IN the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
“Allah! There is no god but He the Living the Self-Subsisting Eternal. It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step) in truth the Book confirming what went before it; and He sent down Law (Of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this as a guide to mankind and He sent down the Criterion (of judgment between right and wrong). Then those who reject Faith in the Signs of God will suffer the severest penalty and God is Exalted in Might Lord of Retribution” (Qur’an 3:2-4).
One of the five pillars of Islam is the observance of full month fast in the ninth lunar month of Ramadan annually by all Muslim faithful. Almighty Allah declares, “O ye who believe! fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn) self-restraint. (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill or on a journey the prescribed number (should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (with hardship) is a ransom the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more of his own free will it is better for him and it is better for you that ye fast if ye only knew. Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an 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 but if anyone is ill or on a journey the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. God intends every facility for you He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful” (Q. 2: 183 – 185).
Ramadan is the month when fasting from dawn to dusk for the Muslim faithful is prescribed, except for those on a journey, the sick, the elderly, the weakly, the mentally deranged, women in their monthly courses, nursing mothers suckling their babies, and others.
The fasting is never a burden, but blessing from God spiritually, physically, medically, psychologically, and communally. Prophet Muhammad says, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of hell are closed and the devils are chained…. During the entire month of Ramadan, Muslims fast every day from dawn to sunset” (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim).
Thus, any healthy Muslim adult that refuses to observe fast during Ramadan, deliberately without being on a strenuous journey or other acceptable reasons, will repay with 60 days fast for one day fast missed in Ramadan, which can never repay for the actual one deliberately missed. Abu Huraira related that Rasulullah said: If anyone omits his fast even for one day in Ramadan without a concession or without being ill, then if he were to fast for the rest of his life, he could not make up for it (Bukhari).
And for the rewards for observing fast in Ramadan, Abu Huraira related that the Prophet said: “Allah the Majestic and Exalted said: ‘Every deed of man will receive ten to 700 times reward, except Siyam (fasting), for it is for Me and I shall reward it (as I like). There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts: one when he breaks the fast and the other when he will meet his Lord’” (Muslim).
Ramadan fast instills spiritual discipline and increased worship for the faithful, as fasting placed a strong focus on improving behaviour, as Prophet Muhammad stated: “If a person does not avoid false talk and false conduct during the fast, then God does not care if he abstains from food and drink”.
Besides, Abu Huraira related that Rasulullah said: Many people who fast get nothing from their fast except hunger and thirst, and many people who pray at night get nothing from it except wakefulness (Darimi).
Such people are those who engages in vain talks, backbiting, abuses, curses, fighting, shouting, barking, and among others while fasting. The Holy Qur’an 49: 11-12 says: “O ye who believe! Let not some men Among you laugh at others: It may be that the (latter) are better Than the (former): Nor let some women Laugh at others: It may be that the (latter) are better Than the (former): Nor defame nor be Sarcastic to each other, Nor call each other By (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name Connoting wickedness, (To be used of one) After he has believed: And those who Do not desist are (Indeed) doing wrong.O ye who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (As possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin: And spy not on each other, Nor speak ill of each other Behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead Brother? Nay, ye would Abhor it … But fear God: For God is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.”
Thus, fasting Muslims must engage in the glorification of God (dhikr); seeking forgiveness (astaghfirllah); and seeking blessings for Prophet Muhammad (salawat); attending tafsir (recitation and explanation of verses of the Holy Qur’an; recitation of the Qur’an; charity to the poor and needy; assisting the community, among others.
The month of Ramadan has come to remind us about the revelation of the seal of all holy books, the Qur’an that cannot be editioned, reviewed or revised. God Almighty declares in the Holy Qur’an 10: 37-38: “This Qur’an is not such as can be produced by other than God; on the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it and a fuller explanation of the Book wherein there is no doubt from the Lord of the Worlds. Or do they say “He forged it”? Say: “Bring then a Surah like unto it and call (to your aid) anyone you can besides God if it be ye speak the truth!”. In fact, God Almighty challenged humanity and the Jinn to review Qur’an, declaring that they will never be able to do it – Say: “If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together To produce the like Of this Qur-ān, they Could not produce The like thereof, even if They backed up each other With help and support” (Qur’an 17:89).
Since Ramadan fast is prescribed for us, as it was prescribed for those before us, the chain of the Prophets and Messengers of God is the same as all the 124,000 of them sent to the world at different times in history from Adam to Noah, to Abraham to Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus Christ, and Muhammad (SAW) preached the unity and indivisibility of God under the banner of Islam.
Three hundred and thirteen of them are Messengers, and while the stories of 25 are told in the Holy Qur’an, 104 of the Prophets were given holy books, five of them are considered to be unique. But while all other Prophets were sent to their families, communities and nations only, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was the last Prophet sent to the entire humanity with the message of the Holy Qur’an.
According to the Holy Qur’an (3:84), “Say, We have believed in God and in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants, and in what was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [submitting] to Him.”
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The Qur’an (3:67 – 68) states further that: “Abraham was neither Jewish, nor Christian; he was a monotheist; a Muslim; he never was an idol-worshiper. The people most worthy of following Abraham are those who follow him and this prophet (Muhammed), and those who believed. God is the Lord of the believers. “And, indeed We have sent prophets before you (O Muhammad), of some of them We have related to you their story, and of some We have not related to you their story…” (Quran 40:78).
Besides abstinence from food and drinks from dawn to dusk while fasting, we are denied sex with our legitimate partners, too. But we are allowed to go into them after breaking fast (iftar) till Sahur (dawn). Allah says in Qur’an 2:187: “Permitted to you on the night of the fasts is the approach to your wives. They are your garments. And ye are their garments. God knoweth what ye used to do secretly among yourselves; but He turned to you and forgave you; so now associate with them and seek what God hath ordained for you and eat and drink until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast till the night appears; but do not associate with your wives while ye are in retreat in the mosques. Those are limits (set by) God; approach not nigh thereto. Thus, doth God make clear His signs to men that they may learn self-restraint.”
But during seclusion in the mosque for I’tikaf in the last 10 days of Ramadan, we are asked to abstain from our wives.
May Almighty Allah accept our acts of worship (‘ibadah) in Ramadan. Ameen.
and then