Excerpts from the ‘Jurisprudence of Worship’
By Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih ibn Uthaymeen رحمه الله تعالى

Question: Oh Noble Shaykh, What are the etiquettes of the one who is fasting?

Answer:

From the etiquettes of fasting is to be persistent upon the Taqwa of Allāh (it is to place a barrier between you and the punishment of Allāh ie. To be God-Fearing) by doing all that He has ordered and refraining from all that He has forbidden.

By the statement of Allāh عزوجل:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ¹

O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious – see V. 2:2)²

And the statement of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ :
“Whoever does not give up false speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)”³

And from the etiquettes of fasting is to increase in giving charity and righteousness and doing good to the people especially in Ramadān.
“For verily, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ was the most generous from amongst of the people and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadān, when he would meet with Jibreel and he would review with him the Qurān”.⁴

And from them (etiquettes of fasting), is that one should have a pre-fast meal (As-Suhoor) and he should delay the suhoor by the statement of the Prophetﷺ :
“Take Suhoor as there is a blessing in it.”⁵

Also from it’s (fasting) etiquettes is to break one’s fast with a fresh date (rutab) and if he does not find one, then a dry date and if he does not find that, then he should have water. He should hasten to break his fast when he is certain that the sun has set or if he is assured that it has most likely set.

By statement of the Prophet ﷺ :
“The people will remain on the right path as long as they hasten the breaking of the fast.”⁶

¹Al-Quran- [Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 183]
²Noble Quran- Surah Al- Baqarah, Ayah 183- [Muhsin Khan and Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali]
³Related by Bukhari- The Book of Fasting- [Number 1903]
⁴Related by Bukhari- The Book of Fasting – [ Number 1902] and related by Muslim- The Book of Virtues [Number 2308]
⁵Related by Bukhari- The Book of Fasting- [Number 1923] and related Muslim- The Book of Fasting-[Number 1097]
⁶Related by Bukhari- The Book of Fasting-[Number 1957]

Jurisprudence of Worship- Fatwa Regarding Sâum (Fasting). By Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih Ibn Uthaymeen (pg.268-269)

Translated by: Abu Uwāis, Muhammad Abdullahi Elmi