27. FASTING IN ISLAM (2)

a.The Meaning of صَوْم (Fasting)
The root-meaning of صوم is “to abstain (from doing something), to stand still” (الصَّوْمُ لُغَةً: الإمْسَاكُ وَ تَرْكُ التَّنَقُّلِ مِنْ حَالٍ إلىَ حَالٍ). It includes being silent, as it is abstention from talking. The example from the Qur’ān is when Mary said:
إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَنِ صَوْمًا فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنْسِيًّا
(مريم : ۲٦)
“I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious,
and this day will I enter into no talk
with any human being.” 115

When the wind stops blowing it is called doing s.awm (الصَّوْمُ: رُكُوْدُ الرِّيْحِ, وَهُوَ إمْسَاكُهَا عَنِ اْلهُبُوب). When the sun is at the zenith, the highest point in the sky, it is called doing sawm, as if it is standstill, not moving. In Islamic law, s.awm means abstaining from those which will break the fast from dawn to sunset.” (شَرْعًا: الإمْسَاكُ عَنِ اْلمُفْطِرَاتِ مَعَ اقْتِرَانِ النِّيَّةِ بِهِ مِنْ طُلُوْعِ اْلفَجْرِ إِلىَ غُرُوْبِ الشَّمْسِ).

Allah says in the Qur’ān:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ
مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ. أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ
فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا
فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ.
(البقرة : ۱٨٤)
“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as
it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn)
self-restraint. (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if
any of you is ill or on a journey the prescribed number
(should be made up) from days later. For those who can
do it (with hardship) is a ransom the feeding of one that
is indigent.; but he that will give more of his own free
will it is better for him and it isbetter for you
that ye fast if ye only knew.” 116

Explanation of the verse:
كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ “ as it was prescribed to those before you”
Several interpretations are given by Qur’ānic commentators on this expression, among which are as follows:
1. The similarity is in the time and the quantity of fasting (وَقْتُ الصَّوْمِ وَقَدْرُالصَّوْم) according to al-Sha‘bī and Qatādah. Muh.āhid states that fasting in the month of Ramad.ān was prescribed to every nation.
2. The similarity is in being prescribed (التَّشْبِيْهُ رَاجِعٌ إلىَ أَصْلِ وُجُوْبِهِ) , not in its time and nature.
3. The similarity is in the nature of fasting, namely, the abstention from eating, drinking and sex until one is asleep, according to al-Suddī, Abū ’l-‘Āliyah and al-Rabī‘. This was later abrogated with the verse that follows, namely,
أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَى نِسَائِكُمْ (البقرة : ‍‍٨٧‍۱)
“Permitted to you on the night of the fasts
is the approach to your wives…” 117
4. The similarity is in the time and nature of fasting in the beginning, namely, three days every month and the day of ‘Āshūrā’ (10th of Muh.arram, from sunset to sunset), according to Mu‘ādh bin Jabal. Then it was abrogated with the prescription of fasting in the month of Ramad.ān, as mentioned in the next verse, namely,

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآَنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ ...(البقرة :۱٨٥)
“Ramadan is the( month) in which was sent down
the Qur’an as a guide to mankind…” 118
فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا “but if any of you is ill…”

It means that a person who cannot fast because of his illness he is allowed to abstain from fasting, but if he can fast with hardship, he is recommended to abstain from fasting.
وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ “For those who can do it (with hardship) is a ransom the feeding of one that is indigent.”

According to Ibn ‘Abbās it is a permission رُخْصة)) for old people, pregnant and nursing women, if they are anxious about their babies, to abstain from fasting, and feed a poor person (a day). According to Imām Mālik a woman who is sick in pregnancy has to make up the fasting she is missing (without feeding a poor person a day), whereas a woman who is sick in nursing has to make up the missed fasting and to feed a poor person. According to al-Shāfi‘ī and Ah.mad ibn H...anbal, the sick and pregnant women have to make up their missed day of fasting as well as to feed a poor person a day.
فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ “but he that will give more of his own free will it is better for him”

Some interpretations of this part of the verse:
1. Feeding a poor person as well as fasting according to Ibn Shihāb.
2. Increasing the food according to Mujāhid.
3. Feeding another poor person according to Ibn ‘Abbās
وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ “and it is better for you that ye fast”
It means that fasting is still better than breaking the fast by paying fidyah (redemption) from the omission of fasting for travelling or non-serious sickness.
Then Allah said:
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآَنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ
مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ مَرِيضًا
أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ
وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
(البقرة : ۱٨٥)
“The month of Ramadan in which was sent down the Qur’an as
a guide to mankind also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment
(between right and wrong). So everyone of you who is present (at his
home) during that month should spend it in fasting but if anyone is ill
or on a journey the prescribed period (should be made up) by days
later. Allah intends every facility for you. He does not want to put
you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed
period and to glorify Him in that He has guided you;
and perchance ye shall be grateful.” 119

Names of the Months
The names of the months in Arabic are originally taken from the time it occurred. For example, Rabī‘(رَبِيْع) means “spring”.
مُحَرَّم (Muh.arram, 30 days) means “inviolable, cannot be violated” as this month was one of the four month where the pre-Islamic Arabs stopped fighting.
صَفَر (S.afar, 29 days) means “hunger, emptiness”; the word cipher, صَفْر (s.afr) or صِفْر (s.ifr) means “zero”. It was the time when the city of Mecca (Makkah) became vacant, because its people at this month were travelling. It is also said that people in this month attacked other tribes taking their possessions and making them empty-handed (صِفْرُ اْليَدَيْن)ِ , as they had nothing left. The two S.afars means Muh.arram and S.afar.
رَبِيِيْعُ الأوَّل (Rabī‘ al-Awwal, 30 days) means “the first spring” and
الآخِر(الثَّانِي) رَبِيْعُ (Rabī‘ al-Ākhar, Rabī‘ al-Ākhir or Rabī‘ al-Thānī, 29 days) “the other spring,” “the last spring” or “the second spring”
جُمَادَى الأُوْلَى (Jumādā ‘l-Ūlā or Jumādī ’l-Awwal, 30 days) “the first freezing” month, and
(الثَّانِيَة) جُمَادَى الآخِرَة (Jumādā ’l-ākhirah, Jumādī ’l-Ākhir or Jumādī ’l-Thānī, 29 days) “the other freezing”, “the last freezing” or “the second freezing” month. These two names of the two months were given while water was freezing at that time.
رَجَب (Rajab, 30 days) The verb رَجَِبَ رَجْبا وَ رُجُوْبًا means “to be ashamed, to be shy”. The word أَرْجَبَ الرَّجُلُ رَجْبًا وَ تَرْجِيْبًا means هَابَهُ وَ عَظَّمَهُ “the man respects and glorifies it (something)”, as this month of Rajab was glorified in pre-Islamic Arabia (Jāhiliyyah period), they did not go to war in this month. The expression “the two رَجَبْRajabs means Rajab and Sha‘bān.
شَعْبَان (Sha‘bān, 29 days) means “scattered”. تَشَعَّبَ اْلقَوْمُ means “people dispersed”. The word shu‘bah originally means “a group of people, فِرْقَة ”. Now it means “section, division, department.” In this month the Arabs scattered searching for water.
رَمَضَان (Ramad.ān, 30 days) is from the word الرَّمْضَاء (al-ramd.ā’), meaning “the sun-baked ground”. The name was given to this month when it was so hot that the ground became sun-baked. It is also said that in this month people heat (sharpened) their weapons to fight with it in the month of Shawwāl before the arrival of the inviolable months where fighting was not allowed by their traditional law. These months were Dhu ’l-Qi‘dah, Dhu ’l-H...ijjah, Muh.arram and Rajab. Another view says that in this month the sins will be heated (burned) with good deeds. Al-Māwardī said that the name of this month in pre-Islamic time was Nāt.iq (نَاطِق).
شَوَّال (Shawwāl, 29 days) was called so when the camels raised their tails (لِشَوْلانِ النَّاَقةِ بِذَنَبِهَا), probably, the mating season.
ذُو ْالقِعْدَة (Dhu ’l-Qi‘dah, 30 days) (lit. “time for sitting down”), it was the time where the Arabs avoid raiding, looking for supply and searching for pasture. It was the month of relaxation.
ذُو ْالحِجَّة (Dhu ’l-H...ijjah, 29 days) the month of pilgrimage. H...ajj had been practised by the pagan Arabs in pre-Islamic Arabia. Upon their return from their travel, they did not go directly home and changed their clothes; instead, they took them off, and went to make t.awāf around the Ka‘bah, naked, at night. At the early period of Islam the Muslims performed the h.ajj with them but in Islamic way.

The meaning of the verse:
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآَنُ “The month of Ramadan in which was sent down the Qur’ān”
1.The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’ān was revealed.
2. (The month in which you are enjoined to fast is) the month of Ramadan in which the Qur’ān was revealed.
3. (It is prescribed to you) the month of Ramadan in which the Qur’ān was revealed.
فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ “So everyone of you who is present (at his home) during that month.”

The word شَهِدَ means, “to see, to witness” either with eyesight or with insight. The word الشَّهْر means “the month” not “the crescent” which is اْلهِلال in Arabic. Therefore, the verse means, if we just stop here, lit. “Whoever witness the month (of Ramadan) with his insight” and in a better expression “whosoever is present in this month.” However, in pre-Islamic poetry, the word شَهْر (month) could also mean هِلال (crescent). An unidentified poet says:
أَخَـوَانِ مِنْ نَجْـدٍ عَـلىَ ثِقَـةٍ * وَ الشَّهْـرُ مِثُلُ قُلامَـةِ الظّفُـرِ
حَـتّى تَكَامَـلَ فِي ْاسـتِدَارَتِـهِ * فِي أَرْبَـٍع زَادَتْ عَـلىَ عَشَـِر
"The coming of two brothers from Najd is certain
when the crescent [lit. ‘the month’] is like the cutting
of the nail until it becomes completely round
at the 14th (of the month)".

The Significance of Fasting
Al-Ghazālī says that hunger produces the following beneficial results: (a) Purification of the soul and illumination of the mind; (b) the capacity to employ spiritual pleasures; (c) humility (d) remembrance of the poor; (e) freedom from all sinful desires; (f) resistance to the temptation to sleep, and a stimulus to vigils; (g) the affording opportunity for the ritual of worship; (h) gaining physical health; (i) the reduction of expenses; and (j) provision of means to feed the poor.
There are three levels of fasting:
1. The fasting of the ‘awām, the common people: abstaining from food and sexual passion.
2. The fasting of the khawās., the elect: abstaining from seeing, hearing, speaking, and committing sin with hands, legs and the rest of the limbs.
3. The fasting of the khawās, al-khawās., the elect of the elect: abstaining from bad intention and from thinking of worldly things.

Ramad.ān in the month of patience (شَهْرُ الصَّبْر), the month of self control: controlling our emotion by avoiding bad intentions, controlling our tongue from saying bad things, and controlling our actions from doing bad things. Junayd was asked about patience. He said, “Swallowing something bitter without wrinkling your face.” Dhū 'l-Nūn al-Mis.rī said: “Patience is avoiding what is against religion, and being calm, not being upset or complaining in the face of calamity, poverty and the hardship of life.” An unidentified poet says:

إذَا شَكَوْتَ إلىَ ابْنِ آدَمَ إنَّمَا * تَشْكِيْ الرَّحِيْمَ عَلىَ الَّذِي لا يَرْحَمُ
“If you complain to the son of Adam (i.e., a human being), you
actually complain to a non-mercufil against the Merciful”

Footnotes:
115. Qur’ān, Maryam [19]:26
116. Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]: 183-184
117. Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]: 187
118. Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:185
119. Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:185