Make Fasting Different
Sulaymân b. Mûsâ [d119H] – Allah have mercy on him – said:When you fast, your hearing and sight should also fast, and your tongue should fast by keeping away from lies; and do not harm your servant. Don’t let the day you fast be the same as the day you don’t fast.
Târîkh Dimishq Vol. 22 p389.
Al-Sawm (fasting) literally means to keep away from something. Fasting of the faculties of hearing and seeing means to keep away from listening to and looking at things that are displeasing to Allah, in the same way that we stay away from food and drink when we are fasting.
Training Children for Worship
Al-Rubay’ bint Mu’awwidh – Allah be pleased with her – said while describing how the Prophet – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – told them to fast ‘Âshûrâ:We used to make toys out of dyed wool for the children and keep them with us so if the children asked us for food we would give them the toys to distract them until they completed their fast.
Sahîh Muslim. A similar narration is also in Sahîh Al-Bukhârî.
Al-Nawawî states in his commentary on Sahîh Muslim:
In this narration we are shown that children should be trained to do acts of obedience and made used to doing worship; although they are not legally bound.
Fasting and Backbiting
It is reported from Abû Al-‘Âliyah – Allah have mercy on him – that he said:A fasting person is in a state of worship as long as he does not backbite, even if he is sleeping in bed.
Al-Imâm Ahmad, Al-Zuhd Vol.4 p313.
Generosity and Community in Ramadan
It is reported that Hammâd b. Abî Sulaymân was a wealthy man, he used to provide iftâr (breakfast) for five hundred people in Ramadân, and would give each of them one hundred dirham after ‘Eid.It is also reported that he used to provide iftâr for fifty poor people a day in Ramadân, and on the eve of ‘Eid he would give each of them clothes to wear.
Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ`, in his biography of Hammâd b. Abî Sulaymân.
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.
Umar and the night prayers of Ramadan
Imâm Al-Bukhârî reports in his Sahîh, in the chapter entitled The virtue of one who prays [at night] in Ramadân, from ‘Abd Al-Rahmân b. ‘Abdin Al-Qârî:I went out to the mosque with ‘Umar b. Al-Khattâb one night in Ramadân, and we found people in separate groups: some men praying by themselves and others praying with a small group behind them. ‘Umar said, “I think if I gathered them behind one reciter it would be better.” Later, he made up his mind and gathered them behind Ubay b. Ka’b. On another night, I went out with him again and the people were praying behind their reciter [Ubay]. ‘Umar said, “What a good innovation (bid’ah) this is, but what they are missing by sleeping is better than what they are staying up to pray.” He meant the last part of the night, for the people used to pray in the early part.
This is further clarified by the more detailed report in Ibn Sa’d’s Al-Tabaqât Al-Kubrâ Vol.5 p42 from Nawfal b. Iyâs Al-Hudhalî:
During the time of ‘Umar b. Al-Khattâb, we used to pray in Ramadân in groups – here and there – in the mosque. People would incline to pray behind those who had the best voices. ‘Umar said, “Do I not see that they are treating the Qurân like song? By Allâh, if I can, I will change this.” Only three nights later, he told Ubay b. Ka’b to lead them in prayer, then stood behind the rows and said, “If this is a bid’ah, then what a good bid’ah it is.”
Al-‘Allâmah Al-Mu’allimî Al-Yamânî graded this narration’s chain of transmission sahîh in his treatise Qiyâmu Ramadân p51.
Points to note
- We are reminded through this narration to avoid falling into the same problems that ‘Umar sought to solve by appointing a single imâm during his Caliphate:
- The appearance of splitting and schism, which Islam disapproves of
- Distracting each other by reciting audibly at the same time in the mosque, reciting over each other
- Preferring imâms and reciters for having nice voices even though others may know more Qurân and be more qualified to lead
- Scholars point out that the statement ‘what a good bid’ah this is’ does not affirm that there is any such thing as a good bid’ah in a religious sense, because innovation in religion is unconditionally and unequivocally blameworthy in the texts of hadîth and countless statements of the Salaf. This statement is therefore taken to mean that ‘Umar meant that what he saw was a good development – a bid’ah in the linguistic sense of something new – relative to the situation before he appointed a single imâm. This meaning is also clear from the fact that night prayer in congregation in Ramadân already has a precedent from Allâh’s Messenger – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him.
- Having said that, the report in Ibn Sa’d, ‘if this is a bid’ah, then what a good bid’ah it is’ evidences that ‘Umar never called it a bid’ah in the first place, but was being rhetorical, as suggested by Shaykh Al-Mu’allimî in Qiyâm Ramadân, in the same way as intended in Sûrah Al-Zukhruf, verse 81, “Say, if Al-Rahmân has a son, then I am the first of the worshippers.’”
Umar’s Instructions on the First Night of Ramadan
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.
Sinning while fasting [does it break the fast?]
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. 1st edn. 1418H. Dâr Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmîyah. Beirut, Lebanon.
Going to the mosque when fasting
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
The Salaf and the Quran in Ramadan
It is reported that Al-Aswad [b. Yazîd Al-Nakha’î] used to complete the recitation of the Quran in Ramadan every two nights; sleeping between al-maghrib and al-‘ishâ. Outside of Ramadân, he used to complete a recitation every six nights.Abû Nu’aym, Hilyatu Al-Awliyâ` 1:250.
It is related from Al-Rabî’ b. Sulaymân, “Muhammad b. Idrîs Al-Shâfi’î used to complete reciting the Quran in the month of Ramadan sixty times, all in the prayer.”
Ibid. 4:107
It is reported that Abul-Ash-hab said, “Abû Al-Rajâ` [Al-Atârudî] would complete with us a recitation of the Quran in the night prayers of Ramadan every ten days.”
Ibid. 1:348
It is reported that Qatâdah used to complete a recitation of the Quran once every seven nights, and when Ramadan came, once every three nights. During the last ten nights, he would complete a recitation every night.
Ibid. 1:364
It is reported that Al-Bukhârî used to complete a recitation [of the Quran] once a day in Ramadan, and would pray after Tarâwîh every night, completing another recitation every three nights.
Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` 12:439
Notes
After mentioning some similar examples from the Salaf, Ibn Rajab says in Latâ`if Al-Ma’ârif p319:
The prohibition of reciting the Quran in less than three days [found in some ahadith] refers to doing so regularly [throughout the year]. As for virtuous times, like Ramadan – especially the nights in which it is hoped Laylatu Al-Qadr will occur – or virtuous places, like Makkah – for those who enter it and are not residents there, then it is recommended to increase in reciting the Quran, making the most of the time and the place. This is the position of [Imam] Ahmad, Ishâq [ibn Râhûyah] and other Imams, and the practice of others [from the Salaf] indicates [they held the same position].
(Taken from http://www.sayingsofthesalaf.net)
Click on the following links:
Regarding clarifying the Virtue of Laylatul-Qadr and exhortation towards striving in it
A Summarization of the Ways of Praying Qiyaamul-Layl and Witr
