Fasting and Types Of Fasting

Thirdly: Fasting Linguistically it means to withhold. Islamically it is worshiping Allah by withholding from food, drink, and all that which breaks the fast from sunrise to sunset.

Pillars of Fasting

Recommended: Every other fast.

Obligatory: In Ramadaan , expiation, and vows

Types of Fasting 2

– Withholding from that which breaks it

1- Intention Intending Obligatory Fast It is a must to intend before the Fajr prayer. It is sufficient to initially intend at the beginning of the month. The place of the intention is the heart and saying it is an act of innovation in worship. Intending

Recommended Fast It is valid at any time during the day prior to breaking it. However, the reward begins when one intends to fast.

Conditions for the Obligation of Fasting

1- Islam.

2 – Sanity.

3 – Puberty: As for younger children then they should be encouraged to fast by the guardian.

4 – Not traveling: It is not obligatory upon the traveler. It is better to fast as long as it is not difficult since the Prophet ﷺ did it, it is quicker in fulfilling the obligation, easier, and to acquire the virtues of the month.

5 – Good Health.

6 – Not in menses or post -natal bleeding. Permanent Sickness Similarly the old who is not able to fast at all . S/he does not have to fast, but feeds a poor person for each day; either by gat hering them for lunch or dinner or feeding them separately for each day. Each person should be given a quarter Saa’a or about 510 grams of good wheat. It is preferred to also give something to eat with it such as meat. Temporary Sickness which makes it difficult to fast Similarly, the menses, post – natal bleeding, breast -feeding, and traveling. One makes up for the days once able to; if dies before able to, one is pardoned. Types of Sickness which concern the Fasting

How is the beginning of the month of Ramadaan Confirmed?

Either by seeing the Crescent of Ramadaan or by completing Sha’baan 30 days. What Breaks the Fast?

1- Eating or drinking intentionally; if one forgets, their fasting is valid.

2- Sex; if it is done during the day of Ramadaan while fasting . It is obligatory upon that person to do the major expiation; freeing a slave, if unable find, one must fast for two consecutive months. If unable to fast, one must feed 60 poor people.

3- The exiting of sperm due to touching, kissing, hugging, etc.

4- That which takes the same ruling as eating and drinking such as nutritional vaccines; the non -nutritional vaccines do not break the fast. 5- Cupping (breaks the fast) ; however giving a little blood for medical tests does not break the fast.

6- Vomiting intentionally.

7- Menses and Post Natal bleeding. Allowed Actions for the Fasting Person To swallow the saliva, tasting food if necessary, taking a shower, brushing teeth, smelling good, keeping cool.

Recommended Actions of Fasting

1. Eating the pre -dawn meal (Suhoor ).

2. Delaying Suhoor .

3. Hastening to break the fast.

4. Breaking the fast with fresh dates, if not any dates; odd number of dates. If not available, then with water. If one cannot find anything to eat, then to make the intention to break the fast in the heart.

5. Supplicating while fasting and when breaking the fast.

6. Giving more charity.

7. Praying more night prayer.

8. Reciting the Qur’an.

9. Saying “I am fasting” to the one who insults him.

10. Making Umrah.

11. I’tikaaf on the last 10 nights.

12. Searching for the Night of Qadr.

Disliked Actions while Fasting

1. Being excessive when rinsing the mouth and the nose since water may go down the throat.

2. Tasting food for no good reason.

Prohibited Actions for the Fasting

Person 1. Swallowing the spit or phlegm (however it does not break the fast)

2. Kissing the wife if one is not strong to keep away from relations and thus nullifying the fast.

3. Every prohibited action outside of Ramadaan .

4. Foolishness.

5. Fasting two days without braking the fast.

Recommended Fasting

1- Fasting 6 days of Shawwaal after fasting the Ramadaan . The best is to fast them consecutively from the second day.

2- Fasting the Day of ‘Arafah for the one not performing Hajj.

3- Fasting the Day of ‘Aashooraa along with a day before it, the 9th, and a day after it, the 11th.

4- Fasting Mondays and Thursdays; especially Mondays.

5- Fasting three days in each month and the best are the White Days, the 13th, 14th, and the 15th. of Islamic calendar months.

6- Fasting every other day.

7 – Fasting the month of Allah Muharram .

8- Fasting the 9th of Dhil Hijjah .

9- Fasting most of Sha’baan . Disliked Fasting It is disliked to fast only Friday, only Saturday, or only Sunday. If one fasts one of these days alone due to a reason such as the Day of ‘Arafah then that is acceptable.

Prohibited Fasting

1- To fast Rajab alone.

2- To fast any of the two days of ‘Eid.

3- To fast a day before Ramadaan ; unless it is one of the days one fasts weekly.

4- Fasting the days of ‘Eid after Hajj except for the one who does not have an animal to slaughter.

5- Fasting every day.

Rulings on Making Up Fasting

-It is recommended to fast them consecutively.

-It is recommended to make it up as soon as possible after ‘Eid.

-It is not permissible to delay making them up until the next Ramadaan .

-If one does delay it, then there is nothing extra upon them except to make them up while s/he is sinful. Zakaat of Fitr It is obligatory upon everyone who has reached the sunset of the last day of Ramadaan while s/he is a Muslim; whether old, young, male, female, slave, or free. It should be given on the night or day of Eid, and to give a Saa’ from that which a person and the family have extra from their basic needs. It is recommended to give it even on behalf of a fetus. The wisdom behind it is: -It is purification for the fasting person from misb ehavior.

-It suffices the poor from begging on the Day of ‘Eid. The Time to Give Zakaat of Fitr Permissible Time A day or two before ‘Eid. Recommended Time After Fajr and before the ‘Eid prayer Prohibited Time After the ‘Eid prayer

The Amount of Zakaat of Fitr 1 Saa’a of food which is equal to 2kg and 40 grams of good wheat. Money is not sufficient. The ‘Eid Prayer It is an individual obligation on everyone. The time of the prayer is from when the sun rises above the height of a spear until it reaches the zenith. If one misses it, one cannot make it up. It is from the Sunnah, the way of our noble Prophet – may Allah praise and send him peace -, to pray it in an open space while it is permissible to pray it in the masjid . Likewise, it is recommended to eat an odd number of dates before ‘Eid Al Fitr’ . One should take a shower, put perfume , and wear the best clothes. One should take one way to the prayer and return from another. A Muslim should greet other Muslims with the greeting of ‘Eid such as “May Allah accept our good deeds and your good deeds”. It is recommended to say ” Allahu Akbar . Allahu Akbar. La ilaha ila Allah . wa Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, wa lilahi alhamd ” on the night of ‘Eid and after the prayers until sunset on the day of ‘Eid. The prayer is two units before the Kutbah . With Six Takbeerat (seven if including first takbeer) ” Allahu Akbar ” in the first unit after the Takbeeratul Ihram (the first “Allahu Akbar “) to begin the prayer and five times in the second unit after Takbeeratul Ihram, the saying “Allahu Akbar ” while getting up from the first unit to the second.