“Fasting
& Obedience”:
By the grace of Allah, we are going to enter once again in
the extremely holy and sacred month of Ramadan. First of all, we need to thank Allah
the Almighty who has given us this great boon and enabled us to receive this
month once again. This is indeed such a month which is worth a whole lifetime. And
it is Allah Almighty who gives us this assurance. To better understand the
importance and worth of this month and to help us benefit from this blessed
month to the maximum, Allah says in the Holy Quran, in the Surah Al-Baqara,
Verses 184-187:
O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed
for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil). For a certain
number of days; but whoever among you is sick or on a journey, then (he shall
fast) a (like) number of other days; and those who are not able to do it may
effect a redemption by feeding a poor man; so whoever does good spontaneously
it is better for him; and that you fast is better for you if you know. The
month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance to men and
clear proofs of the guidance and the distinction; therefore whoever of you is
present in the month, he shall fast therein, and whoever is sick or upon a
journey, then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days; Allah desires ease
for you, and He does not desire for you difficulty, and (He desires) that you
should complete the number and that you should exalt the greatness of Allah for
His having guided you and that you may give thanks. And when My servants ask
you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the
suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me
that they may walk in the right way.
Let’s analyse what Allah is telling us (in these verses):
Oh you people who have faith (Iman), Oh you believers, We have made fasting (Sawm/ Roza) obligatory upon you like We made it obligatory upon
the people or nations before you.
‘la-’alla-kum
tatta-quun’ – so that you may
guard (against evil), so that you may tread on the right path, so that you may
have Taqwa (fear of Allah).
This fasting for a determined numbers of days and those who
are travelling or are sick, then they shall have to replace the missing fasts
afterwards. And those people who have the means, (as expiation) they need to
feed a poor.
Here, having the means signifies having the ability to feed
a poor. Thus, those who are have the means must expiate the missing fasts in
this way. Another meaning is that those who cannot observe the fast even
afterwards (after the Holy Month of Ramadan), they have to give food to a poor
person as expiation. And if someone does good by his own efforts (not through
any coercion whatsoever), then this shall be best for him. But if people knew
the excellent results which are derived from observing the fasts (of Ramadan),
then they would have done it without hesitation. In other words, Allah is
telling you, telling us, that fasting is best for us.
Here I have not deliberately translated the word ‘tatawwa’
because this word contains two meanings. And both meanings are allowed (are
sound) according to the Arabic grammar. One meaning is that one who shall do
optional good deeds (voluntarily), then it shall be best for him.
In that translation, there are also some problems for
before that it has been stated (in the verses mentioned) that those who are
sick or are on a journey, they need to observe the fasts later on. Now, if we
say that the one who from his own will makes voluntary optional good deeds, it
shall indeed be good for him. But then attention is drawn to the fact that even
though permission has been granted (by Allah) not to observe the fasts of
Ramadan, but even if you are sick or on a journey (travelling), if you observe
the fast it shall be best for you for it becomes an optional good deed for you.
Therefore, this word in this verse has also this meaning,
but the problem is that at the time of the Farz
(obligatory), one cannot do the voluntary (Nafl). If it is the time for Farz,
then it is Farz which one needs to
do. There is no such conception that the Nafl
can replace the Farz. Therefore, it
is impossible that in the time of voluntary (Nafl)
fasts, one observes the obligatory (Farz)
fasts. This shall create a problem, a contradiction. Therefore this
signification indeed does not apply for the situation mentioned in this
specific verse.
The second meaning/ translation of “Faman-tatawwa-’akhay-ran fahuwa khayrullahu”, is that the one who does good in
a spirit of obedience (to Allah), then this shall be best for him. Meaning
that, the good deed is in fact another name for obedience. One keeps the spirit
of obedience in mind and afterwards he does good, and thus this in fact is the
accomplishment of true good deeds, and this shall (inevitably) be best for you.
There is a fatwa (ruling) of Hazrat
Massih Ma’ud (as) – Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad – in which he stated that if
someone is sick or on a journey during the month of Ramadan, therefore, it is
not a good deed for him if he observes the fast. When Allah the Almighty has
said that those fasts would have to be replaced later on, therefore, the good
deed is found in none other than obedience (to His commands). And obedience
demands that if someone is on a journey, then he needs not observe the fast on
the spot (during Ramadan), but afterwards.
Therefore, the second translation or meaning is perfectly
applicable (here in these verses) and there is no objection which can be raised
like for the first translation/ meaning. A Quran commentator mentioned both
meanings. He distinguished between someone who does good deeds which are not
obligatory and the one who does good deeds only through obedience (to Allah). Thus,
the translation as being “obedience” is more appropriate for the subject-matter
of these verses. The last part of the verse which stipulates that fasting is
best for you if only you knew, then this is applicable to the month of Ramadan
only. It does not have a general application like the previous subjects
mentioned. Allah the Almighty says, if you do not know, then it is another
matter, but if you know it perfectly well (concerning the fasts of Ramadan),
you shall therefore reach the conclusion that the fasts of Ramadan are indeed
best for you.
Afterwards, Allah the Almighty says that the month of Ramadan
is the month during which the Quran had been revealed for humanity with clear
proofs concerning the right guidance and the distinction (between good and
evil). Therefore, the one who is present in his home needs to fast. But the one
who is sick or is on a journey, he shall have to replace those missing fasts at
a later time. Allah desires ease for you all and does not desire privation for
you. He wants you to complete the (appointed) number of days (in fasting) and
that you glorify Allah and thank Him for it is indeed Allah who has guided you.
I have many times meditated (reflected upon) this verse and
I reached the conclusion that, the Holy Quran, like you all know, was revealed
in the month of Ramadan. And the Quran has been revealed for the month of
Ramadan or about the month of Ramadan. We cannot say that it was only in the
month of Ramadan that the Quran had been revealed. But yes, it is true that
during the course of each Ramadan, Hazrat Jibreel (as) used to come to Hazrat
Muhammad (pbuh) to make him recite the parts of the Quran which had been
already revealed.
I thus end on this note today, and Insha-Allah, may Allah the Almighty give me the Tawfiq to continue on the same subject
in my sermon next Friday. And I pray that Allah the Almighty give us all good
health and courage to maximize the benefits of this blessed month of Ramadan. Insha-Allah. I wish to all of you, RAMADAN MUBARAK.
----Friday Sermon of 03
June 2016 ~(27 Shaban 1437 AH) delivered by Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.