Fasting, like Salaat and Zakaat, is fundamental institution of Islam. The Fardh Fasting is a practice of vital
importance. Allah
Ta'ala states in the Qur'aan Shareef:
"O people of Imaan! Fasting has been decreed
compulsory for you."
The importance of fasting is abundantly established by
numerous
narrations of the Qur'aan and Hadith. It is clear from
the
narrations of the Qur'aan and Hadith that for
attaining salvation,
Salaat, Zakaat and Hajj are not sufficient. It is
essential to fast
the Fardh fasts of Ramadhaan.
Fasting is distinguished from other acts of ibaadat by
its
inconspicuous nature. Whereas other acts of ibaadat,
e.g. Salaat,
Zakaat, Hajj, are conspicuous in varying degrees.
Fasting is totally
concealed. Only Allah Ta'ala is aware if one is
fasting or not. Only
those who truly have the love or fear of Allah Ta'ala
in their
hearts will fast.
Experience proves that weakness in love and fear for
Allah could be
remedied by engaging in such acts which produce
muhabbat (love) and
azmat (respect honour and awe). Fasting is greatly
efficacious in
this regard. Thus weakness in one's Imaan and love for
Allah is
strengthened by fasting. One in whose heart the love
and fear of
Allah Ta'ala become embedded, will be strong and
steadfast on the
Deen. The natural effect of fasting is to produce
strength in one's
Deen. This effect is referred to in the following two
hadith:
1. Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radiallahu anhu) narrates
that Allha Ta'ala
said:
"Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radiallahu anhu) narrates that
Rasulullah
(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that Allah Ta'ala
said:
"All good deeds are for the one who renders them, but
fasting.
Fasting is exclusively for Me (Allah)."
(Bukhari)
2. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that
Allah Ta'ala
said: "The one who fasts, abstains from eating,
drinking and sexual
relations for My Sake." Another narration states that
Allah Ta'ala
said that the fasting person leaves off his desires
and pleasures
for His Sake. (Ibn Khuzaimah).
Fasting being exclusively for the sake of Allah Ta'ala
reflects the
high degree of sincerity underlying the act of
ibaadat. The high
degree of sincerity coupled with abstention form evil
and futility
produce glitter and strength in the Imaan of the
fasting person.
Great emphasis is therefore laid on fasting. This is
very clear from
the fact that Allah Ta'ala described the act of man's
fasting as
being only for Him (Allah Ta'ala).
1. Hadhrat Abu Ummaamah (radiallahu anhu) narrates
that he asked
Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) to impose on
him some deed
of great significance Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi
wasallam) said.
Adopt fasting, for there is no act greater than it.
Hadhrat Abu
Ummaamah repeated his request second time Rasulullah
(sallallahu
alayhi wasallam) again advised him to adopt fasting.
Hadhrat Abu
Ummaamah put forward his request again, a third time,
and Rasulullah
(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
"Adopt fasting, for there is no deed equal to it."
(Nisaai, Ibn Khuzaimah)
The superiority of fasting is in relation to certain
special
characteristics of fasting such as degree of
sincerity, efficacy in
strengthening weak Imaan, inculcating love and fear of
Allah and its
acting as a barrier against sin. These special
benefits of fasting
are attainable only if one fasts consciously and
observes the
respects and rights of fasting.
2. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
Fasting is a shield and a powerful fortress."
(Ahmad, Baihaqi)
Like fasting is a shield of protection against
internal (spiritual)
diseases, viz., sins. so too, is it a protection
against external
sicknesses, i.e. physical illness. In the majority of
cases,
physical sickness is the result of excessive eating.
This cause is
arrested in fasting.
3. Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radiallahu anhu) narrates
that Rasulullah
(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
"Every person has a zakaat (to pay) and the zakaat of
the body is
fasting."
(Ibn Majah)
Like wealth is purified by means of paying Zakaat, the
body is
purified by means of fasting. Zakaat is the
elimination of
impurities from wealth while Fasting is the
elimination of
impurities from the body. And, the role of fasting as
indicated
already, operates in both the physical and spiritual
spheres of
man's life.
4. Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radiallahu anhu) narrates
that Rasulullah
(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
"Keep fasting; you will remain healthy."
(Tibrani)
Fasting produces both physical and spiritual health.
Fasting
produces spiritual peace and exhiliration.
5. Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radiallahu anhu) in a lengthy
hadith,
narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)
said:
"The fasting person experiences two (occasions of)
delights: At the
time of iftaar and at the time when he will meet his
Rabb."
(Bukhari)
During the month of Ramadhan an additional ibaadat,
viz., Taraaweeh
Salaat, has also been decreed. The performance of
Taraweeh is
Sunnatul Muakkadah which is an act, the performance of
which is
obligatory although it may be omitted for a valid
Shar'I reason. One
who is neglectful of Sunnatul Muakkadah is guilty of
sin and is
termed in the Shariah a `faasiq'. Taraweeh reduces
sleep to some
extent. Sleep is an act highly pleasing and loved by
the nafs.
Hence, by means of Taraaweeh Salaat one strives
against the nafs and
in so doing the nafs is disciplined. This ibaadat of
Taraweeh is an
act which is greatly efficient in the spiritual
training of the
nafs. During the month of Ramadhan, Allah Ta'ala hs
united two great
and highly efficacious spiritual exercises in the form
of fasting
and Taraaweeh Salaat.
6. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
"Allah Ta'ala has ordained fasting in Ramadhan
compulsory, and I
have decreed (by the command of Allah) wakefulness at
night (i.e.
Taraaweeh, etc.) Sunnat. "Whoever in the state of
Imaan and the
belief of thawaab fasts in Ramadhan and stays awake at
night (i.e.
forTaraweeh), emerges from sin, purified as the day
when his mother
gave birth to him."
(Nisaai)
7. Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Umar (radiallahu anhu)
narrates that
Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said.
"Fasting and the Qur'aan will intercede on behalf of
one on the Day
of Qiyaamah. The Fast will proclaim: `O Allah! I
prevented him form
eating and carnal desire. Therefore, for my sake
accept my
intercession on his behalf.' The Qur'aan will
proclaim: `I prevented
him from sleep. Therefore, intercession of both will
be accepted."
(Ahmad, Tibrani, Hakim)
8. In a lengthy aayat Allah Ta'ala says:
"For the fasting man and for fasting woman …… Allah
has prepared a
great reward and forgiveness."
(Surah Ahzaab)
9. Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (adiallahu anhu(, in a lengthy
hadith,
narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)
said:
"I swear by that Being in Whose possession is the life
of Muhammad!
The odour of the mouth of a fasting person in sweeter
to Allah
Ta'ala than the fragrance of musk."
(Bukhari)
10. Hadhrat Ibn Umar (radiallahu anhu) narrates, in a
lengthy
hadith, that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)
said:
"Fasting is exclusively for Allah Ta'ala. The thawaab
of it (being
limitless) no one knows besides Allah Ta'ala."
(Tibrani Baihaqi)
11. Hadhrat Abu Saeed Khurdi (radiallahu anhu)
narrates that
Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
"The Doors of the Heavens are opened up on the first
night of
Ramadhan. Not a single Door (among the Doors of
Heavens) is then
closed until the last night of Ramadhan. For every
Salaat performed
(this refers to Taraaweeh Salaat) during the nights of
Ramadhan,
Allah Ta'ala records one and a half thousand good
deeds for every
Sajdah (of that Salaat). And, for the fasting person,
Allah Ta'ala
creates in Jannat a mansion of red Ya'koot (a precious
stone in
Jannat). This mansion will have seven thousand
entrances. (So huge
will be these entrances that in each entrance will be
located) a
palace of gold adorned with red Ya'koot. When the
Muslim fasts the
first day of Ramadhan, Allah Ta'ala forgives all his
sins committed
from the first of the previous Ramadhan. Daily (i.e.
during
Ramadhan) from the time of Fajr Salat until sunset,
seventy
thousands Malaaikah supplicate for his forgiveness. In
return for
every Sajdah which he (the fasting person) makes of
any Salaat,
whether during the day or night, he will obtain (such
a wonderful)
tree 9so huge) that a horseman will take five hundred
years to pass
under its shade."
(Baihaqi)
12. Hadhrat Salmaan (radiallahu anhu) narrates that
during the last
Juma' of the month of Sha'baan Rasulullah (sallallahu
alayhi
wasallam) recited a Khutbah in which he said:
"O People! An auspicious month has dawned over you. In
that month is
a night which is susperior to a thousand months (i.e.
ibaadat in
this night is superior to the ibaadat rendered in a
thousand months.
Allah Ta'ala has made compulsory fasting in this month
and has
decreed fasting in this month and has decreed
wakefulness at night
(i.e. Tarawaeeh Salaat) Sunnat. A Nafl (non-obligatory
or optional)
act rendered in this month for attaining proximity to
Allah, is
equal to a Fardh act rendered in other months. A Fardh
act rendered
in this month is equal to seventy Fardh acts of other
months.
Whoever gives to a fasting person something for
iftaar, his sins
will be forgiven and he will be saved from Jahannum:
he obtains as
much thawaab as the fasting person (to whom he had
given something
for iftaar) while the thawaab of the person is not
reduced in any
way."
The people asked: `O Rasulullah! All of us do not have
the means to
give something for the iftaar to another. (They were
at the time
under the impression that Rasulullah (sallallahu
alayhi wasallam)
referred to a full meal.) Rasulullah (sallallahu
alayhi wasallam)
said:
"This thawaab is even for the man who gives another a
date, a drink
of water or milk (for iftaar)" (Ibn Khuzaimah)
Another special ibaadat during the month of Ramadhan
is I'tikaaf
during the last ten days. I'tikaaf during Ramadhan is
an ibaadat
which belongs to the class of Sunnat known as Sunnatul
Kifaayah.
This ibaadat is a collective Sunnat upon all. However,
if a few,
even one perons, renders the I'tikaaf, the Sunnat
obligation will be
discharged on behalf of the whole community. The
Ibaadat of I'tikaaf
consists of secluding oneself inside the Musjid for
the last ten
days of Ramadhan. The time has to be passed in
ibaadat. Some ahadith
regarding the significance of I'tikaaf are enumerated
hereunder.
1. Hadhrat Ali Ibn Hussain narrates from his father
that Rasulullah
(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
"He who observes the ten days I'tikaaf during Ramadhan
will obtain
the thawaab of two Hajj and two Umrah."
2. Hadhrat Ibn Abbas (radiallahu anhu) narrates that
Rasulullah
(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said in regard to those
who observe
I'tikaaf:
"They are prevented from all sins and they obtain
thawaab as if they
are rendering all good deeds." (Mishkaat)
By the practice of I'tikaaf, one gains the opportunity
of continuous
residence in the Musjid. The significance of remaining
in the Musjid
for Ibaadat has already been explained in Rooh number
12. Women who intend to observe I'tikaaf should do so
at home. They
should seclude themselves in a particular place at
home.
The special acts of Ibaadat of the month of Ramadhan
terminate with
the coming of Eid. The hadith explains great
significance of the Day
of Eid as well. In a lengthy hadith, Hadhrat Anas
(radiallahu anhu)
narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)
said:
"When Eid arrives, Allah Ta'ala addresses the
Malaaikah: `They
(Muslims) have fulfilled My Fardh. They have emerged
to make dua. I
take oath by My Splendour, by My Grandeur, by My Grace
and by My
Loftiness that I will most certainly accept their
petition.' Allah
Ta'ala then proclaims to the Believers"
`Return! I have forgiven you and I have exchanged your
evil deeds
with virtues.
They thus return from the Musalla (whenever the Eid
Salaat was
performed) forgiven."
(Mishkaat)
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