MUSLIM SERMON

Siyam (Fastings) and its benefit

Allah said: “Oh you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you that you may achieve Taqwa.” (2:183)

(Taqwa is translated sometimes as piety, sometimes as consciousness of Allah, sometimes as fear of Allah. It is derived from the word Wiqayah for “Shield” and the connection is explained by scholars: To shield yourself from Allah’s wrath by hurrying to do what He ordered you and by strictly avoiding what He has prohibited.)And the Prophet said: “Siyam (fasting) is a shield (or a screen or a shelter) from Hell-fire.” (Agreed upon)

1. He also said: “Whoever observed fasting in Ramadhan with perfect faith and seeking reward, he will have his previous sins forgiven.” (Agreed upon)
2. “Whoever stood to pray (Tarawih) in Ramadhan with perfect faith and seeking reward, he will have his previous sins forgiven.” (Agreed upon)

You should know, my fellow Muslims, that Allah has made fasting obligatory, and it is an act of worship, and it has many benefits, among them:

1. Fasting gives the digestive organs a rest, and causes the body to get rid of accumulated wastes which are detrimental to health. It strengthens the body and is beneficial for the treatment of many diseases. It also presents an opportunity for smokers to break their addiction since they cannot smoke during the day.
2. Fasting is a training for the self, getting it used to good deeds, discipline, obedience, patience and sincerity.
3. The fasting person feels his equality with all his fasting brethren; he fasts with them and breaks fast with them, and he experiences the general Islamic unity. He experiences hunger which should make him sympathise with his brethren who are hungry and needy.

What you are required to do in Ramadhan

We should realize that Allah made Sawm (fasting) obligatory on us as a way for us to worship Him. For the fasting to be acceptable and beneficial, we should observe the following conditions:

1. Guard the Salat. Unfortunately many fasting persons neglect Salat which is a pillar of the religion and abandoning it is an act of disbelief.
2. Be well-mannered. Beware of disbelief, cursing the religion, treating people badly, and using the fast as an excuse. Fasting is to train the self, not to ruin the manners, and disbelief puts a Muslim outside of the religion.
3. Do not use foul or harsh language, even while joking, as it will spoil (the reward of) the fast. Listen to the statement of the Prophet: “If one of you is fasting, he should not use obscenity that day nor shout; and if someone speaks abusively or wants to fight with him, he should say: “Verily I’m fasting, verily I’m fasting.’” (Agreed upon)
4. Take advantage of fasting to give up smoking, which causes cancer, high blood pressure and other diseases; try to make a firm conviction to leave it by night as you left it by day. Save your health and your money.
5. Do not overeat at the time of breaking the fast, as the benefit of fasting is cancelled and it is not healthy.
6. Do not waste your time by going to movies or watching television.
7. Do not stay up so late at night that you are not able to wake up for Sahur (the predawn meal) or Salat-ul-Fajr, or go to work in the morning. The Prophet said: “Oh Allah, bless my Ummah in their early mornings (acts).” (Ahmad and Tirmidhi, and it is authentic.) (Ummah is sometimes translated as nation, or community of believers, or followers. Each Prophet had an Ummah that he was sent to. The word Ummah is usually used for the people who believed in the Prophet.)
8. Increase spending in charity on relatives and the needy. Visit your relatives, and make peace with those with whom you have had disputes.
9. Increase your remembrance of Allah, recitation of Qur’an, listening to it, and contemplation of its meanings. Act on it and attend the beneficial discussions in the mosques. Practise I’tikaf (secluding oneself for the purpose of worship) in the Masjid at the end of Ramadhan (this is Sunnah).
10. Read the pamphlets on fasting to learn its rules. For instance, if you ate or drank, forgetting that you were fasting, it doesn’t break the fast (but you have to stop immediately as soon as you realize what you’re doing). Another example: A person who became Junub at night (because of intercourse, for example), and he doesn’t get a chance to perform a Ghusl (bath) before the appearance of dawn, that doesn’t prevent him from fasting; he just has to perform the Ghusl and offer Salat and go ahead and observe Sawm (fast).
11. Be mindful of the fast of Ramadhan, and get your children used to it when they are able to endure it. Beware of breaking the fast without a valid excuse. Whoever does so must repent for that and make up for that day, and whoever has intercourse with his wife during the daytime of Ramadhan has to expiate the sin. He must free a slave it he’s able to do so. If not, he should fast two months continuously (60 days without missing a day); and if he can’t do that, he should feed 60 poor persons one meal.
12. Beware, my Muslim brothers, from breaking the fast of Ramadhan without excuse. And beware of doing so openly in front of people. Because breaking the fast is audacity with Allah, disrespect for Islam, and shamelessness among the people. And you should realize that the one who doesn’t fast , doesn’t really have an Eid (festival) because the Eid is the occasion of great happiness for those who completed the fasts and hope for their worship to be accepted.

Culled from’The Pillars of Islam & Iman and what every Muslim must know about the religion’ written by Muhammad bin Jamil Zino