Fasting is Obligatory Duty (Fard) in Islam
Ramadan Mubarak to You all
In the Era of Covid-19 Pandemic
Dr. Mozammel Haque
I
have been writing and saying Ramadan Mubarak to you all for more than 40 years,
whether I am in Masjid al-Haram or in the United Kingdom. But this year in 2020
corresponding to 1441 Hijri; the Ramadan this year is different due to Covid-19
Pandemic crisis. There are some changes of course both in the Masjid al Haram
and Masjid-al-Nabawi and also in the United Kingdom. But the principles and
compulsory fasting remain the same. Let me start which I used to do for so many
years, telling about fasting and what to do during this month of fasting, the
month of the Qur’an. In the course of telling about fasting, I will Insha Allah
mention wherever changes are taking place.
Fasting
starts with the sighting of moon
Muslims
all over the world still stick to the tradition of looking to the sky to start
their fasting and ending. The fasting month of Ramadan starts with the sighting
of the Ramadan crescent in the horizon with the naked eye. Under the Shari’ah,
if the new crescent was seen by any trustworthy person supported by two
witnesses his testimony would be documented and the whole nation would accept
that testimony. Whatever be the case, the holy month of Ramadan started this
year on Friday, the 24th of April 2020, the first day of Ramadan. I
am extremely sorry, instead of saying Ramadan Mubarak, I am writing after a
week. This is due to the changes took place in the first week of Ramadan. Still
we are in the midst of Ramadan and still this is the best time to say my
readers RAMADAN MUBARAK.
Ramadan
Mubarak and Ramadan Greetings to all of you, especially to all the readers of this
website: May this holy month bring barakah,
and Allah's boundless mercy upon the believers and harmony and
tolerance for the world
Fasting
is Obligatory Duty (Fard)
I
welcome Ramadan, the month of Mercy and Repentance, the month of the Qur’an, of
Lailatul Qadr (the Night of Power) and of repentance and forgiveness. Fasting
in the month of Ramadan is one of the Pillars of the Islamic faith. It was
declared an obligatory duty (Fard) in the second year of the Hijrah upon
each and every mukallaf (one capable of carrying out religious duties,
i.e. a sane adult).
Allah
the Almighty made Ramadan fasting compulsory for Muslims. Allah said, “O those
who believe, the fasts have been enjoined upon you as were enjoined upon those
before so that you be God-fearing.’ [Surah
Baqarah, 183]. Literally, Sawm means ‘to abstain’. In the terminology of
Islamic law, Sawm means ‘to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual
intercourse: with the conditions that one abstains continuously from dawn to
sunset, and that there is an intention to fast.’ Therefore, should one eat or
drink anything even a minute before sunset, the fast will not be valid.
Similarly, if one abstained from all these things throughout the day but made
no intention to fast, there will be no fast here too.
Allah
the Almighty said in the Qur’an “…And eat and drink, until the white thread of
dawn appears to you distinct from its black thread…” (Al-Qur’an, 2:187)
Literally defined, fasting means to abstain “completely” from foods, drinks,
intimate intercourse and smoking, before the break of the dawn till sunset,
during the entire month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic year.
Fasting
in Islam is based on the lunar calendar and is tied to the sightings of hilal,
the crescent, or new moon. Allah the Almighty stated: “They ask you concerning
the new moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time… (Al-Qur’an,
2:189). And the Traditions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Eat until
you see the crescent and break not until you see the crescent. If it is cloudy
calculate the period of the month.” (Muslim and others).
Fasting
in Ramadan is compulsory upon every Muslim, male or female, who has these
qualifications, e.g. mentally and physically fit, adult full of age which is
normally fourteen and fairly certain that fasting is unlikely to cause any
harm, physical or mental, other than the normal reactions to hunger, thirst
etc.
The
said qualifications exclude the following categories: children under the age of
puberty and discretion; men and women who are too old and feeble to undertake
the obligation of fast and bear its hardships; sick people whose health is
likely to be severely affected by the observance of fast; travellers may break
the fast temporarily during their travel;
pregnant women and women breast-feeding their children may also break
their fast and women in the period of menstruation (of a maximum of ten days or
of confinement (of a maximum of forty days. They must postpone the fast till
recovery and then make up for it.
The
holy month of Ramadan is the month of mercy, forgiveness, and seeking release
from the Hell-fire. It is the month of repentance and acceptance of prayers. It
is the month when the devils are chained, the gates of Hell are looked and the
gates of Paradise are opened. That’s why; Muslims welcome Ramadan each year
with energy and happiness, and are saddened only when the month departs.
Fasting is for the living, not for mourning.
Ramadan
is a month of worship. Muslims should welcome the month with repentance and
seeking Allah’s pardon. We should keep away from committing sins; worship Allah
sincerely and spending the night and day in prayer, supplication and recitation
of the Holy Qur’an.
Fasting
is a shield which helps prevent many sins and with which Muslim protects
himself from Hell-fire. Fasting is more than abstaining from food and drink. It
also means to abstain from any falsehood in speech and action, from any
ignorant and indecent speech, and from arguing and quarrelling. Therefore,
fasting helps to develop good behaviour.
Fasting
inculcates a sense of brotherhood and solidarity, as a Muslim feels and
experiences what his needy and hungry brothers feel. This gives Muslim a new
sense of togetherness and association.
Allah
the Almighty said in the Qur’an: The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the
Qur’an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the
criterion (between right and wrong). (Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 185) As
Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an, every Muslim should prepare himself to
welcome the blessed month of Ramadan by strengthening his relationship with the
Qur’an. A Muslim is encouraged to complete one recitation of the Holy Qur’an
during Ramadan.
We
should engage more and more in the recitation of the Qur’an, in dhikr (remembrance of Allah), perform
extra Salah (ritual prayers) at night and renew identity with one another in
our obedience to Allah.
Please
read some parts of the Holy Qur’an everyday in this blessed month of Ramadan with
translation in a language you speak and understand better in order to follow the Guidance
of Allah Subhanahu wa Taala.
Ramadan
is called the month of charity and sympathy; a month of giving in charity and
sharing meals to break the fast together. Many Muslims also pay Zakah in the
month of Ramadan.
Ramadan is an excellent opportunity to bring about
permanent improvement into our lives. We can do this by making a goal to remove
a harmful trait from our character or speech, whether it be argumentation,
backbiting, making false promises, or resentment against a fellow Muslim, or a
sinful matter from our lives. Insha’Allah by the baraka of this month, this
effort will result in change that will benefit us in this world and the next.
I would again like to take this opportunity to wish all of
you a blessed Ramadan. May this blessed month bring unadulterated peace
to everyone in the world. May Allah make this Ramadan
a month of increasing nearness to Him, and May He accept all of our fasts and
worship. Ameen.
Thus
Ramadan becomes a blessed month of physical, moral and spiritual renewal
through fasting, charity and worship. This is the moral and spiritual gifts of
Ramadan. “We can say that Ramadan gives us the great gift of Taqwa (Piety).
Taqwa is the sum total of Islamic life. It is the highest of all virtues in the
Islamic scheme of things. It means God-consciousness, piety, fear and awe of
Allah and it signifies submission to Allah and total commitment to all that is
good and rejection of all that is evil and bad,” said Dr. Muzzammil H. Siddiqi,
former President of Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).
Changes
due to Covid-19 Pandemic:
Self-isolating
and social distancing
Before
concluding I would like to mention the changes that take place in the
congregational prayers, Jumah prayers, Taraweeh prayers and mass gatherings due
to Covid-19 pandemic crisis; i.e- preventive measures: self-isolating and
social distancing.
The
Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques (Masjid al-Haram in Makkah al-Mukarramah and
the Masjid al-Nabawi in Madinah al-Munawwarah), Dr. Abdul Rahman al-Sudais has
made the following Plans for Ramadan 1441Hijri in the Haramain:
The
following Plans have been made for #Ramadan1441 in the Haramain:
Following latest updates are made
on 28 Sha’ban – 21 April by the Haramain info:
1. Taraweeh will be held without
public attendance, mainly with staff.
2. Taraweeh has been reduced to 10
raka’ah 6+4+witr.
3. 1st Imaam will lead 3
tasleemat and the 2nd Imaam will lead 2 tasleemat & Shafa + witr. The Qunoot
will be shortened.
4. Iftar services cancelled in
both Harams, instead, baskets will be distributed around the cities of Makkah
& Madinah.
5. Itikaf has been cancelled in
both Harams.
6. Umrah will remain suspended
until further notice.
7. The completion of the Qur’an
will be recited between the Taraweeh and Qiyaam (Tahajjud). Khatam will be on
29th night in Qiyaam (Tahajjud).
8. Continued health checks will
still be administered for all workers and attendees for the funeral prayers
upon their entry into the Haram.
As
regards congregational prayers, Friday Jumah prayers and Taraweeh prayers, the
Islamic Cultural Centre & the London Central Mosque Trust announced Ramadan
at Home.
Ramadan
at Home
“Dear Honourable Muslims: This year, we will welcome the
blessed month of Ramadan in a very difficult time as the world is facing an
unusual challenge i.e. the spread of coronavirus [COVID-19], a pandemic
disease.
Therefore, mosques are closed and Muslims will not be able to attend
congregational prayers during this blessed month. However, they can still do
these prayers and worships with the family at home. They will hopefully get the
same reward. In Islam, difficulties and calamities are destined by God
Almighty. The Messenger of God [pbuh] said, "There is no trouble that
comes to a believer except that it removes some of his sins..."
Amid the current global crisis the world is facing, it is important for Muslims
to counter this pandemic through undertaking the necessary policies and
following medical instructions announced by NHS for protection and treatment.
It is important to stay at home, keep the required distance when you pray at
home in order to protect yourself and others.
Finally, adhering to all medical procedures and health protective measures is
required and Muslims must put their trust in God that He will remove the harm,
cure the patients and immensely reward them in this world and the hereafter.
There is no need to panic, it is better to occupy yourself with making worship
as much as you can.”
Ramadan Announcement of the
ICC & the London Central Mosque
Dr. Ahmad al-Dubayan, the Director General of the Islamic
Cultural Centre & The London Central Mosque Trust categorically said in his
Ramadan Announcement: “Ramadan as we all know is the month of care and
the month of generosity. So it is the month we are socially isolating
seriously; let everybody to stay at home and to focus, actually to concentrate
more care about our family members especially our parents, children, wives,
husbands when we are together.”
Dr.
al-Dubayan said, “It is also important to remind everybody – Islamically, we
are asked to follow the instructions done by the authority everywhere, wherever
we are because these instructions are made for protections – and protections of
life in Islam is a priority of course. And it is the month that we try to
extend help to all those who are around us regardless who they are Muslims or
not who needs our help and can give that help during this month and also in any
other time – it is really a duty of every Muslim who believe in the Qur’an and
also in the Prophet peace be upon him.”
He
added, “Now in this month there are some points very important; one of them is,
of course, Mosques are closed now, almost everywhere; so that means we are
going to do prayer and Taraweeh at home.”
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