Fasting is one of greatest forms of Allah’s worship. Allah befriends those who fasts and bestows the fasting one with excellent rewards.
Fasting in the blessed month of Ramazan is obligatory (wajib). The fast commences from dawn (subhe sadiq) till Maghrib (sunset). In this duration, the fasting one should refrain from all those actions that invalidate the fast.
Intention (niyyah) is necessary for fasting just like in the case of namaz. The fasting person must intend thus: ‘I am observing my obligatory fasts for the sake of Allah.’ This intention implies that the worshipper is not fasting for anyone else, except Allah.
Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) asserted, ‘Fasting is not simply abstinence from eating and drinking. In addition to that, fasting involves protecting the eyes, ears and tongue from all prohibited actions.’
It is better for those children to fast on whom fasting is not compulsory, before maturity. If they cannot fast for the entire day, they should fast for as long as possible. For instance, they can eat sehri with their parents and continue fasting till 3-4 p.m. in the evening. The benefit of this will be that when they become baligh,
fasting will not be very difficult for them. Moreover, Allah will reward them for the fasting, (even if it is incomplete).
There are certain actions that are prohibited on the fasting person:
- Eating and drinking (no matter how little).
- To vomit intentionally.
- To inhale smoke or dust inside the throat.
- To attribute falsehood to Allah, His Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and
the Imams (a.s.), etc.
If a person is baligh but does not fast in the month of Ramazan-alMubarak, without any valid reason (old age, sickness, travel), he is performing a prohibited (haraam) act. For every fast he skips, he will have to fast for 60 days, as kaffara of one fast.
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