The Ruling on Fasting and the Gradual Implementation of Its Command

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So we say: Fasting is obligatory upon the Muslims by the consensus of the Muslims, and its status in the religion is that it is one of the five pillars of Islam; it is the fourth pillar after the two testimonies, prayer, and zakah.Meaning: It is the one that follows the three, and the fifth is the Hajj to the House of Allah.
It was made obligatory in the second year of the Hijrah by consensus, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) fasted nine Ramadans, also by consensus.
When fasting was first made obligatory, the Muslim was given the choice between fasting, or expiating each day by feeding a poor person, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:

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.

وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْراً فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

[Surat al-Baqarah: 184] Then the verse was revealed afterwards, and Allah the Exalted made fasting an individual obligation without a choice,So he said:

The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدىً لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ مَرِيضاً أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ

[al-Baqarah: 185] .

Source shamela.ws

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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