Kitaab ul-Siyam

It was only when Allah(swt) revealed the ayah: "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may learn self-restraint," (Surah 2: al-Baqarah Verse 187) that fasting was made obligatory.
Another ayah of the Qur’an that emphasises this obligation is: "Ramadhan is the month in which we sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during the month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and glorify Him in that he has guided you: and perchance ye shall be greatful." (Surah 2: al-Baqarah Verse 185)

The Messenger Muhammad(saw) used to fast in the Month of Ashura when he(saw) was in Makkah, as narrated by Bukhari. Then he continued fasting and ordered the Muslims to fast in Al-Medinah. He later on made it Mandoub (recommended) rather than an obligation (Fard). Also, Imam Ahmad in his Musnad narrated that the Messenger Muhammad(saw) used to fast three days in every month upon arriving in Al-Medinah.

Since fasting is an act of worship between the slave and the Creator and no one knows about it but Allah(swt), the reward is not as any reward for normal acts of worship. The only one who knows about the reward is Allah(swt). The Messenger Muhammad(saw), telling about Allah, said: "Every act taken by the son of Adam is done for him except fasting, it is for Me and I make the reward." (Bukhari)

Fasting is a shield that protects the fasting person from sinning, disobedience and bad language. The Messenger Muhammad(saw) said: "Fasting is a shield. Thus while fasting you must not use foul language or act like those of ignorance (screaming, attacking others etc), or speak loudly.""And if somebody fights him or curses him he should say I am fasting, twice." (Bukhari)

It is strange that the smell of the mouth of the person who is fasting is disliked by the people but greatly liked by Allah(swt). Bukhari narrates that the Messenger Muhammad(saw) said: "By the one who has my soul in his hands, the smell of the mouth of the fasting person is better for Allah than the smell of musk."

Furthermore, Allah(swt) blesses those who fast and honors them so much that He(swt) has made a special gate in Al-Jannah. No-one else uses this gate but them. The Messenger Muhammad(saw) said: "There is a gate in Al-Jannah called Ar-Rayyan which those who fast enter from it. Once they enter from it, it is closed, and nobody else enters it."

For sure the Month of Ramadhan is the best of months. Worship in this month is more rewarding than in other months. Upon the arrival of this month: "The gates of Jannah and the Heavens are opened. The gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained." (Bukhari) Chaining the devils means stopping the source of evil. Thus, it is no wonder that many people return to Allah(swt) in this month after going astray.

It is enough incentive for the Muslims to hear the following hadith to rush into obedience of Allah(swt): "Whoever fasts in the Month of Ramadhan purely because of his faith and sincerity, all of his/her previous sins will be forgiven." (Bukhari) However, forgiveness has two conditions. We have to pay close attention to the saying of the Messenger Muhammad(saw) when he(saw) says; "Purely because of faith and sincerity." It is these two conditions that differentiate between a regular habit and an act of worship. Thus, the one who fasts as a matter of habit or without sincerity, his/her fasting will be of no good. The Messenger Muhammad(saw) said: "Whosoever does not give up saying and acting upon falsehood, Allah is in no need for him/her to abandon his/her food." (Bukhari) On the other hand, there are glad tidings for those who fast out of sincerity. The Messenger Muhammad(saw) said: "There are two occasions for the fasting person where he/she will be happy. He/she will be happy when breaking the fast and will be happy, when he/she meets his/her Lord." (Bukhari)

The Month of Ramadhan begins and ends by the sighting of the moon. The moon can be sighted by all people and consequently the beginning and the end of the months can be known by all. And the Messenger Muhammad(saw) taught us how to know when the month begins and when it ends. He also taught us what to do in case we don’t see the moon. Bukhari narrates that the Messenger Muhammad(saw) said: "Do not fast until you see the moon, and do not break fast until you see it." In another narration the Messenger Muhammad(saw) said: "if you see it (moon) fast and if you see it break fast (and the moon). But, if it can’t be seen, then calculate for it." Also, the Messenger(saw) said: "The month is twenty nine nights. Thus, do not fast until you see it. But, if it is not visible, then complete the month as thirty days."
In addition, Ad-Dar Qutni and Abu Dawood narrated (Sahih Hadith) that Ibn Umar said that the Messenger Muhammad(saw) said people were trying to sight the moon and I told the Messenger(saw) that I saw it. So he(saw) started fasting and ordered the people to start fasting. This hadith tells us that one person sighting the moon is sufficient for everyone to start fasting the Month of Ramadhan.

However, there is a disagreement among Muslims over whether the sighting of the moon in one region obligates Muslims in other regions to fast or not. The Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali School of Thought say that if the moon is sighted in a region, then all Muslims in all regions must fast. The Shafii’ School of Thought, on the other hand, says that sighting of the moon in one region is sufficient for that region and not for others. The correct opinion is that one sighting is sufficient for all Muslims to fast and break fast. This is regardless to where the sighting of the moon occurred. This is due to the honorable hadith: "Fast for seeing it, and break fast for seeing it." The phrase ‘for seeing it’ is general for any sighting in any region. And Allah(swt) is the Most Knowing.

Contrary to the timing of the month, the acts of worship in a day are dependent on the sun. Therefore, we abstain from food, drink and sexual intercourse from Fajr till sunset.

Intention (Niyyah) is a requirement for fasting as the intention, indeed, differentiates from an act of habit or an accident. For example, the person who abstains from food, drink and sexual intercourse from Fajr till sunset for health reasons rather than for worshipping Allah(swt) is not considered to be fasting Islamically and consequently will not be rewarded by Allah(swt). Therefore, the person who wants to fast must have the pure intention for doing that action only to please Allah(swt). Contrary to the common misunderstanding, the intention (Niyyah) need not be said by the tongue, for the intention is an act of the heart. Moreover, the intention must be settled in the heart before Fajr. Al-Tirmidhi and An-Nasai’ narrated that the Messenger Muhammad(saw) said: "Who does not intend to fast from night time, he/she has no fast (not accepted)." So the heart must be set on fasting the next day. Waking up for Suhur is also sufficient to be considered as an intention.

The meal of Suhur is Sunnah (Recommended). The Messenger Muhammad(saw) said: "Have Suhur, for in Suhur there is blessing." (Muslim) It is also preferred to delay Suhur for the saying of the Messenger Muhammad(saw): "My Ummah will be in good condition as long as they delay Suhur and rush in breaking fast." (Ahmad) In addition, Suhur is what differentiates our fast from that of the people of the book. The Messenger(saw) also said: "The difference between our fast and that of the People of the Book is the meal of Suhur." (Muslim)

Once the fasting Muslim has just left his/her food and drink for the sake of Allah(swt) he/she should not curse, use foul language, harm people or talk nonsense. Thus, the fasting individual should keep him/herself busy with the remembrance of Allah(swt), reading Qur’an and attending sessions of Knowledge.

However, it is natural for the human being to make mistakes and even sin, for human beings are created weak and imperfect as Allah(swt) says: "And man was created weak". And consequently the fasting Muslim can make a mistake by forgetfully eating or drinking. In this case he/she is not sinning. This is because of the saying of the Messenger Muhammad(saw): "Allah has forgiven mistakes, forgetfulness and what is due to compulsion from my Ummah." Therefore, the fast for that person is still valid as the Messenger Muhammad(saw) said: "If he forgets and eats and drinks, then he should complete his fast. It was Allah who fed him and gave him the drink." (Bukhari)

As for the person who is overcome by his/her desires and thus breaks fast deliberately, he/she has committed a great sin. If he/she breaks fast by sexual intercourse, then he must make it up as explained in the following hadith by Bukhari: "Abu Huraira(ra) said, ‘While sitting with the Messenger of Allah(saw) a man came and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I have destroyed myself and destroyed my family also.’ ‘He(saw) said, ‘What is the matter?’ He said, ‘I had sex with my wife in Ramadhan.’ The Messenger of Allah(saw) asked, ‘Do you have a neck (slave) to free.’ He said, ‘No.’ He(saw) said, ‘Can you fast two months consecutively?’ He said, ‘No.’ He(saw) said, ‘Can you feed sixty poor people? He said, ‘No.’ After a while a branch of dates was brought to the Messenger(saw). He(saw) said, ‘Where is the questioner?’ He said, ‘Here I am.’ He(saw) said, ‘Take this and give it as charity.’ He said, ‘To someone poorer than me, O Messenger of Allah? By Allah, there is no family poorer than my family.’ The Messenger(saw) laughed till his molar teeth could be seen and said, ‘Feed it to your family."

This is with regard to sexual intercourse but anything less than intercourse is permissible as Bukhari narrated that Aisha(ra) said that the Messenger(saw) used to kiss and touch while fasting. It is also permissible to have sexual intercourse after sunset and delay Ghusl (Shar’ii Faith) till after Fajr as Aisha(ra) said that the Messenger(saw) used to take Ghusl from Janabah after Fajr in Ramadan and fast (Reported in Bukhari). In addition, it is allowed for the fasting person to rinse the mouth (if some water enters the mouth by mistake it is still valid), take a bath, wear perfume, use Kohl and use Miswak.

With regards to fasting whilst travelling, Allah(swt) has permitted us to break fast whilst traveling and in sickness on the condition that we make it up at a later date as: "And for those who are sick or travelling, then (the prescribed period) should be made up on other days." This is by the mercy of Allah(swt). However, if the traveller finds him/herself able to fast and prefers to do so, it is allowed. Bukhari narrated that Hamza bin Amru said to the Messenger(saw): "Should I fast while travelling?’ (He used to fast often). He(saw) said, ‘If you wish, fast and if you wish, break fast." In the case of Jihad, however, the Messenger(saw) used to obligate his companions to break fast when they were about to meet the enemy. The Messenger Muhammad(saw) said: "You are meeting your enemy tomorrow and breaking fast will make you stronger, so break fast."

Fasting whilst sick will only delay its recovery or worsen it, therefore, one is permitted to break fast. But the one who is not affected by the fast is not a legitimate excuse. Also, breaking fast is only allowed in the travelling that is permissible not that which is haram. Some individuals may assume it is better not to break fast nowadays when travelling is easier. For those individual we recite the Ayah: "And your Lord is not forgetful." The Islamic Laws are for all times and places and thus there is no room for us to make rules from our own minds or desires while we have clear and true guidance from Allah(swt).

Women who are menstruating or who have post-childbirth bleeding are obligated to break fast until they become pure again as the Messenger(saw) said: "Is it not that she does not fast nor pray during her menstruation period?" (Bukhari) In addition, if a woman is pregnant or is breast-feeding and she thinks she and the baby will suffer if she fasts, or she merely feels hardship in fasting, then she can break fast but must make up the missed days. The Messenger Muhammad(saw) said: "Allah takes away half of the Salah from the traveller, the breast-feeding women and the pregnant women." (Abu Dawood)

With regards to the elderly and those who are terminally ill, they do not have to make up the days that they have missed as they are unable to do so. Nonetheless, they have to feed one poor person as Bukhari narrated about the action of Anas.

Salat-ul-Tarawih is an important feature of Ramadhan as the Messenger Muhammad(saw) encouraged the people to perform these special prayers as he(saw) said: "Whoever prays during the nights of Ramadhan (Tarawih) with a firm belief and hoping for reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven." (Bukhari & Muslim)

In conclusion, Ramadan is a training period to remove our desires of Dunya and to increase our Taqwa. The fulfillment of our obligations should not be restricted to just one month and must be continued throughout the rest of the year. The only way we will progress forward and attain victory as an Ummah is if we perform all our obligations as Muslims at all times with the sincere intention to please Allah(swt) alone. (Bukhari). Furthermore, a fasting Muslim is ordered not to retaliate if someone hurts him. The Messenger Muhammad(saw) said: