Islam aims to transform the whole life of man into a life of worship. Fasting is the second act of worship that Allah enjoins upon the Muslim that helps us come to that life of total worship.
Sawm or the Fasting means abstaining from dawn to sunset from eating, drinking and sex.
Like the prayer, this act of worship has been part of the Shari`ah given by all the Prophets. Their followers fasted as we do.
However, the rules, the number of days, and the periods prescribed for fasting have varied from one Shari`ah to another. Today, although fasting remains a part of most religions in some form or other, people have often changed its original form by accretions of their own.
O Believers! Fasting is ordained for you, even as it was ordained for those before you. (Al-Baqarah 2:183)
Why has this particular act of worship been practiced in all eras?
Ramadan is earmarked for all Muslims to fast together, to ensure similar results, turning individual into collective i`badah, and suffusing the whole environment with a spirit of righteousness, virtue and piety. As flowers blossom in spring, so does taqwa in Ramadan.
The Prophet, blessings and peace be on him, said:
Every good deed of a man is granted manifold increase, ten to seven hundred times. But says Allah: Fasting is an exception; it is exclusively for Me, and I reward for it as much as I wish. (Al-Bukhari, Muslim)
So, how do we fast in Ramadan? what is true spirit of fasting as an act of worship? And what is the wisdom behind fasting? How can we reap the benefits of witnessing the blessed month of Ramadan?
In this Special Folder (All About Ramadan), we will focus on fasting and its related issues.
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In the first episode of the Prayers of the Pious series, we cover the righteous dua that Abu Bakr (r) made at the end of his lifetime.
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Prepare Yourself for Ramadan
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Looking ahead to your first Ramadan as a Muslim? How do you expect it to be? What plans do you have for the Holy Month? How achievable are they?
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- Ramadan and My Non-Muslim Family
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- Three Top Tips to Prepare for Ramadan
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- Prepare for Ramadan: Your Body
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What Is Meaning & Significance of Fasting?
Fasting: Exclusively Private Worship
Devotion and piety can themselves become habits. When a person starts concentrating in prayer, it is difficult at first to keep focus. The mind is easily distracted. However, after years of persistence, devotion
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- Ramadan: Objectives & Lessons to Learn (Part 1)
- Ramadan: Objectives & Lessons to Learn (Part 2)
- Objectives of Fasting
- A Blessed Month of a Special Nature
- Why Do Muslims Fast during Ramadan?
- Managing Ramadan with Your Non-Muslim Family
- The Prophet in Ramadan
- The Productive Ramadan Online Course (Animation)
- Fasting From One’s Desires
- Ramadan: The Month of Fasting and Spirituality
- Fast of Ramadan: A Way of Life
- The Secret of Fasting in Ramadan
- Productive Ramadan Resource: The Ramadan Daily Planner
- Virtues of Ramadan (1-30)
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Tarawih Prayer
Ramadan’s First Night: Open the Gates of Blessings
What virtues does the first night of Ramadan have? At whom will Allah look in that blessed night? Why? What did the Prophet say about it?
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- Q & A Session on Tarawih and Ramadan
- Making the Most of Tarawih this Ramadan
- A Gift for the 27th Night: A Ramadan Du`a’ with English Translation
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Your Health in Ramadan
Fasting and Overall Health
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Last Ten Days of Ramadan
The Last Ten Nights of Ramadan – Don’t Miss!
The last ten nights of Ramadan are very special. These are the nights that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would spend in constant worship. Among these nights is Laylat al-Qadr…
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E-Books on Ramadan
New Muslim Ramadan Guide
With the coming of Ramadan, every Muslim has to prepare himself for that blessed month. This book tackles the most important issues that a Muslim has to be aware of before going on fasting. It tries to present the rulings of fasting as well as the spiritual objectives for which fasting was obligated. Take your time in going through this helpful book and we hope that we provided something that has been beneficial for you.
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- Zakah and Fasting
- Fiqh of Fasting
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- The Nature of Fasting
- The Book of (Siyaam) Fasting
- Guiadance For Fasting Muslims
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- Stay Fit for Ramadan
- 100+ Hadith on Fasting and Ramadan