A comprehensive guide to obligatory fasting (Ramadan) and various types of recommended fasting (Monday-Thursday, Ayyamul Bidh, Shawwal). Includes readings on the intention to fast, prayers for breaking the fast, the times for imsak and suhoor, and things that invalidate fasting. Also find the procedures for making up missed fasts (qadha) and paying fidyah for pregnant or breastfeeding women according to Shafi’i fiqh.
The tradition of gathering to break the fast with family or friends always colors the beauty of the holy month of Ramadan. This practice of feasting goes beyond the routine of merely eating. Sharing iftar meals is a means of worship with high value when the doer frames the intention with ikhlas (sincerity) and avoids … Read more
The worship of fasting is a spiritual journey that begins as we recite the prayer for seeing the new crescent moon; this will feel even more meaningful when concluded with gratitude at Maghrib. Noble character demands that we emulate the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in moistening the tongue with prayer, giving thanks for sustenance, and … Read more
The worship of fasting (al-ṣawm) is a spiritual discipline that trains a believer to restrain their desires. Sharia guidance establishes that fasting is not merely restraining the stomach and genitals from dawn to sunset. More than that, fasting is a process of tazkiyatun nafs (purification of the soul) that demands its practitioners to guard their … Read more
The holy month of Ramadan and the worship of fasting in general hold a high position in Islamic faith. In order for this worship to reach a degree of perfection, a servant needs to adorn their tongue with remembrance and supplication based on the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. This article … Read more
In performing the worship of fasting (al-ṣawm) during the holy month of Ramadan, a believer is tested not only by enduring hunger and thirst but also by controlling the surges of biological desires. The very essence of fasting is al-imsāk, a total effort of restraining oneself from all invalidators from the break of dawn until … Read more
In the rigorous performance of the fast (al-Ṣawm), a believer is summoned not merely to endure hunger and thirst but to exert profound discipline over their base desires. The spiritual essence of fasting lies in al-Imsāk—a mechanism of comprehensive self-restraint from everything that invalidates the fast, extending from the precise moment of dawn until sunset. … Read more
Every year, the question “how many days until Ramadan?” sparks widespread excitement and discussion. For Muslims worldwide, this month is not merely an annual routine, but a highly anticipated sacred period. However, beneath this enthusiasm, have we truly comprehended how the Fiqh of Ramadan Fasting governs our worship? From the methodology of sighting the crescent … Read more
The holy month is fast approaching. For Muslims, ensuring that their acts of worship are legally valid is a primary priority. One of the most fundamental pillars of fasting in Ramadan is the intention (niyyah). Without the correct intention, a person’s fast may be deemed invalid, reducing their effort to merely enduring hunger and thirst. … Read more
The holy month of Ramadan or days of voluntary fasting often raise fundamental questions for us: exactly how many pillars of fasting are there? Is it enough simply to endure hunger and thirst? Or are there other foundational elements that determine the validity of our worship? Many people assume there are only two pillars of … Read more
Have you ever wondered, when you have free time, whether it is better to perform more voluntary prayers or observe more voluntary fasting? When seeking closeness to Allah, many believers wonder what constitutes the best physical worship. This question frequently arises in the minds of those who wish to elevate their spiritual rank but feel … Read more