Author: Sayyed Musleh Uddin
Fasting and Its Position in Islam (Part 15)
Muslims’ Shortcomings in the Purposes of Fasting and the Crime of Habits Against Acts of Worship:
However, Muslims, with habits they have invented and their ignorance and excess in breaking the fast and consuming food, have committed a crime against themselves, the purposes of fasting, and its benefits, engaging in extravagance that undermines many of the benefits of fasting and its corrective and educational power.
Hujjat al-Islam Imam al-Ghazali (may Allah bless him) eloquently addressed this point, stating: “The fifth etiquette is that the fasting person should not eat halal food until their stomach is full at the time of breaking the fast; for there is no container more hateful to Allah Almighty than a stomach full of halal food. How can fasting defeat the enemy of Allah and conquer lust while the fasting person, at the time of breaking the fast, compensates for the food they missed at noon and possibly adds other types of food?”
It is a common habit for people to save all food for Ramadan and consume such a variety during the month that they do not eat as much in several months combined. It is evident that the purpose and goal of fasting is to empty the stomach and weaken desires so that the soul can gain strength in piety. If the stomach is busy expelling food from morning to night, one’s appetite and desire are further stimulated. This stimulation enhances pleasure and strength, magnifying desires that would have remained dormant had they not entered the month of Ramadan. Thus, the spirit and philosophy of fasting is to diminish the forces and powers that serve as instruments of Satan in performing evil deeds. This cannot be achieved without reducing consumption; if one eats the same food at night that they regularly consume outside of Ramadan, their fast will yield no benefit.
Additionally, it is one of the rules of fasting not to sleep excessively during the day, so that one feels thirsty and hungry and experiences a sense of weakness; this way, their heart becomes pure, and they keep their body somewhat weak at night, allowing the night prayer and the worship of Allah to become manageable and for Satan to be kept at bay, opening their heart to the kingdom of heaven.
Protection from Distortion and Excess:
Ramadan is a time for contemplation within religion. Some may incorrectly believe that the purpose of fasting is to subdue the soul, conditioning it to abandon desires and suppress it as much as possible. They assume that the more one pressures and tires themselves, the longer the duration between eating, drinking, and indulging, and the more patience they exhibit, the closer they will be to Allah Almighty. This view distances them from those who find comfort and pleasure, placing them among the pious.
This superficial understanding has made excessiveness in worship appealing to many religious and pious individuals in ancient cultures. They extended the periods of abstaining from food and water, delayed breaking the fast, and hastened the pre-dawn meal; some even entirely avoided eating before dawn, perceiving it as a weakness of faith. Others fasted consecutively, linking night with day. Radical groups and extremists have emulated these behaviors, resulting in a distortion of the religion, creating fruitless efforts and unrecognizable practices akin to monasticism—an affront to the Qur’anic verse: «يُرِيدُ اللهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلاَ يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْر» Translation: “Allah intends for you ease and does not intend Hardship for you.”
And the verse: «وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدّينِ مِنْ حَرَج» Translation: “And He has not placed upon you in religion any difficulty.”
The hadith of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) states: “Religion is easy, and no one will strive with it except that it overcomes him; so choose the right path and draw near to it.”
For this reason, the last divine religion, the eternal religion of Islam, has closed this door and first encouraged eating Suhoor, making it recommended and a Sunnah for Muslims.
Hazrat Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Eat Suhoor, for there is blessing in Suhoor.”
Hazrat Amr bin Al-Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “The difference between our fast and the fast of the People of the Book is the eating of Suhoor.”
He also warned against delaying breaking the fast, considering it a sign of corruption and a temptation of those who are excessive.
Sahl bin Sa’ad (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “People will always be in good condition as long as they break their fast early.”
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “This religion will always be victorious as long as people hasten to break their fast, because the Jews and Christians delay it.”
It was also the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his companions to delay their Suhoor.
Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “We ate Suhoor with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and then got up to pray.” He was asked how long the interval was between Suhoor and prayer; he replied: “The equivalent of reciting fifty verses.”
It was also narrated from Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had two muezzins: one was Bilal and the other was Ibn Umm Maktum. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) instructed: “Bilal calls the prayer at night, so you can eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum calls the prayer.”
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The interval between the two Adhan was such that one would descend, and the other would ascend.”
Sheikh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Abdul Rahim al-Dahlawi (may Allah bless him) has elaborated on this issue in detail, emphasizing the attention of Islamic law and the Prophetic Sunnah to this reform aspect with great insight and jurisprudence. He stated: “One of the important goals of fasting is to block the causes of excess and to reject the practices that excessive individuals have created; for this worship was common among Jews, Christians, and Arab worshipers, who believed the basis of fasting to be the weakening of the soul, leading them to indulge in extravagant behaviors and to innovate things that aid in weakening the soul. This amounts to a distortion and usurpation of the divine religion.”
This innovation and distortion manifests either through increases in quantity or in quality, both of which Islamic law has restricted.
Regarding quantity, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “None of you should fast a day or two before Ramadan, except for the one who regularly fasts; they may fast on that day.”
He also forbade fasting on Eid al-Fitr and the Day of Doubt, as there is no gap between this fast and Ramadan. If the excessive consider it a Sunnah, another group may learn it from them, which could lead to further distortion of the religion. The essence of excessiveness stems from neglecting necessary precautions, especially concerning the Day of Doubt.
Blocking the causes of excessiveness regarding quality includes prohibiting the wesal fast, encouraging the eating of Suhoor, and mandating its delay and early breaking of the fast. All these matters are viewed as excessive, echoing practices of ignorance.
Fasting is, in its profound meaning, an act of humility before the command of Allah Almighty. Therefore, from true dawn until sunset, even if the soul rebels and the appetite desires exceed limits, it is not permissible to eat, drink, or enjoy anything that is prohibited to the fasting individual. Moreover, after sunset, even if asceticism and piety naturally refuse to indulge, it is forbidden to abstain from the food, drink, and other provisions that the fasting person may not consume during the day. Thus, the will and command are not under the control of the soul, desire, or custom; rather, the command is from Allah, and it is inappropriate to be strict and excessive with Allah Almighty. One cannot test their religion through force; regardless of how free the fasting person is from their desires and how obedient they are to the divine command and the Sharia, their servitude will remain more sincere and distanced from self-indulgence.
The mystic and reformer of the heart, Imam Ahmad ibn Abdul Ahad Sarhindi (MABH), poignantly articulated this point in one of his letters: “Delaying the Suhoor meal and hastening the breaking of the fast reveals the fasting person’s weakness and neediness, aligning with servitude and fulfilling its purpose.”
Continues…
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