muslims fast? I know thatI should know this answer, but I do not know
what to say exactly.What should I give as an answer?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We Muslims fast the month of Ramadaan because Allaah has commanded us
to do so. Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
" O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for
you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become
Al-Muttaqoon (pious)"
[al-Baqarah 2:183]
So we worship Allaah by doing this act of worship which is beloved to
Allaahand which He has enjoined upon us.
The believers hasten to obey the commands of Allaah and His Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), in obedience to His words
(interpretation of the meaning):
"The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to
Allaah (His Words, the Qur'aan) and His Messenger, to judge between
them, is that they say: 'We hear and we obey.' And such are the
successful (who will live forever in Paradise)"
[al-Noor 24:51]
"It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and His Messenger
have decreed a matter that they should have anyoption in their
decision. And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, he has indeed
strayed into a plain error"
[al-Ahzaab 33:36]
Secondly:
It is by His wisdom that Allaah has prescribed a variety of acts of
worship, so as to test people with regard to how they will obey all
these commands.Will they only choose to do that which suits them, or
will they do that whichpleases Allaah? If we think about the five acts
of worship: testimony of faith, prayer, zakaah, fasting and
pilgrimage, we will see that some of them are purely physical, some
are purely financial, some are both, so that themiser will become
distinctfrom the generous. For some people it may be easy for them to
pray onethousand rak'ahs but not to give a single dirham; for others
it may be easy to give a thousand dirhams but not to pray a single
rak'ahs. So Islam came to prescribe a variety of acts of worship so as
to determine who will follow in obedience to the command of Allaahand
who will follow only that which suits him.
Prayer, for example, is a purely physical action, butits prerequisites
require some expenditure, such asthe water for wudoo', andclothes to
cover the 'awrah. These are not partof the prayer but they are its
prerequisites.
Zakaah is purely financial, but physical actions are required to
fulfil this duty such as calculating one's wealth and transferring the
zakaah to the poor and needy. These are not part of zakaah but they
are its prerequisites.
Hajj involves spending wealth and physical action, except for the
people of Makkah who may not need money, butthe yare very few compared
with those wholive in Makkah.
Jihad for the sake of Allaah may require both money and physical
effort. A person may spend money for the sakeof Allaah and not fight,
or he may go and fight but not spend money.
Commands are of two types: commands to refrain from things that man is
inclined towards, and commands to spend that are precious.
Refraining from things that are loved includes fasting, and
expenditure of things that are loved includes zakaah. Wealth
issomething that is loved and no one spends the wealth that he loves
except for something thatis loved even more.
The same applies to refraining from things that are loved, for a
person may like to spend a thousand dirhams, but not fast a single
day, or vice versa.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, al-Sharh al-Mumti', 6/190.
Thirdly:
There is another great reason why fasting is prescribed, which has
been discussed in part in the answer to question no. 26862 .
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen was asked about the reason why fasting was enjoined?
He replied:
If we read the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning):
" O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for
you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become
Al-Muttaqoon (pious)"
[al-Baqarah 2:183]
we will know the reason why fasting was prescribed, which is taqwa
(piety) and submission to Allaah. Taqwa means giving up haraam things,
and in general terms includes both doing what is commanded and
abstaining from what is forbidden. The Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever does not give up false speech and
actingupon it and offensive speech and behaviour, Allaah has no need
of his giving up his food and drink." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6057.
See also questions no. 37658 and 37989 .
Based on this, it is important for the one who is fasting to carry
outreligious duties and avoid haraam things in word and deed.
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