How can he maintain his fast in the face of these sins?

1]
How can I maintain my fast in the face of these sins?.
Praise be to Allaah.
You have done very well to ask this question; it indicates that you
are keen to make sure that your acts of worship do not go to waste or
be reduced because of these widespread sins.
We should all remember that the real meaning of fasting is not only
giving up food and drink, rather Allaah, may He be exalted,has
enjoined fasting in order that we may attain piety (taqwa). Hence real
fasting means refraining from sin by refraining from it and giving it
up; this is the fasting of the heart, not just the fasting of the
body. The Sunnah points to what we have said, and it has been
discussed and explained by the scholars.
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Whoever does not give up false speech and actingupon it,
Allaah has no need of his giving up his food and drink." Narrated by
al-Bukhaari (1804). And it was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaahbe pleased with him) said:The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "It may be that all a fasting
person gets from his fast is hunger and thirst, and it may be that all
a person who prays at night gets from his prayeris sleeplessness."
Narratedby Ahmad (8693); classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan (8/257) and
by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb (1/262).
The Sahaabah and the early generations of this ummah were keen for
their fasting to be a purification for their souls as well as their
bodies, free from disobedience and sin.
'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: Fasting
does not mean abstainingfrom food and drink only, rather it is also
abstainingfrom lying, falsehood and idle speech.
Jaabir ibn 'Abd-Allaah al-Ansaari said: When youfast, then let your
hearing,sight and tongue fast from lying and sin and stop abusing
servants. Be tranquil and dignified on the day of your fast, and do
not let the day you do not fast and the day you fast be the same.
It was narrated that Hafsah bint al-Sireen – who was a scholar of the
Taabi'een – said: Fasting isa shield, so long as one does not make
holes in it it, and making holes in it means gheebah (backbiting).
It was narrated from Maymoon ibn Mahraam that the least of fasting is
giving up food and drink.
These reports were quoted by Ibn Hazm in al-Muhalla (4/308).
So it is no wonder if we learn that some scholars regarded the fast as
invalid if a person falls into sin during his fast, even though the
correct view is that this does not invalidate the fast, but
undoubtedly it detracts from it and goes against the real meaning of
fasting.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Backbiting damages the fast. It was narrated from 'Aa'ishah, and
al-Awzaa'i also said this, that backbiting breaks the fast of the
fasting person and he has to make up that day. Ibn Hazm went further
and said: It is invalidated by every sin that a person commits
deliberately, when he is aware that he is fasting, whether it is an
action or a word, because of the general meaning of the words "he
should not utter obscene speech or behave in an ignorant manner" and
because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Whoeverdoes not give up false speech and acting upon it,Allaah has no
need of his giving up his food and drink." End quote.
Fath al-Baari (4/104).
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
As for the thing from one which must abstain when fasting, perhaps you
will be surprised if I tell you that the thing from one which must
abstain when fasting is sin. A person must abstain from sin when
fasting because thisis the primary aim of fasting, because Allaah, may
He be blessed and exalted, says (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 (the pious)"
[al-Baqarah 2:183].
It is not so that you may become hungry, or so thatyou may become
thirsty, or so that you may refrainfrom relations with your wife! No;
He says "that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)."This is the
primary aim of fasting.

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Uttering the intention to fast out loud is an innovation (bid’ah)

In India we make the niyah of Saum as "ALLAH HUMMA ASOOMO JADAN LAKA
FAGFIRLEE MA KADDAMTU WA MA AKHARTU", I am not sure of the meaning,
but is it the right niyah?if yes please explain the meaning or please
give me the right niyah provedby Qu`ran and Hadith.
Praise be to Allaah.
The Ramadaan fast and other acts of worship are not valid unless
accompanied by the proper intention, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Actions are but by intentions,
and everyone shall have but that which he intended…"(Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 1; Muslim, 1907)
The intention is subject tothe condition that it be made at night,
before the dawn comes, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoeverdoes not intend to fast before dawn,
there is no fast for him." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 730. According to
a version narrated by al-Nasaa'i (2334): "Whoever does not intend to
fast from the night before, there is no fast for him." Classed as
hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 573. What is meant is that
whoever does not intend to fast and resolve to do so from the night
before, his fast is not valid.
The intention (niyyah) is an action of the heart. TheMuslim should
resolve in his heart that he is going to fast tomorrow. It is
notprescribed for him to utter it out loud and say, "I intend to fast"
or "I will fast tomorrow" or other phrases that have been innovated by
some people. The correct intention is when a person resolves in his
heart that he is going to fast tomorrow.
Hence Shaykh al-Islam IbnTaymiyah said in al-Ikhtiyaaraat (p. 191):
If it crosses a person's mind that he is going to fast tomorrow, then
he has made the intention.
The Standing Committee was asked:
How should a person intend to fast Ramadaan?
They replied:
The intention is done by resolving to fast. It is essential that the
intention to fast Ramadaan be made everynight.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 10/246
And Allaah knows best.

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The Intensity of its Fire

Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) narrated: "When Allah's Messenger
(salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, 'Your ordinary fire is one of the 70
potions of the Hellfire,' someone commented, 'O Messenger of Allah,
wouldit (ordinary fire) not be sufficient (to burn the wrongdoers)?'
At that, Allah's Messenger (SAW) said, 'The Hellfire has 69 more
portions than ordinary (worldly) fire, and all of them are as hot as
this (worldly fire).'"
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
"Verily, Allah has cursed the disbelievers and prepared for them a
Blazing Fire. Dwelling therein forever, and they will find no
protector or helper."
[al-Ahzab, 33: 64-65]
"But he who is given his record behind his back will soon cry for
destruction, and he will enter a blazing Fire."
[al Inshiqaq, 84: 10-12]
"No, they deny the Hour (of the judgment to come), but We have
prepared a blazing fire forsuch as deny the Hour. When it sees them
from a far off place, they will hear its fury and its ragingsigh. And
when they are cast, bound, in chains, intoconstricted place therein,
they will plead therein fordestruction. Do not plead today for a
single destruction; plead for destruction oft-repeated."
[al-Furqan, 25: 11-14]
"The companions of the left hand - what are the companions of the left
hand? (They will be) in the midst of a fierce blast (of fire) and in
boiling water."
[al Waqi'ah, 56: 41-42]
"But, he whose scales are light his home will be a pit. And what will
make you understand what thatis? (It is ) a fire, blazing fiercely."
[al Qari'ah, 101: 8-11]
"Soon will I cast him into Saqar (the Hellfire). And what will explain
to you what Saqar is? It permits nothing to endure, and it leaves
nothing alone, darkening and changing the color of man."
[al Muddaththir, 74: 26-29]
"Their abode will be Hell. Every time it abates. We will increase for
them the blaze (the fierceness) of the fire."
[al Isra, 17: 97]
"Those are the ones, who have exchanged the Hereafter for the gains of
this worldly life. The punishment will not be lightened for them, and
they will not be aided."
[al Baqarah, 2: 86]
"So taste, (the result of your deeds), for We will not increase you
except inpunishment."
[an Naba, 78: 30]
Anas (radiAllahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu
alayhi wasalam) said: "The most favored man among the dwellers of the
Earth will be brought from among the people of the Fire on the Day of
Resurrection. He will be dyed in the Firebut once, and then it will be
said to him, 'O son of Adam, have you ever seengood at all? Has any
pleasure ever come to you?' He will say, 'No, by Allah, O Lord.' Then
the most miserable people in the world will be brought from the people
of Paradise and will be dyed with the dye of Paradise. It will be said
to him, 'O son of Adam, have you ever seen any misery, andhas any
hardship ever come to you? ' He will say,'No, by Allah, O my Lord. No
misery ever came to me, nor did I see any hardship.'"
[Muslim]

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The Triple Filter test

During the golden Abbasid period, one of thescholars in Baghdad, the
capital of Muslim caliphate at that time, was reputed to hold
knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great
scholar and said,"Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute," the scholar replied. "Before telling me anything
I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter
Test."
"Triple filter?"
"That's right," the scholar continued. "Before you talk to me about my
friend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're
going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first
filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about
to tell me istrue?"
"No," the man said,"actually I just heard about it and..."
"All right," said the scholar. "So you don't really know if it's true
or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is
what you areabout to tell me about myfriend something good?""No, on
the contrary......"
"So," the scholar continued, "you want to tell me something bad about
him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test
though, because there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is
what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really."
"Well," concluded the scholar, "if what you wantto tell me is neither
true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"
"O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may
be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women
laugh at others: Itmay be that the (latter are better than the
(former): Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each
other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting
wickedness, (tobe used of one) after he has believed: And those who do
not desist are (indeed) doing wrong." [Surah al-Hujurat 49.012]

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