Have I Not Benefited From My Previous Ramadans?
Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Question
When I was at the beginning of puberty, I had a very severe masturbation addiction that I could not control. I would do it two to three times a day, even during Ramadan.
I know that I need to make up these fasts as Qadaa’ without a kaffarah as mentioned by Imam Shurunbulali in Maraqi al Falah. However, I have been told that all my previous fasts in Ramadan are all invalid. Is this true?
Since being told this I’ve been really distraught and upset that not a single fast in the past five years that I have intended for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa Ta’alâ has been accepted. Please advise me on what to do.
Answer
I pray you are well.
Unfortunately, none of your fasts were valid during those months of Ramadan, so they have to be made up. However, this does not mean that you did not benefit from those months at all. Far from it!
Seeing the Benefit That Allah Sends
Did you not perform tarawih? The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said, “Whoever stand (in prayer) during Ramadan out of faith and expectation of a reward all his past sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari). There are similar hadiths about fasting and standing in prayer during Layla al Qadr as well.
These are the many other blessings the blessed month brings with it. Are you not remorseful now? Have you not repented? Have you not sought knowledge of how to compensate for the deficiency? Are you not upset about not giving the month its due?
All these are signs that you did, in fact, benefit from those months. Turn to Allah. Ask for forgiveness. Ask for the ability to make all of the coming months of Ramadan in your life better and better. Make up the missed fasts as a manageable pace, and thank Allah for the ability to do so.
Perhaps He will reward you as though you had been doing your very best in all those months. After all, no one is more generous than Him.
May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital. He was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.
