THE intention with which a Muslim initiates fast should be sacrosanct and must be centered on getting closer to Allah (SWT) only. It is a matter of spirituality for a Muslim. Only in the event of this cardinal pre-condition is a Muslim’s fast accepted in the sight of Allah (SWT). All other requisite fulfillments become secondary for Ramadan fast to be considered as such. Surah Al-Baqarah, Q2:183 confers on Ramadan a great honour quite uncommon for the remaining 11 months of the lunar calendar.
Ramadan is almost revered as the most sacred of all months in Islam, even when a couple of others could as well be so revered. Ramadan is the only month in which the entire 29 or 30 days are dedicated to fasting as demonstrated by the Prophet (SAW) in his last nine years on earth. The Prophet (SAW) was not recorded to have taken to a marathonic fasting period at a stretch of time except the Ramadan fast. All of these have come to foreground the month of Ramadan as a unique period in the year.
Of the five pillars on which Islam rests, Ramadan fast ranks the fourth after shahada (profession of faith), salat (five daily prayers) and zakat (donation of a certain proportion of wealth each year to charity). Fasting in Ramadan comes just before Hajj (holy pilgrimage to Mecca and Madinah) which ranks the fifth. It should be noted that while the first three obligations are not time-bound, fasting in the month of Ramadan and Hajj pilgrimage in Dhu l Hijjah (the 12th month of the Islamic calendar) are time-restricted.
It is only in the month of Ramadan that angels do nothing but ask for total forgiveness of sins of fasting Muslims from Allah (SWT) from daybreak to sunset when we break the fast. This makes the month one which transforms every pious Muslim into a newborn spiritually. Allah (SWT) adorns the Jannah on a daily basis in preparation for the pious among the Muslims who merit paradise upon death. The devil and its soldiers that hitherto torment and derail those who are un-steadfast in the true cause are chained and barred by Allah (SWT) during Ramadan.
Muslims in the month of Ramadan redouble their efforts towards seeking the benevolent sight of Allah (SWT) for His mercy and forgiveness. Evil acts that border on crime and cruelty do abate drastically in Muslim communities the world over. This is evident. It was mentioned in the last edition of this column that the Night of Power (Lailat-ul-Qadr) which is the most sacred night in the month of Ramadan is rewarded with Allah’s bounties more than what may be earned in one thousand months of excellent worship of Allah (SWT). The Prophet (SAW) in one of the Hadiths narrated by Bukhari and Muslim affirmed that a Muslim who dedicates every inch of his worship to Allah (SWT) in the month of Ramadan shall be considered to have been forgiven of all his transgressions against Allah (SWT). Another authentic Hadith as narrated by Ibn Majah to corroborate the eminence of Ramadan has it that Allah (SWT) promises that every good deed in the course of Al-Islam stands to be rewarded 10 folds up to 700 folds. However, Allah (SWT) guarantees that Ramadan stands out because it is His own. Allah (SWT) who owns Ramadan says He is the only one who rewards a Muslim in folds which are unquantifiable on every act of Ibaadah in the holy month.
Fasting can be invalidated with certain acts that are deliberate and sometimes unintended. For instance, liquid substance such as water or any liquid-food that access the throat through the nose invalidates the fast. Taking food or drink deliberately when it is not time to break the fast at sunset equally invalidates the fast. Other related instances include taking infusion of drugs and food into the body system through drips of water solution or blood via the vein by using the tube. All these can invalidate fasting because they nourish the body system.
However, a fast stands valid if food or water is taken by accident. The act of eating or drinking must stop immediately once the person becomes aware of the situation. Muslim (R.A.) narrated and authentic Hadith of the Prophet (SAW) which enjoins anyone who finds himself or herself in this situation to simply continue fasting, even when the act of eating and drinking was already over before one could become aware of one’s error.
Another act that invalidates fasting is the male-female intimacy. Once this occurs, the person(s) involved must pay back the actual fast so invalidated. In addition, he/she has to face the consequence with a penal. The penal is for the person(s) to embark on a non-stop 60-day fast. There must not be a break until the 60 days are exhausted, hence he/she starts all over again. However, in case individual(s) involved could not readily take on the 60-day penal fasting, he/she may opt for the alternate penal of feeding 60 poor adult Muslims at one single meal.
Related to this could be situations when the male organ is deliberately made to produce semen by whatever romantic act aside from the actual intimacy, including any means of self-inducement. This attracts a penal of repeating the invalidated fast(s). But a dream-induced ejaculation or discharge does not invalidate fasting. A deliberate act of vomiting also makes fasting non-valid. But once vomit is provoked, maybe because the person affected is ignorant of the implication, the verdict states that such fast may be passed as valid. However, when one throws up by nature without being provoked, fasting is considered valid. The verdict, more or less applies to one who takes his sahur (meal taken before fajr by a person who intends to observe fast). The same goes for one who breaks his fast a few moments earlier than sunset.
Donating pint(s) of blood and other forms or bleeding someone who fasts is considered an act which renders fasting invalid. However, giving blood samples for the purposes of medical tests, having nosebleed, having tooth drop out of tooth-socket and incurring minor wounds do not necessarily invalidate fast.
Childbirth and menstrual cycle-induced blood flow in women also terminates fasting. The moment a woman who fasts sights blood coming from the vulva signals to the woman that she should break her fast forthwith. Breaking fast this way indicates that the woman shall vacate fasting pending the time she finishes with the menstrual period within two to seven days in a normal circumstance. But she must repeat the number of fasting days she missed ahead of the next Ramadan.
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