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Fasting and Curbing of Desires
Author : Dr. Hassan Abu_Arqoub
Date Added : 20-12-2022

Fasting and Curbing of Desires

 

The blessed month of Ramadan is an annual school that opens for thirty days to teach the believers how to curb desires and graduate holding the certificate of piety and righteousness.

The term "Curbing Desires" refers to the steering of instincts and desires according to the teachings of Sharia and controlling them by the Muslim.

One who is able to control his/her desires during daytime hours is able to control them for the rest of the day. Fasting is a training course that aims to achieve the meaning of humanity where the wisdom of mind and Sharia prevail over desires and instincts.

Fasting isn`t a form of torture; rather, it is intended to curb human instincts because when a human controls his/her instincts, he/she becomes human, but when they control him/her, he/she descends to the level of animals.

This is to weaken man`s power in order not to go too wild with his/her desires and instincts. Narrated 'Alqama: While I was walking with `Abdullah he said, "We were in the company of the Prophet (PBUH) and he said, 'He who can afford to marry should marry, because it will help him refrain from looking at other women, and save his private parts from committing illegal sexual relation; and he who cannot afford to marry is advised to fast, as fasting will diminish his sexual power." {Transmitted by Bukhari}. In other words, fasting diminishes sexual power.

In addition, the Messenger of Allah said: "Fasting is a shield." {Transmitted by Nasa`i}. In other words, fasting screens a Muslim from Hell.

Amongst the objectives of fasting are reducing the desire for food, drink, and women. This is in order not to get attached to the blessings and go astray as a result, but to get attached to the One bestowing them. The only method to curb desire is patience. “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) counted them out in my hand” - or - “in his hand: ‘At-Tasbīḥ is half of the Scale, and “All praise is due to Allah (Al-Ḥamdulillāh)” fills it, and At-Takbīr (Allāhu Akbar) fills what is between the sky and the earth, and fasting is half of patience, and purification is half of faith.” {Transmitted by Tirmithi}. Fasting is half of patience because it entails endurance to perform this act of obedience (Fasting) and not committing sin (Breaking obligatory fasting). What is left is patience at times of calamity. Taking the narration where it was stated that patience is half of the faith, then fasting is quarter of the faith.

Allah wanted to curb our desires because indulgence in desires-even the lawful ones-could cause a person to fall into forbidden desires. Anas b. Malik reported: "The Paradise is surrounded by hardships and the Hell-Fire is surrounded by temptations." {Transmitted by Muslim}. The desire for food, drink, and enjoying women exists in every man and is allowed throughout the year except during the holy month of Ramadan. This is meant to achieve the following:

First: Teaching a Muslim that desires are a means not an end since food and drink are a means to preserve life and enjoying women is a means to preserve offspring. Accordingly, a Muslim shouldn`t dwell on the means leaving the ends. 

Second: Reminding a Muslim to abstain from lawful things and blessings during the daytime of Ramadan, following the command of Allah in this regard. 

Third: Strengthening the role of self-monitoring because abstaining from food and drink during the daytime of Ramadan, although able to eat and drink in private, makes a Muslim fear none but Allah, and he/she should remain conscious of this for the rest of the year.

Fourth: Hunger and thirst make a Muslim appreciate Allah`s blessings, so he/she shows gratitude when he/she needs them and doesn`t employ them in disobeying Allah. This is because gratitude is not to disobey Allah using His blessings.

Fifth: Fasting makes a Muslim remember his fellow Muslims who are deprived from food and drink or those who can`t afford marriage expenses, so he/she comforts them with supplication, at minimum. And all perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on one who vows to fast a specific or non-specific year? Are the two Eids, the days of Tashreeq, Ramadan, and the days of menstruation and postnatal bleeding included in them? And do these days break the consecutiveness if it was intended?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If someone makes a vow (Nadr) to fast a specific, designated year, this vow does not include the days of Eid, the days of Tashreeq (the three days following Eid al-Adha), Ramadan, or the days of menstruation (Hayd) and postnatal bleeding (Nifas). Furthermore, there is no requirement to make up (Qada) these specific days.
 
However, if someone vows to fast a year that is not specifically designated (i.e., any twelve-month period) and stipulates that the fasting must be consecutive, they are bound by that condition. They must not fast on the days of Eid, during Ramadan, or during menstruation, but they are required to make up these days afterward—with the exception of the days of menstruation and postnatal bleeding, which do not need to be made up.
 
It is stated in Hashiyat al-Bajuri ‘ala Sharh Ibn Qasim ({Vol.2/P.606): 'If one vows to fast a specific year, the Eid, Tashreeq, Ramadan, and days of menstruation or postnatal bleeding are not included. This is because Ramadan does not accept any fast other than its own, and the others do not accept fasting at all. Therefore, they do not enter into the vow, and no makeup is required for them because they are legally excluded—contrary to Al-Rafi’i regarding menstruation and postnatal bleeding.
 
If one vows to fast a non-designated year: if they stipulated consecutiveness (Tatuabu’) in their vow, they must fulfill it; otherwise, they are not bound to it. Consecutiveness is not broken by the days that do not enter into the specific year vow (Eid, Tashreeq, Ramadan, menstruation, and postnatal bleeding). However, one must make up the days missed—excluding the time of menstruation and postnatal bleeding—immediately following the end of the year. As for the time of menstruation and postnatal bleeding, it is not made up, contrary to Ibn al-Rif’ah, who argued that it must be made up just like Ramadan.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.

How does the person praying  perform the prostration (Sujud)?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is an act of Sunnah for the person praying to descend for prostration (Sujud) by placing their knees first, then placing their hands on the ground, and then placing their nose and forehead simultaneously. It is obligatory that the toes of the feet be on the ground, directed towards the Qibla. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

Who is required to give fidyah for fasting?

Fidyah—feeding one needy person for each missed fasting day—is required for:
1. Those who are permanently unable to fast, such as:
○ Elderly men and women who are too weak to fast.
○ People with chronic illnesses that have no hope of recovery.
2. Pregnant or breastfeeding women who break their fast out of fear for their child (fetus or infant).
3. A person who delays making up Ramadan fasts (qada) until the next Ramadan begins, without a valid excuse.
4. The estate of a deceased person who had missed obligatory fasts and had the ability to make them up but did not do so.

What is the due amount of food in expiation for perjury?

It is feeding ten indigent persons: 600 grams (for each) of the average food of your families such as rice, and it is permissible, according to Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal, to give that amount in money if it was more useful to them.

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