IN the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Ramadan is considered to be the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. It involves abstaining from eating and vices from dawn to sunset in the hope that it will lead to greater taqwa (consciousness of Allah SWT). Muslims are commanded to fast during Ramadan more than 1,400 years ago. The ancient Greeks recommended fasting to heal the body, and today some scientists are advocating a modified fast for its mental and physical benefits. Experts have also found that restricting food intake during the day can help prevent health problems such as high cholesterol, heart disease, and obesity, as well as improve mental health and wellbeing.
The fast of body parts (e.g. preventing all the body parts from committing sins) is necessary not only in the state of fast, but also throughout life. This is possible only when we have the fear of Allah in our hearts.
Ponder the terrifying situation of the Judgement Day. Everyone will be worried about themselvdes; the sun will be showering fire (scorching heat), tongues will be hanging out of mouths due to extreme thirst. Wife, mother and father will be avoiding husband, son and children. Sinners will be caught, their mouths will be sealed and their body parts will testify to their sins. It is mentioned in Surah Yasin: “Today, We shall set seal on their mouths and their hands will talk to us and their feet will bear witness of their doings.” (Qr 36:65)
It is therefore imperative for the Muslims to fear the troubles and tribulations of the Day of Judgement and make efforts to prevent your body parts from indulging in sins. Here are details of the fasting of the body:
We should make our eyes fast by looking at only permissible things such as Masjid, the Noble Qur’an. If possible, we should see the Holy Ka’bah, the sacred streets, valleys and mountains of Makka-tul-Mukarramah, the walls and houses of Madinah-tul-Munawwarah, the green dome, minarets, deserts, gardens and the blessed Masjid of Madinah.
Kindly do make your eyes fast. Everyone should make their eyes fast constantly. Never misuse these gifts of Allah SWT in watching what is prohibited such as bad films, bad dramas, non-Mahram women, attractive boys with lust or anyone’s private parts and even your own private parts unnecessarily. Similarly, do not watch games or amusements that make you heedless of Allah’s remembrance. The games that involve exposing one’s knees or thighs because of wearing shorts are even worse. Remember, exposing the body from navel up to (including) knees is not permissible and looking at these parts of body is also impermissible). Do not peep into another person’s house without his permission, nor look at someone else’s letter or notebook without his permission.
Fast of ears implies listening to only permissible voices and sounds such as recitation of the Noble Qur’an, Sunnah-Inspiring speeches, useful talking, the Azan and the Iqamat, reply to the Azan and the Iqamat etc. Never listen to drum-beating, music, songs, useless and indecent jokes, backbiting, telling tales and faults of other people etc. Do not eavesdrop on others’ private conversations.
The Prophet (SAW) said: “If anyone listens secretly to the conversation of other people who resent it, on the Day of Judgement, molten lead will be poured into his ears.” (Mu’jam Kabir)
Fast of the tongue implies uttering only permissible and good words such as recitation of the Noble Qur’an, Zikr, Solat-‘Alan-Nabi, Na’at, Dars, Sunnah-Inspiring speeches, call to righteousness, useful and helpful religious speech etc. Avoid useless talking. Never misuse your tongue in committing sins such as abusing, lying, telling tales etc. If a spoon becomes impure, it can be washed by pouring one or two glasses of water on it but if the tongue becomes impure due to indecent speech then the water of seven oceans will not be able to purify it.
Narrated by Anas (RA) one day the beloved and blessed Prophet (SAW) ordered his companions (RA) to fast and then said: “None of you is to do Iftar until I permit you.” So, the people fasted. In the evening, the companions came individually to the Noble Prophet (SAW) and said, ‘Ya Rasulullah (SAW) I have fasted today, please give me permission to do Iftar’, the Noble Prophet (SAW) would allow them to do Iftar. One of the companions (RA) came and said: ‘Ya Rasulullah (SAW) In my house, there are two girls who have also fasted today, they feel shyness in coming here, please allow them to do Iftar.’ The Holy Prophet (SAW) turned his face away from him; he asked for the second time, but the blessed Rasul (SAW) turned his head away from him again. When he asked for the third time the Holy Prophet (SAW) said revealing the news of Ghayb (unseen), “Those two girls have not fasted, how (can they say) they fasted? They have been eating the flesh of people all day long, go and tell them to vomit, if they have fasted.”
The companion went home and told them what the Noble Prophet (SAW) said. When they vomited, blood and pieces of flesh came out of their mouths. The companion returned to the Holy Prophet (SAW) and told him about the girls’ condition. He (SAW) said, “I swear by the One in whose omnipotence my life is! If it had remained in their stomachs, fire would eat them. (Because they both backbited others).” (Reported by At-Targhib wat-Tarhib,)
According to another hadith, When our beloved and blessed Prophet (SAW) turned his face away from the companion he came in front of the Noble Prophet (SAW) and said, ‘Ya Rasulullah they both have died’ or ‘they are about to die.’ The Holy Prophet (SAW) commanded him to bring the girls to him. When they came he had a pot brought and ordered one of them to vomit in it. She vomited until the pot was full of blood and pieces of flesh. He (SAW) then ordered the other one to vomit; she also vomited as much. The beloved Prophet of Allah (SAW) said, “They fasted from the things that Allah declared Halal (i.e. eating, drinking etc.) but broke their fast with the things that Allah declared Haram. The thing is, they sat together and began to eat the flesh of people (by backbiting).” (Reported by At-Targhib wat-Tarhib)
This narration clearly proves that Allah SWT has given the knowledge of the Ghayb (Unseen) to His beloved Prophet (SAW) who is aware of his Ummah’s circumstances, which is why He (SAW) gave the news of Ghayb about those two girls sitting in the Masjid. Further, we also learnt that committing sins such as backbiting can directly affect fast and can make fasting unbearably painful. Anyhow, whether one is in the state of fast or not, he must control his speech or else it could lead to tragic consequences.
If we adopt the following three principles, we would avoid many troubles: evil-talk is always bad; silence is better than useless talk; righteous talk is better than silence.
Fast of hands is that the hands only be used for virtuous acts such as touching the Noble Qur’an in a state of purity and shaking hands with pious people. The Noble Prophet (SAW) said, “When two persons who love each other for Allah shake hands and recite salat on Rasul, their previous sins are forgiven before they leave” (Reported by Musnad Abi Ya’la).
If possible, stroke the head of an orphan affectionately as one will be rewarded for every single hair that he strokes (boys and girls are considered orphans as long as they are minors. As soon as they become adult, they will no longer remain minors. Never misuse your hand in oppressing someone, taking bribery, stealing, playing cards, and shaking hands with women (one should avoid shaking hands even with a young attractive girl in case of lust.
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Fast of the feet implies using feet for permissible and good acts such as walking to masjid or visiting scholars and pious people, attending Sunnah-Inspiring Ijtima’, calling people to righteousness, travelling in the company of righteous people and helping the needy. If only we would ever walk towards Makka-tul-Mukarramah and Madinah-tul-Munawwarah Mina, ‘Arafat, Muzdalifah and perform Tawaf and Sa’i. Never misuse feet in walking towards cinemas, bad company, playing or watching games, cards, videogames, etc.
In fact, we can attain the real blessings of fast when we make all of our body parts fast, otherwise we will not gain anything apart from thirst and hunger as Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that our beloved Prophetl (SAW) said, “There are many people who attain nothing but thirst and hunger from their fasts and there are many people who acquire nothing from their Falah except staying awake” (Reported by Sunan Ibn Majah).
Therefore, those who do not prevent their body parts from committing sins despite fasting fail to acquire the real spirituality of fast and those who stay awake till late night gossiping, chatting or playing different games, get nothing but the loss of their health and time, in addition to causing difficulty for themselves in the Hereafter.
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