Saturday, June 20, 2015

The Importance of Fasting in Islam: Virtues, Warnings, and Manners

Recovery from jaundice

In order to obtain the blessings of fasting and acquire knowledge of Sharī'ah, please join the Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami, a global & non-political religious movement of the Quran and Sunnah.

So as to improve your character, please buy a Madanī In'āmāt booklet from Maktabatul-Madīnah, fill it in daily and hand it to the relevant responsible Islamic brother of Dawat-e-Islami in your area. Travel with Madanī Qāfilahs as well in the company of devotees of Rasūl to learn Sunnah of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللہُ عَلَيْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم.

There are great blessings of travelling with Madanī Qāfilahs. An Islamic brother of Hyderabad (Bāb-ul-Islam, Sindh) gave the following statement: (Probably) In 1994, my wife suffered from jaundice. She was in serious condition and was under medical treatment in her parental house in Bāb-ul-Madīnah, Karachi.

As I was already aware of the blessings of Madanī Qāfilahs, I travelled with a Madanī Qāfilah for sixty three days. During the Madanī Qāfilah, I visited Bāb-ul-Madīnah, Karachi. Upon phoning, I was informed that she was still in serious condition and her bilirubin had increased to an alarming level. There was no improvement in her health in spite of 25 glucose drips being administered to her. I tried to comfort her saying that she would recover due to the blessings of the Madanī Qāfilah, إِن شَاءَ اللہ عَزَّوَجَلَّ. I remained in contact with her (during the Madanī Qāfilah).

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Her condition began to improve day by day. I was to travel out of Bāb-ul-Madīnah after five days. When I phoned to ask about her health I was given the good news that the bilirubin report had become normal and the doctor also expressed satisfaction, اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ. I glorified Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and happily travelled further with the Madanī Qāfilah in the company of devotees of Rasūl.

Far from Hell

Sayyidunā Abū Sa'īd Khudrī رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالَٰی عَنْہُ has narrated that the Noble Rasūl صَلَّى اللہُ عَلَيْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم has said: 'If any one fasts for a day in Allah's way, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will move his face as far away from Hell as is the distance of seventy years.' (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, pp. 265, vol. 2, Ḥadīš 2840)

Dear Islamic brothers! As there are countless blessings and benefits of fasting, there are also severe warnings for missing a single fast of Ramadan without a valid exemption of Sharī'ah. If anyone misses a single fast in Ramadan deliberately without a valid exemption he will not be able to make up for it even if he fasts for the rest of his life.

Loss of missing one fast

Sayyidunā Abū Hurairah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالَٰی عَنْہُ has narrated that the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللہُ عَلَيْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم has said: 'Anyone who misses one fast in Ramadan without a valid reason or valid illness cannot make up for it even if he fasts for the rest of his life.' (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, pp. 638, vol. 1, Ḥadīš 1934)

This means that he can never earn the blessings that lie in the fasts of Ramadan. So therefore we must not deprive ourselves of this huge blessing due to heedlessness. People who fast and then break it without a valid exemption must fear the wrath of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

People hanging upside down

Sayyidunā Abū Umāmah Bāhilī رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالَٰی عَنْہُ has narrated that he heard the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللہُ عَلَيْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم say: 'Whilst I was asleep two persons came to me and took me to a mountain. When I got to the middle of the mountain, I heard terrifying sounds. Upon asking about the sounds, I was told, 'These are the voices of the people in Hell.' I proceeded further and saw people who were tied upside down with the veins of their own ankles; their jaws had been torn apart and were bleeding. I asked as to who they were and I was told, 'They used to break their fast before its due time.' (Al-Iḥsān bitartīb Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān, pp. 286, vol. 9, Ḥadīš 7448)

Dear Islamic brothers! Breaking a fast in Ramadan without a valid exemption is a major sin. This Ḥadīš refers to the punishment of the people who fast but then break their fast deliberately before sunset without a valid exemption. Likewise, there is severe punishment of Hell for those who do not fast at all in Ramadan without valid exemption.

May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ protect us from His wrath for the sake of His Beloved Rasūl صَلَّى اللہُ عَلَيْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم!

آمِيْن بِجَاہِ النَّبِيِّ الْأَمِيْن صَلَّى اللہُ تَعَالَٰی عَلَيْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيْب صَلَّى اللَّٰه تَعَالَى عَلَى مُحَمَّد

Three unfortunate people

Sayyidunā Jābir Bin 'Abdullāh رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالَٰی عَنْہُ has narrated that the Prophet of mankind, the Peace of our heart and mind, the most Generous and Kind صَلَّى اللہُ عَلَيْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: 'The one who finds Ramadan but does not fast is unfortunate; the one who has both of his parents or any one of them but does not treat them well is unfortunate; the one who hears me being mentioned but does not recite Ṣalāt is unfortunate.' (Majma'-uz-Zawāid, pp. 340, vol. 3, Ḥadīš 4773)

Disgrace

Sayyidunā Abū Hurairah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالَٰی عَنْہُ has narrated that Rasūlullāh صَلَّى اللہُ عَلَيْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم has said: 'May the person who hears me being mentioned but does not recite Ṣalāt upon me be disgraced! May the person who finds Ramadan but is not forgiven before it departs be disgraced! May the person who has old parents but does not enter Heaven by (respecting and serving) them be disgraced!' (Musnad Imām Aḥmad, pp. 61, vol. 3, Ḥadīš 7455)

Three levels of fasting

Dear Islamic brothers! Though the apparent precondition of fast is to abstain from deliberately eating, drinking and intercourse, there are also some manners of fasting which we must get to know so that we can succeed in acquiring all the blessings of fasting. There are three degrees of fasting:

  1. The fast of common people.
  2. The fast of the pious.
  3. The fast of the ascetic.

1. Fast of common people

The literal meaning of fast is 'to abstain' while by Sharī'ah, it implies to abstain from deliberately eating, drinking and intercourse from dawn (Ṣubḥ-e-Ṣādiq) to sunset. This is called the fast of the common people.

2. Fast of the pious

In addition to abstaining from eating, drinking and intercourse avoiding all types of evils is the fast of the pious people.

3. Fast of the ascetic

To refrain from all the worldly activities and devote oneself completely to the worship of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is the fast of the ascetic.

Dear Islamic brothers! In addition to abstaining from eating and drinking, we must also prevent all of our body parts from sins.

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