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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 of Islamic Law on a person who abandons prayer after reaching puberty—is he required to make them up?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Making up missed obligatory prayers is an Islamic duty just as performing them in their proper time is obligatory, and taking care of them takes precedence over performing voluntary prayers. This is established by the practice of our Supreme Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when the polytheists distracted him on the Day of the Trench from performing the Asr prayer, so he made it up afterward, as well as the Hadith: "Pay Allah what is due to Him, for Allah is most deserving of fulfillment." (Recorded by Al-Bukhari)
 
Furthermore, it is valid to make up missed prayers at any time.
 
Whoever has missed a number of prayers and does not know their exact count, it is obligatory upon them to sincerely repent and exert their utmost effort to estimate their number. If they are unable to determine the exact count, they should base it on what is most probable according to their best judgment. They should then make them up gradually; if one performs one missed prayer alongside every current obligatory prayer, the matter becomes easy and manageable, and with the passage of time, one will complete what is owed, Allah willing. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on one who vowed not to speak to a certain person, then forgot his vow and spoke to him?

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Whoever swears an oath or makes a vow to abstain from something has a choice: if he wishes, he may keep to his vow, or if he wishes, he may offer the expiation of an oath (kaffārat yamīn). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The expiation for a vow is the expiation for an oath.” Narrated by Muslim. This type of vow is called a nadhr al-lajāj (a vow made in stubbornness or anger).
If a person makes a vow and then forgets it, nothing is due from him, for forgetfulness is among the excuses that lift legal responsibility (taklīf) from a Muslim. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Actions are judged only by intentions, and every person will have only what he intended.” [Narrated by al-Bukhārī]. There is no intention for the one who forgets or errs. It is also based on the report: “Indeed, Allah has pardoned for my Ummah mistakes, forgetfulness, and what they are compelled to do.” Narrated by Ibn Mājah and others, and graded authentic by Ibn Ḥibbān and al-Ḥākim.
It is stated in ʿUmdat al-Sālik (p. 243), one of the books of the Shāfiʿī school: “Whoever swears, [for example], ‘I will not enter the house,’ and then enters it forgetfully, ignorantly, under compulsion, or being carried, he does not break his oath.” And Allah Almighty knows best.

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 are the conditions for a valid Udhiyah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
First: The age of the animal must meet the Sharia requirements. These requirements vary depending on the type of sacrifice:
 
Camels: Must have completed five years and entered their sixth.
 
Cows: Must have completed two years and entered their third.
 
Goats: Must have completed two years and entered their third. As for Sheep, they must have completed one year and entered their second.
 
Some scholars have permitted goats that have completed one year and entered their second.
 
The Hanafi school, along with an opinion in the Maliki school, permits sacrificing sheep that are at least six months old, provided they are healthy and physically substantial. According to the Shafi’i school, it is permissible if the sheep sheds its front teeth (ajdha') before reaching one year [Al-Iqna’, by Al-Shirbini (Vol.2/P.588)].
 
Second: Soundness and freedom from defects. The animal must be free from any defect that causes a decrease in its meat or market value. This is based on the hadith narrated by Al-Bara' bin 'Azib, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
 
"Four [defects] are not permissible in sacrifices: A one-eyed animal whose blindness is evident, a sick animal whose illness is evident, a lame animal whose lameness is evident, and an emaciated animal that has no marrow in its bones." [Reported by Abu Dawood and Al-Tirmidhi, who graded it as authentic].
 
These defects are detailed as follows:
 
Evident Lameness: It is not permissible to sacrifice a lame animal if the lameness is severe enough to prevent it from walking to the pasture or seeking food, as this leads to a decrease in its meat. However, slight lameness that does not hinder its grazing is overlooked.
 
Evident Blindness (One-eyed): It is not permissible to sacrifice a sheep, cow, or camel that has a white film over its eye blocking light, or one that has lost an eye entirely. Weak vision that does not affect its ability to eat does not prevent the sacrifice from being valid.
 
Evident Illness: An animal with a clear sickness that prevents it from eating or moving is not valid. This includes severe mange (Jarab) that spoils the meat.
 
Extreme Emaciation: An animal so thin that there is no marrow left in its bones is invalid. The standard for emaciation that invalidates the sacrifice is that which spoils the quality of the meat to the point that people would find it undesirable even in times of plenty.
 
Additional Considerations:
These are the defects mentioned in the Prophetic tradition, and any defect that causes emaciation or reduces the meat or value is compared to them by analogy. This includes animals that are mentally unstable (diseased), those with mange, or those with a missing ear. In contrast, a slit or pierced ear does not affect the validity of the sacrifice. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

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