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ETIQUETTES
OF FASTING Keeping in view the great reward and great blessings of Fasting, make arrangement for observing fasts with full zeal and complete earnestness. No other form of worship can serve as an alternative to Fasting. For this reason, God made Fasting obligatory for very Ummmah ( Followers of a Prophet). God affirms: Ya-ayyuhalladhina Amanu
kutiba 'alaikumusiyamu kama kutiba 'alalladhina min qablikum la'allakum
tattaqun. Observe all fasts of Ramadan with full care and miss any fast save in case of severe illness or on the ground of some religious excuse. The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) observed: " Anyone who misses a single fast during Ramadan except in case of severe illness or on ground of religious excuse cannot make amends for this offence by keeping fasts on all the remaining days of life." Keep yourself busy in your daily occupation and be active and cheerful in work so as to avoid hypocrisy and false appearances during fasting. Do not show weakness or lethargy in your behavior during the fast. Hadrat Abu Huraira (
God be pleased with him) remarked: Make your best efforts to avoid all forms of evil during the fast, because the very objective of the fast is to purge the life of man of all evil and make it righteous. The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) has affirmed: " Fast serves as a shield. When any of you is in a state of fasting, he should take care not to utter any evil speech by his tongue or to start an affray. In case someone starts railing at him or is inclined to start a fight with him, the man who is fasting should reflect that he is in a state of fasting ( how can he reciprocate offensive language) (Bukhari Muslim) Covet the great reward for fasting as reported in the Traditions. Offer a prayer to God especially near the hour of Iftar ( Breaking the fast). " O God ! Be gracious to accept my fast and grant me that favour and reward which you have promised". The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) has affirmed: "Those who observe fasts will enter Paradise through a special gateway. The name of this gate is ' Riyyan'. When the entire number of all those who observe fasts have gone in, the gate will be closed and no one will be allowed to enter it afterwards". Bear the hardship of the fast in good cheer. Do not degrade the sanctity of the fast by complaining of the pangs of hunger or thirst or weakness. If you are unable to observe fast during a journey or because of severe illness, you can forgo it, but atone for it on other days. The Holy Qur'an affirms: Waman kana maridan au
'ala safarin fa 'id datum min ayyamin ukhara. (2.185) Avoid bask-biting an evil eye strictly during the fast. The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) has observed : " The person who keeps fast is in fact offering devotion of God from morning till evening unless, of course, he backbites against someone. When he indulges in backbiting, his fast in broken ." (Ad-Dailmi) Earn a lawful living. No devotion of the body fed on illicit earning is admissible. The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) has affirmed: " The body fed on illicit earning is a proper fuel for Hell-Fire." ( Bukhari) Do eat ' Sahri ' meal. This alleviates the hardship of fasting as well as safeguards against weakness and lethargy. The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) has observed : " Do eat the '
Sahri ' meal, for the eating of ' Sahri ' meal entails blessing."
(Bukhari) " Eating of ' Sahri ' meal entails blessing. Take a few draughts of water, if nothing else. The angels of God send peace and blessing upon those who eat the ' Sahri ' meal.( Ahmad) Do not delay in ending the fast after sunset, for the main objective of fasting is to inculcate the spirit of submission rather then abstinence from food and drink. The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) has observed : " the Muslims will remain in good condition if they hasten to Iftar ( meal taken at sunset to end the fast." ( Bukhari) Say this prayer at the
time of Iftar:
When you perform Iftar
(ending the fast) at the house of somebody else, say this prater: Aftara ' indakum-us-sa'
imuna wa akala taamakum-ul-abraru wa sallat 'alaikum-ul-mala'ikatu. Do arrange Iftar parties. This act entails a high reward. The prophet of God( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) has observed: " any man who supplies meal to a fasting person to perform Iftar, God shell pardin has sins in reward for this act and grant him salvation for Hell-Fire. The man who supplies meal for Iftar to a fasting person will receive an equal reward with him. The reward of the fasting person will not, however, be curtailed." The people submitted: " O Prophet of God( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon you) ! When shall all of us find the wherewithal to make provision for the Iftar of a fasting person and to feed him. " The Holy prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) has observed: " It is enough to feed a fasting person at Iftar with a date ot some quantity of milk or even supply him as single draught of water for Iftar."
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE RED TEXT IS FROM THE QURAN
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