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.
In the Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) and Spirituality, fasting (al-Ṣawm) is not merely abstaining from food and drink. Its essence is al-Imsāk, a strict mechanism of self-control from everything that invalidates it, including biological desires. Among the many things that invalidate a fast, the legal ruling regarding sexual intercourse while fasting or having sexual relations during … Read more
Observing the fast is not merely about enduring hunger and thirst. For many individuals, the most formidable challenge lies in the ability to control their desires and carnal lust (shahwah). Questions frequently arise, particularly among young married couples: “To what extent is physical intimacy permissible during the day?”, “Does unintentionally looking at the opposite sex … Read more
Observing the fast during the blessed month of Ramadan requires precise and profound knowledge. It is not merely about enduring hunger and thirst from the break of dawn until sunset; it fundamentally involves guarding oneself against all things that invalidate fasting (mufattirat). Frequently, doubts arise within the community: “Does picking my nose break the fast?”, … Read more
When the blessed month of Ramadan arrives, medical questions often arise that cause us to hesitate. “If I have a toothache and swallow medicine, my fast is obviously broken. But what if I get an injection?” or “Is it okay to use ear drops during the day?” These doubts are actually rooted in a very … Read more
Have you ever woken up during the daytime in Ramadan with a mucus-filled throat due to a cold? Or perhaps, after rinsing your mouth for ablution, you doubted whether the leftover moisture could be swallowed? Issues surrounding the oral cavity and throat frequently cause confusion when we try to understand the true meaning of fasting. … Read more
Observing the fast, whether it is the obligatory Ramadan fast, makeup (Qadha) fasts, or Sunnah fasts (like Mondays and Thursdays), is sometimes colored by events beyond our control. We often hear stories of people forgetting to eat while fasting, or perhaps we ourselves have woken up late and desperately eaten Suhoor during the Fajr call … Read more