Manners of Fasting

TEHRAN (IQNA) – There are many Hadiths about manners of fasting, and now that Muslims all over the world are fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, we review 12 of these manners.

They have been mentioned in a book titled “Kanz al-Maram fir A’amal Shahr al-Siyam”.

1. Protecting the limbs and body parts from immoral acts and sins. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: whenever someone swears at a fasting person and he says: ‘Greetings to you. I am fasting’, God says: ‘My servant resorted to fasting. Save him from fire (of hell) and enter him in the heaven’.

Also, Imam Baqer (AS) said: Anyone who fasts in the days of Ramadan and spends part of the night in worshiping, keeps his stomach and his lust at bay, controls his eyes and tongue, and avoids harming other people, he will get out of sins and gets as pure as he was on the day he was born.

2. Avoiding eating, drinking and tasting
3. Applying perfume, rosewater and other sweet scents. Imam Sadeq (AS) said perfume is the present of the one who fasts.
4. Staying away from indecent places and hobbies
5. Keeping the heart clear of things like envy, conceit, etc
6. Keeping the fasting hidden in order to avoid pretense and self-importance
7. Saying the ritual prayers of Ramadan
8. Not wearing wet clothes
9. (For women) not sitting in water
10. Avoiding speaking and joking about sexual issues even with one’s spouse
11. Not going on trips, unless it is necessary or it is a pilgrimage trip.
12. Avoiding chewing something (such as gum)

We read in part of the book: Always remember the Day of Judgment, make provision for the time you meet God, and always remain humble and serene. When you are fasting, with a soul devoid of sins and impurities, put yourself in God’s hands and do as He has commanded. If you do all of these fully, you are truly fasting and have obeyed His command. And if you do some of these partially, your fasting will be proportionately deficient.

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) saw a woman who was fasting but used foul language. He ordered that she be served food. She said: ‘But I am fasting, Oh Messenger of God!’ “The holy Prophet said: How can you be fasting when you use foul language?

And Imam Ali (AS) said: Many persons get nothing out of their fasts but hunger and thirst, many more get nothing out of their night prayers but exertions and sleepless nights. Wise and sagacious persons are praiseworthy even if they do not fast and sleep during the nights.