Why do Muslims fast?
Question :
I live in England,and I often get asked by many
non-muslims,why do muslims fast? I know that I should know
this answer,but I do not know what to say exactly.What
should I give as an answer?.
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We Muslims fast the month of Ramadaan because Allaah has
commanded us to do so. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
“ O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is
prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before
you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (pious)”
[al-Baqarah 2:183]
So we worship Allaah by doing this act of worship which is
beloved to Allaah and which He has enjoined upon us.
The believers hasten to obey the commands of Allaah and His
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), in
obedience to His words (interpretation of the meaning):
“The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are
called to Allaah (His Words, the Qur’aan) and His
Messenger, to judge between them, is that they say: ‘We
hear and we obey.’ And such are the successful (who will
live forever in Paradise)”
[al-Noor 24:51]
“It is not for a believer,man or woman,when Allaah and His
Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any
option in their decision.And whoever disobeys Allaah and
His Messenger,he has indeed strayed into a plain error”
[al-Ahzaab 33:36]
Secondly:
It is by His wisdom that Allaah has prescribed a variety of
acts of worship, so as to test people with regard to how
they will obey all these commands.Will they only choose to
do that which suits them,or will they do that which pleases
Allaah?If we think about the five acts of worship:
testimony of faith, prayer, zakaah, fasting and pilgrimage,
we will see that some of them are purely physical, some are
purely financial,some are both,so that the miser will
become distinct from the generous. For some people it may
be easy for them to pray one thousand rak’ahs but not to
give a single dirham; for others it may be easy to give a
thousand dirhams but not to pray a single rak’ahs. So Islam
came to prescribe a variety of acts of worship so as to
determine who will follow in obedience to the command of
Allaah and who will follow only that which suits him.
Prayer,for example,is a purely physical action, but its
prerequisites require some expenditure, such as the water
for wudoo’, and clothes to cover the ‘awrah. These are not
part of the prayer but they are its prerequisites.
Zakaah is purely financial, but physical actions are
required to fulfil this duty such as calculating one's
wealth and transferring the zakaah to the poor and needy.
These are not part of zakaah but they are its
prerequisites.
Hajj involves spending wealth and physical action, except
for the people of Makkah who may not need money,but they
are very few compared with those who live in Makkah.
Jihad for the sake of Allaah may require both money and
physical effort.A person may spend money for the sake of
Allaah and not fight,or he may go and fight but not spend
money.
Commands are of two types:commands to refrain from things
that man is inclined towards,and commands to spend that are
precious.
Refraining from things that are loved includes fasting, and
expenditure of things that are loved includes zakaah.
Wealth is something that is loved and no one spends the
wealth that he loves except for something that is loved
even more.
The same applies to refraining from things that are loved,
for a person may like to spend a thousand
dalassi,leones,Nairas,but not fast a single day,or vice
versa.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 6/190.
Thirdly:
Among the other reasons behind fasting are:
1 – Fasting is a means that makes us appreciate and give
thanks for pleasures. For fasting means giving up eating,
drinking and intercourse, which are among the greatest
pleasures. By giving them up for a short time, we begin to
appreciate their value. Because the blessings of Allaah are
not recognized, but when you abstain from them, you begin
to recognize them, so this motivates you to be grateful for
them.
2 – Fasting is a means of giving up haraam things, because
if a person can give up halaal things in order to please
Allaah and for fear of His painful torment, then he will be
more likely to refrain from haraam things. So fasting is a
means of avoiding the things that Allaah has forbidden.
3 – Fasting enables us to control our desires, because when
a person is full his desires grow, but if he is hungry then
his desire becomes weak. Hence the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O young men!
Whoever among you can afford to get married, let him do so,
for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and
protecting one’s chastity. Whoever cannot do that, let him
fast, for it will be a shield for him.”
4 – Fasting makes us feel compassion and empathy towards
the poor, because when the fasting person tastes the pain
of hunger for a while, he remembers those who are in this
situation all the time, so he will hasten to do acts of
kindness to them and show compassion towards them. So
fasting is a means of feeling empathy with the poor.
5 – Fasting humiliates and weakens the Shaytaan;it weakens
the effects of his whispers (waswaas) on a person and
reduces his sins.That is because the Shaytaan “flows
through the son of Adam like blood” as the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, but fasting
narrows the passages through which the Shaytaan flows, so
his influence grows less.
Shaykh al-Islam said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 25/246
Undoubtedly blood is created from food and drink, so when a
person eats and drinks,the passages through which the
devils flow – which is the blood – become wide. But if a
person fasts,the passages through which the devils flow
become narrow,so hearts are motivated to do good deeds,and
to give up evil deeds.
6 – The fasting person is training himself to remember that
Allaah is always watching,so he gives up the things that he
desires even though he is able to take them,because he
knows that Allaah can see him.
7 – Fasting means developing an attitude of asceticism
towards this world and its desires,and seeking that which
is with Allaah.
8 – It makes the Muslim get used to doing a great deal of
acts of worship,because the fasting person usually does
more acts of worship and gets used to that.
These are some of the reasons why fasting is enjoined. We
ask Allaah to help us to achieve them and to worship Him
properly.
And Allaah knows best.
See Tafseer al-Sa’di, p. 116; Ibn al-Qayyim’s footnotes on
al-Rawd al-Murabba’, 3/344; al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah,
28/9.
2.What are the pillars of fasting?.
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
The fuqaha’ are agreed that abstaining from the things that
break the fast,from the true dawn until sunset is one of
the pillars of fasting.
But they differed with regard to the intention. The Hanafis
and Hanbalis are of the view that the intention is a
condition of the fast being valid.
The Maalikis and Shaafa’is were of the view that it is a
pillar in addition to abstinence.
Whether the intention is regarded as a pillar or a
condition,the fast – like other acts of worship – cannot be
regarded as valid without the intention, as well as
abstaining from the things that break the fast.
Al-Bahr al-Raa’iq, 2/276; Mawaahib al-Jaleel, 2/378;
Nihaayat al-Muhtaaj, 3/149; Nayl al-Ma’aarib Sharh Daleel
al-Taalib, 1/274.
And Allaah knows best.
3. Fasting is not acceptable if one does not pray
Is it permissible to fast without praying?.
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
No good deeds will be accepted from one who does not pray –
no zakaah, no fasting, no Hajj or anything else.
Al-Bukhaari (520) narrated that Buraydah said: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: “Whoever does not pray ‘Asr, his good deeds will
be annulled.”
What is meant by “his good deeds will be annulled” is that
they will be rendered invalid and will be of no benefit to
him. This hadeeth indicates that Allaah will not accept any
good deed from one who does not pray, so the one who does
not pray will not benefit at all from his good deeds and no
good deed of his will be taken up to Allaah.
It seems from the hadeeth that there are two types of those
who do not pray: those who do not pray at all, which annuls
all their good deeds, and those who do not offer a
particular prayer on a particular day, which annuls the
good deeds of that day. So annulment of all good deeds
happens to those who forsake all the prayers, and annulment
of the good deeds of a particular day happens to the one
who omits a particular prayer.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked in Fataawa al-Siyaam (p.
87) about the ruling on the fasting of one who does not
pray.
He replied:
The fast of one who does not pray is not valid and is not
accepted,because the one who does not pray is a kaafir and
an apostate, because Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
“But if they repent [by rejecting Shirk (polytheism) and
accept Islamic Monotheism],perform As-Salaah
(Iqaamat-as-Salaah) and give Zakaah,then they are your
brethren in religion”
[al-Tawbah 9:11]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “Between a man and shirk and kufr stands his giving
up prayer.” Narrated by Muslim, 82. And he (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The covenant that
separates us from them is prayer; whoever gives up prayer
is a kaafir.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2621; classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
This is also the view of most of the Sahaabah, if not their
consensus. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Shaqeeq (may Allaah have mercy
on him),who was one of the well-known Taabi’een, said: The
companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) did not think that omitting any action made a
person a kaafir, except for prayer. Based on this, if a
person fasts but he does not pray,then his fast is rejected
and not accepted,and it will not avail him anything before
Allaah on the Day of Resurrection.We say to him:Pray then
fast,because if you fast but do not pray,then your fast
will be rejected,because acts of worship are not accepted
from a kaafir.
The Standing Committee (10/140) was asked: if a person is
keen to fast in Ramadaan and to pray in Ramadaan only, but
he stops praying as soon as Ramadaan is over, does his
fasting count?
They replied:
Prayer is one of the pillars of Islam,and it is the most
important pillar after the Shahaadatayn. It is an
individual obligation (fard ‘ayn),and whoever does not do
it because he denies that it is obligatory,or he does not
do it because he is careless and lazy,is a kaafir.With
regard to those who fast Ramadaan and pray in Ramadaan
only,this is trying to cheat Allaah,and unfortunate indeed
are those who only acknowledge Allaah in Ramadaan. Their
fasting is not valid if they do not pray at times other
than Ramadaan,rather this makes them kaafirs in the sense
of major kufr (kufr akbar),even if they do not deny that
prayer is obligatory,according to the more sound of the two
scholarly opinions.
Ruling on praying behind an evildoer .
Question :
What is the ruling on praying behind an imam who was
sodomized during his childhood and youth with his consent,
knowing that he has a beautiful voice and has memorized the
entire Qur’aan?.
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
If this imam has repented and changed his ways for the
better, then there is nothing wrong with appointing him as
an imam to lead others in prayer, or with praying behind
him. No one has the right to criticize him or punish him
for a sin from which he has repented. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
“verily, Allaah forgives all sins”
[al-Zumar 39:53]
i.e., for the one who repents.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “The one who repents from sin is like one who did not
sin at all.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 4250; classed as hasan
by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah.
But if he is still committing that great evil, he must be
advised and warned and made to fear Allaah. If he does not
repent, then efforts must be made to prevent him from
leading the prayer and he should be replaced with another,
righteous imam who adheres properly to his religion and is
keen to attain the quality of taqwa. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade a man to spit in
the direction of the qiblah whilst praying, and he forbade
him to lead his people in prayer, and he said to him: “You
have offended Allaah and His Messenger.” Narrated by Abu
Dawood, 481 and classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albaan in
Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood. So how about one who commits this
great evil? He is more deserving of being prevented from
leading the prayers!
Moreover,appointing him to lead the prayers is a form of
showing respect to him, and an evildoer is not deserving of
such respect.
The imam is usually someone whom the people take as an
example and from whom they learn and receive guidance. The
more just and righteous he is, the more that will benefit
the people and make them more likely to accept what he
says.
But if he is an evildoer, the people will not accept
anything from him,rather he may be the cause of some of
them being led astray,Allaah forbid.
Secondly:
With regard to the validity of prayers offered behind an
evildoer,the imams (scholars) differed concerning that. The
view of the majority is that a prayer offered behind such a
person is valid,although it is makrooh.
Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo’, 4/151:
It is proven in Saheeh al-Bukhaari that Ibn ‘Umar prayed
behind al-Hajjaaj ibn Yoosuf, and many other saheeh
ahaadeeth indicate that prayers offered behind evildoers
and unjust rulers are valid.
Our companions said: Prayers offered behind evildoers are
not haraam, but they are makrooh. It is also makrooh to
pray behind an innovator whose bid’ah does not reach the
degree of kufr, but such prayers are valid. But if his
bid’ah constitutes kufr then as we have stated before,
prayers offered behind him are not valid as is the case
with any other kaafir. Al-Shaafa’i stated in al-Mukhtasar
that it is makrooh to pray behind an evildoer or an
innovator, but if one does that, the prayer is valid.
End quote
Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa,
23/341:
If there are two men of religious commitment, then
whichever of them has more knowledge of Qur’aan and Sunnah
should be given precedence… If one of them is an evildoer,
such as if he is known for lying or being treacherous and
so on, and the other is a believer and is pious, then the
latter is more entitled to lead the prayers if he is
qualified to do so, but if the former has more knowledge of
Qur’aan and is more knowledgeable, then prayer behind the
evildoer is emphatically forbidden according to some
scholars and is disliked according to others… and it is not
permissible to appoint the evildoer when it is possible to
appoint the righteous man.
He also said (23/375):
It is not permissible to appoint someone to lead the
prayers who consumes hashish or does evil and haraam things
when it is possible to appoint someone who is better than
him.
The imams are agreed that it is makrooh to pray behind an
evildoer, but they differed as to whether such a prayer is
valid. It was said that it is not valid, as is the view of
Maalik and Ahmad according to one of the two reports
narrated from them. And it was said that it is valid, as is
the view of Abu Haneefah and al-Shaafa’i, and the other
view narrated from Maalik and Ahmad. But there is no
dispute concerning the fact that such a person should not
be appointed. End quote.
See also al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/403-308
Thirdly:
The scholars have discussed in detail what should be done
with an evildoer imam.It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah
al-Daa’imah:
Based on this,if he is the imam of a mosque and he does not
pay heed to advice,then he must be removed if possible and
if that will not lead to fitnah (tribulation),otherwise
those who are able to should pray behind someone else who
is righteous,as a rebuke to him and a denunciation,so long
as that will not lead to fitnah (tribulation).
If it is not possible to pray behind someone else,then it
is prescribed to pray behind him so as to preserve the
interests of the jamaa’ah (group or congregation).
If there is the fear that praying behind someone else will
provoke fitnah, then (the people) should pray behind him so
as to ward off fitnah and so as to do the lesser of two
evils.
From Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 7/370
And Allaah knows best.
What will happen to a woman in Paradise if her husband is
one of the people of the Fire?
Question :
In the Holy Qur’aan and in many ahaadeeth of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) it describes
what the Muslim will find when he enters Paradise by
Allaah’s Leave of reward and delights. In particular
mention is made of al-hoor al-‘iyn and it says that Allaah
will reunite him with his wife if she was one of the
righteous believing women.
My question is:What awaits the righteous believing woman
who enters Paradise if her husband was not righteous and is
one of the people of Hell,Allaah forbid?.
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
We ask Allaah to make us and you among the people of
Paradise,with all our families and loved ones.If a woman’s
husband enters Paradise along with her,then he will be her
husband there too,but if he is one of the people of Hell,
or if the woman did not get married in this world,then she
will get married to a man among the people of Paradise.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was
asked: If a woman is one of the people of Paradise and she
did not get married in this world,or she got married but
her husband does not enter Paradise,who will she be with?
He answered:
The answer is based on the general meaning of the verses in
which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Therein you shall have (all) that your inner‑selves
desire, and therein you shall have (all) for which you ask”
[Fussilat 41:31]
“(there will be) therein all that inner‑selves could
desire, and all that eyes could delight in and you will
abide therein forever”
[al-Zukhruf 43:71]
So if a woman is one of the people of Paradise and she did
not get married, or if her husband is not one of the people
of Paradise, when she enters Paradise there will be men who
did not get married, and those men will have wives from
among the hur al-‘iyn and wives from among the people of
this world if they wish.
Similarly with regard to the woman who did not have a
husband,or who had a husband in this world but he did not
enter Paradise with her,if she wants to get married then
she will inevitably have what she desires because of the
general meaning of these verses.
From Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/52
And Allaah knows best.
‘Umrah is mustahabb at any time in Ramadaan
Question :
Is ‘Umrah mustahabb during the last ten days of Ramadaan?.
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
encouraged us to perform ‘Umrah in the month of Ramadaan.
Al-Bukhaari (1782) and Muslim (1256) narrated that Ibn
‘Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: “ ‘Umrah in Ramadaan is
equivalent to Hajj.”
This includes all of Ramadaan,not just the last ten days.
And Allaah knows best.
Question :
Is a person who does not fast a kaafir,if he still prays,
and he does not fast even though he is not sick and has no
other excuse?.
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
Whoever does not fast because he denies that it is
obligatory is a kaafir according to scholarly consensus. If
a person does not fast because he is lazy or heedless, some
scholars say that that makes him a kaafir,although the
correct view is that it does not,but he is in serious
danger because he has forsaken one of the pillars of Islam
on which there is consensus that it is obligatory. And he
deserves to be punished and disciplined by the ruler in
such a manner as to deter him from this. He must also make
up the fasts that he has missed and repent to Allaah.
And Allaah knows best.
See Fataawa al-Lajnah, 10/143.
Sudden Death
Q.A person who meets sudden death,as in a car accident or
from cardiac arrest,does not have a chance to pray for
forgiveness.Is this why the Prophet used to seek refuge
against sudden death?
A. A Muslim is always aware of the inevitability of death,
realizing that it comes at any moment, without warning.
Hence, he always tries to be ready to meet his Lord, should
his death come suddenly. You always find good Muslims
praying for forgiveness all the time, after every prayer,
and in between prayers. This is what the Prophet has taught
us. Hence, to a Muslim, there is really no case of death
that is unexpected. When you know that your time may be
called up at any moment, you will be ready, trying always
to do what you can to increase your good deeds, and praying
always for forgiveness of any slips.
FOR INFORMATION ONLY:-
ISRA Conference of Sufi Shaykhs and Scholars October 9 -
10, University of Maryland (Rockville -- near Washington,
D.C.).
The Washington DC Chapter Of
THE ISLAMIC STUDIES AND RESEARCH ASSOCIATION
ISRA
INTERNATIONAL
Invites All Muslims And People Interested In ISLAM To
Attend The 6th Annual International
ISRA AND MI'RAJ CONFERENCE.
In the Washington DC area on Columbus Day Weekend.
"Ascending To The Spiritual Perfection Of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (saws)" "Truly Allah does not change the condition
of a people until they change what is in their selves."
(Al- Qur'an 13:11)
Saturday October 9, 2004 : Sh'abaan 24,1425 H ( 9 AM -
10:30 PM )
Sunday October 10, 2004 : Sh'baan 25,1425 H ( 9 AM - 5 PM )
Shady Grove Conference Center, University of Maryland, 9630
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Check detailed directions @
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Special Dhikr on Friday October 8, 2004 @ 7:45- 10:15 PM At
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Speakers :*Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani * Dr.Seyyed
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* Shaykh Harun Rashid Faye * Shaykh Ahmed Tijani Ben Omer *
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Sidi Sadiq Taha * Sister Maryam Kabeer * Dr. Zafar Noori *
Mufti Mahmood Varnalvi * Sidi Osman Noori Other Presenters
: Qur'an Recitation: Qari Hafiz Shaikh Abdul Khader
Multani, Dr. Hussain Nawab. Poetry,Na'at /Qasidah,Sama':
Sidi Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore, Sidi Noor Muhammad
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Register NOW to save. Registration includes FREE meals. .
For more information, registration, vendor reservation,
directions and conference updates please call ISRA @
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A UNIQUE SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. Theme:
"Ascending To The Spiritual Perfection Of The Holy Prophet
Muhammad (saws)."
During the great Night Journey and Ascension (Isra &
Mi'raj),the holy Prophet Muhammad (saws) was transported in
an instant from Makkah to Jerusalem and from there through
the heavens to the presence of Allah (swt); and then he was
returned. For the Prophet (saws), this ascension was a
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Believers, though, can also follow this aspect of the
Prophet's life (sunnah) and ascend to the spiritual
perfection experienced by the holy Prophet (saws). For
believers, this perfection may be attained both as a gift
from Allah (swt),who attracts those whom He wills,and by
means of their own striving to follow the spiritual path of
the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saws).
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