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Essential Elements of Fasting
1-Abstaining
from Acts that Break The Fast:
This
point is based on the Qur'anic verse: "Eat and drink until the
white thread becomes distinct to you from the black thread of the
dawn. Then strictly observe the fast until nightfall."
It is also based on the following Hadith: "When the verse 'Eat
and drink until the white thread becomes distinct to you...' was
revealed, I took a black thread and a white thread and placed them
underneath my pillow. During the night I looked at them to see if I
could distinguish between them. In the morning I went to the
Messenger of Allah and mentioned that to him and he said: 'It is the
black of the night and the white of the day.'"
2-The
Intention:
Allah
instructs in the Qur'an: "And they are ordained nothing else
than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him." The
Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Actions are
judged according to the intention behind them, and for everyone is
what he intended."
The intention must be made before Fajr and during every night of
Ramadan. This point is based on the Hadith of Hafsah, which reported
that the Prophet said: "Whoever does not determine to fast
before Fajr will have no fast (that is, it won't
be accepted).” (Related by Ahmad, An-Nasa’i, At-Tirmidhi, Abu
Dawud, and Ibn Majah. Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibban have classified
it as Authentic.)
The intention is valid during any part of the night. It need not be
spoken, as it is in reality an act of the heart, which does not
involve the tongue. It will be fulfilled by one's intention to fast
out of obedience to Allah and for seeking His pleasure.
If one eats one's pre-dawn meal (Sahoor) with the intention of
fasting and to get closer to Allah by such abstinence, then one has
performed the intention. If one determines that one will fast on the
next day solely for the sake of Allah, then one has performed the
intention even if a pre-dawn meal was not consumed.
According to many of the jurists, the intention for a voluntary fast
may be made at any time before any food is consumed. This opinion is
based on `A’ishah’ s Hadith: "The Prophet came to us one
day and said: 'Do you have any [food]?' We said, 'No.' He said:
'Therefore, I am fasting." (Recorded by Muslim and Abu Dawud.)
The Hanafiyyah and Shaf`iyyah stipulate that the intention must be
made before noon (for voluntary fasts). The apparent opinion of Ibn
Mas`ud and Ahmad is that the intention may be made before or after
noon.
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