"The Order to Fast Allah said: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may have Taqwa. In an address to the believers of this Ummah, Allah ordered them to fast, that is, to abstain from food, drink and sexual activity with the intention of doing so sincerely for Allah the Exalted alone. This is because fasting purifies the souls and cleanses them from the evil that might mix with them and their ill behavior. Allah mentioned that He has ordained fasting for Muslims just as He ordained it for those before them, they being an example for them in that, so they should vigorously perform this obligation more obediently than the previous nations. Similarly, Allah said: لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَـجاً وَلَوْ شَأءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَحِدَةً وَلَـكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَأ ءَاتَـكُم فَاسْتَبِقُوا الخَيْرَاتِ To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If Allah had willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you; so compete in good deeds. (5:48) Allah said in this Ayah: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may have Taqwa. since the fast cleanses the body and narrows the paths of Shaytan. In the Sahihayn the following Hadith was recorded: يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمُ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيتَـزَوَّجْ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِع فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصَّوْمِ فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ وِجَاء O young people! Whoever amongst you can afford marriage, let him marry. Whoever cannot afford it, let him fast, for it will be a shield for him. Allah then commands; أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ Fast for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. Allah states that the fast occurs during a fixed number of days, so that it does not become hard on the hearts, thereby weakening their resolve and endurance. The various Stages of Fasting Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded that Aishah said, ""(The day of) `Ashura' was a day of fasting. When the obligation to fast Ramadan was revealed, those who wished fasted, and those who wished did not."" Al-Bukhari recorded the same from Ibn `Umar and Ibn Mas`ud. Allah said: وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g., an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day). Mu`adh commented, ""In the beginning, those who wished, fasted and those who wished, did not fast and fed a poor person for each day."" Al- Bukhari recorded Salamah bin Al-Akwa saying that; when the Ayah was revealed, those who did not wish to fast, used to pay the Fidyah (feeding a poor person for each day they did not fast) until the following Ayah (2:185) was revealed abrogating the previous Ayah. It was also reported from Ubaydullah from Nafi that Ibn Umar said; ""It was abrogated."" As-Suddi reported that Murrah narrated that Abdullah said about this Ayah: ""It means `those who find it difficult (to fast).' Formerly, those who wished, fasted and those who wished, did not but fed a poor person instead."" Allah then said: فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا But whoever does good of his own accord, meaning whoever fed an extra poor person. فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُ وَأَن تَصُومُواْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ it is better for him. And that you fast is better for you if only you know. Later the Ayah: فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ (So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan, i.e., is present at his home), he must observe ﷺm (fasting) that month) (2:185) was revealed and this abrogated the previous Ayah (2:184). The Fidyah (Expiation) for breaking the Fast is for the Old and the Ailing Al-Bukhari reported that; Ata heard Ibn Abbas recite: وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ (And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g., an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day). Ibn Abbas then commented, ""(This Ayah) was not abrogated, it is for the old man and the old woman who are able to fast with difficulty, but choose instead to feed a poor person for every day (they do not fast)."" Others reported that Sa`id bin Jubayr mentioned this from Ibn Abbas. So the abrogation here applies to the healthy person, who is not traveling and who has to fast, as Allah said: فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ (So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan, i.e., is present at his home), he must observe ﷺm (fasting) that month. (2:185) As for the old man (and woman) who cannot fast, he is allowed to abstain from fasting and does not have to fast another day instead, because he is not likely to improve and be able to fast other days. So he is required to pay a Fidyah for every day missed. This is the opinion of Ibn Abbas and several others among the Salaf who read the Ayah: وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ (And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g., an old man)), to mean those who find it difficult to fast as Ibn Mas`ud stated. This is also the opinion of Al-Bukhari who said, ""As for the old man (person) who cannot fast, (he should do like) Anas who, for one or two years after he became old fed some bread and meat to a poor person for each day he did not fast."" This point, which Al-Bukhari attributed to Anas without a chain of narrators, was collected with a continuous chain of narrators by Abu Ya`la Mawsuli in his Musnad, that Ayub bin Abu Tamimah said; ""Anas could no longer fast. So he made a plate of Tharid (broth, bread and meat) and invited thirty poor persons and fed them."" The same ruling applies for the pregnant and breast-feeding women if they fear for themselves or their children or fetuses. In this case, they pay the Fidyah and do not have to fast other days in place of the days that they missed. The Virtue of Ramadan and the Revelation of the Qur'an in it Allah says; شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِيَ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْانُ The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, Allah praised the month of Ramadan out of the other months by choosing it to send down the Glorious Qur'an, just as He did for all of the Divine Books He revealed to the Prophets. Imam Ahmad reported Wathilah bin Al-Asqa that Allah's Messenger said: أُنْزِلَتْ صُحُفُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي أَوَّلِ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ وَأُنْزِلَتِ التَّوْرَاةُ لِسِتَ مَضَيْنَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ وَالاِْنْجِيلُ لِثَلثَ عَشَرةَ خَلَتْ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ وَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ الْقُرْانَ لَارْبَعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ خَلَتْ مِنْ رَمَضَان The Suhuf (Pages) of Ibrahim were revealed during the first night of Ramadan. The Torah was revealed during the sixth night of Ramadan. The Injil was revealed during the thirteenth night of Ramadan. Allah revealed the Qur'an on the twenty-fourth night of Ramadan. The Virtues of the Qur'an Allah said: هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). Here Allah praised the Qur'an, which He revealed as guidance for the hearts of those who believe in it and adhere to its commands. Allah said: وَبَيِّنَاتٍ (and clear proofs) meaning, as clear and unambiguous signs and unequivocal proof for those who understand them. These proofs testify to the truth of the Qur'an, its guidance, the opposite of misguidance, and how it guides to the straight path, the opposite of the wrong path, and the distinction between the truth and falsehood, and the permissible and the prohibited. The Obligation of Fasting Ramadan Allah said: فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan, i.e., is present at his home), he must observe ﷺm (fasting) that month. This Ayah requires the healthy persons who witness the beginning of the month, while residing in their land, to fast the month. This Ayah abrogated the Ayah that allows a choice of fasting or paying the Fidyah. When Allah ordered fasting, He again mentioned the permission for the ill person and the traveler to break the fast and to fast other days instead as compensation. Allah said: وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number (of days which one did not observe ﷺm (fasting) must be made up) from other days. This Ayah indicates that ill persons who are unable to fast or fear harm by fasting, and the traveler, are all allowed to break the fast. When one does not fast in this case, he is obliged to fast other days instead. Allah said: يُرِيدُ اللّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. This Ayah indicates that Allah allowed such persons, out of His mercy and to make matters easy for them, to break the fast when they are ill or traveling, while the fast is still obligatory on the healthy persons who are not traveling. Several Rulings concerning the Fast The authentic Sunnah states that; Allah's Messenger traveled during the month of Ramadan for the battle for Makkah. The Prophet marched until he reached the area of Kadid and then broke his fast and ordered those who were with him to do likewise. This was recorded in the Two Sahihs. Breaking the fast mentioned in this Hadith was not required, for the Companions used to go out with Allah's Messenger during the month of Ramadan, then, some of them would fast while some of them would not fast and neither category would criticize the others. If the command mentioned in the Hadith required breaking the fast, the Prophet would have criticized those who fasted. Allah's Messenger himself sometimes fasted while traveling. For instance, it is reported in the Two Sahihs that Abu Ad-Darda said, ""We once went with Allah's Messenger during Ramadan while the heat was intense. One of us would place his hand on his head because of the intense heat. Only Allah's Messenger and Abdullah bin Rawahah were fasting at that time."" We should state that observing the permission to break the fast while traveling is better, as Allah's Messenger said about fasting while traveling: مَنْ أَفْطَرَ فَحَسَنٌ وَمَنْ صَامَ فَلَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْه Those who did not fast have done good, and there is no harm for those who fasted. In another Hadith, the Prophet said: عَلَيْكُمْ بِرُخْصَةِ اللهِ الَّتِي رُخِّصَ لَكُم Hold to Allah's permission that He has granted you. Some scholars say that the two actions are the same, as Aishah narrated that; Hamzah bin Amr Al-Aslami said, ""O Messenger of Allah! I fast a lot, should I fast while traveling?"" The Prophet said: إِنْ شِيْتَ فَصُمْ وَإِنْ شِيْتَ فَأَفْطِر Fast if you wish or do not fast if you wish. This Hadith is in the Two Sahihs. It was reported that; if the fast becomes difficult (while traveling), then breaking the fast is better. Jabir said that; Allah's Messenger ﷺ a man who was being shaded (by other people while traveling). The Prophet asked about him and he was told that man was fasting. The Prophet said: لَيْسَ مِنَ الْبِرِّ الصِّيَامُ فِي السَّفَر It is not a part of Birr (piety) to fast while traveling. This was recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. As for those who ignore the Sunnah and believe in their hearts that breaking the fast while traveling is disliked, they are required to break the fast and are not allowed to fast. As for making up for missed fasting days, it is not required to be consecutive. One may do so consecutively or not consecutively. There are ample proofs to this fact. We should mention that fasting consecutive days is only required exclusively during Ramadan. After the month of Ramadan, what is required then is to merely make up for missed days. This is why Allah said: فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ (...the same number (should be made up) from other day). Ease and not Hardship Allah then said: يُرِيدُ اللّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. Imam Ahmad recorded Anas bin Malik saying that Allah's Messenger said: يَسِّرُوا وَلَا تُعَسِّرُوا وَسَكِّنُوا وَلَا تُنَفِّرُوا Treat the people with ease and don't be hard on them; give them glad tidings and don't fill them with aversion. This Hadith was also collected in the Two Sahihs. It is reported in the Sahihayn that Allah's Messenger said to Mu`adh and Abu Musa when he sent them to Yemen: بَشِّرَا وَلَا تُنَفِّرَا وَيَسِّرَا وَلَا تُعَسِّرَا وَتَطَاوَعَا وَلَا تَخْتَلِفَا Treat the people with ease and don't be hard on them; give them glad tidings and don't fill them with aversion; and love each other, and don't differ. The Sunan and the Musnad compilers recorded that Allah's Messenger said: بُعِثْتُ بِالْحَنِيفِيَّةِ السَّمْحَة I was sent with the easy Hanifiyyah (Islamic Monotheism). Allah's statement: يُرِيدُ اللّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُواْ الْعِدَّةَ Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), means:You were allowed to break the fast while ill, while traveling, and so forth, because Allah wanted to make matters easy for you. He only commanded you to make up for missed days so that you complete the days of one month. Remembering Allah upon performing the Acts of Worship Allah's statement: وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ اللّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ and that you must magnify Allah (i.e., to say Takbir (Allahu Akbar:Allah is the Most Great)) for having guided you, means:So that you remember Allah upon finishing the act of worship. This is similar to Allah's statement: فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُم مَّنَـسِكَكُمْ فَاذْكُرُواْ اللَّهَ كَذِكْرِكُمْ ءَابَأءَكُمْ أَوْ أَشَدَّ ذِكْرًا So when you have accomplished your Manasik, (rituals) remember Allah as you remember your forefathers or with far more remembrance. (2:200) and, فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَوةُ فَانتَشِرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَابْتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُواْ اللَّهَ كَثِيراً لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ Then when the (Jumuah) Salah (prayer) is ended, you may disperse through the land, and seek the bounty of Allah (by working), and remember Allah much, that you may be successful. (62:10) and, فَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ الْغُرُوبِ وَمِنَ الَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْهُ وَأَدْبَـرَ السُّجُودِ and glorify the praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting. And during a part of the night, glorify His praises, and after the prayers. (50:39-40) This is why the Sunnah encouraged; Tasbih saying, Subhan Allah, i.e., all praise is due to Allah, Tahmid saying Al-Hamdu Lillah, i.e., all the thanks are due to Allah, and Takbir saying Allahu Akbar, i.e., Allah is the Most Great. after the compulsory prayers. Ibn Abbas said, ""We used to know that Allah's Messenger has finished the prayer by the Takbir."" Similarly, several scholars have stated that; reciting Takbir the during Id-ul-Fitr was specified by the Ayah that states: وَلِتُكْمِلُواْ الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ اللّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah (i.e., to say Takbir (Allahu Akbar:Allah is the Most Great)) for having guided you... Allah's statement: وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ so that you may be grateful to Him. means:If you adhere to what Allah commanded you, obeying Him by performing the obligations, abandoning the prohibitions and abiding by the set limits, then perhaps you will be among the grateful. Allah hears the Servant's Supplication Allah says; وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلْيُوْمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ And when My servants ask you (O Muhammad concerning Me, then answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright. Imam Ahmad reported that Abu Musa Al-Ashari said, ""We were in the company of Allah's Messenger during a battle. Whenever we climbed a high place, went up a hill or went down a valley, we used to say, `Allah is the Most Great,' raising our voices. The Prophet came by us and said: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ارْبَعُوا عَلى أَنْفُسِكُمْ فَإِنَّكُمْ لَاا تَدْعُونَ أَصَمَّ ولَاا غَايِبًا إنَّمَا تَدْعُونَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا إنَّ الَّذي تَدْعُونَ أَقْربُ إِلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ عُنُقِ رَاحِلَتِهِ يا عَبْدَاللهِ بْنَ قَيْسٍ أَلَاا أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَةً مِنْ كُنُوزِ الْجَنَّةِ لَاا حَوْلَ وَلَاا قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِالله O people! Be merciful to yourselves (i.e., don't raise your voices), for you are not calling a deaf or an absent one, but One Who is All-Hearer, All-Seer. The One Whom you call is closer to one of you than the neck of his animal. O Abdullah bin Qais (Abu Musa's name) should I teach you a statement that is a treasure of Paradise:`La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (there is no power or strength except from Allah).' This Hadith was also recorded in the Two Sahihs, and Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah recorded similar wordings. Furthermore, Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said that the Prophet said: يَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَالى أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي وَأَنَا مَعَهُ إِذَا دَعَانِي ""Allah the Exalted said, `I am as My servant thinks of Me, and I am with him whenever he invokes Me.' Allah accepts the Invocation Imam Ahmad also recorded Abu Sa`id saying that the Prophet said: مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِدَعْوَةٍ لَيْسَ فِيها إِثْمٌ ولَاا قَطِيعَةُ رَحِمٍ إلاَّ أَعْطَاهُ اللهُ بِهَا إِحْدَى ثَلَاثِ خِصَالٍ إِمَّا أَنْ يُعَجِّل لَهُ دَعْوَتَهُ وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَدَّخِرَهَا لَهُ فِي الاُخْرَى وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا No Muslim supplicates to Allah with a Du`a that does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb, but Allah will grant him one of the three things. He will either hasten the response to his supplication, save it for him until the Hereafter, or would turn an equivalent amount of evil away from him."" They said, ""What if we were to recite more (Du`a)."" He said, اللهُ أَكْثَر There is more with Allah. Abdullah the son of Imam Ahmad recorded Ubaydah bin As-Samit saying that the Prophet said: مَا عَلى ظَهْرِ الَارْضِ مِنْ رَجُلٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَدَعْوَةٍ إِلاَّ اتَاهُ اللهُ إيَّاهَا أَوْ كَفَّ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا مَا لَمْ يَدْعُ بِإِثْمٍ أَوْ قَطِيعَةِ رَحِم There is no Muslim man on the face of the earth who supplicates to Allah but Allah would either grant it to him, or avert harm from him of equal proportions, as long as his supplication does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb. At-Tirmidhi recorded this Hadith. Imam Malik recorded that Abu Hurayrah narrated that Allah's Messenger said: يُسْتَجَابُ لَاحَدِكُمْ مَالَمْ يَعْجَلْ يَقُولُ دَعَوْتُ فَلَمْ يُسْتَجَبْ لِي One's supplication will be accepted as long as he does not get hasty and say, `I have supplicated but it has not been accepted from me."" This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs from Malik, and this is the wording of Al-Bukhari. Muslim recorded that the Prophet said: لاا يَزَالُ يُسْتَجابُ لِلْعَبْدِ مَا لَمْ يَدْعُ بِإِثْم أَوْ قَطِيعَةِ رَحِمٍ مَا لَمْ يَسْتَعْجِل The supplication of the servant will be accepted as long as he does not supplicate for what includes sin, or cutting the relations of the womb, and as long as he does not become hasty. He was asked, ""O Messenger of Allah! How does one become hasty?"" He said, قَدْ دَعَوْتُ وقَدْ دَعَوْتُ فَلَمْ أَرَ يُسْتَجَابُ لِي فَيَسْتَحْسِرُ عِنْدَ ذلِكَ وَيَدَعُ الدُّعَاء He says, `I supplicated and supplicated, but I do not see that my supplication is being accepted from me.' He thus looses interest and abandons supplicating (to Allah). Three Persons Whose Supplication will not be rejected In the Musnad of Imam Ahmad and the Sunans of At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah it is recorded that; Abu Hurayrah narrated that Allah's Messenger said: ثَلَثةٌ لَا تُرَدُّ دَعْوَتُهُمْ الاْمَامُ الْعَادِلُ وَالصَّايِمُ حَتَّى يُفْطِرَ وَدَعْوَةُ الْمَظْلُومِ يَرْفَعُهَا اللهُ دُونَ الْغَمَامِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَتُفْتَحُ لَهَا أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ يَقُولُ بِعِزَّتِي لَاَنْصُرَنَّكَ وَلَوْ بَعْدَ حِين Three persons will not have their supplication rejected: the just ruler, the fasting person until breaking the fast, and the supplication of the oppressed person, for Allah raises it above the clouds on the Day of Resurrection, and the doors of heaven will be opened for it, and Allah says, `By My grace! I will certainly grant it for you, even if after a while.’"