Muslim Wealth

Ramadhan Mubarak to All my viewers and members.

" O You who believe, fasting is decreed upon you as it was decreed upon those before you that perhaps you may have taqwa " ( Surah al-Baqarah 2:183)

    Fasting is a form of worship offered to Allah entailing intentional abstinence from food, drink, sexual intercourse, smoking and all other things which invalidate it.

Fasting in the month of Ramadhan is an obligation confirmed by the book of Allah, the Most High.In a verse Allah,The Most high says -

<" O' you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become among righteous.(Fasting for) a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey, the same number of  days (should be fasted). And as for those who can fast with difficulty,(eg the aged etc) they have (the choice either to fast or) to feed the poor person (for every day). But whoever does good of his own accord,it is better for him.And that you fast is better for you if only you know.The month of Ramadhan in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance of namkind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights ( the crescent on the first night) of the month (Ramadhan i.e at his home) ,let him fast it, and whoever is ill or on a journey,then the same number (of days one did not fast must be fasted) of other days.Allah wants for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you, to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that (to) which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.">

Fasting was made compulsary in the second year after the Hijrah, and the Messenger of Allah S.A.S fasted For Nine Ramadhans.

There is a profound wisdom in everything that is created by Allah,some know it and others are ignorant of it. In the fasting , which Allah has ordained upon his slaves, there are great lessons and numerous benefits. Among these are that:

1. Fasting is an act of worship which brings the slaves closer to Allah, by abandoning the things which he loves, such as food,drinks and sex, in order to attain the pleasure of his Lord and achieve success in the Hereafter.

2. Fasting is a means of piety as Allah, the Most High says : " O You who believe! Fasting is precribed for you a

s it was precribed for those before you , that you may become righteous." - So the fasting person is commanded to fear Allah, the Almighty, an abstaining from things which he has forbidden.

3. The wealthy man will appreciate the blessing which Allah has bestowed upon him, in that He,the Most High has made it easy for him to attain the things that he carves,so he has to thank Allah fo this blessings and remembers his poor brother, who does not find it easy to obtain theses things, so he gives charity to him and treats him well.

4. Fasting trains one in self-control, so that he is able to direct himself to those things which are good for him and bring about his happiness in this world and in the hereafter.

5. The health benefits that are attained as a result of reducing the amount of food consumed and resting the gastrointestinal tract for a specific period of time, and removing harmful substances from the body etc

Who Must Fast

• Fasting is incumbent upon every muslim who has reached puberty, is mentally and phusically fit and is not travelling.
• A Non-Muslim,if he embracesIslam.
• Children who have not attained the age of puberty are not obliged to fast but are strongly encouraged to do so.
• Insane adults and senile elderly people are exempted fro fasting, without any compensation enjoined on them.
• Elderly and feeble people who cannot fast due to age or chronic illness are exempted from fasting but must feed one needy person with one average meal per day.
• People befallen with sudden illness which prevents them from fasting are allowed to break fast
• Pregnant and breast-feeding women are allowed o defer the fasting
• Menstuating women and mothers with post-partum bleeding cannot fast
• People are allowed to break fast in order to save a live,or because immediate blood-donation is required
• Those travelling have the option either to fast or to defer the fast

However,they are required to make up missed days later date,(in cases 6,7,8,9 and 10)

Acts Which Nullify The Fast

       If under compulsion or due to forgetfulness or ignorance a fasting person commits any of the acts which would normally render the fast,his fast remains intact and is not invalidated

• 1. Sexual Intercourse during the day of Ramadhan, and can be rectified by fasting at later date in addition to heavy penalty - emancipating a slave or ransoming his freedon.If not possible then he must fast for two consecutive months,if unable to do so then feed 60 poor people two average meals per person or approx 510 gms of rice or wheat per person.
• 2. Emission of seminal fluids caused by kissing,fondlin etc.
• 3. Smoking,eating and drinking.
• 4. The injection of nourishment or dietary drugs which are used in place of food.
• 5. Blood Transfusion
• 6. Menses and post-partum bleeding
• 7. Extraction of blood in large amounts
• 8. Deliberate vomoting,and not unintentional vomiting.

Allowable Acts During Fasting

• It is permissible to rub ones hands,body with lotions ,oils, medications etc.
• Put drops in the eys or ears
• Inhalers can be used by people having asthma or other ailments while fasting
• Water can be used to wet your dried lips as well as to rinse the mouth (avoid gargling)
• Usage of miswak, as this is stipulated in Prophet S.A.S's sunnah

General Points Concerning Fasting

• It is permissable for one to make intention for fasting when he is in a state of Janabah (A state of impurity which is caused either by sexual intercourse or discharge of semen) and later, after dawn, perform Ghusl
• A woman whose menstual or post-partum bleeding ceases before dawn must mke the intention and fast even if she is not able to bath until after dawn.
• It is preferable to break fast with a date.
• It is the Prophet S.A.S's sunnah to complement one's fasting with performances of good deeds and the avoidance of all evils
• A fasting muslim must carefully observe all religious obligations and abstain from all prohibitions.He should avoid backbiting,deceit,cheating,dealing in transactions involving interest and lying.The Prophet S.A.S said in this regard, " Allah has no need for the hunger and thirst of the person who does not abstain from forged speech and evil actions while fasting."

Merits And Blessings Of Ramadhan

   Fasting in the month of Ramadhan is an expiation and forgiveness for sins as is illutrated in the follwing hadith

   Abu Hurayrah narrated,The prophet S.A.S said, " If one fasts in the month of Ramadhan out of sincere faith and in hope of attaining a reward from Allah, then ll his previous sins will be forgiven."

The recompense and reward for fasting is unlimited.The following Hadith clarifies this point:

  The prophet S.A.S said, "Every man's good act is rewarded from ten to seven hundred times over."

And Allah states in a hadith qudsi -

"Fasting is (observed) for Me (alone); therefore I myself will give its reward, for the faster leaves his passions,his food and his drinks (only) for Me."

On the day of Judgement fasting will plead on behalf of the person who observed fasting. This is illutrated in the following hadith : Abdullah bin Umar narrated: The prophet S.A.S said, " Fating and the Quran will plead for the person observed fast and who recited the Quran. Fating will say, 'O Allah,I made him desist from eating and partaking in other enjoyments during the daytime.Kindly accept my intercession on his behalf.' And Allah will accept them both."

Zakat Al-Fitr

  This type of Zakah is an obligation upon the head of every household and is due at the end of the month of Ramadhan before Eid prayers. It is due from very family that has mo00re than a day and night's supply of food. For each person one supports and those living in one's household (including servants and others), the head of the family must give the measurement of some say 2.751 kgs ,and some say 3.8kg of grain,wheat,barley,dates,raisins,corn,or whatever is considered basic staple food for the people of the region. The recipients are the same as those for regular zakah i.e poor and needy Muslims.

At - Taraweeh : The Night Prayers

    At-Tarawee means standing in prayer in congregation at night in the month of Ramadhan.Its timing is from after the Isha prayer until the start of Fajr time. The prophet SA.S encouraged us to perform the nigt prayer in Ramadhan saying, " Whoever stood in prayer in ramadhan, with faith and hoping the reward, will have his previous sins forgiven." (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)

  The sunnah is to limit the prayer to eleven Rakat making the tasleem saying;As salaam alaykum after every two rakats because Aishah R.A.A  was asked how was the prayer of the prophet S.A.S in Ramadhan, and she said, " He did not pray more than eleven rakahs in Ramadhan ,nor in any other month."

  If more than eleven rakahs are prayed then there is no sin in that too.

The Following is the Time-Table of Ramadhan for the year 2007,