Verse on Fasting
O those who believe! Fasting has been made obligatory upon you as were made obligatory upon those before you, so that you may become pious. The days are counted. Then whosoever among you is ill or on a journey then same number of fasting in other days, and those who have no strength, should give in fine meal to a needy: then whosoever does more good, then that is better for him, and fasting is better for you if you know.
[Kanz-ul-Īmān (Translation of Quran)] (Part 2, Sūraĥ Baqaraĥ, verses 183-184)
For whom fasting is Farḍ?
Like Ṣalāĥ, the fasts of Ramadan are also Farḍ for every such (male and female) Muslim
who is sane and has reached puberty. It is stated in Durr-e-Mukhtār that fasts were
declared Farḍ on 10th Sha’bān two years after Ĥijraĥ. (Durr-e-Mukhtār ma’ Rad-dul-Muḥtār,
pp. 330, vol. 3)
Reason of fasting become Farḍ
Most of the acts in Islam remind us of faith-refreshing Islamic and historical events.
Running between Ṣafā and Marwaĥ reminds us of Sayyidatunā Ĥājiraĥ’s رضی اللہ تعالی عنھا
walking and running between these two mountains seven times in search of water for
her son Sayyidunā Ismā’īl علیہ السلام. Allah عزوجل liked this act and declared it Wājib for all
those who perform Hajj and ‘Umraĥ to imitate her in order to keep this act alive.
Likewise, the Holy Prophet ﷺ spent some days of Ramadan in seclusion in
the cave of Ḥirā where he ﷺ used to refrain from eating during the day and
worship Allah عزوجل at night. In order to keep the memory of this blessed act of His
Beloved and Blessed Rasūl ﷺ alive Allah عزوجل made it Farḍ for us to fast in
Ramadan.
Five points about Makruh acts in fasting
- Lying, telling tales, backbiting, unlawful use of eyes, abusing, hurting someone without the permission of Sharī’aĥ, shaving beard etc. all are already prohibited and Ḥarām acts and committing them in the state of fast is even more severely Ḥarām. These sins remove the spirituality of the fast.
- It is Makrūĥ for a fasting person to unnecessarily taste or chew anything.
- There is no harm in tasting the food etc. that one intends to buy in order to avoid the loss of money. However, if there is no such risk, it is Makrūĥ. (Durr-e-Mukhtār, pp. 395, vol. 3)
- Kissing the wife, hugging her or touching her body is not Makrūĥ. However, if one fears that it will lead to ejaculation or intercourse (then it is Makrūĥ). Sucking her lips or tongue during fast is absolutely Makrūĥ. Making sex organs touch each other. is also Makrūĥ during fast2. (Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 396, vol. 3)
- Smelling a rose, musk etc., applying oil into beard or moustache, and applying kohl into eyes are not Makrūĥ for a fasting person. (Durr-e-Mukhtār, pp. 397, vol. 3)