Understanding the Primary Objective: Welcome to the Month of Ramadan
Welcome to the month of Ramadan, a season of unparalleled mercy and spiritual rejuvenation. The Creator, the Almighty, has not honored any nation as He has honored the Islamic nation. When one investigates its Sharia, its eras, generations, and times, one finds it enjoying many opportunities for divine forgiveness and divine satisfaction. It has been granted the greatest rewards and the most opportunities to earn the satisfaction of its Lord, so that He may be pleased with it and admit it into the gardens of bliss, after it becomes the witnessing and martyred nation, fulfilling His promise and realizing His methodology.
Ramadan is one of the most important of these opportunities granted to the individuals of this nation, for them to achieve in one month what they may not have achieved in their past lives. So welcome Ramadan, the month of fasting, love, and tolerance, the month of mercy, blessings, and forgiveness, the month in which the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of Hell are closed, and in which the devils are chained. It contains the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr), which is better than a thousand months. Blessed are the fasting, worshiping, obedient servants, who extend their hands in goodness and generosity, those whose hearts have expanded with love for people after being filled with love for the Creator of people.
Hadiths on the Blessings of Ramadan
Narrated by Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace be upon him) said when Ramadan began:
“Indeed, a blessed month has come to you. Allah has made fasting in it obligatory upon you. During it, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained. In it is a night better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its goodness is truly deprived.” (Ahmed, An-Nasa’i, Al-Bayhaqi).
And narrated by Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
“Allah the Almighty said: ‘Every action of the son of Adam is for him except fasting, for it is Mine and I shall reward for it. Fasting is a shield… For the fasting person, there are two moments of happiness: one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord.” (Ahmed, Muslim, An-Nasa’i).
The Obligation of Fasting in the Quran
Fasting in Ramadan is established by the Quran and the Sunnah, and it is one of the five pillars upon which Islam is built. It is mentioned in explicit texts, as in the Quranic verse: “O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous” (Al-Baqarah: 183).
Due to its utmost importance, the Quran has specified its time and distinguished its excuses with decisive textual evidence. This knowledge has been passed down from generation to generation among all believers. Because Islam is a religion of ease, not hardship, a religion of mercy, not difficulty and harshness, all its legislation is based on the principle: “Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear” (Al-Baqarah: 286), and “He has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty” (Al-Haj: 78).
Three Categories of People Fasting in Ramadan
In this context, Islam views people fasting in Ramadan in three categories:
- The Settled and Able: Fasting is obligatory upon them without harm or hardship.
- The Sick or Travelers: Those permitted to break their fast with the obligation of making up for it later.
- Those with Permanent Difficulty: Such as the elderly or chronically ill, who are permitted to break their fast and required to feed a needy person (Ransom/Fidya).
This is referred to in the Quran: “And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] – a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person” (Al-Baqarah: 184).
Imam Mahmoud Shaltut stated: “The ransom is only applicable for a person who is unable, and ‘able’ does not mean ease and convenience.”
The Two Aspects of Fasting
Fasting is like other acts of worship; it must be performed with sincere intentions. Fasting has two aspects:
- The first aspect: Refraining from food, drink, and sexual desires from dawn until sunset (Sensory nullifiers).
- The second aspect: Restraining the limbs from sins (Moral nullifiers).
Imam Al-Ghazali said: “How many fasters are not rewarded for their fasting except hunger and thirst.” Therefore, the fasting person should refrain from both sensory and moral nullifiers altogether. They should lower their gaze, restrain their hearing, and guard their tongue from sleeping, lying, and backbiting.
The Three Degrees of Fasting according to Imam Al-Ghazali
- General fasting: Restraining the stomach and the private parts.
- Specific fasting: Restraining the hearing, sight, tongue, hands, feet, and all limbs from sins.
- Fasting of the most specific: Fasting of the heart from worldly ambitions and detachment from anything other than Allah.
We ask Allah to grant us the highest levels of fasting, so that we may attain His pleasure and satisfaction.
