Sayings of the Salaf » fasting

Umar’s Instructions on the First Night of Ramadan

Abû ‘Abdillâh Owais Al-Hâshimi — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:49:35 +0000

It is reported that on the first night of Ramadân, ‘Umar – Allâh be pleased with him – would pray Maghrib, then say (to the people):

Sit down. Then he would give a small address: Verily the fasting of this month has been made a duty upon you, and standing in night prayer has not been made a duty upon you, but those amongst you who can stand in prayer should do so, for it is from the extra good deeds about which Allâh told us: so whoever cannot stand in prayer, let him sleep on his bed.

And beware of saying: I will fast if so and so fasts and I will stand in night prayer if so and so stands in prayer. Whoever fasts or stands in night prayer, he must make this for Allâh. And you should know that you are in prayer as long as you are waiting for a prayer.

Minimize any vain or false speech in the houses of Allâh (mosques; he said this two or three times). Let none of you fast a few days before the month (in order to avoid missing the beginning of the month; he said this three times). And do not fast until you see [the crescent of the new month] unless it is overcast. If it is overcast, count [the previous month] as 30 days. Then do not break your fasts until you see the night upon the mountain (i.e. you are sure the sun has set).

‘Abd Al-Razzâq Al-San’ânî, Al-Musannaf article 7748.

This is from Sayings of the Salaf - English translations of narrations from the Salaf - the earliest believers, our righteous predecessors, and true scholars of Islam. Selected and translated by Owais Al-Hashimi

Fearing that Wealth is your only Reward

Abû ‘Abdillâh Owais Al-Hâshimi — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 13:51:01 +0000

‘Abd Al-Rahmân b. ‘Awf – Allâh be pleased with him – was once brought some food, and he had been fasting. He said:

Mus‘ab b. ‘Umayr was killed, and he was better than me and he was buried with a cloak as a shroud: if his head was covered with it his legs would be uncovered and if his legs were covered with it his head would be uncovered. And Hamzah was killed and he was better than me. Then, after that time, we were given what we were given of worldly wealth, and we fear that [the reward of] our good deeds has been quickened for us [in this life].

He then began to cry so much that he left his food.

Al-Bukhârî, Al-Sahîh hadith 1275 and other places.

Sinning while fasting [does it break the fast?]

Abû ‘Abdillâh Owais Al-Hâshimi — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:31:11 +0000

It is reported that ‘Umar – Allâh be pleased with him – said:

Fasting does not mean keeping away from only food and drink, it also means keeping away from lying, falsehood, inanity and swearing [by Allâh without need].

It is reported that Ibrâhîm Al-Nakha’î – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

They used to say: lying breaks the fast.

It is reported that Mujâhid – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

There are two practices, if a person can keep himself from them, his fast will be secured for him: backbiting and lying.

It is related that Abul-’Âliyah – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

The fasting person is in a state of worship as long as he does not backbite.^[1]

It is reported that Hafsah bint Sîrîn – Allâh have mercy on her – said:

Fasting is a shield as long as one does not tear it, and tearing it is when you backbite.^[2]

It is reported that Anas b. Mâlik – Allâh be pleased with him – said:

If the fasting person backbites, his fast is broken.^[3]

Notes

Explaining the meaning of sins breaking the fast, Shaykh Al-Islâm Ibn Taymîyah – Allâh have mercy on him – states:^[4]

It is related from some of the Salaf that backbiting, tale carrying and the likes break the fast, and it is mentioned as one opinion in the madhab of Imâm Ahmad. The final word on this issue is that Allâh the Exalted commanded people to fast in order to achieve piety (taqwâ), and Allâh’s Messenger – praise and peace of Allâh be upon him – stated:

Whoever does not leave off false speech and acting by it; then Allâh is not in need of him abandoning his food and drink.

So if the fasting person does not achieve piety, he has not achieved what is intended through fasting, and so the reward of [his] fast will decrease in accordance [with how much he has gone against the intended goal, i.e. commensurate with his sins].

Righteous deeds have two intended goals: gaining reward and avoiding punishment. If a person fasts while also doing forbidden things, like backbiting, carrying tales between people or consuming what is forbidden and so on, he loses the reward.

Thus, when the imams say [backbiting etc.] does not break the fast, it means that the person who sins is not punished in the way a person who openly breaks his fast would be punished.

And those who said it does break the fast in the sense that the person has not achieved the intended goal behind fasting, or in the sense that he has lost the reward for fasting, then this statement is in agreement with the position of the imams.

One who says it breaks the fast in the sense that the person is to be punished for leaving [the fast], then he is in contradiction to the imams.

Conclusion

A person who disobeys Allâh while fasting hasn’t truly grasped the intent behind fasting. The real goal is to achieve piety and obedience of Allâh through the abandonment of food, drink and sin. Although a person who backbites, lies or does other sins is not considered to have physically broken his fast, he loses the reward of fasting and in this sense he has broken his fast.

Allâh knows best.

^[1] Ibn Abî Al-Shaybah, Al-Musannaf articles 8975, 8980, 8981 and 8982.

^[2] ‘Abd Al-Razzâq Al-San’ânî, Al-Musannaf articles 8975.

^[3] Hunâd b. Al-Saree, Al-Zuhd article 1204.

^[4] Badr Al-Dîn Al-Ba’lî. Mukhtasar Al-Fatâwâ Al-Masrîyah pp288, 289. 1^st edn. 1418H. Dâr Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmîyah. Beirut, Lebanon.

Going to the mosque when fasting

Abû ‘Abdillâh Owais Al-Hâshimi — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:44:59 +0000

Abul-Mutawakkil Al-Nâjî reports: When Abû Hurayrah and his companions fasted, they would sit in the mosque and say, “let us purify our fast.” Hunâd b. Al-Sarî, Kitâb Al-Zuhd, article 1207 More: Eating to Fast [not Fasting to Eat] Make Fasting Different Sinning while fasting [does it break the fast?] Breaking the fast as soon as [...]

Weapons of Mass Distinction

Abû ‘Abdillâh Owais Al-Hâshimi — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:14:14 +0000

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.