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Ramadan is a School of Ethics
Author : Dr. Hassan Abu_Arqoub
Date Added : 15-01-2024

Ramadan is a School of Ethics

 

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, as explained by Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, who said: "Islam is built on five pillars: bearing witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, and that Mohammad is His messenger, establishing the prayer, giving alms (Zakat), performing the pilgrimage to the House (Kaaba), and fasting during the month of Ramadan.'" (Transmitted by Bukhari & Muslim).

 

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is obligatory for every adult, sane, and capable Muslim, as stated by Allah, the Most High: "O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous – " {Al-Baqarah, 183}.

 

Undoubtedly, the performance of this great pillar has wisdom and benefits for the worshiper. One of the most important benefits is that the Muslim learns self-discipline in his actions and behaviors. During the daylight hours of Ramadan, he refrains from what is halal and permissible throughout the days of the other months, including food, drinks, and other lawful enjoyments. However, during Ramadan, he abstains from them in obedience to the command of Allah, despite having the ability to indulge in eating and drinking. This self-restraint is an embodiment of the concept of taqwa (piety), where one fears Allah both in private and in public.

 

Likewise, a person learns to distance themselves from prohibitions by restraining from permissible acts during the daylight hours, in obedience to Allah's command. This experience teaches one to avoid forbidden actions throughout the entire year, as the One who commands and prohibits is Allah.

Similarly, a person learns how to elevate themselves above succumbing to their desires, as they gain control over their consumption of food and drink. This enables the servant to rise above being a slave to their desires and instead become a servant of Allah alone, glorified and exalted. In this context, one can also break free from some of their bad habits, such as smoking or excessive eating and drinking.

 

In addition, fasting assists the one who remembers Allah and the one who recites the Quran in achieving more humility and contemplation. Through fasting, the servant is reminded of Allah's blessings, particularly food and drink. Moreover, it serves as a reminder for the servant to express gratitude for these blessings. Fasting also emphasizes the importance of time, as it involves adhering to specific timings for abstaining and breaking the fast.

It should be noted that fasting is not limited to abstaining from food, drink, and sexual desires since true fasting involves refraining from all prohibitions and forbidden actions. Otherwise, what is the use for abstaining from food and drink while consuming people's wealth unjustly through cheating, deception, or hoarding? What is the use for refraining from eating and drinking but not refraining from gossiping and accusing others of unchaste behavior? Fasting is a comprehensive form of moral education that should not be fragmented. Otherwise, a person will not grasp the true essence of fasting. This is evident in the saying of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him): "Whoever does not give up false speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink." (Transmitted by al-Bukhari).

 

In conclusion, fasting is a school of ethics that teaches individuals discipline, order, and organization. It instills the understanding that life is not merely about food and drink; there are greater aspects to it. Fasting encourages acts of kindness towards those in need, maintaining family ties, reading the Quran, praying during the day and night, gathering with loved ones and neighbors in mosques and community centers, practicing generosity and charity. It allows individuals to taste the sweetness of faith and comprehend the significance of connecting with Allah the Almighty.

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on one who feels drops of urine falling during ablution?

If he is certain that urine is exiting from him during ablution, then his ablution is invalidated. He must remove the impurity from his clothes and body and repeat the ablution.
However, if what he feels regarding urine exiting is merely doubt or illusion, then ablution is not invalidated by doubt and illusion. He should not pay attention to it, and it is not permissible for him to follow the doubt and whispers that corrupt his religion. And Allah the almighty knows best.

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.

The Jurisprudential Significance of the Ḥadīth: "Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr Prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking..."
"Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking: 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-ḥamdu yuḥyī wa yumītu wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr' ten times — ten good deeds will be recorded for him, ten bad deeds will be erased from him, he will be raised ten levels, he will spend that day in protection from everything disliked and guarded from the devil, and no sin will be able to befall him on that day except associating partners with Allah" — does this noble ḥadīth apply to the imam, and what is meant by "extraneous speech"?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite, immediately after the final salām, the specific remembrance reported in the sunnah to be said before turning away from one's place of prayer. The imam then leaves his praying spot, and the act of "turning" is fulfilled when the imam faces the congregation — even without physically leaving his spot — by positioning his right side toward them and his left side toward the qiblah, and this applies even while he is engaged in supplication.
Al-ʿAllāmah Ibn Qāsim al-ʿAbbādī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Tuḥfah (Vol.2/P.105): "It is most virtuous for the imam, once he has given the salām, to rise from his place of prayer immediately afterward." He adds that an exception must be made for the remembrances that are specifically required to be recited before he turns away. He then notes, citing Sharḥ al-ʿUbāb: "Yes, an exception to this rising immediately after the salām applies to the Fajr prayer, due to the authentic report that the Prophet ﷺ, when he prayed Fajr, would remain seated until the sun rose." He further cites, from al-Khādim, the ḥadīth concerning one who recites, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer while still in the position of crossing his leg to rise: "Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah..." and the rest of the well-known ḥadīth. He comments that this makes explicit that this particular remembrance is to be recited before the worshipper turns his legs to leave, and the same applies to Maghrib and ʿAṣr, as reported in those contexts as well.
What is meant by "speech" in the relevant ḥadīth is extraneous worldly speech that is not called for after the prayer and for which there is no legitimate excuse. The remembrances reported to be recited upon concluding the prayer, however, do not fall under this category of extraneous speech, since they are themselves required by the sharīʿah.
Al-ʿAllāmah ʿAlī al-Shabrāmalsī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Nihāyah (Vol.1/P.551): "If someone greets a person with salām while he is occupied with reciting this remembrance [i.e., 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh...'], should he return the greeting — without this causing him to forfeit the promised reward, since he is engaged in an obligatory matter — or should he delay returning the greeting until he finishes, this being a legitimate excuse for the delay?" He continues: "I say: the more likely view is the former, and the prohibition on speech is to be understood as applying to extraneous speech for which there is no legitimate excuse. Based on this, should the worshipper give precedence to this remembrance ('Lā ilāha illā Allāh...') or to reciting Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ ('Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad')? This requires consideration, though it is not unlikely that the remembrance takes precedence, given that the Lawgiver urged hastening to it through his words 'while crossing his leg.' This is not considered ordinary speech, since it is not extraneous to what is required after the prayer."
Accordingly, it is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite this remembrance and to give it precedence over the other remembrances of the prayer, ensuring it is said before they move from their place. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Is it permissible for the young woman to turn the suitor down if she had no feelings for him?

Yes, it is permissible for her to do so.

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