Fathwa, - Incipience of menstruation whilefasting

Question:
In the sister's halaqa I go to we had a disagreement on what to do if
a woman starts menstruating while fasting. We agreed the fast was
broken and must be made up, but some said if it happened after 10 am
than you have to still act like you are fasting and not eat anything
until iftar time. Is this true or is it culture?
Answer:
Assalamu alaykum
In the name of Allah the Inspirer or truth.
A woman does not have to act like she is fasting for the rest of the
day if her fast is invalidated by the coming on of menstruation. There
is a light disagreement among the jurists as to whether she has to act
like a fasting person on this day [See Radd al-Muhatar 1:193] but no
mention or distinction made on the basis of the time the menstruation
begins.
However, she does act as a fasting person for the rest of the day
until iftar on the day her menstruation ends (al-Durr al-Mukhtar
2:106)
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam

Fathwa, - Is it immodest to tell my brothers that I am not fasting b/c of my period

Question:
Is it permissible for a woman to allow her mahrams to notice that she
is not fasting due to her period (during Ramadan)? Some cultures view
it as "immodest"? However, practically speaking, it becomes a burden
trying to eat while not being noticed by the guys in your house. What
is the Islamic perspective on this?
Answer:
In the name of Allah Most Merciful Most Compassionate
I pray you are well and in the best of health and iman.
It is permissible for a woman's mahrams to know she is menstruating.
Modest or not would go back to the norms of your household and
culture. From the etiquette of Islam it might be better to take your
food to your room and eat while your brothers are fasting especially
if your eating would cause them fitna or you could ask them to leave
the kitchen because you don't want to eat in front of them.
And Allah alone gives success.

The Day of ‘Arafah

The blessed ten days ofThul-Hijjahare honored and distinguished with
the Day of'Arafah. Indeed the Day of'Arafahis one of the greatest days
in the sight of Allaah The Exalted, a day when Allaah The Almighty
forgives sins and wrongdoings, fulfills supplications and boasts of
His slaves to the inhabitants of Heaven.
Additionally, the blessed Day of'Arafahis the day when the religion of
Islam was perfected and when Allaah The Almighty completed His favor
upon Muslims. It was narrated that a Jew once asked 'Umar ibn
Al-Khattaab"'O Commander of the Believers, there is a verse in your
Book, which you )Muslims( read. Had it been revealed to us, the Jews,
we would have taken that day )on which it was revealed( as a day of
celebration.''Umar ibn Al-Khattaab asked him, 'Which verse is that?'
The Jew replied, 'The verse that reads )what means(:}This day I have
perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and
have approved for you Islam as religion.{]Quran 5:3['Umarreplied,
'Indeed, we know when and where this verse was revealed to the
Prophet. It was a Friday when he was standing at 'Arafah]during the
Farewell Hajj[.'"]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
The Day of'Arafahis a source of pride to all Muslims and one of the
'Eedsin Islam. Hence,the Prophet,sallallaahu'alayhi wa sallam,
said:"The Day of 'Arafah, the Day of An-Nahr )the 10th day of
Thul-Hijjah( and the Days of Tashreeq are our feasts, the people of
Islam. They are days of eating and drinking."]At-Tirmithi[
Moreover, the Day of'Arafahis a day when Allaah The Exalted boasts
about His slaves, who are worshipping Him duly ]on that blessed day[
to the angels; a day when Allaah The Almighty forgives their sins and
emancipates them from the fire of Hell. What a great and a blessed day
it is!
TheProphet,, said:"There is no day on which Allaah frees a greater
number of His slaves from Hellfire than the Day of 'Arafah. Allaah
comes close then boasts about them to the angels, then asks ]a
rhetorical question[, 'What do these want?'"]Muslim[
Moreover, it was narrated that theProphet,, said:"Allaah The Exalted
boasts of His slaves standing at 'Arafaat to the inhabitants of Heaven
as He tells them, 'See how My slaves have come to Me dusty and with
tousled hair.'"]Ahmad[
Allaah The Almighty made that day an introduction to the Day
ofAn-Nahr)the 10th day ofThul-Hijjah(. On the Day of'Arafah, pilgrims
stand humbly beseechingAllaahThe Almightyin supplicationto grant them
forgiveness and accept their repentance. Hence, the
obligatoryTawaaf)circumambulation( that pilgrims should perform on the
Day ofAn-Nahris calledTawaaf Az-Ziyaarah; after having their sins
forgiven on theDay of 'Arafah, Allaah The Exalted grants them the
permission to come to His House on the Day ofAn-Nahr. In fact, the Day
of'Arafahcan be likened to a purification process ]from sins[; a
preparation procedure for the Day ofAn-Nahr.
It was narrated that theProphet,, commanded Bilaalto silence the
people on the Day of'Arafah. Then, he said:"Allaah The Exalted has
been so generous with you on the Day of 'Arafah; He forgave the
sinners among you for the sake of the doers of good among you, and He
granted the doers of good what they have asked for, proceed to Mina in
the Name of Allaah."]Ibn Majah, it was authenticated by some scholars[
Therefore, whoever wants his sins to be forgiven and wishes to besaved
from Hellfireon that blessed Day of'Arafah, should firmly adhere to
fulfilling the due reasons that are more likely to incur forgiveness
andemancipation from the fire of Hell,which entails the following:
1- Shielding one's organs from committing all that is forbidden: Ibn
'Abbaassaid,"So-and-so ]one of the Companions[ was the co rider of the
Prophetthe one riding behind himon the Day of 'Arafah. This young man
kept looking at womenrepeatedly andthe Prophetkept moving that man's
head away so as to avert his eyes from these women. Then, the
Prophetsaid to him: 'O nephew, whoever protects his hearing, sight and
tongue against what is prohibited on this day, would certainly be
granted forgiveness."]Ahmad[ Scholars said that its chain of narrators
is weak.
2- Fasting:
The Prophet,, said:"I seek from Allaah The Almighty that fasting the
Day of 'Arafah would expiate the sins of two years; the previous year
and the year to come."]Muslim[
Actually, fasting the Day of 'Arafahis only for Muslims who are not
performingHajjas thepilgrims should not fast that day imitatingthe
Prophet,. He drank on the Day of 'Arafahwhile the people were looking
at him. The wisdom behind that is to make thepilgrim strong enough to
recite the due supplications andThikr)remembrance( on the eve of
'Arafah.
Another means of attaining mercy on that blessed day, is reciting more
and more ofThikrand supplications especially those declaring the
Oneness of Allaah The Almighty; as it is the essence of Islam that was
perfected on that particular day.The Prophet,, said:"The best
supplication is that made on the Day of 'Arafah, and the best thing
that I have ever said along with all the previous prophets is 'La
ilaaha illa Allaah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulk wa lahul hamd,
wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadeer)None is worthy of worship but
Allaah, The Exalted Alone, without any partners. All sovereignty and
praise belongs to Him and He is over all things
Omnipotent(.'"]At-Tirmithi[
Moreover, thepilgrims should reciteThikrand supplicate Allaah The
Exalted frequently to grant them forgiveness and free them from Hell.
It is the situation wherein one's supplications are more likely to be
answered. Additionally, pilgrims should adhere to the duemannersduring
supplication such as facing theQiblah, raising the handsup to the
shoulder ]with palms open facing up[andshowing helplessness, weakness
and need before Allaah The Almighty. They should follow on the
footsteps of the Prophet,, who, after finishing his prayers on the Day
of'Arafah, stood at the rocks down the mountain of'Arafah, faced
theQiblahandkept supplicating Allaah The Exalteduntil sunset.
Dear pilgrim, beware of sins and wrongdoings that might hinder
forgiveness such as arrogance, vanity and insistence on committing
grave major sins. Furthermore, the pilgrim should come to his Creator
with a humble and submissive heart showing his helplessness and
humility before Him; indeed He is The Best to be asked and The Most
Generous to grant you whatever you request and accept your
supplication.
Dearpilgrim, standing at'Arafahis an augustand dignified stance;
therein the feelings of the pilgrims differ. Some might feel mostly
bashful and afraid ]of Allaah The Exalted[ such as Mutarrif ibn
'Abdullaah ibn Ash-Shikhkheer and Bakr Al-Muzani. When they stood at
'Arafah one of them said, "O Allaah, do not withhold Your mercy and
forgiveness from all thepilgrims because of me."Whereas, the other
said,"What an honored and blessed Day it is, had it not been for me
being here."
Moreover, when Al-Fudhayl ibn 'Iyaadhstood at'Arafahand while
otherpilgrimsinvoking Allaah The Almighty, he was crying like the
bereaved ]of a child[ and could not even supplicate Allaah The
Almighty. It was almost sunset when he raised his sight to the sky and
said,"O Allaah, How ashamed I am of my sins before You, even if You
have forgiven me!"
Others sought refuge in the mercy and generosity of Allaah The
Exalted. Ibn Al-Mubaaraksaid, "I came to Sufyaan Ath-Thawri on the eve
of 'Arafah and he was on his knees crying and weeping. When I asked
him about the worst person in this gathering, he answered, 'He who
doubts that Allaah The Exalted might not forgive his sins today.'"
Moreover, Al-Fudhayl ibn 'Iyaadhlooked at the pilgrims on the eve
of'Arafahcrying and mentioning Allaah The Exalted and wondered, "Do
you think that if these pilgrims asked a man for one sixth of a
Dirham, he would turn them down?"They answered,"No, he would
not."Al-Fudhayl ibn 'Iyaadhsaid to them,"Indeed, it is easier for
Allaah The Exalted to grant them His forgiveness than this man to give
them one sixth of a Dirham."
Dear pilgrim, you should remain in a state between hope and fear on
that great day. You should fear the punishment of Allaah The Almighty
and at the same time hope for His forgiveness and reward.
Furthermore, on the Day of'Arafahamong this great gathering of
pilgrims, you should remember the momentuous Day of Judgment when all
human beings shall stand before Allaah The Almighty. The Day
of'Arafahshould remind you of that difficult Day when you will be held
accountable before Allaah The Exalted. It is a Day that renders the
children gray-haired due to its gravity. On the Day of Judgment, when
people will be gathered barefoot, naked and not circumcised so as to
reap what they had sowed; every soul will be recompensed ]in full for[
for what it had earned and no one shall be wronged.
Dear pilgrim, do more righteous deeds that might save you on that
august Day while you still can and before it is too late.

Sublime Benefits and Objectives of Hajj - II

4- Reinforcing Islamic brotherhood and solidarity:
Hajjis rather like an international annual public and formal
conference. Unlike other acts of worship, it provides a live, direct
and bright reality in terms of useful moral values on the human level.
This is achieved through the meeting of the masses of pilgrims in a
harmonious way that symbolizes and represents Muslims in the different
regions of the world. They get to know each other, unite, exchange
opinions and organize their affairs in spite of the differences in
their colors, homelands, languages, levels and life styles, realizing
the verse in which Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And indeed
this, your religion, is one religion, and I am your Lord, so fear
Me.{]Quran 23:52[
Moreover, this scene reminds the soul of past memories and urges one
to study it and deduce lessons therefrom in order to head towards a
promising future when Muslims achieve for themselves, their countries
and their coming generations more security, dignity, pride, growth and
prosperity.
The season ofHajjis considered an excellent opportunity for the Muslim
masses to achieve greater cooperation and solidarity in order to unify
their ranks in the face of contemporary challenges, regardless of
their different appearances and manners.
5- Getting used to self-restraint and discipline:
Pilgrims practice self-restraint and discipline when they abandon the
adornment of the life of this world and assumeIhraam. They abstain
from shaving hair, cutting nails, using perfumes and such other acts
that are known to be forbidden duringIhraam. All this is performed for
the sake of Allaah The Almighty, in compliance with His orders and
hoping to attain His pleasure and reward and to draw closer to Him.
At-Tabaraani narrated inAl-Kabeerthat the Prophet,, said:"Allaah
boasts about the people of 'Arafaat to the Angels, and Says: 'Look at
My slaves, they have come to Me, shaggy and dusty, they have come from
every deep valley. So, bear witness that I have answered their
supplication, accepted their intercession and granted mercy to the
negligent among them for the sake of the benevolent ones.'"
6-Hajjis a real mirror of human equality and a preview of the
gathering of people on the Day of Judgment:
InHajj, the meanings and manifestations of human equality among the
masses of people appear clearly. They are all in a state ofIhraamand
in one place; they gather at the same time and wait to perform the
same rituals in sequence. All of them are equal, like the teeth of a
comb. There is no difference between the rich and the poor, the old
and the young. They are all wearing similar simple white pieces of
cloth, which symbolize the oneness of human creation, and that Islam
holds all races and peoples as equal, for they are the same in the
sight of Allaah The Almighty. In addition, through these scenes,
images that stand for the Last Day are evoked in the human soul – the
day when people are gathered to the Lord of the Worlds barefoot and
naked, and no person is favored over others except by their piety and
good deeds.
Islam intended to achieve all the above-mentioned benefits and
purposes. The need for them is renewed with the passage of time and
the development of civilization.
However, there are landmarks and practices that pilgrims should not
forget or be lenient therewith. These include:
1- Sincerity of intention to Allaah The Almighty, remembering His
greatness in all the states and times, honoring the symbols of Allaah
The Almighty, engaging in remembering, glorifying,
recitingTalbiyah)saying,"Labbayk Allaahumma Labbayk")O Allaah, I
hasten to You("( and supplicating Him, for this proves the
truthfulness of souls and the piety of hearts. Allaah The Exalted Says
)what means(:}That ]is so[. And whoever honors the symbols of Allaah -
indeed, it is from the piety of hearts.{]Quran 22:32[
2- Kind treatment to all other pilgrims, gentleness in dealing with
them, favoring them over oneself, hastening to offer them assistance
and advising them, being tolerant of them, having patience with them
and avoiding showing anger at their errors and pointing out their
mistakes in a rude manner.
3- Investing all one's time in goodness, righteousness, kindness and
obedience and not wasting it in that which does not benefit so that
the pilgrim does not waste his effort, make mistakes and lose his
rewards.
4- Avoiding actions that abuse the sanctity ofHajj, its place and time
and violate its status. This entails keeping away from practices that
hurt Muslims or cause harm to them, maintain public and private
utilities, observing cleanliness, avoiding throwing dirt and garbage
in the streets and places where pilgrims gather, avoiding crowds,
keeping away from exhausting and tiring oneself as well as avoiding
sitting on roads and yards and exposing others to harm.
The government of Saudi Arabia has undoubtedly exerted costly and
strenuous efforts to maintain the safety of the pilgrims, insure
services for them, provide them with comfort, and achieve their
interests. This is all so they can perform their rituals easily and
return to their homelands and families secure, assured, happy and
optimistic with theHadeethin which the Prophet,says:"The accepted Hajj
has no reward other than Paradise."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ )The
acceptedHajjis that which does not include any sin or act of
disobedience(