Ramadan fasting: A divine obligation and pillar of worship in Islam

ALLAH SWT says, “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off evil.” (Al-Baqarah 2: 183)

The obligation of fasting the month of Ramadan becomes incumbent upon the occurrence of one of two matters: sighting the crescent of Ramadan after sunset on the 29th day of Sha’ban (the month directly preceding Ramadan), or, if the crescent is not seen, completing thirty (30) days of Sha’ban.

Thus, the beginning and end of the month of Ramadan are determined by sighting the crescent. If the crescent is not sighted, the month is completed as thirty days, just as with all months of the lunar calendar. This ruling is derived from the hadith of the Prophet (SAW), related by al-Bukhariyy and Muslim: “Do not fast one or two days before Ramadan. Start the month when you see the crescent and end the month when you see the crescent. If you are blocked from seeing it, complete thirty days of Sha’ban.”

Accordingly, on the 29th day of Sha’ban, directly after sunset, Muslims look toward the western horizon. If the crescent (of the new moon) is seen, the following day is the first day of Ramadan. If it is not seen due to cloud cover or another reason, the next day completes thirty (30) days of Sha’ban, and the day after that becomes the first day of Ramadan.

The judge confirms the beginning of Ramadan if one upright Muslim, whose testimony is acceptable, bears witness that he saw the crescent. Several conditions must be met for such testimony to be accepted. The witness must be Muslim, male, pubescent, free, clear of enormous sins, not one whose minor sins outweigh his acts of obedience, and one who abides by the ethics and manners of the people of his class.

If a person who does not meet these conditions testifies, such as a woman, a child, one who commits enormous sins, or a slave, the judge does not confirm the beginning of Ramadan nor announce it to the general public based solely on that testimony.

However, if a single upright Muslim who fulfills these conditions testifies to seeing the crescent, the judge confirms the beginning of Ramadan for the following day. This is established in the hadith related by Abu Dawud from the narration of Abdullah Ibn Umar. He informed the Prophet that he had sighted the crescent, so the Prophet (SAW) fasted the next day and ordered the people to fast as well.

Muslims must be cautious of those who determine the beginning of Ramadan based on astronomical calculations.

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) informed us that such calculations are not relied upon in these matters. Imam Ahmad related in his Musnad that the Prophet (SAW) said: “We are a nation which does not depend on writings and calculations [to determine the beginning of the month]. The month is either twenty-nine or thirty days.” Praise be to Allah SWT, how easy this matter is. Any Muslim with sound eyesight can observe the crescent without relying on complex calculations understood by only a few.

Who must fast

The first condition for fasting to be obligatory is that one must be Muslim. In this world, a non-Muslim is not required to fast; however, in the Hereafter, he will be punished for neglecting to fast, just as he will be punished for disbelief. His obligation is first to embrace Islam, after which fasting Ramadan becomes one of many obligations.

Second, the Muslim must be pubescent. A child is not obligated to fast; however, it is obligatory upon the guardian to instruct the child to fast once he or she reaches seven (lunar) years of age, provided the child’s body can tolerate fasting without harm.

Additionally, the person must be of sound mind. Fasting is not obligatory upon the insane.

Fasting is also not obligatory upon one whose body cannot tolerate it, whether due to old age or severe illness. If fasting would cause harm, such as worsening an illness or risking death, then fasting is prohibited.

A person who does not fast due to old age or an incurable illness is not required to make up missed days. Instead, he pays an expiation for each missed day by feeding a poor Muslim. The expiation may be given to one person or to multiple individuals. It consists of a mudd, a pair of average-sized hands cupped together, filled with the staple food of the town.

Fasting is not obligatory upon a menstruating woman or a woman experiencing postpartum bleeding; rather, it is unlawful for them to fast. Any missed days must be made up later.

A pregnant or breastfeeding woman is permitted not to fast if she fears harm to herself or her child. Both must make up every missed day. If the fear was solely for the baby, then in addition to making up the fast, she must pay an expiation of one mudd of staple food for each missed day.

A traveller covering a distance of two walking days or more (approximately 80 miles) is permitted not to fast, provided the travel is not sinful. This applies even if no hardship is encountered, such as traveling by plane, car, or train. The concession is based on distance, not hardship, as stated by Allah in Surat al-Baqarah (2: 185):

“…And whoever is sick or traveling, then he may make up the missed days later.”

The integrals of fasting in Ramadan are two:

Making the intention each night to fast the following day.
Abstaining from invalidators from dawn until sunset.

The intention must occur in the heart during the night, after sunset and before dawn, and must be renewed each night. As related by at-Timidhiyy and an-Nasa’iyy, the Prophet (SAW) said: “There is no fasting for the one who does not establish the intention the night before.”

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The intention does not need to be spoken aloud. One who sleeps without intending to fast and wakes after dawn has missed the time of intention. His fast is invalid, though he must still abstain for the remainder of the day and later make it up.

If a woman’s menstruation or postpartum bleeding ends at night, she must intend to fast the following day. Performing ghusl is required for prayer, not for fasting.

The intention for obligatory fasting must be made at night, whereas for optional fasting it may be made until Dhuhr, provided no invalidator occurred since dawn.

The fasting person must abstain from inserting any substance into the body cavity through an open inlet, such as the mouth, nose, anus, or vagina, whether food, drink, or otherwise. A fast is invalidated if done intentionally while remembering one is fasting and knowing it is unlawful. However, if one is forced under threat of death, the fast is not invalidated.

Substances absorbed through the skin do not invalidate the fast, as skin pores are not considered open inlets. For example, applying oil does not break the fast.

Swallowing one’s own pure saliva while it remains in the mouth does not invalidate the fast. However, if saliva exits the mouth, separates, and is then swallowed, the fast is invalidated. Likewise, if saliva mixes with another substance and is swallowed, the fast is invalidated.