:arabic6:
Bismillaah!
The Rulings of Ramadaan
Breaking the fast before the Maghrib Salaat
It is reported that "The Messenger of Allah (SWT) used to break his fast before the Maghrib Salaat."
[Ahmad and Abu Dawood]
Abu Dardaa said: "There are three signs of prophethood, hastening the breaking of the fast, delaying the Sahoor and placing the right hand on the Ieft hand in the Salaat."
[Tabaraanee]
What is recommended to eat to break the fast?
The Messenger (SAW) of Allah (SWT) used to incite the breaking of the fast with dates and if he did not find any, he would then break it with water.
Anas Ibn Maalik said: "The prophet (SAW) used to break his fast with fresh dates before he prayed. If he did not find fresh dates then he would use dried dates. If he did not find that also he drank a few sips of water.
[Ahmad and Abu Dawood]
What should be said at the time of breaking the fast?
The fasting person should know that Allah (SWT) listens to his supplication and answers it.
Abu Huraira said the Messenger (SAW) of Allah (SWT) said: "The supplications of three groups of people's are not rejected; the du'aa (Supplication) of the fasting person when he is breaking his fast, the du'aa of the just Imam and the du'aa of the oppressed."
[Tirmidhee, Ibn Majah and Ibn Hibbaan]
So the fasting person should make use of the time when he is breaking his fast to ask Allah (SWT) for all those things that would make his life easy in this world and the next. However, although any Du'aa can be made at that time the Messenger (SAW) also used to make a specific one which we should make sure we supplicate with, along with whatever other supplication we desire.
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) when he broke his fast. used to say: "The thirst has gone and the veins have recovered and the blessing is established if Allah wills" (dhahaba dhamaa'a wabtallat al-urooq wa thabatal ajr inshaa'allaah)
[Ahmad, Al-Baihaaqee]
Feeding a fasting person
It is imperative for the believer to always try to do righteous deeds. From among these rightous deeds is the feeding of the fasting person because of the numerous rewards for this act.
The Prophet (SAW) said: "Whoever gives someone something to break the fast with, he would hove The same blessings as the fasting person and this would not reduce the blessings of the fasting person in any way "
[Ahmad and Tirmidhee]
If someone is invited to break his fast then he should respond to the invitation. If he refuses then he has disobeyed the Messenger (SAW).
It is also recommended for the person invited to supplicate for his host after finishing eating his food as was the practice of the Messenger (SAW).
The Messenger (S) used to make the following supplications:
"May the righteous eat your food may the angels send salaat unto you and may the fasting person break their fast with you."
[Ahmad, An-Nasaaee]
"O Allah! Feed the one who fed me and give drink to him who gave me to drink"
[Muslim]
"O Allah! Forgive them and have Mercy on them and bless whatever you provide for then"
[Muslim]
7. Permissible Things For The Fasting Person!
There is no doubt for any servant who understands the Quraan and Sunnah that Allah (SWT) only wants ease for His servants. So He (SWT) made certain things allowed for those who fast.
The fast is valid for any person who wakes up in a state of sexual defilement
Aa'isha and Umm Salamah relate: "That the Fajr used to come upon the Messenger (SAW) while he was in a state of sexual defilement from intercourse (from the previous night). He would then take a bath and (continue) fasting.
[Bukharee]
Cleaning the mouth with the miswaak
The Messenger (SAW) said: "If I did not fear that I would make it hard on my Ummah, I would have commanded them to use the miswaak (to brush their teeth) for every wudoo."
[Muslim]
In this hadeeth the Messenger (SAW) did not differentiate between the fasting person and those who are not fasting, therefore the ruling is general and applies to the fasting person as well. It is also putting no limits upon the time when this can be done, either before or after Zawal (zenith).
Note: It is preferable not to use toothpaste because of its strong taste.
Washing the mouth and nose
The Messenger (SAW) used to wash his mouth and nose while he was fasting, however he forbade exaggeration in either of these two actions for the fasting person. He (SAW) said: "...and exaggerate in washing the nose except if you are fasting..."
[Abu Daawood and Tirmidhee]
Kissing and foreplay with one's wife (for the one who can control is desire)
Aa'ishah (R) said: "The Messenger (SAW) used to kiss (his wife) while he was fasting, and he used to involve in foreplay while fasting, but he was the most able of you to hold back his desires.
[Bukharee and Muslim]
Amr Ibn al-Aas said: "We were with the Messenger (SAW) when a young man approached him and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, can I kiss while fasting. He (SAW) said: "No." Then an old man came and said: "Can I kiss while fasting?" He (SAW) said: "Yes." We began to look at each other, and so the Messenger of Allah (SWT) said: "The old man can control himself."
[Ahmad]
Blood Testing and inoculations other than inoculations for nourishment
These things do not break the fast. (See the section that relates to the things that invalidate the fast).
Al-Hijaamah (Extracting blood from the head or other parts of the body as a medicinal practice)
This act used to cause the fast to be void, however, the ruling was later abrogated. Ibn 'Abbaas (R) said: "The Prophet (SAW) had hijaamah done to him while he was fasting."
[Al-Bukhaaree]
Tasting food as long as it does not go down the throat
Ibn 'Abbaas said: "Nothing is wrong in tasting vinegar or any other thing while one is fasting, as long as that thing does not enter the throat."
[Ibn Abi Shaibah and Baihaqee]
Pouring cold water on the head or taking a complete bath (ghusl)
The Messenger of Allah (SWT) used to pour water on his head while he was fasting because of thirst or severe heat.
[Abu Dawood and Ahmad]
Applying kuhl or eye drops to the eyes even if the taste of any of these reaches the throat
Imaam Al Bukhaaree in his Saheeh said that: "Anas, Al-Hassan, and Ibraheem did not see anything wrong for the fasting person who uses kuhl in the eyes."
8. Things Which Invalidate The Fast!
Question: In what situation is one permitted to break the fast of Ramadaan?
Answer: The following are the major situations which permit a person to break the fast of Ramadaan:
1. Illness.
2. Travel.
3. Pregnancy in which a woman feels that fasting is hard on her or is threatening to her or her child's welfare.
4. Baby-nursing (breast feeding), when the woman has similar concerns to those in (3) above.
5. Old age.
6. Being forced during the day to exert a hard physical labour which is judged threatening to the person's well being should he continue to fast.
A person belonging to any of the above groups will have to fast a day later (make qadaa) for every day missed. However, those for whom the above situation persists continuously all around the year (pregnant and nursing women, according to many ulamaa) should instead pay a ransom for every day missed.
Question: In which situations is the fast involuntarily disrupted?
Answer: The fast is disrupted (and there is no point or reward in continuing to fast) when a woman sees the blood caused by either of:
1. Menstruation.
2. Labour or childbirth.
The woman in this case will have to fast a day later (make Qadaa) for every day (or part of day) that she missed.
Question: What acts invalidate the fast?
Answer: The following acts, when done knowingly and deliberately in the days of Ramadaan, will invalidate the fast. In addition to being considered major sins in Islaam, a person committing one of these acts will have to continue fasting the rest of the day that he committed it, and he is also required to take certain measures of reconciliations as indicated below.
1. Voluntary vomiting.
2. Intending to stop fasting at any moment during the day of fast.
3. Stimulating oneself, without copulation, to the point of ejaculation.
A person committing one of the above acts, (I) through (3), will have to make up (Qadaa) for every day thus invalidated.
4. Sexual Intercourse. Any fast thus invalidated will require both the Qadaa (make up for that day) as well as a material atonement (Kaffaarah, which corresponds to freeing a slave, fasting two consecutive months or feeding sixty people, where these three alternatives should be expiated in the same order mentioned in the Hadeeth).
5. Deliberately eating, drinking, smoking or letting any material into the stomach.
Contrary to widespread misconception, a day thus invalidated cannot be atoned in the same way as intercourse; it cannot even be atoned by even fasting the entire life. Thus, in addition to the qadaa (making up by fasting a day for the missed day), the only way to atone such an act would be true sincere repentance and strong determination never to do it again.
Question. What acts do not invalidate the fast, even though many people think they do?
Answer: Contrary to many misconceptions, there is no valid evidence that any of the following acts invalidate the fast (even though some of them might reduce the rewards of fasting).
1. Sexual foreplay, even if it led to some pre-seminal fluid secretions.
2. Involuntary ejaculations, like wet dreams.
3. Medically required injections, eye and ear drops and medications placed on wounds.
4. Nose or throat bleeding, or bleeding caused by pulling a tooth.
5. Involuntary vomiting.
6. Excessive washing of the nose and mouth during wudoo.
7. Swallowing one's own saliva.
8. Tasting food (when cooking), without swallowing.
9. Taking a bath or swimming.
10. Delaying the purifying ghusl (bath) of janaabah (impurity due to sexual intercourse), wet dream or menstruation till after fajr (dawn) time.
11. Involuntary, forced or forgetful eating or drinking.
12. Using siwaak (toothbrush without tooth paste).
13. Using eye-shadows (kuhl), and applying or smelling perfumes.
14. Eating before Maghrib (sunset) or after fajr (dawn) because of mistake in time recognition.
15. Drawing out blood from the body.
To be Continued!
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