48 Questions About Fasting
This article is a compilation of questions and answers extracted from the book "48 Questions About Fasting" by Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Sâlih al-'Uthaymine رحمه الله, one of the greatest contemporary scholars of Islam. We have selected the questions we consider most relevant and beneficial.
---
Does the night prayer during Ramadan have a specific number of rak'ahs or not?
The night prayer does not have a specific number that must be strictly observed. There is therefore no harm in a person staying up all night or praying twenty or even fifty rak'ahs. That said, the best number is the one the Prophet ﷺ used to perform, namely eleven or thirteen rak'ahs.
The Mother of the Believers, 'Aisha رضي الله عنها, was asked about how the Prophet ﷺ used to pray during Ramadan. She replied:
"He never exceeded eleven rak'ahs, whether during Ramadan or outside of it."
However, these rak'ahs must be performed in the legislated manner. One should lengthen the recitation, the bowing, the prostration, the standing after bowing, and the sitting between the two prostrations. Unlike what some people do nowadays — they pray with such haste that it prevents those following them from completing what they should. Leading the prayer (imamate) is a responsibility, and the one who assumes it must do what is most beneficial and best. The fact that the imam only cares about finishing early is a mistake. Rather, he should do as the Prophet ﷺ did: lengthen the standing, the bowing, the prostration, and the sitting, as has been reported, while increasing in supplications, recitation, glorification, and more.
---
If a person prays behind an imam who exceeds eleven rak'ahs, should they follow the imam or leave after eleven rak'ahs?
The Sunnah is to follow the imam, because if a person leaves before the imam has finished, they will not receive the reward of the night vigil. Indeed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
مَنْ قَامَ مَعَ الإِمَامِ حَتَّى يَنْصَرِفَ كُتِبَ لَهُ قِيَامُ لَيْلَةٍ
>
"Whoever prays with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him as having prayed the whole night."
(Reported by al-Bukhari, no. 1147, 3569 and Muslim, no. 1670)
This is meant to encourage us to stay and pray with the imam until he finishes.
The Companions رضي الله عنهم followed their imam in a matter that exceeded what is legislated in a single prayer, specifically with the Commander of the Believers 'Uthman Ibn 'Affan رضي الله عنه when he completed the prayer at Mina during the pilgrimage — meaning he prayed four rak'ahs. Yet the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Uthman رضي الله عنهم himself at the beginning of his caliphate for eight years, used to pray only two rak'ahs. Later, he prayed four. The Companions disagreed with him on this point. Despite that, they still followed him by praying four rak'ahs with him.
If such was the attitude of the Companions — to be keen on following the imam — then why do some people, upon seeing the imam exceed the number of eleven rak'ahs that the Prophet ﷺ rarely surpassed, leave during the prayer? We observe this when some people in the Sacred Mosque leave before the imam, claiming that only eleven rak'ahs are legislated.
---
Ramadan has become for many a month of laziness, food, and sleep. What do you advise?
I believe that in reality this constitutes a waste of time and money. If people have no concern other than varying their food, sleeping during the day, and spending the night in things that do not benefit them, then this is undoubtedly the loss of a precious opportunity that may never come again in a person's life.
The truly determined person is the one who — during Ramadan — balances an appropriate amount of sleep at the beginning of the night, the Tarawih prayer, and the late-night prayer, if possible. Likewise, he does not waste food and drink. It is also recommended for anyone who has the means to make an effort to feed those who are fasting, whether at the mosque or elsewhere, because the one who feeds a fasting person will receive the same reward as them. Thus, if a person feeds their brothers who are fasting, they will receive the same reward. Whoever Allah has enriched should seize this opportunity to earn an enormous reward.
---
What is the degree of authenticity of the hadith: "The one who cups and the one who is cupped have both broken their fast"?
This hadith has been judged authentic by Imam Ahmad, as well as by the Sheikh of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, and other verifiers. It is therefore authentic. Moreover, it is theoretically sound, since the person who undergoes cupping loses a considerable amount of blood, which weakens the body, and if the body weakens, it needs nourishment.
Thus, if a fasting person needs cupping and it is performed on them, they will be told: "You have broken your fast. So eat and drink so that your body regains its strength." If, on the other hand, they do not need it, we will tell them: "Do not undergo cupping if the fast is obligatory," so that their strength is preserved until they break their fast.
---
Does a significant blood draw break the fast?
If a significant blood draw causes weakness of the body and a need for nourishment in the same way as cupping, then its ruling is the same as that of cupping. As for what comes out of a person involuntarily, such as a wound that causes a lot of bleeding, this does not harm the fast at all because it is not intentional.
---
A young man masturbated during Ramadan, not knowing that this breaks the fast. What is the ruling?
The ruling is that nothing is incumbent upon him. We have previously stated that a fasting person's fast is only broken under three conditions: knowledge, remembrance, and deliberate intent.
That said, I wish to emphasize that one must exercise patience regarding masturbation because it is forbidden. Indeed, Allah ﷻ said:
﴿ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ فَمَنِ ابْتَغَىٰ وَرَاءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ ﴾
>
"And those who guard their private parts, except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they are not to be blamed. But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors." (Quran, al-Mu'minun: 5-7)
The Prophet ﷺ also said:
يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ ، مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمُ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصَّوْمِ
>
"O young people! Whoever among you can afford marriage, let him marry. Whoever cannot, then let him fast!"
Furthermore, if masturbation were permissible, the Prophet ﷺ would have recommended it because it is easier for a religiously accountable person, and the individual finds a certain pleasure in it, unlike fasting which is difficult. Since the Prophet ﷺ chose fasting instead, this proves that masturbation is not permissible.
---
What about people who sleep all day during Ramadan, some of whom pray in congregation and others do not? Is their fast valid?
Their fast is valid and they have fulfilled their obligation through it, but it is greatly diminished and contrary to the Legislator's objective behind fasting, for Allah ﷻ said:
﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴾
>
"O you who have believed, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may attain piety." (Quran, al-Baqara: 183)
The Prophet ﷺ also said:
مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ وَالْجَهْلَ فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ أَنْ يَدَعَ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ
>
"Whoever does not give up false speech, acting upon it, and ignorance, Allah has no need for him to give up his food and drink."
Moreover, it is well known that neglecting the prayer and giving it no importance is not among the signs of fearing Allah ﷻ. The same applies to failing to abandon falsehood. This is contrary to the purpose of Allah and His Messenger through the obligation of fasting. It is astonishing that these people sleep all day and stay up all night. They may spend the night uttering trivial things of no benefit or doing something forbidden for which they will acquire sins.
I advise these people and those like them to fear Allah ﷻ, to implore His help in fulfilling the fast in a way that pleases Him, and to benefit from it through remembrance of Allah, recitation of the Quran, prayer, kindness to others, and everything that the Divine Law prescribes. The Prophet ﷺ was the most generous of people and was even more generous during Ramadan when Jibril would meet him to study the Quran with him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was more generous than the beneficial wind.
---
Some Muslims neglect prayer throughout the year but start praying, fasting, and reading the Quran when Ramadan comes. What about their fast?
Their fast is valid, because it is a fast performed by people from whom it is required and it is not accompanied by any act that invalidates it. However, I advise them to fear Allah ﷻ within themselves and to worship Allah ﷻ through what He has made obligatory upon them, at all times and in all places. A person does not know when death will surprise them. One may be waiting for Ramadan and never reach it.
Also, Allah ﷻ has not set any end to His worship except death, as He ﷻ said:
﴿ وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ ﴾
>
"And worship your Lord until the certainty comes to you." (Quran, al-Hijr: 99)
That is, until death comes to you, which is the certainty.
---
In some countries, the day is extraordinarily long, sometimes twenty-four hours. Are the Muslims in these countries required to fast all day?
Yes, they are required to fast the entire day, in accordance with the word of Allah ﷻ:
﴿ فَالْآنَ بَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَابْتَغُوا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۚ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ ﴾
>
"So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset." (Quran, al-Baqara: 187)
As well as the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:
إِذَا أَقْبَلَ اللَّيْلُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا وَأَدْبَرَ النَّهَارُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا وَغَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَقَدْ أَفْطَرَ الصَّائِمُ
>
"When the night advances from here [the East], the day retreats from there [the West], and the sun sets, the fasting person breaks their fast."
---
The boss of a company has non-Muslim employees. Is it permissible for him to forbid them from eating and drinking in front of the other Muslim employees in the same company during the days of Ramadan?
I would first say that it is not appropriate to employ non-Muslim workers when Muslims can be employed, because Muslims are preferable to non-Muslims. Indeed, Allah ﷻ says:
﴿ وَلَعَبْدٌ مُّؤْمِنٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن مُّشْرِكٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكُمْ ﴾
>
"And a believing slave is better than a polytheist, even though he might please you." (Quran, al-Baqara: 221)
However, if it proves necessary to hire non-Muslim employees, there is no harm in it, based solely on need.
As for them eating and drinking during the days of Ramadan in front of fasting Muslims, there is no harm in that. The fasting Muslim indeed praises Allah ﷻ for having guided him to Islam, which contains happiness in this world and the Hereafter, just as he praises Allah ﷻ for having protected him from what He has made those who do not follow the guidance of Allah ﷻ endure. Thus, even if food and drink have been legally forbidden to him in this world during the days of Ramadan, he will indeed obtain the reward on the Day of Resurrection when it will be said to them:
﴿ كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا هَنِيئًا بِمَا أَسْلَفْتُمْ فِي الْأَيَّامِ الْخَالِيَةِ ﴾
>
"Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you put forth in the days past." (Quran, al-Haqqa: 24)
Nevertheless, non-Muslims should be prevented from eating and drinking openly in public places because this opposes the Islamic framework of the country.
---
Do backbiting and slander invalidate the fast during the days of Ramadan?
Backbiting and slander do not invalidate the fast, but they diminish it. Allah ﷻ said:
﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴾
>
"O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous." (Quran, al-Baqara: 183)
The Prophet ﷺ also said:
مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ وَالْجَهْلَ فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ أَنْ يَدَعَ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ
>
"Whoever does not give up false speech, acting upon it, and ignorance, Allah has no need for him to give up his food and drink."
---
Source: "48 Questions About Fasting", Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Sâlih al-'Uthaymine رحمه الله
Interested in our programs?
Contact us to learn more about our learning packages in Madinah.
WhatsApp
