Ramadan: The sacred month of fasting has arrived

IN the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Allah! There is no god but He, the Living, the Self-Subsisting, the Eternal. It is He Who sent down to you, step by step, in truth, the Book confirming what came before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this as a guide to mankind. He also sent down the Criterion (to distinguish right from wrong). Those who reject faith in the Signs of God will face the severest penalty, for God is Exalted in Might, the Lord of Retribution. (Qur’an 3:2-4)

One of the five major pillars of Islam is the observance of fasting during the ninth lunar month, Ramadan, 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, there is a ransom: the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that gives 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 the Qur’an was sent down as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So, every one of you who is present 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)

Truly, Ramadan is the month when fasting from dawn to dusk is prescribed for the Muslim faithful, except for those on a journey, the sick, the elderly, the weak, the mentally unwell, women during their monthly courses, nursing mothers, and others with valid exemptions.

Fasting is never a burden, but rather a blessing from God, spiritually, physically, medically, psychologically, and communally. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of heaven are opened, 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 who deliberately refuses to fast during Ramadan without valid reasons must atone: one day missed requires sixty days of fasting, which still cannot fully compensate for the deliberate neglect. Abu Huraira related that Rasulullah (peace be upon him) 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)

The rewards for observing fast in Ramadan are immense. Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet said: “Allah, the Majestic and Exalted, said: ‘Every deed of man will receive ten to seven hundred 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)

Fasting instills spiritual discipline and increases worship, focusing the faithful on improving their behavior. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) 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.”

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Abu Huraira also reported: “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 engage in vain talk, backbiting, abuses, curses, fighting, shouting, and other unworthy conduct while fasting. The Holy Qur’an warns against such behavior: “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, 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.” (Q. 49:11–12)

Therefore, fasting Muslims must also engage in the glorification of God (Dhikr), seek forgiveness (Astaghfirullah), send blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (Salawat), attend Tafsir (recitation and explanation of the Qur’an), recite the Qur’an, give charity to the poor and needy, assist the community, and perform other righteous deeds.

The month of Ramadan has arrived to remind us of the revelation of the final and eternal Holy Book, the Qur’an, which cannot be edited, revised, or altered for all eternity. Almighty Allah declares in the Holy Qur’an: “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!’” (Q. 10:37–38)

Indeed, God Almighty challenges all of humanity and the jinn to produce anything like the Qur’an, declaring: “If the whole of mankind and jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.” (Q. 17:88)

Since fasting during Ramadan is prescribed for us as it was for those before us, it links us to the long chain of Prophets and Messengers sent by God throughout history, from Adam and Noah, to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus Christ, and finally Muhammad (peace be upon them all). All preached the unity and indivisibility of God under the banner of Islam.

Of the 124,000 Prophets sent to the world, 313 were Messengers. Twenty-five Prophets’ stories are narrated in the Qur’an, 104 received Holy Books, and five are considered unique. While most Prophets were sent to specific communities or nations, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the last Prophet, sent to all humanity with the eternal message of the Qur’an.

The Holy Qur’an declares: “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.” (Q. 3:84)

It further states: “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 (Muhammad), 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.” (Q. 3:67–68; 40:78)

Fasting in Ramadan involves abstinence not only from food and drink from dawn to dusk but also from sexual relations with our lawful spouses. However, the Almighty allows lawful intimacy after breaking the fast (Iftar) until dawn (Sahur). Allah says: “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 appears 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.” (Q. 2:187)

During the last ten days of Ramadan, those performing I’tikaf (spiritual seclusion in the mosque) are required to abstain from their wives entirely.

May Almighty Allah accept our acts of worship (‘ibadah) during Ramadan. Ameen.