Why was Siyam Ordained?

"A boy reported to his mother," said the Moon when she came with Hilaal, after saying Basmalah and Salaam, and welcoming Ramadan.

'Mom, Dad just hit his thumb with a hammer,' says the boy.

'Oh, dear. What did he say?' his mother responded.

'You wouldn’t want me to repeat any bad words, would you, Mom?'

'Certainly not my dear!'

'Well,' replied the boy, 'then, he didn’t say anything.'"

She proceeded, "Why then, was Siyam on Ramadan ordained? Are there guidance from our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) in siyam?

There are some advice from Shaykh Dr. Aaidh al-Qarni about this. Shaykh Dr. Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni is a Saudi Muslim scholar, author, and activist. He was born on January 1, 1959, in the village of al-Qarn, in the southern region of Saudi Arabia, from the 'Majdu' family.

At the age of 23, he has memorized the Quran and Bulughul Maram, and has taught 5,000 hadiths and 10,000 verses of poetry. Around 1,000 of recordings containing religious lectures as well as collections of his poems have been published. His intelligence led him as a prolific writer and popular speaker. His courage to voice the truth also made him feel the iron bars of the Al-Saud government. After leaving the prison, his work 'La Tahzan' was born, which has been published by dozens of publishers. Aaidh al-Qarni is a prominent thinker and scholar, as well as a reform figure in Saudi Arabia. His works also include the Qur'an tafseer.

So, the Shaykh tells us,

To Allah Almighty there are certain secrets in His laws, insights in His rulings and objectives in His creation. In these secrets, insights and objectives are things which minds perceive and others that confound human understanding. With regard to fasting, Allah declared,

يٰٓاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُوْنَۙ

'O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.' [QS. Al-Baqarah (2):183]

Accordingly, fasting is the way to piety and the fear of Allah. The fasting person is thus among the closest people to Allah. The stomach of the faster becomes hungry while his heart is purified , when he breaks his fast and quenches his thirst, his eyes overflow with tears. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘O youth, whoever is able from among you to pay the dowry, then he should marry for it is the best way of restraining the eyes and protecting one's private parts. Whoever is unable to do so, he should fast because it will be for him a shield.’

Fasting narrows the food and blood arteries. They are known to be canals of the devils, hence fasting reduces their insinuations. It further weakens carnal desires, thoughts and temptations of disobedience. It lightens the spirit. Fasting reminds the individual of his brothers who are also fasting, some of whom are poor and needy. He empathizes with them and extends the hand of help to them.

Fasting is a school for the training of the soul, purification of the heart, lowering of the gaze and protection of the limbs. It is a secret between the servant and his Rabb. In an authentic hadith the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Every act of the son of man is for himself except fasting; it is for Me and I shall reward it.' That is because only Allah knows the extent of one’s fast. It is quite different from other forms of worship such as prayers, Zakaat ( the poor due ) and pilgrimage, all of which can be witnessed by others.

The righteous predecessors acknowledged fasting as a means of drawing closer to Allah. To many, it was accepted as a sphere of competition and a season for goodness. They cried for happiness when it arrived and wept out of sadness when it departed. Our ancestors knew the essence of fasting; hence they loved Ramadan and made unparallele'd efforts and sacrifices in it. They stayed up during its nights, bowing and prostrating themselves in tears and humility. They passed its days in remembrance, recitation, learning, propagation and giving counsel.

Fasting was a delight and source of internal peace for the early Muslims. It expanded their bosoms. Hence, they trained their spirits towards its objectives, purified their hearts with its teachings and disciplined their souls with its wisdom. Numerous accounts confirm that they used to sit with their Qurans in the mosques, reciting, crying and protecting their tongues and eyes from unlawful things.

Fasting ensures the unity of Muslims. They fast and break their fast at the same time. They feel the pangs of hunger and eat together in a spirit of brotherhood, love and devotion. Fasting atones for errors and wrong-doing. Hence the Prophet (ﷺ) ‘Umrah to ‘Umrah, and Ramadan to Ramadan there is atonement for what occurred between them as long as no major sin was committed.’

From a physical point of view, fasting enhances bodily health. It gets rid of contaminated matter, eases the stomach, purifies the blood, eases the working of the heart, brightens the spirit, refines the soul and disciplines the character. When an individual fasts, his soul is humbled, his heart is subdued, his ambitions are curbed, and his carnal desires are dispelled. Thus, his prayers are answered because of his closeness to Allah.

There is a great secret in fasting: that is to worship Allah and seek His pleasure by submitting to His orders and surrendering to His laws by forsaking one's desires, food and drink. Fasting therefore represents the triumph of a Muslim over his desires and the predominance of a believer over his inner self. It is half of patience. Whoever is unable to fast without any good reason, will never master his self or conquer his desires.

On the whole, fasting is a great training for the soul, so that it would be able to bear hardship and carry out its great duties such as jihad, sacrifice and initiative. Thus when Saul wanted to fight his enemies, Allah tested his people with a river. Saul said to them, ‘Indeed, Allāh will be testing you with a river. So whoever drinks from it is not of me, and whoever does not taste it is indeed of me, excepting one who takes [from it] in the hollow of his hand.' But they drank from it, except a [very] few of them. Then when he had crossed it along with those who believed with him, they said, 'There is no power for us today against Goliath and his soldiers.' But those who were certain that they would meet Allāh said, 'How many a small company has overcome a large company by permission of Allah. And Allah is with the patient.' [QS. Al-Baqarah (2):249].

Those who were patient and mastered their desires were successful. On the other extreme, those who worshipped their base desires turned their backs on the jihad.

The wisdom of fasting can thus be summarized in the following: that it realizes God-consciousness, submission to His orders and subjugation of one’s desires.It ensures a triumph over self and the preparation of a Muslim for situations of sacrifice. It enables him to control his limbs and desires.It ensures good physical health and atones for wrong-doing. It brings about togetherness, brotherhood and a sense of empathy for those who are hungry and needy.

Ibn al Qayim mentioned that: ‘Among the guidance of the Prophet (ﷺ) in the month of Ramadan was his (ﷺ) engagement in many forms of worship. The angel Gabriel used to teach him (ﷺ) the Quran in this month, whenever Gabriel met him (ﷺ), he was more generous than a guided breeze. He was, ordinarily, the most charitable person, and yet when Ramadan arrived he became even more generous. He (ﷺ) gave much charity and engaged in kind acts, recitation of the Quran, prayers, remembrance and retreat during this month.'

He (ﷺ) used to apportion to Ramadan a degree of worship that was not set aside to any other month. Some times he (ﷺ) actually used to continue into the night. The Prophet (ﷺ), however, forbade his companions from doing so. When they pointed out to him (ﷺ) that he (ﷺ) continued he (ﷺ) responded saying, ‘My body is not like yours, I dwell with my Rabb, He feeds me and gives me drink’ [Bukhari and Muslim]. Accordingly, Allah Almighty used to nourish His Prophet (ﷺ) during those periods of extended fasts with subtle knowledge, and abounding wisdom and light of the message, of course, it was not food and drink in the literal sense, for if this were so the Prophet (ﷺ) would not be considered fasting.

When the Prophet (ﷺ) became satisfied from the worship of his creator, and his heart opened up to his aim, and his mind rested with the remembrance of his Master, and his condition improved by his closeness to his Rabb, he forgot all food and drink. As it was said: spiritual power is in the essence of souls, it is not dependent on food or drink. Nothing can harm you, if you have attained the knowledge of your Rabb.

The Prophet (ﷺ) was the best of those who remembered and worshipped Allah. As for the month of Ramadan, it was made to be a season of worship and a time for remembrance and recitation. His (ﷺ) nights were spent in supplication and humiliation unto his Rabb, seeking His help, support, victory and guidance. He (ﷺ) read long chapters of the Quran and stayed for long periods bowing (in ruku’) and prostrating himself before Him. Such was the desire that was never satisfied with worship, making his standing in the night a source of sustenance and supply as well as power and energy. Allah Almighty says,

يٰٓاَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُۙ

قُمِ الَّيْلَ اِلَّا قَلِيْلً

'O you who wraps himself [in clothing], Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little.' [QS. Al-Muzzammil (73):1-2] 

وَمِنَ الَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهٖ نَافِلَةً لَّكَۖ عَسٰٓى اَنْ يَّبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُوْدًا

'And from [part of] the night, pray with it [i.e., recitation of the Qur’an] as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Rabb will resurrect you to a praised station.' [QS. Al-Isra (17):79]

During the days of the fasting month, the Prophet (ﷺ) spent his (ﷺ) time in propagating the Islamic call, engaging in jihad, providing advice and training, and reminding his companions. Among his (ﷺ) practices was that the Prophet (ﷺ) fast of Ramadan except with a vision of what was to be achieved. He (ﷺ) used to encourage his (ﷺ) companions to partake of a meal before daybreak. Indeed, it was confirmed that he (ﷺ) said, ‘Have the meal before daybreak, because there is blessing in it.’ The period before daybreak is considered blessed because it is in the last third of the night, the time of divine descent and forgiveness. Allah says,

وَبِالْاَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوْنَ

'And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness.' [QS. Adh-Dhariyat (51):18].

He (ﷺ) also says, ‘Those who show patience, firmness and selfcontrol; who are true (in word and deed ); who worship devoutly; who spend in the way of Allah; and who pray for forgiveness in the early hours of the morning.’

Allah says,

اَلصّٰبِرِيْنَ وَالصّٰدِقِيْنَ وَالْقٰنِتِيْنَ وَالْمُنْفِقِيْنَ وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِيْنَ بِالْاَسْحَارِ

'The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of Allāh], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn.' [QS. Ali Imran (3):17]

Still besides, the meal before daybreak helps the individual in his fast and worship. It is, therefore, a payment for the bounty of worship that Allah has bestowed upon us.

It was also established that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to hasten to have a meal after the setting of the sun. He (ﷺ), likewise, ordered his companions to do the same. Usually he (ﷺ) had dates or water because something sweet was most agreeable for an empty stomach. Several sources have narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Verily the fasting person has a prayer that will never be rejected.’ Thus, he (ﷺ) used to pray for the good of this world and the hereafter. He (ﷺ) broke his fast before praying Salaat ul-Maghreb (the evening prayer ). In one authentic hadith he (ﷺ) said, ‘If the night enters from here and slips away from there, then the faster should end his fast.’

The Prophet (ﷺ) travelled during Ramadan, fasting and then breaking his (ﷺ) fast. In this regard, he (ﷺ) gave the companions the choice of fasting or not while travelling. During battle, however, he (ﷺ) ordered them to break their fasts, to enable them to fight. Here it would be recalled that the Great Battle of Badr was fought during the month of Ramadan. Then, Allah gave the Muslims a victory that has known no parallel since. Yet, the Prophet (ﷺ) fast in two of his battles according to narrations by Umar ibn al Khattab and collected by Al Tirmidhi and Ahmad. The Prophet (ﷺ) did not, however, specify the distance after which the fast should be broken. There are in fact no authentic accounts to prove this.

There were, observedly, times when the morning prayer, al-Fajr, came and the Prophet (ﷺ) was still in a state of impurity following sexual intercourse. He (ﷺ) would, in those circumstances, perform the ritual bath and thereafter fast. In a related matter, he (ﷺ) used to kiss some of his (ﷺ) wives while he (ﷺ) was fasting in Ramadan. He (ﷺ) compared the kiss of the fasting person to the washing of the mouth.

On another level, the Prophet (ﷺ) ruled that the person who broke his fast through a genuine act of forgetfulness was not required to make up that day’s fast. He (ﷺ) pointed out that it was Allah Almighty who had fed and given drink to that person. We have learnt from the prophetic traditions also that the things which invalidate one’s fast are: eating, drinking, cupping, and vomiting. The Noble Quran explains that sexual intercourse nullifies fasting in the same way that eating and drinking does.

Among his (ﷺ) practices also was that of retreat and seclusion during the last ten days of Ramadan. The Prophet (ﷺ) did this in order to attune his (ﷺ) heart ever more with Allah and to free his (ﷺ) mind from the concerns of the world. The gaze of his (ﷺ) heart thus became entirely focused in the heavens.

During this time, he (ﷺ) limited his (ﷺ) contacts with people and intensified his (ﷺ) supplication and prayers to Allah, the Rabb of all Majesty and Glory. His (ﷺ) heart, therefore, indulged purely in the contemplation of Allah’s attributes and qualities. It reflected upon His clear signs in the universe and of Allah’s creation in the heavens and the earth. With all this in mind, it would be very difficult to determine how much knowledge Prophet (ﷺ) acquired, or how much light was revealed to him (ﷺ), or how many realities were exposed to him (ﷺ). He (ﷺ) was, without doubt, the most knowledgeable person about Allah, the most fearful of Him, and the one who trusted and depended upon Him the most. Indeed, he(ﷺ) was the most pious of all men and sacrificed himself the most for the sake of Allah! May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him (ﷺ) as long as musk continues to give its sweet fragrance and as long as pigeons echo their mournful cries and nightingales sing out their melodies. And Allah knows best.

And so, that was among the advice of Shaykh Aaidh Al-Qarni, hopefully it would bring virtue. Ameen"

It's time to have suhoor, the Moonlight then started to fade, then she recite a poem,

Welcome to the month of fasting

O beloved who visits us every year

We have met you with overflowing love

All love except for the Holy Master is prohibited

Accept o my Rabb our fast

And increase us from Thy great favour.

Do not punish us because we were already punished by

sleepless anxiety in darkness

Citations & Reference:
- Aa’id Abdullah al-Qarni, Thirty Lessons for Those Who Fast, translated by Dr Daud A. Abdullah, International Publishing House

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