Dr. Rubina Aslam Khan
Ramadan is one of the pillars of Islam on which the Islamic building is built, Allah SWT has told us that the fasting of Ramadan is obligatory on the Islamic Ummah as it was obligatory on the first ummah. O you who believe! It is obligatory upon you to fast as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may attain piety, but whoever of you is sick or on a journey, let him complete the number in more days, and give food to a needy person in the ransom who does not have the strength. It is better for you, but the best thing for you is to fast if you are knowledgeable. (Surah Baqara: 184)* And at one point he said something like this: *The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed, which guides the people, and in which there are signs of guidance and the distinction between right and wrong. Whoever among you finds this month should fast, yes, whoever is sick or traveling should complete the counting on other days, Allaah intends to make it easier with you, not strictness, He wants you to complete the counting and praise Him for the guidance given by Allaah and give thanks to Him. (Surah Baqarah: 185)* Travellers and the sick are allowed to complete the fasting count later. Similarly, pregnant women and lactating mothers are also exempted and are ordered to completing the count later. And those who are weak or those who do not have the power to fast for any excuse, it is commanded to give food to a poor person as a ransom in exchange for fasting. But it is a great sin to break the fast without any excuse and a severe punishment has been given for such people. The scholars and the righteous have equated such people with apostates and disbelievers, and have declared them to be worse sinners than fornicators and drunkards. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in a hadith: Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: (There are three things on which the religion of Islam is based, whoever abandons any one of them is a disbeliever and his blood is lawful – those three things are to bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and the obligatory prayer, and the fasting of Ramadan). Imam Al-Dhahabi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Kubayr: It is prescribed among the believers that whoever forsakes a single fast of Ramadan without any lawful excuse and disease, he is worse and farther than adultery and alcoholism, but his Islam is also doubted and he is considered apostate and misguided. Regarding the punishment of the one who forsakes the fast and the reward, it is narrated in the Sahih hadith: Abu Imamah Bahali (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: (I was asleep when two men came to me and grabbed my arms and brought me to the hard and difficult mountain and said: Climb it, I told them that I do not have the strength to climb it, they both said, We will make it easy for you, so I climb this mountain..When I reached up, there were loud sounds, I said how are these sounds? They said: “This is the cry of the people of Hell, then they took me forward, where some people were hanging on the couches and their mouths were cut off, and their mouths were bleeding.” They said: “These are the people who used to break their fasts before iftar. Al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This is the punishment of a person who breaks the fast after fasting before iftar, so now tell me what will be the punishment for the one who does not fast at all? We ask Allaah SWT for peace and well-being in this world and in the Hereafter. So we will request the brother of the questioner to fear Allaah and protect himself from the wrath and punishment of Allaah, and repent as soon as possible before the death that separates the parties to eliminate pleasures suddenly overwhelms him. Because you can do action today and there is no calculation, but tomorrow there will be no action on the Day of Resurrection, but only calculation, you should know that whoever repents before Allaah SWT, Allaah SWT accepts his repentance and forgives his sins. In fact, whoever is close to Allaah SWT, Allaah SWT is close to him, He is Allaah, The Most Merciful and The Kind. Allaah SWT says (interpretation of the meaning): Do they not know that Allaah accepts the repentance of His servants and accepts the same charity, and that Allaah is the Accepter of Repentance and the Merciful? And if you have experienced fasting and know the ease, pleasure and closeness to Allaah SWT, then you should never give up fasting. And then consider and ponder about the following command of Allaah SWT that Allaah SWT has concluded the verses of the fasts and said: Allaah wants to be easy with you, not harshness. And then he said: “That you may give thanks to Allaah.” If you consider this, you will realize that fasting is a blessing that needs to be thanked, that is why a group of salaf salihin used to wish that ramadan should be done throughout the year. Therefore, those who deliberately break the fast and say that it is a matter of us and Allah SWT, they should be aware and fear the grip of Allah SWT. It is the method of rebellious people to deliberately disobey the commands of Allah SWT. This should be avoided and one should repent to Allah SWT and seek His guidance and help. May Allaah SWT bless us all with His guidance and strength. Ameen Summa Ameen. We ask Allaah SWT to enable you and all of us to fast, and to guide you and all of us to the good deeds and works of this world and the Hereafter. Ameen Summa Ameen
