187- IT IS PERMITTED FOR YOU ON THE NIGHT OF FASTING TO HAVE INTERCOURSE WITH YOUR WIVES, THEY ARE GARMENTS FOR YOU AND YOU ARE GARMENTS FOR THEM.  ALLAH KNOWS THAT YOU USED TO DECEIVE YOURSELVES, AND HE PARDONED AND FORGAVE YOU.  NOW APPROACH THEM AND SEEK WHAT ALLAH ORDAINED FOR YOU, AND EAT AND DRINK UNTIL THE BLACK THREAD IS CLEAR FROM THE WHITE THREAD FROM THE DAWN, THEN COMPLETE FASTING UNTIL THE NIGHT.  AND DO NOT APPROACH THEM SEXUALLY WHILE YOU ARE ON RETREAT IN THE MOSQUES.  THESE ARE ALLAH’S LIMITS, SO DO NOT TRANSGRESS THEM.  SUCH DOES ALLAH CLARIFIES HIS AYAHS TO MANKIND SO THAT YOU MAY BE PIOUS.

 

Before this Ayah was sent down, the rules concerning fasting stated that a Muslim could eat, drink and have intercourse after Iftar as long as they did not sleep.  Once they went to sleep after Iftar, they are on fast until next day sunset.  This was difficult for many Muslims to observe.

A man went to Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him telling him that he had intercourse with his wife after Iftar and after he has been to sleep.  Another Muslim, Omar Ibn El-Khatab went to Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him to tell him that after Iftar his wife went to sleep, but he wanted her and had intercourse with her, which he later felt guilty about and hence told Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him.

Allah the Highest knew that some of the Muslims deceive themselves, not deceiving Him.  No one can deceive Allah the Highest who knows every thing.  Yet Allah the Highest being Most Merciful and Forgiving, pardoned them and forgave them.  What is more, Allah the Highest removed the difficult conditions in fasting:

1-    Allowing the Muslim husband and wife to have intercourse from Iftar until dawn.

2-    Allowing the Muslim to eat and drink all the night of fasting until dawn. 

Allah the Highest knew what we can and can not bear.  He shows us that He can make worship difficult for us, but he chooses not to out of His Mercy.  We should not make it difficult for ourselves.

Allah the Highest speaks about a man and his wife describing each as a garment for the other.  This is a very meaningful analogy because:

1-    A garment covers the person’s body with all its faults.

2-    A garment protects and shields also provide warmth and comfort to the person. 

3-    A garment is the closest thing to the person and is felt all the time.

4-    A garment is personal and private.

5-    The garment provides pleasure, comfort, and beauty to the believer.

6-    The garment should be clean and pure.

These are also the characteristics of a good marital relationship.

As for the time of stopping eating it is the Dawn.  The white and black threads are the darkness of the night and the whiteness of the day.  Adi Ibn Hatem, Allah’s messenger companion said: “When this Ayah “ AND EAT AND DRINK UNTIL THE BLACK THREAD IS CLEAR FROM THE WHITE THREAD FROM THE DAWN” was sent down, I got two robes, one black and the other white, and I put them under my pillow.  I kept looking at them until I could distinguish the black from the white, then I stop eating and drinking.  In the morning, I went to Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him and told him what I did, he said: “It is the whiteness of the day and the blackness of the night”. (B: Sowm; 16 & M: Sayam; 33 & D: Sayam; 17 & N: Sayam; 29)

Sohour:

We should continue to eat and drink until dawn.  The late meal is called Sohour, which Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him encourage us to eat saying: “Eat Sohour, for there is blessing in Sohour”.  (B: Sowm; 20 & M: Sowm; 45 & T: Sowm; 17)

He prayer and peace upon him also said: “Eating Sohour is a blessing, so do not leave it, even if one of you drinks a sib of water, for Allah and His angels pray for those who eat Sohour”.  (A: 3; 12, 44)

Iftar:

Which is the mean we break our fast with at sunset.  The Sunah is to eat it soon after sunset.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “My nation shall be right as long as they hurry Iftar and delay Sohour”.  (A: 5; 147,172 6; 48,173 & N: Sayam; 23)

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him forbad us from continuing to fast after sunset, he said: “Do not continue fasting uninterrupted (by eating)”.  They said: “But you continue Allah’s messenger”.  He said: “I am like you; I am fed and watered by my Lord overnight”.  (B:Sowm;49 & M:Sayam;57 & T:Sowm;51 & Da:Sowm;14 & A:3;124)

The maximum one can continue fasting to be until dawn, and then his Iftar will be his Sohour.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Do not continue fasting, but if any of you wants to continue, he may continue until dawn”.  (B: Sowm; 50 & a: 3; 78)

As Allah the Highest allows us to eat, drink and have marital relations until dawn, then dawn might come before those who had marital relations had a chance to bath.  This does not stop them fasting, for this did not stop Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him from fasting.  Om Salama Allah’s messenger wife said: “Allah’s messenger used to rise in a state of Jonob (impurity from intercourse) not from wet dream, and he will bath and fast, and does not fast another day instead”.  (B: Sowm; 22, 25 & M: Taharah; 97 & T: Sowm; 62 & Ma: Sayam; 27)

 

Affectionate relations between husband and wife while fasting:

It is only right that we should not have such associations in the mosques, in Ramadan or any other month. 

Allah the Highest does not forbid every affectionate relationship between man and wife while fasting in Ramadan, provided it does not arouse the sexual desire.  Aisha Allah’s messenger wife reported: “Allah’s messenger used to kiss me while he was fasting, and who of you can control his desires as Allah’s messenger controls his desires”.  (B: Sowm; 23 & T: Sowm; 31 & M: Sayam; 62-71)

Omar Ibn Abi Salama, the son of Om Salama Allah’s messenger’s wife asked Allah’s messenger while in Om Salama’s house: “Can a fasting person kiss?”  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Ask her”.  She told him that Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him does that.  He said: “Allah’s messenger, but Allah has forgiven you your past and coming sins?”  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “By Allah, but I am the most pious and the one who fears Allah most of you” (M: Sayam; 74)

There is an occasion when Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him told a young man not to kiss while fasting and another when he told an older man he can kiss.  There is not contradiction, but I feel that the rule is still as long as it is arousing to sexual feelings.

These are Allah’s boundaries and limits.  Whoever transgresses over them is disobeying Allah, and this is the road to the Hell-Fire.  Instead of what, Allah’s Forgiveness and the Paradise, the reward for fasting.

 

B: Bukhari   M: Muslim    Mal: Malek   A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood     

 Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi  

 

186- AND IF MY SLAVES ASK YOU ABOUT ME, (TEL THEM) I AM NEAR.  I ANSWER THE DAWA (REQUEST) OF WHOEVER CALLS UPON ME WHEN THEY CALL UPON ME.  LET THEM RESPOND TO ME AND BELIEVE IN ME SO THAT THEY MAY BECOME RIGHTLY GUIDED.

There are two great pieces of information in this Ayah.  The First is that Allah the Highest is near us, and the Second is that He answers us when we ask something of him.

Allah is near:

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him was asked; “Where is our Lord?”  This Ayah was the reply.

Abu Musa Al-Ashari, Allah’s messenger companion reported: “We were out with Allah’s messenger payer and peace upon him on a fighting mission.  Whenever we climbed a hill, reach its top or went down a valley, we raised our voices with “Allah Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest).  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him approached us and said: “O people make things easier for yourselves, you do not call one who is deaf or absent, you call Him who hears and sees all things.  The One you call is nearer to you than the neck of your camel” (B: Magazi, 38 & A: 4; 402,418)

It was also reported that Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him was asked: “Is our Lord far then we should shout out for him, or close then we should speak quietly to him?”

The answer came in this Ayah.  Allah the Highest is near, in fact He is with us.  Allah the Highest said:

“AND HE (ALLAH) IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU ARE, AND ALLAH SEES EVERY THING YOU DO”.  (S: 57 A: 4)

And said: “ALLAH IS WITH THOSE WHO ARE PIOUS AND CHARITABLE”.  (S: 16 A: 128)

“Allah the Highest said in Hadith Qudsi: “I am as My slave Expects of Me and I am with him whenever he remembers Me”.  (B: Tawheed; 15, 43 & M: Zekr; 2 & Ma: Adab; 53 & A: 2; 251,305)

 

Allah answers us:

Whenever we ask Allah, He hears and answers, which is a clear invitation for us to ask.   Confirming this, Allah the Highest says: “AND YOUR LORD SAID: “CALL UPON ME AND I SHALL ANWER YOU”.  (S: 3 A: 60)

Asking Allah the Highest is a mark of good faith.  By asking Allah the Highest we show our belief that only He has the key and ability to do all things.  People, even the most generous of them, do not like to be asked for things, for this reduces their wealth and possessions.  Allah the Highest is to the contrary likes to be asked and likes to give, for what He has is unlimited.  In fact not asking Allah the Highest brings us Allah’s Anger.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “He who does not ask Allah, Allah will be angry with him”.  (A: 2; 443,447 & Ma: Doaa; 1)

Allah the Highest being the Most Generous does not like to return a hand which stretched out for him empty.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “When a slave of Allah stretches his hands to him asking for something good, Allah will shy of letting his hands back without putting something in them”.  (A: 5; 438 Also D; T; Ma)

Therefore, one will have something for every Dawa as long as the person asks for something good and Halal. 

All Dawa are granted by Allah the Highest provided:

1-    One asks for what is Halal and not forbidden. 

 

2-    One asks for something involving breaking up relationship with blood relations.

 

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Any Muslim on the face of this Earth who asks Allah Dawa, Allah will grant it to him or spares him as much harm, unless he asks for something sinful or breaking up relationship with blood relations”.  A man then said: “Then we should ask a more”.  Allah’s messenger said: “Allah is even more”.  (T: Dawat, 115 & A: 3; 260 5; 329)

3-    One should not hurry the answer to his or her Dawa, for Allah the Highest decides on the right time, and whether it is good for you or not.  Allah the Highest said: “AND MAN ASKS FOR WHAT IS EVIL AS HE SHOULD ASK FOR WHAT IS GOOD, AND MAN IS ALWAYS HURRYING”.  (S:7 A:11)

 

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “One you will have his Dawa answered unless he hurries it, saying: “I asked and was not answered”.  (T: Dawat; 12 & M: Zekr; 92)

 

4-    A Muslim should ask full heartedly and with certainty that he will be answered.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Say Dawa to Allah with certainty of the answer, and know that does not answer Dawa from a neglecting unaware heart”.  (T:Dawat;65 & A:2;177)

 

5-    A Muslim should ask with determination.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “When one of you asks a Dawa, he should ask with determination, and not say: “Allah gives me if you wish” for no one can compel Allah”.  (M:Zekr;7 & B:Dawat; 21 & T:Dawat;77)

 

6-    A Muslim should be sincere in his Dawa and avoids affectation and unnecessary rhyme.  Abd Allah Ibn Abas, Allah’s messenger companion said that Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him avoided rhyme in Dawa.

 

7-    A Muslim should not be shy of asking for anything however great.  We are asking Him who has every thing and is the Most Generous.

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “The Ferdows is the supreme and best part of Paradise.  When you ask Allah, ask him for the Ferdows”.  (T: Janah; 4 & Ma: Zohd; 39 & A: 2; 335,339)

 

8-    The Muslim should not shy away from asking Allah the Highest for what seems to be impossible.  Nothing is impossible for Allah even if impossible in human terms.  The prophet Zakaria asked Allah the Highest for a righteous son, to be a prophet too, although Zakaria and his wife were old and his wife was barren (infertile).  Allah the Highest mentioned this in the Quran “REMEMBER THE MERCY OF YOUR LORD OF HIS SLAVE ZAKARIA * AS HE CALLED UPON HIS LORD IN PRIVATE * HE SAID: “MY LORD MY BONES ARE FRAIL, AND MY HEAD GLISTENS WITH GREY, BUT I NEVER SUFFERED AFTER ASKING YOU MY LORD * AND I FEAR FOR MY DEPENDANTS AFTER ME, AND MY WIFE IS BARREN, SO GIVE ME AN HEIR OUT OF YOUR BOUNTY * TO INHERIT ME AND THE FAMILY OF YACOB AND LET HIM ATTAIN YOUR PLEASURE MY LORD * O ZAKARIAH, WE GIVE YOU GLADE NEWS OR A BOY CALLED YAHIA, WE NEVER CALLED ANYONE THIS NAME BEFORE”.  (S:19 A:2-7)

 

9-    Humility and Begging, Allah the Highest said: “THEY USED TO ASK THEIR LORD BEGGING, IN HUMILITY AND IN PRIVATE”.  (S:7 A:55)

 

10-    Ask in Hope and Fear:  “THEY USED TO ASK US IN HOPE AND FEAR AND THEY HUMBLED THEMSELVES TO US”.  (S:21 A:90)

 

11-    During Prostration: Prostration is a sign of complete submission and surrender to Allah the Highest and during which a Muslim is closest to Allah the Highest.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “The closest the slave is to his Lord the Most Exalted the Majestic, is while prostrating.  Say your Dawa in this state of prostrating”.  (M:Salah;207 & D:Salah;148)

 

12-    Ask Allah the Highest by some of His 99 good names.  Allah the highest said: “AND ALLAH HAS THE GOOD NAMES, CALL HIM BY THEM”.  (S:7 A:180)

 

There are particular times, people and situations which Allah the Highest accept and grants Dawa;

1-    From a just ruler. 

 

2-    A Muslim while having his Iftar after fasting.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “He who fasts has a Dawa which is never rejected when he eats his Iftar”.  (Ma:Sayam;48)

 

3-    The person who suffered injustice:

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Three kinds of people, their Dawa is never rejected; the Just Imam (ruler), the person fasting when he eats, and he who suffered injustice, Allah raises his Dawa above the clouds and the heavens gates open up for it, and Allah says: “My slave, by my Honour and Majesty, I shall give you victory even if after a while”.  (Ma: Sayam; 48 &

T: Dawat; 148 & a: 2:305,445)

 

4-    The Dawa of a person to another behind his or her back, and this is the quickest Dawa to be answered.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “There is not a Dawa that is quicker to be answered than the Dawa of one person to another behind their back”

And he also said: “Whenever a man says Dawa to his brother behind his back, the angels say: ‘Amen, and the same for you’” (T: Ber; 50 & D: Wetr; 29)

 

5-    The Dawa of the Parents to their children.

6-    The Dawa of the Traveler.

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Three Dawa will always be answered; there is no doubt about that, the Dawa of the Parent, the Dawa of the Traveler, and the Dawa of the person who suffered injustice”.  (T: Ber; 7 & Ma: Dawat; 11 & A: 2; 258,305,343)

 

7-    Dawa between Azan and Eqamah. 

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “The Dawa between the Azan and Eqamah is never rejected”.  (T: Salah; 44 & D: Salah; 45 & A: 3; 119,155,225,254)

 

8-    Dawa at the Last Third of the Night.

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Allah descends every night to the lower heaven when the last third of the night is left, and the Exalted and the Majestic says: ‘Who shall say a Dawa to Me and I will grant it for him, who shall ask Me and I will give him, who shall ask for My forgiveness, and I will forgive him”.  (B: Tahajod; 14 & M: Mosafreen; 168-170 & D: Tatawaa; 21)

 

9-    Enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong:

This is a prerequisite for answer our Dawa, if we do not, Allah the Highest does not answer our Dawa.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Allah the Exalted and the Majestic said: ‘Enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong or you will call upon Me and I will not answer you, and you will ask Me and I will not give you, and you will ask for My help and I will not help you”.  (A: 6; 159 & Ma: Fetan; 20 & T: Fetan; 9)

 

10-    Earning our living, living from Halal.  Allah the Highest does not answer the Dawa of a person living out of Haram.  Saad Ibn Abi Waqas, Allah’s messenger companion asked him: “Allah’s messenger, ask Allah for me to have my Dawa always granted”.  He said: “O Saad, make your food and drink always Halal and from Halal, your Dawa will always be granted”.

Allah the Highest tells us at the end of the Ayah to respond and believe in Him.  As if to say, that responding to Allah the Highest be faith, worship and obedience is necessary for Allah the Highest to respond to us.

 

B: Bukhari   M: Muslim    Mal: Malek   A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood     

 Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi  

 

183- YOU WHO BELIEVE, FASTING HAS BEEN PRESCRIBED FOR YOU, AS IT HAS BEEN PRESCRIBED FOR THOSE BEFORE YOU, SO THAT YOU MAY BE PIOUS.

184- NUMBERED DAYS; AS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SICK OR TRAVELLING, THEN THEY MAKE THE NUMBERS UP AT OTHER DAYS.  AS FOR THOSE WHO CAN MANAGE IT, THERE IS A RANSOM OF FEEDING A POOR PERSON, BUT IF YOU GIVE MORE OF YOUR OWN ACCORD, THIS IS BETTER FOR YOU, AND TO FAST IS BETTER FOR YOU IF YOU DO NOT KNOW.

185- THE MONTH OF RAMADAN DURING WHICH THE KORAN WAS SENT DOWN, GUIDANCE TO MANKIND AND CARRYING CLEAR SIGNS OF GUIDANCE AND JUDGING RIGHT FROM WRONG.  ANY ONE OF YOU WHO SEE THIS MONTH, HE SHOULD FAST IT, AND WHOEVER IS ILL OR TRAVELLING, THEY SHOULD MAKE THE NUMBER UP AT OTHER DAYS.  ALLAH DESIRES EASE NOT HARDSHIP FOR YOU.  YOU SHOULD COMPLETE THE NUMBER OF DAYS, AND GLORIFY ALLAH FOR WHAT HE GUIDED YOU TO, SO THAT YOU MAY GIVE THANKS.

 

This is the command to fast the month of Ramadan.  Ramadan is a special month, for during which Allah the Highest sent the Quran down as stated in the Ayah.  It is also reported that other holy books were sent down during this month.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “The Scripture of Ibrahim was sent down at the beginning of Ramadan, the Torah was sent down on the sixth day of Ramadan, the Engeel was sent down on the thirteenth of Ramadan, and the Quran was sent down on the twenty fourth of Ramadan”.  (Ahmed)

Fasting the month of Ramadan is a duty upon every adult, sane, and physically able Muslim.

Fasting has a purpose stated in the Ayah, which is to attain piety. The abstention from food, drink, sex and all that displeases Allah the Highest from dawn to sunset, only for Allah’s sake, helps us towards achieving piety.  Every one has opportunity to do all this in secret, without being seen by anyone but the Almighty, yet maintaining the fast means that we know that Allah the Highest watches and sees us.

Allah the Highest commanded us to fast for the days of the month of Ramadan.  We start fasting when we see the crescent of Ramadan, and know the end of the month when we see the crescent of Shawal.  A lunar month is often 29 days.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Fast when you see the crescent, and break you fast when you see it, but if it was cloudy, complete the month to thirty days”.  (B: Sayam; 5 & M: Sayam; 6-9 & T: Sowm; 2)

Ramadan is a month of Mercy and forgiveness.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan and worships in it by night, due to his belief and hoping for reward from Allah, Allah will forgive him his past sins, and whoever worships at the night of Qadr due to his belief and hoping for Allah’s reward, Allah will forgive him his past sins” (B: Eman; 28 & M: Sayam; 203 & D: Ramadan; 1 & A: 2; 232)

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him also said: “A man’s nose is rubbed in the dirt if Ramadan comes and goes without his sins being forgiven” (M: Ber; 8 & A: 2; 346)

During the month of Ramadan, the heavens open up with mercy for the worshippers.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “When Ramadan comes, the gates to Paradise open, the gates to Hell-Fire shut, and the devils get locked away”.  (B: Sowm; 5 & M: Sayam; 1-4 & Mal: Sayam; 59)

Allah the Highest gave some people licenses not to fast due to special circumstances.  There are two types of licenses:

1-    Temporary License: Which is a license not to fast, but the Muslim man or woman have to make up the days i.e. fast the number of days they did not fast, after the month of Ramadan.  These situations are:

a-     Travelling, Pregnant women, and Breast Feeding women:  While travelling, a Muslim man went to Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him who was eating and invited the man to eat.  The man said: “I am fasting”.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Allah the Exalted and the Majestic reduced the Salah for the traveler to half, which him to put off fasting to later days, the same for the pregnant and the breast feeding woman”.  (N:Sayam;50 & Ma:Sayam;12 & Da:Sawm;16 & A:5;29)

 

The distance at which one is allowed not to fast or to half the number of Rakaa of the Salah is thought to be no less than 50km.

 

This license is optional, as long as it does not seriously affect a person’s health, or the health of the mother or baby.  If it does, it is not an option.

 

If a woman has a second child by the time she finishes breast feeding the first, and so on she will have great difficulty making up these days later.  Scholars see that she has a license to ransom her non fasting days by feeding a poor person for each day of Ramadan she did not fast.

 

b-    During the Monthly Menstruation.  Women should not fast during this time.  It is not an optional license, but a compulsory one.

c-     During or just before battle:  For fasting weakens the army.  This also applies to personnel who are serving the army like doctors and nurses looking after the wounded etc.

Abu Saed Al-Khodari Allah’s messenger’s companion reported: “While we were travelling with Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him to Makah the time when Makah was taken by the Muslims, we were fasting (in Ramadan).  When we stopped on the way, Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “You are getting nearer to your enemy and eating makes you stronger”.  This was a license, so some of us fasted and some ate.  When we stopped at another place, he said: “You are meeting your enemy tomorrow, eating makes you stronger, so eat”.  This was a command, so we ate”.        (M: Sayam; 102)

2-    Permanent Licenses:

In these cases the Muslim man or woman does not have to fast at all or make up the days after Ramadan.  They will have to ransom the days by feeding a poor person of the average they eat, for every day of Ramadan. 

This License applies to:

a-     Permanent Illness or Disability:  This is a permanent illness which prevents the Muslim from fasting or endangers his or her health if they fast and not necessarily their life.

b-    Frailty due to Old Age:  An old person who is too weak to fast has a permanent license, as those with permanent illness.

Abolished License:  When the fasting of Ramadan was first prescribed, Allah the Highest gave the Muslims a license not to fast and ransom the days they did not fast without having any of the above mentioned reasons, when He said: “AS FOR THOSE WHO CAN MANAGE IT, THERE IS A RANSOM OF FEEDING A POOR PERSON”.

This license was later abolished when Allah the Highest said: “THEY SHOULD MAKE THE NUMBER UP AT OTHER DAYS”.   

Then every Muslim who could fast should fast the whole number of the month’s days unless they have a lawful excuse.

These licenses as Allah the Highest stated are to make fulfilling the duties or worship easier and to allow Muslims to complete the fast of the month without undue hardship.

Concerning the Licenses we should note:

1-    Licenses are charity from Allah to his slaves, Allah likes us to accept and use.  Allah the Highest said: “Allah likes for His licenses to be used as He hates to be disobeyed”.  (A:2;108)

And he also said: “Whoever does not accept Allah’s license, he shall carry as much sin as the mountain of Arafat”.  (A: 3; 71 4; 158)

2-    If a license is optional like fasting while travelling, one should not refrain from using the license, yet making others around him carry extra burden for it.  Jabir Ibn Abd Allah, Allah’s messenger’s companion reported: “While we were travelling with Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him, he saw a man people gathered around to shade him.  He said: “What is the matter with him?”  They said: “He is fasting”.  He said: “It is not righteous to fast while travelling”.  (B:Sowm;36 & M:Sayam;92,102)

3-    When those not fasting served those fasting while travelling, Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Those not fasting have taken the reward (of fasting)”.  (M:Sayam;100-101 & N:Sayam;52)

4-    This does not mean that it is forbidden to fast while travelling; it is not, provided one can manage it without being a burden on others.  It was reported by Allah’s messenger companions: “We used to travel with Allah’s messenger in Ramadan.  Those fasting did not criticize those who were not and those not fasting not criticizing those who were”.  (N:Sayam;59)

5-    A Muslim should never not fast a day in Ramadan without a license, for nothing equals that day.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “He who does not fast one day in Ramadan without a license, even fasting for life shall not compensate for it”.  (B:Sowm;29 & M:Sowm;28 & T:Sowm;29)

6-    Yet, Allah the Highest is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful, if the person repents, he may ransom it.  A man went to Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him and said: “I am doomed”, Allah’s messenger said: “Why are you doomed?”  The man said: “I had intercourse with my wife during the day in Ramadan”.  Allah’s messenger said: “Can you afford to free a slave?” the man said: “No”.  Allah’s messenger said: “Can you fast two consecutive months?” the man said: “No”.  Allah’s messenger said: “Can you feed sixty poor?” the man said: “No”.  The man sate down and after a while another man came to Allah’s messenger with a sac of dates as a charity.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said to the first man: “Take these dates and give it for charity”.  The man said: “To who is poorer than us, I do not know in Medina any family poorer than us”.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him laughed until his teeth were seen and said to the man: “Take it and feed it to your family”.  (B:Sowm;31 & M:Sayam;81 & D:Sowm;37 & T:Sowm;28 & A:2;241)

 

Ramadan is a month we should never miss to fast it’s day time and pray it’s night time as much as we can to gain Allah’s Mercy and Forgiveness.

 

B: Bukhari   M: Muslim    Mal: Malek   A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood     

 Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi  

 

178- YOU WHO BELIEVE, RETRIBUTION HAS BEEN PRESCRIBED FOR YOU IN THE CASES OF KILLING.  A FREE PERSON FOR A FREE PERSON, A SLAVE FOR A SLAVE, AND A FEMALE FOR A FEMALE, BUT WHOEVER IS PARDONED BY HIS BROTHER, THEN SHOULD GRANT THE COMPENSATION IN AN AMICABLE WAY AND PAY IT IN APPRECIATION.  THIS IS A RELIEF AND MERCY FROM YOUR LORD, BUT WHOEVER TRANSGRESSES AFTER THAT SHALL HAVE PAINFUL PUNISHMENT.

179- YOU SHALL HAVE LIFE IN RETRIBUTION, YOU OF SOUND MINDS, SO THAT YOU MAY BE PIOUS.

 

These Ayahs were sent down to abolish some practices used before Islam.  However, its rules were later superseded by others.  The Arabs used to have a different ransom for a free person, from that of a woman from that of a slave.  However, if someone important was killed, or a person from a powerful or a rich family, they will ask for a much higher ransom, like ask for the ransom of 10 men for just one man. 

Allah the Highest forbad this practice, but in the mean time establishes the principle of paying ransom for the person killed by mistake or if the next the kin agrees if the person is killed intentionally. 

This saves people’s blood and prevents feuds between families and people which prevents further blood shed which used to go on for generations. 

The rules regarding compensations did not change, however Allah the Highest abolished the different values for free men, females, etc. making them all equal saying: “AND WE DECREED THEREIN FOR THEM THAT, A SOUL IS FOR A SOUL, AND EYE FOR AN EYE, A NOSE IS FOR A NOSE, A TOOTH IS FOR A TOOTH, AND THERE IS RETRIBUTION IN WOUNDS”.  (S: 5 A: 45)

This means that all souls are equal, men, women, children, etc.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him also said: “He who kills his slave, we will kill him, he who cut an organ of his slave, we will cut the same organ of him, and he who castrates his slave, and we shall castrate him”.  (D:Dyat;7 & T:Dyat;17 & N:Qesamah;10,16 & Ma:Dyat;23 & Da:Dyat;7 & A:5;10)

It is however generally agreed that if any number of people who together kill one person, they will all be treated as if each one of them killed, and they may all be executed for it.  Omar Ibn El-Khatab when he was Khalifa, may Allah be pleased with him executed 7 men who killed one boy and he said: “By Allah, if all the people of Sanaa (capital of Yemen) gathered to kill him, I would have killed them”.

When a person is murdered, not accidentally killed, his next of kin will have three choices to choose from in dealing with the murderer:

1-    Execution.

2-    Paying of Ransom.  The amount of which is a stated amount for any one of any social status.  The going rate is the value of 100 Camels.

3-    To Pardon.  To let the murderer go free without paying ransom.

 

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Whoever is afflicted by killing or injury, he will have to choose between one of three: Retribution, Pardoning, or taking compensation.  If he wants the fourth (another option), restrain his hand, and he who transgresses after this shall be in the fire of Gahanna, abiding there for eternity”.  (T: Dyat; 13 & Ma: Dyat; 3 & Da: Dyat; 1 & A: 4; 31)

If a person accepts and takes compensation for a victim, then kills the murderer, he will be a murderer himself.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “I do not pardon a man who kills after taking compensation”.  (D: Dyat; 5)

Retribution is a deterrent, establishes social order and justice in the society and also may provide some ground for pardoning and forgiveness in the society.  It prevents feuds and reprisal killings.

 

B: Bukhari  M: Muslim    Mal: Malek   A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood     

 Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi