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THE RAMADAN FAST

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia


Fakulti Undang-undang
Sarjana Undang-undang Perniagaan

Musbri Mohamed

DIL; ADIL ( ITM )


MBL ( UKM )

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Islam is a way of life with its
guidance charting the coordinates
of the map by which the return
journey to where we came from
can successfully be accomplished.

God has revealed how humans


should live and has laid down the
principles on which society is to
be built.

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According to the Qur’an, the
revelation communicated
through the prophet
Muhammad s.a.w (peace be
upon him), Allah s.w.t
created the heavens (multiple
universes) and the earth with
a purpose and allocated the
earth as the place for human
habitation.

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WORSHIP THROUGH ACTION: THE FIVE PILLARS

Islam is real-life-orientated. There is no benefit in a


proclaimed faith which does not translate into action.
Worship in Islam is everything that is done with the
intention to serve and please Allah. Before we begin
offering additional voluntary service, however, there are
some prescribed actions, Allah demands from us.

These are traditionally known as the five pillars on which


the building of Islam rests:

Shahadah (declaration of faith),


Salah (daily prayers),
Saum (fasting during the lunar month of Ramadan), Zakah
(a share of one’s surplus wealth given to those in need of
it),
and Hajj (the pilgrimage to the Kaabah in Makkah).

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Recommended acts by which the Muslim can conform every
aspect of life to God’s will comprise the sunna. The sunna
includes both ritual acts (prayer, fasting etc.) and instructions
on the proper way to carry out worldly affairs like receiving
guests, eating, travel, dress, doing business, family relations,
even the performance of bodily functions. It is sunna to call
people to prayer from the minaret.

The sunna is derived from the practice of Muhammad found in


the collections of hadîth reports of his sayings, deeds and
decisions. Islamic life can be called an “imitation of
Muhammad,” who, as the first hearer of the Qur’an, lived
perfectly in response to its teachings. Muhammad is seen as
the model Muslim who lived, to the smallest detail, in accord
with the Qur’anic message.

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THE RAMADAN FAST

The key elements in the Ramadan fast are remembrance,


celebration, communal solidarity, renewal, forgiveness, and
exposure to the experience of hunger.

In Ramadan, Muslims commemorate the revelation of the


Qur’an. It is a time for Muslims to thank God for the gift of
the Qur’an with Qur’an study groups, academic congresses
and public Qur’an recitations.

During the last week of Ramadan, on the Night of Destiny


(Lailat al-Qadr) when the Qur’an is believed to have been
sent down from heaven, and when the Day of Judgment is
expected, many Muslims spend the entire night in the
mosque, reading the Qur’an, listening to its recitation, and
performing recommended prayers. When the Last Judgment
arrives, they hope to be found in prayer.

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A second element is celebration and social
solidarity. Ramadan is not a sad time, but the
happiest month of the Islamic year and eagerly
awaited.

The ordinary rhythm of life is replaced by a


“sacred” schedule, with families rising in the early
hours of the day to prepare a light meal to be
consumed before dawn. The work day is often
shortened and schoolchildren given their
annual vacation.

The mosques are crowded with worshipers, visitors,


sermons and recitations of the Qur’an. At the
popular level, Muslims visit shrines and tombs of
holy persons and Sufis hold sessions of dhikr.

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Sunset is announced by the call to prayer from the
minarets, and in many places by cannons, gunshots,
or fireworks.

At the iftar, Muslims break their fast with


traditional foods. Families, neighbors, friends, and
colleagues gather at one another’s homes or, in
modern cities, restaurants, to break the fast. After
the meal, they return to the mosque for night prayer
and the long tarâwîh prayers.

After the tarâwîh, shops and markets are again


open, social calls are made, and special musical
programs are aired on television. The socializing
goes on until the early hours.

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The communal performance of a long and
difficult fast, with many periods of prayer,
followed by communal celebration, creates
a strong sense of social solidarity. The
disruption of the normal daily schedule,
with ordinary activities - rising, eating,
praying, shopping - performed at
extraordinary hours, results in the creation
of a sacred time. Business affairs and work
schedules are held to a minimum so that
the main “business” of Ramadan is the
celebration of the fast.

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Renewal and forgiveness are
important features of the fast. Muslims
share a human tendency to get slack in
their duties. Ramadan is a time for
repentance and starting anew, and the
tarâwîh prayers are directed towards
asking forgiveness for the wrongs
committed during the previous year.

Muslims believe that God’s mercy is


boundless and immediate towards one
who repents, but during Ramadan
God’s forgiveness is superabundant.

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As we go through life, it is easy to become pre-occupied with
satisfying our material needs. Some religions institute retreats for
a few chosen people who dedicate themselves fully to religious
service and renounce the worldly struggle for survival. Islam
takes a more moderate approach where once a year everybody
takes a retreat together.

By abstaining from food and drink and intimate sexual relations


during daylight hours for the duration of the month of Ramadan,
the 9th month of the lunar calendar, and by spending more time
during this month in prayer, recitation of the Qur’an, and
reflection, we train ourselves not to become slaves to our
material needs and desires and heighten our awareness of Allah
and our spiritual dimension and destiny. Because fasting is a
communal affair, with joint fast-breaking in the evenings, it also
strengthens the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood regarded as
so important in Islam.

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History shown that Adam and Eve did the first fasting. Adam (peace
be upon him) was given paradise to live in, a place free of want, and
for companionship was given a partner from his own makeup, Eve.
The complete bliss of paradise was tainted by only one small
prohibition: a tree, the fruit of which Adam (peace be upon him) and
Eve must not eat i.e some sort of fasting.

Given the abundance of fruit available, this minor restriction should


not have mattered much, but the devil succeeded in arousing the
couple’s ambition, telling them that God only forbade them from
eating this fruit to prevent them from becoming angel-like and
eternal. The fruit had the opposite effect, however, and made them
aware of their nakedness and vulnerability, and as punishment they
are sent as mere mortals to live on earth, toiling in hardship to
survive. It is said that above God’s throne it is written that His
mercy overcomes His anger, and in true keeping with that Adam
(peace be upon him) and Eve were forgiven and provided with
guidance which, if followed, should help them find their way back
into paradise.

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Life on earth then becomes the temporary examination room where the
intentions of each and every human being are being tested, whether they
follow the guidance which helps them fulfil their true potential of living up
to the spirit of God in them as His representatives on earth, or whether they
follow the devil into obeying their base desires which betray their humble
material make-up.

Through religious observance and prayer man can thus rise from an animal-
like existence to a level of worthiness above that of the angels.

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Islamic tradition states that the fear of God is the crown of all
knowledge. Just as a chair knows nothing about the carpenter, we
are unable to understand or perceive God through our senses.

Before the physical creation of each and every one of us, however,
He gathered all the souls of the descendants of Adam (peace be upon
him) and reminded them of their duty to remember Him as their
Lord. To help us remember, He sent His guidance through His
messengers.

We know God as He describes Himself. The name He takes is Allah,


which is more than just “God” in Arabic. “God” – just as the Arabic
word “llah” can be put in the plural or change gender; there can be
gods and goddesses. Allah, on the other hand, is unique; He has no
equal and He shares His name with none else.

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He was called Allah in the old scriptures, too, in the cousin
languages of Arabic, like Hebrew and Aramaic. Readers of
Bible translations still find the words Eli (Allah) and Elohim
(Allahumm, meaning “o Allah”). Besides His name He is
known through His attributes, which in the Qur’an are also
called the most beautiful names of Allah. These attributes tell us
more about our Creator, and whilst some are exclusive to Him
alone, others are qualities we can aspire to: He is the Just, and
we can be just, He is the Merciful, and we can be merciful, He
is the Generous, and we can be generous.

The tradition that whoever remembers all the ninety-nine names


of Allah will definitely enter paradise means that if we apply
the knowledge we have about Allah in our daily lives, our lives
will be filled with virtue and crowned with success and reward.

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Since the days of Adam (peace be upon him),
the universal content of the message itself
remained unchanged: that there is only one
God, Allah, that all depend on Him alone, that
righteous conduct was the route to success in
His eyes, and that He would judge everybody’s
deeds on the Day of Reckoning.

As mankind evolved through various stages,


however, the detailed set of rules
accompanying this general message equally
evolved. Each messenger, in addition to calling
his people to the undivided worship of Allah
alone, addressed the major sins and injustices
of his time and was such a social reformer by
divine command.

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Because fasting is a communal affair, with joint fast-
breaking in the evenings, it also strengthens the spirit
of brotherhood and sisterhood regarded as so
important in Islam.

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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His
Messenger.

Brother, may you have a happy and blessed Ramadan! Ramadan, as you have stated,
is the month of the Qur'an as well as the month of all good deeds. A Muslim is
recommended to read the Qur'an and do good deeds in this blessed month as much as
he can. In this context, we recall the Prophetic Hadith addressed by the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) to his Companions on the last day of Sha`ban: "O people!
A great month has come; a blessed month in which is a night better than a
thousand months; a month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to
fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night. Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by
performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month), shall receive the
same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time; and whoever
performs an obligatory deed in (this month), shall receive the reward of
performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and
the reward of patience is Paradise. …….

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…………..It is the month of charity, and a month in which a
believer's sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a
fasting person to break his fast, shall have his sins forgiven,
and he will be saved from the Hell-Fire, and he shall have
the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward
being diminished at all."

(Reported by ibn Khuzaymah)

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Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was revealed. Allah
says: (The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the
Quran, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the
guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong). And
whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month.) (Al-
Baqarah 2: 185)

First ; this verse establishes the link between Ramadan and the
Qur'an. We know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) was in the habit of retreating to Mount Hira during Ramadan
and it was during one of these periods of contemplation that the
Archangel Gabriel appeared to him with the first revelation. So
Ramadan marks the beginning of the call to Islam and the
prophetic mission of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon
him).

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Secondly, when Ramadan Fasting became obligatory, the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) used to recite the Qur'an with Gabriel. Gabriel
used to descend from the heavens every night to read everything that had
so far been revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Thirdly, when we offer our Taraweeh prayers, it is recommended that


over the course of the month the whole Qur'an be completed. This
presents a great opportunity for those who haven't read the whole Qur'an
to hear it.

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The month of Ramadan is a blessed month and an opportunity for every
Muslim to draw near to Allah, increase his spirituality, and gain
abundant reward.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam,
which is of paramount significance. The Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) said, “Islam is built upon five pillars: testifying that there
is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allah, performing Prayer, paying the Zakah, making the pilgrimage
to the Sacred House (Hajj), and fasting the month of Ramadan.
(Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Surely, the month of Ramadan is the best season for offering good deeds
and gaining reward. It is the duty of every Muslim to prepare himself for
that blessed month.

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This blessed month is a great opportunity for goodness, blessing,
worship, and obedience of Allah.

It is a great month, a noble season, a month in which rewards for good


deeds are multiplied and in which committing bad deeds is more serious
than at other times. The gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of
Hell are shut, and the sinners’ repentance to Allah is accepted. It is a
month whose beginning is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness, and
whose end is redemption from the Fire.

So give thanks to Him for the season of goodness and blessing that He
has bestowed upon you, and for the means of bounty and various kinds
of great blessings for which He has singled you out. Make the most of
this blessed time by filling it with acts of worship and leaving haram
(unlawful) things so that you may attain a good life in this world and
happiness after death.

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For the sincere believer, every month is an occasion for
worship, and his whole life is spent in obeying Allah.

But in the month of Ramadan he has even more


motives to do good, his heart is even more focused on
worship, and he turns even more to his Lord.

By His grace, our generous Lord bestows His bounty


upon the fasting believers and multiplies the reward for
them on this blessed occasion, so He gives abundantly
and rewards generously for righteous deeds.

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We should never forget that Allah stretches forth His hand during the day to
accept the repentance of those who sinned at night, and He stretches forth
His hand at night to accept the repentance of those who sinned during the
day. Almighty Allah says:

(And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a
Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for those
who ward off (evil); those who spend (of that which Allah hath given
them) in ease and in adversity, those who control their wrath and are
forgiving toward mankind; Allah loveth the good; and those who, when
they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allah and implore
forgiveness for their sins — Who forgiveth sins save Allah only? — and
will not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did. The reward of such will
be forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens underneath which rivers
flow, wherein they will abide for ever, a bountiful reward for workers!)

(Aal `Imran 3: 133-136)

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The month of Ramadan is the month of great gains and profits. The
smart trader is the one who makes the most of special occasions to
increase his profits. So make the most of this month by doing lots of
acts of worship, praying a great deal, reading the Qur’an, forgiving
people, being kind to others, and giving charity to the poor.

In the month of Ramadan the gates of Paradise are opened and the
gates of Hell are shut. The devils are put in chains and a caller cries
out each night, “O seeker of good, proceed! O seeker of evil, desist!”

So, O slaves of Allah, be among the people of good, following the


path of your righteous forebears who were guided by the Sunnah of
your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so that we may end
Ramadan with our sins forgiven and our righteous deeds accepted.

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Finally, in Ramadan Muslims have an
experience of hunger. They are asked to
recall the multitudes who go hungry.
Ramadan is thus a time of conscientization
towards the plight of the hungry.

The fasting month is concluded with the


festival of ‘Id al-Fitr, prior to which
everybody, having learnt the hardships of
hunger and thirst, has to give some charity
to allow those in need to join in the joy of
the celebrations.

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Muslims believe that through the faithful practice
of Ramadan, all their sins are forgiven, and so the
Id al-Fitr, the Feast of Breaking the Fast, is
celebrated with joy.

Having been forgiven by God, Muslims are taught


to forgive one another. Thus, the vertical and
horizontal dimensions of forgiveness are joined. In
the practice of halal bi-halal, Muslims visit parents
and friends to ask forgiveness for any wrongs they
might have committed towards the others during
the previous year in order to prevent grievances
from going on and on and poisoning human
relations.

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As we go through life, it is easy to become pre-occupied
with satisfying our material needs. Some religions institute
retreats for a few chosen people who dedicate themselves
fully to religious service and renounce the worldly struggle
for survival. Islam takes a more moderate approach where
once a year everybody takes a retreat together.

By abstaining from food and drink and intimate sexual


relations during daylight hours for the duration of the
month of Ramadan, and by spending more time during this
month in prayer, recitation of the Qur’an, and reflection,
we train ourselves not to become slaves to our material
needs and desires and heighten our awareness of Allah and
our spiritual dimension and destiny.

Musbri Mohamed
2010

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