How were the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in their reception of this blessed month?
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The questioner : How were the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in their reception of this blessed month?
The Shaykh : The state of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in the seasons of goodness, in the month of Ramadan, in the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and in other seasons of goodness, was that they were the most eager of people to seize the times in the obedience of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). This is because this is part of the excellence that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) established in his saying:Sahih al-Bukhari 3651 And thus we should follow their example in such matters, and we should strive to seize the seasons by doing good and avoiding evil. Indeed, the reality of a person's life is what he spends in the obedience of Allah. For this reason, you find a man who sees that everything he missed, or everything that passed before his present time in this world, is as if it is nothing, as Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Ahqaf 46:35] And when your time comes, you are in the same state as when you are now awake, reflecting, and thinking. That is, when your time comes, you will not find with you anything of your worldly life, as if it has passed and was but dreams. But if you have utilized this precious time in the obedience of Allah, then in reality you have profited. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-'Asr 103:1-3].
The questioner : May Allah reward you. Shaykh Muhammad, there are new matters that have arisen in Ramadan: the drop and the needle. What is the ruling on these matters?
The Shaykh : These new matters have had their solution provided by Allah the Exalted in the Islamic Shari'ah, in the Book of Allah and in the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is because the texts of the Shari'ah from the Book and the Sunnah are divided into two categories: a category that specifies a thing itself, and another category that consists of general rules and principles that encompass every new and specific detail that arises. For example, the things that break the fast which Allah the Exalted specified in His Book are eating, drinking, and sexual intercourse, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:187].
The Sunnah came with other things that break the fast, such as intentional vomiting and cupping. When we look at these needles that have appeared now, we find that they do not fall under eating or drinking, and they are not in the meaning of eating or drinking. If they are not eating or drinking, nor in the meaning of eating and drinking, then they do not affect the fasting person. This is because the original ruling is that his fast, which he began in accordance with the Islamic Shari'ah, is valid until something invalidates it in accordance with the Islamic Shari'ah. So if someone claims that this thing breaks the fast, for example, we say to him: bring the evidence. If he brings the evidence, otherwise the original ruling is the validity of the fast and its continuation. Based on this, we say that needles are of two types:
One type serves as a substitute for eating and drinking, such that the patient dispenses with food and drink. This breaks the fast because it is in the meaning of eating and drinking. The Shari'ah does not distinguish between identical things, but rather it assigns to a thing the ruling of its equivalent.
The second type is needles that do not dispense with eating and drinking, but are for treatment, stimulating the body, and strengthening it. These do not harm and do not affect fasting at all, whether the person takes them through the muscles or through the vein, and whether he finds their taste in his throat or not. This is because the original ruling, as we mentioned earlier, is the validity of the fast until evidence is presented for its invalidity.
What is the second new matter?
The questioner : Kohl and the eye drop.
The Shaykh : Kohl and the eye drop in the eye do not affect the fasting person at all. This is because, as passed to us in the rule: what is not eating or drinking, nor in the meaning of eating and drinking, does not affect the fasting person in its use.
The Shaykh : The state of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in the seasons of goodness, in the month of Ramadan, in the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and in other seasons of goodness, was that they were the most eager of people to seize the times in the obedience of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). This is because this is part of the excellence that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) established in his saying:
The best people are those living in my generation, and then those who will follow them, and then those who will follow the latter
خير الناس قرني ثم الذين يلونهم ثم الذين يلونهمIt will be - on the Day they see that which they are promised - as though they had not remained [in the world] except an hour of a day
كأنهم يوم يرون ما يوعدون لم يلبثوا إلا ساعة من نهار(1) By time, (2) Indeed, mankind is in loss, (3) Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.
والعصر إن الإنسان لفي خسر إلا الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات وتواصوا بالحق وتواصوا بالصبرThe questioner : May Allah reward you. Shaykh Muhammad, there are new matters that have arisen in Ramadan: the drop and the needle. What is the ruling on these matters?
The Shaykh : These new matters have had their solution provided by Allah the Exalted in the Islamic Shari'ah, in the Book of Allah and in the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is because the texts of the Shari'ah from the Book and the Sunnah are divided into two categories: a category that specifies a thing itself, and another category that consists of general rules and principles that encompass every new and specific detail that arises. For example, the things that break the fast which Allah the Exalted specified in His Book are eating, drinking, and sexual intercourse, as Allah the Exalted said:
So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset.
فالآن باشروهن وابتغوا ما كتب الله لكم وكلوا واشربوا حتى يتبين لكم الخيط الأبيض من الخيط الأسود من الفجر ثم أتموا الصيام إلى الليلThe Sunnah came with other things that break the fast, such as intentional vomiting and cupping. When we look at these needles that have appeared now, we find that they do not fall under eating or drinking, and they are not in the meaning of eating or drinking. If they are not eating or drinking, nor in the meaning of eating and drinking, then they do not affect the fasting person. This is because the original ruling is that his fast, which he began in accordance with the Islamic Shari'ah, is valid until something invalidates it in accordance with the Islamic Shari'ah. So if someone claims that this thing breaks the fast, for example, we say to him: bring the evidence. If he brings the evidence, otherwise the original ruling is the validity of the fast and its continuation. Based on this, we say that needles are of two types:
One type serves as a substitute for eating and drinking, such that the patient dispenses with food and drink. This breaks the fast because it is in the meaning of eating and drinking. The Shari'ah does not distinguish between identical things, but rather it assigns to a thing the ruling of its equivalent.
The second type is needles that do not dispense with eating and drinking, but are for treatment, stimulating the body, and strengthening it. These do not harm and do not affect fasting at all, whether the person takes them through the muscles or through the vein, and whether he finds their taste in his throat or not. This is because the original ruling, as we mentioned earlier, is the validity of the fast until evidence is presented for its invalidity.
What is the second new matter?
The questioner : Kohl and the eye drop.
The Shaykh : Kohl and the eye drop in the eye do not affect the fasting person at all. This is because, as passed to us in the rule: what is not eating or drinking, nor in the meaning of eating and drinking, does not affect the fasting person in its use.