What is meant by the devils being chained up in Ramadaan?

 

What do you say about the devils being chained up in Ramadaan?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Al-Bukhaari (1899) and
Muslim (1079) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: “When Ramadaan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates
of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.” 

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

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said, quoting al-Haleemi: It may be
interpreted at 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’aan and dhikr (remembrance of Allaah).
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 Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the words of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) “and the devils are chained up,”
– yet we still see people suffering from epilepsy during the day in
Ramadaan, 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 Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said to
his father, “Some people suffer epileptics fits during the day in Ramadaan,”
the Imam 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 Allaah during Ramadaan. 

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 20. 

Based on this, the chaining up of the devils is something
that happens in a real sense, about which Allaah knows best. This does not
mean that evil things do not happen or that people do not commit sin. And
Allaah knows best. 

See also question no.
12653.