Things to observe when fasting

Things to observe when fasting Adil Salahi | Arab News

Muslims throughout the world observe fasting during the month of Ramadan, when they abstain from eating, drinking and sex throughout the day, from dawn until sunset. They undertake this hard duty in fulfilment of God's order, seeking no reward other than that which He grants them. They must also conduct themselves in a calm and restrained manner, refraining from quarrels with others and using no vulgar or obscene language. All this is detailed in the following Hadith in which Abu Hurayrah quotes the Prophet as saying: "Fasting is a protective shield. When a person is fasting, he must not indulge in any obscenity or vulgarity. If someone fights him or verbally abuses him, he should reply by saying twice, 'I am fasting'. By Him who holds my soul in His hand, the smell of a fasting person's mouth is in God's estimation more pleasant than the smell of musk. (God says of fasting people:) 'They abstain from their food, drink and sexual desire for My sake. Fasting is undertaken for Me and I will grant its reward.' A good deed is rewarded by ten times its value." (Related by Al-Bukhari). Fasting is an act of worship that focuses on abstention. Therefore, it cannot be done to please anyone other than God. It is undertaken for His sake and He is pleased with it. Since one abstains from what is appealing, desirable and what gives pleasure, it is the opposite of indulging oneself in such pleasures. When such indulgence is done in contravention of the laws and rules Islam lays down, it becomes sinful and makes us liable to God's punishment. Fasting is a good training to resist such sinful indulgence. Hence it is a protective shield, as the Prophet describes it. Since one is undertaking the fast for God's sake, one must always be conscious that one is actually doing an act of worship. No obscenity or vulgarity, physical or verbal, can be condoned. The Arabic term "yarfuth" used by the Prophet and translated as "obscenity" has a very broad meaning, including sexual intercourse and profane language. Yet we may be provoked by others who would like to quarrel with us or who hurl verbal abuse on us. The Prophet encourages us to refrain from engaging in any such slanging match. In reply to their abusive language we need only say, "I am fasting." This is enough to make clear that we want to observe the right values and reply to no vulgarity or verbal abuse. It should be enough to avoid any flare up of quarrels. When one has not taken any food or drink for several hours, his mouth may start to give a bad smell. The Prophet tells us not to worry about this, because such smell is considered by God to be better than the smell of musk. This is due to the fact that one fasts for God's sake. Therefore, it is God's values that should be considered. The last point in the Hadith is that of the reward received by a fasting person. The Hadith states the normal criterion that applies to all good deeds. They are rewarded by ten times their value. However, fasting is given a special status, because it is the one action that admits no hypocrisy. It is dedicated to God. Hence, it is He who determines its reward on the basis of His generosity and kindness. He states that He multiplies people's reward as He pleases. He may reward a pure and dedicated action by 700 times, or even more. There is no limit to His kindness.