Dare to know what fasting really is . . . as Aidid did
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I have read Aidids short essay, The Ramadan Rituals. His presentation deserves some attention for discussion. My post - Dare to know what fasting really is - is corollary to his understanding. I do believe that sawm is not all about abstaining from food, drink and sex during daytime. I will leave it to the readers to ponder and criticize my view.
I used to go to the mosque and during the first Friday sermon of ramadhan the imam would usually cite verses 2183-185 as the command to fast. Using critical thinking, I try to understand the context of the cited Verses and I make use of some verses of the quran as my rallying point. I am going to explain the verses, line by line, in my analysis, to wit
(2183) O you who believe, fasting is decreed for you as it was decreed for those before you perhaps you may be righteous. The command to fast applies to all believers, whether they are rich or POOR. The meaning is plain and simple.
(2184) a limited number of days. Here begins a different interpretation. The majority of moslems fast for 29/30 days. If it is their understanding, then I respect them. However, the quran states that it is easy to learn (understand)(5417,22,32) and Indeed We have made the verses detailed for a people who take reminder (6126) and We have made the revelations clear to you, if you will use your reason (311.
Whoever of you is ill or traveling, then the same number from different days; . One should look at the general application of the verse in actual life situation In this, I will focus on the POOR believers. There is a question of why a POOR believer undertakes a travel (journey) And how would a POOR believer go on travel (journey) if he has no means? It does not make sense to me. If, indeed, such POOR believer opts to travel (journey), then his travel would be a travel (journey) of suffering. I think there is a need to review and explore all possible contextual meaning of the verse on traveling.
and as for those who can do so but with difficulty, they may redeem by feeding the needy. And whoever does good voluntarily, then it is better for him. And if you fast it is better for you if you knew. Here again, one should look at the application of the verse in real life situation. There is no problem with the rich, for he can easily feed a needy. But, what about the POOR believer ? How would a Miskin believer feed another miskin if the former is himself in need? It does not make sense to me again. A miskin believer with fasting difficulty cannot make any redemption and doing so would make his life more difficult. This would contradict the verse (2185) God wants to bring you ease and not to bring you hardship; And the quran also states in 2362 And We do not burden a soul except with what it can bear. And I have experienced that fasting (traditional) is not as an easy task. And what can you say about those poor fasting Moslems whose livelihood depends on manual labor, under the heat of the sun ? Ease or hardship?
Further, I think there is a need to review the English translation on feeding. Asad has different translation, among the 17 translators, ( it is incumbent upon those who can afford it to make sacrifice by feeding a needy person …
Over time, the traditional meaning of sawm as fasting has a long lasting effect on most of the Moslems that they cannot take any other meaning except what is handed down to them by their parents. And they do not dare to ask! By clinging to traditional meaning, one will have a contradictory and out-of-the-real-world interpretation of the cited verses. In addition, by taking the context of the verse mentioning Mary (1926) one will find a different meaning of sawm. . The quran encourages us to find the best meaning (391 and we are also told that we cannot find contradiction in Quran (482).
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So a believer who is so poor that he is actually starving most of time, if he is told to fast (Ramadan)..that would be insane!!!
God does not want to give us hardship....That's something no one should forget...What is really important for our salvation has been already spelt out in the Quran repeatedly..Many times over, Allah always speaks about us going in search of of HIS bounty...Food is certainly one of the most important things to us...It would be quite a contradictory thought if on one hand we are to seek his bounty and the other hand, refraining from seeking his bounty.....just think about harvests going to waste...if a whole nation cuts down on meals..much could be leftover only to rot or lose its usefulness...
pregnant mothers fasting.. well that could be an issue..Is there a doctor in the house? Hey I am just speaking my mind here...Let us discuss in peace and respect....
God bless....
group
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Salaaman Akponly,
to the forum.
I could be wrong...Allah knows best. I am just adding the possibilities that I see.
You gave your answer yourself.
(2183) O you who believe, fasting is decreed for you as it was decreed for those before you perhaps you may be righteous. The command to fast applies to all believers, whether they are rich or POOR. The meaning is plain and simple.
Wrong! The command to fast applies only to rich believers. How? Continue.....
Whoever of you is ill or traveling, then the same number from different days; . One should look at the general application of the verse in actual life situation In this, I will focus on the POOR believers. There is a question of why a POOR believer undertakes a travel (journey) And how would a POOR believer go on travel (journey) if he has no means? It does not make sense to me. If, indeed, such POOR believer opts to travel (journey), then his travel would be a ?travel (journey) of suffering?. I think there is a need to review and explore all possible contextual meaning of the verse on traveling.
Why? I see lot of poor, very poor people working in Dubai. They traveled to Dubai and they are happy.
and as for those who can do so but with difficulty, they may redeem by feeding the needy. And whoever does good voluntarily, then it is better for him. And if you fast it is better for you if you knew. Here again, one should look at the application of the verse in real life situation. There is no problem with the rich, for he can easily feed a needy. But, what about the POOR believer ? How would a Miskin believer feed another miskin if the former is himself in need? It does not make sense to me again. A miskin believer with fasting difficulty cannot make any redemption and doing so would make his life more difficult. This would contradict the verse (2185) ? God wants to bring you ease and not to bring you hardship;? And the quran also states in 2362? And We do not burden a soul except with what it can bear??. And I have experienced that fasting (traditional) is not as an easy task. And what can you say about those poor fasting Moslems whose livelihood depends on manual labor, under the heat of the sun ? Ease or hardship?
Yes! Here is the answer. If miskin believer feeding another miskin? Who is getting fed here? What means needy? Needy of food? Is this miskin not fasting? How is he taking food? I think, poor people has to be fed by rich when rich people are not fasting for whatever reasons.
Over time, the traditional meaning of sawm as fasting has a long lasting effect on most of the Moslems that they cannot take any other meaning except what is handed down to them by their parents. And they do not dare to ask! By clinging to traditional meaning, one will have a contradictory and out-of-the-real-world interpretation of the cited verses. In addition, by taking the context of the verse mentioning Mary (1926) one will find a different meaning of sawm. . The quran encourages us to find the best meaning (391 and we are also told that we cannot find contradiction in Quran (482).
I think, 1926 does not have another meaning of sawm, but as per my understanding Sawm means 'to keep ourselves away'. Maryam was keeping away herself from speaking to other people. And we are commanded to keep ourselves away from food and water.
In addition, I would like to say that you have mentioned earlier in this post a translation of "Tattaqoon" (last word of 2183) as righteous is wrong. Tattaqoon means something similar to Sawm 'to keep ourselves away from what ever is prohibited / unlawful for us from Allah'. Here again, it may help my understanding that rich persons may need to get an habit to be away from something (Allah knows best). But poor persons are already away from so many things, so why they need sawm? Please correct me if you feel I am wrong.
Allah knows best. He is only best Knower of all.
May Allah open our hearts to understand His word.
Regards,
mmKhan