(Seclusion (Iᶦtikaaf

Seclusion (Iᶦtikaaf)

Its provision: It is an emphasized Sunnah.

Its time: It is recommended in the last ten days of Ramadan. Imam Malik sees that it is at least one day and one night.

●ᶦAishah reported: With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work hard), pray all the night, and keep his family awake (to pray and recite Qurᶦan, etc…). [Agreed upon].

●Abu-Saᶦid AL-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah used to seclude himself (do Iᶦtikaaf) in the middle ten days of Ramadan. One year he was secluding and then, when it came to the night of the twenty-first, which was the night before the morning of which he used to come out of his seclusion, he said, “Whoever secluded himself with me, should stay in seclusion for the last ten days, for I was informed (of the date) of this night (the Night of High Esteem), but I was caused to forget it. So, seek it in the last ten days and seek it every night with an odd number.” [AL-Bukhari].

Conditions of seclusion:

1) Intention.                 2) Staying at mosque.

* A woman should seclude herself after obtaining her husband’s permission.

* Imam Malik sees that a woman can seclude herself in the mosque of her house (i.e. certain place in her house prepared for seclusion).

* A secluded person should not come out, except for a necessity as a disease, menses, or confinement.

Menses, confinement, and sexual impurity invalidate seclusion. Also it becomes invalid upon going out the mosque, except for a normal or a legal cause, or for getting food.

*A secluded person should spend his time in obedience and Qurᶦan reciting.

Some of fasting provisions

Some of Fasting Provisions

❶If the elderly and the patients with a chronic illness are unable to fast, they can break their fasting, on condition that a righteous Muslim physician advises them to do so, and they should give the poor a sum of money equals the cost of breakfast and pre-dawn meals of every day they have not fasted on it. God says ﴾And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day] ﴿Chapter of the Heifer.

❷Pregnant or nursing women do not fast if they fear for their health. They must make up for missed days of fasting, but if they fear for the safety of the foetus or the infant, they do not fast and they must give the poor a sum of money equals the cost of breakfast and pre-dawn meals of every day they have not fasted on it.

❸A patient with a temporary disease does not fast, on condition that a righteous Muslim physician advises him to do so, and after his recovery, he makes up for missed days of fasting.

❹If a traveller for a distance of 84 km is unable to fast, he can break his fast. Afterwards, he makes up for missed days of fasting.

*Conditions on which a traveller breaks his fasting:

1) Previously mentioned conditions of shortening prayer are met.

2) The traveller begins his journey before emergence of dawn.

●ᶦAishah reported that Hamzah AL-Aslami (May Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet and said, “Should I fast during the journey?” The Prophet said: “Fast if you wish and break your fast if  you wish.” [Abu-Daoud]. And in Sahih Muslim he said:“It is a concession from Allah. Whoever takes it has done well, and whoever wants to fast, there is no sin on him.”

●Abu-Saᶦid AL-Khudri reported: "We went out into a battle with Allah’s Messenger on the 16^th of Ramadan. Some of us fasted and some of us broke the fast. But neither the fasting person found fault with the one who broke it, nor the breaker of fasting found fault with the one who observed it.” [Muslim].

●Jabir ibn Abd-Allah reported: Allah’s Apostle was on a journey and saw a crowd of people, and a man was being shaded (by them). He asked, “What is the matter?” They said, “He (the man) is fasting.” The Prophet said, “It is not righteousness that you fast on a journey.” [The Two Scholars].

*If a Muslim always travels, as a train driver or a motorist, he must fast.

God says ﴾And whoever is ill or on a journey-then an equal number of other days﴿Chapter of the Heifer. And He says ﴾But to fast is best for you, if you only knew﴿ Chapter of the Heifer.

❺He who has sexual intercourse with his wife, must expiate this sin with fasting for two consecutive months. If he did not afford it, he would have to feed sixty poor persons. This is because he had committed a great sin.

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that Allah’s Apostle said, “Whoever breaks the fast during Ramadan without a cause or an illness, then if he fasted for all time, his fasting would not make up for it.” [The Two Scholars].

❻Whoever had to make up for missed days of fasting Ramadan, and was lazy about doing so without an excuse, till the new month of Ramadan was due, he would make up for these days and expiate with feeding a number of poor persons equals the number of these missed days.

❼Whoever forgets that he is fasting, and eats or drinks in the daytime of Ramadan, his fasting is valid, and he is to rinse his mouth and complete fasting that day.

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “If anyone forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks, he should complete his fast, for it is only Allah Who has fed him and  given him drink.” [AL-Bukhari].

❽Whoever wakes up in the morning in a state of sexual impurity, his fasting is valid. He is to bathe immediately to be able to perform prayers.

●ᶦAishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The dawn broke upon the Messenger of Allah during Ramadan in a state of sexual impurity (Janabah) after having sexual relations with his wives. Then, he took a bath and fasted.” [Agreed upon].

❾Whoever gets up, does not know if it has been called to the morning prayer or not, and eats or drinks, then he discovers that it has been called to the morning prayer, his fasting becomes invalid. He is to abstain from eating and drinking on this day, and afterwards he makes up for this day.

❿He who dies and obligatory, vow, or expiation fasting is due on him, one of his relatives (ascendants or descendants) fasts on his behalf, or feeds a number of poor persons equals the number of these missed days.

●Ibn Abbas reported: A man came to the Prophet and said, “My mother died and she ought to have fasted one month (for her missed Ramadan). Shall I fast on her behalf?” The Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Yes, Allah’s debts have more right to be paid.” [The Two Scholars].

(Fasting (Saum

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.

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[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].

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[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 (13^th,14^th,15^th).

●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].

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●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].

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[3] Disliked Fasting

1) Fasting on the doubtful day (the 30^th 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 30^th 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 (13^th, 14^th, 15^th).

●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].

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[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.

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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.

Read also

Seclusion (I'tikaaf)

Some of fasting provisions

   

Obligatory Charity (Zakah)

(OBLIGATORY CHARITY (Zakah

Obligatory charity in Islamic Jurisprudence and law:

It is a proportion of the wealth (2.5%) of every Muslim to be paid, when this wealth reaches the minimum value (Nisaab) and one full lunar year passes.

Its legitimacy: 

It has been made obligatory in the second Islamic Year after the obligation of fast-breaking charity, i.e., after the month of Ramadan.

Note that:

It may be said literally (AL-Zakah), God says ﴾And establish prayer and give Zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]﴿ Chapter of the Heifer (Surat AL-Baqarah). 
And also says﴾And woe to those who associate others with Allah۞Those who do not give Zakah﴿ Chapter of Detailed (Surat Fussilat).

*And it may be expressed as (AL-Sadaqah). God says ﴾Take, [O Muhammad], from their wealths  a charity (Sadaqah) by which you purify them and cause them increase﴿
And also says ﴾AL-Sadaqat expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy﴿The two previous verses are in Chapter of Repentance.

*Also, it can be expressed as “an expenditure”. God says ﴾And those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah ‐ give them tidings of a painful punishment﴿
And God says ﴾And what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger﴿The two previous verses are in Chapter of Repentance.

Evidence of its legitimacy:

God says ﴾Take, [O Muhammad], from their wealths a charity (Sadaqah) by which you purify them and cause them increase﴿ And says ﴾And they who are observant of Zakah﴿ Chapter of the Believers. ﴾And those within their wealth a known right(24)For the [needy] petitioner and the deprived(25)﴿Chapter of the Ways of Ascent.

﴾O you who have believed, spend from the good things which you have earned and from that which We have produced for you from the earth﴿Chapter of the Heifer.

●Ibn ᶦAbbas reported: The Prophet appointed Muᶦadh as governor of Yemen and said to him, “Invite people to testify that there is no true god except Allah and I am Allah’s Apostle, if they obey you  to do so, then teach them that Allah has enjoined on them five prayers in every day and night, and if they obey you to do so, then teach them that Allah has made it obligatory for them to pay the charity from their property and it is to be taken from the wealthy among them and given to the poor.” [The Two Scholars].

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□Paying charity is obligatory in all types of property, like money, crops, or cattle.

1) Crops and fruit charity:

a) If crops and fruits are produced without using machines, and irrigated with rain water, their charity will be one tenth.

b) If they are irrigated using machines, and there is an effort exerted to produce them, their charity will be one half of one tenth after deduction of expenses. It is given on the harvest day.

God says ﴾Eat of [each of] its fruit when it yields and give its due [charity] on the day of its harvest﴿Chapter of the Cattle.

●It was narrated from Sulayman ibn Yasar and from Busr ibn Saᶦid that the Messenger of Allah said, “For whatever is watered by the sky and springs, one‐tenth. For whatever is irrigated (artificially), one half of one‐tenth.” [AL-Bukhari].

2) Money charity

If the minimum value is reached, which equals the price of 85 grams of 21- caliber gold, you must give its charity, which equals 2.5%, after one full lunar year from that date. Its value is connected with the changing gold price.

Assume that the price of one gram of gold equals 100 pounds.

                                                                100 x 85 = 8500 pounds.

If your sum of money equals this number or exceeds it, then you must pay the charity.

For example, if it equals 10000, then 

                                                 2.5/100 x 10000 = 250 pounds.

                                 Thus, the charity will be 250 pounds, and so on.

                    OR

You can divide your sum by 40

10000/40 = 250

In conclusion, at the end of each lunar year, a Muslim must count his savings. If they exceeded the price of 85 grams of gold, he would pay its charity (which equals 2.5%).

Note that:

1) NO charity is paid upon the house in which you live, the car which you use, household appliances which you use in your home, or the jewellery which your wife and daughters use.

2) Charity must be paid upon all savings.

For example: jewellery which is not used, the land which is not used, and money saved for any purpose. Charity of any of them is paid if one full lunar year has passed.

3) Charity must be paid upon inherited money, after one full lunar year passes from the date of inheritance.

4) If you have lent someone for several years, and you took your money back, pay charity upon it immediately for one year only.

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Warnings of manipulation of charity

*Some of the rich use the opportunity provided by a religious occasion such as the month of Ramadan, the Festival of Sacrifice, etc. They distribute meat or clothes and consider that as a substitute for paying charity. This is a serious sophistry to escape giving charity. The Fire torment will be for those manipulators on the Day of Judgment.

*A Muslim must be sincere and honest with God to bless his property and does not consider the great value of 2.5%, but he should consider the good money remaining (97.5%). 
He should learn a lesson from what God did to the Companions of the Garden, who intended to deprive the poor from their garden charity, and then in the morning they found out that Allah had destroyed their garden. In addition, they will be punished on the Day of Judgment.

God says ﴾Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the Companions of the Garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning (17) Without making exception (18) So there came upon the Garden an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep (19) And it became as though reaped (20) And they called one another at morning (21) [Saying], “Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit.”(22) So they set out, while lowering their voices (23) [Saying], “There will surely not enter it today upon you [any] poor person (24) And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able (25) But when they saw it, they said, “Indeed, we are lost; (26) Rather,we have been deprived (27) The most moderate of them said, “Did I not say to you, ‘Why do you not exalt [Allah]?’”(28) They said, “Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers (29) Then they approached one another, blaming each other (30) They said, “O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors (31) Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we toward our Lord desirous (32) Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater,  they only knew (33)﴿Chapter of the Pen.

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There is a threat of a painful punishment, in the Holy Qurᶦan and Prophetic traditions, for those who ignore paying charity. God says ﴾And those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah‐ give them tidings of a painful punishment (34) The Day when it will be heated in the fire of Hell and seared therewith will be their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, [it will be said], “This is what you hoarded for yourselves, so taste what you used to hoard ﴿(35) Chapter of Repentance.

And says ﴾Woe to every scorner and mocker (1) Who collects wealth and [continuously] counts it (2) He thinks that his wealth will make him immortal (3) No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher (4)﴿ Chapter of the Scandal-Monger.

He also says ﴾[And asking them], “What put you into Saqar?”(42) They will say “We were not of those who prayed (43) Nor did we used to feed the poor (44)﴿ Chapter of the One Wrapped up.

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet said,“Any person who possesses gold or silver and does not pay what is due on it (i.e. charity), on the Day of Judgment, sheets of silver and gold will be heated for him in the fire of Hell and with them his flank, forehead, and back will be cauterized. When they cool down,they will be heated again and the same process will be repeated during a day the extent of which will be fifty thousand years, until judgment is pronounced among servants, and he sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or to Hell.” [The Two Scholars].

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet said, “Anyone whom Allah has given wealth but he does not pay its charity, then, on the Day of Judgment, his wealth will be presented to him in the shape of a bald-headed poisonous male snake with two spots. It will encircle his neck and bite his cheeks and say: ‘I am your wealth. I am your hoarded treasure.’” [AL-Bukhari].

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Fast-Breaking Charity

Its provision:It is obligatory.

Its time: It is paid in the interval of the last ten days of the month of Ramadan, prior to fast-breaking festival prayer. It prohibited to delay its paying after the festival day without an excuse.

The aim of it is to compensate for underperformance or poor performance of the fast of Ramadan. Also, it aims to make poor Muslims feel the joy of fast-breaking festival.

Its value: It varies from one country to another according to the price of its mean food. The Islamic Centre or Dar AL-Iftaa (Fatwa Council) in each country is responsible for defining the charity value.

Who is obliged to pay it?

A Muslim pays it for himself and for whom he spends on, like his wife, his children, his father, his mother, the servant who is resident with him, even his infant.

●Ibn ᶦUmar reported: The Messenger of Allah prescribed fast-breaking charity one Saᶦ (a standard measure that equals 2.6 or 3 KG) of dates or barley for every slave or freeman, male or female, young or old among the Muslims, and he ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the festival prayer. [AL-Bukhari].

To whom charity and fast-breaking charity are given?

*They are given to the poor and the needy, the indebted, the strangers, and necessitous persons. They are also paid for every work in the way of Allah.

*If the sum of money is large, it is not permissible to give it to less than three persons.

*It is not permissible to pay charity to anyone of those: the rich, the infidel, and whom you spend on as your father, your mother, your wife, and your children. It is also not permissible to pay it to places of entertainment and disobedience.

God says ﴾Charity expenditures are only for the poor, for the needy, for those employed to collect [charity], for bringing hearts together [for Islam], for freeing captives [or slaves], for those in debt, for the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarers− an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing and All-Wise﴿Chapter of Repentance. Verse NO 60

What is the difference between obligatory charity and alms (voluntary charity)?

Charity is an Islamic pillar and an obligation. Its value in money, crops, and fruits is defined.

Alms (voluntary charity) is a Sunnah and a means of nearness to Allah. Its value is not defined.

Charity is paid after the passage of one full lunar year, but alms is paid at any time.

◊ A true Muslim is the one who pays charity according to Islamic Legislation, then if he is generous, he gives alms in additional situations according to his tolerance, following the example of the Prophet and his companions, as in the case of performing obligatory prayers and adding performance of Sunnah prayers to them.

Note that:

- You have no right in what is not necessary in your life, but you are to give it to the poor. Innovation in welfare and luxury topples you from the Prophet and his companions and makes your account, on the Day of Judgment, long (not easy). The more you exaggerate in luxury, the less your bliss in the Hereafter.

●It was narrated from Ibn Abbas that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Those who eat to their fill in  this world, will be starved tomorrow in the Hereafter.” [AL-Tabarani].

- ᶦUmar ibn Abd-ALaziz was informed that one of his children had a ring with a stone that cost one thousand dirhams, so he wrote to him and said, “Sell it and use the money to make one thousand hungry persons fulfill their need of food.

●Abu-Hurairah reported: The Prophet went out (of his house) one day due to severe hunger, and there he met Abu-Bakr and ᶦUmar (May Allah be pleased with them) who went out for the same reason. One of the Supporters (AL-Ansaar) hosted them and fed them with date fruit and a sheep. After that, the Prophet said to his companions:“By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, you will certainly be questioned about bliss on the Day of Judgment.” [Muslim].

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah and Muᶦadh that the Prophet said: “The feet of the servant of Allah will not move, on the Day of Judgment, until he is asked about four things: about his life and what he did with it, about his body and for what he wore it out, about his knowledge and what he did with it, and about his wealth and how he earned it and where he spent it on.” [AL-Tirmidhi].

●It was narrated from Abi-Saᶦid AL-Khudri that Allah’s Apostle (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Whoever has an extra mount should offer it to him who is without it, and whoever has surplus money should give it to him who has nothing.” He named various kinds of properties until we thought that none of us had any right in surplus property. [Muslim].

●It was narrated from Abi-Saᶦid AL-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah said, “What I am afraid of in regard to you after my death is that the pleasures and the adornment of this world will be available to you. No doubt this wealth is a sweet vegetation (fresh). Blessed is a Muslim who gives out of it to the needy, the orphan, and the wayfarer.” [AL-Bukhari].