[back]

·  The Sermon Given By The Prophet (s) On The Last Friday Of Sha'ban

·  A Hadith on Fasting

·  How to fast properly 

 

What is the Fast of the Month of Ramadan?

 

Every year in the ninth lunar month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims around the world abstain from food, drink, vain talk and certain other actions from before sunrise until after sunset.

 

Fasting is prescribed in the Abrahamic faiths

 

The Jewish, Christian and Muslim religions all enjoin fasting.  Moses observed a fast of forty days at Mount Sinai at the time of the revelation of the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 24:18)  Although less common now, it is Jewish tradition to fast when mourning or when in danger.  Most practicing Jews still fast on the Day of Atonement and for the one-week commemoration of the destruction of Jerusalem in 597 B.C.   Jesus of Nazareth, peace be upon him, also fasted on the Day of Atonement and the forty days of Moses’ fast to ward off Satanic temptation.

 

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.  After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” (Matthew 4:2)

 

Many Christians observe a forty-day pre-Easter fast, although now it includes abstention from only certain food items rather than all food and drink. Muslims fast the month of Ramadan and may, optionally, fast on most other days of the year.

 

The One God prescribes fasting for the faithful; and it has many benefits.  Material pleasures can be generalised into food and drink, sexual pleasures, and vanity.  Fasting requires abstaining from these, going against the natural instinct of Man to observe the commandment of God. This builds and strengthens a person's self-control, nearing them to their Creator.  Other benefits of fasting include:

 

·  Fasting instills patience, teaches self control and discipline.

·  Fasting increases compassion for the less fortunate.

·  Fasting builds focus on spirituality and diminishes focus on materialism.

·  Fasting has many health benefits.

·  Fasting can be atonement for sin and can earn great reward.  

·  Fasting is part of a strong spiritual and physical renewal plan.  

·  Fasting commemorates important sacred religious events.

 

The Muslim fast of the month of Ramadan is a continuation of the long history of fasting in the Abrahamic faiths.  The self-improvement benefits of fasting make it an important means of improving one’s faith and practice of religion.

 

 

“And men who fast and women who fast…God has prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward.”

(Qur’an 33:35)

 

 

What does the fast of the month of Ramadan entail?

 

In short, the fast involves abstention from all food, drink, vain talk, and sexual intercourse for married couples from the time before dawn when the sky becomes light enough to distinguish a black thread from the white thread of the horizon, until after sunset when redness leaves the Eastern half of the sky.  Some people are not to able to fast due to age, health, child-bearing conditions, etc., and instead give charity, and/or make up the days of fast they missed at a later time.

 

However, the true spirit of the fast of the month of Ramadan is more than just abstention from a few things.  It is a time of sustained, amplified effort toward spiritual perfection.

 

“Thirst and hunger you undergo, feel and live through, here and now, to bring to your mind the severity and sharpness of the drought and starvation that will be the order of the day on the Day of Judgment.    

·  Give alms to the poor and destitute.

·  Treat your parents and elders with respect.

·  Be kind and loving to your children and juniors.

·  Take care of and look after your relatives.

·   Keep from giving tongue to that which should not even be whispered.

·  Shut your eyes to that which is indecent to have an eye for.

·  Turn a deaf ear to that which is too slanderous to be all ears to.

·  Be compassionate, gentle and benign unto orphans so that after you, your children, if need be, receive the same treatment from others.

·  Turn repentant to God and seek His nearness.

·  Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his family  

In addition to fasting and aiming for excellent moral character, Muslims devote as much time and energy as possible in the month of Ramadan toward prayer and supplication to the One and Only God.  During some of the nights of this month, Muslims will remain awake the whole night in worship.  

 

After the last day of the month of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid ul Fitr to commemorate the completion of the fast.  They get together for prayer, food, and modest gift exchange (particularly for children).  However, it is a day of mixed feelings, because the most blessed month of Ramadan with all of its opportunities for forgiveness and reward are gone for another year.

  

“I take refuge with Thy kindest disposition, O Lord, lest the dawn of this night breaks forth, or the month of Ramadan comes to an end, and I still stand as an accused (unforgiven) sinner, liable to be punished, on the Day I am presented before Thee.”

 

[From a prayer of the last night of the month of Ramadan, taught by Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq, peace be upon him]  

 

Why is fasting prescribed particularly in the month of Ramadan for Muslims?

 

The month of Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar.  Since a lunar year is about a week and a half shorter than a solar year, the month of Ramadan cycles backward through the seasons.  It is a sacred month because God ordained it for the revelation of sacred texts.  Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq quotes the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, as saying,

 

“The Books of Abraham were revealed on the first night of the month of Ramadan; the Torah was revealed on the sixth of the month of Ramadan; the Gospel was revealed on the thirteenth of the month of Ramadan . . ., and the Holy Qur’an on the twenty-third of the month of Ramadan.”

 

It is also considered sacred because it contains the Night of Power (Laylatul Qadr).  “Qadr” literally means destiny, and on this night God determines each and every event to occur during the next year to any and all of His creation.

 

Imam Al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, informs us that,

 

“During Laylatul Qadr, the angels, the spirit, and the trusted scribes all descend to the lower heavens and write down whatever God decrees that year, and if God wishes to advance something or postpone it or add thereto, He orders the angel to erase it and replace it with whatever He decrees.”

 

The Holy Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him and his family, tells us about the great blessings of the month of Ramadan.

 

“[The month of Ramadan is] overflowing with advantages, merciful, ready to put up your sins of omission and commission to God for obtaining his forgiveness.  Its days, nights and hours, in the estimation of God, are more select, refined and important than the days, nights and hours of other months.  It surpasses all months in merits and favours.…. So, sincerely, free from evil and sinful thoughts and actions, with clear conscience, pray and request that God may give you heart and confidence to observe fast… throughout this month...”

 

Conclusion:

 

Muslims observe fast, as in any act of devotion, to seek nearness to God, seek His pleasure and Forgiveness, and generate a spirit of piety in Man.  Fasting in this month honours the revelation of God’s word and purifies one in preparation for the night of decrees and in hope of forgiveness. Fasting is a yearly spiritual renewal, given abundant reward in this month of God’s Mercy, which is part of the Islamic path to the ideal self.

 

[top of page]

 

 

The Sermon Given By The Prophet (s) On The Last Friday Of Sha'ban

On The Reception Of The Month of Ramadan

“O People !

"Indeed ahead of you is the blessed month of Allah. A month of blessing, mercy and forgiveness.

A month which with Allah is the best of months. Its days, the best of days, its nights, the best of nights, and its hours, the best of hours.

It is the month which invites you to be the guests of Allah and invites you to be one of those near to Him. Each breath you take glorifies him; your sleep is worship, your deeds are accepted and your supplications are answered.

So, ask Allah, your Lord; to give you a sound body and an enlightened heart so you may be able to fast and recite his book, for only he is unhappy who is devoid of Allah’s forgiveness during this great month.

Remember the hunger and thirst of the day of Qiyamah (Judgement) with your hunger and thirst; give alms to the needy and poor, honor your old, show kindness to the young ones, maintain relations with your blood relations; guard your tongues, close your eyes to that which is not permissible for your

  sight, close your ears to that which is forbidden to hear, show compassion to the orphans of people so compassion may be shown to your orphans.

Repent to Allah for your sins and raise your hands in dua during these times, for they are the best of times and Allah looks towards his creatures with kindness, replying to them during the hours and granting their needs if he is asked...

"O People! Indeed your souls are dependant on your deeds, free it with repentance lighten its loads by long prostrations; and know that Allah swears by his might: That there is no punishment for the one who prays and prostrates and he shall have no fear of the fire on the day when man stands before the Lord of the worlds.

"O People! One who serves food to a fasting person during this month will be like one who has freed someone and his past sins will be forgiven.

Some of the people who were there then asked the Prophet (s): "Not all of us are able to invite those who are fasting?"

The Prophet (s) replied: "Allah gives this reward even if the Iftaar (meal) is a drink of water."

"One who has good morals (Akhlaq) during this month will be able to pass the ‘Siraat’...on the day that feet will slip...

"One who covers the faults of others will benefit in that Allah will curb His anger on the day of Judgement...

"As for one who honors an orphan; Allah will honor him on the day of judgement,

"And for the one who spreads his kindness, Allah will spread His mercy over him on the day of Judgement.

"As for the one who cuts the ties of relation; Allah will cut His mercy from him...

"Who so ever performs a recommended prayer in this month Allah will keep the fire of Hell away from him...

"Whoever performs an obligator prayer Allah will reward him with seventy prayers [worth] in this month.

"And who so ever prays a lot during this month will have his load lightened on the day of measure.

"He who recites one verse of the holy Quran will be given the rewards of reciting the hole Qur’an during other months.

"O People! Indeed during this month the doors of heaven are open, therefore ask Allah not to close them for you; The doors of hell are closed, so ask Allah to keep them closed for you. During this month Satan (Shaytan) is imprisoned so ask your Lord not to let him have power over you."

[top of page]

Ahadith On Fasting

       

Holy Prophet (s) : One who while fasting does not guard his tongue from telling lies and does not refrain from bad deeds, is not respecting his fast. Allah does not approve of mere abstention from food.

     Holy Prophet (s) :      When you are fasting, you should not speak ill of anybody, nor should you be rough and noisy. If anybody speaks ill of you or tries to pick a quarrel with you, reply him not, but say to him that you are fasting.  

Holy Prophet (s) :        A person gets the same reward by reciting in this month, one verse of the Holy Qur'an, as others do by reciting the whole of the Qur'an in other months.   

Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq (a) :  The day of your fast should not be like any ordinary day. When you fast, all your senses - eyes, ears, tongue, hands and feet must fast with you.  

 Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a):     O Jabir! Whoever during the month of Ramadhan, fasts in its days, stands up for prayers in parts of the night, controls his desires and emotions, puts a rein on his tongue, keeps his eyes down, and does not injure the feelings of others, will become as free of sins as the day he was born.  

 Imam Ali (a) :  The sleep of a fasting person is worship, his silence is glorification (of Allah), his prayers are answered and his actions are multiplied.  

Imam Ali (a) :   The prayer of a fasting person at the time of Iftar is never rejected.  

 Holy Prophet (s) :    Whoever is prevented from food that he likes, because of his fast, Allah will feed him from the food of Heaven and from its drink.  

Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq (a):    There are two pleasures for a fasting person; one when he breaks his fast, and one when he meets his Lord.  

Holy Prophet (s) :  Unfortunate is the person who is deprived of the forgiveness of Allah during this great month (of Ramadhan) .    

Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq (a): Fasting is a protection from the fire.  

Holy Prophet (s):  Fast, and you shall be healthy.  

Holy Prophet (s):  If people understood what good there was in the month of Ramadhan, they would have liked that it last for a year.

Holy Prophet (s) :     Whoever is not forgiven in the month of Ramadhan, then in which month will he be forgiven?.

[top of page]

 

How to fast properly 

SOME HEALTH GUIDELINES FOR RAMADAN

 

This article provides useful advice on how to avoid some common problems encountered in Ramadhan. If followed, it would enable one to fast comfortably and enjoy fully the spiritual benefits of Ramadan.

 

During the holy month of Ramadan, our diet should not differ very much from our normal diet and should be as simple as possible. The diet should be such that we maintain our normal weight, neither losing nor gaining. However, if one is over-weight, Ramadan is an ideal time to normalise one's weight.

 

In view of the long hours of fasting, we should consume slow digesting foods including fibre containing-foods rather than fast-digesting foods. Slow digesting foods last up to 8 hours, while fast-digesting foods last for only 3 to 4 hours.  

·         Slow-digesting foods are foods that contain grains and seeds like barley, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils, wholemeal flour, unpolished rice, etc. (called complex carbohydrates).

·         Fast-burning foods are foods that contain sugar, white flour, etc. (called refined carbohydrates).

·         Fibre-containing foods are bran-containing foods, whole wheat, grains and seeds, vegetables like green beans, peas, sem (papry), marrow, mealies, spinach, and other herbs like methie, the leaves of beetroot (iron-rich), fruit with skin, dried fruit especially dried apricots, figs and prunes, almonds, etc. 

The foods eaten should be well-balanced, containing foods from each food group, i.e. fruits, vegetables, meat/chicken/fish, bread/cereals and dairy products. Fried foods are unhealthy and should be limited. They cause indigestion, heart-burn, and weight problems.

 AVOID 

·         Fried and fatty foods.

·         Foods containing too much sugar.

·         Over-eating especially at sehri (the meal before beginning the fast).

·         Too much tea at sehri. Tea makes you pass more urine taking with it valuable mineral salts that your body would need during the day.

·         Smoking cigarettes. If you cannot give up smoking, cut down gradually starting a few weeks before Ramadan. Smoking is unhealthy and one should stop completely.

EAT 

·         Complex carbohydrates at sehri so that the food lasts longer making you less hungry.

·         Haleem is an excellent source of protein and is a slow-burning food.

·         Dates are excellent source of sugar, fibre, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium.

·         Almonds are rich in protein and fibre with less fat.

·         Bananas are a good source of potassium, magnesium and carbohydrates.

DRINK

·         As much water or fruit juices as possible between iftar and bedtime so that your body may adjust fluid levels in time.

CONSTIPATION 

Constipation can cause piles (haemorroids), fissures (painful cracks in anal canal) and indigestion with a bloated feeling. 

Causes: Too much refined foods, too little water and not enough fibre in the diet.

Remedy: Avoid excessive refined foods, increase water intake, use bran in baking, brown flour when making roti. 

INDIGESTION AND WIND 

Causes: Over-eating. Too much fried and fatty foods, spicy foods, and foods that produce wind e.g. eggs, cabbage, lentils, carbonated drinks like Cola also produce gas.

 

Remedy: Do not over-eat, drink fruit juices or better still drink water. Avoid fried foods, add ajmor to wind-producing foods. 

LETHARGY ('low blood pressure') 

Excessive sweating, weakness, tiredness, lack of energy, dizziness, especially on getting up from sitting position, pale appearance and feeling faint are symptoms associated with "low blood pressure". This tends to occur towards the afternoon.

 

Causes: Too little fluid intake, decreased salt intake.

Remedy: Keep cool, increase fluid and salt intake.

Caution: Low blood pressure should be confirmed by taking a blood pressure reading when symptoms are present. Persons with high blood pressure may need their medication adjusted during Ramadhan. They should consult their doctor. 

HEADACHE 

Causes: Caffeine and tobacco-withdrawal, doing too much in one day, lack of sleep, hunger usually occur as the day goes by and worsens at the end of the day. When associated with "low blood pressure", the headache can be quite severe and can also cause nausea before Iftar.  

Remedy: Cut down caffeine and tobacco slowly starting a week or two before Ramadhan. Herbal and caffeine-free teas may be substituted. Reorganize your schedule during the Ramadan so as to have adequate sleep.

LOW BLOOD SUGAR 

Weakness, dizziness, tiredness, poor concentration, perspiring easily, feeling shaky (tremor), unable to perform physical activities, headache, palpitations are symptoms of low blood sugar. 

Causes in non-diabetics: Having too much sugar i.e. refined carbohydrates especially at suhur (sehri). The body produces too much insulin causing the blood glucose to drop. 

Remedy: Eat something at sehri and limit sugar-containing foods and drinks.

Caution: Diabetics may need to adjust their medication in Ramadan, consult your doctor. 

MUSCLE CRAMPS 

Causes: Inadequate intake of calcium, magnesium and potassium foods.

Remedy: Eat foods rich in the above minerals e.g. vegetables, fruit, dairy products, meat and dates.

Caution: Those on high blood pressure medication and with kidney stone problems should consult their doctor. 

PEPTIC ULCERS, HEART BURN, GASTRITIS AND HIATUS HERNIA

Increased acid levels in the empty stomach in Ramadhan aggravate the above conditions. It presents as a burning feeling in the stomach area under the ribs and can extend upto the throat. Spicy foods, coffee, and Cola drinks worsen these conditions. 

Medications are available to control acid levels in the stomach. People with proven peptic ulcers and hiatus hernia should consult their doctor well before Ramadhan. 

KIDNEY STONES 

Kidney stones may occur in people who have less liquids to drink. Therefore, it is essential to drink extra liquids so as to prevent stone formation.

 

JOINT PAINS

 

Causes: During Ramadhan, when extra salah are performed the pressure on the knee joints increases. In the elderly and those with arthritis this may result in pain, stiffness, swelling and discomfort.

 

Remedy: Lose weight so that the knees do not have to carry any extra load. Exercise the lower limbs before Ramadhan so that they can be prepared for the additional strain. Being physically fit allows greater fulfillment, thus enabling one to be able to perform salah with ease.

[back to the top]