Ramadan, the month of mercy, the Holy Qur’an and victory is
once against upon us. I was fortunate enough to attend a Ramadan seminar held
by Alhuda Courses with Shaykh Waseem Ahmad this year. As some of you have
requested, I will share some of the theological and spiritual points made during
the seminar. I hope it is a beneficial and useful read.
Background to Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic Calendar and the
only mentioned by name in the Holy Qur’an -
a reminder of the sanctity and value of this month over other months. In
a hadith, the Prophet ﷺ
states:
“Rajab is Allah’s month, Sha’aban my month
and Ramadan the month of my Ummah”.
Other ahadith outline: “The Fast it for Me and I am its reward” [Hadith
Qudsi – Muslim]
“Fasting
and Qur’an will intercede for the slave on the Day of Judgement. Fasting will
say: ‘My Lord, I stopped him from food and pleasures by day so grant me
intercession for him.’ The Qur’an will say: ‘I stopped him from sleep by night
so grant me intercession for him. He said, They will both be given
intercession.” [Musnad Imam Ahmad]
In this month, many blessings
occurred, the first and foremost being the revelation of the Holy Qur’an in its
entirety, the revelation commencing, the Prophet ﷺ was instructed to
announce his Prophethood, the Muslims defeated the Quraysh in the Battle of
Badr and several years later, the Muslims reclaimed Makkah Sharif.
Despite all these blessings that Allah
SWT bestowed upon the Muslims, it did not come easy. Hadrat Jibrael AS (Angel Gabriel) reported to have held the
Prophet ﷺ
and asked him to recite on three occasions and only after the recitation of
five verses did his mission begin. Not only would the Qur’an be reviewed during
the last ten days of Ramadan each year thereafter, during the nearing of the
death of the Prophet ﷺ,
Hadrat Jibrael AS came during the last twenty days and reviewed
the Qur’an twice.
In Surah al-Baqarah chapter 2 verse 185,
Allah SWT says:
“Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed, as
guidance for mankind, with clear proofs of the guidance and the criterion”.
Another famous verse from Surah
al-Baqarah states:
“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you,
even as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off (evil)”
In other words, as Shaykh Waseem
mentioned, fasting is a manner in which to increase taqwa (piety) by safeguarding. For those who can control the desire
to eat and drink, may well be able to control other worldly desires. Imam Zuhri
once narrated a hadith (saying of the
Prophet ﷺ)
concerning a conversation between the nafs
(self/ego) and Allah SWT. Allah SWT asked the nafs,
“who am I?” to which the nafs
responded, “who am I?” Allah SWT punished the nafs and placed it in the fire. After some years had passed, Allah SWT asked the nafs
once again, “who am I?” the nafs once
again responded, “who am I?” Allah SWT once again punished the nafs but this time placed it in freezing cold temperatures. After
several years, the nafs was asked the
same question and once again defied Allah SWT with its insolence. Allah SWT this time starved the nafs for a thousand years. After a thousand years had passed, Allah SWT once again asked “who am I?” to which the nafs responded, “You are Allah SWT, the Most
Gracious, the Most Merciful”.
Conditions
which make fasting an obligation
As the underlying reasons of why we
fast have been discussed, let us now observe Shaykh Waseem’s advice on what
exactly fasting is, who needs to observe this practice, and how to make the
most prior to, during and after Ramadan.
Fasting comes from the word sawm and siyam, lexically signifying refraining or abstaining from something
until “the true dawn” or sabah al-sadiq
e.g. from food, from futile speech, certain actions. Legally it pertains to
abstaining during the day (from dawn to sunset) from fulfilling the desire of
the stomach and carnal desires, whilst intending it for Allah Almighty).
As the celebrated Imam Ibn ‘Ata Illah RAH is famously quoted as saying in his Hikam:
“Among the signs of success at the end is the
turning to Allah Ta’ala at the beginning. He who is illumined at the
beginning is illumined at the end.”
Therefore, it is important to stress
the importance of intention. The Fast is only valid if the intention is made
during the night until the middle of the day (mid-point between dawn and
sunset). This is valid for the month of Ramadan, vows to fast a specific day, nafl (voluntary prayer).
Your actions are according to
intentions, therefore affirming your intention with both your mind and heart is
beneficial for you and it reminds you of your intention.
Note, the intention is required prior
to the true dawn period and the type of fast needs to be specified e.g. whether
it is an unperformed Ramadan fast (qada),
making up a ruined nafl fast (qada of nafl), when one is making a kaffarah
fast and if one vows to fast on a non specified day.
A hadith narrated by Hadrat Abu
Huraira RA states:
The Prophet ﷺ
would congratulate his companions saying:
‘The month of Ramadan has come to you, it is a blessed
month, Allah Almighty has prescribed its fasts upon you. In it the gates of
Paradise are opened, the doors of Hell closed and the devils locked up. In it
is a night better than a thousand months and whoever is deprived of its guidance
is surely deprived.’
Shaykh Waseem encouraged attendees to
ensure they are in the right frame of mind. This may include fasting on
Monday’s and Thursday’s during Sha’ban, increasing in worship – especially at
night and reading the Qur’an.
Some of the conditions which make
fasting an obligation on somebody include, being a Muslim (affirmation of the
tongue and more importantly in the heart), sane, mature/pre-pubescent, free
from ill health, free from menstruation and postnatal bleeding (breastfeeding
is optional), free of fear of death due to hunger and thirst and a resident.
For those who fulfil these criteria, they are obligated to fast. For those who are
in doubt, Shaykh Waseem mentioned that they may as long as the fast may not
hinder one’s preservation of life. If it at a later date, they are able, they
may make up the fast(s) outside of Ramadan. This is mentioned in Surah
al-Baqarah (chapter 2, verse 184): “Then
make it up on other days.” This is an obligation if one is physically able
though this does not have to be a consecutive action. Though they may be made
up at any point in one’s life, they should be made up as soon as possible.
Particularly prior to next Ramadan. Should they not be made up this is classed
as disliked in the Hanafi madhab, in the Shafi’i madhab one is required to give
fidya (expiatory
payment) alongside making up the fast(s) that
have been missed.
Should the individual be unable to
make the fast up due to health circumstances etc., they should give fidya which
amounts to around half of a measure of wheat to somebody who meets the criteria
of zakat (charity) i.e. eligible for
charity, Muslim etc. Should the individual choose not to fast even though there
is no valid reason as why they forfeited the past, they require expiation (kaffarah). The expiation is to free a
slave; if that is not possible, to fast two consecutive months i.e. sixty days;
and if that is too difficult, to feed sixty poor people (two meals). The broken
fast must also be made up. Kaffarah
should also be made should one have intended to fast prior to dawn but i)
Intentionally ate or drank without an acceptable reason ii) Intentionally had
sexual intercourse.
Situations
which do not nullify the fast
The following are situations which do
not nullify the fast; eating, drinking, or having marital relations
forgetfully, wet dream (male of female), applying oil to the body or kohl to
the eyes (even if it reaches the throat), cupping (hijamah), if a person backbites (the reward is lost), if one
intends to break his fast but does not do so. Although whether our fasts are
accepted is knowledge only Allah SWT has, if you do not do anything that
invalidates the fast, outwardly your fast is complete. Shaykh Waseem also
informed us of the hadith where the
Prophet ﷺ
advised a companion who ate out of forgetfulness, “complete your fast, Allah gave you that food and drink”. What is
more, if we see somebody who is ill/elderly who eats out of forgetfulness it is
advised we do not say anything to them. If however we view somebody who seems
to be young and able, it is good to remind them gently before consuming another
mouthful.
Other situations which do not nullify
the fast include smoke entering the throat unintentionally, dust (of flour), a
fly or the taste of medicine entering the throat. This is why it is best to not
light bukhoor (woodchips soaked in
fragranced oil), also. Moreover, if one awakens in a state of janabah (ritual impurity) or starts the
fast whilst requiring a ghusl (ritual
washing). Shaykh Waseem mentioned though legally, one may fast in this
situation, it is not recommended and ghusl
should be conducted before 12 noon. This ruling does not apply if this is other
than marital relations i.e. menstruation or post-natal bleeding. Moreover, river
water entering the opening of the ears or applying ear drops also does not
hinder one’s fast, though if it entered the nose or mouth, the fast is
invalidated.
Likewise, vomiting
intentionally/unintentionally, even if it is a mouthful and some of the vomit
goes back down the throat does not annul the fast. A mouthful is classed as
something which cannot remain in your mouth. Swallowing food already in the
mouth which is less than the size of a chick pea (happened to be there before
the fast commenced) or chewing something like a sesame seed that comes from the
outside of the mouth provided that the taste does not reach the throat does not
rescind your fast either. However, if the food in your mouth is any larger in
size than a chickpea, it would.
Intramuscular injections (i.e. outside
of a cavity etc.) such as insulin shots, a dentist injecting your muscles/gums
is also acceptable on the condition that the solution within the injection does
not go down your throat.
Situations
which nullify the fast
As we have discussed what Shaykh
Waseem outlined does not nullify a fast, let us now examine what he explained does
and should be avoided. One of the nullifiers is the start of
menstruation/postnatal bleeding. In which case, the woman must make up her fast
for that day, regardless of the time the discharge began. Others include;
accidentally swallowing water used for gargling; Eating the pre-dawn meal
believing it to be night but fajr has
commenced or breaking the fast believing it to be maghrib but the sun has not yet set; Consuming anything that is not
nutritious (sand, wood) and any particles deliberately inhaled through the
nose. No penalty is applied for the above rulings, though the fast of the day
does require making up.
What is more, though the application
of attar (a fragrant essential oil) is permissible in the hanafi madhab, Imam
Shafi’I RAH warned against the use of it in Ramadan.
On the other hand, tasting food for
family, chewing food for a child and using a toothbrush are permitted as long
as the food or aftertaste from the toothbrush is not swallowed. To avoid the
latter, the employment of a miswak
(cleaning twig from the Salvadora persica tree)
is recommended and rewarding. These acts with the addition of kissing etc.,
gathering saliva and swallowing it along with doing anything that will make a
person weaker such as cupping or acupuncture are disliked however.
Necessary
to refrain from eating
The following outlines when it is necessary
to refrain from eating; if a person breaks their fast it is wajib (necessary) to not eat in respect
of the month of Ramadan; if a woman becomes free from menstrual or post-natal
bleeding after fajr; if a boy
matures; if a non-Muslim becomes a Muslim. The latter two however do not need
to make up the fast for the day.
Recommended
acts of fasting
Some of the recommended acts of
fasting include the Pre-Dawn Meal (suhoor).
In a hadith mentioned in Sahih
Bukhari, the Prophet ﷺ
is reported of saying:
“Observe Suhoor, for verily there is blessing in the
Suhoor”.
In another hadith mentioned in the Musnad
(collection) of Imam Ahmad states:
“Hadrat ‘Irbaadh bin Saariya (May Allah Almighty be pleased
with him) narrates: ‘The Prophet ﷺ invited me to Suhoor in Ramadan by
saying “Come! Join in the blessed meal.”
Other recommended acts include; to
open the fast with haste after sunset; increase in the recitation of The Holy
Qur’an; Be more generous; and use a miswaak
(particularly after half the day has passed).
In another hadith mentioned in the Musnad
of Imam Ahmad, the Prophet ﷺ
states: “there are two joys for the
fasting person, one at iftaar and one at meeting his Lord.” If in sha Allah
you have met the criteria, besides contemplating and enjoining in the blessings
of iftaar (dusk meal), know that the du’a (prayer) at the time of iftaar is one of high significance. Ibn
Majah reports the Prophet ﷺ
of saying “Verily at the time of iftaar
the fasting person has a dua that is not rejected.”
Salatul
Taraweeh
During a lecture once, one of our
teachers reminded us that our prayers are like that of a spiritual tree, the fardh (obligatory) prayer is the trunk,
the sunnah (tradition of the Prophet ﷺ)
are the branches and the nawafil
(voluntary) are the leaves/fruits. Though it is important to note that making
up prayers one may have missed throughout their lives takes priority as Dr.
Umar Faruq Abd-Allah recently highlighted, salatul
taraweeh is considered to be Sunnah
Mu’akadah (obligatory sunnah
prayers) on both men and women in the hanafi madhab. Congregration is Sunnah Kifayah (compulsory duty for a
group) (for men) and prayed after Isha
(the night) prayer. Salatul taraweeh
contains 20 units before the Witr
prayer. It is also considered Sunnah
Kifayah to finish the Qur’an once.
Conclusion,
eid and beyond
Ramadan is amongst one of the most
blessed opportunities Allah SWT grants us to hold a mirror up to ourselves.
There may be times where we may not be that happy with what we see but half of
solving a problem is the ability to identify it. Shaykh Waseem reminded us that
the stomach is the centre of bodily powers and energies. It is from the stomach
that we identify with weakness or strength, piety or disobedience, wickedness
or righteousness. Excessive eating is an illness which instigates other illnesses
which are harmful to our mind, body and soul. By controlling what we eat, what
we speak of, what we see, what we listen to and what we think, we are less
likely to become slaves of our self and closer to Allah SWT as a result.
Ramadan is a time to reflect and by having more time to worship invites us to
enjoin in reconnecting with the Qur’an, our Islamic studies, dhikr (remembrance of God) and salawat (prayers on the Prophet ﷺ).
While we try our best to make the most
of this month, it is also important to remember that Ramadan is not a race,
rather a month which helps us build good habits that we may continue to uphold
throughout the year. Our religion does not start and stop in Ramadan so even if
it seems the only thing you have mastered in this month are your 5 daily
prayers, reading the Qur’an (albeit a little), meeting family and friends,
spending money on your family and relatives (fitrana) and observing modesty according to the sunnah, this is still a huge achievement
and you should not deem it otherwise. As Shaykh Waseem reminded us, “you cannot
erode a stone with one splash of water, rather, drip by drip may it erode over
time, so too does it take time to be rid of the nafs”.
Wishing you and your families a
beautiful Ramadan and many more beautiful moments after to come. If there are
any errors, I apologise and they are from me and if there is any good it is
from Allah SWT. Please remember
Shaykh Waseem, Alhuda courses and myself in your du’as, wa alaikum asalaam wa
rahmatullah :)