REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE FAST OF RAMADAN Ocia1203
REGULATIONS GOVERNING
THE FAST OF RAMADAN
    Fasting means to refrain and abstain, from dawn till sunset, from certain things forbidden by Islamic Law. These are dealt with later. Fasting is divided into two main categories:
a) Fard (obligatory fasting), which comprises the following:
       (i) Ramadan fast.
      (ii) kaffara (the fasting of atoenement).
      (iii) Nadhr (rlating to the taking of a vow).

b) Tatawwu' (voluntary fasting), which is confined to those additional days throughout the year which the Prophet used to observe as fasting days.

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam.
     The Prophet said: "Islam is built on five pillars: the shahdda (profession of faith) that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, salat (prayers), zakat (alms-tax), the sawn of Ramadan (fast) and hajj (pilgrimage).

     Ramadan fast was prescribed on the second Monday of the month of Sha'ban, in the second year of the Hijra.

     Fasting is obligatory for every Muslim provided that he or she is adult and in full possession of his or her faculties.

Exemptions for temporary causes include:
      (i) Women in menstruation or child-birth bleeding.
      (ii) Persons in sick bed or on a journey.
     These exemptions will be discussed later.
 
    It is preferable that children, though they are not under obligation to fast, should be trained in fasting in order to prepare them for carrying out their adult obligations in this respect.
 
    Al-Rabi Bint Mu'awwadh said in this connection "On the Day of Ashoura, the Prophet had a man tour the villages of the Ansar (the original inhabitants of Medina who supported the Prophet) ordering those who had not yet partaken of food to fast during the day and those who had eaten to abstain and fast the rest of the day. Later, we used to fast that day and have our small children fast upon it. We used to take them to the mosque and give them toys made of wool to distract them from their hunger until iftar time". (i.e. the breaking of the fast).
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