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Why Allah proscribed 30 ( or 29) days? Why not 7 days or 40 days? or whatever other number of days?

Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you) 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Burhan,

I read your reply with interest regarding significance of fasting.

However your reply falls short for the reasons

1) why Allah proscribed 30 ( or 29) days? Why not 7 days or 40 days? or whatever other number of days?

2) Your answer states prophet (SAW) mentioned "...present at his home" should be fasting. In the modern industrial society we all work 8 hours a day out of home. Are we then assume to fast on week ends only?

3) Efficiency when fasting goes down considerably. As you are aware in an industrialized country like America, max. output is required at all times to survive. If prophet (SAW) was present to day would he not have given different guidance?

Thanks

 

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Answer:

 

Challenge why fasts

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Your Question-1: why Allah proscribed 30 ( or 29) days? Why not 7 days or 40 days? or whatever other number of days?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verses 66-69:

66 It is He (Allah) Who gave you life, will cause you to die, and will again give you life: truly man is a most ungrateful creature!

67 To every people have We appointed rites and ceremonies which they must follow; let them not then dispute with thee (O Prophet (saws)) on the matter, but do thou invite (them) to thy Lord: for thou (O Prophet (saws)) art assuredly on the Right Way.

68 If they do wrangle with thee say "Allah knows best what it is ye are doing!

69 Allah will Judge between you on the Day of Judgment concerning the matters in which ye differ."

 

Dear and beloved brother in Islam, it is Allah Subhanah Alone Who Decides and Decrees the Rites and Ceremonies of His worship from His believing slaves; and the Lord Most High has based on His Perfect Knowledge and Absolute Wisdom prescribed the Rite of obligatory fasting for the month of Ramadan on the Ummah of Prophet Mohamed (saws), perchance they may learn or acquire ‘taqwa’.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 183-185:

183 O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn) self-restraint.

184 (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill or on a journey the prescribed number (should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (with hardship) is a ransom the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more of his own free will it is better for him and it is better for you that ye fast if ye only knew.

185 Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an as a guide to mankind also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So everyone of you who is present during that month should spend it in fasting but if anyone is ill or on a journey the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.

 

Beloved brother in Islam, the Lord Most High has Decreed based on His Perfect and Absolute Wisdom that a period of one lunar month every year is the absolute best and most perfect way for one to develop or acquire ‘taqwa’, which will be most beneficial for them to live their lives through the year practicing self-restraint, piety, righteousness, and God-consciousness.

 

Allah is our witness brother, if 7 or 40 or any other number of days would have been better in the Wisdom and Knowledge of Allah Subhanah, The Lord Most High would have prescribed it! The believers who sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day are content and more than satisfied with every Decision and Decree of their Lord Creator.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 36:

It does not behove a believing man and a believing woman that when Allah and His Messenger have given their decision in a matter, they should exercise an option in that matter of theirs. For whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, has indeed strayed into manifest error.

 

Q-2: Your answer states prophet (SAW) mentioned "...present at his home" should be fasting. In the modern industrial society we all work 8 hours a day out of home. Are we then assume to fast on week ends only?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 183-185:

183 O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn) self-restraint.

184 (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill or on a journey the prescribed number (should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (with hardship) is a ransom the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more of his own free will it is better for him and it is better for you that ye fast if ye only knew.

185 Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an as a guide to mankind also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So everyone of you who is present during that month should spend it in fasting but if anyone is ill or on a journey the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.

 

It is not the Prophet (saws) but rather the Lord Most High Himself Who has Commanded the believers to fast during the month of Ramadan as a rite of worship towards Him. The Quranic phrase used is ‘faman shahida minkum as-shahr’ meaning whoever amongst you ‘witnesses’ the month of Ramadan must spend it in fasting in the manner prescribed.

 

The Lord Most High in His Mercy and Grace has excused those believers from observing the fasts of Ramadan if they are traveling, are ill, or for some genuine reason find extreme hardship in observing the obligatory fasts. Such believers who have a genuine excuse have an option to either make up the fast at a later date or give a ‘fidya’ or atonement for each fast missed.

 

Your Question 2A: In the modern industrial society we all work 8 hours a day out of home. Are we then assume to fast on week ends only?

Dear and beloved brother in Islam, if one genuinely believes that in the Just and Majestic Court and Presence of the Lord Most High on That Tumultuous Day of Judgment, one living in a ‘modern-industrial-society’ presents the excuse that he found it hard to observe the obligatory fasts of Ramadan except only on week-ends, and one genuinely believes that the Lord Most High would accept his excuse….one may wish to take his chances, do as he pleases, and thus intake the consequences of his decision.

 

If the All-Knowing, All-Wise and Merciful Lord Wishes to accept the excuse of His slave for missing his obligatory fasts, he will be safe from the terror of that Tumultuous Day….and if the Lord Most Majestic refuses to accept his excuse, none save Allah Subhanah Alone can avert the impending punishment and consequence of intentionally missing an obligatory act of worship.

 

Q-3: Efficiency when fasting goes down considerably. As you are aware in an industrialized country like America, max. output is required at all times to survive. If prophet (SAW) was present to day would he not have given different guidance?

This is obviously a hypothetical question based on an assumption; and we (or non in creation) are obviously neither qualified, nor possess the authority, nor would dare to challenge, alter, or change any Decision or Decree made by the One Who Alone is well-aware of the past, present, and the future….Allah Subhanah, Lord of the Heavens and the Earth and all that exists between it!

 

As your brothers and sincere well-wishers in faith all we can do brother is invite you to the Right Way of the Lord, and say or assume absolutely nothing in the deen except what has been clearly declared by the Lord in His Glorious Quran and His Noble Prophet (saws) in his authentic and established Sunnah.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verses 66-69:

66 It is He (Allah) Who gave you life, will cause you to die, and will again give you life: truly man is a most ungrateful creature!

67 To every people have We appointed rites and ceremonies which they must follow; let them not then dispute with thee (O Prophet (saws)) on the matter, but do thou invite (them) to thy Lord: for thou (O Prophet (saws)) art assuredly on the Right Way.

68 If they do wrangle with thee say "Allah knows best what it is ye are doing!

69 Allah will Judge between you on the Day of Judgment concerning the matters in which ye differ."

 

We reiterate again brother, that if one genuinely believes that fasting brings down one’s efficiency, and because one was living in an ‘industrialized society’ and needed at all times to give his maximum output to survive, and for these reasons he could not observe the obligatory Commands of his Lord…..and one genuinely believes he has a case when he ultimately is brought to trial in the Presence of the Lord Most High on that Day of Judgment….he may wish to take his chances, do as he pleases, and thus intake the consequences of his assumption and decision!

 

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

 

Burhan

 


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