Ramadan--the
month of
righteousness,
reflection and
giving is here.
Allah (swt)
called it His
Month. This is a
special time to
ask for His
Mercy. May we
benefit from
this month to
reinforce our
Islarmic
identity and
connection to
Allah. May we
pray to Allah to
grant us pardon
and well-being
in this world
and the
next.
Happy Ramadan to
all our readers,
-Al-huda
Foundation
THE
JOYS
OF
RAMADAN
FASTING
Fasting an
exercise in
self-restraint
By Shahid Athar,
M.D., F.A.C.E.,
F.A.C.P.
Fasting was
ordained to us
to learn self
restraint.
"O you who
believe fasting
is prescribed to
you as it was
prescribed to
those
before you so
that you can
learn self
restraint".
(Quran 2:183)
The Arabic word
is Taqwa is
translated in
many ways
including God
consciousness,
God fearing,
piety, and self
restraining.
Thus we are
asked to fast
daily for
one month from
dawn to dusk and
avoid food,
water, sex and
vulgar talk
during that
period.
But why do we
need to fast? It
is our
experience that
temptations and
ways of
the world tend
to spoil out
purity and
austerity. Thus
we indulge in
food all
of the time,
snacking and
nibbling the
whole day,
leading to
obesity. We
drink too much
coffee, or tea,
or carbonated
drinks. . When
we argue, we
leave our
decency aside
and resort to
vulgar talk and
even physical
fighting.
Now when one is
fasting, he or
she cannot do
all of that.
When he looks at
the mouth
watering food,
he cannot even
taste it and he
has to give up
snacking
and nibbling as
well as smoking
cigarette if he
does. No
constant coffee,
tea or Coke
drinking either.
Sexual passions
have to be
curtailed and
when he is
provoked to
fight, he says
"I am fasting
that I cannot
respond to your
provocation".
To achieve God
consciousness or
God nearness, a
better word, we
are advised
to do additional
prayer and read
the Quran. The
medical benefits
of fasting
include lowering
blood pressure,
blood sugar,
cholesterol and
a small
reduction
in weight and
psychological
tranquility.
These effects
will last if the
lessons learned
during Ramadan
are carried
after Ramadan is
over.
Fasting is a
special act of
worship which is
only between
humans and God
since no one
else knows for
sure if this
person is
actually
fasting. Thus
God says
in hadith qudsi
that "Fasting is
for Me and I
only will reward
it". In
another hadith,
the Prophet
Mohammad (peace
be upon him) has
said "If one
does not
give up
falsehoods in
words and
actions, God has
no need of him
giving up
food and drink".
courtesy: Ali
Hassan Jarchavi
The article has
been edited for
this website.
Laws and Virtues
Pertaining to
the Month of
Ramadân,
Sadaqatul Fitr
courtesy: aawaze-dost
Rasulullah
sallallahu
alaihi wa alehi
wasallam said:
"On the first
night of
Ramadân, the
Shayateen
(devils) and the
rebellious
jinnat are
imprisoned. All
the doors of
Jahannam (hell)
are closed and
all the doors of
Jannah are
opened. A
caller calls
out, "O seeker
of good, advance
and O seeker of
evil, refrain
(from evil).
Many people are
emancipated from
Jahannam by
Allah Ta'ala and
this takes place
every night." (Tirmizi,
Ibn Majah)
Similarly
Rasulullah
sallallahu
alaihi wa alehi
wasallam has
stated: "The
person that
keeps fast with
conviction and
hope of reward,
all his past
sins are
forgiven and the
person that
makes qiyâm
(remains awake
for ibâdat) on
the Night
of Power (Laylatul
Qadr) with firm
conviction and
hope of reward
will have
all his past
sins forgiven."
(Sahih Bukhari,
Sahih Muslim)
Rasulullah
sallallahu
alaihi wa alehi
wasallam also
mentioned that
Allah
says: "The
reward for good
deeds of the son
of Adam (alaihis
salâm) are
multiplied
between ten and
seven hundred
times besides
fasting, as
fasting is for
Me, and I
will grant its
recompense (in
accordance to My
status). The
fasting person
discards his
passions and
eating for My
sake. The
fasting person
experiences
two occasions of
happiness - one
at the time of
iftâr
(terminating the
fast)
and the second
at the time of
meeting Allah
Ta'ala, and the
smell that
emerges
from the mouth
of a fasting
person is more
precious in the
sight of Allah
than the
fragrance of
musk. Fasting is
a shield. When a
person is
fasting, he
should not utter
any obscene
utterance nor
should he
quarrel. If
anyone does
quarrel or
initiate an
argument then
say: "I am
fasting." (
Sahih Bukhari,
Sahih
Muslim)
Rasulullah
sallallahu
alaihi wasallam
has also
mentioned: "This
is the month
of blessings. In
it lies the
Night of Power (Laylatul
Qadr) which is
more
virtuous than a
thousand months.
Allah has made
it's (the month
of Ramadân's)
fasting fard and
the qiyâm
(standing) of
the night (i.e.
tarâwîh) nafl
(i.e. a
practise of
Rasulullah
sallallahu
alaihi wasallam).
In this month
the reward of a
nafl (optional)
action equals
that of a fard
(obligatory
practise) and
one fard
action equals
seventy fard
actions in
reward. In this
month a
believer's
rizq
(sustenance) is
increased. A
person that
feeds a fasting
person, his sins
will be forgiven
and he will be
freed from
Jahannum and he
will receive the
same reward as
that of the
fasting person.
This reward is
attained by
merely
giving a sip of
milk or water or
one piece of
date. Whoever
fed a fasting
person,
Allah shall
grant the giver
to drink from my
haud (fountain),
a drink after
which that
person shall
never feel
thirsty again
until he enters
jannah." (Mishkât)
Masa'il (Rules)
It is sunnah to
partake of Sehri.
Rasulullah
sallallahu
alaihi wasallam
said:
"Eat sehri, as
in it lies great
blessings." (Sahih
Bukhari) The
difference in
our fasting and
that of the
Ahlul Kitab
(Jews and
Christians) lies
in the
partaking of
food at the time
of sehri. (Sahih
Muslim) This
sunnah may also
be
achieved by
merely eating
one or two
morsels or
having something
to drink. The
sunnah time for
sehri is the
last portion of
the night,
whereas to
hasten with
iftâr is sunnah.
When a person
clearly comes to
know of the
setting of the
sun,
he should
commence with
his iftâr. He
should not
delay. It is
preferable to
break one's fast
with dates,
otherwise with
water as this is
also a
cleanser.
The dua at the
time of iftâr
is:
"O Allah, for
You have I
fasted and upon
Your sustenance
I break my
fast." (Sunan
Abi Dawood)
To make an
intention is a
pre-requisite
for fasting. To
make this
intention
from the night
is preferable.
However, the
fast of Ramadân
will be valid
even if a
person made his
intention before
the passing of
half the day.
Abstaining from
Sin
Whilst fasting,
special
importance
should be given
to abstain from
sin. It is
stated in a
hadith that "the
person who does
not abstain from
evil acts and
speaking lies,
Allah is not in
need of his
fast. (Sahih
Bukhari)
Backbiting,
slandering,
arguments, not
guarding one's
eyes from
looking at
evil, bad
thoughts,
shaving or
trimming of the
beard and
allowing one's
trouser or
garments to
cover the
ankles. One
should abstain
from all these
types of
sins especially
in the month of
Ramadân. If a
person gives due
importance to
refrain from
these sins in
the month of
Ramadân, then it
is hoped that it
will
become easy for
him to refrain
from them
throughout the
year. The
objective of
fasting is to
inculcate the
quality of taqwa
(piety) as Allah
mentions in the
Quran: "So that
you attain
piety." A person
refrains from
eating and
drinking
for the sake of
Allah for a
stipulated time,
but how foolish
will it not be
to refrain
from those
things which are
always harâm
(forbidden).