Q: Is it permissible or not to stay up through the night during Ramadan with people who are paid to devotionally celebrate the nights of Ramadan? Is it Halal (lawful) or Haram (prohibited)? Please support the answer with evidence from the Qur’an and the Sunnah, because I stay up the nights of Ramadan with some people every year and I have decided to stop doing it this year until I know the evidence. Please advise me and may Allah reward you!

A: Allah (Exalted be He) orders His servants to worship Him and encourages them to recite His Book and study it, which is all the more stressed during the nights of Ramadan. It was authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Anyone who stands the night in prayer during Ramadan out of Iman (faith) and hoping for Allah’s Reward, their previous sins will be forgiven.” When the last ten days of Ramadan arrived, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would stay up all night in worship and encouraged his family and his Ummah (nation) to do the same. (Part No. 10; Page No. 216) So anyone who does so, seeking to please Allah and hoping for His Reward, will be greatly rewarded.As for what some Muslims have become accustomed to doing, by staying up at nights of Ramadan in places other than their homes to hear paid reciters of Qur’an, this is Bid‘ah (an innovation in religion), no matter whether it is done seeking blessing for these houses and their residents, or to dedicate the reward of recitation to the owners of the houses, whether they are living or dead. This is an act which was not reported to be done by the Prophet (peace be upon him), and accordingly it is judged to be a newly-invented Bid‘ah. It is authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Anyone who introduces anything into this matter of ours (Islam) that is not part of it, will have it rejected.” And in another narration, “Anyone who does an action which is not in accordance with this matter of ours (Islam), will have it rejected.” Based on this, there is no reward for the doer of this act or for the one who assists in it; in fact its performance incurs sin, for inventing and introducing new matters into the religion that do not belong to it.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.