Important points to be remembered during observance of fasting

T. H. Usoof

HARAM: When a person observes the fast, one has to know and be very vigilant on the following to get the fullest benefit of fasting. When a person deliberately does any of the following acts, knowing it to be haram (prohibited) his fast will immediately become void and it will become wajib (compulsory) on his part to observe that fast again as qadha (in lieu).

a) Deliberately causing any visible substance to enter any of the openings of the body, even if it be a substance like smoke.

b) Vomiting.

c) Having marital relation.

d) Causing an emission of seminal fluid by any other act.

e) Doing sunnat washings vigorously and thereby causing water to enter the body.

f) Swallowing spit that is polluted as for instance by a previous betel chew.

g) Causing saliva to come out the mouth by other means than the tongue and swallowing that saliva.

h) Swallowing saliva before a polluted mouth is washed.

i) Swallowing any saliva once like phlegm that comes from beyond the throat.

j) When, in the course of marital relation before dawn, it becomes evident that dawn has begun, failing to withdraw from the act immediately.

k) While forgetfully indulging in marital relation during day time, failing to withdraw from the act immediately the wrong is brought to mind.

l) While food is in the mouth when dawn begins, failing to refrain from swallowing that food.

It should be noted that the following are compulsory on a person when he observes the fast.

1) Making the intention each day of observing that day as a day of fast. He will make his intention on the night previous to the fast at any time between sunset and the dawn.

2) Refrain from any act that will annul fast from dawn to sunset on each day.

The following should be observed or necessary to make fast acceptable.

a) Remaining in a state of Islam the whole day.

b) Being possessed of intelligence the whole day.

c) Being free from the impurities of menstruation or child birth.

d) Not losing consciousness at any time during the day.

e) Remaining sane the whole day.

Fasting demonstrates compliance with the orders of Allah promptness to please Him and renunciation of the desires and needs of the individual. It is done without any supervision except that of Allah. This act implants taqwaa in the heart. Once the heart is rectified, the deeds will be righteous. With this goodness of the heart and deeds, the Ummah appointed by Allah to lead humanity will then be righteous and will provide guidance to the path of integrity and righteous.

Fasting would eliminate the motive to be enslaved to anyone else. It frees the person from the slavery of his desires, because true freedom is to possess material things without letting them possess him.

One should have a meal before the day of fasting is recommended, not obligatory.

Fast is not due on little children, person of unsound mind, sickly person who cannot expect to regain good health and persons who are old and too weak to be able to stand the strain of fasting. A child seven years of age should be asked to observe the fast but after 10 years of age should be compelled.

Allah has exempted every Muslim woman from fasting in Ramadhan when she has her menstrual period, or if she has just given birth to a child and is having her post-natal discharge.

She is required, however to compensate for those days which she did not fast in Ramadhan by fasting an equal number of days during the following 11 months. She can choose the days when she fasts, and she need not to fast on consecutive days.

In other words, she may fast when it suits her, and make up her fasting as it is most convenient to her. Those days of Ramadhan which she has to make up for are considered as a debt she owes to Allah. Every Muslim knows that Islam views the settlement of a debt very seriously.

A woman who does not fast in Ramadhan because of pregnancy may not be able to compensate for not fasting throughout the following year due to the continuation of her pregnancy and the subsequent breast feeding.

Allah has reduced the burden for women who go through such a situation. He accepts from them the other method of compensation, which is feeding a poor person for each day of non-fasting. They should give that poor person for each day two meals of the average type of meal they have in their own homes.

If they feed more than one person for each day, it is still better. This condition is meant for pregnancy and breast feeding, but not for missing fasting through menstruation, like the majority of women.

Ramadhan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Allah has made this month as the month of fasting and it is compulsory on every adult Muslim. Here below some of the significance of Ramadhan are described so that our brothers of Islam would read same and get the most benefit during this period of Ramadhan this year.

Prophet Muhamad (Sal) has stated that "An Umrah in Ramadhan is equal to offering the pilgrimage". Another version says same but adds the phrase "in my own company". This means that to offer the Umrah during the month of Ramadhan is so generously rewarded so as to bring it on par with offering the Pilgrimage with the Prophet Muhamad (Sal). If you imagine yourself offering an act of worship such as the Umrah or the pilgrimage with the Prophet Muhamad (Sal), you are certain that you will do your duties as perfectly as possible.

Taraweeh is a name given to night worship in Ramadhan. The name which is generally used for such worship is Tahajjud, which includes prayer and the recitation of Quran. It is appropriate, then, to say the Taraweeh is Tahajjud in Ramadhan.

"There is a door to Heaven called Al-Rayyan, through which only fasting people are admitted. It will be asked: where are the fasting people? They stand up, No one is admitted through that door except them. When they have entered, the door will be closed and no one else can get through it. (Related Al Buhari) "Al Rayyan" is an adjective which describes in normal usage something which is ripe, full of juices.

There are sometimes during the day when prayers are more liable to be granted. Allah accepts more prayers at the time of breaking of fast. In on the Prophet Muhamad (Sal) sayings it is reported to have said, "No prayer of a Muslim (believer) is rejected when he is breaking the fast". (Related Sunan Ibn Majah, Al Abwab al Dawah) "Whoever fasts Ramadhan, then follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is liking fasting all the time". (Saheeh Muslim).

"Once Ramadhan starts, the door of Heaven is opened and the door of hell is closed and the devils are chained. (Saheeh Buhari).

Laylat-Ul-Qadr; the night of Power is better than a thousand months. It is great because of what the Holy quran contains an ideology, a basis for values and standards and a comprehensive code of moral or social behavior, all of which promotes peace within the human soul and in the world at large.

Zakat-Ul-Fitr is a charitable donation which is payable as a duty by every Muslim who has any amount of money over and above what he needs for the food he and his family eat on the last day of Ramadhan.

If he has any amount in excess of that, then it is obligatory for him to pay Zakat-Ul-Fitr which is a small amount of money estimated normally by a certain measure of the staple diet of the city or area in which he lives.

Thus it may be a measure of flour, barley corn, dates, rice, raisin etc;. It may be paid in cash if such produce is plentiful and widely available and if such cash is more beneficial to the recipients, as it is so nowadays in most Muslim countries.

Every head of a Muslim family is required to pay Zakat-Ul-Fitr for himself and his dependents including his wife and children whom he supports and also for either or both of his parents who are his dependents. It is also payable on behalf of every child, even one who is born a few minutes before the Eid prayers on the first day of the month of Shawwal. Some scholars are also of the opinion that is payable for an unborn baby as long as the pregnancy is confirmed.

The purpose of Zakat-Ul-Fitr is to make the poor feel rich or at least self sufficient on the day of Eid which is a joyous occasion succeeding the month of fasting. Zakat-Ul-Fitr is payable to the poor in the Muslim community. It is indeed the purpose of all Zakah to help the poor overcome the burden of poverty.