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Fasting 3
Fasting 3
http://islam.org/audio/ra200/ra200_E8.ram
SAWN
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One of the greatest acts of worship is fasting, which Allah has made obligatory on Muslims, as He says:
Observing al-sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become al-muttaqoon (the pious). [al-Baqarah 2:183]
Ramadan
the ninth month of the Muslim year.
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Ordained in the Qu'ran, is an exacting act of deeply personal worship in which Muslims seek a richer perception of God and in which Muslims assert that "man has larger needs than bread."
The Prophet described fasting in Ramadan. As one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
nWhoever
breaks the fast during Ramadan without a legitimate excuse has committed a serious major sin.
nThe
Prophet said that he had a dream where: I saw people hanging from their hamstrings, with the corners of their mouths torn and dripping with blood. And that these were those who broke their fast before it was the proper time to do so, (Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/420).
Ramadan
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The Quran was revealed in the month of Ramadan - Angel Gabriel used to meet the Prophet every night in Ramadan and used to study Qur'an with him.
Ramadan and fasting are not synonymous - fasting is one of many acts of worship in Ramadan.
Fasting is what Allah requires of Muslims and brings rewards The prayers of fasting people will be agreed Fasting leads to forgiveness for sins Heaven is opened & hell closed by Ramadan
The true meaning of Fasting is to Fast from anything that distracts you from Remembrance of God. In Ramdan, fasting from food, water and sex sets a context within which you can try to establish God's presence in life. Muslims are not supposed to only fast from food, drinks and sex, but from all lust, all hypocrisy, all lies, all dishonesty, all backbiting and all evil.
Fasting makes the stomach hungry and helps to control other faculties - tongue, eye, hand and private parts Person fasting experiences how the poor feel, so he has compassion towards them Helps to organise people Shows the unity of the ummah Chance to convert others or confirm
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Sunnah of fasting
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breaking the fast before prayer - the Prophet used dates or water - he would say - Thirst is gone, veins are flowing again,
and the reward is certain, in Allah.
Avoiding sin - one must also refrain from cursing, lying, cheating, and abusing or harming others not eating too much being generous
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Preparation Repent Right frame of mind Read the Quran many times
Rulings on fasting
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You must make up for fasting missed but not on consecutive days, or Fridays or at Eid.
confirmed by the sighting of the new moon by any adult, sane, trustworthy, reliable Muslim who has good eyesight & says that he has seen the crescent with his own eyes, then we should take his word for it and act accordingly (i.e., start fasting).
sane, settled who is able to fast menstruation prevents a woman from fasting.
Exemptions
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Travellers - make it up later The Sick - make it up later or give to the poor if chronically ill Elderly - "And as for those who can fast with
difficulty (e.g., an old man, etc.), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a poor person (for every day)" [al-Baqarah 2:184]:
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Soldiers in battle
When the dawn comes - which is the white light coming across the horizon in the East - the fasting person must stop eating and drinking straightaway, whether he hears the adhaan or not.
disappears from there, and the sun has set, the fasting person should break the fast before prayer.
End of Ramadan
M u s lim s p ra y in th e u p p e r g a l l e r y o f a m o s q u e i n th e o ld w a lle d c ity o f D e lhi, In d ia . T h e y a r e c e l e b r a tin g th e e n d o f R a m a d a n , th e h o ly m o n th o f fa s tin g a s o r d a i n e d b y th e K o ran, the sacred scriptures of Is la m .
Eid ul-Fitr should be on 27th Dec 2000 for the Americas and possibly Africa and Middle East and 28th Dec 2000 for the rest of the world.