THE THREAT OF LEAVING RAMADHAN'S FASTING

By: Ahmad Syahrin Thoriq

People who intentionally leave the obligation to fast during Ramadan mean that they have done something that is forbidden and a very big sin in Islam. 

The culprit fell into wicked law which had consequences in the world where his testimony was not accepted and his guardianship rights in marriage fell, according to some scholars.[1]

There are many threats and reproaches against the perpetrators of this great sin, some of which are as follows:

1. Hadith of the Prophet shallallahu'alaihi wassalam

مَنْ أَفْطَرَ يَوْمًا مِنْ رَمَضَانَ مِنْ غَيْرِ رُخْصَةٍ وَلَا مَرَضٍ لَمْ يَقْضِ عَنْهُ صَوْمُ الدَّهُ

"Whoever breaks his fast even one day in Ramadan not because of illness or there is rukhshah (lightening), then his fast cannot be made qadla' even though he fasted the whole year." (Narrated by Tirmidhi)

إِذَا كُنْتُ فِى سَوَاءِ الْجَبَلِ إِذَا أَنَا بَأَصْوَاتٍ شَدِيدَةٍ فَقُلْتُ : مَا هَذِهِ الأَصْوَاتُ قَالُوا : هَذَا عُوَاءُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ ، ثُمَّ انْطُلِقَ بِى فَإِذَا أَنَا بِقَوْمٍ مُعَلَّقِينَ بِعَرَاقِيبِهِمْ مُشَقَّقَةٌ أَشْدَاقُهُمْ تَسِيلُ أَشْدَاقُهُمْ دَمًا قَالَ قُلْتُ : مَنْهَؤُلاَءِ قَالَ : هَؤُلاَءِ الَّذِينَ يُفْطِرُونَ قَبْلَ تَحِلَّةِ صَوْمِهِمْ

"When I was in the middle of the mountain, suddenly I heard loud voices, so I asked, "What is that sound?" They (angels) replied, "That's the screams of the inhabitants of hell". 

Then I was taken, suddenly I saw a group of people hanging (upside down) by the tendons of their legs (above), the edges of their mouths were torn with blood. 

I asked, "Who are they?" They replied, "They are the ones who break their fast prematurely." (HR. Nasa'i)

2. Maqalah scholars

Abdullah bin Mas'ud radhiyallahu'anhu said:

مَنْ أَفْطَرَ يَوْمًا مِنْ رَمَضَانَ مِنْ غَيْرِ رُخْصَةٍ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ بِهِ، وَإِنْ صَامَ الدَّهْرَ كُلَّهُ، إِنْ شَاءَ غَفَرَ لَهُ، وَإِنْ شَاءَ عَذَّبَهُ

"Whoever breaks the fast of the month of Ramadan without relief, Allah will still demand him even if he fasts a whole year, if Allah wills, He will forgive him, and if Allah wills, He will torture him." (Narrated by Thabrani)

عرى الاسلام، وقواعد الدين ثلاثة، عليهن أسس الاسلام، من ترك واحدة منهن، فهو بها كافر حلال الدم: شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله، والصلاة المكتوبة، وصوم رمضان

"There are three Islamic bonds and religious foundations, upon which the Islamic religion is built and whoever leaves just one of them, then he is a disbeliever and his blood is lawful (to be killed), namely: the Creed of Laa Ilaaha Illallah, obligatory prayers, and fasting of Ramadan." (Narrated by Abu Ya'ala)

Ali bin Abi Talib radhiyallahu'anhu said:

مَنْ أَفْطَرَ يَوْمًا مِنْ رَمَضَانَ مُتَعَمِّدًا لَمْ يَقْضِهِ أَبَدًا طُولُ الدَّهْرِ

"Whoever breaks the fast of the month of Ramadan on purpose, fasting for a full year cannot replace it." (Narrated by Ibn Abi Syaibah)

Said Syaikhul Islam Ibn Taimiyah Rahimahullah:

‌إذا ‌أفطر ‌في ‌رمضان ‌مستحلا ‌لذلك وهو عالم بتحريمه استحلالا له وجب قتله وإن كان فاسقا عوقب

“If someone does not fast during Ramadan because he thinks it is okay even though he knows that it is unlawful, then the death penalty is obligatory upon him. 

And if he does it because he is wicked, then he is punished according to the provisions set by the priest (ruler). The punishment for the adulterer was established on him.”[2]

Imam adz Dzahabi Rahimahullah said:

وعند المؤمنين مقرر: أن من ترك صوم رمضان بلا مرض، أنه شر من الزاني, ومدمن الخمر، بل يشكون في إلامه، ويظنون به الزندقة. 

"For believers it has become a stipulation that whoever abandons the obligation of fasting during Ramadan even though he is not sick, then that is worse than fornicators and drunkards, they even doubt his Islam and suspect him of being zindiq and giving up his religion."[3]

Al Imam Ibn Rajab Rahimahullah said:

God bless you

"Some scholars are of the opinion that anyone who deliberately abandons the obligations of the five pillars of Islam will cause disbelief."[4]

So it is enough to be a big threat to someone who intentionally does not fast during Ramadan, that it causes him to fall into wicked law and even causes his Islam to be questioned. 

Wallahu a'lam. 

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[1] Al Mausu'ah al Fiqhiyah al Kuwaitiyah (32/143)

[2] Majmu' Fatawa (25/265)

[3] Jam'ul Jawami' (5/584)

[4] Jami' Ulum wal Hikam (1/149)