CATEGORIES OF FASTING AND WHO IS OBLIGED TO FAST
ASSEMBLED BY MALLAM ABBA ABANA, KUBWA, ABUJA, NIGERIA
http://variousislamicdawadocuments.blogspot.com
https://web.facebook.com/abba.abana
emails:gonidamgamiri@yahoo.com; abba.abana@gmail.com
SATURDAY 9th RAJAB 1440 AH- 16th MARCH
2019 CE
(PART 4 OF 11: CATEGORIES OF FASTING AND WHO IS
OBLIGED TO FAST)
Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu
Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah. As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu.
Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with
Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah
guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one
can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness
that Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) is His slave and Messenger.
PREAMBLE
Categories Of Fasting And Who Is Obliged To Fast Categories
Of Fasting[1]
The categories of rulings are
five: obligatory (waajib), forbidden (muharram), encouraged (mustahabb),
disliked (makrooh) and permissible (mubaah). These five rulings have been
narrated with regard to fasting. We cannot list everything that comes under
each of these rulings, but we will mention what we can.
1 – OBLIGATORY FASTS
I.
The
Ramadaan fast
II.
Making up
missed Ramadaan fasts
III.
Expiatory
fasts (expiation for accidental killing, expiation for zihaar (a form of
jaahili divorce), expiation for having intercourse during the day in Ramadaan,
and expiation for breaking an oath)
IV.
Fasting
for the pilgrim who does tamattu’ in Hajj if he does not have a sacrificial
animal. “and whosoever performs the ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj, before
(performing) the Hajj, (i.e. Hajj-at-Tamattu‘ and Al-Qiraan), he must slaughter
a Hady such as he can afford, but if he cannot afford it, he should observe
Sawm (fasts) three days during the Hajj and seven days after his return (to his
home)” [Holy Quran Chapter al-Baqarah 2:196 – interpretation of the meaning].
V.
Fasting in
fulfilment of a vow
2 – MUSTAHABB (ENCOURAGED)
FASTS
a. Fasting the day of ‘Ashoora’
b. Fasting the day of ‘Arafah
c. Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays each week
d. Fasting three days of each month
e. Fasting six days of Shawwaal
f. Fasting most of the month of Sha’baan
g. Fasting the month of Muharram
h. Fasting alternate days – which is the best of
fasting
All of these are proven in hasan
and saheeh ahaadeeth.
3 – MAKROOH (DISLIKED) FASTS
a. Singling out Friday for fasting – because the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not fast on a
Friday unless you fast a day before or a day afterwards.” Agreed upon
b. Singling out Saturday for fasting – because the Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not fast on Saturdays
apart from days when you are obliged to fast, even if one of you cannot find
anything other than grape stalks or the bark of a tree (to suck on, to make
sure that he is not fasting).” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 744, who classed it as
hasan. Also narrated by Abu Dawood, 2421; Ibn Maajah, 1726; classed as saheeh
by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 960.
Al-Tirmidhi said: What is meant by
its being makrooh is that a man should not single out Saturday for fasting
because the Jews venerate Saturday. End quote.
4 – FORBIDDEN FASTS
a. Fasting on Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and the days of
Tashreeq, which are the three days after Eid al-Adha.
b. Fasting on the “day of doubt” – which is the thirtieth
(30th) of Sha’baan, if the sky was cloudy and the new moon could not
be sighted. But if the sky was clear there can be no doubt.
c. Fasts observed by women who are menstruating and
bleeding following childbirth.
5 – PERMISSIBLE FASTS –
these are fasts that do not come under any of the four headings mentioned
above.
What is meant by permissible here
is that there is no report enjoining or forbidding fasting on this day in
particular, such as Tuesdays and Wednesdays, even though in principle, observing
a voluntary fast is an act of worship that is encouraged? Refer to al-Mawsoo’ah
al-Fiqhiyyah, 28/10-19; al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 6/457-483.
2
WHY DO MUSLIMS FAST?[2]
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)”[Holy Quran Chapter 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)”[ Holy Quran Chapter 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”[ Holy Quran Chapter
al-Ahzaab 33:36]
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.
1)
Zakaah is
purely financial, but physical actions are required to fulfill 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.
2)
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.
3)
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 dirhams or Dollars or Naira, but not fast a single day, or vice
versa. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 6/190.
There is another great reason why
fasting is prescribed, why Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked about the reason why
fasting was enjoined?
He replied: If we read the
words of Allaah (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)”[
Holy Quran Chapter al-Baqarah 2:183]
We will know the reason why
fasting was prescribed, which is taqwa (piety) and submission to Allaah. Taqwa
means giving up haraam things, and in general terms includes both doing what is
commanded and abstaining from what is forbidden. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does not give up false speech
and acting upon it and offensive speech and behaviour, Allaah has no need of
his giving up his food and drink.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6057.
Based on this, it is important for
the one who is fasting to carry out religious duties and avoid haraam things in
word and deed. So he should not backbite about people, tell lies, or spread
malicious gossip among them, or engage in haraam transactions, and he should
avoid all haraam things. If a person does that for a whole month, the rest of
the year will go well, but unfortunately in the case of many of those who fast,
there is no difference between a day when they fast and a day when they do not;
they behave as they usually do, neglecting obligatory duties and doing
forbidden things. You do not see the dignity that is to be expected of the
fasting person. These actions do not invalidate their fast but they do detract
from its reward and may cancel out the reward altogether[3]. Fataawa
Arkaan al-Islam, p. 451.
3
WHO MUST FAST? Muslims all over the world wait eagerly for Ramadan, as it is a time of increased inner peace and well-being.
1)
Fasting
in the month of Ramadan is obligatory upon every adult Muslim, male or female,
who has reached puberty, is sane and who is not sick or traveling.
2)
Sickness
could be a temporary sickness from which a person expects to be cured soon.
Such a person should not fast during the days of his or her sickness, but he or
she must fast later after Ramadan to complete the missed days.
3)
Those
who are sick with incurable illness and expect no better health are also
allowed not to fast but they must pay the fidyah, which is giving a
day's meals for each fast missed to a needy person. Instead of food for one day one can also give equivalent amount of
money to a needy person.
4)
Women
in their menses and post-natal bleeding are not allowed to fast, but they must
make up the fast later after Ramadan.
5)
If
pregnant women and mothers who are nursing babies can also postpone their
fasting to a later time when they are able to do so.
6)
A
travel according to the Shariah is any journey that takes you away from your
city of residence, a minimum of 48 miles or 80 kilometers. The journey must be
for a good cause. One must avoid frivolous travel during Ramadan which causes a
person to miss fasting[4].
7)
The
traveler who misses the fasts of Ramadan must make up those missed days later
as soon as possible after Ramadan.
4 FASTING IS OBLIGATORY FOR A PERSON IF HE FULFILS FIVE
CONDITIONS[5]:
1)
He is a
Muslim
2)
He is
accountable (mukallaf)
3)
He is able
to fast
4)
He is
settled (not travelling)
5)
There are
no impediments to fasting
If these five conditions are met,
then it is obligatory for a person to fast.
Kaafirs are excluded from the
first condition. The kaafir is not obliged to fast and his fast is not valid.
If he becomes Muslim he is not obliged to make up fasts from before.
The evidence for that is the verse
in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And nothing prevents their
contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in
Allaah and in His Messenger (Muhammad) and that they came not to As-Salaah (the
prayer) except in a lazy state, and that they offer not contributions but
unwillingly”[ Holy Quran Chapter al-Tawbah 9:54]
If the contribution is not
acceptable even though it benefits others, because of their kufr, then other
acts of worship may be even more unacceptable.
He does not have to make up fasts
if he becomes Muslim because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say
to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief), their past will
be forgiven”[ Holy Quran Chapter al-Anfaal 8:38].
And it was proven in mutawaatir
reports that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not
tell those who became Muslim to make up the obligatory duties that they had
missed.
Will the kaafir be punished in the
Hereafter for not fasting if he did not become Muslim?
The answer is: Yes, he will
be punished for not fasting, and for not doing any other obligatory duties,
because if the Muslim who obeyed Allaah and adhered to His laws will be
punished for that, then it is more apt that he (the kaafir) should be punished.
If the kaafir is to be punished for the blessings of Allaah that he enjoyed,
such as food, drink and clothing, then it is more appropriate that he will be
punished for doing haraam actions and not doing obligatory duties. This is by
way of analogy.
With regard to the texts, Allaah
says that those on the Right (i.e., the believers) will say to the
disbelievers: “ ‘What has caused you to enter Hell?’ They will say:
‘We were not of those who used to offer the Salaah (prayers), Nor used we to
feed Al-Miskeen (the poor); And we used to talk falsehood (all that which
Allaah hated) with vain talkers. And we used to belie the Day of
Recompense’”[holy Quran chapter al-Muddaththir 74:42]
These four things are what will
cause them to enter Hell.
“We were not of those who used
to offer the Salaah (prayers)” means they did not pray; “Nor used we to
feed Al-Miskeen (the poor)” means they did not pay zakaah; “And we used
to talk falsehood (all that which Allaah hated) with vain talkers” means
things like mocking the verses of Allaah; “And we used to belie the
Day of Recompense.”
The second condition:
He should be accountable
(mukallaf). The one who is mukallaf is one who is has reached the age of
puberty and is of sound mind, because a minor or one who is insane is not
accountable. Puberty is reached when one of the three signs is noticed.
The one who is of sound mind is
the opposite of one is insane, which is one who has lost his mind, whether he
is insane or feeble-minded. Everyone who has lost his mind, in whatever sense,
is not accountable and he is not obliged to do any of the obligatory duties of
Islam, be it prayer, fasting or feeding the poor; he does not have to do
anything at all.
The third condition:
Being able to fast. The one who is
unable to fast does not have to fast, because Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): “and whoever is ill or on
a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must
be made up] from other days”[ Holy
Quran Chapter al-Baqarah 2:185].
But being unable to fast falls
into two categories: temporary inability and permanent inability.
Temporary inability is that which
is mentioned in the verse quoted above, such as one who is sick but hopes to
recover, and the traveller. These people are allowed not to fast, then they
have to make up what they missed.
Those who are permanently unable
to fast, such as one who is sick and has no hope of recovery, or those who are
elderly and are unable to fast, are mentioned in the verse (interpretation of
the meaning): “And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an
old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor
person) (for every day)”[ Holy Quran Chapter al-Baqarah 2:184]
As Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be
pleased with him) interpreted it, it refers to the old man and old woman who
are not able to fast, so they should feed one poor person for each day.
The fourth condition: He
should be settled (not travelling). If he is travelling then it is not
obligatory for him to fast, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “and whoever is ill or on a journey,
the same number [of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be made
up] from other days”[ Holy Quran
Chapter al-Baqarah 2:185].
The scholars are agreed that it is
permissible for a traveller not to fast.
It is better for the traveller to
do that which is easier. If fasting is likely to be harmful then it becomes
haraam to fast, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And do not kill yourselves (nor
kill one another). Surely, Allaah is Most Merciful to you”[holy Quran al-Nisa’
4:29]
This indicates that whatever is
harmful to a person is forbidden to him. If you ask, what is the degree of harm
which makes fasting haraam?
The answer is: Harm may be
physical, or someone advises him that fasting may harm him. With regard to
physical harm, that means that the sick person feels that fasting is harming
him and causing him pain, and will delay his recovery and so on.
With regard to being advised, this
means that a knowledgeable and trustworthy doctor tells him that it will harm
him.
The fifth condition: There
should be no impediments. This applies specifically to women. Women who are
menstruating or bleeding following childbirth should not fast, because the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Is it not the case
that when she gets her period, she does not pray or fast?”
So she should not fast and her
fast is not valid in this case, according to scholarly consensus. And she has
to make up the days missed, also according to scholarly consensus. Al-Sharh
al-Mumti’, 6/330.
5
THE OBLIGATION OF FASTING MONTH OF RAMADAN
Allaah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) said: ‘’So
whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan,
i.e., is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasting) that
month’’. This Ayah requires the healthy persons who witness the
beginning of the month, while residing in their land, to fast the month.
This
Ayah abrogated the Ayah that allows a choice of fasting or paying
the Fidyah. When Allaah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) ordered fasting, He again
mentioned the permission for the ill person and the traveler to break the fast
and to fast other days instead as compensation.
Allaah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) said: ‘’.and
whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number (of days which one did not
observe Sawm (fasting) must be made up) from other days’’.
This
Ayah indicates that ill persons who are unable to fast or fear harm by
fasting, and the traveler, are all allowed to break the fast. When one does not
fast in this case, he is obliged to fast other days instead. Allaah (Subhanahu
Wa Ta’ala) said: ‘’ Allaah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta’ala) intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for
you.’’
This
Ayah indicates that Allaah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) allowed such persons,
out of His mercy and to make matters easy for them, to break the fast when they
are ill or traveling, while the fast is still obligatory on the healthy persons
who are not traveling.
6
FASTING ACCORDING TO THE SUNNAH
1)
Take
sahur (pre-dawn meal). It is Sunnah and there is a
great reward and blessing in taking sahur. The best time for sahur is the last
half hour (30 minutes) before dawn or the time for Fajr prayer.
2)
Take
iftar (break-fast) immediately after sunset. Shariah considers sunset when the
disk of the sun goes below the horizon and disappears completely.
3)
During
the fast, abstain from all false talks and deeds. Do not quarrel, have
disputes, indulge in arguments, use bad words, or do anything that is
forbidden. You should try to discipline yourself morally and ethically, besides
gaining physical training and discipline. You should also not make a show of
your fasting by talking too much about it, or by showing dry lips and a hungry
stomach, or by showing a bad temper. The fasting person must be a pleasant
person with good spirits and good cheer.
4)
During
the fast, do acts of charity and goodness to others and increase your worship
and reading of the Quran. Everyone should try to read the whole Quran at least
once during the month of Ramadan.
The Prophet (
) said: “Islam is built on five
[pillars]…” among which he mentioned fasting in Ramadaan[6].
Whoever breaks the fast during Ramadaan without a legitimate excuse has
committed a serious major sin, The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said, describing a dream that he had seen: “… until I was at the
mountain, where I heard loud voices. I asked, ‘What are these voices?’ They
said, ‘This is the howling of the people of Hellfire.’ Then I was taken [to
another place], and I saw people hanging from their hamstrings, with the
corners of their mouths torn and dripping with blood. I said, ‘Who are these?’
They said, ‘The people who broke their fast before it was the proper time to do
so,’ i.e., before the time of iftaar[7].”
) said: “Islam is built on five
[pillars]…” among which he mentioned fasting in Ramadaan[6].
Whoever breaks the fast during Ramadaan without a legitimate excuse has
committed a serious major sin, The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said, describing a dream that he had seen: “… until I was at the
mountain, where I heard loud voices. I asked, ‘What are these voices?’ They
said, ‘This is the howling of the people of Hellfire.’ Then I was taken [to
another place], and I saw people hanging from their hamstrings, with the
corners of their mouths torn and dripping with blood. I said, ‘Who are these?’
They said, ‘The people who broke their fast before it was the proper time to do
so,’ i.e., before the time of iftaar[7].”
Al-Haafiz al-Dhahabi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said,
“Among the believers it is well-established that whoever does not fast in
Ramadaan without a valid excuse is worse than an adulterer or drunkard; they
doubt whether he is even a Muslim at all, and they regard him as a heretic and
profligate.” Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] (may Allaah have mercy on him)
said: “If a person does not fast in Ramadaan knowing that it is haraam but
making it halaal for himself to do so, kill him; and if he does it because he
is immoral [but believes it is haraam], then punish him for not fasting[8].”
And
Allah knows best
To be continued
Part 5 of 11:
Things
That Break The Fast And Things That Do Not Break The Fast
[4] If possible one should try to change their travel plans
during Ramadan to be able to fast and should not travel unless it is necessary.
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