EsinIslam
Ramadan
By Br. Isa al-Bosnawi
Abu Umaamah
r.a.a. said: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, tell me
of an action by which I may enter Paradise'. He said:
'Take to Fasting, there is nothing like it.' " [An-Nasaa'ee,
Ibn Hibbaan, Al-Haakim, Saheeh] In this
hadeeth, the Prophet (s.a.w.) singled out fasting when
asked about a deed that leads its doer to the best of
rewards, Paradise. This fact alone is sufficient for
us to understand the greatness of fasting. Mere
knowledge of the importance and superiority of
fasting, however, is not enough for a Muslim to attain
Allah's pleasure and then, in shaa' Allah, His great
reward. Indeed, the
Prophet (s.a.w.) has said: "Perhaps a person fasting
will receive nothing from his fasting except hunger
and thirst." [Ibn Maajah, Ad-Daarimee, Ahmad, al-Baihaqee,
Saheeh] This hadeeth should raise our concern about
fasting and increase our desire to perform this act of
worship with the best intention and in accordance with
the Sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w.). The first
step for a Muslim to realise is the fact that fasting
the month of Ramadhan is obligatory and that Allah has
prescribed it for us in His Book: "Fasting is
prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those
before you, that you may attain taqwaa." [2:183]
Thus Allah
Ta`aalaa teaches us that Fasting is an obligation and
a means to attain taqwaa, that which increases
believers in their ranks with Allah swt: "The most
honoured by Allah amongst you are those best in taqwaa."
[49:13] Furthermore,
we should realise the words of the Prophet (s.a.w.) in
which he tells us that Allah the Exalted said: "The
most beloved deeds with which my slave comes closer to
Me are the obligatory deeds." [Saheeh al-Jami']
Virtues of Fasting as menti-oned in the Qur'an and
Sunnah - The reward
for fasting is immense, as mentioned in the following
Hadeeth: "Every action
of the son of Adam is given manifold reward, each good
deed receiving then times its like, up to seven
hundred times. Allah the Most High said, 'Except for
fasting, for it is for Me and I will give recompense
for it, he leaves off his desires and his food for
Me.' for the fasting person there are two times of
joy; a time when he breaks his fast and a time of joy
when he meets his Lord, and the smell coming from the
mouth of the fasting person is better with Allah than
the smell of musk." [al-Bukhaaree] Also, Sahl
ibn Sa`d said that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said: "Indeed
there is a gate of Paradise called ar-Rayyaan. On the
day of Resurrection those who fast will enter through
it; no one enters it except for them, and when they
have entered, it is closed so that no one enters it,
so when the last of them enters it, it is closed, and
whoever enters it drinks, and whoever drinks never
becomes thirsty." [Ibn Khuzaimah, Saheeh]. - Fasting is
a shield against the Fire: "Fasting is a
shield with which a servant protects himself from the
Fire." [Ahmad, Saheeh] - On the Day
of Judgement, "Fasting will say: O My Lord I prevented
him from food an desires so accept my intercession for
him." [Ahmad, al-Haakim and Abu Nu'aim, Hasan]
- Fasting is
a means for one's sins to be forgiven. The Prophet (s.a.w.)
said: "He who fasts Ramadhan, due to Iman and hoping
for reward (from Allah) then his past sins are
forgiven." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] - The
supplication of the fasting person is answered: "There
are in the month of Ramadhan in every day and night
those to whom Allah grants freedom from the Fire, and
there is for every Muslim an supplication which he can
make and will be granted." [al-Bazzaar, Ahmad, Saheeh]
- Fasting is
an expiation for various sins, as mentioned in the
Qur'aan, in verses: 2:196, 4:92, 5:89, 5:95 and
58:3-4. - The fasting
person will be among the true followers of the
prophets and the martyrs: `Amr ibn Murrah al-Juhaanee
r.a.a. said: "A man came to the Prophet (s.a.w.) and
said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what if I testify that
none has the right to worshipped but Allah and that
you are the Messenger of Allah, and I observe the five
daily prayers, and I pay the zakaah, and I fast and
stand in prayer in Ramadhan, then amongst whom shall I
be?' He said: 'Amongst the true followers of the
prophets and the martyrs.' " [Ibn Hibbaan, Saheeh]
- Fasting is
a shield against one's base desires, as the Prophet (s.a.w.)
told the youth: "O youths, whoever amongst you is able
to marry then let him do so, since it restrains the
eyes and protects the private parts, and he who is
unable, then let him fast because it is a shield for
him." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] Once we
realise the greatness of fasting and what achievement
it leads to, we must put all our efforts in performing
fasting in the best manner possible. And since fasting
is worship, it must be done solely for Allah's sake,
and no intention is accepted, other than pleasing
Allah and seeking His Face with all one's sincerity.
Without a correct intention, no deed is of any value
in the Hereafter. We Muslims must constantly verify
our intentions and consider why we perform fasting. Do
we do so merely because it is the practice of our
parents and friends, or do we do so because it is part
of our tradition, or perhaps because we simply want to
conform to our environment in order to avoid any
problems? A Muslim who realises that only that which
is with Allah remains, and that He (Swt) is the only
One who grants and withholds, would not be of those to
which the Prophet (s.a.w.) alluded in the Hadeeth: "On
the Day of Judgement, a caller will cry out, 'Whoever
performed a deed for someone other than Allah may seek
his reward from that for which he performed the deed'
" [Saheeh al-Jami].
Certain Aspects and Rulings related to fasting
- For the
obligatory fast in the month of Ramadhan, it is
incumbent on everyone to have intention before the
appearance of Fajr. - Fast is
performed between the time of True Fajr (that which
makes food forbidden for the fasting person, and makes
Fajr prayer lawful, as explained by Ibn `Abbaas r.a.a.)
and the time as soon it is seen that the sun has set.
- The
interval between the end of suhoor (the pre-dawn meal)
and the start of the obligatory prayer is the interval
sufficient to recite fifty Aayaat, as indicated by the
Prophet (s.a.w.) and related by al-Bukhaaree and
Muslim. - Eating the
pre-dawn meal (suhoor) contains many blessings and the
Prophet (s.a.w.) ordered us to do take it, forbade us
from leaving it and told us to take suhoor to make a
distinction between our fast and the fast of the
People of the Book. In spite of this, Ibn Hajar
reports in Fathul-Baaree that there is Ijmaa` that it
is mustahabb (recomm-endation). Allah knows best.
- Falsehood,
ignorant and indecent speech are to be avoided as they
may render one's fasting futile. - A fasting
person can begin fasting while in the state of
Janaabah (major state of impurity that requires bath
due to a sexual intercourse), as explained in Saheeh
al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. - Use of
Siwaak (tooth-stick) is permitted. Likewise, washing
the mouth and nose is permitted, but it should not be
done strongly. - The Prophet
forbade a youth to kiss while fasting, while he
allowed an old man since he is able to control
himself. - Giving
blood and injections which do not provide nourishment
does not break the fast. Also, there is no harm in
tasting food, provided it does not reach the throat.
- Pouring
cold water over one's head and taking a bath contain
no harm to a fasting person. - It is
Sunnah of the Prophet and the practice of his
companions to break the fast as soon as the Sun sets
even if some bright redness remains upon the horizon.
Muslims are strongly encouraged to hasten breaking the
fast. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: "The Deen will not
cease to be uppermost as long as the people hasten to
break the fast, since the Jews and the Christians
delay it." [Abu Daawood, Ibn Hibbaan, Hasan]
- The Prophet
(s.a.w.) used to break his fast before praying and he
used to break it with fresh dates, if not then with
older dates. And if not with dates, than with some
mouthfuls of water. - The
supplication of the fasting person when he breaks his
fast is not rejected. The best du`aa' (supplication)
is that reported from Allah's Messenger, pbuh. He used
to say when breaking the fast: "Dhahaba-DH-DHama'u
wabtallatil-`urooqu, wa thabatal ajru inshaa Allah."
(The thirst has gone, the veins are moistened and the
reward is certain, if Allah wills.) [Abu Daawood, al-Baihaqee,
al-Haakim and others, Hasan] - The Prophet
said: "He who gives food for a fasting person to break
his fast, he will receive the same reward as him,
except that nothing will be reduced from the fasting
persons reward." [Ahmad, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah, Ibn
Hibbaan, Saheeh]. Also, a fasting Muslim should not
reject invitation of another Muslim to break fast.
- Deliberate
eating and drinking, making oneself vomit,
menstruation, after-birth bleeding, injection
containing nourishment and sexual intercourse all
nullify the fast. - As for
Lailatul-Qadr, the Night of Decree, that is better
than a thousand months (see Soorah Qadr (97)), the
Prophet (s.a.w.) told us: "Seek it in the last ten,
and if one of you is too weak or unable then let him
not allow that to make him miss the final seven." [al-Bukhaaree,
Muslim]. That which is the most specific states, "seek
it on the (twenty) ninth and the (twenty) seventh and
the (twenty) fifth." [al-Bukhaaree] - The Prophet
(s.a.w.) used to exert himself greatly during
Lailatul-Qadr. He would spend the nights in worship,
detaching himself from women and ordering his family
with this. So every Muslim should be eager to stand in
prayer during Lailatul Qadr out of Iman and hoping for
the great reward. The Prophet (s.a.w.)
said: "Whoever stands (in prayer) in Lailatul Qadr out
of Iman and seeking reward then his previous sins are
forgiven." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] - The
supplication that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.)
taught `Aa'isha, radiyallaahu `anhaa, to say when
seeking the Night of Decree is: "O Allah you
are the one who pardons greatly, and loves to pardon,
so pardon me." [at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah, Saheeh]
- It is
Sunnah to pray Taraweeh in congregation and the one
who knew the best the practice of the Prophet (s.a.w.)
at night, `Aa'isha, radiyallaahu `anhaa, said:
"Allah's Messenger did not increase upon eleven
rak`ahs in Ramadhan, or outside it." [al-Bukhaaree,
Muslim] - All who are
capable should take advantage of the month of Ramadhan
and perform I`tikaaf, i.e. fully attach oneself to
worshipping in the mosque. One should inquire how the
Prophet (s.a.w.) performed I`tikaaf. - Zakaatul
Fitr is prescribed by Allah as a purification for
those who fasted from loose and indecent talk, and to
feed the poor Muslims as a provision for `Eidul Fitr.
One should inquire further about rulings related to
it, especially upon whom it is obligatory and what is
its quantity. - The last
but not the least, we should strive to constantly
improve our worship and obedience of Allah the Most
High, including once the month of Ramadhan is over,
inshaa' Allah. By Br. Isa
al-Bosnee [This article was published in the 11th
issue of Nida'ul Islam magazine (http://www.islam.org.au),
January-February 1996]
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