WAYS TO IDENTIFY THEFJRSTANDLASTDAYS OF RAMADHAN
Since Ramadhan is a lunar month, it is necessary to ascertain the new moon in order to facilitate fasting. The Sharia has accordingly prescribed one of the following ways to identify the
first and last days of Ramadhan:
1- One sees the new moon himself.
2- A group of trustworthy people report seeing the new moon.
3- Two just men report seeing the new moon, and their descriptions do not disagree.
4- Thirty days have passed since the beginning of Sha ban.
5- The leading mujtahid* states that it is the first of Ramadhan.
The same procedure also applies to the last day of Ramadhan and Eid-uI-Fitr. Note: an astronomical report on the new moon is not a binding verification of the first day of
Ramadhan.
DAY OF DOUBT
1- If one is not certain whether it is the last day of Sha'ban (the preceding month) or the first day of Ramadhan, that person is not obliged to fast that day. However, if one chooses to do
an optional or defaulted fast that day, and later on discovers it was the first of Ramadhan, it will be regarded as a normal Ramadhan fast.
2- If one intends to break fast on the day of doubt, but has had none of the fast-breakers, then before noon the day was proved to be of
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* A mujtahid is a person who is an expert in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh): he is also called faqih.
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Ramadhan, one must intend to fast that day as a fast of Ramadhan. In this way the day's fasting will be deemed correct.
3- But if one has had a fast-breaker, and before noon the day was proved to be of Ramadhan, it is obligatory to al~tain the rest of the day, and make default for it later. Similarly if it
was known in the afternoon, that the day was proved to be of Ramadhan, one must abstain the rest of the day, and make default later, even if one has had none of the fast-breakers. necessary for
fasting. Those who are sick are exempted, and nor should one fast when sure of adverse effects on health, or fears possibility of adverse effects.
CLARIFICATION:
a. If one fears -the fear of any prudent person- that fasting will make him/her sick, worsen malady or bring harm then he/she should not fast, but make up for the defaulted fasts later, on
regaining health.
b. Mere feeling of weakness~.or for that matter psychological fear is not an excuse to forego fasting or to break fast. But if the physical weakness is very severe and unbearable and is
taxing the power of resistance, then it is allowed to break the- fast.
c. If fasting has no adverse effects for a sick person, then it is obligatory for him/her to fast.
d. If one fasts, believing there will be no adverse effects, but it turi~ out later that fasting did harm his/her condigion, such a fast is not regarded as correct.
e. If one fasts knowing that it will be harmful, or possibly harmful, his/her fasting is null.
INTENTION
Earlier we had briefly mentioned the significance of inten necessary for fasting. Those who are sick are exempted, and nor should one fast when sure of adverse effects on health, or fears
possibility of adverse effects.
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CLARIFICATION:
a. If one fears -the fear of any prudent person- that fasting will make him/her sick, worsen malady or bring harm then he/she should not fast, but make up for the defaulted fasts later, on
regaining health.
b. Mere feeling of weakness,or for that matter psychological fear is not an excuse to forego fasting or to break fast. But if the physical weakness is very severe and unbearable and is
taxing the power of resistance, then it is allowed to break the- fast.
c. If fasting has no adverse effects for a sick person, then it is obligatory for him/her to fast.
d. If one fasts, believing there will be no adverse effects, but it turns out later that fasting did harm his/her condigion, such a fast is not regarded as correct.
e. If one fasts knowing that it will be harmful, or possibly harmful, his/her fasting is null.
INTENTION
Earlier we had briefly mentioned the significance of inten tion (Niyya). Here, we wish to deal in detail with this important subject. A tradition from Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.)
says:
"Deeds depend on intentions."
Hence, Intention is compulsory for every devotional act. A devotional act, without a true, purely God-oriented intention, is void. Fasting is thus one such act which requires the intention
of gaining proximity to Allah. Yet, such an intention need not necessarily be present in the mind of the fasting person at each and every single moment of fasting, but the person concerned should
be aware of the state. The intention to fast will remain effective, and even if one forgets or sleeps, the fast will be valid.
However, the intention to fast requires certain basic rules:
1. Intention depends on two options. One can intend on the first eve of Ramadhan to fast for the whole month, or can make the intention daily for that particular day, but before dawn
breaks.
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2. The intention should be to fast from fair (a little before dawn breaks) till Maghrib (a little after sunset). Thus, fasting will cover the entire period of the day, beginning at dawn
till the redness of the dusk disappears in the east. During this time one should abstain from eating, drinking and all other acts which break fasting.
3. The end of the day comes a little after sunset. Sunset is not determined by the mere disappearance of the sun's orb, but the disappearance of the redness of the dusk in the
east.
