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Ramadan
Ramadan is the month on the
Islamic lunar calendar during which Muslims abstain from food,
drink and other sensual pleasures from break of dawn to
sunset. The fast is performed to learn discipline,
self-restraint and generosity, while obeying God's
commandments.
Fasting (along with the declaration of faith,
daily prayers, charity, and pilgrimage to Mecca) is one of the
"five pillars" of Islam. Because Ramadan is a lunar month, it
begins about eleven days earlier each
year.
Fasting is one of the five pillars
of Islam. It is an act of obedience and submission to Allah's
commands through the highest degree of commitment, sincerity
and faithfulness to seek Allah's mercy, to atone for sins,
errors, and mistakes and to avoid condemnation to
Hell.
It is done out of deep love for God, with a
genuine virtue of devotion, honest dedication and closeness to
Allah, for Fasting is for Allah and Him alone.
The
fasting during Ramadan is obligatory on every adult, sane, and
able Muslim.
Denial of the obligatory nature of fasting
in the month of Ramadan amounts to disbelief.
One who
avoids fasting without genuine reasons is a sinner and
transgressor according to Islamic Shariah (Law).
Time:
When to fast
Fasting in Islam involves abstinence from
three primal physical needs of human beings- food, drink, and
sexual intercourse from dawn (approximately one and a half
hours before sunrise) to sunset during the entire month of
Ramadan.
Who is exempted from fasting
1.
Children under the age of puberty and discretion;
2.
The insane people who are unaccountable for their deeds.
People of these two categories are exempted from the duty of
fasting and no compensation or any other substitute is
enjoined on them;
3. Men and women who are too old and
feeble to undertake the obligation of fasting and bear its
hardships. Such people are exempted from this duty, but they
must offer at least one needy poor Muslim an average full meal
or its value per person day.
4. Sick people whose
health is likely to be severely affected by fasting. They may
postpone the fast, as long as they are sick, to a later date
and makeup for it, a day for a day;
5. People expecting
hardship. Such people may break the fast temporarily during
their travel only and make up for it in later days, a day for
a day. But it is better for them, the Quran says, to keep the
fast if they can without causing extraordinary
hardships;
6. Expectant women and women nursing their
children may also break the fast, if its observance is likely
to endanger their own health or that of their infants. But
they must make up for the fast at a delayed time, a day for a
day;
7. Women in periods of menstruation (of a maximum
of ten days). They must postpone the fast till recovery and
then make up for it, a day for day.
The How To’s of
Fasting
Niyyah or Intention of Fast
To observe
the fast, the intention of fasting is essential (Wajib). The
intention should be made daily, preferably before dawn of each
day of fasting (in Ramadan).
Provision is made if
someone has forgotten to express his intention before dawn. In
such a case one is allowed to express intention of fasting
before noon to avoid the invalidation of the fast.
The
wording of Niyyah may be as follows:
"I intend to
observe fast for today."
Suhoor
Suhoor is a
light, predawn meal, recommended before actually fasting. It
is a blessing and hence recommended but not essential.
Any consumption of food or drink should cease at least
five to ten minutes before the onset of
dawn.
Iftar
Iftar is an Arabic term meaning
breaking the fast immediately after the sunset. Iftar is a
light snack consisting of dates or desserts, along with
liquids, such as water, juice or milk.
This is eaten
after making the following Dua (supplication) for breaking the
fast:
"Oh Allah! I fasted for your sake and I am
breaking my fast from the sustenance You blessed me with,
accept it from me."
What breaks the fast
1.
Intentional consumption of food, drink, medicine, or smoking
during the fasting.
2. Any injection which has some
nutritional value.
3. Beginning of menstruation or post
natal birth bleeding (even in the last moment of
sunset).
The conditions mentioned above invalidate
fasting and require "Qada" (making up only the missed day or
days). However, intentional intercourse during the hours of
fasting invalidates fasting and not only requires "Qada" but
also additional penalty (Kaffara-see the explanation of this
below).
What does not break the fast
1. Eating
or drinking by mistake, unmindful of the fast.
2.
Unintentional vomiting.
3. Swallowing things which are
not possible to avoid, such as one's own saliva, street dust,
smoke, etc.
4. Brushing the teeth.
5. Bathing:
if water is swallowed unintentionally, it does not invalidate
the fast. However, while fasting gargling should be
avoided.
6. Injection or I/V (Intravenous) which is
solely medicinal and not nutritional.
7. In some
special circumstances if the food or drink is just tasted and
immediately removed out of the mouth without allowing it to
enter into the throat.
Kaffara
During the
fasting period, if one deliberately breaks his or her fast,
s/he must free one slave, or fast for sixty continuous days,
or feed sixty needy persons, or spend in charity an amount
equal to feeding sixty persons.
If one chooses to fast
sixty days and the continuity is interrupted for any reason,
except menstruation, one has to start the sixty day cycle all
over again.
Breaking of the fast under exceptional
conditions
Muslims are permitted to break their fast of
Ramadan when there is a danger to their health.
In
this situation a Muslim should make up his/her fast later. The
missed fast(s) can be made up at any other time of the year,
either continuously or intermittently, except on the day of
Eid-ul-Fitr and the day of
Eid-ul-Adha
Tarawih
These are special Sunnah
prayers in the month of Ramadan. They follow the Isha prayers.
A minimum of eight and a maximum of twenty Rakat are
offered in pairs of two.
Lailat al-Qadr
Amongst
the nights of Ramadan, there is one special night of Power
(Qadr) which is highlighted in Surah al-Qadr (Surah 97 in the
Quran).
It has the significance of being better than a
thousand months (Quran 97:3).
This was the night when
Quran was revealed to mankind. Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) recommended Muslims search for this
night of Power (Qadr) in the odd nights of the last ten nights
in Ramadan.
Muslims spend the night in Ibadah
(worship), asking forgiveness of their sins and reciting the
Quran.
TRADITIONAL PRACTICES (by http://www.cair-net.org/ )
* Breaking the
daily fast with a drink of water and dates
* Reading the
entire Quran during Ramadan (For this purpose, the
Quran is
divided into 30 units.)
* Social visits are
encouraged.
EID UL-FITR ("Festival of Fast-Breaking")
PRAYERS AT THE END OF
RAMADAN
* Eid begins with special
morning prayers on the first day of
Shawwal (Expected
January 19, 1999*), the month following Ramadan on
the
Islamic lunar calendar, and lasts for three days.
* It is
forbidden to perform an optional fast during Eid because
it
is a time for relaxation.
* During Eid Muslims greet
each other with the phrase "Eid Mubarak"
(eed-moo-bar-ak),
meaning "blessed Eid" and "taqabballah ta'atakum,"
or "may
God accept your deeds."
Demographers say Islam is one
of the fastest growing religions in
this country and around
the world. There are an estimated 6 million
Muslims in
America and some 1.2 billion worldwide.
RAMADAN
Q&A (by http://www.cair-net.org/ )
Q: How did
the fast during Ramadan become obligatory for Muslims?
A:
The revelations from God to the Prophet Muhammad that
would
eventually be compiled as the Quran began during
Ramadan in the year
610, but the fast of Ramadan did not
become a religious obligation
for Muslims until the year
624. The obligation to fast is explained
in the second
chapter of the Quran: "O ye who believe! Fasting
is
prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before
you, that ye
may (learn) self-restraint...Ramadan is the
(month) in which was
sent down the Quran, as a guide to
mankind, also clear (Signs) for
guidance and judgment
(between right and wrong). So every one of you
who is
present (at his home) during that month should spend it
in
fasting..." (Chapter 2, verses 183 and 185)
Q:
What do Muslims believe they gain from fasting?
A: The main
benefits of Ramadan are an increased compassion for
those
in need of the necessities of life, a sense of
self-
purification and reflection and a renewed focus on
spirituality.
Muslims also appreciate the feeling of
togetherness shared by family
and friends throughout the
month. Perhaps the greatest practical
benefit is the yearly
lesson in self-restraint and discipline that
can carry
forward to other aspects of a Muslim's life such as
work
and education.
Q: Do people normally lose
weight during Ramadan?
A: Some people do lose weight, but
others may not. It is recommended
that meals eaten during
Ramadan be light, but most people can't
resist sampling
special sweets and foods associated with Ramadan.
Q:
Why does Ramadan begin on a different day each year?
A:
Because Ramadan is a lunar month, it begins about eleven
days
earlier each year. Throughout a Muslim's lifetime,
Ramadan will fall
both during winter months, when the days
are short, and summer
months, when the days are long and
the fast is more difficult. In
this way, the difficulty of
the fast is evenly distributed between
Muslims living in
the northern and southern hemispheres.
Q: What is
Lailat ul-Qadr?
A: Lailat ul-Qadr ("Night of Power") marks
the anniversary of the
night on which the Prophet Muhammad
first began receiving
revelations from God, through the
angel Gabriel. An entire chapter
in the Quran deals with
this night: "We have indeed revealed this
(Message) in the
Night of Power: and what will explain to thee what
the
Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a
thousand
months. Therein come down the angels and the
Spirit by God's
permission, on every errand. Peace!...This
until the rise of morn."
(Chapter 97) Muslims believe
Lailat ul-Qadr is one of the last odd-
numbered nights of
Ramadan.
Q: Isn't it difficult to perform the fast in
America?
A: In many ways, fasting in American society is
easier than fasting
in areas where the climate is extremely
hot. This year at least, the
number of daylight hours will
be less than when Ramadan occurs
during the spring or
summer. In Muslim countries, most people are
observing the
fast, so there are fewer temptations such as
luncheon
meetings, daytime celebrations and offers of food
from friends. Many
American Muslims would prefer a daytime
work shift during Ramadan so that they may break the fast with
their families and attend evening
prayers.
Q: How
can non-Muslim co-workers and friends help someone who
is
fasting?
A: Employers, co-workers and teachers can
help by understanding the
significance of Ramadan and by
showing a willingness to make minor
allowances for its
physical demands. Special consideration can be
given to
such things as requests for vacation time, the need
for
flexible early morning or evening work schedules and
lighter
homework assignments. It is also very important
that Muslim workers
and students be given time to attend
Eid prayers at the end of
Ramadan. Eid is as important to
Muslims as Christmas and Yom Kippur
are to Christians and
Jews. A small token such as a card (there are
Eid cards
available from Muslim bookstores) or baked goods given to
a
Muslim co-worker during Eid ul-Fitr would also be
greatly
appreciated. Hospital workers should be aware that
injections and
oral medications may break the fast.
Patients should be given the
opportunity to decide whether
or not their condition exempts them
from
fasting.
Fasting is one of the pillars of
Islam. It has been an integral part of all major religions.
The Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) fasted for forty days
before he was called to prophet hood (Matthew 4:2). Similarly
Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) fasted for forty days and
nights before he was given the Law (Exodus 24:18).
Controlling Desires.... Fasting in Ramadan is a part
of the broader program that Islam prescribes for man to
fulfill his moral and spiritual destiny in this world and in
the Hereafter. It is the special worship designed to develop
in man the ability to exercise self-restraint and patience for
the pleasure of Allah, man's Creator, Lord and Nourisher. Its
objective is to give man the power to keep in check his unruly
desires and tendencies that make him prone to greed, revenge,
anger, provocation and fear; that make him commit various
sins, acts of aggression, cruelty and oppression. It seeks to
free the human soul and lends it the moral and spiritual
strength to promote beauty, harmony, kindness, peace,
compassion and justice. The Qur'an says:
" We sent Our
Messengers with clear signs and sent down with them the Book
and the balance (of right and wrong), that men may stand forth
in justice." (57:25)
Fasting for Taqwa....
Prescribing fasting the Qur'an says:
"O you who
believe, fasting is prescribed to you as it was to those
before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint."
(2:183)
The original Arabic word
translated here as self-restraint is taqwa, which has a much
broader significance. It symbolizes that basic mortal quality
that demarcates the line between morality and amorality, and
distinguishes humans from animals as moral beings. It
represents love of good with an eagerness to respond to it,
and a strong desire to keep away from what is evil and
harmful. Those who are neutral or immune to questions of good
and bad, justice and injustice, compassion and cruelty,
loyalty and treachery are in the words of the Qur'an like the
blind, deaf, and dumb cattle, whose only concern in life is to
fill their stomachs." They have hearts wherewith they
understand not, eyes wherewith they see not, and ears
wherewith they hear not."
Developing Taqwa.... This
moral quality is nourished and can be developed only by
controlling and keeping in check one's desires, impulses, and
emotions and that is precisely what fasting is prescribed to
achieve. The Arabic word for fasting used in the above verse
is siyam which means to leave something or to avoid it. In the
light of this, Islamic fasting may be defined as the worship
in which man willingly forsakes his quite legitimate needs
like eating, drinking and other lawful pleasures in compliance
with the commandment of god, every day for a whole month,
Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. Thus Islamic
fasting is not merely leaving all that is evil. The Prophet
Muhammad(pbuh) said: "When one of you is fasting and someone
abuses him or fights with him, he should tell him `I cannot
respond to you for I am fasting.'" On another occasion he said
"He who does not leave evil only gets thirst and hunger from
fasting."
Through fasting we seek
closeness to God by obeying him sincerely and carrying out his
will in our daily life, our actions and thoughts, till our
days and nights bear witness that He is dearer to us than
anything else. Look at the time schedule of a believer during
this month; getting up early before dawn for a light snack,
stopping all eating and drinking all day, being anxious to
devote himself to prayers and adoration of God, eagerness to
do good and eschew evil, and during the nights of this month
to stand in prayer for hours, sacrificing sleep and comfort,
offering special extra prayers: more or less like one of a
soldier under rigorous training. The only difference here is
that it is not just one physical battle he is training for,
but an all-comprehensive and continuous war against evil, both
from within and without.
Special Rewards..... It is
well known that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) regularly observed
fasting in other parts of the year besides Ramadan, and he
always exhorted his followers to do the same. But it is in the
month of Ramadan when the entire Muslim community all over the
world observes fasting that a special meaning emerges. It
transforms fasting into an institution that elevates the human
soul to unprecedented heights. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Every
good deed is rewarded from ten to seven hundred times over,
but God says fasting is the exception; it is for Me, and My
servant forgoes his eating and drinking for my sake, so I
Myself will reward My servant for it."
Gift of
Qur'an...... Association of fasting with the month of Ramadan
reminds us that it was during this month that Allah perfected
His blessing upon mankind by giving us His last book, the
Qur'an.
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