"Fasting in the Quran"
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"English translation, generated by artificial intelligence, excerpted from the book "Kuran'daki Din" (Religion in the Quran) written in Turkish."
"Fasting in the Quran
In the Prophet's time, the meaning of "fasting" (oruç) was well understood. Indeed, in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 183, it is stated, "Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you." Furthermore, as will be seen below, all details regarding fasting are explained in four verses of Surah Al-Baqarah. For someone who reads these verses, there will be no ambiguity regarding fasting. All information about fasting is given in verses 183, 184, 185, and 187 of Surah Al-Baqarah. These verses are as follows
183- O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous.
184- A few number of days. Whoever of you is ill or traveling, then the same number from different days. 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 only you knew.
185- The month of Ramadhan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights the month - let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of days . Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
187- It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives . They are your garments and you are their garments. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He has accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread . Then complete the fast until the night...
2-Al-Baqarah Verses 183, 184, 185, 187
We learn about fasting from these four verses. If we examine these verses, we can learn all the information about Ramadan fasting. In light of these verses, we can explain fasting as follows
1- Fasting is a duty (fard) commanded by the Quran, prescribed upon us (2-Al-Baqarah 183).
2- Fasting is observed in the month of Ramadan (2-Al-Baqarah 185). Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed, and fasting is observed during the days of this month. Ramadan is a month of the lunar calendar. It is determined according to the movements of the Moon. We can know the beginning of this month, which begins with the sighting of the Moon, months or even years in advance with astronomical calculations. Today, we know the beginning of this month very comfortably and long in advance with calendars, so we no longer need to observe the Moon. Today, even much more critical celestial events such as solar and lunar eclipses are known years in advance, along with the best places to observe them. Like all lunar months, Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days.
3- Those who are unable to fast due to illness or travel must fast on other days equal to the number of days they missed (2-Al-Baqarah 184). In contrast, the idea that someone who intentionally breaks their fast must fast for 61 consecutive days is an explanation from fabricated hadiths and sects; such an explanation does not appear in the Quran. In the Quran, fasting is mentioned as a ransom for some deficiencies related to Hajj (2-Al-Baqarah 196), for those who unintentionally cause death if they cannot free a slave, they must fast for two consecutive months (4-An-Nisa 92), for those who break their oaths, fasting as atonement (5-Al-Ma'idah 89), for those who violate the hunting ban in Hajj, fasting as atonement (5-Al-Ma'idah 95), and for those who declare their wives as close relatives like mothers in pre-Islamic customs and attempt divorce, if they cannot free a slave as punishment, they must fast for two consecutive months (58-Al-Mujadila 4). As seen, the Quran states that in the punishment of some offenses, fasting is observed as a worldly consequence of the offense. Allah, who provides all these details, would He not have explained it if there was a penalty for intentionally breaking the fast, such as fasting for two consecutive months? Since He has not explained it, such a penalty does not exist. If we examine the above offenses, the probability of occurrence of some of these offenses is even less than one in a thousand. Is it possible that Allah, who explains things that are so unlikely to occur in human life, would not have explained such a penalty if there was such a penalty for an event that is much more likely to occur, such as intentionally breaking one's fast?
4- Those who are able to fast but do not, must give a ransom to feed a poor person (2-Al-Baqarah 184). Everyone should make their assessment, not forgetting that Allah is close to us, as stated in verse 2-Al-Baqarah 186. The phrase "to fast is better for you, if you only knew" at the end of verse 2-Al-Baqarah 185 should be taken into consideration when evaluating whether to fast. While determining what to feed the poor, how much, and how many meals for those who want to feed the poor, the phrase "And whoever volunteers excess - it is better for him" in the same verse should be considered.
5- The time for fasting begins with the break of dawn. While explaining the expression "until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread " at this time (at dawn), some have said that the break of dawn is called "hayt" (thread) because the whiteness at dawn is seen like a thread extending horizontally on the horizon. According to some, what is meant in the verse is the dispersion of the darkness of the night to the extent that it does not prevent distinguishing a black thread from a white thread at a certain distance. With the expression "to you" in verse 2-Al-Baqarah 187, it is understood that the starting time of fasting is not the moment when the first signs of light begin to appear on the horizon, but the later time when the darkness has cleared a bit more. We can say that there is a little more flexibility at the beginning of fasting compared to the starting time shown in most current calendars. The duration of fasting continues until the night. In the Quran, we see that the day has two parts night and day. The ending time of fasting is the beginning of the night, that is, the end of the day (2-Al-Baqarah 187).
6- It is said that we can approach women on the night of fasting (2-Al-Baqarah 187). The word "approach" is a word with a metaphorical meaning. For female-male sexuality, idioms such as "being together" are also used in Turkish, and this idiom refers to "sexual intercourse." From the style of expression in this verse, it is understood that what was understood by "fasting" in the time of the Prophet included "not approaching women on the night of fasting" or that a disagreement arose regarding this matter; with this expression in the verse, this matter is clarified.
7- In Surah Al-Baqarah verse 187, it is said that we can eat and drink until the starting time of fasting. Thus, it is understood that the three elements that constitute fasting are 1- not eating, 2- not drinking, 3- not engaging in sexual relations, which must be fulfilled during the time of fasting, that is, these constitute fasting. After the beginning of the night, which is the ending time of fasting, these are permissible. Explanations such as blood donation, vomiting, cursing, and fighting breaking the fast are fabrications. The elements that constitute fasting are clear. Nothing breaks the fast except eating, drinking, and sexual relations."
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