“If Satan is chained in Ramadan, why do we still sin?”
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
Let’s answer it clearly and simply.
1️⃣ The Hadith About Shayṭān Being Chained
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 1899
Scholars explained this in a few ways.
2️⃣ Not All Evil Comes Only from Shayṭān
Even if the devils are chained, we still have:
🔹 1. Our Own Nafs (Desires)
Allah says:
“Indeed, the soul is inclined to evil…” (Qur’an 12:53)
Your nafs (ego/desire) can push you to sin even without Shayṭān whispering.
If someone is used to:
Backbiting
Watching haram
Gambling
Getting angry
Those habits don’t disappear automatically just because Ramadan comes.
Shayṭān may be chained, but our habits are not chained.
🔹 2. Shayṭān’s Influence Before Ramadan
Think about this:
If someone has been listening to bad whispers for 11 months, those seeds are already planted.
Ramadan reduces external temptation, but the internal programming may still remain.
🔹 3. Some Scholars Say “Major Devils” Are Chained
Some scholars explained:
The strongest devils are chained.
Minor shayāṭīn may still operate.
Or their influence is weakened, not completely removed.
This explains why evil decreases in Ramadan, but does not completely disappear.
3️⃣ Ramadan Is Proof of Something Important
Ramadan teaches us a powerful lesson:
👉 Many sins are not because Shayṭān forced us. 👉 They are because we choose them.
If Shayṭān was the only reason, then in Ramadan no one would sin at all.
But we still sin because:
We have free will.
We have desires.
We have weak discipline.
4️⃣ Then What Is the Wisdom?
Ramadan removes the excuse.
It becomes clear:
Outside Ramadan → Shayṭān + nafs.
In Ramadan → mostly nafs.
So Ramadan is like a spiritual mirror. It shows us what is truly inside us.
5️⃣ The Good News
Even though we still sin:
Mercy is multiplied.
Rewards are multiplied.
Du‘ā is accepted.
Forgiveness is easier.
Ramadan is not about being perfect. It is about being better than before.
🌙 Simple Conclusion
We still sin in Ramadan because:
Our own nafs (desires) still exist.
Habits don’t disappear instantly.
Some devils may still whisper.
We still have free will.
But Ramadan makes sin harder and goodness easier.
And that is Allah’s mercy.