4[SUP]th[/SUP] PILLAR
(SIYAM (FASTING) THE MONTH OF RAMADAN)
Œ DEFINITION OF FASTING:
§ LINGUISTICALLY: TO ABSTAIN FROM SOMETHING.
§ JURIDICALLY: SIYAM (FASTING) IS A WAY OF WORSHIPING ALLAH
BY INTENTIONALY ABSTAINING FROM FOOD, DRINK,
SEXUAL INTERCOURSE AND OTHER THINGS THAT
BREAK ONES FAST; FROM DAWN TO SUNDOWN.
ISLAMIC RULING ON FASTING THE MONTH OF RAMADAN:
FOURTH PILLAR OF ISLAM (OBLIGATORY / MANDATORY).
‚ ALLAH (I) SAYS IN THE QURAN:
(البقرة:183)(يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ)
(O YOU WHO BELIEVE! FASTING IS PRESCRIBED TO YOU AS IT WAS PRESCRIBED TO THOSE BEFORE YOU THAT YOU MAY ACHIEVE TAQWA) (AL-BAQARAH (2):183)
ƒ ALLAH (I) SAYS IN THE QURAN:
(شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْءَانُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ)
(البقرة:185)
(THE MONTH OF RAMADAN IN WHICH WAS SENT DOWN THE QURAN,
A GUIDANCE TO MANKIND AND CLEAR PROOF OF THAT GUIDANCE AND
THE STANDARD (FOR DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG);
WHOSOEVER OF YOU WITNESSES THE MONTH SHOULD FAST IT) (AL-BAQARAH (2):185)
„ IBN-OMAR REPORTED THAT THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (r) SAID:
إلى أن قال "وصوم رمضان" (رواه البخاري ومسلم) "بني الإسلام على خمس..."
"ISLAM HAS BEEN BUILT ON FIVE (PILLARS).." AND HE MENTIONED
"FASTING THE MONTH OF RAMADAN." (COLLECTED BY BUKHARI & MUSLIM)
§ NOTE: IF SOMEONE DENIES THE OBLIGATION OF FASTING THE MONTH
OF RAMADAN, THEN HE IS OUTSIDE OF ISLAM.
IF SOMEONE DOES NOT FAST THE MONTH OF RAMADAN,
KNOWING ITS OBLIGATION, THEN HE IS GUILTY OF COMMITTING
A MAJOR SIN.