All praises are due to Allah (SWT) Who has favored His servants with this Blessed month of Ramadan within which the Qur’an was revealed thus granting mankind a guide and also offering mankind the criterion to judge between right and wrong. All praises are due to Him for making the institution of fasting obligatory on mankind thus offering mankind a deterrent to satan. We ask Allah (SWT) to grant us all the blessings of this month and to accept all our acts of worship within this month and all subsequent months. All praises are due to Him for sending His final message to Prophet Muhammad (SAAS) making him His last and final messenger. May the Peace, Mercy, and Blessings of Allah (SWT) be on us all during this holy month of Ramadhan and during all subsequent months. Oh Allah (SWT), send blessings to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAAS) the seal to prophethood. “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may acquire Taqwa” Q(2:183)

The above ayat establishes (1) that fasting is obligatory on all believers, (2) that fasting was also obligatory on communities before the Ummah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAAS), and (3) that the purpose of fasting is to acquire Taqwa. The obligatory nature of fasting, especially in the holy month of Ramadan, needs no proof. It is a command from Allah (SWT) which we must obey with the full realization that anything Allah (SWT) decrees for His servants is for their benefit both in this world and in the hereafter. We must not also forget that fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the pillars of Islam. Denying it is equivalent to falling out of Islam.

The phrase “those before you” occurs in other ayats such as in Baqara ayat 21 wherein Allah (SWT) says “O ye people! Adore your Guardian-Lord, who created you and those who came before you, that ye may have the chance to learn righteousness”. Q(2:21). These two ayats, Q(2:21) and Q(2:183), establish commonalities between past communities and the community of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAAS) when it comes to relationship between Allah (SWT) and His creation. This realationship is the same irrespective of the Ummah under consideration. In the two ayats quoted above, no reference is made to any future Ummah. Some scholars have taken this lack of reference as confirmation to the fact that the Ummah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad is the last Ummah. The idea of finality of prophet hood places a great responsibility on the followers of Prophet Muhammad (SAAS). Fulfilling this demand would require tremendous preparation. It means inculcatiing of all the qualities required in sustaining a struggle, curtailing the proliferation of evil (fasad), propagating the message etc. All these should be done following the example of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAAS). Ramadan is an appropriate time to acquire these qualities, internalize them, and apply them all through the days of the year. This leads us to making an ayttempt to understand Taqwa.

The end goal of fasting is “Taqwa”. The word translated by Yusuf Ali as “righteousness” in Q(2:21) is from the same root as taqwa. Some commentators translate this same word as “guard against evil” (Shakir), “ward off evil” (Pickthal), God-fearing (Sayyid Qutb). All these translations, according to many scholars, fail to capture the true meaning of Taqwa though they are each acceptable meanings. Some prefer to consider Taqwa as a perpetual Allah (SWT) consciousness. This is in line with the account found in Ibn Kathir. Ibn kathir records that “it was reported that `Umar bin Al-Khattab asked Ubayy bin Ka`b about Taqwa. Ubayy said, "Have you ever walked on a path that has thorns on it'' `Umar said, "Yes.'' Ubayy said, "What did you do then'' He said, "I rolled up my sleeves and struggled.'' Ubayy said, "That is Taqwa.'' Taqwa, according to Umar bin Al-Khattab’s analogy is something that inspires the individual to actions that are pleasing to Allah (SWT). May Allah (SWT) accept our fasting and make each one of us people referenced in the following ayat: “whoever submits His whole self to Allah and is a doer of good,- He will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve”. Q(2:112)The purpose of the above discussion is to highlight a much neglected aspect of Ramadan. We all know that the gates of heaven are open and shaitan and his troops have been chained in the month of Ramadan. We know we are supposed to read/recite the Qur’an. We know we are to make charity in Ramadan. We know all these things but the questions about all these are:

· How many of us read the Qur’an and read it with understanding and permit it to influence our life?· How many of us are determined to increase the moral and ethical standards in our communities?· How many of us have decided to train our attention on the suffering in the world in general and developing nations in particular?· How many of us think about the disparity between the content of the Qur’an, the example of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, on the one hand, and the behavior of many Muslims today?We seldom consider Ramadan as training grounds for carrying out Allah’s work. Ramadan teaches, among other things, self restraint, patience, tolerance for other views, steadfastness, etc. Some of these qualities are a products of fasting in itself. Others are acquired through the study of the Qur’an and the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAAS).
Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong).
We should make it a point to recite the Qur’an, listen to its recitation, but above all we should study the Qur’an. Materials appropriate for the study of the Qur’an are now available in many languages and are designed to meet the needs of people at various levels. There are numerous sites on the web devoted to teaching the Qur’an and other Islamic sciences. We should access most of these sources. Study groups could be built around some of these sources. We should start with this Ramadan and commit ourselves to the pursuit of knowledge and to increasing our iman.
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WHO SHOULD FAST OR NOT FAST?
The question “who should fast” often give rise to different answers. This may be due to the fact that scholars have different understanding and hence different interpretations to various verses of the Qura’an and also the various sayings of the Holy Prophet (SAAS). We will make an attempt to give interpretations of these ayats from the point of view of the five schools of thought. We pray that we will develop a sense of understanding of other views. Most of what we will be presenting in this section are from Allamah Muhammad Jawad Maghniyyah’s “
“(Fasting) for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the prescribed number (should be made up) from other days later. For those who can do it (with hardship) is a ransom.
The feeding of one that is indigent, but he that will give more , of his own free will –it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew. Q(2:184)
“Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be gtateful. Q(2:185)

"Verily! We have sent it (this Quran) down in the night of Al-Qadr. And what will make you know what the night of Al-Qadr is? The night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months. Therein descend the angels and the Ruh (Gabriel) by Allah's Permission with all Decrees, Peace! until the appearance of dawn (97:1-5)

THE HADITH ON FASTING Abu Huraira related that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. Whoever prays during the nights in Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. And he who passes Lailat al-Qadr in prayer with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven (Bukhari, Muslim).Abu Huraira related that Rasulullah said: If anyone omits his fast even for one day in Ramadan without a concession or without being ill, then if he were to fast for the rest of his life he could not make up for it (Bukhari).Abu Huraira related that the Prophet said: Allah the Majestic and Exalted said: "Every deed of man will receive ten to 700 times reward, except Siyam (fasting), for it is for Me and I shall reward it (as I like).

There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts: one when he breaks the fast and the other when he will meet his Lord" (Muslim).Abu Huraira related that Rasulullah said: Many people who fast get nothing from their fast except hunger and thirst, and many people who pray at night get nothing from it except wakefulness (Darimi).When to start fastingIbn Umar related that the Prophet said: Do not start fasting unless you see the new moon, and do not end fasting until you see it. If the weather is cloudy then calculate when it should appear (Bukhari, Muslim).The Suhoor meal (which is eaten before dawn)Anas related that Rasulullah said: Take the Suhoor meal, for there is blessing in it (Bukhari, Muslim).Breaking your fastSalman ibn Amir Dhabi related that the Prophet said: Break your fast with dates, or else with water, for it is pure (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi).Fasting during a journeyAisha related that Rasulullah was asked whether one should fast when on a journey, and he replied: Fast if you like, or postpone it if you like (Bukhari, Muslim).Behavior while fastingAbu Huraira related that the Prophet said: If a person does not avoid false talk and false conduct during Siyam, then Allah does not care if he abstains from food and drink (Bukhari, Muslim).Forgetfully eating or drinking while fastingAbu Huraira related that Rasulullah said: If anyone forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks he should complete his Siyam, for it is Allah who has fed him and given him drink (Bukhari, Muslim).Providing for those who are breaking the fastZaid ibn Khalid Juhni related that the Prophet said: He who provides for the breaking of the Siyam of another person earns the same merit as the one who was observing Siyam diminishing in any way the reward of the latter (Tirmidhi).Lailat al-QadrAisha related that the Prophet said: Look for Lailat al-Qadr on an odd-numbered night during the last ten nights of Ramadan (Bukhari).Anas ibn Malik related that Rasulullah said: When Lailat al-Qadr comes Gabriel descends with a company of angels who ask for blessings on everyone who is remembering Allah, whether they are sitting or standing (Baihaqi).

Prepared by Brother M. B. Sherif and Kamor Gandy