12 Excuses why some Muslims don’t fast
By Showkat ali
We all know people who don’t fast and others who make excuses not to fast. The excuses below are not an exhaustive list but just some of the excuses which people give not to fast. The objective is not to ridicule individuals who are astray from Islam and victims of the predominant culture around us, but rather for us to be aware that not every single Muslim fasts and they all give different excuses which we should be able to refute and explain to them why they should fast.
In some cases confusion exists about fasting itself, and in others people are confused about their Islamic identity and belief itself.
1. I don’t pray so why should I fast
I normally just about attend jummah now and again and havn’t prayed in ages, well not quite ages, the last time I prayed was my dad’s janazah a few years ago. So why should I fast when I don’t even pray 5 time’s day?
2. it’s my choice, we live in a free country
Yes one of the things I love about Britain apart from its women, clubbing and booze is the fact that everyone can live and behave as they wish. Even parents can’t control your life after 16 and the police can only nick you if you break the law. So yes I choose not to fast, no law against not fasting is there?
3. It clashes with my exams
My exams are so so important, parents got expectations for me to do well and go and study medicine and become a Dr Saaab, and then go back home and marry the politician’s daughter and raise our family’s status sky high. Fasting is tough especially when I got exams, and when I fast I noticed that it’s hard to concentrate and do well in your exams.
4. I have a busy lifestyle and demanding job
My life is so stressful and busy; I got so many projects on the go. I start at 8 and finish at 8, and even work on my laptop on the train as well as bring work home. I suppose when your earning over 85k the company expects you to be fully committed and my boss told me at interview “ this aint a job, this is your life, so treat it accordingly”, and in all honesty I have, so I cant afford to fast a whole month. ‘God why couldn’t Ramadhan be for a few days over the bank holidays ‘
5. None of my mates fast
All my mates are integrated and proud to be British and don’t really bother with backward traditions from bong bongo land, we were born here and this is our country and its traditions are ours and fasting is so silly. “What’s the point of going without food and drink as well as sex for a whole month? “
6. I'm not ready for it yet
At the moment I’m just chilling and enjoying life, I’m only 25 so I got the whole of my life left until I die in my 80s, so what’s the rush for? I’ll start in a few years time and continue how I mean to go on
7. I only fast when the days are short
Fasting in the winter used to be so cool, I mean me and my mates would eat sehri and go to bed really late then wake up about 2pm and its nearly iftar time. We’d put on a DVD and before it’s over you hear the maghrib Azaan. Nowadays fasts are getting longer and even if you wake up at 2pm its still a long way to go. InshAllah when the fasts get shorter again in about 10 years time I’ll start fasting.
8. I've done about 16/17 I think it’s enough
I usually do about 16/17 just over the half way mark which I think is enough sacrifice for the religion, I know some people who do less so I am better than most people I know.
9. Its dangerous to fast and drive
Someone told me that its fard in Islam not to do anything that endangers your life as well as other peoples, so I drive a lot in my job and its dangerous to drive and fast, in case you cause an accident, so that’s my excuse why I don’t fast.
10. I get bad breath, cracked lips and look terrible
Yeah I’m very fashion conscious and cracked lips, bad breath and bags under my eyes make me look like an old bag, despite tons of make up. So I prefer to leave fasting until I get old, in which case looking terrible as a result of fasting wont matter since I will look terrible anyway.
11. I don’t want to put on any weight; I worked so hard to get a figure like this.
I always gain weight in Ramadhan no matter how little I eat for Sehri and iftar and my clothes become even tighter than usual. It seems a waste working hard to get a nice figure and then by fasting a whole month you lose it and its back to square one after Eid.
12. Non-Muslims say bad things and give sad looks
This really ps me off, when non-Muslims feel sorry for you and pity you and say “ ahh, they have to go without food and drink for their God”. Some even give you sad, pitying looks and the nasty ones talk about you in the canteen and say that I’m a fanatic. So to avoid all this I prefer not to fast.
Please list the excuses you have heard and add to the list if you so wish
Please list the excuses you have heard and add to the list if you so wish
1. I have "gastric".
2. My parents dont fast, so why should I?
3. I am a Non Muslim.
4. Forgot to have suhoor.
In Malaysia, the religious authorities can detain Muslims who eat publicly during Ramadan... those are some excuses given by them. Some muslims, prefer to call themselves non-Muslims because they dont want to observe Ramadan.
25:36 And the true servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk the earth with humility and when the ignorant address them, they respond with words of peace.
This all starts from young.You have to blame the parents to some extent for their ignorance.Its no surprise that those who do not pray do not fast.Prophet Muhammad saw mentioned that if you do your 5 prayers the rest will naturally follow,or somewhere along those lines i think.
whoa.... it sounds like a "fatwa".... a deviated "fatwa"...oh:
someone told me that...when i said no.
he said "your grave is your grave, mine is mine"
25:36 And the true servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk the earth with humility and when the ignorant address them, they respond with words of peace.
I don't think the government should have any control over your decisions. If someone doesn't want to fast, that's their choice, the government shouldn't hold them in contempt for doing so. And then they come up with excuses and even go as far as calling themselves non-Muslims... how about the government lays off?
Is not about controlling someone's decision. Is about respecting others on the month of Ramadhan. And also giving good example to the children.
If they really don't want to fast they can easily eat it in a hiding place but no in public.
wassallam
25:36 And the true servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk the earth with humility and when the ignorant address them, they respond with words of peace.
I don't really see the problem with eating in public. Sometimes females can't fast (we all know) and it wouldn't be fair if they couldn't eat even if it was in front of others, of course it's just rude if you eat in someone's face (I'd feel guilty, I never eat in front of those who fast when I'm not) but to ban it and make it a legal thing? That's going too far, that's taking away from human rights.
And as for setting good examples for children, well, it's not like they're smoking and drinking in front of them or anything, just eating. The kid's parents should explain to them that those people might not be fasting because of certain circumstances and what not, they shouldn't be PUNISHED for it.
My 2 cents but I'm pretty modern in my thoughts, being brought up in a non-Muslim country.
Sorry I had to add, little children shouldn't be fasting anyway, so it's not like those kids would get hungry. I know some people have different views on this but even my grandfather has said that kids shouldn't fast, there's an age at which kids can start fasting but below 12 isn't right. Kids around 12-14 should have self control at that point. You can't slow down their growth and stuff, Allah wouldn't want kids to be stunted in growth and health in that critical time. It's ok to fast every once in a while but if I do have kids I won't make them fast the entire month until they've matured properly.. then again it's their personal choice
women are NOT to fast during that time... its not allowed. women are really vulnerable at that point and its when we're 'sick' so no, you arent to fast during that time.
but im not sure if we make it up. my sister always makes it up though. so maybe. someone help me out!
The seventh of the things that invalidate the fast is the blood of menses and nifaas
Because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Is it not the case that when she gets her period, she does not pray or fast?” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 304.
When a woman sees the blood of her period or nifaas (post-partum bleeding), her fast becomes invalid even if that is one moment before sunset.
If a woman feels that her period has started but no blood comes out until after sunset, her fast is still valid.
If the bleeding of a woman who is menstruating or in nifaas ceases at night and she has the intention of fasting, then dawn comes before she does ghusl, the view of all the scholars is that her fast is valid. Al-Fath, 4/148.
It is preferable for a woman to keep to her natural cycle and to accept that which Allaah has decreed for her, and not to take any medicine to prevent her period. She should accept what Allaah has decreed for her of not fasting during her period, and make up those days later on. This is what the Mothers of the Believers and the women of the Salaf used to do. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/151. In addition, it has been medically proven that these means of preventing menstruation are harmful and many women have suffered menstrual irregularities as a result. If a woman takes pills and her period stops as a result, that is fine, she can fast and her fast is acceptable.
These are things that invalidate the fast. All of them – apart from menses and nifaas – only invalidate the fast if three conditions are met: that the person was aware of the ruling and not ignorant of it; that he did it knowingly and not out of forgetfulness; and that he did it by choice and was not forced to do
25:36 And the true servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk the earth with humility and when the ignorant address them, they respond with words of peace.
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