FASTING
(Saum)
Fasting in Arabic
Language means refraining.
The Blessed
Virgin Mary (Maryam) said ﴾Indeed, I
have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man﴿
Chapter of Maryam.
As for Islamic legislation: It means refraining from
fasting violators and lusts from emergence of dawn to sunset.
Provisions of fasting are various:
*Obligatory fasting.
*Sunnah or
voluntary fasting.
*Disliked fasting.
*Prohibited fasting.
*Duty fasting.
Duty fasting is added by the followers of
Abu-Hanifah school, and it is performed as a vow or an expiation.
-------------------------------------------------
[1] Obligatory Fasting:
in the month of Ramadan
Its legitimacy:
Fast of Ramadan has been
made obligatory in the month of Shaᶦban in the second year of Hijrah.
Fast of Ramadan must begin when: the new crescent is
sighted after the sunset of the twenty-ninth day of the month of Shaᶦban.
Or, when the month of Shaᶦban is
complete (thirty days).
● The Prophet said, “Start fasting on seeing the crescent (of Ramadan), and stop fasting on seeing the crescent of (of Shawwal), and if (due to clouds)
the actual position of the month is concealed from you, complete the number (thirty days) of Shaᶦban.” [AL-Bukhari].
God says ﴾Whoever sights [new moon of] the month, let him fast
it﴿Chapter of the Heifer.
Conditions that necessitate fasting
Ramadan:
1) Being a Muslim. Shafii sees that if a
Muslim reverted from Islam and then returned to it, he would make up for missed
days of fasting Ramadan in the years which he had spent in apostasy.
2) Adulthood. But, boys and girls are
commanded to fast at the age of seven, so as to get used to it.
3) Mindfulness. Who lost his mind would
not fast.
Fasting obligations
1) Predominating the intention to fast
before dawn by saying: “I have intended to fast this day with faith and seeking
its reward from Allah.” or “I have intended to fast this month.”
Or, by action, when he eats pre-dawn
meal (Sahoor).
− But in voluntary fasting, you can
intend to fast at any time of the day before sunset, on condition that you have
not done anything that is contrary to fasting, as eating, drinking, or lusts,
thus the intention can be in the morning or at noon.
●It was narrated from Hafsah, the wife
of the Prophet, that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Whoever did not intend to fast before dawn, then there is no
fast for him.”
2) Abstaining from eating, drinking and lusts from
emergence of dawn to sunset (the call to sunset).
Recommended things during fasting and
in the month of Ramadan:
①Hastening fast-breaking and delaying
pre-dawn meal.
●It was narrated from Sahl ibn AL-Saᶦidy
(May Allah be pleased with them) that Allah’s Apostle said, “My nation will remain on the right path as long as they hasten
fast-breaking and delay pre-dawn meal.” [The Two Scholars].
●It was narrated from Ibn ᶦAbbas that
the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Seek
help by eating pre-dawn meal for fasting that daytime, and taking a brief rest (sleeping at midday) for praying at night.”
●It was narrated from Abi
Saᶦid
AL-Khudri that the Prophet said, “Pre-dawn meal is a blessing, so do not
neglect it. Even if one of you drinks a draught of water, Allah and His angels
will send blessings upon those who have pre-dawn meal.” [narrated from Ahmad ibn
Hanbal].
②Giving up obscene
words.
●Abu-Hurairah (May Allah
be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah said, “Allah
the Mighty and Sublime says: ‘Every act of the son of Adam is for him,
except fasting which is (exclusively) for Me, and I will reward him for it.
Fasting is a shield. If anyone of you is fasting, he should neither use obscene
words nor should he raise his voice in anger, and if anyone abuses him or
quarrels with him, he should say: ‘I am fasting.’”
[AL-Bukhari].
●It was narrated from
Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet said, “Whoever does not leave forged speech and
acting according to it, then Allah is not in any need of him leaving his food
and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting).”
[AL-Bukhari].
③Having dates in fast-breaking.
●It was narrated from
Salman ibn ᶦAmir that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “When
one of you breaks his fasting, let him break it on dates for there is blessing
in them; if he does not have any, break his fast with water for it is pure.” [Abu-Daoud and
Tirmidhi].
④Investment of
both night and daytime of Ramadan.
Ramadan is a month in
which merits are multiplied, so a Muslim must take advantage of it in every
obedience that makes him closer to God, such as Qurᶦan
reciting, remembrance of God, or giving alms, especially since there is the
Night of High Esteem (Lailat AL-Qadr), which is better than a thousand
months, in one of its last ten days.
●It was narrated from
Abd-Allah ibn ᶦUmar that the Messenger said, “Search
for the Night of High Esteem in the last seven days, or seek it in the last ten
nights.” [Muslim].
●It was narrated from ᶦAishah
(May Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet said, “Seek
the Night of High Esteem in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.” [AL-Bukhari and Muslim].
●It was narrated from
Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “He
who fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking its reward from Allah, will
have his past sins forgiven, and he who spends the Night of High Esteem in
prayer with faith and seeking its reward from Allah, will have his past sins
forgiven.” [AL-Bukhari
and Muslim].
************************
[2] Voluntary Fasting (AL-Sunnah)
①Fasting six days
in Shawwal, directly after the Festival of Fast-Breaking.
●It was narrated from Abi
Aiyub AL-Ansaari that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Whoever
fasts during the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal
will be (rewarded) as if he has fasted the whole year.” [Muslim].
●It was narrated from Abi-Saᶦid AL-Khudri that the Prophet said, “Whoever fasts a day in the way of Allah, Allah will separate his face (a distance of) seventy autumns (years) from the Hell.” [The Two Scholars].
●ᶦAishah reported: Allah’s
Apostle used to fast on the tenth of Muharram (ᶦAshuraa).
Later when fasting the month of Ramadan was prescribed, he said about the tenth
of Muharram, “It became optional for one to fast on it
or not.” [Muslim].
②Fasting on Monday
and Thursday every week.
●It was narrated from
Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet said, “Deeds of people are presented (to
Allah) on Mondays
and Thursdays. So I like that my actions be presented while I am fasting.”
[AL-Tirmidhi and AL-Nasaᶦi].
And in a narration: He said about
Monday, “That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I
received revelation.” [AL-Bukhari].
③Fasting on the three white days (AL-Ayaam
AL-Bid) every Islamic month (13th,14th,15th).
●Abdullah ibn ᶦAmr reported: Allah’s
Apostle was informed that I have said: “By Allah I will fast all the days and
pray all the nights as long as I live.” The Apostle said, “You cannot do that. So fast
(sometimes) and do not fast (sometimes). Pray and sleep. Fast for
three days a month, for the reward of a good deed is multiplied by ten times,
and so fasting on three days a month equals fasting a year.” [AL-Bukhari].
●Abu-Hurairah reported: My friend (the
Messenger of Allah) has instructed me to do three things: Fasting three days
every month, the two prayer units of forenoon prayer, and performing the odd
prayer (AL-Witr) before sleeping.” [AL-Bukhari].
●Abu- Dharr AL-Ghiphary reported: The
Messenger of Allah commanded to fast the three white days: The thirteenth,
fourteenth, and fifteenth and he said, “Fasting
on them is (equivalent to) fasting a lifetime.” [AL-Nasaᶦi].
④Fasting on the Day of Arafah (the
ninth of Dhu al-Hijjah) for non-pilgrims.
●It was narrated from Abi-Qatadah that
the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Fasting
the Day of Arafah, I hope from
Allah, expiates (the sins) of
the year before and the year
after it.” [AL-Bukhari].
⑤Fasting possible days of the month of
Muharram.
●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah
that the Prophet said, “The best month for
fasting after Ramadan is Muharram, and the best prayer after the prescribed
prayer is the prayer in the middle of night.” [Muslim].
⑥Fasting possible days of the month of
Shaᶦban.
●ᶦUsamah ibn Zaid said: “I said: ‘O
Messenger of Allah, I do not see you fasting any month as much as Shaᶦban.’
He said, ‘That is a month to which people
do not pay much attention, between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which
deeds are taken up to the Lord of the worlds, and I like that my deeds be taken
up when I am fasting.’” [Abu-Daoud and AL-Nasaᶦi].
---------------------------------------------
●ᶦAishah reported: The Messenger of
Allah used to fast to such an extent that we thought that he would never break
his fast, and he would go without fasting to such an extent that we thought he
would never fast. And I never saw the Messenger of Allah fast for a complete
month except for the month of Ramadan. And I never saw him fast in a month more
than he did in the month of Shaᶦban. [The Two Scholars].
*******************************
[3] Disliked Fasting
1) Fasting on the doubtful day (the 30th
of Shaᶦban) is disliked, except when it coincides with a habit like fasting on
Monday and Thursday, and one of these days coincides with the 30th
of Shaᶦban.
●It was narrated from ᶦAmmar ibn Yasir
that the Prophet said, “Whoever fasts the
doubtful day, he has then disobeyed
Abu-AL Qasim (the Prophet).” [Abu-Daoud,
AL-Tirmidhi, and AL-Nisaᶦi].
− If a Muslim fasted on this day with
the intention of volunteering, or hesitated between volunteering and fasting on
the first day of Ramadan, then it turned out to be the first day of Ramadan, his fasting
would be invalid and he would have to make up for that day. Thus, there
is no need for this confusion.
− It is important to note
that it is impermissible to fast one day with two intentions.
For
example:
You cannot fast on the
Day of Arafah with the intention of volunteering and the intention of making up
for a missed day simultaneously.
2) Fasting on any of
Friday, Saturday, or Sunday alone, except when any of them coincides with a
habit like fasting on the three white
days (13th, 14th, 15th).
●Juwairiyah bint
AL-Harith, the Mother of the believers, said that the Prophet visited her on a
Friday and she was fasting. He asked, “Did you fast yesterday?” She said, “No.”
He asked, “Do you intend to fast tomorrow?”
She said, “No.” He said, “In that case, give up your fasting
today.” [AL-Bukhari].
****************************
[4] Prohibited Fasting
1-
It is prohibited for a menstruating woman, or a woman in confinement period to
fast.
Her fasting would be
disobedience. She would make up for these missed days of fasting (menses or
confinement days), even if she fasted on them.
2- Voluntary fasting is
prohibited for a woman if her husband is present, unless she asks his
permission.
●It was narrated from
Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “No
woman should fast when her husband is present (in
the house) but
with his permission. And
she should not admit any (Mahram) in his house, while he (her husband) is present, but with his permission.” [The Two Scholars].
3- Fasting on both of the Festival of
Fast-Breaking and the four days of the Festival of Sacrifice is prohibited. Both of Imam Ahmad ibn
Hanbal and Abu-Hanifah excluded the pilgrim who performs pilgrimage and the
minor pilgrimage (ᶦUmrah) separately (Tamattuᶦ) and the pilgrim
who combines ᶦUmrah and pilgrimage from this prohibition.
---------------------------------------------------------
Things disliked
during fasting:
1) Tasting food with
tongue, unless it is necessary to do so. For
example: If a wife is cooking food, she can taste its salinity to avoid her
husband’s anger.
2) Chewing something
like gum.
3) Introductions to
sexual intercourse or emission of semen, due to difficulty of controlling it.
He whose fasting became invalid for any
reason, he would abstain from food for the rest of the day and not speak out
his fast-breaking, out of respect for the holiness of Ramadan.
Things that make
a fasting person break his fast and make fasting invalid:
1) Things that reach the
belly or the head from a natural orifice as mouth, anus, using dropping into
ear, eye, or nose.
2) Masturbation (wank),
or semen emission after sexual desire.
3) Sexual intercourse.
4) Discharge of menses
or confinement blood.
5) Loss of mind.
