Part 38

As for the proofs stated in the Swmah, the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Islam is based on five (pillars)...”", mentioning “fasting the month of Ramadan” as one of them. In addition, there are numerous well-known hadiths stating the obligation of fasting Ramadan and enumerating its virtues. Furthermore, Muslim scholars uniformly agree on its obligation, maintaining that whoever denies it is considered a disbeliever.

The Divine wisdom behind the decree of fasting is that it involves purification of the human soul from immorality and vice, for fasting blocks the evil ways of Satan, as Satan circulates in one’s body just like the circulation of blood. Whenever one eats or drinks, one’s soul becomes vulnerable to succumb to one’s desires, its will weakens, and one becomes more reluctant toward worship, which will not be the case when one is in a state of fasting. Moreover, fasting induces the renunciation of worldly pleasures and personal desires and draws a Muslim's attention to the Hereafter. Furthermore, fasting makes one sympathize with the poor and the needy and feel their suffering due to the hardship of the hunger and thirst one experiences during fasting.

According to Shari'ah (Islamic law), fasting means abstaining from certain acts, such as eating, drinking, having sexual intercourse (with one’s spouse), committing immoralities, and all the other acts a fasting person is prohibited to do as stated in the Shari ‘ah, which will be elaborated on later, Allah willing.

The prescribed time for daily fasting begins from daybreak, namely the manifest whiteness in the horizon, and ends at the time of sunset. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“So now, have relations with them [i.e. your wives] and seek that which Allah has decreed for you [i.e. offspring]. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the night [i.e. sunset]...” (Qur'an: Al-Baqarah: 187)

The phrase “the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]...” shows that fasting begins when the whiteness of the day (daybreak) becomes distinct from the blackness of the night.

The obligatory time of fasting the month of Ramadan begins when the beginning of the month is known. There are three ways by which one can know about it:

Seeing the new moon of the month, for Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“.. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it...” (Quran: Al-Baqarah: 185)

In addition, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Start fasting on seeing it (i.e. the new moon of Ramadan).”'

Thus, whoever sees the new moon of the month of Ramadan by himself is obliged to fast it.

Being informed of the appearance of the new moon of the month by a just, trustworthy, legally accountable person. To illustrate, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

“The people were looking for the new moon (of Ramadan). When I informed Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) that I had sighted it, he (PBUH) observed fasting and commanded the people to fast.”

(Related by Aba Dawdd and other compilers of Hadith, and deemed a sahih (authentic) hadith by Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim)

The completion of the month of Sha‘ ban (the month preceding Ramadan) as thirty days. This way is to be applied when the new moon is invisible on the thirtieth night of Sha‘ ban though there is nothing to block vision such as clouds, rain, or the like. In this regard, the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“The (lunar) month (can be) twenty-nine nights (i.e. days), so do not fast until you see the new moon and do not break fasting until you see it. And if the sky is overcast, then you have to estimate the period (i.e. to complete Sha ‘ban as thirty days).”’

This is confirmed by the hadith narrated by Aba Hurayrah in which the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“.. And if the sky is overcast (and you cannot see the new moon), complete Sha ban as thirty days.’

Fasting the month of Ramadan is obligatory upon every legally accountable Muslim. So, a disbeliever is not obligated to observe fasting, and if he does, it will not be accepted from him. However, if a disbeliever repents and converts

to Islam during the month of Ramadan, he is to fast the rest of the month without being obliged to make up for the days he has missed as a disbeliever. Moreover, fasting Ramadan is not obligatory upon children, yet it is valid if observed by a discriminating child and it will be regarded as a supererogatory act (of worship) for him/her. Furthermore, fasting Ramadan is not obligatory upon the insane, and if a person observes it while being in the state of insanity, it will be void due to the lack of intention. In addition, fasting Ramadan at its prescribed time is neither obligatory upon one afflicted with an illness preventing him from observing it nor upon the one on a journey. Both are to make up for it when the legal excuse, illness or traveling, is over, for Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“..So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of days [are to be made up]...”

The obligation of fasting is directed to both residents and travelers, healthy and ill people, ritually pure or impure people (such as menstruating women and women in postanatal bleeding period), and those in a state of unconsciousness; all of them are accountable for the obligation of fasting. They are commanded to observe it so as to be aware that it is obligatory upon them and that it has to be observed whether at its due time or later in the case of a legal excuse. It is obligatory upon some of them to perform it at its prescribed time, namely healthy and resident people, excluding menstruating women and women in a state of postnatal bleeding. Others are only obliged to make up for it later, namely menstruating women and women in a state of postnatal bleeding, and those who are too ill to observe it at its due time and can observe it later. However, there are some who may choose either, whether to observe it at its prescribed time or later, such as travelers and ill people who can observe fasting with difficulty but without causing them harm.

As for one who breaks fasting during Ramadan due to a legal excuse and then the excuse is over — such as a traveler who returns back, a menstruating woman or a woman in a state of postnatal bleeding who becomes ritually pure, a disbeliever who converts to Islam, an insane person who regains sanity, and a child who reaches puberty - they are to observe fasting for the rest of the day (if the excuse is over in the daytime) and to make up for that day afterwards. Similarly, if people are informed in the daytime (or after daybreak) that the month of Ramadan has already begun, they are to observe fasting for the rest of the day and then to make up for that day later after Ramadan.

2 Abii Dawtid (2342) (2/524), Ibn Hibban (3447) [8/231], Al-Hakim (1541) [1/585] and Ad-Daraqutni (2127) [3/137].

“It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you [i.e. offspring]. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the night [i.e. sunset]...” (Qur'an: Al-Baqarah: 187)

In this connection, Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“This is a legal permission granted by Allah, Exalted be He, to the

Muslims soas to relieve them from the restrictions they were burdened with at the beginning of Islam. To illustrate, at the early stage of Islam, when the fasting day was over and Muslims broke their fast, a Muslim was allowed to enjoy eating, drinking, and having sexual intercourse with his wife only until the time of the ‘Isha’ (Night) Prayer was due, or until he slept before that time. At that time, if a Muslim slept after fast breaking or performed the ‘Isha’ Prayer, he was prohibited to eat, drink, or have sexual intercourse until the fast breaking of the following day. Thus, the Muslims experienced great difficulty in fasting until the aforementioned verse was revealed. The revelation of this verse caused them great happiness, as they were permitted by Allah to eat, drink, and have sexual intercourse at any time of the night until daybreak; until the white thread of dawn became distinct from the black thread of night.”

The aforesaid verse states the prescribed time for daily fasting; it begins from daybreak until sunset. The permissibility of eating and drinking until dawn indicates the desirability of having sahtr (pre-dawn meal) during Ramadan. It is stated in the Two Sahihs that Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Take sahiir (pre-dawn meal) for there is a blessing in sahitr’”

There are also many traditions indicating the desirability of having sahar even if by drinking some water. It is desirable to delay Saitir and to have it shortly before dawn. In this regard, if a man gets up shortly before dawn and finds out that he is in a state of jandbah (i.e. major ritual impurity), or a menstruating woman finds that her menses is over, they are to start having sahar and observe fasting, delaying ritual bathing until dawn breaks. As for those who are used to having their saitir (pre-dawn meal) too early, because they stay up late at night and then have sahtir and sleep some hours before dawn, they are committing many mistakes:

Second: They would not observe the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer in congregation, disobeying Allah by abandoning the obligatory congregational prayer.

Third: They may delay performing the Fajr Prayer after its prescribed time and perform it after sunrise, which is regarded as a grave sin and an enormous transgression; Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“So woe to those who pray - [but] who are heedless of their prayer.” (Quran: Al-Ma’ dn: 4-5)

A Muslim must have the intention of observing the obligatory fasting from the night of the day before. However, if a Muslim intends fasting before he sleeps, then he wakes up after daybreak, he is to continue fasting from the moment he wakes up, and it will be valid and complete, Allah willing.

It is desirable to hasten fast breaking if sunset is verified whether by sight, being informed by a trustworthy person, or by hearing the prayer call, or anything of the kind. Sahl Ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“The people will remain on the right path as long as they hasten breaking of the fast.”

The Prophet (PBUH) also said in a Quds? (Divine) hadith, quoting the Words of his Lord, Almighty and Ever-Majestic be He:

“The most beloved of My servants to Me are those who hasten to break fasting (as soon as they are sure of the sunset).”*

It is an act of the Sunnah to break one’s fast with eating some ripe dates. If the fasting person does not find any, one may eat dry dates, and if one does not find any, one may break one’s fasting with some water. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

“‘Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) used to break his fast before performing the (Sunset) Prayer with some ripe dates; but if there were no fresh dates, he would eat a few dry dates, and if there were no dry dates, he would take some mouthfuls of water.”

If there are not any ripe or dry dates or water, the fasting person may break his fast with whatever is available of food and beverage.

There is a very important issue to highlight here; some Muslims break their fast and keep over dining tables until they finish having the

fast breaking meal, missing performing the Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer in congregation at the mosque. They thus commit a grave sin, for they abandon performing an obligatory prayer in congregation, miss a great reward, and expose themselves to Divine punishment. A Muslim should rather break his fast first, then head for the mosque to perform the Maghrib Prayer in congregation, and then he may have his fast breaking meal when he comes back.

It is desirable for the fasting person when breaking his fast to invoke Allah supplicating Him for whatever he likes. The Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Verily, a fasting person has an invocation when breaking his fast that is not rejected (by Allah).”®

Among the invocations narrated to have been observed by the Prophet (PBUH) upon fast breaking is:

“O Allah! For You I have fasted, and with Your provision I have broken my fast.””

Moreover, whenever he (PBUH) broke his fast he used to say:

“Thirst has gone, the arteries have become moist, and the reward has become certain, if Allah wills.”

In fact, a Muslim should know about the rulings related to fasting and fast breaking in terms of both the correct time and manner of performance, so as to observe it in the proper, legal way that agrees with the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH). In this way — by following in the Prophet's footsteps when observing fasting - one’s fasting is likely to be valid and one’s good deeds during fasting are likely to be accepted if Allah wills; this is a very important issue. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the last day and [who] remembers Allah often.”

5 Ahmad (12612) [3/164], Abi Dawid (2356) [2/531] and Al-Tirmidhi (695) [3/79]. 6 Ibn Majah (1753) [2/350].

There are things which nullify fasting that a Muslim should know so as to avoid and beware of, for they invalidate fasting and make it void. Among these things are:

If a fasting person has sexual intercourse with his wife, his fasting will be nullified, and he will be obliged to make up for that day, on which he had such a sexual intercourse. Moreover, one is not only obliged to make up for such a day, but also to expiate for it. The expiation for such an act is emancipating a slave, and if one does not find a slave to emancipate, one is to fast for two months consecutively, and the one unable to fast them due to a legal excuse should then feed sixty poor persons with half a sa‘ of the country’s staple food for each.

Ejaculation nullifies fasting when it results from kissing, touching, masturbating, or lustful gazing. If any of such cases occurs, fasting is nullified, yet one is just obliged to make up for it without expiation, for expiation of nullified fasting is restricted to having sexual intercourse, However, if a sleeping person has had a wet dream, there will be no blame on him and his fasting remains valid, for a wet dream happens involuntarily. Still, one in this case is to perform ritual bathing to purify oneself from the state janabah (i.e. major ritual impurity related to sexual discharge).

“And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the night [i.e. sunset]...”. (Qur'an: Al-Bagarah: 187)

As for a fasting person who forgetfully eats or drinks, the validity of his fasting is by no means affected. The Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Whoever eats or drinks something forgetfully while he is fasting, should complete his fast, for what he has eaten or drunk has been given to him by Allah.”

Among the things nullifying fasting is when water or the like gets into one’s body (the throat and then the abdomen) through the nostrils, which, in Arabic, is generally referred to as snuff. Moreover, having nutrition through the veins, blood transfusion, and the like, are among the things nullifying fasting, as they provide the body with nutriment. In addition, nutrient injection of a fasting person nullifies his fasting, as it is considered a substitute for food. As for the non-nutrient injections, they have to be avoided as well during fasting to preserve its validity; the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Avoid that which makes you doubt and adhere to that which does not make you doubt.”