In few days, Muslims around the world will begin celebrating the month of Ramadan in which the Quran was revealed and fasting becomes obligatory on every healthy, capable Muslim every day during this month from dawn to sunset:
"It was during the month of Ramadan that the Quran was sent down as guidance to the people with clear signs of true guidance and as a criterion (between right and wrong). So those of you who live to see that month should fast it, and whoever is sick or on a journey should fast the same number of other days instead. Allah wants ease and not hardship for you so that you may complete the number of days required, praise Allah for what He has guided you to, and give thanks to Him." (2: 185).
The purpose of this article is to review few basic facts about fasting in Ramadan to remind us and prepare us for this annual Islamic important event. May Allah accept our fasting and renew our faith in this Ramadan and each one to come.
Levels of Fasting:
There are three levels of fasting:
Level 1: Fast of the Common People: in which a person is merely abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercourse without avoiding bad talks, evil deeds or wrongdoings. The Prophet (PBUH) said: such a person his fast is nothing but hanger.
Level 2: Fast of the Special People: A person can attain this level by protecting seven parts of his/her body from doing a prohibited/unlawful act. These parts are the eye, the ear, the tongue, the stomach, the hands, the legs and the private parts. This is what is refer to it in the Quran as being continuously conscious of God in all your acts; "O who you believe, fasting is enjoined upon you as it was enjoined upon those before you so you may become ( continuously) conscious of God." (2: 183).
Level 3: Fast of the Special-Distinguished People: This is the highest level of fasting. It is the fasting of the heart, so no intention or act except whatever pleases God and keeping the soul always busy with the remembrance of God and the obedience to Him in all matters.
Now, which level if fasting are you in?!
Manners of Fasting:
The following are some aspects of the fasting manners as we learned them from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):
1. Not to delay the Iftar (breaking the fast):
One should break the fast immediately after the sunset and before the Maghreb prayer. The Prophet said: "People shall maintain goodness if they do not delay Al-Fitr (Breaking the fast)".
2. Breaking fast before praying Maghreb:
Narrated from Ibn Anas (may Allah accept him) he said: "The Prophet (PBUH) did not pray Maghreb until he breaks his fast, even with a sip of water."
3. Du'a (supplication) at the time of Iftar:
The Prophet (PBUH) said: "For the fasting person at his Iftar a supplication (Du'a) which will not be rejected."
The Prophet (PBUH) used to say as he breaks his fast: "O' Allah! I have fasted for You and from Your sustenance I broke my fast, so accept it from us, You are all Hearing and all Knowing."
(Allahuma in'ny laka sumtu, wa ala rizqika aftartte, fataqabal mini inala anta asameeau, al-aleem)
One of the Prophet's companions (Ibn Omar) used to say as he breaks his fast: "O' Allah, I ask You with Your mercy which covered everything that You forgive me".
(Allahuma in'ny asaluka birahmatika allaty wasa'atte kulla shai'in ann taghfira lee)
4. Sohour:
Sohour is eating and drinking during the Sahar which is the period of the night starts after midnight and ends minutes before Fajr prayer.
The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Perform sohour; there is indeed blessing in sohour" Accordingly, a fasting person should not skip his/her sohour.
5. Modesty in eating food:
It is recommended that the fasting person should not completely fill the stomach with food and drinks. Much food after fasting can hurt our bodies and make us lay for night prayers. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "There is no container worse to fill than the son of Adam's stomach."
6. Teeth brushing:
It is allowed and recommended for the fasting person to brush his/her teeth several times during the day to keep his/her mouth fresh with good smell. The Prophet and his companions used to do that.
Zeyad Said: I have never seen anybody maintained brushing his teeth during his fast as Omar Ibn al-Khatab did."
7. Acts of piety and obedience:
In the month of Ramadan it is desirable to enhance your worship acts such as night prayers, Quranic recitations, charities, and to perform Umra to Mecca, if possible. It is also important that you express your kindness and friendship to parents, relatives, orphans, needy and be generous to them.
8. Night (Taraweeh) prayers:
Salat
ataraweeh after the Isha prayer is recommended in Ramadan. The Prophet said: "Whoever wake-up in the nights of Ramadan (Qiyam al layl) for the sake of his faith and the pleasure of God, he/she will be forgiven from whatever coming of his/her sins"
It is reported that the Prophet (PBUH) never had more than eight rakha for taraweeh prayers and he used to recite one part of the Quran during the eight rakha. These prayers were conducted some time at his home and some other time in the mosque.
9. Retreat (I'tikaf) in a mosque:
The Prophet (PBUH) used to retire in the mosque in the last ten days of Ramadan. This is called I'tikaf. If conditions allowed, Muslims are encouraged to do I'tikaf for one to ten days in a mosque for prayers, meditations, Quranic recitations, and spiritual attainment.
10. Celebrating the "Night of Power":
During the last ten days of Ramadan, attention is giving to the Night of Power (laylatu al-qadr) which is described in the Quran (Surah Al Qadr #97) as being better than one thousand months worth of living (more than 83 years). This is the night when the Quran was first time revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). According to the traditions it is one of the odd days in the last ten days of Ramadan (the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th of Ramadan). During these nights (particularly the 27th) Muslims are encourage to spend the whole nigh praying and reciting the Quran individually or collectively.
People Exempt from Fasting:
- Children under the age of puberty and discretion.
- The insane people who are uncountable for their deeds.
People of these two categories (1 & 2) are exempted from the duty of fast and no compensation or any other substitute enjoined on them.
- Men and women who are too old and weak to undertake the obligation of fast and bear its hardships.
Such people are exempted from fasting but they must offer a least one needy poor Muslim an average full meal or its value per person per day. This compensation indicates that whenever they can fast even for one day of the month, they should do so and compensate for the rest. Otherwise there are accountable for their negligence.
- Sick people whose health is likely to be severely affected by the observance of fast. They may postpone their fast, as long as they are sick, to a later date and make up for it, a day for a day. If they have a chronic disease that will not likely be cured by time, these people would fall into category #3 above.
- People in the course of traveling of distances about fifty miles or more. In this case such people may break their fast temporarily during their travel only and make up for it on later days, a day for a day. But it is better for them, the Quran tells us, to keep the fast if they could without causing extraordinary hardships.
- People engage in very hard works in which they could not sustain fasting or they are not allowed to fast, such as soldiers in battlefields, or astronauts in missions. These people would fall into category #5 above.
- Pregnant women and women nursing their children may break their fast if its observance is likely to endanger their own health or that of their infants. But they must make up for the fast at a delayed time, a day for a day.
- Women in the period of menstruation (a max of 10 days) or of confinement i.e. post delivery period (a max of 40 days). These women are not allowed to fast even if they can or want to. But they must make up for the fast a later time, a day for a day.
It should be understood that in case of fasting, like all other Islamic undertakings, the intention must be made clear that this action is to be undertaken in obedience to God, in response to His command and out of His love.
Nullification of Fasting:
Fasting could be nullified if a person deliberately and willingly commits an act which breaks fasting. If the act is made by mistake and with no intention, the person must repeat the fast at a later time. Examples are:
- A person continues to eat, drink or have sexual intercourse just after dawn, not realizing that the time of fasting has already started and then discovering the error.
- A person breaks the fast just before sunset assuming that the sun has already set.
If a person breaks his/her fast deliberately and willingly for no allowed reason, he/she must repeat the fast at later time with penalty (Khafarah). Examples are:
- Eating and/or drinking for no allowed reason as described in the previous section (people exempt from fasting). Narrated from Aby Hurrayrah, he said; "A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) and told him: I deliberately broke my fast in Ramadan. The Prophet (PBUH) said: you should free a slave, or fast two consecutive months or feed sixty needy".
In another Hadeeth, the Prophet (PBUH) taught us how Islam is a religion of mercy and kindness. "A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) and told him: O' Prophet of God, I have been destroyed. The Prophet said: What did destroy you? The man said: I had intercourse with my wife in Ramadan. The Prophet said: Could you afford to free a slave? The man said: No. the Prophet said: Could you fast for two consecutive months? The man said: No. The Prophet said: Could you feed 60 needy? The man said: No. The Prophet brought a container full of dates and said to the man: Take this and give it to charity. The man said: There is nobody poorer than me and my family. The Prophet laughed and told the man: Go and feed your family."
I hope that this information about fasting is useful. May Allah accept our fasting and prayers, our charities and good deeds and forgive our mistakes and wrongdoings.
"Allah does not lay a burden on any human being beyond his capacity; in his favor shall be whatever good he does, and against him whatever evil he does. O' our Lord! Take us not to task if we forget or commit mistakes. Our Lord ! Lay not on us a burden such as You laid on those gone before us. Our lord! Lay not on us burdens which we do not have the power to bear, and overlook our faults, and forgive us, and have mercy upon us. You are our guardian; grant us victory, then, against the unbelieving folk." (2: 286).
Hussein Naguib
August 28, 2008
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