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"O you who believe,
fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you
may attain piety"
[Al-Baqarah, 2:183]
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The Rulings
of Ramadan
According to the Way of the Best of Mankind
(S.A.W.) - by Abu Ammar
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1) Translator?s Introduction
In the name of Allah the Most Merciful, and Compassionate
All praise
is due unto Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and Sustainer of each and every atom in existence.
Exalted is He, above all that is associated with Him. There is none like unto Him,
and He is the All Hearing, All Seeing. He is the Knower of the Innermost Secrets,
and the most hidden thoughts of men. He is the Light of the Heavens and the Earth.
And I bear witness that our master, the Beloved of Allah ? Muhammad
, is His servant and
messenger. He was sent with the Religion of Truth to make it manifest over all other
religions. He was sent as a witness, a bringer of glad tidings, a warner, a caller
to Allah by His leave and as a luminous lamp. May the peace and blessings of Allah
Most High be showered upon him, and upon his family, and upon his wives, and his
companions one and all. And may the mercy of Allah be upon those who followed him
of the Tabi?in and their students, and those who follow in their footsteps, biting
onto their way with their molars.
To continue,
this is a brief outline of the matters pertaining to the blessed month of Ramadan,
its virtues and the rulings which Allah Most High has commanded us with. The rulings
of Islamic Sacred Law (Fiqh) in this work are taken from the Hanafi school of Islamic
jurisprudence (Madhhab). This work has been compiled from Bada?i? al-Sana?i? by
Imam al-Kasani and al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah ? two major works of Hanafi fiqh. The
Hanafi school, established by Imam Nu?man bin Thabit, more commonly known as Abu
Hanifah (May Allah be well pleased with him) (d. A.H. 150), is one of the four schools
of Islamic Orthodoxy (Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama?ah) the other schools being the schools
of Imam al-Shafi?i (d. A.H. 204), Imam Malik (d. A.H. 179) and Imam Ahmad (d. A.H.
241).
The rulings
of a particular madhhab are changed and altered over time, as new evidence and understandings
emerge, each time referring to the original principles (usul) by which the madhhab
was laid down. Allah Most High commands us in the Quran:
Ask those who recall if
you know not.
(Surat al-Nahl, Ayah 43)
It is this
Divine Command that we follow when learning the shari?ah and passing its knowledge
on to others, meaning that we return to what the classical scholars have adhered
to, ultimately returning to the primary sources of shari?ah ? the Quran and sunnah.
May Allah reward all those who spent their time and resources on the translating
and checking of this work.
May Allah
increase them in Love for Allah and His Messenger
, and grant them tawfiq
seeking Allah alone. We pray that Allah Most High accepts our efforts, and that
He grants us tawfiq to worship Him with sincerity and Ikhlas. And Allah Most High
alone grants success.
And all
praise is due unto Allah. Peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad
, and upon his family
and companions, one and all.
Basharat
Janjua
Sha?ban A.H. 1421
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2) The Blessed Month of Ramadan
The month
of Ramadan is a month of grace and blessing. Upon arrival of this blessed month,
Allah Most High causes His blessings and forgiveness to descend upon the one who
gives this month its rights. Ramadan is the month in which Allah Most High showers
His blessings upon our homes, and upon those who enter the mosques, especially the
House of Allah ? the Ka?bah. During Ramadan, the Mercy of Allah Most High falls
upon us, like rain falling from the clouds.
One can
liken the virtue of Ramadan with charity, which is of two kinds. The first kind
is where one gives charity to someone whom one meets along the street or on the
path. The second kind is likened to one who visits another with the intention of
giving charity. Ramadan is likened to the latter; where Allah Most High causes His
blessings to descend upon the ummah of the Blessed Prophet Muhammad
(Allah bless him and
give him peace). It is during this time, that little effort has the ability to earn
high rewards, no matter where one is, be it in the Sacred Precinct in Makkah or
in one?s home.
Allah Most
High is the creator of all things. He created each year, month, day and hour. In
the same way that Allah Most High has elevated the status of the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) over the whole of creation; and the status of the Ka?bah over other
places of worship, He has elevated and raised the month of Ramadan over all other
months. This is entirely the will of Allah Most High, and a manifestation of His
Omnipotent Power and Divine Will.
Allah Most
High chose to reveal His Uncreated Speech ? the Quran, in this blessed month, to
His final and Most Beloved Prophet ? Muhammad
(Allah bless him and
give him peace). Allah Most High says in the Quran:
"The month of Ramadan is
the month in which the Quran was sent down, a guidance for the people, and clear
verses of guidance and a criterion."
(Surat al-Baqarah, ayah 185)
Imam al-Tabari
writes that Wathilah (Allah be well pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
The Scrolls
of Abraham were revealed on the first night of the month of Ramadan, the Torah was
revealed on the sixth of Ramadan, the Bible on the thirteenth, and the Quran was
revealed on the twenty-fourth of Ramadan.
He also
writes that Ibn ?Abbas (Allah be well pleased with him) said:
Allah caused
the Quran to descend to the heaven of this world, on Laylat al-Qadr, and then when
Allah wished to reveal anything from it, He revealed it. And that is what is meant
by His Words, ?Verily We have revealed the Quran in Laylat al-Qadr?.
(Tafsir
al-Tabari, by Imam al-Tabari, surat al-Qadr)
Allah Most
High says in the Quran:
O you who believe, fasting
has been prescribed for you as it has been prescribed for those before you, so that
you may attain unto piety.
(Surat al-Baqarah, Ayah 183)
Imam al-Tabari
writes that Qatadah (Allah be well pleased with him) said, in reference to this
ayah:
The month
of Ramadan has been prescribed for the people as it was prescribed for those before
them. Allah has prescribed the fast of three days of each month, before revealing
the fast of Ramadan.
(Tafsir
al-Tabari, by Imam al-Tabari, surat al-Qadr)
Fasting
during the month of Ramadan is obligatory and is done solely for Allah Most High.
In a hadith qudsi Allah Most High says:
Every action
of the son of Adam belongs to him except the fast. It is Mine, and I repay him for
it.
(Muslim)
There can
be neither false pretension nor showing off on the part of the one who is fasting.
If one is offering prayers, giving zakah, making pilgrimage or any other form of
worship, others can see one?s worship but fasting is distinguished by the fact that
only Allah Most High can see who is fasting and who is not.
The polytheists
may perform various acts of worship for their false gods to please them. They may
make vows to them, make tawaf around them, travel for them and fight in their names.
However, they do not fast for them nor has it ever been recorded that they fasted
for them. Indeed it is clear that the fast of Islam is the fast of the Truth.
Hafiz al-?Asqalani,
quoting from Imam al-Qurtubi, mentions the following hadith:
The bankrupt
person is he who shall come on the Day of Judgment with prayer, charity and fast,
but he had also swore at another person, beat another, and consumed the wealth of
another. His good deeds will be taken from him, and the other person will take his
good deeds. And when his good deeds are no more, before what is due upon him has
been paid, he takes from their bad deeds. They will be thrown at him. Then he will
be flung into the Fire.
He continues
to says that there is a narration from by Abu Hurayrah (Allah be well pleased with
him), in which Allah Most High says:
All actions
are atonement, except for fasting. Fasting is for Me and I reward it.
(Fath
al-Bari, by Hafiz al-?Asqalani, Book of Fasting)
It can be
concluded that Allah Most High loves the fast of a Muslim, as it is a means for
him to become more aware and fearful of Allah Most High.
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3) Fasting During Ramadan
Abu Hurayrah
(Allah be well pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
When Ramadan
arrives, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed and the
devils are chained.
(Bukhari
and Muslim)
He (Allah
be well pleased with him) also narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
Whomsoever
fasts the month of Ramadan, with faith, seeking reward from Allah, his past sins
will be forgiven.
(Bukhari
and Muslim)
It has also
been narrated by Abu Hurayrah (Allah be well pleased with him) that the Messenger
of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
Allah Mighty
and Majestic says, ?Every action of the son of Adam belongs to him except the fast.
It is Mine, and I repay him for it.? Fasting is a protection. When one of you has
a day of fasting, he should then speak neither obscenely nor too loudly; and if
someone seeks to curse him or fight with him, let him say, ?I am fasting.? By Him
in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad
, the smell of the
mouth of the one who fasts is more delectable to Allah than the scent of musk. The
one who fasts has two joys in which to delight: when he breaks his fast, he rejoices;
and when he meets his Lord, he rejoices in his fast.
(Muslim)
Sahl bin
Sa?d (Allah be well pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
Verily there
is a gate in Paradise which is called ?al-Rayyan?. Those who fasted will enter it
on the Day of Judgement, and none shall enter it except them. It will be said, ?Where
are those who fasted?? They will come forward and none shall enter it except them.
When they have entered, the gate will be closed and none shall enter it except them.
(Bukhari
and Muslim)
***
Fasting
is to refrain from things that break the fast with the intention of worshiping Allah
Most High. The levels of the fast are three:
1) to simply
refraining from food and drink, and other things which invalidate the fast;
2) in addition to (1) above, to protect one?s eyes, ears, tongue and all other parts
of the body from disobedience to Allah Most High;
3) and in addition to (1) and (2) above, to devote oneself entirely to Allah Most
High, through repentance, worship and abstinence from all that distracts one from
Allah Most High.
Allah Most
High rewards each level of fasting, accordingly.
Fasting
during Ramadan is obligatory for every one who:
a) is Muslim;
b)
has reached puberty;
c) is sane;
d) is capable of bearing the fast;
e) and if female, is not in the period of menstruation or postnatal bleeding (nifas).
One must
make the intention to fast for each day one fasts.
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4) Types of Fast
?A?ishah
(Allah be well pleased with her) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays.
(Tirmidhi
and Nisa?i)
Abu Qatadah
(Allah be well pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said: The fast of three days of each month and that of one Ramadan
to another, is a perpetual fast. I seek from Allah that the fast of the day of ?Arafah
may atone for the year before it and the year after it. I seek from Allah that the
fast of the day of ?Ashura may atone for the year before it.
(Muslim)
~~~~~~~
The obligatory
(fard) fasts are:
1) the fasts
of Ramadan;
2)
the fasts which one is obliged to makeup (qada?).
The intention
must be made during the night prior to dawn.
The required
(wajib) fasts are those which one has vowed to perform. If one has set conditions
at the time of making the vow, they must be fulfilled, for example, making a vow
to perform ten fasts in Muharram. This means that one can fast any ten days in Muharram
as this was not specified when making the vow.
The recommended
(mustahabb) fasts are:
1) the day
of ?Ashura (10th Muharram), combining it with a day before, or after it;
2) the 13th, 14th, and 15th of each lunar month;
3)
Mondays and Thursdays;
4) the day of ?Arafah (9th Dhul Hijjah);
5) and the first six days of Shawwal.
The intention
for the above can be made before noon, of the day of fasting.
The slightly
disliked (makruh tanzihi) fasts are:
1) fasting
the day ?Ashura (10th Muharram) alone, without combining it with fasting a day before,
or after it;
2) the days held special by those of other religions, if they do not coincide with
days which one habitually fasts;
3) and the day of ?Arafah (9th Dhul Hijjah) for a pilgrim at ?Arafah.
The severely
disliked (makruh tahrimi) fasts are the two ?Eids.
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5) The Sighting of the New Moon (Hilal)
?Abdullah
Ibn ?Umar (Allah be well pleased with them both) narrated that the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
Do not fast
until you see the new moon, and do not break fast until you see it. But if there
is cloud over you, count in full.
In another
version he (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
The month
consists of twenty-nine nights, but do not fast until you see it [tr: the new moon],
and if the weather is cloudy then complete thirty nights.
(Bukhari
and Muslim)
~~~~~~~
In the United
Kingdom, it has been observed many times that communities are split over the matter
of which day Ramadan falls and also the days of ?Eid which are days of rejoicing
for us, not disagreement and conflict. The author intends, in sha Allah, to shed
some light on this matter as it affects each one of us and is a cause of tribulation
(fitnah). And Allah alone grants success.
The hadiths
state that we should judge the approach of the lunar months by ?seeing? the new
moon. In the United Kingdom, the new moon is extremely difficult to see due to the
street lighting and the country?s high latitude. As it is not possible to see the
moon from the United Kingdom, one must follow another city in their ruling, regarding
the Hilal. There seems to be two parties who make the decision of the Hilal for
the United Kingdom: Regents Park Masjid (London) and the Sunni Ru?yat Hilal Committee
(Birmingham). Regents Park Masjid follows Umm al-Qura in al-Hijaz (What is presently
called ?Saudi Arabia?) in its decision on Hilal. The Sunni Ru?yat Hilal Committee
does not follow Umm al-Qura. The difference between these two councils is the reason
why there is more than one start date of Ramadan and consequently more than one
?Eid day.
Kurayb (Allah
bless him and give him peace) reported that Umm Fadl, daughter of Harith, sent Fadl
to Mu?awiyah (Allah be well pleased with him), who was in Syria. Fadl said:
I arrived
in Syria, and did what she needed of me. It was there, in Syria that the month of
Ramadan commenced. I saw the new moon on Friday. I then came back to Madinah at
the end of the month. Abdullah bin ?Abbas (Allah be well pleased with him) asked
me, saying, ?When did you see it?? I said, ?We saw it on the night of Friday.? He
said, ?Did you see it yourself?? I said, ?Yes, and the people also saw it and they
observed fast and Mu?awiyah also observed the fast.? Abdullah bin ?Abbas (Allah
be well pleased with him) said, ?But we saw it on Saturday night, so we shall continue
to observe fast until we complete thirty fasts or we see it [tr: the new moon].?
I said, ?Is the sighting of the moon by Mu?awiyah not valid for you?? He said, ?No,
this is how the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) has commanded us.?
(Sahih
al-Muslim, by Imam Muslim, Book of Fasting)
The above
hadith is used as evidence to prove that it is possible for the moon to be sighted
at two different places at differing times. This means that the start of Ramadan,
and the dates of the two ?Eids can vary across the world, which gives rise to the
possibility of more than one Hilal, each one being correct.
Imam al-Nawawi
al-Shafi?i has noted that the scholars have said that if the distance between two
cities is small like that of Baghdad and Basrah, and the moon is sighted in either
one of them, the Hilal will be one. If the distance is far, like that of Baghdad
and Makkah, and the climate of both cities is similar, the same ruling applies as
for two cities which are close together. But if the climate is different, the Hilal
of one city will be independent of the other.
The United
Kingdom and al-Hijaz are far apart and the climate is totally different, therefore
the Hilal of al-Hijaz is independent of the Hilal of the United Kingdom. For this
reason, the Sunni Ru?yat Hilal Committee has chosen to follow the Hilal of Morocco,
as it is the closest Muslim land, to the United Kingdom.
According
to the Hanafi school, if the sky is clear, the Hilal must be witnessed by a group
of Muslims, so the testimony of a single witness is not acceptable. If the sky is
cloudy, then a single, upright, Muslim witness suffices. The reasoning being that
if only a single person witnessed the new moon, on a clear night, he must have been
mistaken, because in such a situation others would have seen it too.
When the
decision of Hilal is given by Umm al-Qura, and there is only a single witness, it
is not accepted by the Sunni Ru?yat Hilal Committee, as it does not meet the requirements
according to the Hanafi school.
Another
reason for the Sunni Ruy?at Hilal Committee rejecting the decision of Umm al-Qura
is that there have been some cases when the ruling of Umm al-Qura has contradicted
the observatory findings on the basis of the impossibility of having sighted the
moon.
The situation
is complicated and can be resolved with the help of Allah Most High. We must strive
for the solution to this, to bring unity to the Muslims of the United Kingdom and
the rest of the world. What is called for, is for heads of various Muslim communities
to gather and decide on this issue in the light of the hadith of Kurayb (Allah be
well pleased with him) and what the classical scholars have stated. May Allah grant
us success in this, and to return unity to the Muslims under the banner of the sunnah
of the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace).
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6) Things Disliked and Those Not Disliked Whilst Fasting
Anas (Allah
be well pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
Take the
pre-dawn meal, for verily in the pre-dawn meal there is a blessing.
(Bukhari
and Muslim)
Sahl (Allah
be well pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
The people
will remain on the correct path as long as they hasten to break the fast.
(Bukhari
and Muslim)
Abu Hurayrah
(Allah be well pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
The one
who does not refrain from falsehood and acting in accordance with it, Allah has
no need for him leaving his food and drink.
(Bukhari
and Muslim)
He (Allah
be well pleased with him) also narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
Many a fasting
person gets nothing from his fasting but thirst. Many a man standing for worship
gets nothing from his standing but sleeplessness.
(Darimi)
***
It is disliked
whilst fasting:
1) to taste
or chew anything;
2) to exaggerate in rinsing the mouth and in drawing the water into the nostrils;
3) to rinse the mouth unnecessarily;
4) to keep saliva together in the mouth, then to swallow it;
5) not to eat or drink anything between fast-days (wisal);
6) to keep silent all day until night, when there is no need to;
7) to make useless talk;
8) to delay the pre-dawn meal (suhur) to such an extent that one fears that the
fast has already begun;
9) and to merely taste toothpaste and the like.
It is not
disliked during the fast:
1) to chew
something for a small child in order to help the child eat;
2) for a woman to taste food if she fears her husband;
3) to use a tooth-stick (miswak) or a toothbrush, without toothpaste;
4) and to line the eyes with kohl, even if its taste is felt in the throat.
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7) Things Which Invalidate The Fast But Do Not Require Atonement (Kaffarah)
Each of
the following invalidates the day?s fast but do not require Kaffarah:
1) to be
forced to eat or drink;
2) to swallow a morsel stuck in one?s teeth, if more than the size of a chickpea;
3) to use so much water in rinsing out the nose and mouth in ablution or the purificatory
bath (ghusl) that some reaches the stomach, provided that one remembers that one
is fasting;
4) to open one?s mouth and for something to enter into the throat;
5) to eat something which is not described as ?food? for example eggshells, provided
that it is not one?s habit to eat these things;
6) to swallow rain accidentally;
7) to swallow one?s tears after allowing them to drip into one?s mouth;
8) to allow anything, for example, oil or water, to enter the body through natural
openings, for example the nose, ear, eyes or private parts.
9) the appearance of menstrual or postnatal flow;
10) to eat or drink while sleeping, for a person who habitually walks in their sleep;
11) to intentionally vomit at least a mouthful or to unintentionally vomit and then
to swallow it back, even though a little;
12) and to take intravenous injections or drips. The fast remains valid if one eats
or drinks absentmindedly.
The fast
is not invalidated if one inhales flour or dust suspended in the air or has a wet
dream. If a fly or similar insect enters into the throat, the fast is not invalidated.
If an elderly person breaks their fast, one should not remind them.
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8) Things Which Invalidate the Fast and Require Kaffarah
Abu Hurayrah
(Allah be well pleased with him) narrated:
We were
sitting with the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) when a man came to him and said, ?O Messenger of Allah, I am undone.?
He asked, ?What is the matter with you?? He replied, ?I slept with my wife while
I was fasting.? The Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) asked, ?Can you find a slave to free?? He replied, ?No.? He asked,
?Can you fast two consecutive months?? He replied, ?No.? He asked, ?Can you feed
sixty poor people?? He replied, ?No.? The Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said, ?Sit down,? and waited for a while. As we were there, a large
basket (arak) containing dates, was brought to the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace). He asked, ?Where is the questioner?? He replied, ?I.? He said,
?Take this and give it in charity.? The man said, ?To the one more needy than me,
O Messenger of Allah? By Allah, there are no inhabitants of a house, between the
two lava-plains of Madinah, which are more needy that the inhabitants of my house.
Then the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) laughed till his canine teeth were visible and said, ?Feed your
family.?
(Bukhari
and Muslim)
***
Kaffarah
is only required if one eats, drinks or sleeps with one?s wife, intentionally during
a fast of Ramadan. The Kaffarah consists of freeing a Muslim slave, or if not possible,
then to fast the days of two consecutive months. If this is not possible, then the
Kaffarah is to feed sixty needy people.
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9) Those Not Obliged to Fast
The following
are not required to fast:
1) those
who are ill such that fasting would worsen, delay recovery from, or cause considerable
harm. One must be advised by a qualified Muslim doctor, or know from personal experience;
2) those who are travelling more than 48 miles. If a traveller takes it upon himself
to fast, it is valid, but he should not endanger himself by it, unnecessarily;
3) someone who is forced to break the fast by an enemy;
4) a woman who is breast feeding a baby or is pregnant and apprehends harm to herself
or her child;
5) someone who has excessive hunger or thirst, meaning likely to cause death or
illness;
6) and someone whom fasting exhausts because of advanced years or having an illness
from which he is unlikely to recover. Such a person must give the amount equal to
the zakat of ?Eid al-Fitr, in charity, for each day missed.
Although
the above are not obliged to fast, they must makeup each day missed, (6) being an
exception.
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10) The Recitation of the Quran and its Etiquettes (Adab)
?Uthman
(Allah be well pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
The best
amongst you is the one who learns the Quran and teaches it.
(Bukhari)
?Abdullah
bin Mas?ud (Allah be well pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
Whomsoever
recites a letter from the Book of Allah, has a reward. And the reward is like ten
rewards. I do not say, ?Alif Lam Mim, is a letter.? But, ?Alif is a letter, Lam
is a letter and Mim is a letter.?
(Tirmidhi)
?Abdullah
bin ?Amr (Allah be well pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
It will
be said to the one who is devoted to the Quran, ?Recite and ascend, and recite slowly
as you used to recite slowly in the world. For verily your abode is at the last
ayah which you recite.?
(Abu
Dawud and Tirmidhi)
?A?ishah
(Allah be well pleased with her) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
The one
who recites the Quran fluently, will be in the company of the obedient and noble
angels. And the one who recites the Quran, haltingly and with difficulty, for him
there is a double reward.
(Bukhari
and Muslim)
***
One should
not touch the Quran except in a state of ritual purity. When beginning to recite,
one should seek refuge in Allah Most High from the accursed Devil and say the Basmalah.
One should give one?s eyes their share of looking at it, by reading from a copy
of the Quran as opposed to reciting from memory alone. One should not carry a copy
of the Quran in a place where it may become damaged or into the lavatory. One should
not recite it aloud over another?s recitation of it, so as to spoil it for him and
make him resent what he hears, making it as if it were some kind of competition.
One should not interrupt another?s recitation of the Quran, his making Remembrance
of Allah (dhikr), or learning or teaching religious knowledge, even with Salams.
One is permitted to recite the Quran whilst walking or on a journey. To memorise
any part of the Quran and then to forget it is severely disliked, to such an extent
that it is almost forbidden (haram). One should not place anything on top of the
Quran, nor should one place it on the floor, but rather, one should place it on
an elevated place in front of oneself. One should maintain the order of the various
surahs when reciting it. If the pages of the Quran become worn or torn, they should
be buried in a clean place, for example a graveyard, or put into clean, flowing
water.
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11) Tarawih
It is recommended
to perform tarawih, which consists of twenty rak?ahs (see discussion below) of group
prayer on each night of Ramadan. One finishes each pair of rak?ahs with Salams.
If one has missed the tarawih with the group, one should perform it alone. It is
an emphasised sunnah (sunnah mu?akkadah) to recite the Quran much, preferably completing
its recitation twice: once alone and once with the group during tarawih. The Quran
should be recited slowly and clearly so that each word is pronounced correctly.
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12) The Number of Rak?ahs for Tarawih
Imam al-Tirmidhi
writes:
The majority
of the scholars narrate from ?Umar and others that the tarawih prayer consists of
twenty rak?ahs.
(Jami?
al-Tirmidhi by Imam al-Tirmidhi, Book of Salah)
Hafiz Ibn
Taymiyyah writes:
It has been
proved that Ubay bin Ka?b used to offer twenty rak?ahs with the people in the Qiyam
of Ramadan. Adding to them, three more. Many of the scholars have said that this
is the sunnah, as the emigrants and the Madinan helpers used to stand with him,
and they did not object to it.
(Majmu?
al-Fatawa by Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah, under Naza? al-Ulama? fi miqdar qiyam Ramadan)
Qadi al-Shawkani
writes that Imam Malik narrated:
?Umar (Allah
be well pleased with him) ordered ?Abd al-Rahman Ibn al-Qari to lead the prayer
with twenty rak?ahs.
(Nayl
al-Awtar by Qadi al-Shawkani, chapter of Tarawih)
Imam ?Abd
al-Raqqaz bin Humam, Hafiz Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah and Imam al-Bayhaqi, have all
written concerning the matter of the tarawih. They have all said that during the
caliphate of ?Umar and ?Ali (Allah be well pleased with them both) the Imams were
ordered to pray twenty rak?ahs of tarawih.
(Musannaf
Ibn Abi Shaybah, Musannaf ?Abd al-Razzaq and al-Sunan al-Kubra by Hafiz Abu Bakr
Ibn Abi Shaybah, Imam ?Abd al-Raqqaz bin Humam and Imam al-Bayhaqi respectively,
under Qiyam Ramadan)
Offering
twenty rak?ahs of tarawih has been the practice of the Imams of the two sacred precincts
of Makkah and Madinah.
The evidence
for the tarawih consisting of eight rak?ahs is given by the hadith of ?A?ishah (Allah
be well pleased with her) where she says that the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) used to offer thirteen rak?ahs of prayer at night, both during Ramadan
and outside of it. This hadith and similar ones have reached us via approximately
four chains, with small variances.
The scholars
of Ahl al-sunnah wal-Jama?ah have stated that these hadiths refer to the night vigil
(Tahajjud). One reason for this is that ?A?ishah (Allah be well pleased with her)
was asked concerning the night prayer of the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace). The only mention of the word ?Ramadan?, in this hadith, comes from
a narrator called Sa?id bin Abi Sa?id al-Makburi. Also, when these hadiths were
recorded, they appeared in the chapters regarding Tahajjud. Another point which
is worth mentioning is that, if this hadith refers to the tarawih, it must also
mean that tarawih should be offered both in Ramadan and outside of it, as the hadith
states.
From this,
one can conclude that this hadith, and similar ones can only refer to Tahajjud,
and not to the tarawih.
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13) Spiritual
Retreat (I?tikaf)
Abu Hurayrah
(Allah be well pleased with him) narrated:
The Quran
was presented to the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) once each year. But it was presented twice in the year in which
he passed away. And he used to make spiritual retreat for ten nights, and twenty
in the year in which he passed away.
(Bukhari)
?A?ishah
(Allah be well pleased with her) narrated:
The sunnah
for one who is in I?tikaf is not to visit the sick, nor attend a funeral prayer,
nor touch one?s wife, nor go out for any need except when there is no alternative
to it. There is no spiritual retreat except with fasting, and there is no spiritual
retreat except in a congregational Mosque.
(Abu
Dawud)
?Abdullah
Ibn ?Umar (Allah be well pleased with them both) narrated that when the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) made I?tikaf, his bedding (or bed) was spread for him, behind the
Pillar of Repentance [tr: a pillar in the Mosque of the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace)].
(Abu
Dawud)
***
Spiritual
retreat (I?tikaf) means to remain in the mosque with the intention of devoting oneself
to Allah Most High. It is a means by which one can draw nearer to Allah Most High.
The one who makes the intention for I?tikaf turns away from the life of this world
and seeks the Mercy and Forgiveness of Allah Most High. Imam ?Ata? al-Khurasani
has said that the one whom performs I?tikaf is like the one who humbles himself
in prostration before Allah Most High and vows not to lift his head until he is
forgiven.
The I?tikaf
is a communal sunnah, that is, if a single person from a community performs it,
the sunnah has been fulfilled, but if not a single person has performed it, the
sunnah remains unfulfilled. For men, it must be performed in the mosque, but for
women this is disliked. Rather, they should perform it in an area of the house which
has been set-aside for prayer (musalla). The mosque in which I?tikaf is valid is
that in which the five daily obligatory prayers are offered in a group. The I?tikaf
of a woman becomes invalid if the signs of menstruation appear.
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14) Types of I?tikaf
?A?ishah
(Allah be well pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) used to make I?tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan, until
Allah Most High took his soul. Then his wives continued to make I?tikaf after he
passed away.
(Bukhari
and Muslim)
***
There are
three types of I?tikaf or spiritual retreat:
1) the wajib
I?tikaf, which one has vowed to observe;
2) the emphasised sunnah (sunnah mu?akkadah) I?tikaf, which is observed during the
last ten days of Ramadan;
3) and the recommended (mustahabb) I?tikaf, which is observed when one enters a
mosque with the intention of devoting oneself to Allah Most High alone, even for
a short period.
Someone
who makes I?tikaf (Mu?takif) continues to receive reward until he leaves the mosque.
When observing the wajib I?tikaf, one must fast and make I?tikaf for as much as
one originally intended to perform when making the vow. For the sunnah mu?akkadah
I?tikaf, one must start the I?tikaf before the sunset prayer (maghrib) of the 20th
day of Ramadan, and must complete it on seeing the new moon of ?Eid al-Fitr.
The Mu?takif
is not permitted to leave the mosque for any reason except answering the call of
nature, making wudu?, ghusl and the like. Leaving the mosque for a worldly need
invalidates I?tikaf. There is no harm in eating or drinking in the mosque. A woman
who observes I?tikaf in her home is not permitted to leave the place which has been
fixed for I?tikaf, in the same way that a man is not permitted to leave the mosque.
I?tikaf
is a spiritual retreat, so one should busy oneself with spiritual works, for example,
reciting the Quran, performing prayers, especially those which one must makeup and
learning Islamic Sacred Law (shari?ah). One should also keep oneself far away from
vulgarity, and useless speech.
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15) The Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr)
?A?ishah
(Allah be well pleased with her) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
Seek Laylat
al-Qadr in the odd numbered nights, among the last ten of Ramadan.
(Bukhari)
?Abdullah
Ibn ?Umar (Allah be well pleased with both of them) narrated:
Men from
amongst the Companions of the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) were shown in a dream that Laylat al-Qadr was in the last seven
nights. The Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said, ?I see that your visions regarding the last seven, agree.
So whomsoever searches for it, let him search for it in the last seven.?
(Bukhari
and Muslim)
?A?ishah
(Allah be well pleased with her) narrated:
I once asked,
?O Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace), what should I say if I have knowledge of which night is Laylat
al-Qadr?? He replied, ?Say these words: O Allah, thou art forgiving, loving forgiveness.
So forgive me.?
(Ahmad,
Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi)
?Ubada Ibn
al-Samit (Allah be well pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) went out to inform the people about Laylat al-Qadr [tr: its date],
but there was a dispute between two Muslims. The Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said, ?I came out to inform you about Laylat al-Qadr, its knowledge
has been taken away and maybe it was better for you. Now look for it in the 27th
29th and 25th.?
(Bukhari)
Anas (Allah
be well pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
When Laylat
al-Qadr appears, Gabriel descends with a company of angels who pray for everyone
who is making the Remembrance of Allah Mighty and Majestic, whether standing or
sitting.
(Bayhaqi)
***
It is a
great blessing that the Quran was first revealed on this night. This is the night
on which all decisions are made, meaning that everything for the year is copied
from the preserved tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz) and then distributed among various
angels.
The Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) once mentioned some devotees from the children of Israel. Among
them, there was one who spent a thousand months in continuous struggle in the path
of Allah Most High (jihad). Also, among them were four devotees who spent eighty
years in the worship of Allah Most High, such that not even a single moment was
wasted in disobedience. The Companions of the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace), on hearing this, were amazed. The angel Gabriel then came with
the chapter of the Quran called, ?The Night of Power? (surat al-Qadr) which contained
the promise that, whomsoever spends the whole night of Laylat al-Qadr in worship,
will be rewarded as if he spent more than a thousand months in the worship of Allah
Most High.
It has been
mentioned that the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) saw that the lifetimes of the previous nations were very long, and
he became sad at the fact that his ummah would not be able to undertake as much
worship as the other nations. On this, angel Gabriel descended and revealed surat
al-Qadr, and gave the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) the good news that the ummah of the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) has been honoured with a blessed night in which one night?s worship
will be worth more than the worship of a thousand months.
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qurtubi and Ruh al-Mani,
by Hafiz Ibn Kathir, Imam al-Qurtubi and Imam al-Allusi al-Hanafi respectively,
under surat al-Qadr)
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16) The Descending of the Angels Knowledge of Laylat al-Qadr
Hafiz Ibn
Kathir mentions this athar (narration). Various forms of this have also been mentioned
by Ibn Abi Hatim and Imam al-Qurtubi. Ka?b (May Allah be well pleased with him)
narrated:
Verily the
Lote Tree (sidrat al-Muntaha) is on the border of the seventh heaven, where it adjoins
Paradise, on the border of the breezes of this world and the next. Its height is
in Paradise, and its shoots and branches are below the Throne. Upon its branches,
there are angels worshipping Allah Mighty and Majestic, no one knows their number
except Allah Mighty and Majestic. There is an angel in even the smallest of places.
The place of Gabriel (Upon whom be peace) is in the middle of it [tr: the tree].
Gabriel is called upon by Allah to descend each Laylat al-Qadr, with the angels
who inhabit the Lote Tree. Each angel is given mercy and compassion to pass on to
the believers. The angels descend with Gabriel on Laylat al-Qadr when the sun sets.
On Laylat al-Qadr, the angels are found everywhere either prostrating or standing,
making supplication for the believing men and believing women. But they do not go
where there is a church, a synagogue, places of fire-worship, an idol, a village
rubbish dump, a house in which there is a drunkard, a place in which there is an
intoxicant, a house in which an idol has been set up, a house in which there is
a hanging bell, a lavatory or a place in which there is household rubbish. They
spend their night there, making supplication for the believing men and the believing
women and Gabriel shakes the hand of each and every believer. The mark of this is
that the believer?s skin shivers; his heart becomes tender and his eyes water. For
verily this is from the handshake of Gabriel.
Whomsoever
says on Laylat al-Qadr, ?There is no god but Allah,? three times, Allah will forgive
him with one [tr: utterance], and He will save him from the Fire with another, and
admit him into Paradise with another.
Those listening
to him asked, ?O Abu Ishaq, when it is said in truth?? Ka?b al-Ahbar said:
?Is he who
says, ?There is no god but Allah,? on Laylat al-Qadr, other than truthful? By Him
in whose Hand my soul is, indeed Laylat al-Qadr is upon the disbeliever and the
hypocrite as if it were a mountain on his back.
The angels
continue in this way, until daybreak. The first to ascend is Gabriel, who ascends
until he is in front of the uppermost horizon. He then spreads out his wings. He
has two green wings which he does not spread out except in that hour; the rays of
the sun diminish. Gabriel then calls angel upon angel and ascends. The light of
the angels and the light of the two wings of Gabriel combine together; the sun remains
bewildered that day. Gabriel and those with him are made to stand between the earth
and the heavens of this world in supplication, seeking mercy and forgiveness for
the believing men and the believing women and for the one who fasted Ramadan with
belief, seeking reward. And Gabriel makes supplication for the one who tells himself
that if he lives until the next Ramadan, he will fast Ramadan for Allah.
When the
evening comes, the angels enter into the heaven of this world and sit in circle
upon circle, gathering with the angels of the heaven of this world. They ask them
concerning man after man and woman after woman. They talk about them until they
say, ?What has so-and-so done and how have you found him this year?? They say, ?We
found so-and-so last year, in this night devoting himself in worship, but we find
him this year, in innovation. We found so-and-so in innovation, but we find him
now in worship.? They stop seeking forgiveness for the former and continue to seek
forgiveness for the latter. They say, ?We found so-and-so and so-and-so making the
Remembrance of Allah, and we found so-and-so bowing, and so-and-so in prostration,
and we found so-and-so reciting the Book of Allah.?
Their day
and night continue in this manner until they ascend to the second heaven. In each
heaven they spend a day and a night, until they stop at their place at the Lote
Tree. The Lote Tree says to them, ?O my inhabitants, tell me about the people and
name them to me, for verily I have upon you a right, and I love him who loves Allah.?
They enumerate and give accounts of men and women by their names and the names of
their fathers. Paradise draws near to the Lote Tree saying, ?Inform me of what your
inhabitants from amongst the angels, have informed you of.? Paradise then says,
?May the Mercy of Allah be upon so-and-so man and so-and-so woman. O Allah, hasten
them unto me.? Gabriel, who reaches his place [tr: at the Lote Tree] before the
rest of the angels, is inspired by Allah to say, ?I found so-and-so in prostration
so forgive him.? And he will be forgiven. Gabriel hears the carriers of the Throne
saying, ?May the Mercy of Allah be upon so-and-so man and upon so-and-so woman,
and may His forgiveness be upon so-and-so.? Gabriel says, ?O Lord, I found Your
servant named so-and-so, which I found last year upon the sunnah and in worship,
but I found him this year, innovating a new act, and he has turned back on that
which You have commanded him with.? Then Allah says, ?O Gabriel, if he makes repentance
three hours before death, I will forgive him.? Then Gabriel says, ?Praise be to
You, my god. You are more merciful than all of Your creation and You are more merciful
with Your servants than Your servants are with themselves.? Then the Throne, that
which is around it and the veils, tremble. The heavens and that which is in them
say, ?Praise be unto Allah, the Most Merciful.?
Whomsoever
fasts the month of Ramadan, telling himself that when he breaks fast after Ramadan,
he will not disobey Allah, will enter Paradise with neither questioning nor account.
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir, by Hafiz Ibn Kathir, surat al-Qadr)
Imam Fakhr
al-Din al-Razi writes concerning the word of Allah Most High, ?Therein, angels and
the Spirit descend by the leave of their Lord,? that from this, it is known that
the angels, including Gabriel, seek the permission of Allah Most High, to descend
to the Earth. On being granted permission, they descend from the heavens. From this,
it is proved that the angels long to meet the ummah of the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace). When they are granted permission they descend in large numbers.
A question is raised, as to why they would long to meet the likes of us, sinful
people. When the angels read the Preserved Tablet, they read about the good deeds
of the Muslims, but our bad deeds are hidden from them.
(al-Tafsir al-Kabir by Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, under
surat al-Qadr)
At this
time, the angels uncontrollably sing praises of Him who has made the good deeds
apparent, and has hidden the bad deeds. At this, the angels know of the greatness
of this ummah and they long to meet the servants from amongst them.
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17) Knowledge of Laylat al-Qadr
Allah Most
High has hidden the true knowledge of Laylat al-Qadr so that people would go in
search of this blessed night and spend as much time as possible in His worship.
If precise knowledge of this night were disclosed, people would strive for more
worship on a single night alone. Another reason could be that if this night were
to be disclosed, the one disobedient to Allah Most High would receive a greater
punishment for persisting in the act of disobedience even on Laylat al-Qadr.
Hafiz al-?Asqalani
mentioned forty-five reports concerning the date of Laylat al-Qadr, with evidences,
from amongst the Companions (Allah be well pleased with them all), those who studied
under the Companions (tabi?in), those who studied under the tabi?in (tabi? al-Tabi?in),
and the scholars of the biography (sirah) of the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace). May Allah be well pleased with one and all of them. Due to the
length of these accounts, they cannot be mentioned here.
There is
some disagreement, both amongst the companions and the scholars of the ummah concerning
the exact night of Laylat al-Qadr. It is believed by some that this night is on
the twenty-seventh of Ramadan, and this is the most common view. Imam Abu Hanifah
has said that the night changes each Ramadan. Qadi Abu Yusuf has said that Laylat
al-Qadr can be in any one of the nights of the year. Imam al-Shafi?i has said that
this night is found in the first night of the last ten days of Ramadan. Imam Malik
and Imam Ahmad have said that this night is in the last ten days of Ramadan. And
so on and so forth.
(Fath
al-Bari by Hafiz al-?Asqalani, chapter on Laylat al-Qadr)
The Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) was given knowledge of exact night of Laylat al-Qadr as illustrated
in the hadith narrated by ?Ubada Ibn al-Samit and recorded by Imam al-Bukhari (see
above).
Imam al-Bukhari
records a narration of Abu Salamah where he mentions that the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said that he had been shown Laylat al-Qadr, but he had been made
to forget its date. The Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) then said that it is in the odd nights of the last ten.
(Sahih
al-Bukhari by Imam al-Bukhari, chapter on Fada?il laylat al-Qadr)
Hafiz al-?Asqalani
mentions that Ibn ?Uyaynah said that the knowledge of Laylat al-Qadr was known by
the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) and that its knowledge was only removed for that year alone.
(Fath
al-Bari by Hafiz al-?Asqalani, chapter on Fada?il laylat al-Qadr)
One can
conclude that the Prophet
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) had knowledge of Laylat al-Qadr, but it was removed for a single
year alone, and then returned the following year. And Allah knows best.
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18) Witnessing Laylat al-Qadr
Hafiz al-?Asqalani
writes concerning Laylat al-Qadr:
It is said
that one sees all things in prostration, that there is radiant light in every place
even in dark areas and that one hears the Salams or speech of the angels. It is
also said that its mark is that the supplication of the one who has witnessed it,
is accepted. Imam al-Tabari has noted that all of the above are not necessary, and
that it is not a condition that one sees or hears anything, for it to have taken
place.
(Fath
al-Bari by Hafiz al-?Asqalani, chapter on Fada?il laylat al-Qadr. See also Nayl
al-Awtar by Qadi al-Shawkani, chapter on Fada?il laylat al-Qadr)
Imam Badr
al-Din al-?Ayni has mentioned that Imam al-Tabari has heard this from a whole community
of people.
Even today
we hear of such accounts displaying the Omnipotent Power of Allah Most High. The
author has personally heard an account from a brother in Ealing, London. During
Ramadan, the family were busy in the worship of Allah Most High, and one from amongst
them went to get a drink from the kitchen. Upon opening the tap, milk began to flow.
Others were called to witness this great event, and they drank from the sweet milk.
They thanked and praised Allah Most High for the blessing they had received. This
demonstrates that Allah Most High chooses whom He wills from His servants, to display
Laylat al-Qadr.
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19) The Zakat of ?Eid al-Fitr
Abdullah
bin ?Umar (Allah be well pleased with them both) narrated that the Messenger of
Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) made the zakat al-Fitr as a sa? [tr: a unit of measure] of dates
or a sa? of barley, obligatory upon the slave and freeman, male and female, young
and old from among the Muslims. And he (Allah bless him and give him peace) commanded
for it to be given before leaving for the prayer.
(Bukhari
and Muslim)
Ibn ?Abbas
(Allah be well pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) made the zakat al-Fitr obligatory as a purification of the fast
from empty and obscene talk and as food for the poor.
(Abu
Dawud)
***
The zakat
of ?Eid al-Fitr is required (wajib) from everyone upon whom the zakat is obligatory.
Someone obligated to pay the zakat of ?Eid al-Fitr must also pay it for every person
he is obliged to support, such as his wife and family. Those who are not obliged
to fast must still give the zakat of ?Eid al-Fitr, even if they have not fasted.
It is recommended to give the zakat of ?Eid al-Fitr before performing the ?Eid prayer.
For Muslims
living in the west, it is best to give the zakat of ?Eid al-Fitr at the beginning
of Ramadan. The reason being, that charitable organisations must be given time to
make arrangements for the funds to be distributed to the needy, in time for the
?Eid celebrations.
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20) The Day of ?Eid al-Fitr
Anas (Allah
be well pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him and
give him peace) said:
When the
day of their ?Eid appears, meaning the day of their breaking fast, Allah is proud
of them, before His angels and says, ?O My angels, what is the reward of the servant
who has fully accomplished his work?? They say, ?O our Lord, his reward is that
he is paid his wage in full.? He says, ?My angels, My male servants and My female
servants have done what I have made obligatory upon them, then they came out hastening
to supplication. By My Honour, Greatness, Generosity, Exalted Position and Sublime
Nature of My Rank, I will surely respond to them.? Then He says, ?Return. I have
forgiven you and changed your sins into virtues.? Then they return forgiven.
(Bayhaqi)
***
The performance
of the ?Eid prayer is required (wajib) from those whom the Jum?ah prayer is required.
The following
are recommended before offering the ?Eid prayer:
1) trimming
one?s hair;
2) cutting one?s nails;
3) performing the purificatory bath (ghusl);
4) wearing perfume;
5) dressing in one?s best clothes;
6) giving the zakat of ?Eid al-Fitr;
7) eating something sweet, for example an odd number of dates;
8) coming early after the dawn prayer on foot;
9) returning home by a different route than one came;
10) and being joyful and showing happiness with one another.
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21) Description of The Prayer on ?Eid al-Fitr
Before the
actual ?Eid prayer, it is customary for the imam to make a translation of that which
will be included in the two sermons following the ?Eid prayer. The ?Eid prayer consists
of two rak?ahs. One starts by making the intention to offer the prayer as a wajib
prayer, then one must make the opening takbir, raising one?s hands to the level
of the ears. The thana? should then be read with the hands below the navel. Then
three takbirs will be made. One must raise one?s hands to the level of the ears
each time. After each of these takbirs, one?s arms should be placed at one?s sides,
except the third, after which one places them below the navel. The Fatihah is then
recited followed by another surah. The prayer continues like an ordinary two rak?ah
prayer, until the surah following al-Fatihah is recited in the second rak?ah. After
this surah, one must make three more takbirs, each time raising one?s hands to the
level of the ears, then leaving one?s hands at one?s sides. Then after another takbir,
one should move into the ruku? position. The prayer continues until the final Salams
like an ordinary two rak?ah prayer. After the two rak?ahs are completed, the imam
gives two sermons (khutbah) like those of Friday prayer. One must listen to the
sermons attentively.
One should
not offer any non-obligatory prayers between the dawn prayer (fajr) and the ?Eid
prayer. If one cannot join the ?Eid prayer, but wishes to offer salat al-Duha, one
should do so after the ?Eid prayer has been offered. If one has missed the ?Eid
prayer, one should offer four rak?ahs for salat al-Duha. If one has missed any of
the takbirs of the first rak?ah, one should join the prayer, make them up by oneself,
then continues the prayer with the imam. If one has missed any rak?ahs, but still
joined the prayer, one must make them up after, making the takbirs in the correct
places.
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22) The Mysteries of Fasting
A Muslim
who keeps the fast intends to please Allah Most High and approach Him by its means.
Also, one seeks the Forgiveness of Allah Most High. Fasting has many benefits, some
of which can be seen clearly, others are hidden. One can receive benefit, both in
this world and the next, from one?s fasting.
The following
summary, contains some points which Imam al-Ghazali (Allah be well pleased with
him) mentions in his book al-Ihya?:
1) When
one fasts; eating, drinking and sleeping with one?s wife is not permitted, resulting
in an increase in one?s spiritual strength, as the physical strength is diminished.
2) When one refrains from eating, drinking, sleeping with one?s wife and from committing
acts of disobedience to Allah Most High, one purifies one?s worship making it like
that of the angels. Refraining from the desires of this world in this way, is not
found in any other form of worship, making fasting unique.
3) When one is hungry or thirsty and faces difficulty, one is trained to have patience
with what Allah Most High has ordained for one (rida? bi qada? Allah).
4) When one is hungry or thirsty one can feel empathy for those who constantly suffer
the pangs of hunger and thirst, due to their poverty and the like.
5) Hunger and thirst prevents one from committing acts of disobedience to Allah
Most High.
6) Hunger and thirst kills pride and arrogance as one is reminded of how much one
can eat, so as to be considerate of others.
7) Fasting increases one?s understanding and intelligence.
8) The equality of all Muslims before Allah Most high is shown to us, as each and
every Muslim must fast, irrespective of whether one is rich or poor.
9) Waking early, before dawn for the pre-dawn meal, and breaking one?s fast promptly
after sunset makes one more punctual.
(Ihya?
?Ulum al-Din, by Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, chapter on ?The Mysteries of Fasting)
The reason
as to why one must fast is not due to the aforementioned benefits, but rather the
only true and real reason is because fasting is the Divine Command of Allah Most
High. One obeys the Command of Allah Most High to seek His Divine Pleasure (rida?).
The sincere Muslim intends fasting as a form of worship and as a means of drawing
nearer to Allah Most High. Whether or not the wisdom of a Divine Command, can be
seen, has no effect on his willingness to worship his Lord with sincerity and Ikhlas.
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23) Epilogue
This is
the end of the work entitled, ?The Rulings of Ramadan?. I pray that this work is
of benefit to the reader, giving an increase in taqwa and knowledge to act upon
and worship Allah Mighty and Majestic, correctly. I ask you to pray for this needy
slave of Allah Mighty and Majestic and servant of the ummah of the Best of Creation.
May Allah shower His blessings upon His Chosen One, his family and companions. The
good of all that has been stated is from Allah Most High alone, and the errors are
from myself, the author. I ask you to pray for my forgiveness and steadfastness
in the Din. May Allah Most High grant us success in learning knowledge for His sake,
and practising it for His sake. May Allah Most High grant us the perfections of
faith, and the ability to stay in the company of His righteous servants. And all
praise is due unto Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and He alone grants success.
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