“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, so that you may guard (against evil).” (al-Baqarah 2; 183)
Fasting is an excellent act of worship, which strengthens the spiritual side of human beings. By means of fasting, people go into such an atmosphere that even angels admire them. Fasting, at the same time, prevents servants from falling into sins in the extent of weakening the inner self. There is no other act of worship which controls the self and polishes the spirit more effective than fasting does.
When Abu Umamah (r.a.) asked the Messenger of Allah:
“O Messenger of Allah! Tell me such an act of worship that Allah the Almighty would reward me because of it.”
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) replied:
“I advise you fasting for there is no other act of worship resembling to it.” (Nasai, Siyām, 43)
One of the acts of worship, which Allah’s Messenger constantly performed, is fasting. He (pbuh) informs us about the value of fasting as follows:
“Every good deed of the son of Adam would be multiplied. A good deed will be receiving a tenfold to seven hundredfold reward. Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, has said: With the exception of fasting, for it is done for Me and I will give a reward for it, for My servant abandons his passion and food just for My sake. There are two occasions of joy for the one who fasts, one of them when he breaks it, and the other when he meets his Lord. The breath of an observer of fast is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk.” (Muslim, Siyām, 164)
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would fast even on the warmest days of the summer. Abu Darda’ (r.a.) reported:
“We set out during the month of Ramadan with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) in such an intense heat that one of us would place his hand over his head in order to protect himself against the excessive heat, and none among us was observing the fast, except the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and ‘Abdullah b. Rawaha.” (Muslim, Siyām, 108-109) He stated that “Fasting is a shield (or a screen or a shelter)” (Bukhari, Sawm, 2) and he always used the strongest shield.
Fasting is an act of obedience which takes those who observe it to piety. And through piety a servant will be protected from Hell-fire and get closer to Paradise. In this respect, the Prophet (pbuh) said that:
“Indeed, anyone who fasts for one day for Allah’s Pleasure, Allah will keep his face away from the (Hell) fire for (a distance covered by a journey of) seventy years.” (Bukhari, Jihad, 36)
A believer, who is hungry because of fasting, comprehends the state of the poor and treats them mercifully and generously. With an empty stomach one tastes spirituality deeper than those with full stomach. Their spirituality and comprehension become stronger. Those who recognize their humility and servitude diverge from bad habits and eventually adorn with good manners. Jalal al-Din Rumi (q.s.) expresses that fasting strengthens the spirituality and weakens the inner animal self in the following lines:
“These austerities of dervishes—what are they for? (The reason is) that that tribulation (imposed) on the body enhances the everlasting life of spirits. Unless a (mystic) traveler gains the everlasting life of his (spiritual) self, how should he make his body a sick and perishing through fasting and worship?” (Mathnawi, II, 3349-3350)
In order to attain the above mentioned results from fasting, it should be observed just for the sake of Allah the Almighty and it should be performed according to the Prophet’s instructions. Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) wants those who observe fasting to stay away from evil acts and words; and be gentle, dignified, and merciful. In fact this is stated in the following sayings of the Prophet (pbuh):
“The Prophet said, “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)” (Bukhari, Sawm, 8)
“… If one of you is fasting, he should avoid speaking bad and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, ‘I am fasting’…” (Bukhari, Sawm, 9)
We see that the Prophet (pbuh) acted moderately in his fasting just like in his all other acts and advised his companions to do the same. From time to time, he warned those who would leave everything and would observe fasting and prayer all the time. He (pbuh) told them to take him as an example. The Prophet (pbuh) prohibited sawm al-wisal (fasting continuously without breaking one’s fast in the evening or eating before the following dawn). When companions told the Prophet (pbuh):
“But you practice al-wisal?” the Prophet (pbuh) replied,
“I am not like any of you, for I am given food and drink (by Allah) during the night.” (Bukhari, Sawm, 48)
When moderation is not observed, people choose excess in one or another direction. Those who exaggerate get tired after a while and cannot even keep up the minimum requirements. The most difficult problem about the acts of obedience is to get tired and bored from performing them. When a person’s self gets tired from an act, he/she cannot achieve pious reverence and his/her act cannot be considered as an act of worship. Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) points out this fact by saying: “Every act has a vital state, and every state of vitality has a point of tiredness and boredom…” (Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 21) Just like prescribing medicine to a patient, Allah the Almighty ordained the acts of obedience neither too much nor too little but just as much as His servants need.
Bahili (r.a.) experienced such an incident which shows the significance of moderation in worship.
“One day Bahiliyyah visited the Apostle of Allah (pbuh). He said:
“O Apostle of Allah, do you not recognize me?” The Prophet (pbuh) asked:
“Who are you?”
He replied:
“I am al-Bahili who came to you last year.” He said:
“What has changed you? You were looking well, then you were good in appearance before?”
He said:
“I have fasted during the mornings and have food only at night since I departed from you.”
Thereupon the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) said:
“Why did you torment yourself? Fast during Ramadan (the month of patience) and fast for one day every month.”
He said:
“Increase it for me, for I have (more) strength.”
He said:
“Fast two days.”
He again said:
“Increase it for me.”
He said:
“Fast three days.”
He again said:
“Increase it for me.” He said:
“Fast three days from the inviolable months (Rajab, Zilqadah, Zilhijja, and Muharram) and then stop; fast three days from the inviolable months and then stop; fast three days from the inviolable months and then stop.”
He indicated by his three fingers, and joined them and then opened them.” (Abu Dawud, Sawm, 55)
According to Anas’s (r.a.) report, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) always acted according to the conditions. He did not fast in some months so that his companions thought that he was not going to fast again; and he fasted in some other months so many days that his friends thought that he was going to fast the entire month. (Bukhari, Sawm, 53) In addition, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would not exaggerate fasting by observing it a number of months continuously. In fact according to the reports of Umm Salama (r.a.), he never happened to fast two entire months in a row except the months of Sha’ban and Ramadan. (Tirmidhi, Sawm, 37) Even this happened only in some years.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) wanted those who fast to hurry in breaking their fast. And he said “The people will remain on the right path as long as they hasten the breaking of the fast.” (Bukhari, Sawm, 45) One day Masruq (r.a.) told Aisha (r.a.):
“Mother of the Believers, there are two persons among the Companions of Muhammad (pbuh) one among whom hastens in breaking the fast and in observing prayer, and the other delays breaking the fast and delays observing prayer.” She said:
“Who among the two hastens in breaking fast and observing prayers?”
Masruq said,
“It is ‘Abdullah. i. e. son of Mas’ud” whereupon Aisha (r.a.) said: This is how the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did…” (Muslim, Siyām, 49-50)
1. Supererogatory Fasting
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) would continue the supererogatory fasting from time to time after the month of Ramadan. He was careful about fasting on Mondays and Thursdays and he explained its reason as follows: “Deeds of people are presented (to Allah) on Mondays and Thursdays. So I like that my actions be presented while I am fasting.” (Tirmidhi, Sawm, 44)
He also liked to fast on the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth of lunar months (which are called ayyām biḍ) and advised his companions to do the same. Ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.) expresses how regular the Prophet (pbuh) was about fasting on ayyām biḍ in the following saying:
“Our Prophet (pbuh) did not leave fasting on ayyām biḍ neither when he was at home nor when he was on a journey.” (Nasai, Sawm, 70) In ayyām biḍ, which are the days of a full moon, water in the human body rises because of the moon’s increasing force of gravity, and consequently humans are more inclined to follow their selfish desires during those days. Fasting, which is the best device to control the inner self and the strongest shield against the sins, becomes the best and the most effective solution to calm humans during those days.[1]
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) encouraged his followers to fast for six days in the month of Shawwāl and stated its merits as follows:
“He/she who observed the fast of Ramadan and then followed it with six (fasts) of Shawwal would be as if he/she fasted the entire year.” (Muslim, Siyām, 204)
Fasting in the month of Shawwāl plays a completing role for those who have not had the chance to get the proper benefit from the month of Ramadan. The statement of being considered as if fasting the entire year is based on the principle that good deeds will be rewarded ten-fold.
Fasting on the day of Ashūra is another type of supererogatory fasting. Aisha (r.a.) reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had ordered to observe fasting on the day of ‘Ashura before the fasting in Ramadan was made obligatory. But when it became obligatory, then he who wished fasted on the day of Ashura, and he who wished did not observe it (on that day). (Muslim, Siyām, 115)
Allah the Almighty saved Moses (pbuh) from Pharaoh and his people on the day of Ashūra. Moses (pbuh) showed his gratitude to Allah by fasting on that day. Then, fasting on that day became a tradition among the people of the Book and the Arabs. Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) did not abolish this custom and said about its merits:
“I hope from Allah the Almighty that fasting on the day of Ashūra will become atonement for the sins of previous year.” (Tirmidhī, Sawm, 48)
Fasting the day before the feast of sacrifice is also recommended.
We should not neglect the supererogatory fasting after properly observing the obligatory ones, for they are very important means of getting closer to Allah the Almighty.
2. I’tikaf
I’tikaf literally means to insist on something positive or negative, material or spiritual. Terminologically it states the seclusion into a mosque with the intention of performing acts of servitude and getting closer to Allah the Almighty. I’tikaf is usually performed during the ten days of the Month of Ramadan. Going into i’tikaf means to spend the days by fasting and the nights by prayer and reciting remembrances; thus to devote the entire time in servitude to Allah. Except for absolute necessities, going into i’tikaf requires not to leave the mosque for the entire duration of it. It is an act of worship which actually existed in religions prior to Islam.
Sometimes people feel that they are getting away from their Lord due to preoccupations and concerns of daily life. This is why it would be beneficial for a servant to go into seclusion in a mosque and leave all his/her concerns behind. It may not be possible for him/her to perform this act regularly, but he/she should look for opportunities and go into i’tikaf when it is suitable to his/her conditions in accordance with the principle “something which cannot be attained totally should not be left completely.”
Going into seclusion in a mosque bears wonderful results such as concentration, keeping the heart away from daily concerns, dedicating the entire time to the acts of obedience, and possibility of finding the night of Qadr. This is why the Prophet (pbuh) went into i’tikaf for the last ten days of Ramadan. He went into i’tikaf for the last twenty days of Ramadan in the year he passed away (Bukhari, I’tikaf, 1, 17) and he advises his followers to do the same as his Sunnah.
I’tikaf cannot be observed without fasting. Moreover, believers should go into seclusion in the big mosques. Believers can put up tents or reserve special rooms in the mosques in order to give a chance to others who would like to go into seclusion as well. It has been considered more appropriate for Muslim women to go into seclusion not in the mosques but in their homes.
[1] Because in those days mornings are enlightened by the Sun and the nights by the Moon for the whole day, they are called “ayyām biḍ or white days.” Today the effects of the Moon upon human beings have been a subject of scientific research. According to discoveries of contemporary scientists, the Moon affects the human body, which is made up of 80% of water, just like it affects the oceans on Earth. In those days the balance of the fluids of the body are disrupted; the systematic operation of the human brain gets unbalanced and the heart beats increase. The full moon may cause serious problems to those who have heart problems and diabetes. And it may disrupt the operation of the nerve cells and break their balance. It is a scientific fact that the full moon has more effects on women. Scientists summarize these effects as follows:
- Women become more sensitive and inclined to cry easily.
- Birth rates increase by twenty percent.
- Full moon disrupts the balance of menstruation and increases bleeding.
- Because it increases the hormones, it rises the sexual desires.
- It causes increased migraine pains, and thus women become more stressed.
The changes happening in the human body in those days also causes an increase in crime rate. On the days of the full moon of August 1993, a significant increase was observed in the rate of crimes, hysterical attacks, and suicides in Germany. Psychologists talk about the full moon’s effects on the human psychology. French researcher René Claude Guillot examined the crimes committed in those days and wrote a book about them titled Full Moon Hysteria. In his book, he says that “it is possible to confirm the increasing rates of crimes during the days of full moon from not only the French but also the American police reports.” The news which was titled “Full Moon and Crime” and published in the journal of Bilim ve Teknik also presents similar findings. “Two Indian scientists announced that the rates of getting poisoned and crimes were increased on the full moon days of 1980 and 1984. Their findings are published in British Medical Journal. According to researcher professor C. P. Thakur, the reason for the increase rates of suicide and homicide by poison is the tide waves in the human body. Since the Earth, Moon, and the Sun come into a straight line during the days of the full moon, the moon’s power of gravity upon the human body rises and the level of water in the human body exceeds sixty percent. Physical and spiritual changes caused by increased levels of gravity also increase the tendency of taking poison and committing crimes. The researcher reached these finding by inputting a five-year long police reports to a computer and comparing them with the dates of the full moon.” (http://www.kalbinsesi.com/konu/dolunay.asp)