تويت
The Etiquettes of Fasting
• Avoid Haraam Deeds: Fasting begins with avoiding eating and drinking but does not stop on them. It is expected from a fasting person to control his tongue from all types of verbal sins such as gossiping, swearing, lying etc. Similarly, he is expected to avoid any Haram food. A fasting person is not expected to break his fast at a restaurant that its Halal food is not confirmed. He should also avoid the invitation of people whom he is not sure about their Halal meal.
A fasting person should also observe all his/her prayers on time. Girls and ladies are expected to observe the Islamic dress code of Hijab. Muslims who fast without refraining from sins may not fain more than mere thirst and hunger. I have elaborated more on this etiquette of fasting in ‘The Intermediate Stage of Fasting’.
• Recitation of the Holy Qur’an: the month of Ramadhan is a month in which the Holy Qur’an was revealed. According to a Prophetic Narration “Everything has a best season and the best season of Qur’an is Ramadhan.”
• Nightly Supplications (Du’a): The nights of Ramadhan are the best time for supplication and invocating Allah. There is a unique Ayah in the Qur’an with reference to the significance of Du’a which is revealed amidst the Ayaat of Ramadhan. The Almighty Allah in Surah al-Baqarah states:
”And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls upon Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that hey may walk in the right way.” [2:186]
The single pronoun ‘Me’ or ‘My’ or ‘I’ is repeated seven times in this Ayah.
• Paying Charity
• Napping: The month of Ramadhan changes our sleeping patterns. For those who are not used to being awake at dawn, their sleeping hours feel interrupted. Many fasters suffer from fatigue more than hunger or thirst. A short nap during the day regenerates the body and also helps the faster for night supplication. It is narrated from the Prophet of Islam (S): “The sleeping of a faster is worshipping and his breathing is glorification.” 23
• It is narrated from Imam Kadhim (a.s): “Take a nap, for surely, Allah will feed and satisfy the faster in his sleep.” 24
• Praying Maghreb before breaking the fast: Of the etiquettes of fasting is to offer the Maghreb Prayer and then break the fast. However, if the faster is too weak to pray or there are other people who wish to break their fast first and they wait for him, then he should break his fast first. Zorarah and Fodhayl narrated from Imam Al-Baqir (a.s): “It is better in the month of Ramadhan to pray then break your fast unless there are people waiting for you to break their fast. Then do not disagree with them. Break your fast with them and then pray, otherwise, offer your prayer first.” Zorarah and Fodhayl asked why praying before breaking fast is more virtuous? The Imam (a.s) explained: “This is because the time for two obligations has arrived; breaking the fast and Salat and I would prefer to begin with the more virtuous of the two. Obviously, Salat is more virtuous. When you pray whilst you are still fasting, your Salat will be written as the Salat of a fasting person which is more desirable to me.” 25
• Inviting Muslims for Breakfast: Hospitality and generosity is a virtue in Islam. It is a sign of believeing in Allah and the Day of Judgment that one opens his house to visitors. The Almighty JAllah will forgive certain sins of a hospitable Muslim. Of the strongly recommended etiquettes of the month of Ramadhan is to invite a fasting person over for Iftar. It is narrated from Imam As-Sadiq (a.s): “Whoever provides breakfast for a fasting person will have the same reward (of fasting).”26It is even narrated from Imam Kadhem (a.s) that “The reward of feeding a fasting person is more than fasting itself.”27 Hospitality is more rewarding when one invites poor Muslims and their near of kin and more pious people. One can also sponsor a poor family and send the money to them for their Ramadhan expenses. Imam As-Sadiq (a.s) narrated: “My grandfather; Zainul-Abedin (a.s) used to **** a sheep whilst he was fasting and in the evening would distribute it all to different families. He would then break his fast with bread and dates.”28
• Eating Sohoor: Some fasters skip the Sohoor (eating at dawn). They are either too lazy to get up at that time of the morning or not used to eating that early. These people usually have something late at night before they go to bed and don’t get up for Sohoor. Ironically they may even miss their Fajr prayers. Their typical excuse is that they need sleeping more than food. Although having Sohoor is not compulsory, it is strongly recommended in Ramadhan. Imam As-Sadiq (a.s) in response to the one who asked if Sohoor is compulsory said: “It is permissible not to have Sohoor if he so wishes, but in the month of Ramadhan it is more virtuous to have Sohoor. We like people not to miss it in the month of Ramadhan.” 29
Sawm of Wesal’ is forbidden in Islam. That is to fast from one evening to another. In another narration the Messenger of Allah (S) said: “Have Sohoor even if it is a glass of water. Be aware! The Blessings of Allah is upon those who have Sohoor.”30
The purpose of Sohoor is not just to feed the body. Waking up for Sohoor is a good exercise of being awake at the holy time of dawn. Throughout one month the Almighty Allah trains us to wake up at least half an hour before the Fajr prayer to merely eat! To enforce the training, Allah forbids us to eat and drink from Fajr to the evening. Then lest we feel hungry or thirsty we Endeavour to wake up at that early time. After one month of consecutive Sohoor, a faster is used to waking up early. Thus, the main purpose of Sohoor is to learn to virtuous practice of early rising.
• Breaking the Fast With Milk and Dates: It is narrated from Imam As-Sadiq (a.s): “The first thing that the Messenger of Allah (S) was breaking his fast with was a ripe date, if it was its season, or dried date in other seasons.”31It is also narrated that Imam Ali (a.s) would prefer to break the fast with milk. Other narrations suggest that in the absence of milk or dates, Ahlul-Bait (a.s) would break their fast with water. For it will cleanse the stomach and liver and relieve headaches. 32
• Avoid Haraam Deeds: Fasting begins with avoiding eating and drinking but does not stop on them. It is expected from a fasting person to control his tongue from all types of verbal sins such as gossiping, swearing, lying etc. Similarly, he is expected to avoid any Haram food. A fasting person is not expected to break his fast at a restaurant that its Halal food is not confirmed. He should also avoid the invitation of people whom he is not sure about their Halal meal.
A fasting person should also observe all his/her prayers on time. Girls and ladies are expected to observe the Islamic dress code of Hijab. Muslims who fast without refraining from sins may not fain more than mere thirst and hunger. I have elaborated more on this etiquette of fasting in ‘The Intermediate Stage of Fasting’.
• Recitation of the Holy Qur’an: the month of Ramadhan is a month in which the Holy Qur’an was revealed. According to a Prophetic Narration “Everything has a best season and the best season of Qur’an is Ramadhan.”
• Nightly Supplications (Du’a): The nights of Ramadhan are the best time for supplication and invocating Allah. There is a unique Ayah in the Qur’an with reference to the significance of Du’a which is revealed amidst the Ayaat of Ramadhan. The Almighty Allah in Surah al-Baqarah states:
”And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls upon Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that hey may walk in the right way.” [2:186]
The single pronoun ‘Me’ or ‘My’ or ‘I’ is repeated seven times in this Ayah.
• Paying Charity
• Napping: The month of Ramadhan changes our sleeping patterns. For those who are not used to being awake at dawn, their sleeping hours feel interrupted. Many fasters suffer from fatigue more than hunger or thirst. A short nap during the day regenerates the body and also helps the faster for night supplication. It is narrated from the Prophet of Islam (S): “The sleeping of a faster is worshipping and his breathing is glorification.” 23
• It is narrated from Imam Kadhim (a.s): “Take a nap, for surely, Allah will feed and satisfy the faster in his sleep.” 24
• Praying Maghreb before breaking the fast: Of the etiquettes of fasting is to offer the Maghreb Prayer and then break the fast. However, if the faster is too weak to pray or there are other people who wish to break their fast first and they wait for him, then he should break his fast first. Zorarah and Fodhayl narrated from Imam Al-Baqir (a.s): “It is better in the month of Ramadhan to pray then break your fast unless there are people waiting for you to break their fast. Then do not disagree with them. Break your fast with them and then pray, otherwise, offer your prayer first.” Zorarah and Fodhayl asked why praying before breaking fast is more virtuous? The Imam (a.s) explained: “This is because the time for two obligations has arrived; breaking the fast and Salat and I would prefer to begin with the more virtuous of the two. Obviously, Salat is more virtuous. When you pray whilst you are still fasting, your Salat will be written as the Salat of a fasting person which is more desirable to me.” 25
• Inviting Muslims for Breakfast: Hospitality and generosity is a virtue in Islam. It is a sign of believeing in Allah and the Day of Judgment that one opens his house to visitors. The Almighty JAllah will forgive certain sins of a hospitable Muslim. Of the strongly recommended etiquettes of the month of Ramadhan is to invite a fasting person over for Iftar. It is narrated from Imam As-Sadiq (a.s): “Whoever provides breakfast for a fasting person will have the same reward (of fasting).”26It is even narrated from Imam Kadhem (a.s) that “The reward of feeding a fasting person is more than fasting itself.”27 Hospitality is more rewarding when one invites poor Muslims and their near of kin and more pious people. One can also sponsor a poor family and send the money to them for their Ramadhan expenses. Imam As-Sadiq (a.s) narrated: “My grandfather; Zainul-Abedin (a.s) used to **** a sheep whilst he was fasting and in the evening would distribute it all to different families. He would then break his fast with bread and dates.”28
• Eating Sohoor: Some fasters skip the Sohoor (eating at dawn). They are either too lazy to get up at that time of the morning or not used to eating that early. These people usually have something late at night before they go to bed and don’t get up for Sohoor. Ironically they may even miss their Fajr prayers. Their typical excuse is that they need sleeping more than food. Although having Sohoor is not compulsory, it is strongly recommended in Ramadhan. Imam As-Sadiq (a.s) in response to the one who asked if Sohoor is compulsory said: “It is permissible not to have Sohoor if he so wishes, but in the month of Ramadhan it is more virtuous to have Sohoor. We like people not to miss it in the month of Ramadhan.” 29
Sawm of Wesal’ is forbidden in Islam. That is to fast from one evening to another. In another narration the Messenger of Allah (S) said: “Have Sohoor even if it is a glass of water. Be aware! The Blessings of Allah is upon those who have Sohoor.”30
The purpose of Sohoor is not just to feed the body. Waking up for Sohoor is a good exercise of being awake at the holy time of dawn. Throughout one month the Almighty Allah trains us to wake up at least half an hour before the Fajr prayer to merely eat! To enforce the training, Allah forbids us to eat and drink from Fajr to the evening. Then lest we feel hungry or thirsty we Endeavour to wake up at that early time. After one month of consecutive Sohoor, a faster is used to waking up early. Thus, the main purpose of Sohoor is to learn to virtuous practice of early rising.
• Breaking the Fast With Milk and Dates: It is narrated from Imam As-Sadiq (a.s): “The first thing that the Messenger of Allah (S) was breaking his fast with was a ripe date, if it was its season, or dried date in other seasons.”31It is also narrated that Imam Ali (a.s) would prefer to break the fast with milk. Other narrations suggest that in the absence of milk or dates, Ahlul-Bait (a.s) would break their fast with water. For it will cleanse the stomach and liver and relieve headaches. 32
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