Explanation of the Hadith about Shaytan ...

Bismillah
Explanation of the Hadeeth, "The Shayateen are locked Up"
Compiled by: Abul Hasan Maalik Al Akhdar

The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam said, "When
Ramadaan begins, the gates of the heavens are opened, and the gates
of the hell fire are closed, and the Shayaateen are locked up."

Many ask, "If the Shayaateen are locked up then why does evil and
sin still occur?" Firstly, this hadeeth is authentic; Imaam Al-
Bukhaaree has collected it in his Saheeh in the Book of Fasting(1),
and Imaam Muslim has collected it in his Saheeh, also in the Book of
Fasting(2), and Imaam An-Nisaa'ee has collected it in his sunan in
the Book of Fasting(3), and Imaam Ahmad has collected it in his
Musnad(4).

Ibn Hajr rahimahullaah says in the explanation of this Hadeeth in
Fathul-Baaree( 5), "And the Shayaateen are those from amongst them
who eavesdrop (on the revelation), and that their being locked up
occurs in the nights (of Ramadaan), not in it's days, because they
were forbidden from eavesdropping at the time of the revelation of
the Qur'aan, so they were locked up as an additional measure for the
protection (of 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. Ramadaan), because of them (the
Muslims) being busy with fasting which suppresses the desires, and
the recitation of the Qur'aan, and the rememberance (of Allaah)."
And others have said: "What is intended by Shayaateen here is some
of them, and they are the evil ones from amongst them..."

Then Ibn Hajr rahimahullaah goes on to quote the statement of
Iyaad:... "And it is possible that it is alluding to the abundance
of reward and forgiveness (in Ramadaan), 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 possibility is
his statement in the narration of Yunus 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 Allaah
has opened 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 diversion from the desire to commit sins
which leads the sinner to the Hell-Fire, and the locking up of the
devils means the weakening of their ability to tempt, and beautify
desires."

He (Ibn Hajar rahimahullaah) goes on to quote Al-Qurtubee
rahimahullaah when he says: "If it is asked how do we see so much
evil and sin occuring in Ramadaan; if the Shayaateen are locked up
why does this occur? The answer to this is that few of those who
fast do so in a manner that upholds the conditions, or what is
intended is some of the Shayaateen, and they are the evil ones from
among them not all of them as has proceeded in some of the
narrations, or what is intended is the reduction of evil in it
(Ramadaan) and this can be felt, for indeed this (evil) occurs less
in it than outside of it. At the same time the locking up 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 locking up of the Shayaateen in
Ramadaan 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 committing of sin." [End of the quote from Ibn Hajr]

Imaam An-Nawawee rahimahullaah says in the explanation of Shaeeh
Muslim(6), "...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 locking up of the Shayaateen, are signs of
entering Ramadaan and magnification of its sanctity, and that they
(the Shayaateen) are locked up to prevent them from harming the
believers and inciting them". And he 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..."

Footnotes
1) Hadeeth # 1899
2) Hadeeth # 2492-2493
3) Hadeeth # 2104-2106
4) V.2 P.281
5) V.4 P.706, 707
6) [7/186-187]