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Morals of Fasting
Author : His Grace Shiekh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh
Date Added : 10-04-2022

Morals of Fasting 

 

Almighty Allah made fasting an obligation and fasting the month of Ramadan as one of the five great pillars of Islam. He, The Almighty Says (What means): "O you who believe, the fasts have been enjoined upon you as they were enjoined upon those before you, so that you may be God-fearing,"[Al-Baqarah/183].

Undoubtedly, there is a great wisdom, in this life or the next, behind every act of worship prescribed by Almighty Allah. Thus, one of the sublimest impacts for the acts worship is purifying self and elevating it to embrace the highest of ethics whereby an adherent Muslim becomes the noblest in character and this can be noticed in every Islamic ritual and pillar. Eventually, this produces a positive relationship between religion and life; body and soul; this worldly life and the Hereafter as well as society and the individual.

The greatness of fasting following the command of Allah crystalizes through its effects on the self and soul of the fasting Muslim and his/her societal attitude, in addition to realizing the objective stated in the Glorious Quran (so that you may be God-fearing). God-fearing encompasses all meanings of goodness that prevent a person from falling into sins since it disciplines the behavior, develops positive values, and helps one eschew lies and false conduct. The Prophet (PBUH) said, "If one does not eschew lies and false conduct, Allah has no need that he should abstain from his food and his drink." {Related by Bukhari}. Since God-fearing requires behaving decently towards people, the Prophet (PBUH) has brought them together. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Fear Allah wherever you are, do good deeds after doing bad ones, the former will wipe out the latter, and behave decently towards people". {Related by Atirmithi}.

Allah The Almighty has Favored A man with a high rank and honored him over other creatures, so through fasting, man resembles the state of the angels in terms of not eating, drinking, or breeding. Rather, they, as described by Allah, whereas it (The verse) states (What means): "Proclaim His purity night and day, never slackening." [Al-Anbiyaa`/20]. They also resemble the angels who are described as (What means): "who do not disobey Allah in what He orders them, and do whatever they are ordered to do." [At-Tahrim/6]. In addition, the fasting person who adheres to reciting the Quran during the blessed month of Ramadan is granted the highest ranks of the angels. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "The one who is proficient in the recitation of the Qur'an will be with the honorable and obedient scribes (angels) and he who recites the Qur'an and finds it difficult to recite, doing his best to recite it in the best way possible, will have two rewards." [Agreed upon].

When Allah Prescribed fasting as means of curbing desires, He, The Most Exalted, Wanted to Raise the fasting person to the highest of ranks on the social, moral, and faith level. Abstaining from food and drink means experiencing the hunger and thirst of the poor and needy, and consequently embodying brotherhood of faith. The evidence on this is that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "You see the believers as regards their being merciful among themselves and showing love among themselves and being kind, resembling one body, so that, if any part of the body is not well then the whole body shares the sleeplessness (insomnia) and fever with it." [Moslim]. In addition, fasting elevates a Muslim`s faith and grants him/her the attributes of the angels. Allah The Almighty Says [What means]: "And We bestowed dignity on the children of ’Adam." [Al-`Isra`/70].

Food and sex are the shortest way the devil takes to mislead a person. However, when Allah commanded quitting these at this particular time (Ramadan), He meant to be kind to us and teach us how to resist the evil suggestions of the devil.

Fasting also helps stop man`s soul from inciting him to evil; consequently, a person doesn`t transgress the limits set by Allah and avoids the destructive sins, such as envy, arrogance, gossip, backbiting, and showing-off (of good deeds). Rather, a person draws closer to Allah through voluntary acts of worship, acts of obedience, and reciting the Quran. Unfortunately, some Muslims observe fast but harm other Muslims with gossip, backbiting, and violating their honor. The Messenger of Allah said: "There are people who fast and get nothing from their fast except hunger." [An-Nasaa`i]. and he (PBUH) said: "The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the people are safe, and the believer is the one from whom the people's lives and wealth are safe." [An-Nasaa`i].

Moreover, the messenger teaches that a Muslim shouldn`t act obscenely and should avoid argument. He, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "Fasting is a protection for you, so when you are fasting, do not behave obscenely or foolishly, and if any one argues with you or abuses you, say, 'I am fasting. I am fasting.' "

Shaddad bin Aus (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) came across a man in Al-Baqi' (in Medina) who was having himself cupped in Ramadan., and said to him: "The one who cups and the one who is being cupped have both broken their fast." [Bukhari]. These two have broken their fast by backbiting another man, so their fast is unaccepted by Allah since they have transgressed His limits and violated His prohibitions.

Amongst the morals of fasting is when the heart of the fasting person is hanging between hope and fear. Al-Ahnaf was told: "You are an old man and fasting weakens you." He replied: "I`m preparing myself for a long journey, and observing patience in obeying Allah is easier than observing patience over His punishment."

These are the morals of fasting that a Muslim should be keen on observing. We pray that Allah accept our fasting, supplication, and night prayers. Indeed, He hears and responds. All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on combining more than one intention in the prayer, such as combining the *sunnah* of wuḍūʾ with the pre-Dhuhr *sunnah*, or combining the *sunnah* of greeting the mosque (*taḥiyyat al-masjid*) with the pre-Dhuhr *sunnah*?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Combining two intentions in a single act of worship, which some jurists call the “overlapping of acts of worship”, has several cases and precise rules. These can be consulted in the books of legal maxims, such as al-Manthūr fī al-Qawāʿid al-Fiqhiyyah by al-Zarkashī and al-Ashbāh wa’l-Naẓāʾir by al-Suyūṭī. Among the most important of these rules:
First: If all of the acts of worship that one wishes to combine under one intention are obligatory, the intentions do not overlap. An example is combining the intention of the obligatory ʿAṣr prayer with that of the obligatory Dhuhr prayer. The intentions do not overlap in this case.
Second: If the two acts are specified supererogatory prayers (nawāfil muqayyadah) that are aimed at in themselves because of a particular time, occasion, or cause, or if they are an obligatory prayer and a specified supererogatory prayer, the intentions again do not overlap. An example is the Duha prayer, which may not be combined with, for instance, the regular sunnah of Dhuhr.
It is stated in Bushrā al-Karīm: “Whatever is not, in meaning, an absolute voluntary prayer, such as the Duha sunnah… is not subsumed under another. Rather, if he intends something else along with it… the prayer is not validly entered. This is because combining two obligations, two specified supererogatory prayers, or an obligation and a specified supererogatory prayer invalidates the prayer in cases not built upon overlapping, as ritual purification (ṭahārah) is.”
Third: If the two acts are absolute voluntary prayers (nawāfil muṭlaqah), or one of them is, where the texts of the Sharīʿah show that the aim of the voluntary act is to fill the time with worship, then overlapping of intentions is permissible. An example is the obligatory Dhuhr prayer together with the sunnah of greeting the mosque (taḥiyyat al-masjid). And Allah Almighty knows best.

What does (Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and seeking reward) mean?

This phrase is part of a hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and seeks his reward from Allah, their past sins will be forgiven." [Agreed upon]
The meaning is:
● They fast Ramadan with firm belief that Allah has made it obligatory.
● They fast out of obedience to Allah, knowing they will meet Him.
● They hope for reward from Allah and fast purely out of their faith while seeking His reward.

A man wishes to offer more than one uḍḥiyah (sacrificial offering), and intends by these sacrifices "on behalf of everyone whom Allah and His Messenger love." Is this intention valid?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The uḍḥiyah (sacrificial offering) is not valid with this intention, because if the sacrificial animal is from sheep or goats, it suffices for one person only; and if it is from cattle or camels, it suffices for seven persons.
However, one may sacrifice it on his own behalf, and then gift the equivalent of its reward to whomever he wishes.
Imam ar-Ramlī (raḥimahullāh) says: "Ash-Shāfi‘ī (raḍiyallāhu ‘anh) said: It is within the vastness of Allah's bounty, the Exalted, that He rewards the one giving charity as well. From this, the scholars of the madhhab said: it is recommended for a person to intend the charity on behalf of his parents, for example — for Allah, the Exalted, will reward them, without this diminishing his own reward in any way." He then relates, as the relied-upon position, the permissibility of saying: "O Allah, convey the reward of what I have recited specifically to so-and-so, and to the Muslims generally." Az-Zarkashī said: "For reward varies in degree — its highest form is what one designates specifically, and its lowest form is what one dedicates generally [alongside others]." [End of quote from Nihāyat al-Muḥtāj]. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling on ablution if vaginal discharge is expelled, and is it impure?

If these discharges exit from the external genitalia (apparent part of the vagina), they are not impure and do not invalidate ablution. If they exit from the internal part, they are impure and do invalidate ablution. If it is uncertain whether they are from the internal or external part, they are not impure and do not invalidate ablution.
 
The apparent part is what becomes visible when sitting, and what the husband's penis reaches during intercourse is considered part of the apparent. The internal part is what is beyond that. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

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