8a] For whom is fasting Ramadaan obligatory?

8a]
As Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) interpreted it, it
refers to the old man and old woman who are not able to fast, so they
should feed one poor person for each day.
The fourth condition:
He should be settled (not travelling). If he is travelling then it is
not obligatory for him to fast, because Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"and whoever is ill or on ajourney, the same number[of days which one
did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be made up] from other days"
[al-Baqarah 2:185]
The scholars are agreed that it is permissible for a traveller not to fast.
It is better for the traveller to do that which is easier. If fasting
is likelyto be harmful then it becomes haraam to fast, because Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allaah is
Most Merciful to you"
[al-Nisa' 4:29]
This indicates that whatever is harmful to a person is forbidden to
him. See also question no. 20165 .
If you ask, what is the degree of harm which makes fasting haraam?
The answer is:
Harm may be physical, or someone advises him thatfasting may harm him.
With regard to physical harm, that means that thesick person feels
that fasting is harming him and causing him pain, andwill delay his
recovery and so on.
With regard to being advised, this means that aknowledgeable and
trustworthy doctor tells him that it will harm him.
The fifth condition:
There should be no impediments. This appliesspecifically to women.
Women who are menstruating or bleeding following childbirth should not
fast, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Is it not the case that when she gets her period, she does not
pray or fast?"
So she should not fast andher fast is not valid in this case,
according to scholarly consensus. And she has to make up the days
missed, also according to scholarly consensus.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti', 6/330.
And Allaah knows best.

8] For whom is fasting Ramadaan obligatory?

8]
For whom is fasting Ramadaan obligatory?
Praise be to Allaah.
Fasting is obligatory for a person if he fulfils five conditions:
1- He is a Muslim
2- He is accountable (mukallaf)
3- He is able to fast
4- He is settled (not travelling)
5- There are no impediments to fasting
If these five conditions aremet, then it is obligatory for a person to fast.
Kaafirs are excluded from the first condition. The kaafir is not
obliged to fast and his fast is not valid. If he becomes Muslim he is
not obliged to make up fasts from before.
The evidence for that is the verse in which Allaah says
(interpretation of themeaning):
"And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from
themexcept that they disbelieved in Allaah and in His Messenger
(Muhammad) and that they came not to As-Salaah (the prayer) except in
a lazy state, and that they offer not contributions but unwillingly"
[al-Tawbah 9:54]
If the contribution is not acceptable even though itbenefits others,
because of their kufr, then other acts of worship may be even more
unacceptable.
He does not have to makeup fasts if he becomes Muslim because Allaah
says (interpretation of themeaning):
"Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief),
their past will be forgiven"
[al-Anfaal 8:38]
And it was proven in mutawaatir reports that the Messenger (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not tell those who became Muslim
to make up the obligatory duties that they had missed.
Will the kaafir be punished in the Hereafter for not fasting if he did
not become Muslim?
The answer is:
Yes, he will be punished for not fasting, and for not doing any other
obligatory duties, becauseif the Muslim who obeyedAllaah and adhered
to His laws will be punished for that, then it is more apt that he
(the kaafir) shouldbe punished. If the kaafir is to be punished for
the blessings of Allaah that heenjoyed, such as food, drink and
clothing, then itis more appropriate that he will be punished for
doing haraam actions andnot doing obligatory duties. This is by way of
analogy.
With regard to the texts, Allaah says that those on the Right (i.e.,
the believers) will say to the disbelievers:
" 'What has caused you toenter Hell?'
They will say: 'We were not of those who used to offer the Salaah (prayers),
Nor used we to feed Al-Miskeen (the poor);
And we used to talk falsehood (all that which Allaah hated) with vain talkers.
And we used to belie the Day of Recompense'"
[al-Muddaththir 74:42]
These four things are what will cause them to enter Hell.
"We were not of those who used to offer the Salaah (prayers)" means
they did not pray; "Nor used we to feed Al-Miskeen (the poor)" means
they did not pay zakaah; "And we used to talk falsehood (all that
which Allaah hated) with vain talkers" means things like mocking the
verses of Allaah; "And we used to belie the Day of Recompense."
The second condition:
He should be accountable (mukallaf). The one who ismukallaf is one who
is hasreached the age of puberty and is of sound mind, because a minor
or one who is insane is not accountable. Puberty is reached when one
of the three signs is noticed – see question no. 20475 .
The one who is of sound mind is the opposite of one is insane, which
is one who has lost his mind, whether he is insane or feeble-minded.
Everyone who has lost hismind, in whatever sense, is not accountable
and he is not obliged to do any ofthe obligatory duties of Islam, be
it prayer, fastingor feeding the poor; he does not have to do anything
at all.
The third condition:
Being able to fast. The one who is unable to fast does not have to
fast, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"and whoever is ill or on ajourney, the same number[of days which one
did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be made up] from other days"
[al-Baqarah 2:185]
But being unable to fast falls into two categories: temporary
inability and permanent inability.
Temporary inability is that which is mentioned in the verse quoted
above, such as one who issick but hopes to recover, and the traveller.
These people are allowed not tofast, then they have to make up what
they missed.
Those who are permanently unable to fast, such as one who is sick and
has no hope of recovery, or those who are elderly and are unableto
fast, are mentioned in the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
"And as for those who canfast with difficulty, (e.g. anold man), they
have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor person) (for
every day)"
[al-Baqarah 2:184]
As Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) interpreted it, it
refers to the old man and old woman who are not able to fast,:->

1b] The Muslim in Ramadaan

1b]
(i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him
a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).
Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by
Allaah's Permission with all Decrees,
(All that night), there is peace (and goodness fromAllaah to His
believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn"
[al-Qadar 97:1-5]
So worship on this night is better than worshipping for a thousand months.
2 - In this month was revealed the best of Books to the best of the
Prophets (peace be upon them). Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed theQur'aan, a guidance for
mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between
right and wrong)"
[al-Baqarah 2:185]
"We sent it (this Qur'aan) down on a blessed night [(i.e. the Night of
Al-Qadr) in the month of Ramadan -- the 9th month of the Islamic
calendar]. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will
reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our
Oneness of worship].
Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments.
As a Command (or this Qur'aan or the Decree of every matter) from Us.
Verily, We are ever sending (the Messengers)"
[al-Dukhaan 44:3-5]
It was narrated by Ahmadand by al-Tabaraani in al-Mu'jam al-Kabeer
that Waathilah ibn al-Asqa' (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"The Scriptures of Ibraaheem were sent down on the first of the month
of Ramadaan. The Tawraat was sent down on the sixth of Ramadaan.The
Injeel was sent down on the thirteenth of Ramadaan. The Zaboor was
sent down on the eighteenth of Ramadaan, and the Qur'aan was sent down
on the twenty-fourth of Ramadaan.
Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1575.
2 - In this month the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of
Hell are shut, and the devils are chained up.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "When Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and
the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are put in chains."
(Agreed upon).
Al-Nasaa'i narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When Ramadaan
comes, the gates of mercy are opened and the gates of Hell are shut,
and the devils are put in chains."
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami', 471.
Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah and Ibn Khuzaymah narrated in one report:
"When the first night of the month of Ramadaan comes, the devils and
rebellious jinn are chainedup and the gates of Hell are closed, and
not one gate of it is opened. The gates of Paradise are opened and not
one gate of it is closed. And a caller cries out: 'O seeker of good,
proceed; O seeker of evil, desist. And Allaah has those whom He
redeems from the Fire, and that happens every night."
Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami', 759.
If it is asked, how come we see many evil actions and sins committed
in Ramadaan, for if the devils are chained up that would not happen?
The answer is that evil actions become less for those who observe the
conditions and etiquette of fasting;
or that the ones who are chained up are some of the devils - namely
the rebellious ones - not all ofthem;
or that what is meant is that evil is reduced in Ramadaan, which is a
proven fact. If evil happens at this time, it is still less than at
other times. Even if all of them (the devils) are chained up, that
does not necessarily mean that no evil or sin will happen, because
there are other causes of that besides the devils, such as evil souls,
bad habits and the devils among mankind. Al-Fath, 4/145
4 - There are many kinds of worship in Ramadaan, some of which are not
done at other times, such as fasting, praying qiyaam, feeding the
poor, i'tikaaf, sadaqah, and reading Qur'aan.
I ask Allaah, the Exalted, the Almighty, to help us all to do that and
to help us to fast and pray qiyaam, and to do acts of worship and to
avoid doing evil. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds.

1a] The Muslim in Ramadaan

1a]
remembering Allaah (dhikr), paying attention to the rights of
neighbours, relatives and the Muslims, spreading the greeting of
salaam, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, urging one
another to follow the truth and bepatient and steadfast in doing so,
being patient in avoiding evil actions and in doing good deeds, and
accepting the decree of Allaah with patience.
Then we should take stock of ourselves and oursins and our following
whims and desires. We should stop ourselves from persisting in that,
whether the sin is great or small, whether it is a sin of the eye, by
looking at that which Allaah has forbidden; or by listening to music;
or by walking tothings of which Allaah does not approve; or by using
one's hands to srike in a manner with which Allaah is not pleased; or
by consuming things that Allaah has forbidden such as riba (usury) and
bribes, or any other means of consuming people's wealth unlawfully.
We should never forget that Allaah stretches forthHis hand during the
day to accept the repentance of those who sinned at night, and He
stretches forth His hand at night to accept the repentance of those
who sinned during the day. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your
Lord, and for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared
for Al-Muttaqoon (the pious).
Those who spend (in Allaah's Cause) in prosperity and in adversity,
who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allaah loves
Al-Muhsinoon (the good-doers).
And those who, when they have committed Faahishah (illegal sexual
intercourse) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allaah and ask
forgiveness for their sins; -- and none can forgive sins but Allaah --
and do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know.
For such, the reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with
rivers flowing underneath(Paradise), wherein they shall abide forever.
How excellent is this reward for the doers (who do righteous deeds
accordingto Allaah's Orders)"
[Aal 'Imraan 3:133-136]
"Say: "O 'Ibaadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves
(by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of
Allaah, verily,Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving,
Most Merciful"
[al-Zumar 39:53]
"And whoever does evil orwrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allaah's
forgiveness, he will find Allaah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful"
[al-Nisa' 4:110]
By taking stock, repentingand seeking forgiveness, this is how we
should welcome Ramadaan. "Thesmart man is the one whotakes stock of
himself andstrives to do that which will benefit him after death, and
the helpless one is the one who follows his own whims and desires and
engages in wishful thinking, (assuming that Allaah willforgive him
regardless of what he does and that he does not need to strive to good
deeds)."
The month of Ramadaan is the month of great gains and profits. The
smart trader is the one who makes the most of special occasions to
increase his profits. So make the most of this month by doing lots of
acts of worship, praying a great deal, reading Qur'aan, forgiving
people, being kind to others and giving charity to the poor.
In the month of Ramadaan the gates of Paradise are opened and the
gates of Hell are shut. The devils are put in chains and a caller
cries out each night, O seeker of good, proceed, O seekerof evil,
desist.
So, O slaves of Allaah, be among the people of good, following the
path of your righteous forebears who were guided by the Sunnah of your
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so that we may
end Ramadaan with our sins forgiven and our righteous deeds accepted.
We should note that the month of Ramadaan is the best of months.
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
Another of example of that - i.e., of the differentiation between the
things that Allaah has created - is the fact that the month of
Ramadaan is superior to all other months, and the last ten nights are
superior to the other nights."
Zaad al-Ma'aad, 1/56
This month is superior to others in four things:
1 - In it there is the best night of the year, which isLaylat al-Qadr.
Allaah says(interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, We have sent it (this Qur'aan) down in theNight of Al-Qadr (Decree).
And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?
The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e.
worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a
thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).
Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by
Allaah's Permission with all Decrees,:->