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I have Fasted on Days Hotter than this
Author : Dr. Ahmad Al-Khasasbeh
Date Added : 31-07-2023

I have Fasted on Days Hotter than this

 

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May Allah`s peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

 

Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam as well as a cornerstone of its fundamental principles. It is the practice of the God-fearing and the emblem of the righteous. Fasting purifies the soul and refines one's character. The righteous of the past recognized its significance, and it became their emblem.

 

It is narrated from Al-Asma'i that he said: "Al-Hajjaj went out one day feeling hungry, and his lunch was ready. He said, 'Find someone to share our meal.' They searched and found only a Bedouin in the market, so they brought him to Al-Hajjaj. He said to him, 'Come.' The Bedouin replied, 'Someone more generous than you has already invited me, and I have accepted his invitation.' Al-Hajjaj asked, 'Who is that?' The Bedouin answered, 'It is Allah, the Most High, who has invited me to fast, and so I am fasting.' Al-Hajjaj said, 'Fasting on such a hot day?' The Bedouin replied, 'I have fasted on days hotter than this.' Al-Hajjaj then said, 'Break your fast today and fast tomorrow.' The Bedouin asked, 'Can the ruler guarantee that I will live until tomorrow?' Al-Hajjaj said, 'That is not in my control.' The Bedouin then said, 'Then why do you ask me to do something immediate for which you cannot guarantee a future?'" Al-Hajjaj asked, 'Is there any good food?' The Bedouin replied, 'By Allah, its goodness does not come from your baker or your cook, but its goodness is in my health.' Al-Hajjaj exclaimed, 'By Allah, I have never seen anyone like you. Take him away from me.' This is the end of the narration from "Al-Aqd Al-Fareed" by Ibn Abd Rabbih (1/435).

 

SubhanAllah! If this is their commitment to voluntary fasting, then what about their dedication during Ramadan? What motivates this Bedouin to take such a stance in front of a powerful and oppressive ruler? Surely, this Bedouin must have recognized the virtues of fasting and its significance, which gives rise to such determination and strengthens the resolve to reject Al-Hajjaj`s demand. Indeed, this Bedouin must have known that fasting, in general, and during Ramadan, in particular, entails numerous virtues, including:

 

Firstly, fasting is a shield and protection for the servant, serving as a barrier and safeguard against the Hellfire, as narrated by Mutrif, who said: "I visited Uthman ibn Abi Al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) and he ordered milk and dates for me. I said, 'I am fasting.' He replied, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: "Fasting is a shield like the shield of any one of you in battle." This hadith is reported by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad (4/217) and authenticated by Al-Suyuti in Al-Jami' al-Saghir.

In "Fath al-Bari" by Ibn Hajar (4/104), it is mentioned: "Indeed, fasting is a shield from the Hellfire because it involves restraining oneself from desires, and the Hellfire is surrounded by desires. Therefore, if one refrains from worldly desires, it serves as a barrier for them from the Hellfire in the Hereafter."

 

Secondly, honoring and distinguishing the fasting individuals on the Day of Judgment by allocating a special gate in Paradise exclusively for them, known as "Al-Rayyan." None will enter through it except for the fasting ones, as mentioned in the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Verily, there is a gate in Paradise called Al-Rayyan, and only those who fast will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection. No one else will enter through it. It will be said, 'Where are those who fasted?' They will stand up, and when the last of them has entered, the gate will be closed, and no one else will enter through it." {Bukhari and Muslim}.

 

Thirdly, fasting is one of the greatest means for the forgiveness of sins and the expiation of wrongdoings. It is narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith and seeking the reward of Allah, all of their previous sins will be forgiven."  {Muslim}. The meaning of the hadith is that fasting should be observed with faith, acknowledging that Allah has enjoined it upon the believer, and with the intention of seeking reward and blessings from Him, the Exalted.

 

One of the reasons that facilitate obedience during Ramadan is that the devils are restrained from whispering to the servant during this month. Consequently, the gates of paradise are opened, and the gates of hellfire are closed. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained." (Agreed upon).

 

In this, there is glad tidings for the believers about the abundance of righteous deeds that lead to paradise, and the facilitation of means to assist and multiply such deeds. Allah has provided in Ramadan reasons for abstaining from sins and turning away from them, weakening the plots of devils, and preventing them from achieving their objectives.

 

The scholar Al-Manawi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said in his book "Fayd al-Qadeer" (1/437): "The devils are restrained and shackled so that they do not whisper to the fasting person. The sign of this is that many of those engrossed in sinful behavior abstain from sins during this month and turn to Allah in repentance."

 

Fourthly, indeed, one of the remarkable aspects of fasting is the unique reward that Allah has assigned to it. This is as mentioned in the hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said: Every deed of the son of Adam is for him except fasting; it is done for My sake, and I will give a reward for it." (Agreed upon).

Imam Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said, "Scholars have differed regarding the meaning of the hadith phrase 'it is done for My sake.' Some have said that the reason for this addition is that no one other than Allah is worshiped through fasting. In contrast, disbelievers in any era have not elevated anyone to the status of being worshiped through fasting, even though they might revere certain acts such as prayer, prostration, charity, remembrance of Allah, and others.

 

Others have said that the reason for this addition is that fasting is distant from showing off (riya) due to its hidden nature, unlike other acts of worship like prayer, pilgrimage, fighting in the path of Allah, and giving charity, which are more visible and susceptible to being done for the sake of showing off." {Shareh An-Nawawi Ala Muslim, V.4:152}.

 

Sixthly, the bad breath of the fasting person, which is the unpleasant smell that emanates from their mouth due to an empty stomach, is more fragrant to Allah than the scent of musk. This smell of the fasting person's breath is pleasing to Allah, even though it may be disliked by people, because it is a result of the servant's obedience to their Lord. In this way, the fasting person and the martyr will be similar on the Day of Judgment. The smell of their blood and breath will be alike, resembling the fragrance of musk. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "There is no person who is called to act in the cause of Allah, but he answers, and when he is ordered to do something, he obeys, and when he is prohibited, he forbears, but he will be let come on the Day of Resurrection with his blood as red as blood can be, and his odor as musk can be." {Agreed upon}.

 

The virtues of fasting are too numerous to mention fully. However, this is a reminder for those who find fasting difficult, and it may even reach a point where one detests this act of worship, which is a dangerous situation that must be avoided. It is essential for anyone experiencing such feelings to reflect on the case of a Bedouin in a scorching, barren desert, receiving an invitation from the ruler of the land to indulge in the most delicious food and drinks. Despite this, he abstains from all of it, foregoing the desires of his own soul and refraining from seeking proximity to those in power and authority. This is because he has compared the fleeting pleasures of this worldly life with what Allah has prepared for His fasting worshippers in the everlasting bliss. Such a remarkable stance has been recorded in the annals of history throughout the years.

 

Indeed, Allah has honored us by granting us long lives to reach the month of Ramadan. We invoke Allah, the Almighty, to help us in observing the fasting and night prayers (Taraweeh), and to make us among His righteous servants whose fasting and prayers are accepted, and whose sins are forgiven, and who are saved from the Hellfire. We must seize the opportunity of these blessed days and the blessings they carry, so that we may be among the successful ones. All praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

My brother works in a conventional bank and gave me one of the gifts distributed to bank employees — what is the ruling on accepting it?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
There is no objection to accepting such gifts, because the physical gift itself does not carry any inherent prohibition — unlike stolen property. Sin does not transfer or extend to the one who receives the gift, for Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "And no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another." [Al-Anʿām/164]
The evidence for this is that the Prophet ﷺ himself ate from the food of the Jews, conducted transactions with them, and purchased from them — and it is well known that their wealth was intermingled with ribā. Similarly, the wealth of conventional ribā-based banks is a mixture of the lawful and the unlawful.
Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "It is not forbidden to transact with one whose wealth is predominantly unlawful, nor to eat from it — as al-Nawawī affirmed in al-Majmūʿ." [Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj, Vol. 9/P.389] And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on offering a sheep as a sacrifice (Udhiyah) if its fat-tail is sound, except that when it was young, the tip of its fat-tail was cut so that it would grow larger? And what is the ruling in case of doubt regarding the amount that was cut?

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Cutting a minor, insignificant portion from the tip of an animal's fat-tail (al-alyah) to encourage it to grow larger is not considered a defect, and it does not prevent the animal from being valid for sacrifice (Udhiyah).
 
It is stated in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (Vol.9/P.352): "There is some scholarly deliberation regarding the common practice of cutting the tip of the fat-tail so that it grows larger. It could potentially be likened to a partial cut of the ear—supported by the jurists' general rule: 'even if it is a small amount.' On the other hand, if it is an exceptionally minor cut, it might have no effect on validity. This is explicitly clarified by the juristic exception to the general rule, which states that cutting a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm. This latter view is more well-founded.
 
Furthermore, I found that some scholars investigated this matter and concluded: 'It should not affect validity if a custom-sanctioned portion of its fat-tail is removed during its youth to make it grow larger and look better, just as castrating a male animal causes no harm.' However, applying this unconditionally contradicts the established texts of the jurists, as understood from what I have laid out; thus, the restriction I specified is what must be relied upon."
 
Similarly, it is mentioned in Nihayat al-Muhtaj (8/135): "If a small piece is cut from the fat-tail to help it grow larger, the most well-founded view is that the sacrifice remains valid, as was given in a formal legal verdict (Fatwa) by my father [Shihab al-Din al-Ramli], may Allah be pleased with him. This is proven by the jurists' maxim: 'The loss of a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm.'"
 
In cases where there is doubt as to whether the portion cut was large or small, the animal is still deemed valid for sacrifice. It is noted in Hashiyat al-Shubramallisi ‘ala Nihayat al-Muhtaj (Vol.8/P.135):
 
"This matter requires careful consideration, but the closer and more correct view is that it is valid. This is because soundness is the default state for the animal from which the piece was cut, and it aligns with what usually occurs—namely, that the part removed to help the fat-tail grow larger is naturally very small." And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

Is it permissible to offer an Udhiyah on behalf of the deceased?

In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Offering an Udhiyah (sacrificial animal) on behalf of a deceased person is permissible. This is the official position of the Hanbali school (as stated in Kashshaf al-Qina’ by al-Bahuti,Vol.6/P.428) and was also upheld by the prominent Shafi'i scholar Al-’Abbadi (mentioned in Bidayat al-Muhtaj by Ibn Qadi Shuhbah,Vol. 4/P.358). It has likewise been narrated as a valid view among some Maliki and Hanafi scholars.
 
In fact, Imam Abu Dawud dedicated an entire chapter in his Sunan collection entitled, "Chapter on Sacrificing on Behalf of the Deceased." In it, he recorded a narration from Hanash, who said: "I saw 'Ali sacrificing two rams, so I asked him, 'What is this?' He replied, 'The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded me to offer a sacrifice on his behalf, so I am sacrificing on his behalf.'"
 
Imam Abu Dawud also narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah, this is from You, for You, and on behalf of Muhammad and his Ummah (community). In the Name of Allah, and Allah is the Greatest," and he then slaughtered the animal.
 
The textual evidence here lies in the fact that our Master, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), offered a sacrifice on behalf of his entire community—and it is well-established that his community includes those who have already passed away.
 
Furthermore, there is an abundance of sacred texts demonstrating that the rewards of righteous deeds reach the deceased. For instance, it is permissible to fast on behalf of a deceased person who passed away with missed obligatory fasts, and it is equally permissible to perform Hajj on their behalf, both of which are firmly established in authentic Hadiths. Therefore, if the reward of fasting (which is a purely physical act of worship) and Hajj (which is a joint physical and financial act of worship) can reach the deceased, then the reward of an Udhiyah reaches them with greater reason (by way of A Fortiori argument). This is because it is a purely financial act of worship, falling under the general category of charity (Sadaqah).
 
Additionally, scholars have reached a consensus (Ijma') that the rewards of charity reach the deceased, and since the Udhiyah is inherently an act of charity, it falls under the same ruling. Consequently, based on all the aforementioned evidence, we hold the view that offering a sacrifice on behalf of the deceased is entirely permissible. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on the prayer of zawal?

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is recommended (sunnah) to pray four rakʿāt — either with a single tasleem or as two separate sets of two rakʿāt — immediately following the sun's decline from its zenith (zawāl). This prayer is distinct from the regular Sunnah prayer of Ẓuhr (sunnat al-ẓuhr al-rātibah), as explicitly stated by the Shāfiʿī jurists.
It is mentioned in Nihāyat al-Muḥtāj: "The prayer of zawāl is offered after the sun's decline — so were one to perform it before that, it would not count. It consists of two or four rakʿāt and is distinct from the Sunnah of Ẓuhr, as is evident from the fact that it is mentioned separately after the regular Sunnah prayers, and it becomes a make-up prayer (qaḍāʾ) if a long period of time passes by customary reckoning... Al-ʿAlqamī stated: 'Scholars refer to this as the Sunnah of Zawāl, and it is distinct from the four rakʿāt that constitute the Sunnah of Ẓuhr.' Our shaykh said: Al-Ḥāfiẓ al-ʿIrāqī stated that among those who explicitly affirmed its recommendation was al-Ghazālī in al-Iḥyāʾ, in the chapter on devotional litanies, noting that there is no tasleem between them — meaning there is no break between each pair of rakʿāt."
The time of the sun's decline (zawāl) marks the very beginning of the time for the Ẓuhr prayer.
And Allah the Almighty knows best.

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