The Asl of Sawm Ramadan

Fasting is Prescribed for You

O ye who believe! fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye obtain taqwa. Al-Baqara 2: 125

Imam Bukhaari has recorded:
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained." (Imam Bukhari) ...

Narrated Abu Huraira(r.a): The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:"... whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven." (Imam Bukhari).

[Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah]

The Messenger of Allah (saw) addressed his companions on the last day of Sha`ban, saying, "Oh people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a month in which is a night better than a thousand months; month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night. Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer's sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast, shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Fire of Hell, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all."

Ramadan Mubarak!!!!  We have entered the most blessed month, the month in which the Qur’an was revealed, the month with a night worth a thousand months.

"Indeed We have revealed it (Qur'an) in the night of Power. And what will explain to you what the night of Power is? The night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein descends the Angels and the Spirit (Jibreel) by Allah's permission, on every errand: (they say) "Peace" (continuously) till the rise of Morning!" (Q 97:1-5)

The third pillar of this deen of Islam is fasting.  Why has Allah prescribed fasting for us?  He has done so consistantly.  All major religions prescribe fasting. 

Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you many obtain taqwa" (Q 2:183)

Allah Himself tells us that He has prescribed fasting so that we may be of those with taqwa, so that we may acquire piety and an unshakable faith in Him.

Taqwa is an illusive word, difficult to translate. 

49:13 O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in taqwa. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware. Q 49:13)

Most scholars say taqwa comes from T-Q-W indicating to protect oneself.  Certain acquiring this trait will protect us from the Hell Fire.  Some have translated it as fear, but it is not fear of Allah as in Khashiyah Allah, nor is it the fear or apprehension we may have in hayyat al duniyah.  It is not like apprehension and nervousness we feel if we think the boss will fire us, for example.  And it is not the awe and quaking we might feel before a great personage or magnificent scene in nature.  That is more khashiyah.

Taqwa is more powerful.  It is that feeling in the pit of stomach, that catching in the throat, that utter sense of inevitability when we are faced with our death.  And at that moment, we cling, we grasp, as if we are grasping our mothers.  We hang on for dear life. 

Contained within this word is Q-W-Y – the root of strength, Al-Qawi is one of the Names of Allah.  We grasp al-Qawi with all of our might and main.

2:256 There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower.

How does fasting, sawm, increase our taqwa?

First, there are three levels of fasting;  physical fasting, mental fasting and spiritual fasting. 

Sawm al-Jismiyyah

Physical fasting – abstaining from food, drink and sex during the day light hours, increases taqwa by reminding us who is our Rabb – our Lord, our Benefactor, our Provider of all Provision and Sustainence – Allah SWT.

We become more grateful for all we have – our food, our drink, our families, our jobs.  Through understanding from whom our life stems, we can but cling closer to Him, fearing He will no longer support us, and hoping that He will.  Through our fear and hope, we cling ever tighter to our Allah.

Sawm al-Nafsiyyah

Mental fasting – abstaining from negative thoughts and especially, their expression in speech, refraining from backbiting, slander, complaining, and negativity increases our taqwa by reminding us Allah is Al-Rahman Al-Rahim.  Allah is so merciful to us, so not only should we be grateful to Him and not complain about the state He has put us in, but we should be merciful to others.  Backbiting, slander and complaining and blaming others reveal our own lack of mercy. 

Yes, Islam obligates us to strive against oppression and to be just.  However, Islam also prohibits us from fitnah in the community and among ourselves.  The Prophet SAW never would complain if others abused him.  In fact, Allah SWT had to step in in the Qur’an and prevent people from abusing him. 

al-Hujuraat 49:2 O ye who believe! Lift not up your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor shout when speaking to him as ye shout one to another, lest your works be rendered vain while ye perceive not.

Elsewhere, Allah instructs people how to act when eating at the Prophet’s house, and also how his wives should act.  But, the Prophet SAW never complained about how others treated him.  Too many of us scream for what we think are our rights, but we do not always treat others fairly ourselves.  

The problem is our ego, our nafs.  We cry "Nafsi, Nafsi," and we do not think about others.   While it is important to validate our own feelings, we also need to validate and not minimize those of others.  We need to inculcate respect for one another.  During Ramadan let us fast from our own nafs, our own egos, and think only of Allah SWT and His Creation, our fellow human beings.

Imam Malik narrates:   One day when Umar went in to visit AbuBakr as-Siddiq and found him pulling his tongue, he said, "Stop! Allah forgive you!" AbuBakr replied to him, "This has brought me down to dangerous places."

Imam al-Bukhaari narrates:   Some people asked Allah's Apostle (Sal-allahu-aleihi-wassallam), "Whose Islam is the best? i.e. (Who is a very good Muslim)?" He replied, "One who avoids harming the Muslims with his tongue and hands."

 Sawm Al-Ruhiyyah

Spiritual Fasting – abstaining from anything other than the dhikr of Allah SWT and seeking only His Pleasure increased our taqwa by pointing out to us how often we focus on things other than Allah, and reminding us that the only thing worthy of worship, of ulluhiyyah, is Allah. 

Tawhid is of three branches:  Tawhid al-Ulluhiyyah, Tawhid al-Ruboobiyyah, wa Tawhid al-Asma’ wa Sifaat.  Ulluhiyyah refers to the fact that Allah SWT alone is worthy of worship.  Ruboobiyyah refers to the fact that Allah SWT is the sole source of our support, He is our Creator and Preserver.  Asma’ wa Sifaat refers to His names and characteristics that He himself has mentioned to us.  When we fast from all but remembrance of Allah, we focus on Tawhid, and realize all that we do over the course of the year that violates this tawhid.  In doing so, we grasp tighter to that secure handhold to Allah, the only handhold that will not break. 

May Allah SWT give us the tawfiq to have a successful fast this year.  And may Allah SWT forgive all our sins.

The Fiqh of Ramadan

In Ramadan, we fast from just before the coming in of the time of Fajr until the adhaan of Maghrib. 
Fasting has several physical benefits including:

·  Purification of body from toxins

·  Reducing of weight

·  Purity of brain

·  Rejuvenation of body

·        Feeling of contentment

Just a few considerations to remember:

·        We should not injest anything by mouth or engage in any sexual activity during daylight hours

·        We should make sure to have some suhur before fasting in the morning and we should make sure to break the fast with something simple such as the Sunnah practice of eating an odd number of dates and drinking some water.

·        After Maghrib, we can then eat a bigger meal, or we can wait until after Tarawih.  However, we should remember not to overeat during Ramadan.  Some people gain weight during this month.  Does this gluttony during a time when we should be grateful to Allah and also remember those less fortunate really show that we are benefiting from Ramadan?

·        Those with medical conditions requiring taking something during the day have two options:  If the condition is acute and likely will be present for a short time, then it is best to make up missed days before the next Ramadan.  If the condition is likely to last the entire month, but should clear up by next year, then it is best to feed a person each night and then make up the fast later, when you are able.  If the condition is chronic and not likely to be cured, then feed a person each night in kafara.

·        The same applies for women who are pregnant or who are in post-partum bleeding or who are breast feeding.  Women should not risk the health of the child.

Any of the following invalidates the fast: eating or drinking, smoking, sexual intercourse, masturbating, taking injections whereby nourishing liquids reach the stomach, deliberate vomiting, intentionally passing an object through the throat or any other natural opening...

 Deliberately breaking the fast requires a kaffara (atonement) which is either the fasting for sixty consecutive days for each day missed or feeding of sixty poor persons.

Scholars differ over whether remaining in the state of janabah (uncleanliness due to seminal discharge) till dawn invalidates the fast, but most feel it does not.

Some scholars are also of the opinion that lying about Allah or the Prophet, or cursing any Sahaba, or anything which would break the mental fast, breaks the fast in general, and the day must be made up.  Allah ta’ala alim.

Imam Abu Ja'fer Muhammad al-Baqir (as) saying, "Telling lies breaks the fast, and so does a second look at another woman (other than your wife), in addition to oppression, be it little or much."

Most importantly, the fast is not accepted without the other pillars of Islam.  We must strive to live the Shahada, not just say it on our tongues, but we must strive to act upon it.  We must pray our fard salaat.  We should pay zakat, and many do during this month.  We must also at least intend to make Hajj when we are physically and financially able. 

The Prophet is reported to have said that there will some whose only reward for fasting will be hunger and thirst, because they will not have sincerely fasted.  Why deprive ourselves of food and drink, if not to seek the Pleasure of Allah and increase our taqwa?

In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah (saw) says, "Ramadan has come to you. (It is) a month of blessing, in which Allah covers you with blessing, for He sends down Mercy, decreases sins and answers prayers. In it, Allah looks at your competition (in good deeds), and boasts about you to His angels. So show Allah goodness from yourselves, for the unfortunate one is he who is deprived in (this month) of the mercy of Allah, the Mighty, the Exalted." [ImamTabarani]

May Allah SWT grant us all a blessed month of Ramadan!  Ramadan Kareem!

Ramadan Mubarak: Let Us Welcome This Blessed Month

Ramadan Kareem

On July 8th, 2013, the new moon was born at 7:14 UT.  However, as of this writing, the hilal has not been observed anywhere in the world.  According the both CrescentWatch.com and Moonsighting.com, it was not visible anywhere other than part of the Polynesian Islands.  No one located in any of these islands has reported sighting the hilal. However, the new crescent will be visible widely on July 9th, 2013.  Therefore, it is my humble opinion that fasting should begin on July 10th, 2013.

Sighting the New Moon for Beginning and Ending the Fast of Ramadan

 

The following are all from al-Muwatta' of Imam Malik:

1 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, once mentioned Ramadan and said, "Do not begin the fast until you see the new moon, and do not break the fast (at the end of Ramadan) until you see it. If the new moon is obscured from you, then calculate (when it should be)."
[cf Bukhari 1807]

2 Yahya related to me from Malik from 'Abdullah ibn Dinar from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The month has twenty-nine days in it. Do not start the fast or break it until you see the new moon. If the new moon is obscured from you, then calculate when it should be)."
[cf Bukhari 1807-1808]

3 Yahya related to me from Malik from Thawr ibn Zayd ad-Dili from 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, once mentioned Ramadan and said, "Do not start the fast or break it until you see the new moon. If the new moon is obscured from you, then complete a full thirty days."
[In Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]

4 Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that once in the time of 'Uthman ibn 'Affan the new moon was seen in the afternoon but 'Uthman did not break his fast until evening had come and the sun had set.

Yahya said that he had heard Malik say that someone who sees the new moon of Ramadan when he is on his own should start the fast and not break it if he knows that that day is part of Ramadan.

The Translation of al-Muwatta'  is by Ustadha Aisha Bewley (May Allah SWT reward her for her efforts).

These hadith make is clear that we are commanded by Rasulallah SAW to attempt to observe the hilal on the night of the 29th of the month, and if we do not observe it, then we are to assume that that month consists of 30 days.  This is the manner for determining ALL Islamic months, not just Ramadan, Shawwal and Dhul-Hijjah.

Today, many argue we should adopt calculation as the method for determining the Islamic months. They state that sighting the hilal is not an act of ibadah, and that therefore, it is not necessary.  They also state that sighting was initial required because the Arabs were an "unlettered" people and had no other way to tell the months.  They also argue that the hadith above supports calculation because if the moon is not sighted then we should calculate 30 days for that month.  Finally, they argue that sighting the moon is not a sabab for the fast of Ramadan.  The sabab for the fast is the coming of the month.  Sighting the hilal is only a means to tell if the month has come and is not a hukm at-taklifi (it is not a fard).  Calculation could also be used to tell if the month of Ramadan is upon us.

Let us take a look at these arguments.

Many argue that the negative clause in the Ahadith “do not fast until you see the new Moon” is categorical in demanding that sighting and only sighting is the mean to ascertain the beginning of the month. According to Shaikh Maghraoui,  “Most significantly, the text, “Do not fast until you sight the crescent…,” uses the strongest, most unequivocal language that sighting and only sighting is the means of ascertaining the beginning of the month.” (Fiqh Council of North America,  http://www.fiqhcouncil.org/node/21).

The proponents of calculation counter by asking "why the Prophet (PBUH) would insist upon requiring the actual Moon sighting (as the condition for fasting) only on the 29th day’s evening and not on the 30th day’s evening? ... Had the physical moon sighting been intrinsically obligatory to start or end the month of Ramadan, it would have been required both on the 29th as well as 30th day of the month. A binding legal cause (sabab) of any act of worship cannot be established as a prerequisite exclusively for one day of the month and not for the other days. The cause and effect go hand in hand in all situations, as the encyclopedic jurist Imam Abu Isha’q al-Sha’tibi has stated.

ما أثبت سبباً، فهو سبب أبداً لا يرتفع...

“The established (legal) cause always remains the cause and never changes”."  (Fiqh Council of North America,  http://www.fiqhcouncil.org/node/21).

First of all, we agree that the sabab or cause of fasting during the month of Ramadan, is the coming of the month.  Physical moon sighting is not the sabab.  The hukm al-wadai is entering the month of Ramadan.

Therefore whoever of you who witnesses this month, should fast.  (Al-Baqara 2:185)

The important word here is "witnesses" or "shahida."  In this context, it means 'who ever from among you witnesses the month."  However the following sentence gives more clarification.

But who is ill or on a journey shall fast to make up number of days later on. God intends your well-being, not your discomfort. He desires you to fast the whole month to glorify God and render thanks to Him for giving you His guidance.  (Al-Baqara 2:185)

 Because this sentence speaks of those traveling, we understand that "shahida" also refers to those who are present, at home, not traveling.  So, the sentence is often translated as, "Therefore, whoever of you is present in this month, should fast."

At any rate, it is clear, that hukm al-wadai is the coming in of the month of Ramadan.  So what is the significance of commanding us to look for the moon on the 29th?  Clearly, Allah SWT is instructing us how to tell when Ramadan comes, and how to do so with certainty.  And the wording of the hadith is such that one could reasonably assume that sighting the hilal is fard - not as a sabab of Ramadan, but as a means to determine that Ramadan has begun.

The Fiqh Council of North America has noted in its discussion of the hukm al-wadai that the sabab of dhur prayer is the coming in of its time - the specific time after noon.  In the past, this time would have been determined by using sun dials and other such instruments.  Some of these ancient sun dials are still as accurate as a quartz watch.  (Just check the one at the Jantar Mantar Observatory Delhi).  Today we use clocks; however, the sabab of dhur is not the big hand and little hand touching, but the actual position in the sky of the sun.  The clock may give us a reasonable degree of certainty, but the most certain way of determining dhur is by going out and looking up. Only if the day is cloudy would the clock become a more certain means.

Same is true of telling if it is Ramadan.  Calculations might lead to reasonable certainty on a cloudy day, but, if its not, then sighting would be far more certain. 

Moreover, Allah SWT has already provided us a way to deal with cloudy days - count one more day and end the month on the 30th.  Some seem to feel this justifies calculation.  Does it really?  It simply says, if you do see the hilal on the 29th, then fast the next day.  If you do not, for what ever reason, then do not fast the next day, fast the day after instead. It is a big step to go from this simple logical process to using the kind of complex mathematical calculation necessary to determine the hilal in astronomical terms.

As for the argument that if moon sighting on the 29th is required for fasting the next day, then it should be required on the 30th for fasting on its next day, it is not necessary that this is so.  First, we agree that the sabab of fasting is NOT sighting the moon, but the coming of the month.  Second, all we need to know is when the month starts.  All lunar months are either 29 or 30 days.  So logic dictates that if you do not see the moon on the 29th, then the month must be of 30 days.  Therefore, it is not necessary to sight the moon on the 30th. 

Finally, the argument that the Arabs were "unlettered," so now that we are not, we can use calculation.  This is not a strong argument.  In fact, it is a dangerous Islamically.  It opens the door to undermining any act of ibadah by saying we are not like the ones for whom that injunction was originally intended, so we do not have to do it that way. Some who call themselves Sufis do this when they say they have gnostic knowledge so they do not have to pray like those who do not.

Moreover, the Arabs were not that "unlettered" about astronomy.  They were well aware of the time it takes for the moon to go around the earth.  In the hadith from Malik from 'Abdullah ibn Dinar from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, the Prophet SAW mentioned that the month is 29 days.

"The Moon appears to move completely around the celestial sphere once in about 27.3 days as observed from the Earth. This is called a sidereal month, and reflects the corresponding orbital period of 27.3 days The moon takes 29.5 days to return to the same point on the celestial sphere as referenced to the Sun because of the motion of the Earth around the Sun; this is called a synodic month." (Orbit and Phases of the Moon, http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/time/moonorbit.html)

Therefore, in my opinion, the evidence from the sources supports the position that in order to determine if the month of Ramadan has arrived, it is fard to observe the hilal moon on the night of the 29th, and if for any reason, we do not see it, we should assume that the month of Sha'ban is of 30 days, and fast the day after the next day.  This is in accordance with the position that the sabab of fasting during Ramadan is the beginning of the month of Ramadan, and that the beginning of the month is known by the fard means of determining it, which is observation of the hilal or lack thereof on the 29th of Sha'ban.

It is my opinion that calculation can be used to help us determine when the hilal might be observable, but it is not a valid means to determine if the month has arrived. No other means of determining the month is valid because the means, namely attempting to observe the hilal, is fard.  It is a fard kifayyah, obligatory on the community, and if one person in a community attempts to observe the moon, then this fard will be fulfilled.  (Here it is preferred to have one person in each region of the earth observe in order to fulfill this fard).

It is my opinion that observation of the hilal may be global, and this is preferred or mustahabb in order to inculcate unity. The month will begin the next day if the hilal is observed anywhere on the earth prior to midnight in the given location, otherwise, the month will begin the day after, if the hilal is not observed anywhere on earth prior to midnight in the given location. The reason for the cut off time of midnight, is that it is the end of the Ishaa period, and the beginning of the time for tahajjud.  By using that as a cut off point, the people are sure to have sufficient time to pray tarawih, and to eat suhur, and to prepare for fasting the next day, if the hilal is sighted.

However, it is equally acceptable to observe locally within a matlaa' if every community in the matlaa' agrees to that method.  A matlaa' is defined as an area or region wherein the people are reasonably expected to pray Eid prayers together.  Either way, every community in a matlaa' should agree to minhaj, either global or local.

It should be noted that in determining the entrance of the month of Dhul Hijjah, it is preferred or mustahabb to use a global observation over Makkah.  This is primarily because the timing of the Hajj depends on the coming in of the month over Makkah.  In fact, it may be viewed as fard considering that the Qur'an states that Hajj is on the known days.  (2:197)  Since the Hajj occurs in and around Makkah, the timing must be determined there, and no where else.

Allah Ta'ala Alim

Benefits of Attempting to Observe the Hilal

Islamic days begin at maghrib, so the night of the 29th is the night BEFORE the day of the 29th - what in the West we would refer to as the night of the 28th. This fact points us to one of the most important benefits of Ruyyah or Attempting of Observe the Hilal.  In an era when we are so disconnected from nature, the nature that Allah SWT created, we are in dire need of reminders of His ayaat.  He has told us that the sun, moon and stars are among His ayaat in the universe, and that they enable us to be aware of His presence.  They provide "proof" of His existence.  So it is critical that we remember Him by observing His signs.

Observing the Hilal is one of the best ways for us to remember Allah and His creative power and dominion.  We should make it an event for the whole family.  Taking our children, going to a high place, telling them about the moon and stars and sky and reciting to them the ayaat of Surah al-Baqara regarding fasting (2:-183 et al), is a wonderful way to prepare for the blessed month, and for the happy day of Eid al-Fitr as well.  In an age when they spend so much time interacting with man-made things, it is essential to remind them of their connection to Allah SWT and the greater universe He created.

I understand that we all of us would love to have unity and have all Muslims fasting and breaking the fast at the same time.  Inshaa allah, if Allah SWT give us life, we will discuss the issue of unity in fasting in another post.

For now, the most important factor in a successful fast is our intention.  If our intention is the Pleasure of Allah, then know that Allah SWT has said that fasting is for Him alone, and He alone rewards it.  We hope that Allah SWT will reward us all for a successful fast of Ramadan.

Ramadan Mubarak!!!!