The Preliminaries and Conclusions of Fasting Among the Acts of Worship
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The preliminaries and conclusions of fasting are among the acts of worship. For example, the pre-dawn meal is an act of worship because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded it,So he said: (Eat the pre-dawn meal) and he made clear that eating the pre-dawn meal distinguishes us from the Jews and the Christians,Where he said: (What distinguishes our fasting from the fasting of the People of the Book is the pre-dawn meal).
Then our Prophet and our Imam Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) used to eat the pre-dawn meal, and the Companions used to eat it with him,As Zayd ibn Thabit said: (We ate the pre-dawn meal with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), then we stood up for the prayer).
So we intend with our pre-dawn meal, first: In obedience to the command of the Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). This is one point.
Second: Distinguishing ourselves from the Jews and the Christians.
Third: Following the example of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him);Because I told you: The Messenger used to eat the pre-dawn meal, and the Muslims used to eat it with him. So these are three things, all of which are acts of worship.Then we also say: The Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: (There is a blessing in the pre-dawn meal) Where is the blessing?It is all a blessing: It is an act of worship, following the example of the Messenger, distinguishing ourselves from the people of the Hellfire, and it helps in fasting. It gives the soul its right, as it will be facing a time of abstention, so it gets its share of food and drink to strengthen itself for the obedience of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). This is the preliminary of fasting.
The conclusion that follows fasting: Breaking the fast, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded it, indeed he urged hastening in breaking the fast, and he said: (People will continue to be in a good state as long as they hasten to break their fast) but only after being certain of the setting of the sun, or having a strong presumption of its setting if certainty is not possible.
So the pre-dawn meal: It is an act of worship,And breaking the fast: It is an act of worship, and let it be with dates. If he does not find them, then with water,First: Fresh dates are better than dried dates, then dried dates, then water if he does not find dates.
In addition to the patience that occurs in fasting, about which Allah said: [Surah al-Zumar: 10].
Fasting contains patience in the obedience of Allah, patience away from the disobedience of Allah, and patience with the decrees of Allah.
Patience in the obedience of Allah; because the person endures fasting and is patient with it, and he restrains himself, and thereby he is patient away from the disobedience of Allah.Fasting brings upon the person: Hunger, thirst, weakness of the spirit, and laziness, especially in the long, hot days. So various types of patience gather in it. For this reason, the month of Ramadan was named the month of patience; because it contains the three types of patience, so it is good.
Then it is obligatory upon us to think: if Allah the Exalted has forbidden us from our physical desires—eating, drinking, and intercourse—then let us forbid ourselves from the spiritual desires. Many people, may Allah grant us safety, desire sins, they desire lying, backbiting, cursing, and insulting. Is it reasonable that Allah, Glorified and Exalted, forbids us from physical desires, and then we permit ourselves spiritual desires?
No.
Absolutely, it is not wise.And for this reason we say: Sins, such as leaving the congregational prayer—for example—for one upon whom it is obligatory, and deception, and lying, and backbiting, and the like; they diminish his fast. Even if we assume that a person, from the time he fasts until he breaks his fast, is in the mosque reading, praying, and glorifying Allah, but he commits these sins, they will certainly diminish the fast. There is no doubt in this; because he has not brought the wisdom for which fasting was legislated.
The Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said,He said: (Fasting is a shield) meaning: a protection by which a person guards himself against the disobedience of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). (So if one of you is fasting, let him not use obscene language or act foolishly) meaning: let him not commit sin or raise his voice in speech. (And if someone fights him or insults him, let him say: I am fasting) The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) guided him not to defend himself, but rather to say: I am a fasting person.So if someone insults you and says to you: "O donkey! O dog! You are dull! You have such-and-such!" And you are fasting, so you do not respond to him, even though if you had responded to him, it would have been permissible, and the reward for a bad deed is a bad deed like it, but in fasting, it is not.
Do not respond to him, but do not appear as one who is unable to confront him, and say: I am fasting.And in your saying: I am fasting. There are two benefits: the first benefit is rebuking him.
The second benefit: That you have the ability to respond to him and confront him, but fasting prevents you.
All of this indicates that fasting is not merely restraining the self from physical desires, but it is a deeper, more eloquent, and more complete meaning.
Then our Prophet and our Imam Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) used to eat the pre-dawn meal, and the Companions used to eat it with him,As Zayd ibn Thabit said: (We ate the pre-dawn meal with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), then we stood up for the prayer).
So we intend with our pre-dawn meal, first: In obedience to the command of the Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). This is one point.
Second: Distinguishing ourselves from the Jews and the Christians.
Third: Following the example of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him);Because I told you: The Messenger used to eat the pre-dawn meal, and the Muslims used to eat it with him. So these are three things, all of which are acts of worship.Then we also say: The Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: (There is a blessing in the pre-dawn meal) Where is the blessing?It is all a blessing: It is an act of worship, following the example of the Messenger, distinguishing ourselves from the people of the Hellfire, and it helps in fasting. It gives the soul its right, as it will be facing a time of abstention, so it gets its share of food and drink to strengthen itself for the obedience of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). This is the preliminary of fasting.
The conclusion that follows fasting: Breaking the fast, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded it, indeed he urged hastening in breaking the fast, and he said: (People will continue to be in a good state as long as they hasten to break their fast) but only after being certain of the setting of the sun, or having a strong presumption of its setting if certainty is not possible.
So the pre-dawn meal: It is an act of worship,And breaking the fast: It is an act of worship, and let it be with dates. If he does not find them, then with water,First: Fresh dates are better than dried dates, then dried dates, then water if he does not find dates.
In addition to the patience that occurs in fasting, about which Allah said:
Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account."
إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍFasting contains patience in the obedience of Allah, patience away from the disobedience of Allah, and patience with the decrees of Allah.
Patience in the obedience of Allah; because the person endures fasting and is patient with it, and he restrains himself, and thereby he is patient away from the disobedience of Allah.Fasting brings upon the person: Hunger, thirst, weakness of the spirit, and laziness, especially in the long, hot days. So various types of patience gather in it. For this reason, the month of Ramadan was named the month of patience; because it contains the three types of patience, so it is good.
Then it is obligatory upon us to think: if Allah the Exalted has forbidden us from our physical desires—eating, drinking, and intercourse—then let us forbid ourselves from the spiritual desires. Many people, may Allah grant us safety, desire sins, they desire lying, backbiting, cursing, and insulting. Is it reasonable that Allah, Glorified and Exalted, forbids us from physical desires, and then we permit ourselves spiritual desires?
No.
Absolutely, it is not wise.And for this reason we say: Sins, such as leaving the congregational prayer—for example—for one upon whom it is obligatory, and deception, and lying, and backbiting, and the like; they diminish his fast. Even if we assume that a person, from the time he fasts until he breaks his fast, is in the mosque reading, praying, and glorifying Allah, but he commits these sins, they will certainly diminish the fast. There is no doubt in this; because he has not brought the wisdom for which fasting was legislated.
The Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said,He said: (Fasting is a shield) meaning: a protection by which a person guards himself against the disobedience of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). (So if one of you is fasting, let him not use obscene language or act foolishly) meaning: let him not commit sin or raise his voice in speech. (And if someone fights him or insults him, let him say: I am fasting) The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) guided him not to defend himself, but rather to say: I am a fasting person.So if someone insults you and says to you: "O donkey! O dog! You are dull! You have such-and-such!" And you are fasting, so you do not respond to him, even though if you had responded to him, it would have been permissible, and the reward for a bad deed is a bad deed like it, but in fasting, it is not.
Do not respond to him, but do not appear as one who is unable to confront him, and say: I am fasting.And in your saying: I am fasting. There are two benefits: the first benefit is rebuking him.
The second benefit: That you have the ability to respond to him and confront him, but fasting prevents you.
All of this indicates that fasting is not merely restraining the self from physical desires, but it is a deeper, more eloquent, and more complete meaning.