What is Ramadan? – by Rahma Trixie Bernard
Ramadan is the month during which the Holy Qur’an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, through the Angel Jibril. “Ramadan is the month in which was sent down the Qur’an as a guide to humanity and as a clear sign for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So anyone of you who witnesses the month should spend it in fasting…” (2:185) This verse was revealed on the 2nd of Sha‘ban, in the second year of Hijrah. (Hijrah was the migration of the Muslims from persecution in Mecca to acceptance and flourishing in Medina; the Islamic calendar takes the Hijrah for its first year.) Before this, Muslims were commanded to fast three days in every month (2:183) Bukhari and Muslim are the two most important collections of hadith among Sunni Muslims, named for the scholars who collected and edited them. Hadith denote the reports of the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be prayer and peace. Both of these hadith include observing Ramadan as one of the five pillars of Islam. “Islam is built on five pillars: testimony that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, and testimony that Muhammad is His messenger; establishing Salah, giving Zakah, observing the fast of Ramadan, and pilgrimage to the House of Allah.” Ramadan is derived from the Arabic root word ramida or ar-ramad denoting intense scorching heat and dryness, especially the ground. This relationship of the sun on the sand is similar to the month Ramadan, in that it is the burning up of sins with good deeds. Ramadan helps a serious believer remold, reshape, reform, and renew his physical and spiritual disposition and behavior.
Who must observe Ramadan?
There are guidelines as to who needs to observe Ramadan. “Oh you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may acquire self-restraint” (2:183) Every Muslim who: a. has reached puberty, b. is sane, c. is capable of bearing the fast, d. and if females, is not in the period of menstruation or postnatal bleeding. There are also guidelines as to who is not obligated to observe Ramadan. Those who are not obligated to fast nor to make up missed fast days are: a. non-Muslim, b. a child, c. someone insane or retarded, d. an elderly person who can not bear fasting, e. or having a terminal illness. “On no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can bear…” (2:286) Before fasting of Ramadan was prescribed to the believers, everyone was given a choice between fasting or feeding. This is what is meant in Surah Al-Baqarah : “…for those who can do it (with hardship) is a ransom, the feeding of indigent…”(2: 184) This verse was abrogated by the verse of Ramadan, “…So anyone of you who witnesses the month should spend it in fasting…” (2:185). When a believer in incapable of fasting, feeding the poor becomes a substitute. There are also guidelines for those who are not required to fast during the month of Ramadan, but are obliged to make up for fast days missed at a later time: a. “Fasting is for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (missed) should be made up…” (2:184), b. those who are seriously ill ( Illness: where fasting would worsen, delay recovery , or cause one considerable harm; dispensation given to someone who needs to take medicine during the day that breaks the fast and that he can not delay taking until night), c. excessive hunger or thirst, meaning likely to cause death or illness, are legitimate excuses not to fast, even when they occur on a day one has already begun to fast, as soon as the fast becomes a hardship, d. those traveling. The traveler has a choice between fasting and breaking the fast, e. a woman who is menstruating or has postnatal bleeding, f. woman who is breast-feeding a baby or is pregnant. In order to make up for not fasting during the month of Ramadan, the same number of days the fasting was missed during Ramadan should be observed at a later time. Also you should feed one person for a day for each day that you missed fasting during Ramadan. It is preferable for travelers not to fast if fasting would harm them, though if not, then fasting is better. “But if any one is ill or on a journey, (he ought to fast) a number of other days. Allah desires ease and does not desire hardship for you…” (2:185) This was the preference of the Prophet (saas) as related by Abi Darda (raa), who said: “We journeyed with the Prophet (saas) during Ramadan when it was an extremely hot (season). Some of us shaded ourselves with our hands, because of the extreme heat. No one was fasting among us except the Prophet and Abdullah bin Abi Rawahah. The Prophet broke his fast in consideration for his companions when he knew that the fast was getting the best of the companions and bringing on them an unnecessary hardship.” (Muslim) Saas is an abbreviation for “salla-llahu ‘alayhi wa sallim”, peace and prayers of Allah be upon him, the recommended blessing to be spoken at each mention of the Prophet, peace and prayers of Allah be upon him! It is not necessary to include in written texts but a good reminder for those new to this adab. Raa is an abbreviation for “radiya-llahu ‘anhu”, may Allah be well-pleased with him; blessing upon the Companions of the Prophet and sometimes used for later saints. In another hadith reported by Jabir Bin Abdullah (raa): “When the Prophet (saas) journeyed to Makkah, in the year of victory, he fasted until he reached a place known as Kara’ah Al-Ghamin. He was informed that the companions who were fasting were having difficulty with the fast. So, they were waiting to see what he would do. The Prophet (saas) then requested a goblet full with water after ‘Asr prayer and drank it while everyone was looking.” (Muslim)
What Does the New Moon Have to Do with Ramadan?
Fasting Ramadan is only obligatory when the new crescent moon (hilal) of Ramadan is sighted. If it is too overcast to be seen, then the preceding month of Sha‘ban is presumed to last for thirty days, after which people begin fasting Ramadan. The testimony of a single witness is sufficient to establish that the month of Ramadan has come, provided the witness is upright, male, and responsible for the duties of Islam. Abu Hurairah (raa) related the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: “Fast by sighting the hilal (the new crescent moon), and break your fast by sighting. If there is a cloud, complete the counting of Sha’aban 30 days. (Bukhari/Muslim) Ibn Umar (raa) reported, “During the time of the Prophet (saas), the companions went looking for the new crescent. So I told the Prophet (saas) that I saw it. So he fasted and told the companions to fast.” (Abu Dawud/Hakim – a Major collections of Hadith.) Because in the lunar calendar the month could be 29 or 30 days, the sighting time of the new crescent moon begins on the 29th of the month shortly before or after sunset while there is still some light in the sky. It does not remain in the horizon very long. The month of Ramadan ends when 2 people witness the new crescent moon of the Shawwal.
Basic Elements of Fasting
One must make the intention to fast for each day one fasts: be specific, and make the intention in the night prior to dawn. Example: O Allah, for Your sake and for Your sake alone, I intend to fast from now until the time of Maghrib. “And they have been commanded no more than to worship Allah, offering Him sincere devotion.” (98:5) (Fasting is an act of worship when we intend to do it for Allah alone)
Hadith related by ‘Umar bin Al-Kattab (raa): “I heard the Messenger of Allah (saas) : ’Deeds are but by intention, and every man shall have all but that which he intended, Thus, he whose migration was for Allah and His Messenger, his migration was for Allah and His Messenger, and he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in marriage, his migration was for that for which he migrated.’” (Bukhari/Muslim) Predawn meal is recommended even if it is slight or consists of water alone. “Take your early morning meal for in that is a blessing.” (Bukhari/Muslim) Each of the following invalidates the day’s fast when one knows they are unlawful and remembers one is fasting. You must refrain from these things which break the fast from Fajr until Magrib: 1. eating, 2. drinking, 3. snuff, (up the nose) 4. sexual intercourse, 5. deliberate vomiting. The criterion as to whether something invalidates the fast is: a substance that reaches the body cavity through an open passageway.
Things that do not break a fast
The fast remains valid if any of the things which break it are done absentmindedly or out of ignorance. 1. having a wet dream, 2. involuntary vomiting, 3. some water reaching the body cavity as a result of rinsing out the mouth or nose, provided not much water was used. Involuntary acts which invalidate the fast: a. insanity, even for a moment b. being unconscious the entire day, c. the appearance of menstrual or post-natal flow.
Making up Missed Fast day
It is recommended to do so consecutively and immediately. It is not permissible for a person with some unperformed fast-days of Ramadan to delay making them up until the next Ramadan unless there is an excuse for delaying. If one delays, then there is a payment of food to the poor. “The prescribed number (should be made up) from days later.” (2:185) It is prohibited to fast on the feast days, ‘Eid al-Fitr and ‘Eid al-Adha (Eid al-Adha is the feast of Ibrahim and his son, upon them be peace, observed at the end of the annual Hajj, two months after Ramadan.)
Other Recommendations During Ramadan
Performing acts of charity and benevolence toward the less fortunate, for the sake of Allah, are highly desired on all occasions, but more so during the blessed month of Ramadan. “Have mercy upon those on earth, and those in heaven will have mercy upon you.” (Abu Dawud/Tirmidhi) Improve one’s relations with family and relatives. Recite the Qur’an often. Remember the Name throughout the day. Spend periods of spiritual retreat in the mosque, especially during the last ten days of Ramadan. Break the fast with others after sunset, even if only with water. It is the month of the Qur’an, with regards to revelation and study. “The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Qur’an.”(2:185) On the authority of Ibn “Abbas: Angel Gabriel used to meet the Prophet every night in Ramadan and used to study Qur’an with him. Hadith: the Messenger’s wife, ‘Aishah, (raa), related that: “When the month of Ramadan enters its last ten days, the Messenger of Allah (saas) spends his night praying and wakes up his family to join him, and he would tighten his belt.” (Bukhari /Muslim) Fasting enhances and energizes friendship, as Ramadan is known as the month of invitations and visitations. Friends, family members and neighbors extend invitations to each other to come to their homes to have Iftar together. The Messenger said, “When a believer invites you, you should respond.”
The Deeper Meanings of the Fast
I have a whole web page to explain the deeper meanings of fasting. Go to Fasting to read this long explanation.
The fasting of the average Muslim involves refraining from satisfying the appetite of the stomach and the desire for sex. fasting increases our Taqwa or holy fear. “O you who believe, fasting is prescribed to you as it was to those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint.” (2:183) Taqwa is translated as self-restraint. The goal is to learn to shun wrongdoing, to have discipline and self restraint. Fasting increases purification and patience. It increases your understanding of the suffering of the poor and hungry. When you feel hungry, you feel what the poor feel and you are moved to give help to those who are needy. The fasting of the Sufi is to keep the ears, the eyes, the tongue and the hands free from sin or harmful actions. 1. Tongue: lying, backbiting, obscenity 2. Ears: listening to (being a partner) in backbiting, obscenity, idle talk… 3. Eyes: coveting and looking with lust 4. Hands, feet from unlawful and forbidden acts of Divine Law 5. Tongue should be in remembrance of God In a hadith reported by Abu Hurairah, the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: It is not fasting, just to restrain from food and drink, instead the fast is to cease from idle talk (laghw), obscenity, and should anyone insult or provoke you, or act ignorantly towards you, respond to it by saying, ‘I am fasting, I am indeed fasting.'” (Ibn Khuzaimah – collector of Hadith.) In another citation reported by Abu Hurairah (raa) the Messenger of Allah, (saas), said: “He who does not stop from false talk or stop from acting upon false talk, Allah will have no need that he abstain from his food and drink.” (Bukhari) Jabir on the authority of Anas related that the Messenger of Allah (saa) said: “There are five things that break the fast: telling lies, backbiting, telling tales, perjury, covetousness and lustful eyes.” In a tradition, “the Messenger of Allah (saa) said: ’Indeed, fasting is a trust; let each, therefore, take good care of his trust.’ When he recited the verse ‘ Allah orders you all to hand back the trusts to their owners…’ he raised his hands so that they touched his ears and eyes and said: ‘The gift of hearing and sight are each a trust from Allah.’ Similarly the gift of speech is a trust…” In a Hadith al-Qudsi reported by Abu Hurairah, the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: “All services of the son of Adam are for him except fasting. It is for Me, and I will reward him for it. Fasting is a shield. On the day you fast, do not use obscenity, nor yell at others, nor act ignorantly towards them. However, if anyone abuses you verbally or attempts to draw you to fight with him, say ‘I am fasting’ two times. The Prophet (saas) then states: I swore by the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, the breath of the faster is sweeter to Allah on the Day of Judgment than the scent of musk. The faster experiences enjoyment twice; he is pleased when he breaks his fast, and he is pleased when he meets his Maker.” (Muslim)
Fasting and the Haqiqa
The fasting of the saint is the fast of the heart, that is to fast from all worldly concerns and to think only of Allah. Sawm, to fast means: the complete withholding from everything except the Beloved, which is Allah. Restrain your inner being from the passions of the ego and the attractions of the world. To abstain from mean thoughts and worries, and meanings (feelings).Seek only God, and to turn away from all that is not He.
Tarawih Prayer (A special night prayer in Ramadan)
Tarawih Prayer is customarily prayed in a congregation and is offered after the obligatory Isha prayer. The prayers consist of 8 to 20 rakahs in cycles of 2 (like the morning prayer); after every 4th rakat, the tarawih supplication is recited. It is tradition to read the entire Qur’an during Ramadan. The Qur’an is divided into 30 parts called juz’. One juz’ is read or recited each day. Each juz’ is divided into two groups called a hizb. Shaykh Durkee’s edition of the Qur’an has each juz’ and hizb marked so you can easily tell how far to read each day.
Proper Qur’an Etiquette
Some argue that this purity or cleanliness is of the heart, i.e. that only Muslim believers should handle the Qur’an. However, the majority of Islamic scholars interpret these verses to also refer to a physical cleanliness or purity, which is attained by making formal ablutions (wudu). Therefore, most Muslims believe that only those who are physically clean through formal ablutions should touch the pages of the Qur’an.
As a result of this general understanding, the following “rules” are usually followed when handling the Qur’an:
1) One should make formal ablutions before handling the Qur’an or reading from its text. 2) One who is in need of a formal bath (after intercourse or menstrual bleeding) should not touch the Qur’an until after bathing. 3) A non-Muslim should not handle the sacred text, but may listen to tapes of the Qur’an or handle a translation or interpretation.
You can work around the prohibition of touching the Qur’an by using an English translation of the Qur’an. It is only considered the word of Allah when written in Arabic. If it is only in English, it is considered someone’s opinion of the Qur’an and not the Qur’an itself. This is also why it is so heavily encouraged to learn Arabic. If you know Arabic you can read the actual words and make your own interpretation of their meanings instead of taking someone else’s ideas.
4) Those who are unable to handle the Qur’an based on these reasons should either avoid handling the Qur’an completely, or in necessity hold it while using some sort of barrier covering the hand, such as a cloth or a glove.
In addition, when one is not reading or reciting from the Qur’an, it should be closed and stored a clean, respectable place. Nothing should be placed on top of it, nor should it ever be placed on the floor or in a bathroom. To further show respect for the sacred text, those who are writing it should use clear, elegant handwriting, and those who are reading from it should use clear, beautiful voices.
In summary, Muslims believe that the Holy Qur’an should be handled with the deepest respect.
Lailat Al-Qadr (The Night of Power or the Night of Destiny) Lailat al-Qadr is considered to be the holiest night in the Islamic calendar. It marks the beginning of the revelation of the Qur’an to Muhammad. Allah sends down the angels with greetings of peace and mercy from Him on this blessed night. It is recommended to seek the night and spend it diligently in devotion, including night Sunnah prayers (Tahajjud), recitation of Al-Qur’an and supplications. In a hadith related by Abu Hurairah (raa), the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: “He who spends the night in prayer on the Night of Power, as a sign of His faith, and seeking rewards from Allah, his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari/Muslim) This verse indicates that regardless of whether a person knows the night or not, Allah will grant him forgiveness for previous shortcomings. innââ añzalnâhu fî laylati-l-qadårwa mââ adårâka mââ laylatu-l-qadårlaylatu-l-qadåri khayrum-min alfi shahrtanazzalu-l-malââ’ikatu wa-r-rûhu bi-idhni rabbihim miñ kulli amrsalâmun hiya hattâ matåla‘i-l-fajår – We have sent it down on the Night of Power.If only you knew what is the Night of Power.The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.The angels and the Spirit descend thereon by the Leave of their Lord with every command.It is peace, till the break of dawn” (97th Surah)
Duties after Ramadan
As the blessed month of Ramadan nears its end, there are three important obligations to help bid the month farewell: Zakah al-Fitr, ‘Eid Al-Fitr, and the annual Zakaah.
Zakah al-Fitr
The giving of fast breaking alms, the Zakah of ‘Eid Al-Fitr, is mandatory on every Muslim. In a hadith related by Abdullah bin ‘Umar (raa) he said: “The Messenger of Allah, has commanded the faster to observe Ramadan fast breaking alms, one Sa’a (a beaker, a unit of measurement) of dates on a bondsman, a freeman, on every man and woman, young and old….” Each householder should give for every member of his immediate family. He should give staples; foodstuffs that can be stored naturally. A Sa’a is equivalent to 5 pounds – so 5 pounds per person. The best time to give is on the eve of ‘Eid al Fitr or before the morning prayer of ‘Eid al Fitr. The optional time to give alms is one or two days before ‘Eid, that is the 28th or 29th day of Ramandan. It must be given before ‘Eid prayer. The recipients of the Alms are the poor and needy Muslims and those in debt. The spiritual reason of fast breaking alms is to cleanse the faster from mistakes or shortcomings during the month of Ramadan and to provide for the poor. “Of their goods take alms so that thou mightiest purify and sanctify them…” (9: 103)
Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Fitr is the festival which marks the end of fasting and Ramadan. It is a time of good will, celebrating, rejoicing and praising God, a festival where people celebrate by visiting each other and eating together.
Annual Zakaah
One of the five pillars, Zakaah (alms) is what a believer returns out of their wealth to the neediest of Muslims for the sake of the Almighty Allah. It is called Zakaah because the word Zakaah is from Zakaa which means, to increase, purify, and bless. The obligation of Zakaah is mandatory on every Muslim who possesses the minimum Nisaab (the minimum amount that necessitates zakah). It is a way that we give back to our God a portion of that which He has generously given to us. Ramadan is the month of giving and benevolence, the Messenger was more benevolent than the falling rain. Giving zakaah purifies the soul of the fasting person. Sidi asks for 2.5% (one fortieth) of our net worth for the poor. In order to calculate your net worth take all that you have, the things in your home, (but not the home in which you live, nor the car you use) and any money you have in the bank, any stocks or bonds, any other real estate you own, savings, and pensions. Add up what it is all worth, then subtract anything you still owe on it – this is your net worth that you should pay the 2.5%.
Here is a link to zaytuna.org regarding zakat. They have about links to 22 different questions people have about zakat.