Ramadan WorkshopFiqh of fasting

Al Huda Scarborough

intention• This is very important and counts for a lot

• According to Sunnah, intention is in the heart

• No evidence from sunnah that intention must be said out loud, or specific words for intention

• Precept 33: The intention to fast is formed in the mind (or heart). It is not the Prophet’s tradition to recite the customary words (Wa be-saume Ghain Nawaitu)

• Precept 34: The intention for obligatory fast should be formed before dawn (Fajr)

Sighting of the moon

• Fasting should be commenced after sighting the moon of Ramadan

• One should not be in doubt due to the size of the moon on the first day of Ramadan

• It is traditional to recite the following supplication on sighting the new moon:

Sighting the moon precepts

• The Prophet SAW has given us two simple rules that should make all of our lives easier if followed!

• A. If at the end of Shabaan, the sky is cloudy, then thirty days should be completed for the month of Sahaban. If at the end of Ramadan, the atmosphere is cloudy then thirty days should be completed for the month of Ramadan.

• B. To start fasting on sighting the moon and to end it on sighting the moon, one should bear in mind the location of the place and country

Eating & drinking by forgetfulness

• This does not disrupt the fast

• According to the Prophet SAW, it is from Allah SWT and is like a gift (Sahi Bukhari)

• If one eats or drinks during fasting in forgetfulness, the fast is neither disrupted nor is it disliked (makrooh)

• If a woman fears the moods of her husband, while cooking, she can taste the food on the edge of her tongue and taste it, and then spit it out so that the taste does not reach her throat

Vomiting

• Proven from hadith that vomiting on purpose breaks the fast

• But if its involuntary, it does not break the fast

• Abu Hurairah R.A. narrates that Allah’s messenger SAW stated: when a person who is fasting vomits involuntarily, the fast is not disrupted. However, if vomiting is intentional he should make up for the disrupted fast (Abu Dawud & Ibn Maja)

• Sometimes some food or affiliate of something comes up to the throat however, this does not break the fast either

Shots/injections

• Getting shots or injections which provide nourishment break the fast

• Drawing blood from the body: blood tests for treatment purposes, to donate blood when its an emergency and is absolutely needed is fine does not break the fast

• Ibn Abbas R.A. relates that Allah’s messenger SAW got the blood drawn from his body while fasting (Bukhari)

• Use of inhalers is permissible

• Examples: involuntarily we inhale many things while fasting such as smoke, or while cooking, the steam may go into our nose; this does not break the fast

Pregnancy/nursing

• Fasting is not completely forgiven during pregnancy and while nursing/breastfeeding

• Rather, a choice has been given

• A nursing woman or an expecting mother may not fast during this condition if she likes; however, she should make up for the omitted fast after this condition has ended

• If one leaves fasting during these conditions, she has to give a fidya/ransom in Ramadan

• But afterwards, as soon as she’s able to, she should make up for the omitted fast

Making up fasts

• We should choose the days on which the Prophet SAW would keep fasts such as Mondays & Thursdays

• The White Days “Ayaam-e-Beedh”; the 13th, 14th, and 15th of every lunar month

• Also to make up for a missed fast/s that were obligatory/fardh, a woman does not need her husband’s permission as opposed to having to take permission to keep a nafl or voluntary fast according to this hadith

MAKING UP FASTS

• THE OPINION OF JAMHOOR

• Majority of companions and taba’een is that if someone does not make up for their missed fasts in ---------- the last and upcoming ones, they they must give fidya as well as keep the fasts

Marital intimacy

• To have sexual intercourse during fasting, this breaks the fast and for this, there is expiation as is explained in Sahi Bukhari

• EXPIATION:

• 1. freeing a salve

• 2. fasting for 60 consecutive days, if one is missed, the counting must be started again

• 3. feeding 60 needy persons

• However, a person may hug/kiss his wife only if he has control over his desires (Sahi Bukhari)

Marital intimacy

• State of Janaabah:

• If one is in the state of Janabah or the last stages of period and the time for suhoor has started, then they have the ease of eating suhoor in this state and within the time of Fajr, bathe and then pray

• Even if a few minutes are left in Fajr time, and the period has just ended, she should still do this

• If a bath had become obligatory for a person and he woke up late, still he should observe his fast and have the bath later. However, he should perform wudhu before suhoor (meal before dawn).

Breaking fast in difficult situations

• At the Conquest of Makkah, the Prophet SAW and many other Muslims were fasting but when they reached the hardship of the journey, the journey took its toll

• Prophet SAW drank water and moreover, he SAW raised the glass of water up high for everyone to see that YES it can be done (Bukhari & Muslim)

miswak

• Using miswak (wooden toothbrush)

• Use of miswak does not make the fast makrooh

• Aamir bin Rabeeah RA related: I have seen Allah’s messenger SAW countless times, using a wooden tooth brush while fasting (Bukhari)

• Bleeding from the teeth does not break the fast; similarly, a cut or wound does not break the fast

Miscellaneous

•These do NOT disrupt the fast:

•Applying makeup

•Applying oil

•Pouring water over one’s head due to hot weather; taking a shower

• Internal exams and taking insulin for diabetes does not break the fast

Other fiqh matters

• While making wudhu in the state of fasting, it is not lawful to snuff water in the nose in such a manner that the water may reach the throat

• The fast of a woman is disrupted by commencement of menstrual or post pregnancy bleeding; the disrupted fast should be made up but not the prayer

• Abu Sayeed Khudri RA narrates that Allah’s messenger SAW stated: “Is it not the fact that when a woman is in menstrual state, she can neither pray nor fast? This is a lapse for her in the religion.” (Bukhari)

Menstruation

• The fast of a woman is disrupted by commencement of menstrual or post pregnancy bleeding; the disrupted fast should be made up but not the prayer

• Abu Sayeed Khudri RA narrates that Allah’s messenger SAW stated: “Is it not the fact that when a woman is in menstrual state, she can neither pray nor fast? This is a lapse for her in the religion.” (Bukhari)

Breaking fast earlier

• If due to clouds under the impression that the sun has set, the fast is broken; but later, it became certain that the sun had not set, the fast is disrupted and the person should make up for the fast.

• In a similar manner if a person ate his meal thinking that dawn had not taken place; later, it became known that dawn had taken place, even then the fast is disrupted and he should make up the for the fast

• There is no other expiation for this

Suhoor

• One should not intentionally avoid taking meal before dawn when one awakes from sleep

• Anas RA narrates that Allah’s messenger SAW stated: Take your meal before dawn as there is blessing in it (Bukhari & Muslim)

Iftaar & suhoor times

• To hasten while breaking the fast and to delay taking the suhoor is customary of the Prophets

• Abu Darda RA reports that Allah’s messenger SAW stated: Three things are from the manners of the Prophets: 1. to hasten the breaking of the fast (at evening); 2. to delay taking the pre-dawn meal (suhoor); and 3. to place the right hand over the left in Salaah (Tabrani).

Travelling

• During Ramadan, while travelling from one country to another, if the traveller finds that the number of days of fasting in the country of his presence at the end of Ramadan is more than the actual days of his fasting, he should forgo the excess days of fasting or he may fast with the intention of nafl fast

• If the number of days of his fasting is found to be less in the country of his presence at the end of Ramadan than the actual days of fasting, then he should make up his fasts after Eid.