After prayer and alms-giving ‘Zakah’, fasting is the third important form of worship. In the Arabic language, the word for it is ‘صوم’ which means to restrain oneself and leave something. In the terminology of the Sharia, this word is specifically used for abstaining from eating, drinking, and marital relations within set boundaries and conditions. In the Urdu language, it is referred to as ‘Roza’ (fasting). Since humans have a practical existence in this world, when their spirit of worship relates to their practical existence, obedience also becomes a part of worship. Fasting is a symbolic expression of this obedience. In fasting, a person declares some permissible things as prohibited for themselves by the command of their Lord and in pursuit of God’s pleasure and satisfaction, thus becoming an embodiment of obedience, and in a manner of speaking, declares through the language of their condition that there is nothing greater than Allah and His command. If he delineates even the permissible things of the natural law as forbidden for His sake, then it is befitting for them as His servants to bow their heads unhesitatingly in obedience to this command. This state of acknowledging and realizing Allah’s greatness and majesty and His supremacy and sublimity, if considered carefully, is also a true expression of gratitude towards Him. Consequently, the Quran has deemed fasting as an act of glorifying God and being grateful to Him, stating that the month of Ramadan was specifically chosen for this purpose because, through the Quran, Allah has granted guidance during this month which contains clear and conclusive evidence for the guidance of reason and for distinguishing between truth and falsehood. Therefore, the believers must glorify Allah for this guidance and be grateful to Him. The pinnacle of perfection in fasting is when a person imposes additional restrictions on themselves and, withdrawing from others, stays in the mosque for a few days to worship Allah more devotedly. This practice is known as ‘I‘tikaf’ in Islamic terminology. Though it is not made mandatory like the fasts of Ramadan, it holds significant importance from the standpoint of purification of the self.
The special condition that arises out of combining fasting, prayer, and recitation of the Quran, as well as the state of detachment and dedication to Allah that settles on the soul, fulfill the true purpose of fasting at its highest degree.
The History of Fasting
Like prayer, the history of fasting is very old. The Quran states that fasting was prescribed for Muslims in the same way as it was for previous nations. Thus, it is a fact that fasting has been present as an important form of worship for the training of the soul in all religions.
The Purpose of Fasting
The Quran states the purpose of fasting is for people to adopt the taqwa of God. In Quranic terminology, the meaning of piety (‘ٰتقو’) is that people spend their days and nights within the limits set by Allah and live their lives in fear deep within their hearts that if they ever break these limits, then nobody except Allah can save them from the consequences.
The Law of Fasting
The following are the regulations of fasting: Fasting is abstaining from eating, drinking, and conjugal relations with the intention of fasting and solely for the pleasure of Allah. This abstention is from dawn until the beginning of the night; therefore, eating, drinking, and conjugal relations are completely permissible during the nights of Ramadan. The month of Ramadan has been specifically designated for fasting, so anyone present during this month must observe fasts throughout. If someone cannot complete the fasts of Ramadan due to sickness, travel, or any other genuine constraint, it is obligatory to make up for the missed fasts on other days and complete the count. Fasting during menstruation and postnatal bleeding is prohibited. However, these missed fasts must also be completed later. The ultimate perfection in fasting is ‘I‘tikaf.’ If Allah grants someone the opportunity for it, they should spend as many days as possible in seclusion in the mosque for the worship of Allah during the month of fasting and not leave the mosque without an essential human need. When a person is in the state of ‘I‘tikaf,’ there is no restriction on eating and drinking during the nights of fasting, but it is not permissible for them to have conjugal relations with their wives. Allah has forbidden this for those observing ‘I‘tikaf.’