Ramadan, the Holy Month for Muslims
The month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar year. The days of Ramadan each year are the time period for fasting imposed on Muslims.
What does “Ramadan” means?
“Ramadan” comes from “Ramada,” which means to become hot.
History of fasting (Time of obliging fasting Ramadan)
Fasting in the month of Ramadan was obligatory in the month of Sha’ban of the second year of HIGRAH (migration), about a month after the shift of the Qiblah to the honorable Kaaba.
Stages of Legislating Fasting Ramadan
Fasting during the month of Ramadan has not been imposed in one stage but in three stages:
- First phase: Muslims have a choice to fast in Ramadan or pay a ransom of feeding an indigent for every day he does not fast.
- Second Stage: Muslims should fast from Fajr to Maghreb; however, if one sleeps, he would wake up at any time of the night in a case of fasting.
- Third Stage: Muslims should fast from Fajr to Maghrib. He shall start fasting from Fajr. Even he sleeps and wakes up before Fajr, he may eat, drink and consume marriage. That is the final case that Muslims do till today.
How We Can Know the Start of Ramadan
The start of Ramadan is proven by seeing the crescent moon. If the crescent moon of Ramadan is sighted after sunset on the 29th of Sha’ban, then Ramadan has started accordingly. If the new moon could not be seen after sunset on the 29th of Sha’ban, or clouds, dust, or smoke prevent its sighting, then the month of Sha’ban shall be completed in thirty days.
Prophet Mohammed, Pbuh, said: “Fast when you see it and break your fast when you see it, and if the weather is cloudy treat Sha‘ban as having thirty days.”
How to Receive Ramadan
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Receive Ramadan with true repentance
Repentance is obligatory in all times, especially at those times of Mercy and Blessing. Ramadan is an opportunity for repentance and avoiding bad deeds and sins.
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Receive Ramadan with sincerity to Allah
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “He who observes fasting during the month of Ramadan with Faith while seeking its reward from Allah, will have his past sins forgiven.”
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Receive Ramadan by making du’aa upon sighting the crescent moon
At the sight of the new moon (of the lunar month), the Prophet (ﷺ) used to supplicate: (O Allah, let this moon appear on us with security and Iman; with safety and Islam. (O moon!) You’re Rubb, and mine is Allah. May this moon be bringing guidance and good)?”
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Receive Ramadan by learning the rulings and etiquettes of fasting
Muslims shall learn and let their family know the rules and etiquette of fasting to be liable to get the reward of fasting. Ignorance of the rules may lead to losing the reward.
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Receive Ramadan with firm determination
Muslims shall receive Ramadan with strong determination that he will fill Ramadan with righteous deeds, from its beginning to its end. Muslims should ask Allah to help them with righteous deeds, for obedience is a gift from Allah, Almighty.
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Receive Ramadan with joy and pleasure
Muslims feels joy in Ramadan’s virtues. Ramadan is the month of forgiveness, opening the gates of heaven and closing the gates of Hell. It was from the habit of the Prophet – Pbuh – to rejoice with the coming of Ramadan, and to give good tidings to his companions about it.
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Receive Ramadan with getting rid of the heart diseases
Such as talking a lot of what is useless, laziness in performing acts of worship, sleeping a lot, and so on.
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Receive Ramadan with an environment of faith
One should resolve disputes and avoid sins as well as wasting time.
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Definition of Fasting
Linguistically fasting means: abstaining from something.
According to Islamic law: fasting is worshiping Allah Almighty by abstaining from food, drink and sexual intercourse from dawn to sunset.
Wisdom of the Legislation of Fasting
- Achieving Allah-fearing by responding to His command and submitting to His law, the Almighty said about the purpose of fasting: {that you may have piety} [Al-Baqarah: 183].
- Accustoming one’s self to patience and strengthening the will to control desires.
- Accustoming Muslims to charity and compassion for the needy and the poor; for tasting hunger soften the heart towards the needy brothers.
- Achieving the body’s health and well-being by fasting.
Medical and Health Benefits of Fasting:
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Helps detoxify the body:
Many of toxins are stored inside body fat, and during fasting, these fats are burned, which helps to get rid of toxins.
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Benefits the digestive system:
Fasting relaxes the digestive system and helps maintain fluid balance in the body. During Ramadan, some are forced to change some bad habits, such as smoking and drinking coffee, which greatly affect the stomach and digestive system.
Moreover, fasting relieves the symptoms of some of the digestive diseases, such as Reflux Esophagitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
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Helps treat infections and allergic diseases:
Some studies have proven that fasting helps treat infections, some allergic diseases, arthritis, and skin diseases such as psoriasis.
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Reduces blood sugar levels
Fasting helps break down glucose which reduces insulin production. That relaxes the pancreas, which ultimately leads to lower blood sugar levels.
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Helps burn fat:
Fasting helps break down glucose, which facilitates the burning of fats, especially fats stored in the kidneys and muscles, to produce the energy needed for the body.
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Treats high blood pressure:
Fasting is the most important natural way to lower blood pressure levels. That is because it helps reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and reduce metabolic rates and hormone levels such as adrenaline, which helps lower blood pressure levels.
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Promotes healthy eating habits
Medical studies have proved that fasting reduces the desire to eat processed and fast food, and enhances the desire to eat healthy foods.
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Boosts the immune system:
Fasting helps to get rid of body toxins and fats. Moreover, it promotes healthy eating habits, thus greatly enhancing the immune system.
Ruling of Fasting
Fasting has two types:
- Obligatory fasting:
- Fasting of Ramadan
Allah says: {O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous}
Prophet Mohammed said: “Islam was built upon five things: the testimony that there is no Allah but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, the observance of the prayer, the payment of zakat, the Pilgrimage, and the fast during Ramadan.”
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Fasting That Muslims made obligatory upon himself
Such as fasting for vows, and fasting for penances.
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Recommended fasting
Days recommended to fast, such as fasting on Mondays and Thursdays and fasting three days of every month. Fasting the day of Ashura, fasting the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, fasting the day of Arafa and fasting the six days of Shawwal are all examples of the same kind.
Breaking fast in Ramadan
Breaking fast in Ramadan is forbidden and is a major sin. Fasting for eternity is not sufficient for that one who breaks the fast of one day without an excuse and does not repent.
Conditions for Fasting
- Islam: Fasting is not obligatory upon a non-Muslim.
- Puberty: Fasting is not obligatory for a young child. However, the child is commanded to fast if he can bear it, to get used to it.
- Reason: A madman is not obligated to fast.
- Ability: Fasting is not obligatory for the incapable.
Pillars of Fasting
The pillars of fasting are two:
- Abstaining:from things that break the fast from dawn to sunset.
- Intention: This is necessary for the validity of the fast, according to the consensus of the scholars. That is because fasting is an act of worship which is not valid without intention.
Prophet Mohammed said: “Actions are but by intentions.”, so whoever fasts without intention, his fast is not valid unanimously.
When should one Make Fasting Intention?
In Obligatory Fasting, according to the majority of scholars, the intention must be made at the night before Fajr.
In the Recommended Fasting, the time for intension extends until before the meridian of the sun.
The time of the intention to fast begins with the entry of the first part of the night.
The Hanafi School believes it is permissible to extend the time of the intention for obligatory and recommended fasting until before the meridian.
Is Intention Obligatory for each Day of Ramadan?
Scholars have different opinions about whether it is necessary to set an intention for each day of Ramadan, or is one intention sufficient for the whole month. They are of two opinions:
The first opinion
It is required to renew the intention for each day of Ramadan. This is the view of the majority: the Hanafis, Shafi’is, and Hanbalis. They provide the evidence that Prophet -Pbuh- said: “Actions are but by intentions, and every person will have only what he intended.”
They saw that intention must be renewed for each day because it is an independent act of worship. On the authority of Hafsa, the wife of the Prophet -Pbuh, she said: “There is no fast for the one who does not intend to fast before dawn”.
So they took fasting like Salah that intention shall be renewed for each one of it during the day.
The second opinion
Only one intention at the start of an act of worship, that succession is required in it, is sufficient. However, if the sequence is interrupted for an excuse and the person returns to fasting, he has to renew the intention. This is the opinion of Maliki School, as well as Zafer who belong to Hanafis. They saw that successive fasting is like one worship. Therefore, one intention at the start is sufficient.
Setting an intention is not difficult. For a Muslim to think that he will fast the next day of Ramadan because Allah made it obligatory, then the intention was set. Indeed, it isn’t easy to imagine a Muslim who fast and breaks the fast without intention. Heart is place for intention.
However, one, who sleeps before sunset and does not wake up until after Fajr, may has no intend to fast. So he should not break his fast throughout this day and make this day up. That is rare, as noticed.
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