Sawm/fasting = literal meaning to abstain

SAWM/FASTING = LITERAL MEANING TO ABSTAIN

Fasting Only for Muslims?

• Like Salah, Fasting ordained upon previous Ummahs of every prophet from Sayyidina Adam to the last Prophet (saw).

• Psychologically Comforting – if any inconvenience is faced by a large # of people it becomes easier to bear.

Changes made in Fasting

• THEN

• Prophet (saw) fasted 3 days in a month & 10th Muharram

• Either fast (preferred) or pay ransom (fidyah)‏

• Eating, drinking, sexual intercourse valid after iftar as long as you don't sleep, if you sleep it counts as the beginning of next fast

When Is It Acceptable To NOT Observe Fast?

• Sick – unbearable hardship or fear of illness getting worst due to fasting (qada required); permanent illness with no hope of recovery

• Traveling (ala safarin) – on a journey for a longer duration, not just going out of the house 5-10 miles away (qada required); staying somewhere for 15 days – not ala safarin, must fast

• Very old age

• Women – menstruation or child bed (qada required)‏

QADA

FIDYAH

• One missed fast = half sa of wheat or its cost ~ 1.632 kg given to a poor person, making sure that it's not part of wage for those engaged in service of mosque of madrasa

• Better not to give fidyah of more than one missed fast to one person on a single date

• If you can't pay fidyah, should seek Allah(swt)'s forgiveness with intention to pay it back when you can

BENEFITS OF FASTING

• GAIN ALLAH(SWT)'S RAZA BY LISTENING TO HIS COMMANDS AND FOLLOWING THE PROPHET (SAW)‏

• SO THAT YOU BE GOD-FEARING

• CONTROL OF DESIRES – ESSENCE OF TAQWA

• PROPHET (SAW) SAID THAT PRAYER MADE BY ONE WHO IS FASTING AT THE TIME OF HIS IFTAR IS ACCEPTED INSHA'ALLAH