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Ask About Ramadan (Q & A Session)

Waleed Najmeddine
21 May, 2017

Asalamu Alaikum Brothers & Sisters,

Join us as Brother Waleed Ahmed Najmeddine answers your question about the coming holy month of Ramadan. Brother Waleed will be available live to reply to general questions from Muslims and non-Muslims about the month of fasting.

Our Live Session will be Friday, May 26, 2017, at 4:00 -6:00 AM Makkah/

1:00-3:00 AM GMT/Thursday, May 25, 2017 7:00-9:00 PM Alberta, Canada

Can’t make it to the session? Please do not hesitate to send us your questions at the following email address: [email protected]

Friday, May. 26, 2017 | 04:00 - 06:00 GMT

Session is over.

Salam alaykum, I am a revert to Islam and I don't wear the hijab. There are a variety of reasons for this, firstly I feel as though it will be impossible for me to meet a husband dressed like that, secondly it would really upset my family and I guess thirdly I’m a bit scared too. I recently relocated to Oman, and my colleagues have told me that my fasting doesn't count if I don't wear the hijab. Is this correct? I was planning on just wearing an abaya but leaving my hair uncovered, seeing it as a small stepping stone. However, they have told me that this is how all the prostitutes dress and people would think that’s what I am. I don't want to be a hypocrite and take the hijab off once I put it on, and I always felt as though I would wear it after marriage, as I think my family would understand it more that way and I would have my husband to help support me during that time. Do you think wearing an abaya without a headscarf is wrong? That it would be better for me to just wear normal western clothes? Will my fasting still be accepted? The last 2 years I have fasted without ever hearing that it wouldn't be accepted because of the hijab. I was shocked. Lastly, if I wear the hijab for ramadan but then take it off, isn't it worse than not wearing it? Doesn't it make me more hypocritical? Thanks, Jane



Salam,

Ramadan Mubarak, sister Jane. I pray that God will make your journey forward easier than it has been to this point and that you do not lose hope in God’s mercy as a result of the words or actions of your brothers and sisters in Islam. But be aware that God always puts the believer to test, often more difficult tests than anyone else.

Having said that, when it comes to our prayers, fasting, zakah, hajj and other forms of worship in Islam, none of us knows for certain what God has accepted from us and what He has rejected. It is easy for us to judge each other and say God does not accept this or that, but none of us has a hotline with Him and knows what He accepts and what He rejects. The most important thing every Muslim should remember is that we have an intention to improve ourselves, improve our level and depth of devotions to God, and to hold fast to the hope that He will guide us and forgive our shortcomings.

There is no doubt that wearing hijab in Islam is an obligation for women who have reached puberty. There is no doubt that fasting must be performed according to the commands of God as found in the Qur’an and as passed onto us by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Praying without proper dress for men and ladies is not acceptable, but when we are not standing in prayer, we are still in God’s sight and knowledge. It is common for some ladies to cover up for prayer, then remove the “prayer clothing” and return to regular practice. This does not show a true desire to improve ourselves as Muslims.

Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:

Whoever says, ‘There is no god but God’ will enter Paradise.

So while everyone who truly believes that God is One and Muhammad is His Messenger is a Muslim, not all Muslims are the same. Some will enter Paradise without suffering any punishment at all in Hellfire. Some Muslims, however, will enter Hell; some for a short time, and some for a long time, but eventually, all will be removed after being purified by God, then admitted to Paradise.

Having said that, if we are unable to bear a small burn to our finger tip, for example, and it keeps us awake all night, how will we bear being immersed in a much more ferocious fire with no end in sight? I pray that we are all saved from any such punishment for our sins in this life. Ameen.

I completely understand your reasons for being reluctant to commit to dressing according to what Islam teaches, but I’m sorry to say that I see your reluctance to wear the hijab for fear of what others will say or think of you as a sign of weak faith. We should worry what God thinks of us and follow His commands, then put our trust in Him to open doors for us to all that we desire of goodness in this life and in the next.

{[…] And for those who fear God, He (ever) prepares a way out. And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if anyone puts his trust in God, sufficient is (God) for him. For God will surely accomplish His purpose: Truly, for all things has God appointed a due proportion.} (Qur’an Chapter 65: verse 2-3)

If you are trying to attract a husband with external good looks, you may attract a husband whose main concern is external good looks, and may even have a wandering eye that he will regularly cast upon other good looking women. Then when your good looks fade, as they inevitably will, what will you have left? But if a man is drawn to look beyond the physical appearance, if he sees beauty as something that should be protected from the glances of others, then a much more meaningful relationship based on inner beauty and respect results, and this is one that is not affected by the material distractions of this worldly life.

Deeds are judged by the intentions behind them. Ultimately, fasting is better than not fasting. It may be that because you are a revert to Islam, God will accept it despite the fact that you are not wearing hijab. I am confident, sad to say, that there are many women whose fasts are not accepted despite the fact that they are wearing hijab. It is for Him to decide and nobody has the right to discourage you from following God’s commands.

I hope that this has been helpful to you. Never give up on the mercy of God. He is always ready to welcome those who seek His Forgiveness and Guidance. If you walk towards Him, He will run towards you, inshaAllah.

Please keep in touch. Salam.

Hi, thank you for offering this session where we can ask questions about your religion. I am a Christian man and in my church, we often fasts together. This means that we abstain from food for some days, but we drink water or juice. I have heard of other churches that also fast, but they abstain from certain kinds of food only, for a week or some other length of time. But I do not know how fasting is in Islam. Is it anything like what I describe in my church or it is abstaining from certain foods? I am curious to know what fasting is like in other faiths. Your response is greatly appreciated.



Salam (Peace),

Thank you for your question. Muslims fast Ramadan according to the command of God in the following verse:

{O you who believe. Fasting has been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those who came before you (i.e. Christians, Jews, etc.) so that you may learn piety.} ( Qur’an Chapter 2: verse 183)

According to the teachings of Islam and prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, the fast that Muslims perform is the same as the fasts performed by the devout followers of Jesus, Moses, David, Abraham, and all prophets of God, may peace be upon them all. Prophet David is known to have performed the best fast. Throughout his whole life, he fasted every other day. We are not expected to live up to this standard, but we are expected to follow the example of God’s final prophet to mankind, Muhammad, peace be upon him.

We believe that Jesus, peace be upon him, fasted as we fast. We do not eat or drink at all from dawn (before sunrise) until the setting of the sun. With all due respect, merely refraining from some types of food or drink while engaging in others is not a true test of self-restraint. True learning or change takes place when we break cycles and routines and replace it with something better. A minor shift in our eating habits may be fulfilling for some, but real change or growth happens when we really put ourselves to the test.

The fast in Islam does not put most people in danger of harming themselves, however, there are exceptions for those who are elderly, suffer from medical conditions, are pregnant, travelling, etc. and would be putting themselves through great difficulty or jeopardizing their health by adhering to the rules mentioned above.

Above refraining from food and drink, Muslims are required to abstain from sexual relations during the day, avoid vain speech, lying, cheating, throughout the month of Ramadan. We are encouraged to strengthen family ties, visit the elderly and the sick. We are encouraged to feed the poor and provide for their needs as best as we can while fasting. We are encouraged to avoid conflict and arguing as much as possible so that we truly practice self restraint in real terms.

This is the fast of Muslims. I encourage you to explore Islam more and hope that you will share your new-found knowledge with your fellow Christians as well. One of the best ways to learn more about Islam is to visit a mosque during Ramadan and see for yourself the best that Islam and Muslims have to offer.

I hope this has helped you. Please keep in touch.

Salam.

I am a new Muslim and this will be my first Ramadan. I am very nervous about getting the timings right for starting and breaking my fast. Can you please explain when the time for fasting begins and ends?



Salam,

Welcome to the family, sister Rachael! May God guide and bless you and your loved ones. Ameen.

With respect to proper start and end times for fasting, my best advice would be to connect with a masjid (mosque) in your vicinity. Most masjids will post a schedule online, or have printed copies to post on your fridge. If you have access to internet, it should be easy to find sunset times for your location. As soon as the sun sets you should break your fast with a quick bite, offer the Maghrib (sunset) prayer, then start your iftar meal (the meal after the day of fasting) straight after that.

Starting the fast can be tricky, especially if it’s cloudy or you live in a valley or something. If you have a smart phone, there are many apps that will offer Fajr and Maghrib times as well. However, I would recommend getting in touch with your local masjid for best results. You can also hook up with other new Muslims who are just as excited and nervous as you are.

Although I was born into a Muslim family, I did not become devout until I reached adulthood. I remember the first time that I intended to fast the whole of Ramadan. I was so enthusiastic that I started 10 days early and fasted straight through to the end of Ramadan. Not supposed to do that, but I didn’t know any better at the time. Again, stay close to other devout Muslims for best results.

May God accept your fasting and good deeds throughout Ramadan and beyond, and make you a scholar of Islam to lead the way for your fellow countrymen. Ameen.

Please keep in touch. Salam. 

How should one welcome Ramadan? Any recommendations for the last night of Sha'ban?



Salam,

Thanks for your question, brother Kamal. May God grant us the ability to witness another Ramadan, and may He be pleased with us. Ameen.

Prophet Muhammad’s tradition regarding fasting, peace be upon him, was to fast Mondays and Thursdays throughout the year. He would also fast the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah, the 10th of Muharram (‘Ashuraa), and the middle days of each month around the time of the full moon. His companions, may God be pleased with them, mentioned his fasting habits in Sha’ban:

It was narrated by Aisha, may God be pleased with her, that

God’s Messenger used to fast till one would say that he would never stop fasting, and he would abandon fasting till one would say that he would never fast. I never saw God’s Messenger fasting for a whole month except the month of Ramadan, and I did not see him fasting in any month more than in the month of Sha’ban. (Sahih Bukhari Chapter No: 31, hadith 190)

To welcome Ramadan, I think it would be best to fast as much as is convenient during Sha’ban to get into the groove, so to speak. It was the tradition of the Prophet’s companions to spend the months after Ramadan asking God to accept their fasting, and the months approaching Ramadan asking God to grant them the ability to reach Ramadan again. I think it would be very good as well to thank God for this huge blessing of reaching Ramadan again, and to make sincere intentions to make it the best Ramadan ever on a personal, devotional level.

This means we should strive to make the most of each day of fasting- refraining from vain talk, looking at haram, listening to haram, etc. We should try to get back into reading Qur’an on a more regular basis, serving those in need, and especially intending to re-establish family ties.

The only tradition I am aware of regarding the last night of Sha’ban is to participate in Taraweeh prayers at your local masjid. It is another opportunity to reconnect with beloved community members, and maybe get a few invitations to iftar in the process. 🙂

If we can do these things, we will truly welcomed Ramadan in the best way, inshaAllah.

Please keep in touch. Salam.