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If a Man Fights or Abuses him, he should Say: "I`m Fasting. I`m Fasting"
Author : His Grace Shiekh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh
Date Added : 02-11-2022

If a Man Fights or Abuses him, he should Say: "I`m Fasting. I`m Fasting"

 

The advancement of nations lies in their good morals. One poet once said:

Nations live as long as morals do. When their virtues die nations do.

Morals are one pillar of magnanimity. Al-Shafie (May Allah have mercy on him) said: Magnanimity has four pillars: good manners, humility, generosity and asceticism.

Allah The Almighty Has Combined all virtues and perfections in our role model, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) where He Said (What means): "And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character." [Al-Kalam/4].

 

One of the best examples in this regard is the story of the Bedouin who came to the Prophet and said to him: "O Muhammad, give me some of Allah's wealth that you have with you. It doesn`t belong to your father nor mother." The Prophet turned to him and said: "Indeed. The wealth is Allah`s, the earth is Allah`s, and the people are the servants of Allah." Obviously, the Prophet`s response indicates patience and forbearance. However, after the Prophet ordered some food for that Bedouin, he politely held him accountable for his harsh language. Then the Bedouin said: "How could you reprimand me for offending you while Allah Said about You (What means): "And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character." In fact, people vary as far as good morals are concerned. Not harming others and treating neighbors with kindness indicate beautiful morals. 

 

Even more beautiful than this is exercising patience and forbearance when harmed by others. Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: "Fasting is a shield (or a screen or a shelter). So, the person observing fasting should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell him twice, 'I am fasting." [Al-Bukhari]. 

 

The one who stands on an exalted standard of character is patient, forbearing, and controls himself in a fit of rage. In addition to this, he is forgiving and turns away from the ignorant. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "The strong man is not one who is good at wrestling, but the strong man is one who controls himself in a fit of rage." [Al-Bukhari].

 

Allah the Almighty has clarified that the person of great moral character is the one who can-with his ability and kindness-repel rage with patience, ignorance with forbearance, and abuse with forgiveness. Allah The Almighty Says (What means): "Nor can goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become, as it were thy friend and intimate! And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint, - none but persons of the greatest good fortune." [Fussilat/34-35].

Definitely, goodness and evil can`t be equal. Rather, there is a huge difference between them in the reward (Repel (Evil) with what is better). A divine guidance to repel evil with what is better. Ibn Abbas (May Allah be leased with them) said: "Repel ignorance with patience. Repel (Evil) with what is better refers to maintaining the relation with him who severed the relation with you, showing kindness to him who abused you, and being patient with the ignorant. If you do all of these things, then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!. This elevated rank is only bestowed upon the most blessed."

 

In addition, once Al-Ahnaf was walking to his village, a vulgar man followed him and kept shouting insults against him. The Ahnaf kept silent and never looked at that man until he became close to the village. Then he said to him to take out whatever insults are left against him because that if a member of Al-Ahnaf`s hears him then he will be in big trouble. The man stopped for a moment, grew a conscience, started sweating and felt greatly ashamed, rushed towards Al-Ahnaf kissing his hands, crying, saying that he was sorry, and asking to be forgiven and pledged before Allah not to insult anyone again.

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on swearing an oath by the Prophet ﷺ, and does such an oath take effect according to Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, requiring expiation upon its breach?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Swearing an oath by a created being is disliked (makrūh) in our Shāfiʿī school. Shaykh al-Islām Imām al-Nawawī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "Swearing by a created being is disliked — such as swearing by the Prophet, the Kaʿbah, Jibrīl, the Companions, or the Prophet's family. Al-Shāfiʿī, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: 'I fear that swearing by other than Allah the Almighty may constitute an act of disobedience.' The scholars of the school explained this to mean: that is, something forbidden and sinful — indicating that he had some hesitation in the matter. Al-Imām stated: the established position of the school is that it is categorically not forbidden, but rather disliked. Furthermore, whoever swears by a created being, his oath does not take effect and no expiation (kaffārah) is required if he breaks it." [Rawḍat al-Ṭālibīn wa ʿUmdat al-Muftīn, Vol. 11/P.6]
According to the Ḥanbalī school, however, expiation becomes obligatory upon one who swears by our master the Prophet ﷺ and then breaks his oath. Imām al-Bahūtī al-Ḥanbalī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "No expiation is required for swearing by other than Allah the Almighty, even if the oath is broken — because expiation was made obligatory for swearing by Allah and His attributes, out of reverence for His names, and nothing else is equal to Him in this regard... except in the case of swearing by our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, for expiation becomes obligatory when one swears by him and then breaks the oath. This was explicitly stated in the narration of Abū Ṭālib, because he is one of the two conditions of the two testimonies of faith by which a disbeliever becomes a Muslim. Ibn ʿAqīl held the view that swearing by any of the other prophets, peace and blessings be upon them all, carries the same ruling." [Sharḥ Muntahā al-Irādāt, Vol. 3/P.441]. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on the fasting of a woman who has reached menopause if menstrual blood flows?

If a woman reaches the age of menopause (which is usually sixty-two) and her menses have ceased, then she sees blood after that, and its duration is not less than a day and a night (24 hours), it is menstruation (hayd). If it is less than a day and a night, she is considered as having non-menstrual vaginal bleeding (mustahada), so she fasts and prays. However, she must perform ablution for every obligatory prayer after its time enters, pray immediately, and be treated as a person with a continuous condition. There is no specific end limit for a woman's menstruation; it is possible as long as the woman is alive. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

How to pay Zakah (obligatory charity) due on articles of merchandise?

Articles of merchandise are estimated by their whole sale market price at the end of each lunar year, and (2.5%) of their value is paid as Zakah whether it (value) went up, or down compared to actual purchasing price, and whether the increase (profit) was in the article itself such as an increase in the animal`s weight, or in the prices themselves. And Allah Knows Best.

Are school exams a valid excuse for breaking the fast in Ramadan?

School and university exams are not considered a valid excuse for breaking the fast, as most students take their exams while fasting without experiencing extreme hardship. Fasting does not conflict with exam preparation, and a Muslim seeks strength in obedience to Allah for both worldly and spiritual matters.

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