Basicofislam
sister
Pa
FOREWORD
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah (SWT), the Almighty. We all praise Him, seek
His Help, and ask His Forgiveness. We seek refuge with Him from the
evil of our souls, and from our sinful deeds. He whom Allah (SWT)
guides, no one can misguide him, and whoever Allah (SWT) misguides,
no one can guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of
worship but Allah (SWT), and I bear witness that Muhammad (pbuh) is
truly His servant and Messenger.
This FREE booklet was produced with the humble intention of ‘Sadaqah
Jaariah’ (continuous charity).
Please take part in this noble work by giving feedback on the booklet and
whether or not it benefited you. If you have any suggestions as to how to
improve this booklet or come across any faults/ corrections (grammatical
or other) please e-mail the team at [email protected]
so the necessary steps can be taken to improve the publication.
If you require FREE copies of this booklet, then please e-mail
[email protected] with your full address (please include
name of country) and the required number of booklets will be forwarded to
you, Insh’Allah.
Please let us know if you would like a FREE copy of our other publication
“A SELECTION OF SUPPLICATIONS from Al-Quran and Hadith”.
PLEASE DO NOT DESTROY THIS BOOKLET, rather, please pass onto
others who can benefit from it.
We pray to Allah (SWT) for guidance and help. Surely, He is over all
things Powerful. May Allah (SWT) accept our effort and put it on our
scale of good deeds on the Day of Resurrection to outweigh the evil
deeds. Aameen.
ISLAMIC_KNOWLEDGE TEAM
HOW TO make the most of
Ramadan
in the light of Al-Qur’an and Authentic Hadith
“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed
to you as it was prescribed to those
before you, so that you may learn
self-restraint”(Al-Qur’an 2:183)
FASTING IN RAMADAN
Ramadan (Sawm) is one of the five pillars of Islam and the ninth month of
the Muslim calendar. The meaning of Sawm is to ‘abstain’. In this month,
Allah Subhana Wa Taala (SWT) has made it compulsory that the fasting
be observed by day, and he has made the ‘Taraweeh’ (Ramadan nightly
prayer) a ‘Sunnah’. Fasting is to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and
conjugal relations from dawn till sunset.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “There is a gate in Paradise called Ar-
Raiyan, and those who observe fasting will enter through it on the
Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it”.
(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 120)
During the month of Ramadan, the Prophet (pbuh) used to apportion to
Ramadan a degree of worship that was not set aside to any other month.
The Prophet (pbuh) spent his day in remembrance, recitation, learning and
providing advice and training. His nights were spent in supplication and
humiliation unto Allah (SWT), seeking His help, support, victory and
guidance.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “If someone draws near to Allah during
Ramadan with some good act he will be like one who fulfils an
obligatory duty in another month, and he who fulfils an obligatory
duty in it will be like one who fulfils seventy obligatory duties in
another month”. (Tirmidhi Hadith 1965)
Fasting earns great reward as clearly stated in the above Hadith. When
Allah (SWT) rewards an action as purely His, then the reward is limitless.
The Prophet (pbuh) said that Allah (SWT), the Majestic and the
Exalted, said “All actions a human being does are for himself except
fasting. It is done for My sake, and I will give a reward for it and the
reward of good deeds is multiplied 10 times”. (Sahih Bukhari Volume
3, Book 31, Number 118, & Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2564)
Ramadan is an annual training programme to refresh us for carrying out
our duties towards Allah (SWT). Fasting develops self-control and helps us
to overcome selfishness, greed, laziness and other faults. This month of
patience gives us an opportunity to experience for ourselves what it is like
to have an empty stomach. This develops our feeling for the poor and
hungry people. Fasting teaches us to control the love of comfort.
Page 1
If difficulty is experienced in fasting, one should bear it cheerfully and not
complain. Should we feel fatigued at the time of Taraweeh (Ramadan nightly
prayer), this too should be borne with fortitude.
It should also be borne in mind that fasting does not aim at inflicting
punishment upon people or taking on unbearable burdens. The underlying
idea behind it is to teach moderation and spiritual discipline so that human
temptations may not become so wild and uncontrollable as to flout the
commands of the Great Master. To be a true servant of Allah (SWT), it is
essential that man should be able to conform his behaviour to the moral and
spiritual discipline embodied in the Shari'ah of Islam. Fasting is
indispensable for this moral and spiritual training.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the
gates of mercy are opened and the gates of Hell are locked and the
devils are chained”. (Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2361)
The hadith below gives some very important points regarding Ramadan:
The Prophet (pbuh) said "Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire
and from committing sins. If one is fasting, he should avoid sexual
relation with his wife and quarrelling, and if somebody should fight or
quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.' There are two pleasures
for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and other at
the time when he will meet Allah; then he will be pleased because of
his fasting." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 128)
In this month, the rebellious ‘Shayateen’ (Satans) are chained, so as not to
provoke those evils which they normally do during months other than
Ramadan. A question may arise here that, when the ‘Shayateen’ are
chained, how it is that we still do see evil committed? The reply is that evil
may not necessarily be caused by the rebellious ‘Shayateen’. People have
for eleven months lived in obedience to ‘Shayateen’ whims and wishes, and
so performing evil deeds instigated by them becomes second nature.
Consequently, evil is being done in and out of Ramadan.
Therefore the feelings and lessons we experience should stay with us
throughout the year. In Al-Qur’an, Muslims are commanded to fast so that
they may "become pious". This piety and devotion is especially felt during
Ramadan, but we all must strive to make the feelings and attitude stay with
us during our "normal" lives. That is the true goal and test of Ramadan.
Page 2
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Every servant of Allah who observes fast for a
day in the way of Allah, Allah would remove, because of this day, his
face farther from the Fire of Hell to the extent of seventy years'
distance”. (Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2570)
Fasting is the way to piety and the fear of God. Fasting narrows the food and
blood arteries. They are known to be canals of the devils, hence fasting
reduces their insinuation. It further weakens carnal desires, thoughts and
temptations of disobedience.
Fasting enhances bodily health. It gets rid of contaminated matter, eases the
stomach, purifies the blood, eases the working of the heart, brightens the
spirit, refines the soul and disciplines the character. When an individual fasts,
his soul is humbled and his carnal desires are dispelled. There is a great
reward for fasting, as it shows a Muslim obeying Allah (SWT) and submitting
to His command.
FASTING IN THE MONTH OF SHA'BAN
The Prophet (pbuh) used to fast till one would say he would never stop
fasting, and he would abandon fasting till one would say he would never
fast. I never saw the Prophet fasting for a whole month except the
month of Ramadan, and did not see him fasting in any month more than
in the month of Shaban.(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 190)
The Prophet (pbuh) has told us not to fast one or two days before Ramadan
as we need to keep our physical and spiritual strength to make the most of
this blessed month.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, "None of you should fast a day or two before
the month of Ramadan unless he has habit of fasting (Nawafil) (and if
his fasting coincides with that day) then he can fast that day."
(Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, No.138, Muslim, Book 006, Number 2382)
We should try our best to keep some fasts in Shaban.
The Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have asked one of the Companions
“Did you fast in the middle of Sha'ban?” The Companion replied, “No”.
Thereupon the Prophet (pbuh) said: “If you did not observe fast, then
you should observe fast for two days”.
(Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2607)
Page 3
THE WISDOM BEHIND FASTING
Fasting in Ramadan is not merely physically restraining from the obvious food
and drink, but the total commitment of the servant's body and soul to the letter
and spirit of fasting.
1) The fast of the self, means to be free from all carnal desires.
2) The fast of mind is avoiding thoughts about things other than Allah (SWT).
3) The fast of the hand is not touching/taking what does not belong to it.
4) The fast of the nose means not sniffing or smelling unlawful things.
5) The fast of the feet is not going places where sinful acts are propagated.
6) The fast of the eye is to prevent it from seeing forbidden things.
Allah (SWT) says in Al-Qur’an, “Tell the believing men to lower their
gaze and be mindful of their chastity; this will be most conducive to
their purity. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be
mindful of their chastity, and not display their charms (in public) beyond
what may (decently) be apparent thereof, hence let them draw their
head-covering over their bosoms”. (Al-Qur’an 24:30-31)
7) The fast of the tongue is guarding against lying, backbiting, slandering,
reviling, abusing others, cursing, indecent conversation, swearing and false
evidence. The Prophet (pbuh) said: “A Muslim is he from whose tongue and
hands other Muslims are safe”.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “"Whoever does not give up forged speech
and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink
(i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)"
(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 127)
8) The fast of the ears is not to listen to idle talk, gossip, lyrics and notes that
contain obscene and indecent things. Listening to Al-Qur’an bears the fruit of
faith, guidance, light and prosperity. It fills the heart with wisdom, tranquillity,
intimacy and contentment. It is a source of protection from the dangerous,
deviant and sinful thoughts.
9) The fast of the heart means casting out from it the love of worldly things
and by emptying it of all corrupt material such as, false beliefs, evil
suggestions, filthy intentions and degenerate thoughts.
Page 4
The Prophet (pbuh) said: “There is a piece of flesh in the body if it
becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets
spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart.”
(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 2, Number 49)
The believer’s heart abstains from pride and egotism as these traits breaks its
fast. Egotism is when the individual sees himself as perfect and better than
others. The cure for this self-importance is to look at one’s faults and shortcomings,
thousands of sins and misdeeds that one has committed, wrongs that
one has done and forgotten, but knowledge of which are with Allah (SWT).
Allah (SWT) says in Al-Qur’an, “do they, perchance, envy other people for
what God has granted them out of his bounty?” (Al-Qur’an 4:54)
The heart of the believer fasts and abstains from envy as envy lowers
righteous deeds and stops its progress toward Allah (SWT).
AVOIDANCE OF THINGS THAT CONTRADICT SPIRIT OF FASTING
Allah (SWT) says in Al-Qur’an, “Eat and drink (freely), but do not waste:
verily, He does not love the wasteful!” (Al-Qur’an 7:31)
Some people who fast waste money on meals both at the beginning and the
breaking of the fast in Ramadan. They prepare food enough for a crowd of
people consisting of numerous dishes. Then, at the end of this, they only eat a
little and throw the remainder into the refuse. This is contrary to the great
teachings of Islam.
There are other people who fill the stomach with delicious foods at “Sehri”, so
that one does not feel hungry until “Iftaar”. When opening their fast, they
indulge in excessive eating and drinking. This however, defeats the purpose of
fasting, one of which is to empty the stomach of all contaminated material by
reducing the intake of food.
Many people spend their fasting hours sleeping. As a result it seems as if they
did not fast. The wisdom of fasting is that the one who fasts should experience
pangs of hunger and savour thirst in order to gain the pleasure of Allah (SWT).
There are also people who make no effort to do good by giving charity. They
do not honour their tables by allowing others to break their fast with them.
Page 5 Page 6
WHAT DOES AND DOESN’T BREAK THE FAST
The Prophet (pbuh) said:” Neither vomiting, nor emission, nor cupping
breaks the fast.” (Abu Dawud, Book 13, Number 2370)
There are certain things that break a person’s fast, the most obvious being
those things that are explicitly forbidden during fasting, i.e. eating, drinking,
sexual relations and during menstruation, for females. However, if one eats
something forgetfully, then this fast does not have to be made up:
The Prophet said, "If somebody eats something forgetfully while he is
fasting, then he should complete his fast, for Allah has made him eat and
drink." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 154)
In terms of applying medicine, there is nothing which prevents us from using
such as long as it is not entered through the mouth or nose:
The Prophet (pbuh) said, "I have a complaint in my eyes, so may I apply
collyrium while I am fasting?" He replied, "Yes." (Tirmidhi Hadith 2010)
A certain degree of affection is allowed between spouses as this Hadith shows:
'A'isha reported, “The Prophet (pbuh) used to kiss me while observing
fast and who among you can control his desire as the Prophet (pbuh)
could control his desire.” (Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2438)
However, the Prophet (pbuh) did report the following Hadith:
A man asked the Prophet (pbuh) whether one who was fasting could
embrace (his wife) and he gave him permission; but when another man
came to him, and asked him, he forbade him. The one to whom he gave
permission was an old man and the one whom he forbade was a youth.
(Abu Dawud, Book 13, Number 2381)
WHAT A SICK MAN DOES WHEN FASTING
There are some situations when a person can break their fast.
"If a man succumbs to an illness which makes fasting very difficult for
him and exhausts him and wears him out, he can break his fast.
(Muwatta, Book 18, Number 18.15.41)
FOREWORD
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah (SWT), the Almighty. We all praise Him, seek
His Help, and ask His Forgiveness. We seek refuge with Him from the
evil of our souls, and from our sinful deeds. He whom Allah (SWT)
guides, no one can misguide him, and whoever Allah (SWT) misguides,
no one can guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of
worship but Allah (SWT), and I bear witness that Muhammad (pbuh) is
truly His servant and Messenger.
This FREE booklet was produced with the humble intention of ‘Sadaqah
Jaariah’ (continuous charity).
Please take part in this noble work by giving feedback on the booklet and
whether or not it benefited you. If you have any suggestions as to how to
improve this booklet or come across any faults/ corrections (grammatical
or other) please e-mail the team at [email protected]
so the necessary steps can be taken to improve the publication.
If you require FREE copies of this booklet, then please e-mail
[email protected] with your full address (please include
name of country) and the required number of booklets will be forwarded to
you, Insh’Allah.
Please let us know if you would like a FREE copy of our other publication
“A SELECTION OF SUPPLICATIONS from Al-Quran and Hadith”.
PLEASE DO NOT DESTROY THIS BOOKLET, rather, please pass onto
others who can benefit from it.
We pray to Allah (SWT) for guidance and help. Surely, He is over all
things Powerful. May Allah (SWT) accept our effort and put it on our
scale of good deeds on the Day of Resurrection to outweigh the evil
deeds. Aameen.
ISLAMIC_KNOWLEDGE TEAM
HOW TO make the most of
Ramadan
in the light of Al-Qur’an and Authentic Hadith
“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed
to you as it was prescribed to those
before you, so that you may learn
self-restraint”(Al-Qur’an 2:183)
FASTING IN RAMADAN
Ramadan (Sawm) is one of the five pillars of Islam and the ninth month of
the Muslim calendar. The meaning of Sawm is to ‘abstain’. In this month,
Allah Subhana Wa Taala (SWT) has made it compulsory that the fasting
be observed by day, and he has made the ‘Taraweeh’ (Ramadan nightly
prayer) a ‘Sunnah’. Fasting is to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and
conjugal relations from dawn till sunset.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “There is a gate in Paradise called Ar-
Raiyan, and those who observe fasting will enter through it on the
Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it”.
(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 120)
During the month of Ramadan, the Prophet (pbuh) used to apportion to
Ramadan a degree of worship that was not set aside to any other month.
The Prophet (pbuh) spent his day in remembrance, recitation, learning and
providing advice and training. His nights were spent in supplication and
humiliation unto Allah (SWT), seeking His help, support, victory and
guidance.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “If someone draws near to Allah during
Ramadan with some good act he will be like one who fulfils an
obligatory duty in another month, and he who fulfils an obligatory
duty in it will be like one who fulfils seventy obligatory duties in
another month”. (Tirmidhi Hadith 1965)
Fasting earns great reward as clearly stated in the above Hadith. When
Allah (SWT) rewards an action as purely His, then the reward is limitless.
The Prophet (pbuh) said that Allah (SWT), the Majestic and the
Exalted, said “All actions a human being does are for himself except
fasting. It is done for My sake, and I will give a reward for it and the
reward of good deeds is multiplied 10 times”. (Sahih Bukhari Volume
3, Book 31, Number 118, & Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2564)
Ramadan is an annual training programme to refresh us for carrying out
our duties towards Allah (SWT). Fasting develops self-control and helps us
to overcome selfishness, greed, laziness and other faults. This month of
patience gives us an opportunity to experience for ourselves what it is like
to have an empty stomach. This develops our feeling for the poor and
hungry people. Fasting teaches us to control the love of comfort.
Page 1
If difficulty is experienced in fasting, one should bear it cheerfully and not
complain. Should we feel fatigued at the time of Taraweeh (Ramadan nightly
prayer), this too should be borne with fortitude.
It should also be borne in mind that fasting does not aim at inflicting
punishment upon people or taking on unbearable burdens. The underlying
idea behind it is to teach moderation and spiritual discipline so that human
temptations may not become so wild and uncontrollable as to flout the
commands of the Great Master. To be a true servant of Allah (SWT), it is
essential that man should be able to conform his behaviour to the moral and
spiritual discipline embodied in the Shari'ah of Islam. Fasting is
indispensable for this moral and spiritual training.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the
gates of mercy are opened and the gates of Hell are locked and the
devils are chained”. (Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2361)
The hadith below gives some very important points regarding Ramadan:
The Prophet (pbuh) said "Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire
and from committing sins. If one is fasting, he should avoid sexual
relation with his wife and quarrelling, and if somebody should fight or
quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.' There are two pleasures
for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and other at
the time when he will meet Allah; then he will be pleased because of
his fasting." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 128)
In this month, the rebellious ‘Shayateen’ (Satans) are chained, so as not to
provoke those evils which they normally do during months other than
Ramadan. A question may arise here that, when the ‘Shayateen’ are
chained, how it is that we still do see evil committed? The reply is that evil
may not necessarily be caused by the rebellious ‘Shayateen’. People have
for eleven months lived in obedience to ‘Shayateen’ whims and wishes, and
so performing evil deeds instigated by them becomes second nature.
Consequently, evil is being done in and out of Ramadan.
Therefore the feelings and lessons we experience should stay with us
throughout the year. In Al-Qur’an, Muslims are commanded to fast so that
they may "become pious". This piety and devotion is especially felt during
Ramadan, but we all must strive to make the feelings and attitude stay with
us during our "normal" lives. That is the true goal and test of Ramadan.
Page 2
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Every servant of Allah who observes fast for a
day in the way of Allah, Allah would remove, because of this day, his
face farther from the Fire of Hell to the extent of seventy years'
distance”. (Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2570)
Fasting is the way to piety and the fear of God. Fasting narrows the food and
blood arteries. They are known to be canals of the devils, hence fasting
reduces their insinuation. It further weakens carnal desires, thoughts and
temptations of disobedience.
Fasting enhances bodily health. It gets rid of contaminated matter, eases the
stomach, purifies the blood, eases the working of the heart, brightens the
spirit, refines the soul and disciplines the character. When an individual fasts,
his soul is humbled and his carnal desires are dispelled. There is a great
reward for fasting, as it shows a Muslim obeying Allah (SWT) and submitting
to His command.
FASTING IN THE MONTH OF SHA'BAN
The Prophet (pbuh) used to fast till one would say he would never stop
fasting, and he would abandon fasting till one would say he would never
fast. I never saw the Prophet fasting for a whole month except the
month of Ramadan, and did not see him fasting in any month more than
in the month of Shaban.(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 190)
The Prophet (pbuh) has told us not to fast one or two days before Ramadan
as we need to keep our physical and spiritual strength to make the most of
this blessed month.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, "None of you should fast a day or two before
the month of Ramadan unless he has habit of fasting (Nawafil) (and if
his fasting coincides with that day) then he can fast that day."
(Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, No.138, Muslim, Book 006, Number 2382)
We should try our best to keep some fasts in Shaban.
The Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have asked one of the Companions
“Did you fast in the middle of Sha'ban?” The Companion replied, “No”.
Thereupon the Prophet (pbuh) said: “If you did not observe fast, then
you should observe fast for two days”.
(Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2607)
Page 3
THE WISDOM BEHIND FASTING
Fasting in Ramadan is not merely physically restraining from the obvious food
and drink, but the total commitment of the servant's body and soul to the letter
and spirit of fasting.
1) The fast of the self, means to be free from all carnal desires.
2) The fast of mind is avoiding thoughts about things other than Allah (SWT).
3) The fast of the hand is not touching/taking what does not belong to it.
4) The fast of the nose means not sniffing or smelling unlawful things.
5) The fast of the feet is not going places where sinful acts are propagated.
6) The fast of the eye is to prevent it from seeing forbidden things.
Allah (SWT) says in Al-Qur’an, “Tell the believing men to lower their
gaze and be mindful of their chastity; this will be most conducive to
their purity. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be
mindful of their chastity, and not display their charms (in public) beyond
what may (decently) be apparent thereof, hence let them draw their
head-covering over their bosoms”. (Al-Qur’an 24:30-31)
7) The fast of the tongue is guarding against lying, backbiting, slandering,
reviling, abusing others, cursing, indecent conversation, swearing and false
evidence. The Prophet (pbuh) said: “A Muslim is he from whose tongue and
hands other Muslims are safe”.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “"Whoever does not give up forged speech
and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink
(i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)"
(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 127)
8) The fast of the ears is not to listen to idle talk, gossip, lyrics and notes that
contain obscene and indecent things. Listening to Al-Qur’an bears the fruit of
faith, guidance, light and prosperity. It fills the heart with wisdom, tranquillity,
intimacy and contentment. It is a source of protection from the dangerous,
deviant and sinful thoughts.
9) The fast of the heart means casting out from it the love of worldly things
and by emptying it of all corrupt material such as, false beliefs, evil
suggestions, filthy intentions and degenerate thoughts.
Page 4
The Prophet (pbuh) said: “There is a piece of flesh in the body if it
becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets
spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart.”
(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 2, Number 49)
The believer’s heart abstains from pride and egotism as these traits breaks its
fast. Egotism is when the individual sees himself as perfect and better than
others. The cure for this self-importance is to look at one’s faults and shortcomings,
thousands of sins and misdeeds that one has committed, wrongs that
one has done and forgotten, but knowledge of which are with Allah (SWT).
Allah (SWT) says in Al-Qur’an, “do they, perchance, envy other people for
what God has granted them out of his bounty?” (Al-Qur’an 4:54)
The heart of the believer fasts and abstains from envy as envy lowers
righteous deeds and stops its progress toward Allah (SWT).
AVOIDANCE OF THINGS THAT CONTRADICT SPIRIT OF FASTING
Allah (SWT) says in Al-Qur’an, “Eat and drink (freely), but do not waste:
verily, He does not love the wasteful!” (Al-Qur’an 7:31)
Some people who fast waste money on meals both at the beginning and the
breaking of the fast in Ramadan. They prepare food enough for a crowd of
people consisting of numerous dishes. Then, at the end of this, they only eat a
little and throw the remainder into the refuse. This is contrary to the great
teachings of Islam.
There are other people who fill the stomach with delicious foods at “Sehri”, so
that one does not feel hungry until “Iftaar”. When opening their fast, they
indulge in excessive eating and drinking. This however, defeats the purpose of
fasting, one of which is to empty the stomach of all contaminated material by
reducing the intake of food.
Many people spend their fasting hours sleeping. As a result it seems as if they
did not fast. The wisdom of fasting is that the one who fasts should experience
pangs of hunger and savour thirst in order to gain the pleasure of Allah (SWT).
There are also people who make no effort to do good by giving charity. They
do not honour their tables by allowing others to break their fast with them.
Page 5 Page 6
WHAT DOES AND DOESN’T BREAK THE FAST
The Prophet (pbuh) said:” Neither vomiting, nor emission, nor cupping
breaks the fast.” (Abu Dawud, Book 13, Number 2370)
There are certain things that break a person’s fast, the most obvious being
those things that are explicitly forbidden during fasting, i.e. eating, drinking,
sexual relations and during menstruation, for females. However, if one eats
something forgetfully, then this fast does not have to be made up:
The Prophet said, "If somebody eats something forgetfully while he is
fasting, then he should complete his fast, for Allah has made him eat and
drink." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 154)
In terms of applying medicine, there is nothing which prevents us from using
such as long as it is not entered through the mouth or nose:
The Prophet (pbuh) said, "I have a complaint in my eyes, so may I apply
collyrium while I am fasting?" He replied, "Yes." (Tirmidhi Hadith 2010)
A certain degree of affection is allowed between spouses as this Hadith shows:
'A'isha reported, “The Prophet (pbuh) used to kiss me while observing
fast and who among you can control his desire as the Prophet (pbuh)
could control his desire.” (Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2438)
However, the Prophet (pbuh) did report the following Hadith:
A man asked the Prophet (pbuh) whether one who was fasting could
embrace (his wife) and he gave him permission; but when another man
came to him, and asked him, he forbade him. The one to whom he gave
permission was an old man and the one whom he forbade was a youth.
(Abu Dawud, Book 13, Number 2381)
WHAT A SICK MAN DOES WHEN FASTING
There are some situations when a person can break their fast.
"If a man succumbs to an illness which makes fasting very difficult for
him and exhausts him and wears him out, he can break his fast.
(Muwatta, Book 18, Number 18.15.41)