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Author: Abdullah Jallow

Who is the fasting person?

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said:

The fasting person is the one whose limbs abstain from sins; his tongue (abstains) from lying, lewdness and false speech; his stomach (abstains) from food and drink and his private parts (abstain) from obscenity. When he speaks, he does not speak with what harms his fasting and when he acts he does not do what corrupts his fasting. All his speech comes out useful and righteous.

Likewise his actions are of the status of that scent that is smelled by the one who sits with the seller of musk, and likewise the one who sits with the fasting person is benefited by sitting with him and is saved from false speech, lies, evil deeds and oppression. This is the legislated fasting and not merely abstaining from food and drink.[1] And it is (reported) in the authentic hadeeth: ”Whoever does not give up lying speech (false statements) and acting on those lies and evil actions etc., Allaah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink.” [2]

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References

[1] Sharh Al-Waabilus Sayyib of Imaam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz (rahimahullaah), page:31]

[2] English Translation of Saheeh Bukhaari, vol 3, Hadeeth Number: 1903. Muhsin khan

He Heard a voice thinking that it was the Adhaan of Maghrib

Question:

What is the ruling on the one who eats before the adhaan of (Maghrib), because he committed a mistake; he heard a voice and thought that it was the adhaan and then broke his fast. Thereafter, it became clear to him that the Mu-addhin did not call the adhaan yet?

 

Answer:

If the sun had already set, then his fasting is correct. And if the sun had not, then his fasting is incorrect. If he doubted whether the sun had set or not and continued upon this (doubt), then the fasting should be repeated out of precaution. Repeat this day’s (fasting), and this is (done) out of precaution.” [Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil Masjidil Haraam of Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Muhammad Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah) page: 517] 


 

He gargled and some water enters into his throat…..

Question

A person gargled and a little bit of water enters into him (i.e. his belly, down his throat etc.); is his fasting broken?

 

Answer:

If that was done intentionally, your fasting is broken. And if that was done unintentionally, your fasting is not broken and this fasting is correct. You gargled and some water entered into your throat unintentionally, this fasting is correct. It is similar to your sniffing water (during ablution) and it entered your throat unintentionally, this fasting is correct. But if that was done intentionally, you have committed an error and it is obligatory upon you to repeat that fasting. [Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil-Masjid Al-Haraam of Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Muhammad Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah), page: 510] 


Abu Mu-aawiyyah (Abdullaah Al-Gambi)

He Doubted Whether He Ate After Fajr…..

Question: 

I woke up late from sleep, and then I went to the refrigerator and eat a morsel of food and drank some water. I went out after that in order to ascertain the time and heard the Fajr Adhaan; so I withheld from (eating) and completed the (day’s) fasting. What is the ruling on this fasting of mine?

 

Answer:

The initiate affair (with regards to this is that the fasting) is correct Inshaa-Allaah. Your fasting is correct as long as it is not ascertained that your eating was after fajr. The initial affair (with regards to this is that the fasting) is correct and it is not obligatory upon you to repeat (the fast); because the scholars say: ”Whoever eats whilst being doubtful about the approach of the fajr, his fasting is correct.” [Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil-Masjidil Haraam of Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Muhammad Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah) page: 507] 


Can He Break His Fast And Shorten His Prayer Even If He stayed there for a year?

Question:

A man travelled outside the kingdom of (Saudi Arabia) and he is from the people of Makkah; so what is the ruling on him if he breaks his fast and shortens his prayer until he returns, even if he stayed (in his place of travel) for a year?

 

Answer:

For instance: if he resides in a land for the purpose of studying-to study medicine or something else- it is neither permissible for him to break his fast nor shorten his prayers because the ruling on (him) is that of a resident. However, if you are from those just passing quickly (i.e. travelling), there is no harm in breaking the fast and shortening the prayer. Meaning: you are just passing through this land and are not residing there except for a day or two, or three days, and then proceeding to another land to fulfill a need over there; or you’re on a tour and just staying for two to three days, then there is no harm in breaking the fast and shortening the prayer. This is what the Islamic Legislation came with. As for taking out five months, ten months, a year or two in the name of studying or other than it, and then saying that you will break the fast and shorten the prayer, this is neither correct nor permissible.

[Source: Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil Masjidil Haraam of Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Muhammad Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah); page: 486] 


 

I wanted to travel in the morning and I made an intention to fast…….

Question:

I wanted to travel in the morning and I made an intention to fast, but at the time of Dhur I felt some difficulty, is it permissible for me to break the fast; and if I break the fast, what is the expiation for that?

Answer:

There is no harm to break your fast if you are travelling, even if you did make an intention to fast. As long as you have left the country, (or the boundaries of your city), it is permissible for you to break the fast; rather it is better (to break the fast). As for if you are in the country (or within the boundaries of your city) and you have not travelled yet, it is impermissible (to break the fast), and it is impermissible for you to break the fast as long as you are in the country (or within the boundaries of your city).

But for example, you are to travel tomorrow and at present you have made an intention to fast and then you travelled, it is permissible for you to break the fast whether you encounter difficulty or not, and expiation is not incumbent upon you.

As for if you intended to travel and made an intention to fast, but you did not get to travel and you broke your fasting when Dhur came, then you are forbidden to do this and you have committed a crime. It is incumbent upon you to repent and repay that day’s fast. However, if breaking the fast was done after you (started) travel, then there is no harm (in this) Inshaa-Allaah.


[For further deatils, see: Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil-Masjidil Haraam of Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Muhammad Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah) pages: 485-486]

Is It Better to read the Qur’aan once with Tafseer than read it many times without?

Question:

What is better, that a person reads the Qur’aan and finishes it many times or that he reads it pondering over its Tafseer [and finishes it] once or twice in Ramadhaan?

Shaykh Yahya An-Najmee:

By Allaah if he reads it once with its explanation and understands it, it is better than if he reads it being hasty or so. And when a man said to Abdullah Ibn Mas’ood (Radiya Allaahu ‘anhu), ”I have indeed read al Mufassal yesterday” [Mufassal, 4 Juzz from Qaaf up to An-Naas]. Ibn Mas’ood answered:”This is the reading of a hasty poet.”

It is therefore better to read and ponder [over the Aayah] using an explanation to make the meaning clear. It is better to read with a Tafseer and to ponder [over the Aayah], Na’am.

[see link]  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBnarawnaAo&feature=g-all-u]


Translated from French to English by: Abu Zainab (Muhammad Al-Hindee)

Our Salaf:-Abu Muslim Al-Khawlaanee–[Remembrance of Allaah]

Abu Muslim Al-Khawlaanee (rahimahullaah) used to remember (Allaah) much; so some people saw him and disapproved of his state of affairs and said to his companions:”Is your companion insane?” So Abu Muslim heard (this) and said: ”No, O brother, this(i.e. remembrance of Allaah) is a remedy for insanity.” [Jaami-ul Uloom Wal-Hikam: page:465]


 

What is the ruling on a person who is unable to fast due to old age?

If this old person is sane and has discernment, but he is unable to fast; then he has to feed a poor person every day. However, if he has no discernment and has begun to be senile, then neither fasting nor prayer is incumbent upon this person; because he has become like a child and he does not possess (full) comprehension/discernment. And (there is) the hadeeth: ”The pen is lifted from three”, therefore he is not obligated; rather if he fasted and prayed, his fasting and prayer is not correct, as long as he is not held accountable (by Islamic law) and is senile, and his (full) comprehension/discernment has ceased.

However, if he has discernment, is aware of what he says and he understands, and he desires to fast, but is unable; then this person is to feed a poor person every day.

[For further details, see: Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil-Masjidil Haraam of Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Muhammad Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah): Page: 483]