Etiquettes of Fasting

When fasting, don’t think of it as merely abstaining from food and drink and marital intercourse. Muhammad said,

“Many a one who fasts has nothing from his fasting save hunger and thirst”.

Rather, perfect fasting consists in restraining all the members (of your body) from what Allah disapproves.

You must keep the eye from looking at things disapproved, the tongue from uttering what does not concern you, and the ear from listening to what God has forbidden, for the hearer shares the guilt of the speaker (in cases of backbiting), and the hearer is one of the performer if backbiting. A tradition runs:

“Five things make a man break his fast: lying, backbiting, malicious gossip, the lustful glance and the false oath”

The Prophet also said:

“Fasting is a protection; if one of you is fasting, let him avoid obscene speech, loose living and folly; and if anyone attacks him or insults him, let him say, ‘I am fasting’”. (From Bukhari, Vol 3, Book 31, No 128, Narrated Abu Huraira).

Then endeavour to break your fast with lawful food, and not to take an excessive amount, eating more than you normally eat at night because you are fasting by day; if you take the whole amount you usually take, there is no difference between eating it at one meal at night and eating it at two meals (one by day and one by night as when one is not fasting).

The aim of fasting is to oppose (break) your appetites (desire) and to double your capacity for works of Taqwa. If, then you eat food equal to what has passed from you, you have thereby made up for what has passed from you, and there is no advantage in your fast, while in addition you find your stomach oppressive. There is no vessel more hateful to God than a stomach full of lawful food. What then if it was filled with unlawful food?

Fasting is the foundation of devotional practices and the key of good works. The Messenger said:

“God Most High said, ‘Every good deed is rewarded by from ten to seven hundred like deeds, except fasting, for that is Mine and I myself reward it’”.

The Prophet said:

“By Him in Whose hand is my soul, the smell of the mouth of one who fasts is more fragrant to God than the scent of musk”. (Vol 9, Book 93, No 584, Narrated Abu Huraira).

Allah SWT says:

“Should one give up appetite and food and drink for My sake, then the fast is Mine, I Myself reward it”.

The Prophet said:

“Paradise has a gate called ar-Rayyan, by which none enters save those who fast”. (Reported by Sahl ibn Sa'ad al-Bukhari and Muslim).



The excellent days of generous reward for fasting on them are:
. The day of ‘Arafah (or 9th Dhul-Hijjah) for those not making the pilgrimage to Makkah
. The day of ‘Ashura (10th Mubarak)
. The first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah
. The first 10 days of Muharram, Rajab and Sha’ban.


It is excellent to fast on the sacred months - Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul- Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab.

In the course of the week: Monday, Thursday and Friday - sins of the week are atoned.
Fasting on the first, middle and last days of the month and the 12th, 14th, 15th (white days) - sins of the month are atoned.
The sins committed throughout the year atoned for by fasting these days and months mentioned above including Ramadhan.

From The Beginning of Guidance.

Bump for ramadhan 1431/2010