By Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih Al-‘Uthaymeen
Translated by ‘Abdullaah Al- Faarisi May Allah preserve and reward them both
This revised edition, produced with the permission of the author and the translator, includes some corrections to the original translation, changes to the English, the addition of the Qur’aanic text, changes to the translations of the meanings of the Qur’an and hadeeths, changes in the system of transliteration of Arabic terms, and the addition of references and some explanatory notes.
In response to our request to publish this revised edition, Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen wrote : “
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessing be on his messenger Muhammad.
THE VIRTUES OF RAMADHAN
Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated that Allah’s Apostle صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “ When the month of Ramadhaan starts, the gates of Jannah (
Allah has prescribed fasting and it obligatory upon all nations. He said :
)يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ) (البقرة:183)
O you who believe ! fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al – Muttaqoon (the pious). [Al-Baqarah (2) : 183]
If fasting were not a great act of worship, and the reward thereof were not so great, Allah would not have Presceibed it on all nations.
Among the virtues of fasting is that it is a means for atonement of sins. It is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said : “ He who observes the fast of the month of Ramadhaan out of sincerity and hope for the reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven.”(2) That is, when fasting is observed out of belief and without resentment to it as an act of worship or doubt in its reward, Allah will forgive the past sins of the one who observes it.
1. Saheeh Al- Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol. 3, # 123, and Saheeh Muslim (English trans.) # 2361 & 2362. one wording of Muslim is “ the gates of mercy are opened.”
2. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol. 3, # 125.
Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم as saying : “ Allah said: All the deeds of Adam’s children belong to them, except fasting, which belongs to me and I will reward it. Fasting is a shield (against the Hell and against the commission of sins). If one of you happens to be fasting he should avoid sexual relations with his wife, and should avoid quarrelling. Should someone fight or quarrel with him let him say, ‘ I am fasting.’ By Him in Whose hand my soul is, the smell of the month of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allaah than that of the musk.”(3) It is a shield because it safeguards the believer from vain talk and wrongdoing, and hence protects him from Hell.
Of all the good deeds, Allah has favored fasting to be greatly rewarded by Him and distinguished it with prestige when it is observed with the pure intention to please Him alone.
Fasting is so meritorious for a believer that he will have two occasions of joy. The first is at the time of breaking his fast, when he enjoys the bounties of Allah because he has been favored with Allah’s mercy to observe the fast while many others have been deprived of this great blessing. He will rejoice in the second occasion when he meets his Lord and enjoys the abundant reward for having observed fasting (4). In addition to this, fasting intercedes with Allah on behalf of the believer on the Day of Judgment.(5)
WHEN DOES FASTING BEGIN AND END ?
Fasting begins upon sighing the new moon. Allah said:
( فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ) (البقرة: من الآية185)
So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadhaan), he must fast that month. [Al- Baqarah (2) : 185]
3. Saheeh Al – Bukhaari (Arabic/ English), vol.3, # 118 and #128, and Saheeh Muslim (English trans) # 2567.
4. Saheeh Al Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol. 3, # 128, and Saheeh Muslim (English trans). # 2567.
5. The Porphet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “ Fasting and the Qur’an intercede for the servant on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say : O my Lord ! I prevented him from food and desires, so accept my intercession for him ; and the Qur’an will say : I prevented him from sleep at night, so accept my intercession for him. So their intercession will be accepted.” Reported by Ahmad, Al Haakim, Abu Nu’aym and others from ‘ Abdullaah ibn ‘ Amr. Its chain of narrators is hasan. [Fasting in Ramadaan by Shaykhs saleem Al- Hilaalee and ‘ Alee Hasan ‘ Alee ‘ Abdul – Hameed, p. 5]
However, it is not incumbent on everyone to sight the new moon. Rather, if a trustworthy Muslim testifies that he has sighted it, then everyone must observe fasting. Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated : “ A Bedouin came to the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم and reported, ‘ O Prophet, I have seen the new moon of Ramadhaan.’ Thereupon the prophe صلي الله عليه وسلم asked the man, ‘Do you bear witness that “ Laa ilaaha illaaah”. ( i.e. there is no god worthy of being worshipped beside Allah) ?’ ‘ I do,’ said the bedouin. The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم further asked him whether he testifies that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. The Bedouin affirmed that, too. Thereupon, the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم asked Bilaalرضي الله عنه to announce to the people to begin their fast the next day.”(6)
Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنه also confirmed the practice of sighting the new moon in his report : “ The People were seeking the new moon. Having sighted it myself, reported it to the prophet. صلي الله عليه وسلم He began his fast and ordered the people to begin theirs, too.”(7)
He who sights the new moon of Ramadhan must inform those in authority in the Muslim government or community. Once the Muslim government announces the beginning of Ramadhan upon the sighting the new moon it becomes binding on the rest of Muslims to begin their fast.(8)
It should be borne in mind, however, that astronomical calculations must be ruled out from the sharee’ah and must not be relied on for sighting the moon, as the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم has ruled that Muslims must begin their fast upon seeing the new moon, not upon calculating the month astronomically. It is only when it becomes hard to see the new moon due to weather conditions when Muslims may complete the month of Sha’baan, which precedes Ramadhan,
6. Sunan Abee Dawoud (English trans), # 2333 and # 2334. It is weak according to Al-Albanni.
7. Sunan Abee Dawoud (English trans), # 2335. Its chain of narration is Saheeh.
8. “Some scholars take into account the divisions amongst the Muslim countries related to the beginning and end of fasting. They advise that in the absence of one Khilaafah governing all Muslims, It is incumbent upon Muslims to follow their respective countries as to when to fast and when to break the fast. This minimizes the divisions occurring within the same country where people fast according to different rulings.” (See Shaykh Al–‘Uthaymeen’s Ash-Sharh Al-Mumti” ‘alaa zaadil- Mustaqni,” vol.6, p. 322 and Shaykh Al – Albaani’s Itmaa’tul- Minnah fee at- Ta’leeq ‘alaa fiqhis-sunnah, p. 398). According to Shaykhul- Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, “ The criteria upon which fasting becomes bound upon Muslims is that the information regarding the moon sighting reaches them in a reasonable amount of time to be able to act upon it.”
( Jaami lilikhtiaaraat Al-Fiqhiyah li-Shaykhul–Islaam Ibn Taymeeyah by Dr. Ahmad Muwafi [ Dammam, Saudi Arabia: Daar Ibn Jawzi, 1413/1993], pp. 438-444.) And Allah knows best.
Thirty days.(9) The lunar month is either 29 or 30 days. It has neither fewer nor more days.(10)
WHO SHOULD FAST AND WHO SHOULD NOT ?
Fasting is obligatory on the mature sane and healthy Muslim. Those who are immature (i.e. young children) are encouraged to fast. Exempted are those who suffer terminal illness, or are too old to fast. Allah does not overburden His slaves.
Permission to abstain from fasting is granted to the travelers who do not travel for the purpose of breaking their fast. Even though it is permissible to break fast during travel, it is praiseworthy to fast while traveling if no hardship imposed. In any case, travelers should make up the days they missed fasting in Ramadhan once Ramadhan is over and they are back home.
As for those whose sickness does not allow them to fast, they fall into three categories:
1. If it is neither hard nor harmful for them, they must observe fasting.
2. If it is hard, but not harmful for them, they are permitted to break their fast.
3. If it is harmful for them, then they must abstain from fasting. It is stated in the Qur’an:
)يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ تِجَارَةً عَنْ تَرَاضٍ مِنْكُمْ وَلا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيماً) (النساء:29)
9. Saheeh Al-Bakhaari (Arabic/English), vol. 3, # 130,133, and Saheeh Muslim (English trans.), # 2363-2381. It should also be noted that it is not permissible to fast a day or two before Ramadhan thinking that it might be Ramadhan. Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported that the prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “ None of you should pre-empt Ramadhan by fasting a day or two before it, except for a man fasting his usual fast, then let him fast that day.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol. 3, # 138).
10. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/ English), vol. 3, # 132, 134-135, and 137, and Saheeh Muslim (English trans) # 2384-2390.
11. Saheeh Al- Bukhaari (Arabic/English, vol. 3. # 181.
12. The Prophet # was asked about fasting on a journey and he said , “ Fast if you wish and break it if you wish “ . Saleh Al – Bukhaari (Arabic / English ) Vol . 3 # 164 and Saheeh Muslim ( English Tans. ) # 2487 ] Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه said , “ Do not condemn one who obsess fast’ or one who does not observe it (in a journey ), for the messenger of Allah observed it (in a journey), for the messenger of Allah Observed fast in a journey or he did not observe it (too). [ Saheeh Muslim (English Trans.) # 2471 ]
) وَلا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ)(البقرة: من الآية195)
Do not kill yourselves. [An-Nisaa’ (4) : 29] – Baqarah (2) : 195]
The prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم was reported to have said, “ There is (to be) no harm or reciprocating harm.”(13)
The days that are missed in Ramadhan must be made up once Ramadhan is over.
During the monthly period or period of post-natal bleeding, women are to abstain from fasting,(14) but must make up the days they missed after the fasting month is over. The Pregnant or breastfeeding woman whose health or the health of the suckling baby might be affected by fasting should break her fast and make up the missed days after Ramadhan.
It is also recommended for those who engage in combat in the way of Allah to break their fast. The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم told his companions in one of the battles, “ You are going to meet your enemy in the morning, abstaining from fasting is better for your strength, so break your fast.” (15)
THE WISDOM BEHIND FASTING
Fasting is a great act of worship the Muslim performs by turning away from his own desires in order to please his Lord, hoping for His reward. Common sense dictates that one would not give up desired things except for the sake of more desirable ones, in this case the pleasure of Allah, which is the most sought after desire.
It is also a means if achieving piety and righteousness. The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “ He who does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah needs not his refraining from eating or drinking.”(16) In other words, Allah does not accept his fast.
13. Ahmad, ibn Maajah; Saheeh [ Saheeh Al- Jaami. As sagheer, # 7517]
14. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Arabic/English), vol, 3. # 172. for more information on this subject, refer to The Natural Blood of Women by Shaykh ibn ‘Uthaymeen, translated by Dr. Saleh As-Saleh [
15. Saheeh Muslim (English trans), # 2486.
16. Saheeh Muslim (English trans), # 2486. In a fatwa (religious ruling), the Shaykh further explained that the fasting of a person who engages in forbidden speech is not invalidated, but its reward is diminished. The gravity of his sin may be such that it outstrips any reward for his fasting. [Fatawa As–Siyaam (
The heart, through fasting, is inclined to maintain its tenderness since the desires are not sought, but rather shunned, and thus the heart tends to be more receptive to the words of Allah.
The rich person will, through fasting, be more appreciative of Allah’s graces and bounties. He also will suffer the deprivation the poor and needy experience under normal circumstances. Thus he will be motivated to help them. Fasting helps depress pride or egoism and maintains humbleness. Moreover, fasting has health advantages by means of decreasing the intake of food and relaxing the digestive system. Great is the wisdom of Allah, and great are His Graces !
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