Fasting ‫صوم‬

Sheikh Atabek Shukurov

The meaning of fasting/ saum in Arabic is to refraining from something, or to refrain from speaking

In Sacred law it means to not to eat, drink and conjugal relations from dusk to dawn

Quranic verse that mention fasting

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you,
that ye may ward off (evil).” The Cow 2:183

The fast became obligatory in the second year in Medina

The previous nations used to fast by not talking or by being atheistic, this is not permissible to
remain silent by fasting. As the hadith narrates that a brother who does not speak to his brother is
committing sin.

Types of fast

1. Fard/obligatory – Ramadan

2. Necessary – oath, expiation and make up

3. Sunna – remainder of fasts: the day of Arafat, the tenth of Muharram etc.

4. disliked: fasting Saturday on its own

5. Prohibited: on the days of the two Eids

Conditions of fasting

1. Muslim

2. Maturity : when a boy or girl becomes mature

3. Sane
4. To be aware of obligatory

5. To be outside of period and post partum bleeding

6. To be of sound health: not to be ill

7. Traveller of over 84km: which is to leave the last building of your city before the fastings become
obligatory

Pillars of fasting

1. Not to drink

2. Not to eat

3. Conjugal relations

Moon sighting: there are two different ways

1. To witness the moon

2. Complete thirty days

It is not permissible to follow the astronomy plans according to Fatwa Hindiyyah

These have to been followed in order – we cannot chose

Intention can made after maghrib prayer until midday of the fasting day in Ramadan. For other fasts
intention has to be made before that day

It is disliked to chew Arabic chewing gum, overdo kissing your partner, hug, mouthwash or anything
to make you too weak. Normal chewing gum will break fast

It is not disliked to smell perfume, oil beard or hair, use Miswak or to use a sauna

There are two kinds in invalidating actions

1. The following necessities make up not expiation:

By accident, blood entered throat

Eaten
Eaten something not considered food

Dropping semen without entering

Eat/drink with necessity

2. Need make up and expiation:

Deliberately eat food – what is considered food in your area

Conjugational act using front or back entrance

Medicine: Ear drops do not break, Oil does not break, Injection into muscles okay but veins breaks,
drops into nose breaks

Actions that do not break fast

Eating/drinking by mistake

Backbiting but decreases reward

Reasons for exemption of fasting

1. Travelling: a) over 84 kilometres, b) intention to leave for over 2 weeks but not more

2. Illness – if it increases Illness or illness that may cause the loss of a limb. The signs are important
here, or 60% sure or doctors advice – it does not have to be a Muslim doctor in a non Muslim
country as long as he knows what fasting means and is trustworthy

3. Pregnancy/breastfeeding – only if harm is feared

4. Bleeding – Menstrual cycle or post partum bleeding

5. Extreme thirst/ hunger that they fear loss of function of limbs or permanent illness or they are
very old

6. To be a guest: you can break a fast before zuhur but not after and not an obligatory fast

For parents it’s until Asr

Sacrifice

Is the meaning in the Arabic language – in sacred law it means to pay the value of 2.5kg to the poor
per fast not kept
It is only for those who are extremely ill or very old – they pay a poor person two meals a day for the
value of 2.5kg of wheat

Expiation

In Arabic means to purify oneself – in the sacred law it means to a free a slave or fast two months

It is mandatory

It has no time scale that it has to be paid by

It is prohibited to fast 3 days after Qurbani Eid and the two eids

Ittikaf

In sacred law it means to

1. Stay in a masjid or a Jamia for a specific time

2. Fast

Quranic verse mentioning it 2:187

Types

1. Emphasised Sunna – last 10 days Ramadan

2. Wajib- make up or oath

3. desired any kind after these

Conditions

1. Masjid

2. Intention

3. Not in a state of major impurity

Its permissible for women but disliked

Leaving the masjid

The caller to prayer leaves the masjid if he ascends the minbar