Weapons of Mass Distinction

Abû Ishâq [Al-Fazârî] states:

The enemy was never able to stand up to the Companions of Allâh’s Messenger – Allâh’s praise and peace be upon him, so when the news of the defeat of the Romans came to Heraclius at Antioch he asked [his people], “Woe to you, tell me about these people who fight you, are they not humans like you?” They replied, “Indeed, they are.” He asked, “So are you more in number or them?” They replied, “We outnumber them greatly in all places.” He said, “So how is it that you are defeated whenever you meet them [in battle].” A senior and esteemed elder amongst them replied, “Because they stand in prayer at night, fast during the day, fulfill their agreements and promises, enjoin what is right and forbid what is evil, they are fair and just amongst themselves; and because we drink wine, fornicate, commit sin, break our agreements, steal, oppress and do injustice, enjoin the committing of what angers Allâh and forbid what pleases Allâh the Mighty and Majestic, and we cause evil and corruption in the land.” Heraclius said, “You are the one who has told me the truth.”

Abû Bakr Al-Daynûrî, Al-Mujâlasah wa Jawâhir Al-‘Ilm 4:91.

Do you have to make up fasts consecutively? [Fiqh of Fasting]

Ibn ‘Abbâs and Abû Hurayrah – Allâh be pleased with them – said, “There is no harm in making up [fasts of] Ramadân separately from one another.”

‘Abd Al-Razzâq, Al-Musannaf 4:243; Ibn Abî Shaybah, Al-Musannaf article 9114; Al-Dâraqutnî, Al-Sunan 2:193.

Abû ‘Ubaydah b. Al-Jarrâh – Allâh be pleased with him – said, when asked about making up missed fasts of Ramadân separately, “Allâh did not legislate upon you the breaking of the fast, and then cause hardship on you when making it up, so count the days [you excusably missed] and fast them as you wish.”

Ibn Abî Shaybah, op. cit. article 9133.

Anas b. Mâlik – Allâh be pleased with him – said, “If you wish, make up [missed fasts of] Ramadân consecutively, or if you wish, make them up separately.”

Ibid. article 9115.

Breaking the fast as soon as the sun sets [Sunnah of Fasting]

Sa’îd b. Al-Musayyib reports from his father, “I was once sitting with ‘Umar when a group of people arrived from Al-Shâm. ‘Umar enquired about them and how they were; he asked, ‘Do the people of Al-Shâm hasten to break the fast.’ He said, ‘Yes.’ [‘Umar] said, ‘They will not cease to remain upon good as long as they do this, and do not wait for the stars [to come out] as the people of Irâq do.’”

‘Abd Al-Razzâq Al-San’ânî, Al-Musannaf 4:225.

‘Amr b. Maymûn Al-Awdî reports, “The Companions of Muhammad – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him – used to be the quickest to break the fast and the slowest in taking the pre-dawn meal.”

Ibid. p226.

Ibn Al-Musayyib also reports that ‘Umar wrote to the commanders of the various regions, ‘Do not be of the procrastinators when breaking the fast, and nor of those who wait for the stars before they start praying [al-maghrib].’

Ibid. p225.

Mûsâ b. Anas reports that Anas [ibn Mâlik] used to have his slave-girl go to the top of his house, instructing her, ‘When the horizon becomes even (evenly lit, marking sunset), tell me.’

Ibn Abî Shaybah, Al-Musannaf 2:430.

Abû Al-Tiyâh Al-Daba’î reports that “he used to break fast with Ibn ‘Abbâs during Ramadân. When evening approached he would send a girl from his household to the roof [to look out], and when the sun set he would make the call to prayer (adhân). He would eat with us, and when he had finished, the call for the commencement of prayer {iqâmah) would be given, and he would pray, and we would pray with him.”

Ibid. p429.

Taking the pre-dawn meal as late as possible [Sunnah of Fasting]

Sâlim b. ‘Ubayd reports, “I used to stay in the house of Abû Bakr. One night, he prayed for as long as Allâh willed him to. He then said [to me], ‘Go and see if al-fajr has started,’ so I went, returned and said, ‘Whiteness has risen in the sky.’ So he prayed for as long as Allâh willed, then said [again], ‘Go and see if al-fajr has started.’ I went out, returned and said, ‘[The light] is spreading out and becoming reddish,’ to which he said, ‘Now bring me my drink (i.e. my pre-dawn meal, al-suhûr).’”

Al-Dâraqutnî, Al-Sunan 2:166. Al-Dâraqutnî grades its chain of transmission sahîh.

Eating to Fast [not Fasting to Eat]

It is reported that once, some good food was served to Anas [Ibn Mâlik] – Allâh be pleased with him, and [the person who served the food] was well off enough to afford good food. As he was eating, he kept a morsel of the food in his mouth for a while, then looked at the people and began to cry. Then he said, “By Allâh, I have accompanied people who, if they could get hold of this kind of food, would have fasted even more often, and spent less time not fasting. One of them would find only milk mixed with water [as food], which he would drink and then fast on.”

Al-Mu’âfâ b. ‘Imrân, Kitâb Al-Zuhd article 215.

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