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Bro. Abass Fofana |
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In the name of Allah, the beneficent and merciful
As the
month of Ramadan has arrived again, it’s the month that provides an
opportunity for forgiveness from Allah and emancipation from our sins.
It is the month for performing good deeds and giving in charity. It is
the month when the gates of the heavens are opened and the rewards for
our deeds are magnified many times over. It is the month wherein prayers
are answered and the status of the worshipper is elevated.
The
Almighty Allah draws our attention, says in the Holy Qur’an:
O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed
for those who were before you, in order that you may learn taqwa
(piety) (Al-Baqarah 2:183).
Taqwa
is a very important spiritual and ethical term of the Qur’an. It is the
total sum of all Islamic spirituality
and ethics. It is a quality in a believer’s life that keeps him/her
awareness of Allah all the time. A
person who has taqwa loves to do well and to avoid evil for the
sake of Allah. Taqwa is a
piety, righteousness and consciousness of Allah. Taqwa requires
patience and perseverance. Fasting teaches patience, and with patience
one can rise to the high position of taqwa.
The Prophet (peace and
blessing of Allah
be upon him) said that fasting is a shield. It protects a person
from sin and lustful desires.
The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Qur’an, wherein
is guidance for mankind and the clear signs of guidance and distinction.
Thus whosoever among you witness the month must fast...)
(Al-Baqarah
2:184).
The month
of Ramadan contains within it a night that is superior to a thousand
months. Whoever is denied the goodness of that night is indeed deprived.
“Lo! We
revealed it on the night of power. Ah, What will convey unto you what
the night of power is. The Night of Power is better than thousand
months. The angels and the spirits descend therein by the permission of
their lord, with all decrees.( The night is) peace until the rising of
the dawn.”
Al Qadr
97:1-5.
The
Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him) explained this further in a number of his statements
reported in the tradition books (Hadith).
It is reported by Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim on the authority of
Ibn ‘Umar
that the Messenger of Allah said,
“Islam is
built upon
five
pillars:
testifying that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah, performing Prayer, paying the zakah, fasting the
month of Ramadan and performing the pilgrimage (Hajj) to the Sacred
House.”
The
Muslim Ummah is unanimous that fasting in the month of Ramadan is
obligatory upon every person who is mature and capable (mukallaf).
Requirements for Fasting to Be Valid;
There are
basically two main components of fasting
1) The
intention (niyyah) for fasting. One should make a sincere
intention to fast for the sake of Allah every day before dawn. The
intention need not to be in words, but
must be with the sincerity of the heart and mind. Some
Muslims jurists are of the opinion
that the intention can be made once only for the whole month and does
not have to be repeated every day. It is, however, better to make
intention every day in order
to take full benefit of fasting.
2) Abstaining
from dawn to dusk from everything that invalidates fasting.
Fasting teaches us about ourselves and our needs. It shows us how weak
we are and how truly dependent we are upon our Lord. It shows us how
much Allah has blessed us. We are reminded of our brethren those who are
less fortunate and are inspired to treat them well. We are compelled to
thank Allah and to use the blessings He has provided us in obedience to
Him
Things
That Invalidate the Fast:
You must
avoid doing anything that may render your fast invalid. Things that
invalidate the fast and require qadaa’ (making up for these days)
are the following:
1)
Eating, drinking or smoking deliberately, including taking any
non-nourishing items by mouth, nose or anus
2)
Intentionally
causing you to vomit
3)
The beginning of menstrual or post-childbirth bleeding even in the last
moment before the sunset
4)
Sexual intercourse or other sexual contact (or masturbation) that
results in ejaculation (from men) or (women)
5) Eating,
drinking, smoking or having sexual intercourse after Fajr (dawn) on the
mistaken assumption that it is not Fajr time yet. Similarly, engaging in
these acts before Maghrib (sunset) on the mistaken assumption that it is
already Maghrib’s time.
Sexual intercourse during fasting is forbidden
and is a great sin. Those who engage in it must make both qadaa’
(make up the fasts) and kaffarah (expiation by fasting for 60
days after Ramadan or by feeding 60 poor people for each day of fast
broken in this way).
Editorial
Note: This article was prepared by Brother Abass Fofana in the first
week of Ramadan. As the website was meant to be revamped, the article
was not posted then. However, as the article’s content remains so
relevant to every Muslim, our editors have agreed to post it now,
despite the references cited therein. Please look forward to more
articles from Brother Abass Fofana, especially on religious matters.
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