p335.

[4] Ibn Kathîr, Fadâ`il Al-Qurân p198.

More:

1. The Salaf and the Quran in Ramadan
2. What to intend in Prayer
3. More than Recitation
4. How the Salaf were (and weren’t) when hearing the Quran and Dhikr
5. Won’t you collect your Share?

This is from Sayings of the Salaf - English translations of narrations from the Salaf - the earliest believers, our righteous predecessors, and true scholars of Islam. Selected and translated by Owais Al-Hashimi

There are two days and two nights the likes of which no one has ever heard of before: the Day on which you will receive the news about Allâh the Exalted: whether you will receive His punishment or His mercy, the Day you will be given your book (of deeds): either in your right hand or your left, that [first] night you will spend alone in your grave, a night like no other you have spent, and that night on the morning of which will be the Day of Resurrection, after which there will be no more night.

Abû Bakr Al-Daynûrî, Al-Mujâlasah wa Jawâhir Al-’Ilm article 19.

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1. Abû Bakr to ‘Umar on his Deathbed
2. No poverty after Paradise and no wealth in the Fire
3. Three Laughs and Three Tears
4. Dead Hearts and Empty Supplications
5. The Last Drops of this World

This is from Sayings of the Salaf - English translations of narrations from the Salaf - the earliest believers, our righteous predecessors, and true scholars of Islam. Selected and translated by Owais Al-Hashimi

Fasting does not mean keeping away from only food and drink, it also means keeping away from lying, falsehood, inanity and swearing [by Allâh without need].

It is reported that Ibrâhîm Al-Nakha’î – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

They used to say: lying breaks the fast.

It is reported that Mujâhid – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

There are two practices, if a person can keep himself from them, his fast will be secured for him: backbiting and lying.

It is related that Abul-’Âliyah – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

The fasting person is in a state of worship as long as he does not backbite. ^[1]

It is reported that Hafsah bint Sîrîn – Allâh have mercy on her – said:

Fasting is a shield as long as one does not tear it, and tearing it is when you backbite. ^[2]

It is reported that Anas b. Mâlik – Allâh be pleased with him – said:

If the fasting person backbites, his fast is broken. ^[3]

Notes

Explaining the meaning of sins breaking the fast, Shaykh Al-Islâm Ibn Taymîyah – Allâh have mercy on him – states: ^[4]

It is related from some of the Salaf that backbiting, tale carrying and the likes break the fast, and it is mentioned as one opinion in the madhab of Imâm Ahmad. The final word on this issue is that Allâh the Exalted commanded people to fast in order to achieve piety (taqwâ), and Allâh’s Messenger – praise and peace of Allâh be upon him – stated:

Whoever does not leave off false speech and acting by it; then Allâh is not in need of him abandoning his food and drink.

So if the fasting person does not achieve piety, he has not achieved what is intended through fasting, and so the reward of [his] fast will decrease in accordance [with how much he has gone against the intended goal, i.e. commensurate with his sins].

Righteous deeds have two intended goals: gaining reward and avoiding punishment. If a person fasts while also doing forbidden things, like backbiting, carrying tales between people or consuming what is forbidden and so on, he loses the reward.

Thus, when the imams say [backbiting etc.] does not break the fast, it means that the person who sins is not punished in the way a person who openly breaks his fast would be punished.

And those who said it does break the fast in the sense that the person has not achieved the intended goal behind fasting, or in the sense that he has lost the reward for fasting, then this statement is in agreement with the position of the imams.

One who says it breaks the fast in the sense that the person is to be punished for leaving [the fast], then he is in contradiction to the imams.

Conclusion

A person who disobeys Allâh while fasting hasn’t truly grasped the intent behind fasting. The real goal is to achieve piety and obedience of Allâh through the abandonment of food, drink and sin. Although a person who backbites, lies or does other sins is not considered to have physically broken his fast, he loses the reward of fasting and in this sense he has broken his fast.

Allâh knows best.

^[1] Ibn Abî Al-Shaybah, Al-Musannaf articles 8975, 8980, 8981 and 8982.

^[2] ‘Abd Al-Razzâq Al-San’ânî, Al-Musannaf articles 8975.

^[3] Hunâd b. Al-Saree, Al-Zuhd article 1204.

^[4] Badr Al-Dîn Al-Ba’lî. Mukhtasar Al-Fatâwâ Al-Masrîyah pp288, 289. 1^st edn. 1418H. Dâr Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmîyah. Beirut, Lebanon.

More:

1. Make Fasting Different
2. Umar’s Instructions on the First Night of Ramadan
3. Fasting and Backbiting
4. Eating to Fast [not Fasting to Eat]
5. From the Benefits of Winter

This is from Sayings of the Salaf - English translations of narrations from the Salaf - the earliest believers, our righteous predecessors, and true scholars of Islam. Selected and translated by Owais Al-Hashimi