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O ye who believe! Fasting is obligatory for you, as it was obligatory for those
before you, so that you may become righteous.
The Fast is to be observed for a fixed number of days. However, if anyone of you
be sick or on a journey, he should fast the same number of other days. As for those
who cannot fast, the compensation of this shall be the feeding of one needy person
for one fast day, and who does more than this with a willing heart does it for his
own good. And fasting is good for you, if you only knew
Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was sent down: this Book is a perfect
guidance for mankind and consists of clear teachings which show the right way and
a criterion of Truth and falsehood. Therefore from now on whoever witnesses it, it
is obligatory to fast the whole month, but if one be ill or on a journey, he should
make up for the same number by fasting on other days. Allah desires to give you
facility and He does not desire hardship for you, and that you may complete the
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number of Fast days, and glorify Allah for the Guidance He has shown to you and
be grateful to Him.
And if My servants ask you, O Prophet, concerning Me, tell them that I am quite
near to them. I hear and answer the prayer of the supplicant, when he calls to Me.
So let them respond to My call and believe in Me. Convey this to them, O Prophet;
perhaps they may be guided a right way.
Dear brothers and sisters, I was reciting some verses of Surrah Al-Baqara in which
Allah Rabbulalamin commanded us to observe the fasting. The orders for Salah,
Zakat, Hajj, Jihad and Charity are given at several places in Quran but orders about
fasting can be found only in these verses of Surrah-AlBaqara. Actually these verses
are very much comprehensive, inclusive and complete in its meaning which
completely specifies the reason for having the fasting. Allah Says
O ye who believe! fasting is obligatory for you, as it was obligatory for those
before you, so that you may become righteous.
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Dear brothers and sisters, the fasting is also obligatory in other religions. Jews fast
for six days at various times in the Jewish calendar year. Fasting for Jews means
completely abstaining from food and drink, including water.
Although Christian scripture does not clearly command its followers to fast, Hazrat
Issa Himself fasted for 40 days and nights, and there are also several references to
fasting in the New Testament.
Fasting is also a very integral part of the Hindu religion. Individuals observe
different kinds of fasts based on personal beliefs and local customs.
So, Allah makes it clear to us that fasting is not a new thing which is being made
compulsory on Muslim Ummah. Allah made it obligatory also for various other
religions. And the real purpose of fasting is only and only one and that is to become
righteous, to have taqwa. Fasting produces taqwa and self-control in a person. The
objective behind fasting is to restrain the soul from its desires and to prevent it from
those things, which are beloved to it. I will discuss this point later.
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Dear brothers and sisters, like other compulsory obligations from Allah which were
gradually sent down to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Fasting was also gradually
made obligatory to the Muslim Ummah. Allah says initially:
Fasting is for few days. And these days were not clearly specified. Earlier, Muslims
observed fasting for three days in a month and those days were 13, 14 and 15 of
every month.
Dear Brothers and sisters, in the beginning of Islamic era, there were no specific
orders for saher and iftar. Muslims observed the fasting like Jews. Jews observed
fast and it was started at night before sleeping and ended with the sunset. They had
fasting around 20-22 hours. The main difference between the Jews and Muslims
regarding fasting was sehri. Starting fasting before sleeping or with the prayer of
Isha was somewhat un-natural in its own sense. Because our body has also some
right on us, it has also some needs and demands. And what happened as result of
staring fast just after Isha prayer or before going to bed, Allah says
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It has been made lawful for you to go to your wives during the nights of the fast days. They are as a garment to you and you are as a garment to them. Though Allah knew that you were secretly dishonest to yourselves, He has pardoned your guilt and forgiven you.
Actually dear brothers and sisters, Islam promotes convenience in the religion and
Allah closes the door of any types of extremism. Either it is self created extremism
or misinterpreted extremism. Islam ordered to fulfill the needs of our Nafs and
promote self-control and rejects self-annihilation or self-destruction. Allah says
Allah desires to show leniency to you and does not desire to show any hardship.
Dear brothers and sisters, In Two Hijri, fasting became compulsory to Muslims and
Allah also sent down the rules for fastings. Allah says.
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So you may now go to your wives and seek what Allah has ordained for you; and eat and drink until the white thread becomes distinct to you from the black thread of the dawn. Then complete the fast till nightfall.
So dear brothers and sisters, if we read these verses carefully then we can get the
answer of our question regarding when we should start fast and we should do Iftar
in these extreme days. I am afraid to comment any things on this Iftar and saher
timings but carefully reading of these verses can give us our answers.
Now dear brothers and sisters, why Allah selected month of Ramadan for fasting?
Like the Friday is superior to all days of week, likewise Ramadan is superior to all
months of a year. But why Ramadan is superior? Dear Brothers and sisters, all
Holly books and scriptures sent down during this month. On 1st Ramadan, a Holly
scripture was given to Hazrat Ibrahim, on 2nd Ramazan zaboor was given to hazrat
Dawood, on the 6th of Ramazan Torah was revealed, on the 12th of Ramazan the
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Bible was given, and the Quran was sent down from Lohay Mahfooz on the
Night of Qadr.
Dear brothers and sisters, Ramadan is derived from the Arabic root word
ramida or ar- ramad denoting intense burning heat and dryness, especially the
ground. From the same root there is word ramdaa, sunbaked sand. Thus, the word
Ramadan is so called as it wipes out the sins with good deeds as the sun burns
the ground and in this month all the bad and evil deeds are burnt.
The Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "If a servant of Allah fasts a day for the
pleasure of Allah, He will distance his face from the hellfire, in the equivalent of
that day, which, in the sight of Allah, will take seventy years to cover."
(Bukhari/Muslim)
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Whoever fasts in Ramadhaan with Eemaan and seeking
reward (from Allah) his past sins will be forgiven”.
Abu Umaamah said: I said: 'O Messenger of Allah (saw), tell me of an action by
which I may enter Paradise'. He said: 'Take to Fasting, there is nothing like it.'
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Dear brothers and sisters, "The Messenger of Allah (saw) addressed his
companions on the last day of Sha`ban, saying, "Oh people! A great month is
approaching you; a blessed month; a month in which there is a night better than a
thousand months; month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast
by day, and voluntary to pray by night. Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by
performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same
reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever performs
an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy
obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience
is Heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer's sustenance
or rizk is increased.
Dear brothers and sisters, Ramadan has sent down countless blessings and
countless bounties. If you want to get real blessings and real reward from Allah
during Ramadan then you have to deal with the complete Ramadan package. The
complete Ramadan package consisted of two parts. The morning package consists
of fasting and the night package consists of Qiam-ul Lail. If someone fasts only but
does not stand in front of Allah at night then he will not get the complete
advantages of Ramadan package.
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Allah's messenger (PBUH) stated: "Fast and the Qur'an will mediate and negotiate
for the servant on the Day of Judgment. Fast will state: "Oh my Lord! I have
prevented this servant from eating and drinking and from satisfying his desires;
hence accept my mediation for him." The Qur'an will state: "Oh my Lord! I have
prevented this servant from sleeping in night (for Worship); hence accept my
mediation for him." Accordingly, the mediation of both will be accepted."
Holly Prophet also (PBUH) said, Whoever prayed at night the whole month of
Ramadhan out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his
previous sins will be forgiven. (Bukhari).
Dear brothers and sisters, a sale of mercy and forgiveness is announced from Allah
Rabbul-Alamin in month of Ramadan. When sale is announced on special
occasions in Europe on computers, mobiles or other things, we spent whole night in
front of shops and try to get those things from the market. But here who is
announcing a sale of mercy, sale of giving repentance, sale of gardens and houses
in Jannah. My dear brothers and sisters, it is my and your Allah who is announcing
it. Now it depends on us how much we get from this Ramadan special offer. Allah
is calling you. Is there anyone who needs forgiveness from his sins, is there anyone
who needs garden, homes and countless blessings in Jannah?
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Dear brothers and sisters, In a Hadith-e-Qudsi, Allah said:-
"Every deed of a person will recieve 10-700 times reward except fasting, it is
for Me and i shall reward it as i like.
Why the Fasting is only for Allah and only Allah will give its reward. We also offer
Salah only for Allah-Rabbul-alamin, giving zakat, giving charity, performing Hajj,
our all good deeds are for Allah-Rabbul-alamin. We also recite that
Then why Allah says Fasting is for me and I will give its Jaza. Actually dear
brothers and sisters, Allah set some specified, pre-defined and particular ajer of
each and every good act. For-examples, if we perform salah, it has some specified
ajer. But fasting has countless reward which has countless blessings and only Allah
can give us that reward. For example in this material word, if king want to
distribute small amount of money, he normally distributed it through its sub-
ordinates but if million or billion of dollars will be distributed then definitely king
will distribute it by himself.
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Dear brothers and sisters, Ramadan is also a month of Charity. The acts of
charity for the sake of Allah, are highly desired on all occasions, but more
so during the blessed month of Ramadan. This is a chance to be grateful for
what Allah has given us by giving to others in need. Ibn 'Abbas reported: Allah's
Messenger (PBUH) was the most generous of people in charity, but he was even
more generous in the month of Ramadan (Muslim).
Muslim Society in Trondheim also requests to all our brothers and sisters to
participate in the Masjid Construction Project and show their generosity in this
Holly month of Ramadan. Prophet (PBUH) said "Whoever builds a masjid
(mosque) for the sake of Allah, or even contribute in it equivalent to a straw of
sparrow’s nest or even smaller, Allah will build him a house in Paradise".
Dear brothers and sisters, Giving iftar is also very much rewarding. We invite
our friends and relatives for iftar; we also attend their invitations and eat iftar
together. This beautiful Islamic tradition enables people to get closer.
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: He who gives food for a fasting person to
break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, except that nothing will be
reduced from the fasting persons reward."
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Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: One who provides iftaar to a Muslim
brother in the month of Ramazan, shall be granted the reward of liberating a slave
(in the path of Allah) and shall have all his previous sins forgiven. And if he did not
possess the means to present anything except milk mixed with water, or a drink of
sweet water and a date, Allah would grant him this reward.
Dear brothers and sisters, Ramadan is also the month of Quran. Allah says
Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was sent down: this Book is a perfect guidance for mankind and consists of clear teachings which show the right way and are a criterion of Truth and falsehood.
We should use this month to understand the Book of Allah. If Muslims held onto
the Quran and followed it, they would not be in this state of weakness and
humiliation. The Quran is a book of guidance and a manual for life. Reading should
not simply for barakah but for the message it conveys. Allah says in Surra Al-
Baqara verse 78:-
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And there are among them (Jews) some illiterate people, who do not know the
Book, but they trust upon false desires and they but guess.
What does this ayaah mean? Ibn Taymiyyah says, ‘Ibn Abbas and Qatadah
interpreted the meaning of the word ‘ummiyyoon’ as illiterate in meaning, these are
those people who do not understand the meaning of the book. They learn it, they
memorize it, and they recite it without understanding it and do not know what is
being talked about. They are satisfied by only reciting it.’
Imaam Ahmed narrates that the Prophet (PBUH) said something and then he said,
"That would happen when knowledge is lost."One of the Sahabah (Ibn Lubayd)
said, "O Messenger of Allah (PBUH), how can knowledge be lost? When we have
studied Qur’an, we are teaching it to our children and our children will teach it to
theirs.” The Rasul (sallAllahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “Woe to you! I thought you
were one of the most learned men of Madinah. Can’t you see the Jews and
Christians have Torah and Injeel with them and they are not benefiting anything
from them?”
So dear brothers and sisters, Allah has sent down this great book in the month of
Ramadan. It is strange that before making any thing, before installing any thing and
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before running anything we read its manual and try to understand it but Quran
which is manual of life, which is pathway of success in this life and hereafter, we
put that book on the shelves, decorated it and covered it. Only in Ramadan we put
it down, recite it without understanding its meanings and the then placed it back
into the highest shelf of our cupboard. It is said by very famous scholar that Quran
is simultaneously a great and pathetic book. Quran is a great book because Billions
of people read it and it is pathetic because most of readers do not understand what
is written in it. Please stop doing this terrible attitude with Quran.
Dear brothers and sisters, Allah says in Surra Muhammad verse 24:-
Do they not then think deeply in the Qur’an, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it). Dear brothers and sisters, fasting is obligatory on us to become pious and virtuous.
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O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those
before you, so that you may become righteous.
It is not said that you will certainly become pious and virtuous. It is said, "You may
become righteous", because the outcome of fasting depends on the perception and
intention of the person. If someone understand its purpose and try to achieve its
objective, he will become pious to the desired extent.
I want to illustrate by one example. Dear brothers and sisters, there are essentially
two components for every work done. First, is its purpose and a second is its
method. For instance, why do we eat? Of course, we eat to remain alive and get
energy from food. The method of achieving this goal is that you take a bite of food,
put it in your mouth, chew it and push it below the throat. These four steps are done
to achieve this object. But all of us know that the most important is the purpose of
eating and not the steps which we follow. What would you say if someone takes a
bite of mud or stones, put it in his mouth, chew it and gulp it? Obviously, you will
consider him mad. Why? Because that idiot does not understand the real purpose of
eating. Likewise, you will also call that person mad who soon after taking the food
vomits it by thrusting his finger into his throat and then complains that I did not get
any energy from the food.
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Dear brothers and sisters, just think over this example and you can understand why
our Ibadaat have become ineffective today. The greatest mistake of all of us is to
regard only the acts of Salah and fasting as real "Ibadat" and we have
misconception that whoever fulfills these acts has performed the "Ibadat of Allah".
We are just like that person who thinks that performance of four acts, makes up the
process of eating and achieve energy, irrespective of whether he pushed down in
his stomach mud or stone, or vomited the bread soon after eating it.
If we have a little sense then tell me how a man who is fasting and also engaged in
backbiting and telling a lie? A man is fasting and also quarrel with other people and
abuses frequently. A man is also fasting and at the same time he also encroaches on
other people's right and indulges in acquiring illegal money. And having done all
these wicked and bad deeds, he still thinks that he has performed fasting.
The Prophet (may peace be upon him) said, Whoever does not give up telling lies
(false statements) and acting on those lies, and evil actions etc., Allâh is not in need
of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allâh will not accept his Saum (fasting) (Al
Bukhari).
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The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) also said: "Many of observers of fasting will not
receive any reward from their fasting but the pain of hunger, and many of night
worshippers will not receive any reward from their prayer but the loss of sleep."
Holly Prophet (PBUH) also emphasized: As‐Siyam is a shield. On the day that one
of you is fasting he must not speak bad and he must not become angry. If someone
abuses him or fights him let him say I am fasting I am fasting.
Dear brothers and sisters, I want to conclude my Khutaba on very beautiful
quotation of renowned Islamic scholar of the present Muslim world. He said,
"Before the advancement of medical science, the patients who were in coma or who
were unconscious, normally finally checked by the mirror. A mirror was placed
close to the nose of a patient. If some foggy sign appeared on the mirror then
relatives and friends thought that some life is still left in the patient, otherwise they
thought that the patient is died. Likewise if one wants to judge the character of
Muslims, he should observe their behavior, attitude and daily routines during the
month of Ramadan. If taqwa, fear from Allah, quest for doing good deeds, patience
and passion for Ibada appears or increase in their lives and daily routines then it
means Islam is still alive in their hearts. But if in Ramadan, the Muslims are still
involved in bad and wicked deeds, they cannot not stop themselves from
backbiting, telling lie and dishonesty then say Inna-Lillahi-Wa-Inna-Ilaihi-Rajiun
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on those people and its means that no Islam is alive in their hearts and they are only
Muslims by name.
Dear brothers and sisters of Trondheim, I hope that we all observe fast with its real
purpose and spirit. We will give more focus on our Ibadat, we will also try to
understand the meanings of Quran and message of Allah, we will inshAllah try to
avoid all bad deeds, like backbiting, abusing or anger. Our character will be
exemplary for our family, friends and for Muslims and non-Muslims. We will be
more generous during this month, we will also promote the beautiful Islamic
tradition of opening Iftar together and invite our friends, relatives and other Muslim
brothers and sisters. We will try our best to please our Allah. And InshAllah when
Ramadan will be finished then our names will be among those people on which
Allah put his mercy and blessing on the day of Judgment.
In hadith, the Messenger of Allah (saw) says, "Ramadan has come to you. (It is) a
month of blessing, in which Allah covers you with blessing, He sends down Mercy,
decreases sins and answers prayers. In Ramadan, Allah looks at your competition
(in good deeds), and boasts about you to His angels. So show Allah goodness
from yourselves, for the unfortunate one is he who is deprived in (this month) of
the mercy of Allah, the Mighty, the Exalted." [ImamTabarani].