When was the fasting of Ramadan made obligatory?
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When was the fasting of Ramadan made obligatory?
The month of Ramadan was made obligatory in the second year of the Hijrah. At first, when it was made obligatory, people were given the choice between fasting or paying a ransom.The evidence for that is the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He: [al-Baqarah: 183-184] .
This is clear evidence of the choice. Then fasting became fixed, and feeding became the requirement for those who are permanently unable to fast. This is the custom of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, in the laws that are difficult for people: He makes them gradual, just as He made the prohibition of intoxicants gradual. Likewise, at first, if a person slept or had dinner, he was required to remain abstaining until he fasted the next day, but this was abrogated, and praise be to Allah.
The month of Ramadan was made obligatory in the second year of the Hijrah. At first, when it was made obligatory, people were given the choice between fasting or paying a ransom.The evidence for that is the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:
(183) O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous - (184) [Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ * أَيَّاماً مَعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضاً أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْراً فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَThis is clear evidence of the choice. Then fasting became fixed, and feeding became the requirement for those who are permanently unable to fast. This is the custom of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, in the laws that are difficult for people: He makes them gradual, just as He made the prohibition of intoxicants gradual. Likewise, at first, if a person slept or had dinner, he was required to remain abstaining until he fasted the next day, but this was abrogated, and praise be to Allah.