Is the purpose of fasting to harm the body?
A brother asked whether there is no disturbance in fasting by fasting while staying in AC, because he does not feel the pain of hunger and thirst. In fact, this question arises because some people consider fasting as a cause of physical pain, but some preachers also keep explaining that by fasting you should tire yourself so much that you remember the needy and the needy. And some people Taking advantage of worldly conveniences in worship is also considered as harmful worship, such as ablution with hot water, praying on carpet and fasting in AC etc.
Because of this brother's question, I thought to inform the common people with details and arguments about this, that the purpose of fasting is not to hurt the body, but to achieve piety, which benefits both the body and the soul. On the one hand, Islam prevents us from harming ourselves, on the other hand, it is prohibited from harming the body.
Translation: And do not put yourself to death by your own hands.
Islam enjoins the protection of the body and its complete organs and their rights so that the body is not harmed and harmed, even Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade a companion who used to fast daily. . On the authority of Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-Aas, may Allah be pleased with him, he narrated that the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: O servant of Allah, was it not known that you fast during the day and fast at night? I said: "Yes, O Messenger of God." He said: "Do not do it, be silent and break your fast, and stand up and sleep, for your body is truly on you, and your eyes are truly on you, and your pilgrimage is your place.
" (Sahih al-Bukhari: 519)
Translation: O Abdullah! Is my information correct that you fast during the day and worship throughout the night? I said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah! The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Do not do this, keep fasting and remain without fasting." Worship at night and also sleep because your body also has a right over you, your eyes also have a right over you and your wife also has a right over you.
Eating too much is also harmful and harmful to health. Today, a large number of people are getting sick and getting sick by eating too much and different kinds of food. Stay safe from illness. Muqadam bin Maadikarb (may God be pleased with him) says that I heard the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, saying: "A man who fills a pot with evil from his stomach, according to Ibn Adam, there are foods that will cross him, if it were inevitable, a third of his food and a third of it." (Sahih al-Tirmidhi: 2380)
Translation: No man fills a vessel worse than his stomach. A few morsels are enough for a man to keep his back straight, and if it is necessary to eat more, one-third of the stomach is for his food, one-third. Keep the water for drinking and one third for breathing.
By keeping the above-mentioned basic things in front, we know that Islam has not ordered us to do anything that causes pain to the body, rather, Islam orders to protect the body and forbids harming it. Fasting is also not a cause of harm to the body, it is an excellent diet regimen with various benefits. The duration of the break that takes place in shops on normal days is a bit longer here. Also, it is food for the soul, it purifies the soul and heart, which has good effects on the human body and character, as if the body is fasted by fasting. Instead of hurting the soul, it benefits the entire body. A person who fasts is so moral that his eyes do not sin, his heart does not think evil, and his hands, feet and tongue do not hurt.
By considering the wisdom and benefit of fasting, it is well understood that fasting is kept to benefit oneself and others and not to punish the body as some people think. Sufis, a special group of Muslims, consider punishment of the body as worship, so they would adopt monasticism and perform worship that hurts the body, but here you should know that there is no monasticism in Islam, nor is there any worship of the body. To cause pain. The hadith of Sahih Bukhari has been mentioned above, in which it is mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade a companion to fast every day and pray at night in order to save the body from pain.
Allah Ta'ala explains the purpose of fasting in the Qur'an and says: O you who believe, write fasting for you as it is written for those before you so that you may be righteous
(Al-Baqarah: 183).
Translation: O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for people before you, so that you may adopt piety.
Here, Allah Almighty is explaining the purpose of making fasting obligatory, and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, while explaining about piety, said:
(Sahih Muslim: 2564) Taqwa and piety are here, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made three gestures towards his chest, meaning that piety is related to the heart.Along with physical actions, the heart should also be pure.
In the next verse Allah mentions the ease of fasting, Allah says:
Translation: There are only a few days of reckoning, but whoever among you is sick or on a journey, let him complete the reckoning in more days, and give food to a poor person who has the strength to do so, then whoever excels in good deeds. It is better for him, but the better thing for you is to fast if you know.
Allah does not burden anyone with more than his strength, so fasting is a mercy and not a hardship. It is explained from the above mentioned verse that fasting is not obligatory for the whole year, but only a few days of fasting are prescribed. Secondly, fasting is obligatory on those who are sane, mature, healthy and settled. Thirdly, fasting is not obligatory on those who are not sane, not mature, not healthy, not resident. There is more detail in it.
* Fasting is not mandatory for the unintelligent and the minor, but they can keep children if they want to.
* It is permissible for the sick, travelers, menstruating, nafsah, pregnant and sick people to leave the fast due to an excuse. Later, when it is convenient, they can make up short fasts. They can make up any time until the next Ramadan, as Sayyida Aisha used to say. They are: If I were to fast from Ramadan, then I could not fast except in Sha'ban (Sahih al-Bukhari: 1950).
Translation: The fasts of Ramadan would have remained on me and I would not have been able to fast before Sha'ban.
*Chronic patients and elderly people who cannot afford to fast will pay fidya to the poor in exchange for every day, they do not need Qadha.
The rulings of the disabled regarding fasting are an argument for the ease and mercy of fasting.
After this verse, Anas Wajan, the creator himself, clearly explained that Allah wants ease for you regarding fasting, not hardship, the divine decree is:
Translation: The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was revealed as a guide for people and in which there are signs of distinguishing between right and wrong guidance, whoever finds this month should fast, even if he is sick or a traveler. He should complete this count on other days. Allah Almighty intends for you to be easy, not hard.
Since the main purpose of fasting is to be a part of piety, it is forbidden to act contrary to piety in the state of fasting, even if someone fights with him or abuses him, he should not do anything. It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, said:
He leaves his food, drink, and lust for the sake of fasting, and I reward him with ten examples of good deeds
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 1894).
Translation: Fasting is a shield to avoid the Hellfire, so (the fasting person) should not speak obscenities or words of ignorance, and if someone fights with him or abuses him, he should only reply that I am fasting. , (say these words) twice (say) by this caste! In Whose hand is my soul, the smell of the mouth of the fasting person is more pleasing and purer to Allah than the smell of musk. And I will reward him, and the reward of (other) good deeds is ten times that of the original good deeds.
Think about how Islam, which orders the fasting person to stay away from those who hurt him, can order him to do something that hurts his body. From this hadith, it is known that for the sake of Allah, the fasting person abstains from food and drink, and from the second hadith, it is known that fasting is an important means of ending lusts. It has been ordered to keep. (See Hadith Al-Bukhari: 5065) Yes, it is a different thing that due to reduced food or dietary interval being slightly longer than normal days, there is a feeling of hunger and thirst, but this hunger and thirst does not harm health. Rather, it weakens the internal diseases and attains the purity of the soul and the purification of the soul, this is called piety and fasting has been prescribed to achieve this.
The purpose of keeping the Suhoor (late) food fast and breaking the fast as soon as the sun sets is also ease with the servants. Apart from this, there are other fasts. The purpose of narrating a few examples here is that fasting is not a cause of hardship and hardship, but a cause of mercy and blessing.
Finally, let it be known that we can benefit from the facilities that the Shariat has already provided for those who are fasting.Apart from this, there are other fasts. The purpose of narrating a few examples here is that fasting is not a cause of hardship and hardship, but a cause of mercy and blessing.
Finally, it should also be known that we can benefit from the facilities that the Shariat has already provided for those who are fasting, and there is no problem in taking advantage of the facilities of the present day that do not conflict with the rules of the Shariat. No, as mentioned in the beginning, does staying in AC disturb fasting? The answer is that it is such a facility of the present time that if the fasting person takes advantage of it, there is no disruption in fasting. On this occasion, it will be useful to mention an act of the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace.
On the authority of Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, a companion of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, narrated to him:
I saw the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, pouring water on his head, and he was fasting from thirst, or from heat (Sahih Abi Dawud: 2365).
I saw the Messenger of Allah (ï·º) pouring water on his head due to thirst or heat in Maqam Araj, and he (ï·º) was fasting.
We pray to Allah Almighty to enrich us with the blessings and happiness of Ramadan, to make fasting an atonement for all previous sins, and to inculcate piety in such a way that even after Ramadan, we continue to do things for your pleasure. Amen