“When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.”

“When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.”

It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.”
[Narrated by al-Bukhari, 3277; Muslim, 1079]

According to al-Nasaa’i:

“The most evil jinn are chained up.”

The scholars differed as to the meaning of the devils being chained up in Ramadan.

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said, quoting al-Haleemi:

It may be interpreted as meaning that the devils are not able to tempt the Muslims as they are at other times because they are busy with the fast which controls their desires, and with reading Qur’an and dhikr (remembrance of Allah). Another scholar – someone other than al-Haleemi – said that what is meant by the devils is some of them, namely the maarids (strong devils), who are chained up.

‘Iyaad said:

It may be interpreted in a literal sense, and that is as a sign to the angels that the month has begun, and in veneration of its sanctity, and so as to prevent the devils from harming the Muslims. And it may be interpreted as referring to the great amount of reward and forgiveness, and that the devils tempt people less, so it is as if they are chained up. This second interpretation is supported by the fact that according to a report narrated by Yoonus from Ibn Shihaab which is recorded by Muslim it says “the gates of mercy are opened”.

The chaining up of the devils may also be understood as a metaphor for them being unable to tempt people and make their whims and desires attractive to them.

Al-Zayn ibn al-Muneer said:

The first view is most likely to be correct, and there is no need to try to understand it in anything other than the literal sense.

[Fath al-Baari, 4/114]

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) “and the devils are chained up,” – yet we still see people suffering from epilepsy during the day in Ramadan, so how can the devils be chained up when some people are suffering epileptic fits?

He replied:

In some versions of the hadeeth it says, “and the strong devils (maarids) are chained up” – this is narrated by al-Nasaa’i. This hadeeth is speaking of matters of the unseen, so we have to accept it and not discuss it any further. This is safer for a person’s religious commitment. Hence when ‘Abd-Allaah, the son of Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said to his father, “Some people suffer epileptics fits during the day in Ramadan,” the Imaam said: “This is what the hadeeth says and we do not discuss this.”

Moreover it seems that what is meant by their being chained up is that they are prevented from tempting people, based on the fact that there is a great deal of goodness and many people turn to Allah during Ramadan.

[Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 20]

Al-Qurtubee said:

If it is said, how come we see many evil actions and sins being committed in Ramadan, for if the devils were chained up, that would not happen?

The answer is that (evil actions) are reduced on the part of those who fast meeting all the conditions of fasting and paying attention to the etiquette of fasting.

Or some of the devils – namely the most evil ones – are chained up, not all of them, as previously mentioned in some reports.

Or it may mean that evil actions are reduced in Ramadan, which is something that we can see. Even though evil actions happen in Ramadan, they are less than at other times. Even if all of the devils were to be chained up, that does not mean that no evil action would happen, because there are other causes of evil action besides the devils, such as evil souls, bad habits and the human devils.

[From Fath al-Baari]

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked in Fataawa al-Siyaam (p. 466):

How can we reconcile between the idea that the devils are chained up in Ramadan and the fact the people commit sin?

He replied:

The fact that sin happens in Ramadan does not contradict the report that the devils are chained up in Ramadan, because the fact that they are chained up does not prevent them from moving.

Hence it says in the hadeeth:

“And the strong devils are chained up, and they cannot achieve what they usually achieve (at other times).”

Narrated by Ahmad, 7857; this hadeeth was mentioned by al-Albaani in Da’eef al-Targheeb, 586; he said: it is da’eef jiddan (very weak).

It does not mean that the devils do not move at all, rather they can move and lead people astray, but their activities during Ramadan are not like their activities at other times.

End quote.

From the chapter “Baab us-Siyaam” (Chapter of Fasting) from the book Minhaj as-Saalikeen by Shakyh Abdur-Rahmaan bin Naasir as-Sa’dee (may Allah have mercy on him):

“As the Gates of Jannah are being opened at the same time the Gates of Jahannam are being closed.The Shayaateen are in levels, Iblees being at the top and then the Khabith next and the small shayateen. Iblees and the Khabith shayateen (may Allah’s Curse be upon them until The Hour), the Maarid (sick ones), are locked up, but the small shayateen are not locked up; hence why you see some small evil in Ramadan. The strong shayateen called maarid, they are also being locked up and chained in the month of Ramadan.”

The Chaining of the Shayaateen During the Month of Mercy

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,

“When Ramadan begins, the gates of the heavens are opened, and the gates of the Hell-fire are closed, and the Shayaateen (devils) are chained.”

The questioner may ask,

“If the Shayaateen are chained up during the blessed month of mercy, Shahr Ramadan, then why does evil and sin still occur?”

First, before elucidating the meaning of the narration, using the well-known explications of the scholars of hadeeth, we begin by mentioning its derivation in the books of Sunnah.

It is collected by Imaam al-Bukhari [al-Saheeh (no.1899) in the “Book of Fasting” on the authority of Abu Hurayrah], Imaam Muslim [al-Saheeh (no. 2492-2493) in the “Book of Fasting” on the authority of Abu Hurayrah], Imaam al-Nisaa’i [al-Sunan (no. 2104-2106) in the “Book of Fasting” on the authority of Abu Hurayrah] and Imaam Ahmad [al-Musnad (2/281) on the authority of Abu Hurayrah].

The great scholar of hadeeth Ibn Hajr, may Allah bestow His Mercy upon him, says in the explication of this narration, found in his classical work Fath al-Baari:

“And the Shayaateen [here] are those from amongst them who eavesdrop [on the revelation], and their being chained up takes place during the nights (of Ramadan), not its days, because they were forbidden from eavesdropping at the time of the Qur’an’s revelation; so they were chained up as an additional measure of protection (for the revelation). And it is possible that what is intended is that the Shayaateen are not as determined to tempt the Muslims as they are able to outside of it (i.e. Ramadan), because of them (the Muslims) being busy with fasting, which suppresses the desires, recitation of the Qur’an, and the remembrance [of Allah]. And others have said: ‘What is intended by Shayaateen here are some of them, and they are the evil ones from amongst them…’“

After further clarification, Ibn Hajr continues by quoting the statement of al-Qaadee ‘Iyaad:

“…and it is possible that this alludes to the abundance of reward and forgiveness (in Ramadan), and that the temptation of the Shayaateen is decreased, so they become as if they are locked up.”

He (‘Iyaad) says:

“And what supports this second view is his statement in the narration of Yoonus on the authority of Ibn Shihaab in Saheeh Muslim, ‘the gates of mercy are opened,’ and it is possible that the opening of the gates of Paradise means what Allah has facilitated for His worshippers from the acts of obedience, and these are the reasons for entering Paradise; and the closing of the gates of the Hell-fire means a diversion from the desire to commit sins, which leads the sinner to the Hell-fire, and the chaining of the devils means the weakening of their ability to tempt and beautify desires.”

He (Ibn Hajar) then quotes al-Qurtubee, may Allah bestow his Mercy upon him, when he says:

“If it is asked, how do we see so much evil and sin occurring in Ramadan? Since the Shayaateen are chained up, why does this still occur?

The answer to this is that few of those who fast do so in a manner that meets these conditions, or that those intended [in the narration] are only some of the Shayaateen, specifically the evil ones from among them, not all of them, as has proceeded in some of the narrations; or that what is intended is a reduction in evil during it (Ramadan). And this can be felt, for indeed this (evil) occurs less during Ramadan than at any other time. Yet, the chaining of all of the devils would not necessitate that evil and sin would not occur, because there are other reasons for this besides the Shayaateen, like evil natures, wicked customs, and the Shayaateen from the humans.

And others have said, ‘The chaining up of the Shayaateen in Ramadan points to the removal of the person’s excuse; it is as if it is said to him, ‘The Shayaateen have been restrained, so do not use them as an excuse for the abandonment of acts of obedience or the commitment of sin.’“

[Fath al-Baari (4/706, 707)]

al-Imaam al-Nawawee, may Allah bestow his Mercy upon him, says in the explication of Saheeh Muslim,

“…the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of the Hell-fire are closed and the Shayaateen are locked up. Al-Qaadee ‘Iyaad says: ‘It is possible that this is literal, and that the opening of the gates of Paradise, the closing of the gates of the Hell-Fire, and the chaining of the Shayaateen are signs of entering Ramadan and magnification of its sanctity; and that they (the Shayaateen) are chained up to prevent them from harming the believers and inciting them.’ He also said: ‘And it is possible that what is intended is a figurative meaning, and that it means an abundance of reward and forgiveness, and that the temptation and harm of Shayaateen is decreased so they become as if they are locked up; and that they are locked away from some things as opposed to others, and some people as opposed to others…'”

[Sharh Saheeh Muslim (7/186-187)]

In summary, we discover in this narration myriad blessings and glad tidings for those who believe. Ramadan is a month of forgiveness wherein Allah, the Most Merciful, has opened the gates of mercy and locked shut the gates of punishment. It is therefore crucial that people of fasting seize the advantage of the shackling of the devils, the malevolent troops of al-Shaytaan, and pray that Allah, the Granter of Favor, rewards them with entry through the gate of al-Rayyaan. [1]

Indeed Allah is the Bestower of Mercy, Hearer of supplication.

Written by the one in need of his Lord’s Favor,
Abu al-Hasan Maalik Aadam al-Akhdar (s)

Footnotes:

[1] This refers to the narration collected by al-Bukhari in his Saheeh (no. 1762) in the “Book of Fasting” and Muslim in his Saheeh in the “Book of Fasting” on the authority Sahl ibn Sa’d from the Messenger of Allah:

“Verily, in Paradise there is a gate called al-Rayyaan; the people of fasting will enter through it on the Day of Judgement, and no one besides them will be permitted entry. It will be said, ‘Where are the people of fasting?’ They will stand, and no one besides them will enter through it. Once they enter, it will be locked.”

[This version was revised on July 2, 2012 corresponding with 13 Sha’baan 1433 Hijri]

In Summary:

In this month the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are shut, and the devils are chained up.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“When Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are put in chains.”

[Agreed upon]

Al-Nasaa’i narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“When Ramadan comes, the gates of mercy are opened and the gates of Hell are shut, and the devils are put in chains.”

[Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 471]

Al-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah and Ibn Khuzaymah narrated in one report:

“When the first night of the month of Ramadan comes, the devils and rebellious jinn are chained up and the gates of Hell are closed, and not one gate of it is opened. The gates of Paradise are opened and not one gate of it is closed. And a caller cries out: ‘O seeker of good, proceed; O seeker of evil, desist. And Allah has those whom He redeems from the Fire, and that happens every night.”

[Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 759]

If it is asked, how come we see many evil actions and sins committed in Ramadan, for if the devils are chained up that would not happen?

The answer is that evil actions become less for those who observe the conditions and etiquette of fasting;
or that the ones who are chained up are some of the devils – namely the rebellious ones – not all of them;
or that what is meant is that evil is reduced in Ramadan, which is a proven fact. If evil happens at this time, it is still less than at other times. Even if all of them (the devils) are chained up, that does not necessarily mean that no evil or sin will happen, because there are other causes of that besides the devils, such as evil souls, bad habits and the devils among mankind.
[Al-Fath, 4/145]

And Allah knows best.

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