Tuesday 12 February 2013

Fasting

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah


This is also a topic that I love to read about and love to practice. Some people might think that they are entertained with hobbies, meeting friends, watching television or stuffs. Others are also entertained by performing this kind of deed. I began to fast as early as four or five years old while I was following my parents religion, which is also Islam. Now, I am a Muslim but not a Muslim as a Muslim who is forced to be ones. I am a Muslim by my will and by His mercy.

In the topic, I simply put it as fast. But in our language which is Arabic, it is known as Sawm. This term is also used by Hebrew speaking people to indicate the same thing as us. It is also a term in Aramaic which is used by some Eastern Christians in their liturgy. The meaning of this word is to hold. By technical jurisprudence term, it means holding one self from anything which could annuls the fast with certain conditions.  

The fasting time begins after the calling for Subh prayer service or after the sun rise a little bit up to the sun sink down or the Maghrib time. 

Conditions

Conditions to begin our fast is actually very easy....

1. It involves the intention as always.

For e.g if it is in Ramadan month, everyone who fits the requirements must perform the fast. We say our intention mentally or maybe together with family members which means, "I am performing the fast tomorrow for the month of Ramadan which is a commandment for me in this year only for Him". Intention is not so precise because one knows what he will do for the next move. But it is safer to declare the intention as to stay in awareness.

2. For optional fasting, the intention for one is before the sun rises which is before twelve o'clock in the afternoon. 

Say if one eats nothing, drinks nothing nor smoking and we wanted to fast while that is before 12 p.m, it is not a sin. The ruling is that it is a must but not an obligation. Usually I am also doing like this. In the time before 12 p.m and if some friends asking me to have some food with them then I will break my fast as not to let them know that I am fasting. But after 12 p.m and if someone ask me to join them in meals then I would have to reject the invitation with various reasons. An optional deeds if performed without others knowing it will receive 25 meritorious deeds as compared to only one when people know about that. This is a sunnah...

3. There are many kinds of optional fasting for e.g...

a. the Syawwal six days fasting just after the 'Aid al-Fitr.
b. the weekly fasting in Monday and Thursday.

A particular person would make his intention with a particular intention...

4. Those who are fasting should hold himself or herself from several things which could annul his or her fasting in the period after the Subh prayer calling up to the Maghrib prayer calling.

Prohibition to Fast

There are several people who are prohibited from fasting....

1, Menstrual woman
2. Woman who delivers baby

Detestable to Fast

People who are not performing janaba ghusl after sexual conduct before the sun rises...

Neutral to Fast

Those who are religiously neutral to fast are...

1. Little children but they are encouraged to perform it only as a training.
2. Sick people.
3. Worn-out old folk
4. Pregnant woman
5. Woman who breast-feed her baby
6. Traveler
7. People who work as hard labors

Days Prohibited to Fast

Maybe we do certain deeds without knowing our own calender... Try to use our own calender when talking about our daily routine because we need to count everything by using our lunar calender.

1. The 'Aid al-Fitr which occurs in the first of Syawwal.
2. The 'Aid al-Ad'ha which falls in the 10th of Dzulhijja.
3. The Feast Days which follow the 'Aid al-Ad'ha on the 11th, 12th and 13th of Dzulhijja.
4. Suspicion Day where the astronomers are checking the first crescent of Ramadan.

Annulation of Fast

1. Eat and drink in the fasting time which is after the Subh prayer service calling up to Maghrib prayer service.

2. Intentionally poking something in holes of body for e.g in the nose, ears, mouth, bottom hole and others. This is not effective to those who have to do that because of medical means. The Divine Path is for human to live and not to kill!

3. Intentionally vomiting which means one makes himself to vomit.

4. Nifas, haidh and wilada for female and this is the responsibility of sisters to explain to each other.

5. Sexual intercourse or intimate relation while fasting in the prescribed hours.

6. Losing mind or turning crazy.

7. Drunk or passed out for the whole hours.

8. Turning to be a non-Muslim at the fasting hours.

There are several things not to do which are considered as part of our traditions and others which are detestable....

Respectable friends and fellow brothers and sisters may check them in few articles that I had already wrote by just clicking on the specific topic below....

1. Optional Fasting
2. Inner Secret of Fasting      
3. First Friday in Ramadan 2011
4. Optional Weekly Fasting
5. Fasting in the Rajab Holy Month

Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'ala aali Muhammad...

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!

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