We are now in the blessed month of Ramadhan, a month of fasting for the Muslims and we receive many questions about fasting, so the first question is:
Why do Muslims begin fasting on different days in the same Country?
The Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has given clear guidance on this matter. He has said “begin the month after sighting the new moon and end it at the next sighting. If you are unable to observe it by reason of the sky being overcast, postpone the fast by a day.” (Bukhari & Muslim)
From this hadith we can see that the month of Ramadhan begins and ends with the sighting of the new moon where ever you are. Furthermore that the lunar month is either 29 or 30 days and that you need to sight the moon. Therefore which ever country you are living, you need to sight the new moon in your country and then fasting will begin at dawn the next day. These days there is modern technology to help us to sight the moon, we have observatories who can inform us precisely when it is possible to sight the moon in your country, furthermore there are websites which can also give you this calculation.
We know that the new moon is a very thin crescent and only comes out for a short time. But it may not be seen in the Northern Countries, so just because it has come out, it may not be seen and will be seen the next day. Therefore it is important to see it in your area and not follow other countries. In the UK, it is very difficult to see the New Moon when it first comes out, but many Mosques will follow other Countries like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan or African Countries and start at the same time as them. This is wrong. These days we can get information from the Royal Observatory or the web and know precisely when the New Moon can be seen in this Country. Therefore even if we can’t see the New Moon due to clouds etc. we know when it comes out and so can start at the right time.
Due to this, some Mosques begin on different days than other Mosques as they are not following the sighting of the New Moon, but following other countries, hence why different Muslims will be fasting on different days in the same Country. But if all the Muslims follow the guidelines of the Holy Prophet and start only after they have seen the New Moon, then we would have all the Muslims starting and finishing on the same day. We hope that will happen soon, Insha’Allah.
Another questions is: I was wondering what prayers I need to be making?
The prayer for breaking the fast is “Allahumma laka sumtu, wa bika aamantu, wa alaika tawakkaltu, wa alaa rizqika aftartu”
“O Allah, I fasted for Your sake, and I believe in You, and upon You I rely, and with Your provision do I end my fast”
Another question is:Why we need to fast?
Fasting is very important for a believer, it is a spiritual discipline to help us attain nearness to Allah. Therefore we fast for Allah’s sake, to seek His Pleasure and Nearness. The purpose of fasting is to help you become more righteous, this is why, along with the fasting, you should pray and read the Holy Qur’an more and watch over your actions. The Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has informed us that ‘if we fast, but do not stop backbiting etc. then we have gone without food and drink for no purpose’. It means then that the real purpose of fasting is to improve ourselves and become more righteous. But it also helps us to identify with those who are poor and needy, who have no food, and so make us more generous in our nature.
Another question is:Please I have a problem about fasting while breastfeeding. This is my first child and I don’t have enough milk to breastfeed and the life of my child depend on ALLAH and me, what should I do with my Ramadan? Second question is about the blood at birth, how many days does it take to stop please?
Jazakmullah for your question, no you should not be fasting whilst breastfeeding! You are feeding for two and must take care of your baby. You have a choice, if you are planning to breastfeed your children throughout the year (Allah knows best if you will achieve it, but this is your intention) then you pay the fidya which is the feeding of a poor person twice a day for the month, which we usually calculate here in the UK as £60 for the month (£2 per day). If you only want to breastfeed for a little while, then when you have stopped you can make up the fasts you have missed, but you should complete all the missed fasts before the next Ramadhan starts.
Many Muslims feel that they should continue to fast for the blessings of Allah, but by putting your child’s health and yourself into difficulty will cause Allah’s displeasure rather than His pleasure. Allah has given us this allowance for those who are sick or on journey, and your condition is like that of one who is sick, as you have to consider the health of your baby and if you do not produce enough milk, due to fasting, then your baby will become ill. So don’t worry about fasting, you have been given this exception by Allah and therefore we should follow Allah’s commands and follow this injunction.
Secondly, if you are still bleeding after childbirth, then you should not be fasting anyway. Nifas - bleeding after childbirth continues for a maximum of 40 days. If it does continue after 40 days, then it is not counted as Nifas and you should have a bath and start praying.
Another question is: My menstruation (sporting) has been on and off meaning it comes today and goes tomorrow for 8 days. What would I do now regarding prayers and fasting?
Normally the menses should be finished by the 10th day, usually before that, but if for some reason it is still going, then there is a problem and it is not counted as menses. Whenever you finish the menses, you need to take a bath and only then you can perform your Salat. This is the same case if you are still bleeding after 10 days, which is called Istihadah. Istihadah is the term used for non-menstrual bleeding and basically it means that you should after a bath, resume you normal activities, i.e. prayers, fasting etc. Naturally you will feel dirty, as you are still bleeding, but as it is due to an illness and not menses, therefore you only need to do Wudhu before each prayer (must do it before every prayer). It also means that you can not only enter the Mosque, but you can also read the Holy Qur’an etc.
Another question is: During Ramadhan, can a woman recite The Holy Quran during her menstruation days?
Jazakmullah for your question, yes providing she does not touch the Holy Qur’an. She can wear gloves or get someone else to turn over the pages, etc.
Another question is: Is it permissible to brush our teeth using tooth paste while fasting? Please explain. Jazakallah
Yes you can, but caution needs to be taken to avoid swallowing anything, therefore it is better to brush your teeth before and after fasting. Allah has informed us that the breathe of a fasting person is like musk.
Another question is: Is reading Quran from phone and book have same reward?
Jazakmullah for your question, the blessing is from reading the Holy Qur’an and following it. How you read it is not important.
Another question is: Is it permissible to travel whilst fasting given the state of modern transportation?
During this blessed month of Ramadhan you may be travelling. Either it may be a long journey for many days or a short journey, but should you fast?
Allah informs us in 2:186 that
“whoso is sick or is on a journey, shall fast the same number of other days”
Therefore it is clear that we should not fast, Allah has given us permission, instead we should make up the missed fasts later, any time before the next Ramadhan.
But a believer is keen to strive to win the blessings of Allah and doesn’t want to miss any so the question raised is ‘what is a journey’?
In the time of the Holy Prophet, he lived in a very hot country and making any journey was difficult. Either you travelled on a camel, horse or donkey and the land was sand and hills there were no smooth roads like you have today, so you felt it if you made a journey. There is one hadith related by Jabir:
“Once the Holy Prophet was on a journey and he saw a crowd around a person on whom a shade had been erected. He asked ‘what was the matter’ and the people replied ‘that the man was fasting.’
The Holy Prophet replied ‘There is no virtue to keep a fast while travelling’.
From this hadith we see the problems that was faced at that time. The person wanted to fast, but it was so hot that others had to create shade for him. Therefore through his virtuous act, he was creating problems for not only himself, but for others. And this is why the Holy Prophet told him ‘There is no virtue to keep a fast while travelling’.
But these days it is very easy to make journeys, you could travel around the world on Concorde or a Cruise ship and it may be more comfortable than sitting on your couch at home. Therefore some people feel that they should fast as there is no real discomfort these days. Perhaps they can leave from the North of England and reach London before they break the fast, so why not fast?
This question was posed to the Promised Messiah and he guided us:
“As far as the H.Q. is concerned, it says ‘whoso among you is sick or is on a journey shall fast the same number of other days’. This means that a sick person or a traveller must not fast. This is an order and there is no option from God Almighty.
In my view, a traveller should not fast. However some people do keep fasts as a matter of course and if they do so while travelling in pursuit of this practice, there is no prohibition although one must still have regard for the injunction ‘shall fast the same number of other days’.
A person who goes to considerable trouble in keeping a fast while travelling tries to please God by force rather than earning His pleasure by following His commandments. This is a mistake. True belief consists of following the injunctions and prohibitions of Allah”
(Majmooa Fatawa Ahmadiyya, Vol 1 p.179)
But what is a journey? In the time of the Holy Prophet going even a few miles on donkey could take hours, but these days you can go miles in a few minutes, so how can we define a journey?
Addressing the question of Qasr (shortening of prayers while travelling) the Promised Messiah said
“My view in this regard is that man should not overburden himself. When a person picks up his bundle and sets off with the intention of going on a journey then it is considered a journey, even if it is only two or three miles. When a journey is undertaken with that intention, then it is a journey.
One should bear in mind the Hadith ‘deeds our judged by our intention not our actions’ and be very clear about one’s intentions. One should abide by Taqwa (righteousness) in these matters.
If a person travels to a place regularly or does travelling as a living like a bus driver or taxi driver, then it is not classified as a journey, this is his normal practice.
Likewise if a person is travelling and stays at a certain place during his journey for at least 15 days or more, then he should keep the fast, he is not deemed as being on a journey. But if he stays at one place for let’s say 10 days and then moves to another place for the remaining 5 days, that would be deemed as a journey.
Therefore to sum up, it doesn’t matter how easy it is or whether you can reach before you need to break a fast, if you know you are going on a journey, then you should not fast and make it up instead on another day after Ramadhan. This is a blessing given by us from Allah and we should not feel that we are losing the blessings of fasting as Allah has permitted this and will accept your fast at a later date, Insha’Allah
As the verse of the Holy Qur’an, Chapter 2, verse 186 relates:
“Allah desires ease for you, and He desires not hardship for you and He desires that you may complete the number and that you may exalt Allah for His having guided you and that you may be grateful”
May Allah accept all our fasts and purify us, Amen.