154. The Obligation of Fasting:
Fasting is one of the important pillars of Islam. Allah the Exalted says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
“O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become righteous.”
Fasting was made obligatory in the second year after the Hijrah. Fasting the entire month of Ramadan is obligatory upon every sane, adult Muslim, man and woman.
155. Virtues of Ramadan:
Ramadan is the blessed month in which the last book of Allah, the Holy Quran, was revealed, which is a source of guidance and rectitude for humanity until the Day of Judgement. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إذا دخل رمضان فتحت أبواب السماء . و فى رواية . فتحت أبواب الجنة و غلقت أبواب جهنم و سلسلت الشياطين . و فى رواية . فتحت أبواب الرحمة
“When the month of Ramadan begins, the gates of heaven are opened. And in another narration: the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained. And in another narration: the gates of mercy are opened.”
156. Virtue of Fasting:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
من صام رمضان إيمانا و احتسابا غفرله ما تقدم من ذنبه
“Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”
In another narration:
كل عمل ابن آدم يضاعف الحسنة بعشر أمثالها إلى سبع ماءة ضعف قال الله تعالىٰ إلا الصوم فإنه لي و أنا أجزي به يدع شهوته و طعامه من أجلي، للصائم فرحتان : فرحة عند فطره و فرحة عند لقاء ربه و لخلوف فم الصائم أطيب عند الله من ريح المسك و الصيام جنة
“Every good deed of the son of Adam is multiplied, the good deed being multiplied ten times to seven hundred times. Allah the Exalted said: Except fasting, for it is for Me and I will reward it. He leaves his desire and his food for My sake. The fasting person has two joys: a joy when he breaks his fast and a joy when he meets his Lord. The odour from the mouth of the fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the fragrance of musk. And fasting is a shield.”
157. Sighting of the Ramadan Moon:
For fasting in Ramadan, an effort should be made to sight the moon on the 29th of Sha’ban. If the moon is seen, fasting should begin; otherwise, it is necessary to complete thirty days of Sha’ban. Fasting on the doubtful day is strictly prohibited. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
من صام اليوم الذى يشك فيه الناس فقد عصيٰ أبا القاسم
“Whoever fasts on the day of doubt has disobeyed Abu al-Qasim (the Prophet ﷺ).”
For the establishment of the Ramadan moon, the testimony of one reliable monotheistic Muslim is sufficient. The testimony of a disbeliever, a polytheist or a non-Muslim is not acceptable. Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said:
جاء أعرابي إلى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال إني رأيت الهلال يعني هلال رمضان قال : أتشهد أن لا إله إلا الله قال : نعم، قال أتشهد أن محمدا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ؟ قال : نعم، قال يابلال أذن فى الناس أن يصومواغدا
“A Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said that he had seen the Ramadan moon. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him: Do you testify that there is no deity except Allah? He said: Yes. He asked: Do you testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah? He said: Yes. Then he ordered Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) to announce among the people that fasting is tomorrow.”
158. Sighting of the Eid al-Fitr Moon:
For the moon of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, the testimony of two reliable Muslim men, or one man and two women, is necessary. The Sunan Abi Dawud narrates:
عن رجل من أصحاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : اختلف الناس فى آخر يوم من رمضان فقدم أعرابيان فشهداعند النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم بالله لأهلا الهلال أمس عشية فأمر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الناس أن يفطروا . و زاد فى رواية . و أن يغدوا إلى مصلاهم
“A Companion narrates that people differed about the last day of Ramadan. Then two Bedouins came to the Prophet ﷺ and testified in the name of Allah that they had seen the moon the previous evening. After this testimony, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered the people to break the fast. And in one narration there is an addition: that the people should go to their place of prayer in the morning.”
Another narration in Sunan Abi Dawud is related from Abu Malik al-Ashja’i, narrated by Husain bin Harith al-Jadali:
أن أمير مكة خطب ثم قال : عهد إلينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن ننسك للرؤية فإن لم نره و شهد شاهداعدل نسكنا بشهادتهما .
“The Amir of Makkah, while delivering a sermon, said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ made a covenant with us that we would perform sacrifice only upon sighting the moon, and if we do not see the moon and two trustworthy witnesses testify to its sighting, then we shall accept their testimony and perform the sacrifice.”
159. Sighting from a Distance:
Whether sighting from a distant place is valid or not, there is difference among scholars. One opinion is that if sighting is established in the east, then sighting is valid everywhere in the west; but if sighting is established in the west, then it is valid in the east up to approximately five hundred miles (833 km), because according to astronomers the horizon differs over a distance of more than 500 miles.
160. The Demand of Islam’s Simplicity:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إنا أمة أمية لانكتب و لانحسب
“That is, we are a natural nation; we are not obligated to calculate and keep accounts when considering the months and such.”
Imam Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated in his Sahih from Kurayb that Umm al-Fadl bint al-Harith sent him to Mu’awiya (may Allah be pleased with him) in Syria. Kurayb says: I came to Syria, fulfilled Umm al-Fadl’s need, and while I was in Syria the crescent of Ramadan was sighted; I saw the crescent on Friday night. Then I came to Madinah at the end of Ramadan, and Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) asked me about it, mentioned the crescent, and said: When did you see it? I said: On Friday night. He said: Did you see it yourself? I said: Yes, I saw it and the people saw it, and everyone fasted, and Mu’awiya (may Allah be pleased with him), who was one of those in authority (Ulil Amr), also fasted. Upon this, Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: We sighted it on Saturday night, so we will complete thirty days, or we will see it. I said: Will you not be satisfied with Mu’awiya’s sighting and fasting? Abdullah ibn Abbas replied: No, this is how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded us.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded:
صوموالرؤيته و أفطروالرؤيته
“That is, fast upon sighting the crescent and break the fast upon sighting the crescent.”
The above texts, along with the simplicity of Islam and its يسر, require that only the surrounding areas be considered in sighting the crescent.
161. Intention:
For the validity of worship, a valid intention is a condition; therefore, it is necessary to make the intention for an obligatory fast before true dawn. However, for a voluntary fast, it is sufficient if the intention is made before the sun passes its zenith. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
من لم يجمع الصيام قبل الفجر فلاصيام له
“Whoever did not make the intention to fast before dawn, there is no fast for him.”
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
دخل على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ذات يوم فقال هل عندكم شيئ فقلنالاقال فإني اذا صائم
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to me one day and said: Do you have anything to eat? We said: No. He said: Then I am fasting.”
Intention refers to the determination of the heart. There is no proof in a Sahih hadith for uttering the commonly used words of intention verbally.
162. Suhur:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
تسحروافإن فى السحور بركة
“Take suhur, for there is blessing in suhur.”
In another hadith, he ﷺ said:
فصل مابين صيامناو صيام أهل الكتاب أكلة السحر
“The difference between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is eating suhur.”
The sunnah time and manner of suhur is to eat a light meal before the emergence of true dawn.
Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
تسحرنامع النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ثم قام إلى الصلوٰة قلت : كم كان بين الأذان و السحور قال قدر خمسين آية
“The interval between the suhur of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the dawn prayer was about the length of fifty verses.”
163. Iftar:
One should break the fast immediately after the sun sets, without any delay. The Prophet of Allah ﷺ said:
لايزال الناس بخير ماعجلوا الفطر
“As long as people hasten to break the fast, they will remain in good.”
In a Hadith Qudsi it is said:
أحب عبادي إلى أعجلهم فطرا .
“Among My servants, the most beloved to Me is the one who hastens to break the fast.”
That is, he breaks the fast as soon as the sun sets. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would break his fast with fresh dates as soon as the sun set, before the Maghrib prayer; if he did not find fresh dates, he would break it with dry dates, and if he did not find dry dates, he would take a few sips of water. Salman ibn Amir says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said regarding breaking the fast:
إذا أفطر أحدكم فليفطر على تمر فإنه بركة فإن لم يجد فليفطر على ماء فإنه طهور
“When anyone wishes to break his fast, let him break it with dates, for they are a source of goodness and blessing; if he does not find dates, let him break it with water, for it is pure and purifying.”
164. The Supplication for Iftar:
At the time of iftar, this supplication should be recited:
ذهب الظمأ و ابتلت العروق و ثبت الأجر إن شاء الله
“The thirst has gone, the veins have been moistened, and the reward has been established, if Allah wills.”
165. The Reward for Giving Iftar:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
من فطر صائماكان له مثل أجره غير أنه لاينقص من اجر الصائم شيئا
“Whoever gives iftar to a fasting person will have a reward equal to his, without any decrease in the reward of the fasting person.”
166. Things that break the fast:
➊ Deliberately eating or drinking, whether a little or a lot.
➋ Deliberately having sexual intercourse.
➌ Deliberately vomiting, whether a little or a lot.
➍ Smoking the hookah, bidi, or cigarettes.
➎ Chewing betel leaf (paan).
➏ Drawing water or medicine into the nose with force, to the extent that it goes down into the throat.
➐ Eating, drinking, or having intercourse under the belief that the sun has set, when in fact the sun had not set.
➑ Eating, drinking, or having intercourse under the belief that dawn has not yet broken, when in fact dawn had already broken.
➒ Delivering food or medicine through a tube into a wound other than the mouth.
➓ Enema (ENEMA): introducing medicine into the stomach through the anus for the purpose of cleansing the bowels.
In all these cases, the broken fast must be made up. In the case of deliberate sexual intercourse with one’s wife, besides making up the fast, it is also necessary to give expiation (kaffarah). The expiation is to free a Muslim slave woman or slave man. If one is unable to do this or it is not possible, then one must fast sixty consecutive days. And if one does not have the strength for this either, then one must feed sixty needy people.
167. Things that do not break the fast:
1. Using a wet or dry miswak at any part of the day.
2. Applying kohl (surma) and putting medicine in the eye.
3. Applying oil to the head or body.
4. Applying perfume.
5. Placing a wet cloth on the head.
6. Blood-letting (fasd): opening a vein and drawing out blood for a medical need.
7. Cupping (pachna), provided there is no fear of weakness.
8. Getting an injection that does not serve as nourishment or sustenance.
9. Tasting the salt of a cooking pot when needed and immediately spitting it out, and rinsing the mouth.
10. Performing ghusl for janabah after true dawn.
11. A man merely embracing and kissing his wife, provided he can control himself and there is no fear that intercourse will take place.
12. Having a wet dream during the day.
13. Ejaculating semen upon seeing a woman.
14. Vomiting involuntarily, whether a little or a lot.
15. Bathing in a pond or the like, provided that when submerging, no water enters the throat through the nose or mouth.
16. Putting water into the nose without exaggeration; nasal mucus going down internally through the passage of the throat.
17. Rinsing the mouth, provided one does not overdo it.
18. After rinsing the mouth, the wetness of water in the mouth going down with saliva.
19. A fly entering the throat.
20. In the case of istinshaq (putting water into the nose to clean it) without exaggeration, water going down from the nose into the throat without intention or will.
21. Swallowing saliva collected in the mouth, though it is better not to do so.
22. Blood from the gums going down with saliva.
23. Water going down into the throat without intention while rinsing the mouth.
24. Introducing medicine or the like into the dhakar (urinary passage) by means of a syringe.
25. Eating or drinking by forgetting, and having sexual intercourse by forgetting.
(a) من نسي وهوصائم فأكل أو شرب فليتم صومه فإنما أطعمه الله و سقاه
“Whoever fasting eats or drinks forgetfully should complete his fast. It is Allah who has fed and given him drink.”
That is, eating or drinking by forgetfulness does not break the fast, and it does not need to be made up.
(b) من أفطر فى شهر رمضان ناسيافلاقضاء عليه و لاكفارة
“Whoever breaks his fast in the month of Ramadan out of forgetfulness, there is neither making up nor expiation upon him.”
However, if one remembers during forgetful intercourse or eating, one should immediately stop.
26. Dust, smoke, or flour flying and going down into the throat.
27. Applying oil to the moustache.
28. Putting oil or water into the ear, and inserting a needle.
29. A piece of meat or food stuck between the teeth which is not felt and dissolves and goes down into the throat.
168. Legal concessions:
If a person is traveling or is ill, Shariah permits him not to fast in Ramadan but to make it up later. Allah says:
فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَّرِيْضًا اَوْ عَلٰي سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ اَيَّامٍ اُخَرَ
“Whoever among you is ill or on a journey, then he should complete the fasts on other days, in place of the fasts of Ramadan.”
Also, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إن الله عزوجل وضع عن المسافر شطر الصلوٰة و الصوم
“Allah, the Exalted, has remitted half of the prayer for the traveler, and has permitted him to leave the fast in Ramadan and make it up on other days.”
For those who have become extremely weak due to old age, and who do not have the ability to fast due to weakness, or for whom fasting causes such weakness that rising and sitting becomes difficult, Shariah permits them not to fast and to feed one needy person for each fast. The Quran says:
وَعَلَي الَّذِيْنَ يُطِيْقُوْنَهٗ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِيْنٍ
Regarding this verse, Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said:
هي للشيخ الكبير و المرأة الكبيرة لايستطيعان أن يصومافليطعمامكان كل يوم مسكينا
That is, “This verse is for the old man and the old woman who do not have the strength to fast; they should feed one needy person for each day.”
169. Making up the fasts of the deceased:
If a traveler or a sick person in Ramadan becomes able, after Ramadan, to make up the missed fasts but does not make them up, and then dies due to illness, then making up the missed fasts of that deceased person is obligatory upon his guardian (wali). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
من مات و عليه صيام صام عنه وليه
However, a traveler or sick person who did not get the opportunity to make up the fasts after Ramadan and then passed away, the guardian is not obligated to make them up.
