The Obligation
Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is an act of obedience
and submission to Allah's commands through the highest degree of
commitment, sincerity andfaithfulness to seek Allah's mercy, to atone
for sins, errors, and mistakes and to avoid condemnation to Hell.
It is done out of deep love for God, with a genuine virtue of
devotion, honest dedication and closeness to Allah, for Fasting is for
Allah and Him alone.
The fasting during Ramadan is obligatory on every adult, sane, and ableMuslim.
Denial of the obligatory nature of fasting in the month of Ramadan
amounts to disbelief.
One who avoids fasting without genuine reasons isa sinner and
transgressor according to Islamic Shariah (Law).
Time: When to fast
Fasting in Islam involves abstinence from three primal physical needs
of human beings- food, drink,and sexual intercourse from dawn
(approximatelyone and a half hours before sunrise) to sunset during
the entire month ofRamadan.
Who is exempted from fasting
1. Children under the age ofpuberty and discretion;
2. The insane people who are unaccountable for their deeds. People of
these two categories are exempted from the duty of fasting and no
compensation or any other substitute is enjoined on them;
3. Men and women who are too old and feeble to undertake the
obligationof fasting and bear its hardships. Such people are exempted
from this duty, but they must offerat least one needy poor Muslim an
average full meal or its value per person day.
4. Sick people whose healthis likely to be severely affected by
fasting. They may postpone the fast, as long as they are sick, to a
later date and makeup for it, a day for aday;
5. People expecting hardship. Such people may break the fast
temporarily during their travel only and make up for it in later days,
a day for a day. But it is better for them, the Quran says,to keep the
fast if they can without causing extraordinary hardships;
6. Expectant women and women nursing their children may also break the
fast, if its observance is likely to endanger their own health or that
of their infants. But they must make up for the fast at a delayed
time, a day for a day;
7. Women in periods of menstruation (of a maximum of ten days). They
must postpone the fast till recovery and then make up for it, a day
for day.
The How To's of Fasting
Niyyah or Intention of Fast
To observe the fast, the intention of fasting is essential ( waajib ).
The intention should be made daily, preferably before dawn of each day
of fasting (in Ramadan).
Provision is made if someone has forgotten to express his intention
before dawn. In such a case one is allowed to express intention of
fasting before noon to avoid the invalidation of the fast.
The wording of Niyyah may be as follows:
"I intend to observe fast for today."
Suhoor
Suhoor is a light, predawn meal, recommended before actually fasting.
It isa blessing and hence recommended but not essential.
Any consumption of food or drink should cease at least five to ten
minutes before the onset of dawn.
Iftar
Iftar is an Arabic term meaning breaking the fast immediately after
the sunset. Iftar is a light snackconsisting of dates or desserts,
along with liquids, such as water, juiceor milk.
This is eaten after making the following Duaa (supplication) for
breaking the fast:
"Oh Allah! I fasted for your sake and I am breaking myfast from the
sustenance You blessed me with, accept it from me."
What breaks the fast
1. Intentional consumption of food, drink, medicine, or smoking during
the fasting.
2. Any injection which has some nutritional value.
3. Beginning of menstruation or post natal birth bleeding (even in the
last momentof sunset).
The conditions mentioned above invalidate fasting and require " Qada "
(making up only the missed day or days). However, intentional
intercourse during the hours of fasting invalidatesfasting and not
only requires "Qada" but also additional penalty ( Kaffara -see the
explanation of this below).
What does not break the fast
1. Eating or drinking by mistake, unmindful of the fast.
2. Unintentional vomiting.
3. Swallowing things whichare not possible to avoid,such as one's own
saliva, street dust, smoke, etc.
4. Brushing the teeth.
5. Bathing: if water is swallowed unintentionally, it does not
invalidate the fast. However, while fasting gargling should be
avoided.
6. Injection or I/V (Intravenous) which is solely medicinal and not nutritional.
7. In some special circumstances if the foodor drink is just tasted
and immediately removed out of the mouth without allowing it to enter
into the throat.
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